HEY READERS! IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LAST WROTE! BUT NOW I AM STARTING TO ONCE AGAIN, YAY!
IT MAY TAKE ME LONGER THAN MY LAST STORY TO UPLOAD EACH CHAPTER CAUSE NOT TO MENTION I'VE BEGUN HIGH SCHOOL (YES I'M A FRESHMEN) BUT ALSO I'M ONLY ALLOWED 1 ½ HOURS OF COMPU TIME EACH DAY.
YUP BUMMER. BUT I NEVER DISCONTINUE A STORY IF ITS A GOOD ONE. NOW I'M NOT SURE HOW I DID ON THIS STORY BUT I'LL LET YOUR REVIEWS TELL ME THAT.
NOT TO WORRY ACTION WILL COME SOON ENOUGH. OH AND IF YOU HAVEN'T READ MY FIRST STORY I'M TELLING YOU IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU WOULD BECAUSE THIS STORY IS THE SEMI-SEQUAL TO IT (FUNBARI NO UTA 7 WILL BE THE FINAL SEQUAL)
HOPE MY FIRST FANS WILL STICK WITH ME ON THIS STORY AS WELL.
About History's Flames: THIS STORY HAS TWO ARCS. THE Hoshi No Kissu Arc WHICH IS THE STORY ON HAO'S PAST AND THE Thousand Paper Cranes Arc WHICH IS ANNA'S PAST. EVERYTHING ELSE IS A PART OF THE STORY AS A WHOLE. CONFUSING? YES. A GOOD READ? HECK YES.
ARIGATOU FOR READING!
~~~CrysitaNaima
History's Flames:
Thousand Paper Cranes Arc Protologue;
Part One
[Somewhere in the Great Spirit:]
A boy is engulfed in a pit of black, his body is crouched as if he were a child in his mother's dark and noiseless womb, naked, about to be born into the world in a way no one would think possible. His eyes awaken, as so does his mind, he blinks several times as if to adjust to the black that surrounds him. He stretches and rises and as he does the darkness around him develops into a vision of fish, ships and many strange things found in marine life.
It shifts once more.
Next he is standing on a beach looking out to the sunset. The warm colors of red, orange, pink, yellow and purple all cover the sky and reflected upon the clouds. The waves crashed in an ethnic rhythm with seemed to fit the beautiful scenery.
He hears a sweet melody with the voice of an angel singing, a soothing voice which seemed as if it could calm all soul of living and dead. Who did the voice belong to? Anyone he knew? Suddenly the voice stops, and all that is around him begins to be sucked into a shining hole in front of him and is replaced by a warm yellow light. His previously naked body was now covered in a white t-shirt and white sweatpants. He looked around, everything that had previously surrounded him was now gone and was replaced by a scene of white, with tiny flakes of golden light falling like snow, and under him is a road of nothing but gold. It's like a happy place that people can only read about in books, a person's Neverland, or their Utopia, only this was reality in the form of what seemed like a dream. It's affect calming the brunette to a sense that he did not realize he was being watched.
"Had a nice nap?" a voice said behind him. He turned around, jerked in surprise really, and saw a beautiful blonde that he knew so well, her slender and fragile looking body sitting on a white cloud, her usually cold amber eyes staring at him with warmth. She brought something to her mouth, a yellow apple, and bit down slowly, her eyes never leaving his figure.
Yoh scratched the back of his head, blinking trying to remember what had happened, then it finally came to him. He turns to her and gives one of his famous grins, that one childish smile that made Anna's heart leap from the sight of it. "Best sleep I've ever had!" he happily responded.
Anna rolled her eyes yet smiled warmly, being used to her fiance's carefree attitude she had been expecting nothing special from his response, "idiot." She muttered softly as she bit once again into the apple, her brows raised themselves slowly, "…are you just going to stand there?"
Yoh looked confused, he looked up and scratched his head thinking before he looked questioningly at Anna "Is there something I'm suppose to do?" he asked sheepishly, worried that Anna would smack him for asking such a question.
