So far the morning was peaceful. The tenants of the inn were sleeping-in, the spirits of the inn were behaving well, allowing the living have a decent rest. However, neither of them were prepared to wake up to the sound of crying, to be precise, wails of a toddler. Mid back blonde haired with pale skin, amber eyes confused toddler in a few sizes bigger than her actual size white yukata, clutching tightly the fabric in her tiny hands.
Soon after the baby's wails were followed by the noise of a slammed door by a wary Ainu shaman coming out to the hallway with his confused guardian spirit, almost prepared to use his Oversoul inside the inn on whoever woke him up before his alarm clock went off. Seeing no one quite confused him, well no one in his eye level, until Kororo spotted something then tugged on his own robe to get his attention and when she finally did, the other paled.
"What the hell happened to the demon?!" HoroHoro screamed, tactless as usual. It must be a nightmare. Of course it's a just nightmare, or perhaps he's just imagine things. After all, there's no way a toddler standing in front of him. A toddler that looks like a carbon copy of the fearless mistress of the Funbari onsen.
"Demon? Where? Anna no demon!" A childish voice peeped between her sniffles... And there she was, in all glory and an oversized sleeping robe which covered her small frame, Asakura (formerly known as Kyōyama) Anna.
Oh fuck.
Other rooms doors were opened. Yet, the long blue haired woman dismissed the noises from the hallway, thinking it's just another regular loud day in Funbari Onsen, not bothering to get up from her bed. Which was in contrast to the younger girl of the Hanagumi trio— Mari, who started to complain that she still has a few more minutes before her alarm goes off, and therefore, who ever dared to interrupt her sleep will be sorry for it. Two faces peeks out from their shared bedroom, a sleepy confused one and a grumpy as hell one, watching the scene in front of them.
"A-Anna-san?" Tamao stares at the small girl in disbelief, pinching her own cheek to check she's not delusional right now, nor Ponchi and Konchi pulling any sort of trick on her. The pink haired girl was clueless at how to approach Anna without scaring her, especially with the fact that Yoh isn't home yet from his morning run. She wasn't even sure if Anna recognizes her or not.
"Hey sweetie," Tamao cooes. "Do you know who we are?" the pink haired girl asks, kneeling in front of her with a soft smile gracing her lips.
The little girl's chin began to tremble, it was difficult for her to recognize the older girl. although Anna has a feeling she know her, but she found it even harder to maintain eye contact with Tamao. Deciding to lift the baby up from the floor seems like it only make things worse; stressing out the toddler more than what she already is.
"Shh, e-everything is alright, okay?" the older girl tried to calm down the baby, and yet, fresh tears stains Anna's rosy cheeks, as she struggles to get away, denying Tamao's comforting attempts, her cries only were more louder. "It's okay, baby-love, Yoh-san will be home soon." Tamao caught the miserable toddler's attention with Yoh's name. Anna just stared at her sniffling, sucking on the yukata fabric as self-soothe.
"Do you know who I am?" She asked again and waited patiently for Anna's response. The toddler slowly nodded with hesitation after a few minutes of staring at her, studying Tamao's facial expressions.
"How about we will get something yummy to eat until Yoh-sama is home? Would you like that?"
"Betfus?" Anna finally spoke, her tummy made clear noise she's hungry on top of being exhausted.
"Mhmm, yummy breakfast. But first let's wear something more comfortable, okay?"
Assuming Hana wouldn't mind her dressing Anna in one of his shirts, Tamao picked up the first one she saw, helping Anna into it. For some reason it smelled like fresh oranges, and in the same time, it still looked better than the oversized sleeping robe.
Anna held her little arms out, wanting to be held up again on Tamao's lap, as the other didn't waste any time and set the toddler on her hip, making her way downstairs to the kitchen. How she's going to explain it to Yoh, and more importantly to Hana who's currently at school, was beyond her.
The front sliding door opened with ease, revealing a tired, sweaty shaman. However, the sounds of a delightful childish giggles from the kitchen intrigued Yoh. The sight of a blonde haired little girl wearing a white shirt bigger than her size, busy playfully eating breakfast with her tiny hands astonished him. The toddler resembles Anna so much that Yoh had to take a double look.
