She had accepted her gift. This gift made her strong. She was able to summon Phantoms. Though, most people frowned upon her and called her terrible names, she noted that they just didn't understand and secretly forgave them all. She had cast herself away on an island, Phantom Island.
"Ash!" The small girl ran down the wooden stairs to her small, yet adorable, house. "Ash, let's go check for bottle mail." She called to the air.
"Mmm, Marona?" Ash's spirit appeared, he been sleeping on a beat up couch. He crooked his head and rubbed his eyes. "But it's so early, Marona. Can't we check later?" He complained sitting up and running his fingers through his navy hair.
"But Ash. What if someone needs my help?" She inquired with a strange expression plastered on her face.
"Then you can help at lunch." He flopped back on the couch and rolled over moaning in bliss.
"Ash! I don't believe you!" She was shocked at him. Then she laughed. "You must've been up all night watching over me again." She teased creeping in on him.
He gasped and shot up. "I…I was not!" He shouted defensively with a small blush upon his handsome face. "I was just…you know…hanging out with some other phantoms and…why do you care what I do anyway…" He questioned. "I'm a free spirit to do what I want, and I chose to protect you. Besides…you need someone to make sure you don't turn into a Phantom yourself."
"Oh Ash…" She giggled and snickered. That just seemed to make Ash sigh and he huffed.
"Okay Marona. Let's go see." He finally gave in.
Marona smiled joyfully then the two exited the small cabin and stepped into the bright sunlight of the day. Marona waved to the few Phantoms that were bumming around the island beach. They, in return, waved back and smiled, greeting her politely.
Ash had gotten to the mail box first, Marona walked up soon after. She opened it and instead of a bottle mail a read piece of paper fluttered out as if possessed. Ash sighed. "Not another one. Marona…Don't even bother reading it." He crossed his arms and began to get pissed off at all the hate mail she had been getting lately. "You know what, I think I'm going to pay a visit to this person and confront on to what his problem is with you."
"But Ash, they just don't understand. And that's okay to me. It's really okay. Remember what my mother used to say. "Never hate someone for not understanding." My mother was wise, Ash." Marona held her small pale hands together as if preying and smiled. "Someday…They'll all accept me. I'll just wait until they understand me." She said happily to him.
"But Marona…"
"Don't worry Ash. All I'm going to do is help as many people as I can. That's all I'm focused on." Her voice was soft and reassuring.
He sighed and scratched his head. "Well, Okay then. Let's go inside and get breakfast or something. Then we'll go swimming, okay?"
Marona agreed and ran off to cook for herself. The Phantom's couldn't eat, but the smell of food settled their apatite. Meanwhile Ash had took the hate mail and silently read it.
Dear Cursed Girl,
I'd appreciate it if you could go grocery shopping in some other town. Your presence has cursed our town. Now everyone is coming down with a horrible disease. So get lost! No one wants your despicable presence here. Next time you come around here you'll be treated like the dirt you are!
Ash felt the tension and anger swell up inside him. "I can't believe they're blaming Marona for a contagious disease spreading through out town! Have people gone dense-minded!" Ash crunched the paper and decided it was time for him to step up to plate.
A few moments later Marona came outside. She saw that Ash had disappeared and tilted her head. "Ash?"
In town they held a meeting, squawking about what to do when Marona came into town for groceries. Ash stayed hidden, invisible to the eye. He listened and the anger inside him increased with each comment, until finally, he snapped.
"Are you all so incapable of seeing your own problems and finding a solution to them instead of blaming an eleven year old for something that is obviously not her fault?" He exclaimed.
"What! Who's there?" The mayor demanded while all the other council members murmured to each other.
Ash appeared, his arms crossed and he glared at the mayor while standing on the round table. "Well?" He questioned.
The council members all gasped and almost fell off their chairs. They stammered to get back on them and some shook in horror.
"You're a…a…" The mayor stuttered.
"A phantom? Yes. So what?" Ash walked a little closer. "Answer my question." He demanded stomping his foot down and causing everyone to jump.
"Well. We won't think any different. That child is cursed beyond repair." He said closing his wrinkled eyes.
"Cursed? The only cursed ones I see is all of you. You who can't deal with the realities of life." Ash rejected.
"Realities of life? This coming from a Phantom?" The council laughed and and snickered at Ash.
"Well…At least when I was alive, I had enough honor to solve my own problems without blaming others." He though a moment. "Okay. Since you're all stubborn old men…What if I got evidence that proved Marona innocent?"
"Hmm…if such evidence exists." The mayor reasoned. "Then knock yourself out. But be warned there are monsters crawling around everywhere…Probably another part of that child's evil curse." He snorted.
Ash cringed and sighed. "I'll bring you that evidence, but after I do…You had better swear to me that you'll stop sending hate mail and let Marona shop when ever she needs to."
"Okay. Deal."