Anna sighed, the apple in her hand disappeared, and she jumped of the cloud and began walking towards her fiancé, making him flinch in fear. "I guess you can't be helped" she told him, Yoh calmed down and gave a laughed, Anna gave him an icy glare and his face automatically turned serious, then a questionable look replaced the seriousness of his expression. He looked around before he asked,
"So Anna, where are we?"
Anna gave him an are-you-really-so-dumb look, "You are inside the Great Spirit, idiot."
His eyebrows shot up in response, her answer registering rather quickly in his head, "Wow, really? So now I'm really the Shaman King?"
"No."
Yoh's face fell in confusion, "What?"
Anna turned around and began walking forward "You are not the Shaman King until you save the world from its destruction. Every 500 years the Apocalypse threatens to come, the main job of the Shaman King is to push the date of the Apocalypse further for 500 more years. Of course, no one knows when the disastrous event happens, not even me. We only knows that it tries to occur after 500 years, therefore we have the strongest Shaman in the world, you in other words, prevent it from happening this semi-millennium. When you prove your true soul to the Great Spirit and defend the three worlds then your title will be given."
Yoh began to look serious and thought it through. From the start the young Shaman knew it wasn't going to be easy being the Shaman King. The Shaman King is the World's Messiah. The most important job anyone could think of, right after being Kami that is. But how was he supposed to stop an Apocalypse? And how long would it take? How far would he be away from his friends, his family…Hana…?
Yoh looked up facing Anna's back. She walked with her head down, no signs of emotion showing on her face, as always, but in her eyes he could see her true feelings...worry, plenty of it. He slowly began to realize, the hardest thing for Anna at this moment is to be away from their child. She only was able to spend a day with him, with their only child and now she was stuck here with him. He felt guilt begin to take over the best of him.
"It doesn't matter." she said as she read his thoughts...every word. "Hana will be there when we come back. For now I'm just trying to make sure you keep your promise...I know you won't fail, because out of every shaman in the world I...trust you." She turned away from him as she spoke those last words, no doubt feeling embarrassed.
Yoh smiled to himself, he stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, as he did so he could feel goosebumps rise on her skin, he held her tightly and buried his face in her sweet smelling hair, his lips touching her neck, "Thanks Anna," he whispered against her skin, causing her to shudder in response. He found himself smiling at her reaction, "So, where are we going, Anna?"
Anna turned to him with a smirk across her face. "Yoh, you've beaten the king of Hell, am I right?" -he nodded-"Good you've visited two of the three worlds already, that leaves only one more to go."
"…two of the three….so we are going to…"
As if reading his mind she nodded, making Yoh's eyes grow wide. "A place where only the Shaman Queen has the key to go to." her smile was now in a sort of smug way as she turned back to the path to take them to the third world. Yoh's eyes widened as he pondered his thoughts, Anna was indeed impressive when it came to her Shaman Queen abilities. What made it even better was the fact that Anna was his Queen, his Anna, his future wife.
"At least the person waiting for you now wouldn't let you feel lonely…"
Yoh smiled to himself, Matamune had a point. All the time Yoh had been in the Shaman Fight Anna was right there, with him. And now here she was with him for who knows how long. His Anna.
"Yoh stop spacing out." Anna said angrily, Yoh immediately snapped out of it and paid closer attention to his fiance.
"I will give you details on what you must do. But in the mean time…" she held out her hand towards Yoh "Are you coming with me?"
Yoh grabbed her hand, taking it in his slowly and gently, feeling his warmth flowing into hers till the temperature of both their hands was the same. Anna turned around to look at him, he smiled at her, his gaze held a certain passionate warmth that made her turn away in embarrassment as Yoh held her smooth and fragile hand in his large and strong ones. He turned her body so that it could face him, and pulled her close enough so that he gave her a light peck at her lips, quick like a butterfly kiss, but enough to catch her off guard and just shockingly blink at Yoh as he grin back, "Yes…" he said softly, "I'm coming with you."
History's Flames;
Chapter One
[Funbari No Onsen]
"Morning everyone!" Manta yelled as he opened the door to the Asakura house.
There he saw Hao sitting on the couch and Annaka [A/N: read my previous story if you basically don't know who she is] lying on the floor eating chips from a plate. Both had a suitcase-like bag near them, and both wearing the uniforms of Shinra Private Academy, Amidamaru and Matamune were close to them.