"Ah! welcome back Yoh-sama," Tamao greeted him, receiving a smile in return, while Anna stopped eating and stared at him apprehensive. "Yoh?" Yoh bend down to Anna's eye level, smiling warmly at her. "Good morning, baby love." Yep, that was her Yoh. Anna may be a toddler but she's still able to recognize Yoh's lazy smile.
"Hi-hi." Beaming, she held out her arms to Yoh. Lifting Anna up he sat her on his hip, not minding she got his shirt dirty from the food.
"Are you full yet?" he asked cheerfully and Anna nodded as an answer then burped, kind of amused herself with the noise she just made. The middle two fingers of her small right hand crept into her mouth.
"Well guess what Anna-chan, I'm going to change my clothes, then we're going out today to do shopping, and have lunch outside," he spoke, getting her full attention as she nestled against him. "Can you be a good girl for me while I'm changing in my room and let Tamao clean you?"
"Iss," Anna replied happily.
Handing her over to Tamao, Yoh went upstairs to shower. The last thing he ever expected was to come back home to find his stubborn wife as a 3 years old little girl. What was it again? Oh, childhood avoidance regression or something like that. He should've listened to his grandparents when he was younger. Yoh already knew that Anna's childhood was bad; her parents abandoned her on Mt. Osore, and if his grandmother hadn't found her... Anna might not be alive today. He refused to think on any other situations the itako could've ended up in.
20 minutes later he was done, dressed up in his usual green jeans and a simple white shirt. Perhaps he should contact his family about this little problem, hopefully one of them will know how to reverse Anna's state back to normal. Maybe it will be the best to ask his grandmother, after all she took Anna in and raised her along with training.
Making his way downstairs, he walked over the phone, dialing the number of the inn his grandmother own. Anna went after him, sucking on the hem of the shirt she's currently wearing as she looked up.
Luckily, he doesn't have to wait so long as she picked up the phone quickly, surprised to hear from him. However, Kino wasn't surprised to hear about Anna's current.. uhh, physical state. The only advice she could give him was to consider it as training, briefly explains to her only grandson about this condition. As for Anna, she will be back to her old self once she's ready. When he thinks about it, having to deal with her as a toddler is actually a good practice. He never had enough time with Hana before they had to go on their journey. It didn't surprise him that Hana inherited 99% of her personality and attitude.
Sighing, Yoh hung up the phone when he felt Anna tugging on his pants. It can't be that hard, can it? Assuming she might have a more easy-going personality as a child in contrast to the stubborn blonde haired wife he knows so well since they met in Aomori when they were 10 years old, he already melted to the sight of her as an innocent little girl.
"Can I pick you up, Anna-chan?" He doesn't have to ask twice, it was exactly what the baby wanted. "Can you tell me how old are you?"
At first the little girl in his arms counted her fingers, and soon after she showed him 3 fingers, "Anna big girl!" she said contently.
"Mhmm, you're a big girl," the young shaman agreed with her happily, praised her as well while she proceeded to use Yoh's shoulder as a pillow. So far she seems very peaceful and happy.
The plan is simple. Yoh is incharge of Anna the whole time, buying her a few toys and other items, while Tamao will take care of getting her clothes. After that, they will have lunch outside, and once the three of them are back to the inn; Anna will have to lie down for a nap... Which depends on how successful the shopping will go.
Although HoroHoro decides to tag along with them, claiming he's the best person for all the things regarding little sisters because he's the best big brother in the whole world and therefore the only one who knows how to take care of little sisters, thus, Yoh definitely would need his expertise, or so he says. Probably flattering himself too much and forgetting that Tamao had to raise the Asakura's heir with Ryu on their own.
The little girl is quite energetic, ignoring HoroHoro the best she can, and yet, she likes to be either in Yoh or Tamao's embrace. The shamans bought 4 new pairs of shoes, but Anna refused to wear any of them; she preferred to either be held up or walk around on the cold floor barefoot. The weather outside wasn't that great either, but so far no tantrums in the horizon, so everything seems to be going well. They've decided to meet up in the food stands area in about 2 hours.
"Anna walk too!" the toddler protested, holding tightly onto his shirt, while Yoh grabbed one of the carts at the store entrance, pulling it out of the carts row and opening the children seat in it.
