Support Conversations

C Rank

Spike: Oi, Alden! Over here!

William: Spike? ...What is it this time?

Spike: No need to sound so worried! I just thought up a seriously cool idea for a practical joke. You know how all the students in this school have these textbook things to write down notes and stuff in? Yeah? Well, what if we swapped everyone's books around? It would cause so much confusion!

William: But then everybody would fail the lesson. Isn't that... I don't know... a little too mean?

Spike: Eh, I guess you're right. Still, it would be funny!

William: I'd really rather you didn't. I know you might find it funny, but it would hurt people. And they'd never understand how it happened, or why. It isn't fair.

Spike: You always know how to ruin a great prank, don't you? Buuut, I kind of understand your point. I'm dying – no pun intended – to see how it would all go down, but I know it would probably upset everyone a lot, and I don't want to do that. I'm a poltergeist, not an evil spirit.

William: Yes, you are. And to be honest, I think you're one of the nicest poltergeists I've ever met.

Spike: Aww, now you're just trying to flatter me...

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B Rank

Spike: Wanna hear about my latest practical joke idea?

William: Not right now... later, maybe.

Spike: Hey, is something up? You look even more miserable and melancholy than usual, my ghostly friend. You know you can always tell me if something's wrong, right? I'll try my best to help.

William: *sighs* It's ridiculous to be worried about something like this, but I can't help but feel that Anita doesn't want me around anymore.

Spike: Now, why would you think that? Anita loves having you around! Just yesterday she was telling me about how grateful she was to have met you all those years ago!

William: Yes, but... it's hard to explain. She's growing up. When we met, she was only thirteen – sometimes, as a centuries-old ghost, I forget how young thirteen really is. But now it's occurred to me that she was young, then. And now, she's growing older so fast... Soon, she'll be leaving school, ready to make her own way in the world. I am barely more than an imaginary friend to her; will she really need me anymore, now that she's no longer a child?

Spike: *shakes head* Only you could manage such a long speech about something so ordinary, Alden. Listen – you mean the world to Anita. She literally wouldn't be the same if she'd never met you. And I know that because she told me herself! She said... oh, what did she say? She said that she'd be 'lonely, bullied and ridiculed'. Befriending you gave her a kind of... confidence that she didn't have before.

William: Even so, there's no guarantee that she'll continue to need me once she's grown up. Even if she does, she won't be able to spend her time talking to her invisible friend when she settles down to build a family of her own. Other people will think she's strange, to say the least.

Spike: Eh, she'll probably find some way to keep talking to you. She's a determined one – if she wants something, she'll get it. No matter what it takes.

William: That does sound like Anita.

Spike: Yep! So just remember, whatever happens in the future – ew, I hate that word – Anita will still care about you. You're much more important to her than you think.

William: Thanks, Spike. I actually do feel a little better about it now. Everything you've just said makes sense. So... thank you.

Spike: That's what good friends are for!

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A Rank

William: Spike, could I talk to you for a moment?

Spike: Sure! Just give me a second to finish rearranging these ornaments... OK, I'm done. What do you want to talk about?

William: Well... it's a little personal, and it's about you. So you don't have to talk about this if you'e uncomfortable with it. I was just curious about... your life, before you became a ghost.

Spike: Aaaah. The 'how did you die' question that all ghost friends have to ask each other at some point, right? Well, laddie... it's actually impossible for me to answer that, because I haven't the faintest idea.

William: What do you mean? Don't you remember anything about your past life?

Spike: Nope! Not a single thing. The first thing I remember is waking up on a deserted hilltop really early in the morning. I didn't know anything – well, I knew I was a ghost, but I didn't know how I died. And to this day, I still don't know.

William: I see...

Spike: You look kinda disturbed...

William: It's just strange for me to imagine that. Not remembering anything. I wonder how different I'd be if I had no memory of my life?

Spike: A lot different, probably. When I woke up, I woke up as a formless ectoplasm cloud because I had no idea what I was supposed to look like. I was just light and vapours. As time went by, I saw people walking around, and whenever I saw someone who I thought looked cool I would take some of their features for myself. And eventually, that all led to me looking like this!

William: So, you can make yourself look like anything or anyone?

Spike: Sure! I could make myself look exactly like you if I wanted. Or Anita. Or that mean teacher who shouted at her this morning. Literally anyone – as long as they're human. I don't think it's possible for me to make myself look like any other animal.

William: Well, I'm impressed. I've never met any other ghost with that ability. I can only change small things about myself, like my hairstyle and how tall I am. It would be nice to be able to change anything...

Spike: *grins* It certainly is something I'm proud of. Hey, d'you think if I trained you, then you'd be able to shapeshift like I can?

William: I don't think it works that way... But in any case, thank you for telling me all of this. Maybe someday, you'll start to remember things about your past?

Spike: Eh, not very likely. It's been well over a hundred years and nothing's changed. But if I ever do – I'll tell you!