Haunt Chapter 1: The Crow's Nest

Reginald Speaker never was the best farmer. His aunt and uncle were always disappointed in his timing of harvests and absentmindedness. His uncle always joked that, "tools just didn't seem to fit his little hands." His physique didn't lend itself to farming; he was more into reading and daydreaming. While these pastimes are easy for you or me, they aren't so fun for Reg.

You see, the problem is that the young fox can hear ghosts. He couldn't always hear them. It wasn't until after the death of his parents that he had this unfortunate gift. It kept him from farming, sleeping, or even thinking straight. Lucky for him, the voices that Reginald heard in his head weren't of malicious demons or anything, but they were criminals at one point in time. They had done their dirty deeds, and they had usually gotten away with them too.

Tending a garden is a little difficult to do while the disembodied voice of a dead pirate is talking to you.

-Listen to me Reginald! I'm Captain Death Knuckles! You better do what I say or else... well... I'll just keep talking to you! How's about that! Yeah!? Being incorporeal and all, I have one hell of a lung capacity!-

"Leave me alone Frank," quietly said Reg as he worked in the field, "You are not Captain Death Knuckles and you were never able to kill a man with one punch. You told me a long time ago that all you did on the ship was regular pirate stuff. Do you remember when you told me your name was Frank and you scrubbed the decks? Where is this captain stuff coming from?"

-I got bored.-

"Yeah I can tell," said Reg, "You've been bored since I was sixteen! It's been three years of this Captain Death Knuckle crap and I'm tired of it!"

Just then, Uncle Speaker dropped his trowel on the ground and looked over at Reginald , who was a good distance away, to yell at him. 

"Who the hell are you talking to? This is getting tiring Reggie. People make fun of you ya know because you're always talkin' to pirates in your head," he scolded.

-Oi you! I'm not just some head pirate! I'm Captain Death Knuckles! Talk to Reg like that again and I'll gut ye and take out yer guts and then throw your guts off the side of the ship, while you're still alive mind you, so that you can look at your guts in the ocean and say "Oh, there go my guts getten dirty. Oh woe is me!"-

"Shut up Frank," whispered Reginald, "That's disgusting."

"There you go again!" exclaimed Uncle Speaker , "Who are you talking to?"

-Captain Death Knuckles! Arr!-

"His name's Frank," calmly said Reg.

"Alright, where is he?" asked Uncle Speaker.

-Not anywhere really. I don't have anything to be in. I'm sort of like a misty... pirate air soup. I can't really see anything either on account of not having any eyes to speak of.-

"He says he doesn't really exist like we do. He's like air or something," said Reg.

Uncle Speaker nodded his head. "Uh-huh," he said, "And what does he look like?"

-Handsome and swarthy. Tell him I'm pretty Reg.-

"I can't see him," said Reg, "I can only hear him."

"Uh-huh," said Uncle Speaker, "You're mental. I get it now. It's all right though; I don't need someone with a sound mind to work my fields. It's not like it's hard or anything. Look, just help me with the beets."

-------

After all of the work in the field, Reginald was very happy to be back in his room. It was his little fortress away from his aunt and uncle. It had his books, which he loved to read, and some things that had belonged to his parents. Their death still troubled him and he frequently spoke with Frank about it.

Reginald owed Frank his life. When the Thissids had torched his house in the night during one of their raids, it was Frank who had woken him up, though Reginald didn't know why he had woken up at the time. He had later realized that Frank had been watching over him, and it was through his intervention that he was alive.

Reg picked up a drawing of his mother and father that a local artist had made for them. He could always see his father's fierce features and scars from his time protecting the country and finding Thissid criminals hiding out in the woods or posing as citizens. He had a false eye, but the artist had covered that fact up and made him look more natural. 

Then, of course, there was his lovely mother. She had always looked her best. She contrasted his father with kind and happy features. That's how Reginald had always thought of her, and continued to remember her. She was a wonderful person.

-You miss them, don't you Reg? I can tell from how you feel that your looking at their picture again.-

"Yeah, they were always so nice," said Reg, "My aunt and uncle aren't so bad, but I really miss my parents. Maybe when I'm older, I can move to a city and work in a store. I don't know what I'd sell though..."

-Beets?-

"I'd prefer not," answered Reg, "I'd really rather sell books or something like that I guess."