"Morning Manta-kun…" yawned a slightly sleepy Tamao. In her hands she held Hana who was pretty much the only one of the two who got some sleep.
Manta gave the pink haired girl a smile as he greeted her, "Good morning Tamao-san. Ready to go to school today?" he asked, placing his briefcase on the table closest to him. Trying not to take too much notice of Annaka-san's 'Anna-like' behavior.
"Tamao won't be going to school anymore, Manta-san." A soft voice spoke from the kitchen. Manta turned to look at the owner of the voice. A tall woman with blonde hair that was pulled back into a very low ponytail stood at the entrance to the kitchen, wearing an apron over a blue kimoto with several golden designs. A typical traditional Japanese woman.
Manta took his attention off the woman as Tamao gave a sudden nod, confirming what the woman said. Manta couldn't help but to notice the sadness in her eyes as she explained the situation, " Since Miss Anna left me in charge of Baby Hana I must stay here and take proper care of him. Asanoha-sama will help me in building the Funbari Inn upon Miss Anna's return."
Asanoha smiled, drying her hands on the apron she wore as she turned and looked over at her son before smiling back to Manta "Oyamada be sure to keep a good eye on Asaha (Hao) for me, please."
"Heh, it'd be a good idea if you did. With all those humans around who knows what trouble Mappa Douji will get into," chuckled Ohachiyo as the spirit's body suddenly appeared right next to Hao in the living room.
"Hao is not an idiot. He knows better." Annaka snapped, not taking her eyes off the TV as she defended her husband, "Besides I'm there as well so he won't get into trouble."
Matamune disappeared and reappeared beside Ohachiyo with his pipe in his mouth and arms crossed thinking hard.
"Might as well watch him, Miss Annaka. Remember you two are substituting for Master Yoh and Miss Anna." he replied to them, thinking it all clearly. "If you two were to do anything to cause suspicion we would have to take drastic measure consisting of brainwashing or kidnapping." Manta's mouth dropped in shock, Matamune chuckled as he added that he was joking.
Ryu who was laying against the wall closed his eyes and commented angrily, "To think that Hao is acting like Master Yoh is preposterous! There is no way the two of them can act like Master Yoh and An–" he stopped shortly as he felt a sudden pain in his gut and fell to the floor, both of his hands clutching his stomach tightly.
Everyone looked in that direction to see that it was Annaka who had kicked Ryu. Hard. "Is that Anna enough for you?" she said annoyed with a vain popping out. Opacho and Kanna could help but to snicker or laugh. While Faust went over to help Ryu. The room was silent until Asanoha clapped her hand together once and said "Well why don't you three head on your way to school now?"
Everyone nodded and Manta, Hao and Annaka got their stuff and headed out the door. The three were now just a few blocks away from school yet none of them said a word to each other, for there was nothing to say.
...
MANTA POV
It's been a week since Yoh slept in the Great Spirit along with Anna. We were all hoping he would come back before then. But no.
I guess in the meantime Hao and Annaka will be replacing the two. Obviously they are the best for the job considering that they each look like them and are in somewhat related.
Annaka, who was revived from 500 years ago, was the Shaman Queen at the last Shaman Fight and was also Hao's wife during the time. Not much is known about what happened back then.
All I know is that after Hao's death, Annaka died but she died after the Shaman King awoke from his sleep (unknown cause of death). Annaka and Hao's kid survived, and through the kid 500 years worth of generations later you get Silva.
But a week ago Anna revived Annaka through some freakish Shaman Queen ability. I guess so Hao wouldn't be lonely, but knowing Anna she might have another reason.
As for Hao, he no longer has his powers so he's more human now and yes he hates it. The only thing is Annaka is somehow able to give him furyoku whenever he needs it to use his shaman abilities. But, supposedly, he is now good but many like Horo Horo and Ryu are not so sure.
I guess soon we might be able to tell…
...
NORMAL POV
"Oyamada Manta…"
Manta stood up when the teacher called his name for the roll. "Here!" He responded as he took his seat on a pile of thick book which were on top of his chair.