"I don't want you to get lost inside the store, Anna," he replied calmly as he sat her down, "This seat is safer for you. Also, you don't have any shoes on and the floor is very cold, sweetie."
But Anna refused to cooperate, perhaps she's trying to test his boundaries, and perhaps the blonde little girl was just being like her old matured self.
In one simple word: stubborn.
"No! Anna walk! Pwease-" Raising her voice as she tried to get out of the shopping cart seat on her own, Yoh sat her back down gently so she won't fall. Anna tried again, dropping down her little blanket, and Yoh simply picked it up after he sat her back down again. Giving it back to the toddler. The shaman thought it's cute she can't pronounce well her words, however, he hoped that she wouldn't be able to summon anything uncontrollably like when they first met.
"Anna, please don't shout in the store or else we will go back home right now," his voice stayed calm, yet, authoritative. Short tempered, as well as tiredness started to take over, Anna disliked the fact she had to sit down in the cold shopping cart seat. Hogging the small sized blanket they brought with them, she rubbed her eyes with the back of her little hands. It was so boring to sit down and do nothing she yawns, then swinging her little legs back and forth.
"Hey, do you want a plushie? How about this cute bunny?" He handed the toddler a soft fluffy red bunny with white ears and a heart shaped tiny nose.
She clutched it immediately, fascinated by its nose. Yoh added a few more different plushies in as well as other necessities. Thankfully, the list he got wasn't too long, and they were almost done at the store.
"Can Anna get passie?" she inquired, finally looking up at him while cuddling her new bunny. It seems like she's already got attached to it like to her blue and white beads rosaries.
"Passie? What is that, honey?"
"Passie! Passie!" the baby exclaimed.
"It's pacifier, Yoh. Don't let Pirika know it, but she used to say 'passie' whenever she wanted her pacifier." HoroHoro said. The memories of the Ainu shaman babysitting his younger sister Pirika floated in his mind.
"Ah, that's sounds cute," the other one replied, as his eyes scanned the cart contents until he found the package with 3 brand new pacifiers and its plastic colorful chain for baby clothes.
"Oh, I already put it in the cart, honey," Yoh grinned and ruffled her soft hair lightly. Seeing her content with his answer, it made him happy.
"Now we'll go to the nice lady at the checkout counter, and then we'll go." he says.
Pushing the shopping cart towards the checkout counter then proceeds to put the items on the grocery store conveyor belt. The way the grocery belt worked fascinated Anna, same thing with the beeping noise every time the cashier lady scanned the stickers codes. One of the few remaining items to scan was the bunny plushie, which Anna still had on her lap. The little girl covered it as well as herself with the little blanket the shamans brought from home.
"May I have the little bunny for a moment, sweetie?" the cashier asks politely, getting Anna's attention. Anna just stares at her for a while, then back at Yoh. The cashier lady was young, perhaps in her mid 20's, with blonde dyed hair as well. However, a 3 year old toddler wouldn't know the difference between dyed hair or not unless they've been told so.
"Mommy?"
Oh crap. Hearing that coming from the toddler wasn't expected. Yet, it broke Yoh's heart. His mother probably wasn't the best one, but she still wanted and raised him. But in Anna's case... Her own mother abandoned her when she was a only child. Traumatized by that, it had a huge influence on his wife's personality and attitude, and he personally witnessed it when they first met at Aomori.
"Anna, love, that nice lady isn't your mommy," Yoh said, he wasn't not sure how to deal with this sensitive subject, but Anna wasn't convinced at all. Gently taking the plushie away from her, then gives it quickly to the cashier so she could scan its code as well. "Nu-uh! We have same hair," Anna replied and pointed at her hair. "See? Same hair!"
The cashier blinked in surprise, "E-eh? Mommy?" She smiled awkwardly, not knowing if to go along with the blonde haired little girl or not. Anna nodded in excitement.
"I-I'm not your mommy, sweetie," the cashier replies, feeling guilty for ruining the baby's good mood and probably her entire day.
"She no my mommy?" Anna asks, her smile slowly fading from her face.
"No, baby love, she's not your mommy." This time Yoh spoke, lifting her out of the child seat, then setting Anna on his hip. Thinking on his own child— Hana, and on how many time he probably asked for them but they weren't at home.