-No need to guess at what you want Reg. You should just know.-

"I know that I don't want to stay here. That's for sure," said Reginald.

-Well, you can move away some time. Maybe you could be on a ship like me! Reg the Pirate! I can tell you about all the ins and outs. If they ask you to bend over and polish their boots, just say no. That's when they slap you on the arse.-

Reginald laughed a little and asked, "They did that to you?"

-Yeah. After years of working on a ship, even the old guys can hit pretty hard. They have that old man strength.-

"That's terrible. I'm sorry Frank, but I don't think I'm really cut out to be a pirate," said the fox.

-Keep it as a back up idea if selling books to illiterates doesn't work out.-

--------

A fancy carriage was a very unexpected arrival to the Speaker cottage. Usually one could expect to see some simple carts or wagons, but this was something very special, regal even. The man who stepped out of the plush interior was more regal still. It seemed as if the very air of the farmland was eroding away his upper-class clothing.

As his driver closed the door for him, the magnificently dressed otter made his way to the heavy door of the cottage and gave it the most sophisticated and polite knock imaginable. It was almost, but not quite, like music to one's ears. As he waited for the door to be opened, he gave his precious belt an adjustment.

The three foxes inside turned away from their vegetable stew to look at their newfound musical door. It was Reginald's uncle who stood up from his bland meal to answer it. Of course, he let the well dressed otter in immediately thinking that he was the king himself (though the king is actually not an otter, but we'll get to that part.)

He took a seat, which was offered by Aunt Speaker, at the table and looked directly across to Reginald. This caused the young fox in his grimy yokel clothes to gulp in nervousness.

-Nice pants. I can't even see 'em and I know they're good.-

"Thank you very much for offering me a seat at your table Mr. and Mrs. Speaker. I need to talk to Reginald for but a moment," quickly said the otter.

"That's fine by me," offered Uncle Speaker, "Really, anything you need."

The otter held up a dismissive hand to Uncle Speaker and shook his head before saying, "Reginald, I hear that you talk to yourself."

"That's right, he yaks to voices in his head all the time, don't ya Reg?" nervously barked Mr. Speaker. He suddenly took a great interest in his nephew's particular quirk.

-Oh for Pete's sake! Get a load of this guy all the sudden Reg!-

"Mr. and Mrs. Speaker, would you please wait outside for a few moments? This is going to be a private conversation between me and Reginald with questions that only young Master Speaker can answer," politely said the otter.

-Yeah, leave already. This fancy man has something to say to Reg!-

 After the otter had effectively kicked Mr. and Mrs. Speaker out of their home, he returned to his line of questioning. Reginald had to look away and his usually perky ears drooped from the stare of the fancy-pants otter.

"Now, you talk to yourself, right Reginald? Or at least, everyone else thinks that," said the otter.

Reg couldn't maintain eye contact. "That's right," he said "Everyone thinks I'm talking to myself."

-He's talkin' to me. CAPTAIN DEA--

"I'd imagine that's very distracting," said the otter

-TH KNUCKLES!!!-

"Oh, it is sir," said Reg, "It can be very distracting."

"Does every one you hear share a certain trait? Something that they have in common? Are they all... men for instance?" asked the otter.

Reginald thought for only a second before he said, "They're criminals."

"All of them?" asked the otter as his face became more interested.

"That's right," said Reg, "They all did something really bad that they feel sorry about."

-Don't you dare tell him Reg. Don't tell him what I did! It's our secret! You're my first mate remember?-

Obnoxious as he was, Frank was actually crying. He really did hurt. Reginald couldn't help but feel sorry for him as he discreetly wiped away some tears while the otter produced a deck of cards.

"All right, this is a little test I need to do. Don't worry. The ghost can tell you the right answer," he said.

The otter held up a card so that Reginald could only see the back and the otter's perfectly manicured claws.

"What is on this card?" he calmly asked.

-Well, I don't know that. I can't see it Reg.-

"He says he can't see it," sheepishly said Reginald with his ears pressed tight against his head. 

This test had been done to him time and time again by everyone. They would ask "What's on this piece of paper?" or "What color are my undies?" They always expected him to know, but he would never get it. All he could do was say that Frank, or whichever ghost it was at the time, couldn't see it. It was always so embarrassing because he knew how ridiculous it made him sound. However, instead of laughing at him, the otter only became more interested.