"Good and finally Kyoyama Anna and Asakura Yoh…"
Both Annaka and Hao stood not saying a word the teacher looked at them curiously, as so did many of their classmates, eying them up and down, not knowing as if were really them or maybe they were just shocked to finally see them at school, Manta wasn't sure.
"Well you two have a lot of makeup work to do, along with Oyamada-san. By the way," -he began to ask with a smug look on his face features- "Kyoyama-san tell me why were you all gone for about nine months?" the teacher asked raising a brow at the two after saying how long they had been gone. Everyone raised their brows as well and looked at the two. Manta began to sweat hoping Annaka would say something "Anna-like"
"I believe you could contact Mr. Oyamada for that Sensei, students take no part in excusing their absences, you should know."
The teacher looked at her and flinched at the sound of her remarks as the rest of the class snickered. 'Looks as if I have a smart mouth, great.' He nodded and turned to write on the chalk board behind him. "You two may sit."
Annaka sat back down, along with Hao who just smirked, leaned back, and closed his eyes. 'Not bad' he chuckled to himself. Then he laughed in his head 'Anna's blackmail with Mr. Oyamada comes in well.'
Manta let out a huge breath he didn't know he was holding in now, he just sat and looked at the teacher. "Well then, let's begin class shall we? Mr. Asakura please read what's on the board."
Hao was fast asleep.
"ASAKURA YOH!"
Hao slowly opened his eyes and looked at the teacher with an almost Yoh-just-waking-up look. The class laughed a bit and Annaka rolled her eyes. "A bit too much like Asakura Yoh" she whispered to herself.
Manta smiled with relief the two were almost exactly like Yoh and Anna. They were defiantly making through the day.
...
"Ren." Jun called out in a singing tone.
The Tao was looking around for her brother not being able to find him. She sighed in defeat, "Where could have he gone off to?" she asked herself getting once again worried for her dear little brother.
"Why don't you just leave him alone?" a voice came from the living room behind her.
Jun turned her head to see Macchi sitting on the couch looking at Jun with a blank face. her head rested on her right hand which was placed on her knee.
"When one is angry it is best to let them let out their anger in peace." she continued, ignoring the look of worry in Jun's eyes. Macchi stood and walked past Jun without another word until she reached the door. "That Tao, he cannot yet believe of his loss of the Shaman King title, he lost to Hao-sama, but what kills him more is even though he knew he would, he lost to Asakura Yoh. Now his best friend is going to be gone for an unknown amount of time, so it pisses him off that he is clueless as what to do."
Jun's brows still wrinkled in uncertainty, she took in what the orange-haired Shaman said, but, "I still don't believe one should leave a person alone when they are hurt. My little brother may need some air to breathe but he still needs someone to tell him that his loss was inevitable."
"What's the point of caring about him?"
Jun narrowed her eyes at the young Shaman, she crossed her arms in front of her and said, "Listen hear Macchi, too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring. We Tao's were raised to think destroy or be Destroyed. But how did that help us? It didn't. It's because of Anna-san actually caring about what would happen to you and the other members of your team that lets you be alive today. If not, you'd be food for the Spirit of Fire already. Because Hao sure didn't care what would happen to you. I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance."
Macchi didn't look at the female Tao, instead she turned her back on her and began to walk away, before a spear's sharp end was aimed in front of her. Ren looked at her warily, "I believe my sister was talking to you," he said angrily, Bason appearing right behind him.
The girl narrowed her eyes and pushed passed the Tao, not bothering to answer back. Ren did not hold back his thoughts, "You should be thankful that we let you live here, Hao would've let you out in the streets for all he cares." Macchi left the room silently.
"Ren."
"Don't ever talk about me to strangers again, Jun."
The green haired Tao sighed, her brother was becoming difficult, "Maybe we should pay a visit to Funbari soon? See how the others are doing?"
Ren looked away, "Do whatever you want."
"Aww, you miss your friends."
"URUSAI!"
...
"Onii-chan!" the blue haired Ainu yelled out, which was heard throughout the whole village.
"Mari doesn't like noise." Mari stated angrily she was getting tired of Pirika's yelling for her brother.
"But Onii-chan has to get here! He better not be thinking of skipping his day to plant the crops or-"
BANG BANG BANG BOOM BOOM BANG BANG BANG BOOM BANG BOOM PAKOW !...
