Out the door, same time as always.
Slinging her favorite backpack over her shoulder, Maria waved goodbye to her folks and stepped into the crisp morning air.
Rocking the school uniform, hands jammed in her pockets, she bounced along with a spark of hope—skirt swishing with every step.
Big change today? A little straw-man keychain dangled from the outermost strap.
She fished out a smoke, glanced back, and just as she went to light up, her hand shook a tad.
"Cut it out, Maria—what the heck are you doing?"
Barry's voice echoed in her head.
Everyone knows smoking's a killer—lungs take a hit, addiction sneaks in fast, especially for teens like her. It's common knowledge, straight out of those PSAs on TV.
"I... it's just habit. Uh, this one's for Lily."
Maria froze for a sec, eyes darting, then whipped up an excuse on the spot.
"Good morning!"
Right on cue, blonde bombshell Lily strolled by and snagged the cig like it was hers.
"Fuck you."
Maria fired back, same old banter—called her bluff, and she actually took it? Classic.
Lily'd been her ride-or-die since third grade, the one friend who stuck, even if it was kinda one-sided.
They fell in step, heading for the bus.
"Hey! Maria, when'd you snag that keychain? Kinda ugly—not very on-trend."
Lily fiddled with the mini straw guy, his goofy big-headed grin staring back all smug and silly.
"Nah, Lily. He's my best buddy—most important one I've got!"
Maria twisted away from her poking fingers, dead serious in her shutdown.
"Okay, your taste is trash." Lily threw in that sarcastic edge, all passive-aggressive.
"You wouldn't get it." Maria shook her head, peeking at the straw doll with this quiet comfort Lily couldn't touch.
Chatting away, the big yellow school bus loomed up ahead—classic American ride, hauling kids to classes like clockwork.
Lily hopped on first, Maria right on her heels.
"Tch! That Lily's got zero class—and no sense of boundaries."
Through the keychain link, Barry beamed his gripe straight into Maria's mind.
"Her style's... yeah, not great..."
Maria started, then clamped her mouth shut.
Inside the bus, through a gap in the seats, a foot shot out—blocking her path cold.
Laughter erupted, no hiding it. Gawkers popped up from their spots, grins wide, waiting for the show.
Maria's daily grind kicked off.
Mark, the foot-sticking-out punk, flashed an innocent smirk her way.
The whole crowd? Hyped for her flop.
Maria fidgeted, eyes glued to the floor, clueless on the play.
...Help me out.
She whispered it inside.
"Giving him an inch? Nah—let's go, Maria, don't punk out. March up and smack him twice, wake his ass up!"
"Show him who's boss!"
Barry caught the scene in the bus window's reflection—back turned, but crystal clear.
This wasn't just messing with Maria; it was a straight-up slap to him.
No way he'd let that slide. This wasn't some kid stuff anymore—he was going nuclear.
"I... I can't."
Maria shrank back, all timid.
"You're powered up by me now—you got this."
Barry coaxed her gentle, meanwhile pumping a sliver of dark energy from the keychain to spark her hidden edge.
But Maria? Clueless to the boost. She just white-knuckled the strap harder.
Never thrown a punch in her life—paralyzed.
"Maria, that's an order! Go lay into him."
Barry's tone sharpened, no-nonsense.
"Wah..."
Maria played dumb—bad connection, can't hear ya.
Holy crap, this wimp's my friend? We're doomed.
Barry grumbled inside.
But hey, he'd seen this coming—brains like his, he planned for the bail.
"Fine! Everyone's gotta pop their first time—I get it."
"As your pal, I figure it's on me to lead by example, show you a whole new world."
"Now, just breathe easy—let go, don't fight it, don't fight it..."
Barry's voice dropped low, like a lullaby straight out of a bedtime story. Maria's wired nerves unwound, her stiff frame melting soft.
Weird... so sleepy, like drifting off...
Her thoughts fogged up, sinking deep like the ocean floor.
...
Meanwhile.
Barry rode the pact and keychain, easing his mind bit by bit into Maria's skin.
One body, but she'd housed two souls long-term, feeding 'em both like it was nothing.
Born medium vibes, plus a frame that could cradle extra spirits without cracking.
Prime real estate.
Barry'd clocked that from the intel grab—prime reason he was all-in on her.
Worst case, if his good-side clone glitched? He could squat in her shell, stick around the living.
Now, with their weird bond and the keychain as the bridge, tapping that psychic setup? Totally workable.
His smarts said so.
"I'm in."
Barry kept it polite, giving a heads-up.
Weak sauce body, but damn—real-deal human senses, pulse and all. And this cramped vibe?
What the—it's tight in here!
Who overate or what?
Barry griped a bit, and boom—caught red-handed.
"Fuck you! Who's fat? You rude little shit."
"Who said you could crash? Get outta my ride!"
"Aaaah! Don't you dare move."
The fiery chick voice exploded—time to unload.
"Whoa, whoa—thought it was some freeloader. Oh, it's you, the deadbeat squatter."
"Crashing rent-free for eighteen years, not pitching in dime one."
"If anyone's bouncing, it's you first."
"Out!"
Guy-girl trash-talk buzzed in her skull like a hundred flies at a picnic.
Maria blinked shut, blinked open—froze solid, and voices? Nonstop yapping.
One Barry's. The other? Familiar-strange, like an echo.
What's the deal? What just went down?
Big question mark from Maria.
"Barry? You there?"
"Right here—hang tight, I'm just body-checking a troublemaker."
"This is my turf—what're you even doing?!" That girl voice popped back.
"Your turf? Heh heh heh—from last night, this spot's mine—property, assets. Even you're on my payroll."
"You creep! Liar—I'll end you!"
"Pit yourself against me, Barry? You got the chops?"
After a wild mental scrap—grunts and all.
"Y-you don't pinch me there!"
"I tap out—no, stop!"
"Quack—! Eek—!"
Two yelps, then poof—the other voice ghosted. World hushed up, just Barry chatting away.
"Whew! Been a minute since I threw down for real, but I scraped back some groove."
Barry flexed his iron will, pinning spirit Ellen hard—elbowed her lights out.
One less awake mind? Room felt roomier, easier to stretch.
always comment after reading...