"You're sure you don't know what it is? The ghost can't tell you what is on this card?" intensely asked the otter.

Reginald wiped a few more nervous tears from his eyes. This was the chance of the lifetime, and he thought he was blowing it.

-I'm sorry kid. I don't have any eyes remember? I can only sort of... feel stuff.-

"He says he doesn't have eyes, so he can't see it," quietly said the fox.

The otter's face lit up with excitement. "Really?" he asked, "Are you sure? I mean, how does he know what you look like, or how to get around?"

Reginald saw the change in the otter's face and relaxed a little. He was genuinely interested and really seemed to know what he was talking about.

"He says he kind of senses things," said Reginald, "It's like he can see our feelings. Or he becomes attached to people or things and he can tell if something is happening to them."

The otter just smiled and showed off his platinum white teeth. "That my boy, is the right answer and I have to say that it has never been phrased better."

-Reg! He believes you! Oh, this is the best!-

The otter got out of his chair and ushered Mr. and Mrs. Speaker back in. He then gestured with an open palm to Reginald and said, "I'm afraid that I'll have to take your son away."

"He's my nephew sir," politely corrected Uncle Speaker.

"Regardless, he's coming with me to live in the castle," said the otter.

Reginald's ears sprung up and his heart skipped a beat. The castle! As in, the one the king lives in? It was sure to be the perfect home for him. No doubt about that. It would be easy living from now on!

"How will I replace the lost labor?" shrewdly questioned Reginald's uncle.

"I'll have one of the castle gardeners assist you for this growing season. Afterward, you'll have to find hired help for which you will be compensated for by the king," announced the otter.

Uncle Speaker's fox ears popped up just like his nephew's had moments earlier. It was a dream-come-true for him too.

"Oh, sir you can take him. Goodbye Reginald! Say goodbye to me and auntie because you are going on a little adventure for the rest of your natural life!" he said.

The otter sneered at for a moment at Mr. Speaker before he turned to Reg and said, "Once you have finished your dinner, gather up all of your things except for your clothes... and bed sheets... uh... Just pack important things that can't be replaced or that we can't buy a nicer version of, alright? Then, meet me outside."

Needless to say, Reginald was very eager to leave. He ate up all of his stew, packed away all of his books and his parent's belongings, and was out the door in very little time at all. The supremely fancy otter was waiting for him in the carriage. Reg felt a little guilty sitting on the resplendent seats in his dirty clothes.

The otter saw his embarrassment and said, "Don't worry about it my boy, you're well worth the mess, trust me."

"What do you mean by I'm worth it?" he asked.

The otter pointed at Reginald and said, "Little do you know, you are actually a national treasure! Those voices in your head, as you well know, are the voices of the deceased. Namely, dead criminals."

-That's right. I'm proud of it too.-

The otter continued as the carriage started to move, "They are stuck here, because they feel sorry for what they did. Those who relish in whatever they did... we'll they don't go where you and I would like to go when we die... let's just say that. But, the one's that regret it still have a chance. That's why they are still here, and you are here because you can give them that chance. You'll learn all about it tomorrow. You seem like you've been working in the fields all day, so I think you need some rest."

 Reginald relaxed in the plush seats. "That would be nice," he said.

"One more question," asked the otter, "I may not get to see you again to ask. I was wondering what the ghosts do while you sleep."

-I watch Reg. I make sure no one kills 'im. Then I'd have no one to talk to. I already saved him once.-

"He watches me and keeps me safe," said the fox.

"I see. Well, that must be kind of comforting. Go ahead and get to sleep then."

-------

When Reginald awoke, he was already in the very heart of the city. The carriage was stopped and the fancy otter was nowhere to be found. He was alarmed for a moment until the door opened and the otter entered with some fresh bread and jam.

"Breakfast," he said, "I figured you would be hungry. This is the best bakery in the region, and a woman sells the best jam you'll ever taste right outside the door. It's really rather convenient."

Reginald accepted the food and dove right in to it. It was just as good as the otter had said. The carriage had already started off again toward the center of the city.

"We'll be at the castle in just a few moments. There, we'll get you some new clothes and you'll talk to the one of the king's advisors. I think you'll like it," said the otter.