Pirika fell back into the ground in shock as Mari began shooting with her gun at the fertilized soil in front of her. Each shot was a part of a perfect row about two inches apart each. And all under what seemed like 20 seconds. Mari stopped and lowered the gun which her puppet held in its hand. She walked over to Pirika who seemed like she was about to die of a heart attack and placed a bag of seeds in front of her. "Mari doesn't like to plant seeds in dirt. Pirika will do it instead so she can be silent."
She dropped the bag to the ground and walked to the wooden temple-like house in which they lived in. At that moment Horo Horo walked past his sister and stopped at the sight of her frightened face. "What scared you out of your pants?" he asked mockingly.
Pirika stood angrily and threw the bag of seeds on Horo's gut making him land on his back. "Don't think you can so easily get out of your duties Onii-chan? Just because the shaman fight is over doesn't mean you don't have other duties! Now get planting!"
BANG BANG BANG!
Three shots went barely past Pirika and Horo Horo. With their eyes wide they turned their heads to the door of their house.
There stood an annoyed Mari pointing at them with Chuck's gun. "Mari doesn't like loud noises." she slammed the door making a loud sound, which caused yet another three gunshots to sound.
Horo just stared at the door dumbfounded 'Did I miss something here?'
...
"Maiden-sama please be careful. There are many people out there unworthy to be seen by your presence." The young maiden smiled. She giggled a bit at Marco's worries for her.
"Now Marco no need to worry much Lyserg will practically be by her side at every minute in case something will happen." a woman responded with a smile similar to the Maiden's.
The Maiden's Mother Jane pushed both Lyserg and Jeanne out the door. "Enjoy yourselves!" she yelled before shutting the door to Lyserg's apartment. Inside they could hear Marco discussing Jeanne's safety out loud with Jane. Lyserg sweat dropped and looked at the Maiden who was staring at her surroundings.
"This is the first time I am able to go outside without Marco and the X-laws. It feels so good to breathe fresh air." she said looking at the sky above her.
"I guess it's thanks to Jane-sama being able to convince Marco" Lyserg laughed Jeanne nodded and smiled as they both walked down the pavement. They arrived to a huge church where they both entered as they walked down the church to the closest bench of prayer the Maiden began to speak.
"I am grateful to Anna-sama for reviving my mother. I just wish..." tears began to form in her eyes Lyserg looked at her not knowing why the tears started to form. "I just wish she could've also revived the other X-laws as well. So far all the X-laws have left me but you and Marco. I am glad."
Lyserg just looked at her he didn't know what to say. A huge lump formed in his throat. he had something he wanted to say to the Maiden but with what she had just said how could he? He looked up at the statue of the cross before him 'I can't tell her now. she just...she has to know the truth' He took in a deep breathe and gained courage to look at her "Jeanne-sama.." She turned to look at him curious to know what he wanted to say. "Jeanne-sama...I...I do not wish to be an X-law anymore." there he said it. Jeanne's eyes got wide they just stared at each other, she felt as if everything she had just got blown away by a strong wind. "I... just think our view of things has been wrong...and...I wish to leave The X-laws."
The Maiden looked forward so she wouldn't have to see the seriousness in his eyes. Didn't she just say she was glad that he was with her? then...why? She stared and looked around the church gazing at the beauty of soaring arches, half a dozen statues of saints and well-worn wooden pews. Of the six tall, peaked windows, three of them retained their original stained-glass representations of Jesus in various parables. The other three had been lost over time to vandals, weather, earthquakes, and had been replaced with cheaper abstract-patterned stained glass , "I guess I should be use to people leaving me by now." She silently said, loud enough for only him to hear. She tried to hold back her tears the best she could, wondering if she had enough strength to. "I just didn't think you...you would leave so soon. But if it's what you wish...then... I am no one to stop you." She concluded, giving Lyserg her most understanding smile.
Lyserg bowed and gave her a smile back "Thank you Jeanne-sama...but if you wish I'll stay...a little longer." Jeanne nodded she looked forward at the statue 'thank you' she said to the one listening to her. They both leaned on a bench to pray, Lyserg with a smile and an ache in his chest. And the Maiden with nothing but tears coming down her eyes.