"Yoh, you should take Anna out, and I'll finish here," HoroHoro interrupts, and the other young man nods, giving the Ainu shaman his wallet and leaves.
The realization finally sunk in, her real mother was nowhere to be found. Was she such a bad girl that she was left behind? Her mother doesn't want nor love her anymore?
"Where is mommy? Anna is bad?" The little girl insisted, as her amber eyes grew dewy and her little mouth began to tremble. Tears started to roll down on rosy round cheeks. "I-I want my mommy," she whined miserably while Yoh patted her back gently.
"I know, baby love, but your mommy isn't feeling well so she can't be here," he said, feeling guilty that he had to say a white lie to her, since he was fully aware of the impact it had done on Anna's life. "You're a very good girl, Anna-chan," he adds, kissing the top of her soft blonde hair a few times, his voice was so calming, saying soothing words to her.
By the time HoroHoro finished at the store followed by Tamao carrying 3 bags with different clothing, Yoh already managed to calm her down, her wet cheek pressed against his shoulder comfortably. Giving her the bunny plushie back and a pacifier, Anna clutching the plushie to her chest, and using Yoh's shoulder as a pillow.
10 minutes later the trio with the baby arrived to the food booths area. While Tamao and Yoh sit down with Anna on Yoh's lap, HoroHoro went to one of the food booths, ordering some fries and 2 plates of takoyaki. His eyes spotting a certain familiar moody teen approaching to the food court.
And there he was— Asakura Hana wandering around the mall stores after skipping another school day. Of course Hana intended to go to his classes, but at the last minute before the bell rang he decided to skip. Knowing well that he'll have to deal with the consequences later at home. As for now, the blond haired shaman has some quiet time from his fiancée... Or so he thought.
"What the fuck is that, dad?" Hana was sure he's an only child, he doubted his parents had time to have another child which they might and might not kept in secret from him.
They barely had time for him between their worldwide journey, so having another baby on the way plus staying quiet about it was ridiculous. That little girl reminded Hana his mother so well, as well as when he was a child, the only difference was that her facial features were more softer and of course much more younger. The sudden call out got the attention of both of them, while HoroHoro sat down and put the plates on the table.
The quiet time Hana wanted today just flew out of the window.
"Mama?"
"No, no. Anna-chan, that's is my son, Hana," Yoh replied quickly before the sitting toddler on his lap would've start all over again with the mommy questions. And yet, he had no idea how to introduce Anna to Hana. It seems like the toddler was thinking of how to process the new information while staring curiously at the frowning blond haired boy in front of them.
"...Hana-nii?"
"Anna? My real mom?"
"Yes, Hana."
It's probably stupid. but although he wouldn't admit it, Hana was jealous. Jealous and irritated since his own mom, who's currently a blonde haired innocent little girl, received the same attention he never had from his father. Attention he always longed for from both of his parents. On top of that, being aware of these unrequited feelings irritated the blond haired shaman more.
"Hana-nii," the toddler calls him again, she held her little arms out to him, wanting to sit on his lap while she eat still eating her fries. "Hana-nii."
Hana just stares at Anna, more precisely, glaring at her harshly, not even trying to make any effort to get closer to the baby.
"This thing is not my mom." He pointed at the now confused toddler. Almost raising his voice at her. Turning around on his heels, he leaves. Hana doesn't care if his legs lead him back home or to the cemetery hill. He just wanted to be away from all of them.
A hour and a half later they were finally back home. Kanna just stared at the group in the entrance of the Funbari Inn, her cigarette dropped off from her mouth. The smell of something burning hits their noses and their eyes wandered to the burning source– the carpet.
"Kanna-chan," Tamao started to talk, the sweet smile on her face was anything but actually sweet. The blue haired girl already knew what her punishment could be. "What did I tell you about smoking inside the Inn?"
"I-I'm sorry... Ma'am."
Kanna thought Mari and Macchi were only trying to prank her when they told her about the morning events. The blue haired woman never thought she will ever see fearless itako as a toddler, hugging a bunny plushie while she sits on Yoh's hip with a pacifier in her mouth.
"I didn't sign up for this," she muttered under her breath.
"There was no contract to begin with, Kanna-chan," Tamao replied and went upstairs so she could organize Anna's new clothes and toys.