-Wow. The castle... I guess you might be livin' there from now on. This is a nice set up Reg.-

To both the otter and Frank, Reginald said, "Yeah."

Once at the castle walls, the otter guards peeked in to see Reginald, and they were very wary of him. They probably thought he was some kind of Thissid assassin from all of the muck on him. However, once they saw that the fancy otter was with him, they let the carriage through with no questions.

Once the small door to the carriage was opened, the otter rushed Reginald through the courtyard and right into the castle. Reg was able to see that the castle sported some rather high towers, but he wasn't able to enjoy the exquisite architecture before he was swept inside.

From then on, the otter led him through several corridors to the quarters for honored guests. The otter practically pushed Reginald into the bathroom and the waiting hands of one of the maids.

"I brought a new haunter for you Sherry," said the otter.

"Oh, poor baby!" exclaimed the maid, "This is even worse than the last one you brought in. At least he was all tough and wore the dirt well, this one just looks sad."

"He needs a bath and new clothes. See to it, will you?" said the otter.

-The only bath a pirate ever takes is when he gets pushed into the sea!-

-------

After Reginald was fitted with new clothes and had taken a wondrous bath, the otter had returned to take him to meet the advisor. It was surprisingly boring, but the air of sophistication kept things interesting for Reginald. The advisor was a very old wolf, and he seemed rather battle hardened, as if he was a general.

He looked across a fancy desk at Reginald and instead of lacing his sentences with fancy words, he pretty much just said what he meant.

"Reginald. Glad to see you," he said in a gruff voice, "We need you, and you'll probably spend the rest of your life here in the castle if we have anything to do with it. You are one of only two known people in the entire country who can speak to the ghosts of dead criminals. That means that you are a haunter, and a premier military asset. You are going to meet your fellow haunter, Thad, and he'll tell you everything you need to know about your condition. Any questions?"

"So I'm stuck here? I can't leave?" asked Reginald.

"Well, you can, but you'll be living at the top of a very high tower. It's really nice up there and servants will provide you and Thad with everything you need, or request within reason. You could leave, but it would be very inconvenient for you to do so," said the wolf.

"I guess that's alright then," said Reginald, "better than I was doing before, I suppose."

-Do you get paid for this, Reg? If you're so important and all, I'd think you would be paid very well.-

Though Frank had posed a good question, Reginald was a little wary of asking it. He just let the otter lead him away and to the tower. The tower did indeed have a very long spiral staircase. It took them a good five minutes to get to the top of the tower and the trip was dizzying. Once there, the otter opened the door and introduced Reginald to his new home.

Quite a home it was. It was filled with old books, Reg's favorite, and was very well lit in comparison to his bedroom back on the farm. The room had gorgeous stained glass windows and a small staircase leading to a second level, which Reginald assumed to be a bedroom.

At work at a table sat a young wolf who glared back to see who had entered his domain. Reginald could tell that he was about his size, only built far sturdier. When he stood up, he stood like a thug with a slumped body posture which seemed to say, "I don't care about my spine, what makes you think I care about you?"

-Oh now he is cool. Just like a pirate.-

"Hello, I'm Thad," he said in a surprisingly well spoken way, "You're the other haunter, so I'll be telling you how all this works. Oh, and fancy otter man, while you’re here, we'll need more water."

"Alright Thad," said the otter, "Someone will be up in bit with some water." He then turned to Reg and said, "You and Thad get along now," before leaving.

A new voice pierced into Reginald's mind just then and said, *So then, this is the other haunter? What do you think of him, Thad?*

"I just met him," said the wolf, "And I'm pretty sure he can hear you. He's got one with him too you know, apparently I'd make a good pirate." 

-He can 'ear me Reg! This is great! I never thought I'd get two of you in the same room!-

Reg ignored Frank and had one of his few conversations with a living person for once. He smiled at Thad and said, "Well, I'm Reginald Speaker and that was Frank. He was a pirate."

Thad held out one of his paws for Reginald to shake and said, "Thad Uthwick. The dead guy is Caramine. He was a blacksmith."

*How do you do Reginald? I lived here in the city, and when I died, I found my way to Thad in the Eastern Wastes.*

Reginald's ears popped up from surprise and his hackles rose just a bit at the thought of someone living there.