...
"Kalim, why much we watch these tapes of old memories?" Silva asked being nothing but bored at watching the tapes of the Shaman Fight.
Kalim just shrugged and continued watching trying hard not to complain at the tapes which were boring them to death.
"Why must you complain! It's an honor to watch how the Shaman King came to be!" Golva yelled at the two, both Kalim and Shillva fell off their chairs on which they sat, falling straight to the ground.
"There are many interesting fights that occurred for example this one." She pointed to a video archive in the computer and clicked on it, "Ah one of the most interesting battles yet. X-III vs. Team Star! A classic!" Golva went on, getting into the videos a bit too much.
"Grandma Golva look! There's Yoh and Anna in the audience!" Lip yelled in excitement. Rap clapped her hands and began jumping up and down. "There are a lot of weird looking Shaman in this video, Grandma." she said not losing her joyfulness.
Lip nodded with a smile "But the weirdest looking is that person in that black cloak don't you think?"
Silva and Kalim got closer to the screen to see who the two girls talked about. They saw a person with a black cloak on them, it stood beside other cloaked figures. Golva looked as well, eyes widening as she looked at the person closer and closer. "Move out of my way!" She ordered pushing Silva and the others out of the way. She zoomed the video closer to the person's face, there was something familiar about the figure, but the Patch leader could not place her finger on it. She needed to see the person's face.
As if will from the Great Spirits giving her an answer the figure put its hands on its hood and pulled it down. Medium lengths of dark black hair appeared with soft pale skin. The person looked up at the Patch camera as if trying to give its identity away.
"This person...looks like...like..." suddenly a forgotten memory came to her. One which back then she knew would somehow haunt her. "CALL ALL THE PATCHES NOW!" Golva shouted towards the two Patch Officials, "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!"
Silva looked at the old woman as if she were crazy, "Master Golva, what is it?"
The old woman wrinkled her eyes as she glared at the screen once more, the face stared back at the her, those mocking eyes laughing at her. The old woman hated it, she pointed to the girl, "Look well, Silva. This girl, could be the beginning of the Apocalypse."
…
During it all, inside a great mansion far off from the Patch, someone was watching them and their every move that would be handed out. A cloaked person with a girl-like figure watched from a screen the action of the Patch. She smirked a bit, though not changing her blank expression a bit. The light of the TV reflected in her eyes as each scene that had occurred changed infront of her, until it stopped at one scene.
A woman with dark red hair appeared from behind her. She had long tressles of curls that reached past her waistline, she pushed a few back as she went to the girl, "Well? Do we have a deal?"
The girl looked at the Chinese woman, not yet to change her blank expression that was planted on her face, she lowered the hood of her cloak slowly. The girl was beautiful, short medium black hair, amber eyes, pale skin, medium height. And her face was over all familiar, but not in the way one would expect. The gaze she held with the Chinese woman was one that showed she was not so persuaded, if it wasn't for the fact she was bored. "I'll agree." She said without hesitation, "I'll help you get your dead friend's revenge on Asakura Hao. For I believe…that this is all the will of the Great Spirits."
A Thousand Paper Cranes Arc Protologue;
Part Two
Inside the Great Spirit Yoh and Anna were continuing to walk to the third world.
—and the earth moved.
Violent vertigo sent Yoh reeling to the ground, hitting his back hard against the golden pavement, clutching his head. Scents overwhelmed him rich loam, sap, wood smoke. Some essence of a verdant forest, come alive inside her room. Darkness, everywhere, but her eyes were clenched shut—Yoh was afraid to open them, scared she would no longer be within the Great Spirit. Something in his stomach lurched, another premonition. He felt a ghost of movement and heard Anna's voice behind him.
"Yoh stand up." He opened his eyes only to watch, dumbfounded, as sheer black light spiraled through the air in front of him, shimmering in steep waves, a twilight palette of colors stroking air in a menacing aura.
"Anna, is that supposed to be there?"
The Shaman Queen shook her head, feeling herself also confused at the mess in front of her and Yoh. She began to wonder, and the more she came up with a theory the more it made sense and led her to only one possible answer.
The Apocalypse was starting.
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