-I don't know where he's from, but Thad seems like one tough guy. Do not, piss 'im off.-

"I know that, Frank. He can still hear you, in case you forgot," chided Reginald. He then turned his attention to Thad to apologize. "Sorry, he's a little rude. But, I'm just as surprised. I mean, it's called the Eastern Wastes because it's a wasteland!"

-He's from the wastes!? No wonder! It's a desert!-

"Not the hot kind, thankfully," said Thad, "And living there is not as impossible as most people think, just not as fun. The positive is that no one bothers your family. The negative is you might starve if you can't sell enough skins or stones."

-You mean diamonds? This guy must be loaded Reg!-

"Not really Frank, I never got cash; it's useless to a wastelander. I was paid in water," said the wolf.

-Well that's stupid.-

"Water is better than money when you live in a rain shadow, pirate," said Thad.

"You're being rude," said Reginald.

*Thad is not rude, he's a perfect gentleman.*

Thad turned his eyes to the ceiling, "He's not talking about you Caramine, he's talking about Frank." He then focused his intense gaze on Reginald again. "In case you haven't caught on yet, they can't hear each other. You'll get used to it."

Even though it was a massive relief to talk to someone who could hear Frank and didn't think he was crazy, the conversation was getting a little to distracting for Reginald. He switched subjects to something that would be a little less clustered with opinions.

"How does the haunter thing work, Thad? I keep being told that I'm one of the only ones, but I don't even know what we're supposed to do here," he said.

Thad shook his head in understanding. "The Thissids have about ten haunters, but we only have two on our side, you and me. You know how the ghosts see, right Reginald? They become attached to people and things, then they sort of... leave some of themselves with them. They live in them, in a way. But, they are always spread out. You and I can get them to focus down onto one, single object. These objects take on one of the traits of the ghost and can be used accordingly."

With his mind thoroughly blown, Reginald was only able to stand still and ask, "What?"

"It'll make sense when you see it. I've haunted about ten things since I got here a few months ago. The hardest part is deciding what item and which ghost. Caramine only sticks around because I can't figure out how to use him. You see, when we haunt something, the ghost can then work off their guilt or their debt or whatever, and get to heaven. It can take decades, but if they make enough people happy, they eventually get to move on," informed Thad.

*You know the fancy otter? He's got a haunted belt made by the previous haunters that makes him persuasive. Without it, he's a stuttering fool.*

"That's a good example, Caramine" said Thad, "That's how he was able to get you here Reginald, without you being uncomfortable or worried. It makes him a very slick gentleman. I'll bet Frank noticed something funny about the otter, right?."

-I did! He had really nice clothes and I was lookin' at his pants funny. I guess that's because they had someone like me in them! That's weird mate...-

"It was the ghost of an ancient diplomat who killed his wife," informed Thad.

-Well... that's not like me then. Never mind.-

"You get the idea now, right?" asked Thad.

"I guess it makes sense," said the fox.

"One more thing though," said Thad, "No matter what, the effect is limited. You can't haunt a sword with the soul of a soldier and expect it to fight your battles for you. All it will do is stay well polished, or make you seem like you're a better swordsman than you actually are."

"Okay, I see then. Well, it's all very interesting," said Reginald, "Can you show me around? I've never lived in a place like this."

"Well, neither have I," said Thad, "It took me a while to get used to. I'll show you everything you need to know."

Thad led him through the whole tower after that. It had several fine beds on the second floor, just as he had suspected. It also had a very nice bathroom and wash basin. The lower floor was more like a living room than a work room. It also sported a thick rope which went down through a hole in the floor. Thad informed him that the rope led to a bell at the bottom of the tower for the servants to hear. Apparently, their comfort was a priority.

The whole time, Reginald watched the wolf with great interest. He acted like a bandit or street thug, but he was polite when he needed to be. He was tough, but also caring. He was also very strong and it made Reg think how he must be bored up here with nothing physical to do. Most of all, Thad was just interesting. He captivated the fox like no one else had before, which made it all the easier to learn from him.

He spent the rest of the day hearing from Thad about how to get a ghost to focus down onto something using one simple, but incredibly expensive, piece of equipment. As soon as Reginald saw it, he asked, "How do we use this? It just looks like a magnifying glass."

"It's actually easier than you would think," informed Thad, "It works just like a regular magnifying lens. The only difference is that this one is made out of diamond. The process is really quite easy once you try it. The only problem is that the match has to be perfect, or as close to perfect as you can make it. Otherwise, the ghost is stuck in one thing with nothing to do for a while."

After all of this, Thad and Reginald had a great dinner and decided to go to sleep. It had been a long and interesting day for the fox, and he was eager to go to bed. Especially since his new bed was nicer than any he had ever slept in.

-------

-So how are you going to use me?-

"I have no idea," said Reginald, "Thad said that your item has to match you. What did you do on the ship in specific?"

-I was up in the crow's nest a lot. Lookin' for land and other ships.-

"I'm thinking of what to do with that..." said Reg, "You're always watching out for me too. So you had good eyesight and you're protective. Something with that..." 

-Hey Thad! Can a ghost see if he gets stuck to something?-

"No. Then again, I never really tried it before. The item would have to be just right. You would have to be able to see out of it, or it would have to be associated with one's sense of sight," explained the wolf.

"What about a false eye?" asked Reg.

-Now that's an idea!-

"That might work..." said Thad.

*What might work?*

"Haunting a ghost to a false eye, it would then be able to see, right Caramine?" said Thad.

*I guess that might work. If it doesn't, Reginald will have to spend time drawing it out again. It can take a few days.*

"That's fine," said Reg, "I'm not really doing anything anyway."

"Well, give it a go," said Thad, "That might be very useful. If it works, Frank can be our little talking eye. The only thing is, and I hope you're okay with this Frank, you'll be stuck in there unless Reginald pulls you out. You won't be able to move."

-That's fine. Do it Reg! You got one right here!-

Thad put on a confused look. "You've got a false eye? I hadn't noticed."

"It's not mine," explained Reginald, "It was my father's."

"That's not what I was expecting, but I'm glad you got one anyway," said the wolf, "Get to it and let me know if it works. That or Frank can tell me all about it once it's done."

"Well then, let's do it Frank!" said Reginald as he turned to his desk.

He turned his attention to the diamond magnifying glass. You may not know this, but diamond is far too dense a material to hold the soul of a criminal. Reginald had Frank focus on the diamond lens and, since he couldn't stay in the diamond, he was forced down to a single point in an instant, and thus, encapsulated in the false eye. If one could be made to see the world strictly in a spiritual sense, you could say that the prosthetic fox eye looked very much like a frog's egg.

"That's all I have to do?" asked Reginald.

"I told you it was easy. Now, this is the fun bit Reginald. He's your little servant from now on, which means, this is the part where he shuts up," gleefully informed Thad.

"So he can't speak after all of that?" asked the fox.

"He can, but only if you give him permission to. He's all polite now."

Reginald looked at the little eye on the table and asked, "Frank, can you hear me?"

-Yes. I can see you too Reg! I haven't been able to see... well... see like this in years!-

Reginald thought a little tour was in order, so he picked up the eye and showed Frank the room. He expected the pirate to make some kind of joke, or say something obnoxious to Thad that he would have to apologize for, but Reg's mind was fantastically silent. He could think clearer than he could in years, which helped him remember an important fact.

"Oh, you can talk now Frank."

-Thanks. Yeah. This is a really nice room you've got here, much nicer than the farm. It's practically a cathedral! I'm a little bothered though. I can't feel you anymore. I'm stuck in here. But, you can sit me down somewhere that I can watch you at night still, of course, now you have the option of making me look the other way when you...-

Reginald quickly said, "That's enough Frank. Shut up," before looking at Thad with his ears flattened in embarrassment. The wolf could easily guess as to what Frank was talking about.

Thad chuckled a little, but then comfortingly smiled and said, "Relax Reg. I have the same problem. It's very embarrassing having to spend the entirety of your life knowing that you're never alone."

*You should see Thad when he goes at it.*

The wolf spoke through his teeth as he threateningly said, "Shut up."

*Turns out I was doing it wrong my whole life!*

"You are so dead, Caramine! Well... that you are... but I'll make you even deader!" he yelled.

Reginald sat back down in his chair and laughed hysterically as Thad swung a broom in the air as if he could actually swat Caramine like a bug. Reginald was delighted that he had found a friend who knew of all his troubles, and that he had finally found a home for Frank. It was as if a great and heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders.

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Next is Haunt Chapter 2: The Every Key