It's never enough to say I'm sorry
It's never enough to say I care
But I'm caught between what you wanted from me
And knowing that if I give that to you
I might just disappear
Nobody wins when everyone's losing
It's like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I, I can't change your mind
I know it's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want
And it's killing me
And I, I'm starting to see
Maybe we're not meant to be
~Not Meant To Be, Theory of a Deadman
OMG! WTF? WHY'S THAT THERE?! OH NO! Hehehe. That, my friends, is what we call, BLATANT FORESHADOWING (for later)! Between...Yoh and Anna. D: Confused? If you review this chapter, I'll tell you something else about it. Nothing to give away the plot, mind you, but, well, you'll just have to review, won't you? ;D
Full Summary:
Living For Tomorrow:
Sequel to Living For The Moment. Several months have passed since the twins' return. While most has returned to normal, the increasingly dangerous situation with Hao's minions has not. Hao insists that this is something he must deal with alone, but with his powers depleted, he might be in way over his head. Yoh, Anna, and Hana may be his only hope, but Hao isn't going to make it easy for them to follow.
Besarki: Okay, so before everyone's like, OMFG! IT'S NOT JULY! YOU SAID LATER IN THE MONTH!! let me say that I hadn't realized just how late it already was in July. I really had intended to start this in late July. Early August isn't that bad, though, right?
To everyone who reviewed for the last chapter of LFTM, I've been meaning to reply to your reviews, but haven't had a chance yet. I will so if you get a reply soon, that's why.
Only fair to warn you, after August, my updating speed is going to drop through the floor. :( This is, of course, due to my entering college. Until I get all warmed up to everything there, don't expect several updates a week like in Living For The Moment. I'll try to get in one a week or one every other week early on and then gradually speed up. Don't pin the blame on me! I've spoiled all of you and now, I go a week without updating and everyone's like, WHERE IS SHE?!?! Bah!
So, this story is, again, adventure-esque. However, it's angsty.
Disclaimer for entire story: Shaman King and all related elements belong to Takei Hiroyuki and Shueisha. All songs used belong to their respective owners, none of which being me. Yeah, that sentence sounded awkward to me as well.
I was going to tell you something about the story before I began, but I guess it would be better for you to just find out on your own. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you have?
And would you call those friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories?
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you're dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you'd finally fall in love
If today was your last day?
~If Today Was Your Last Day, Nickelback
(This song may appear in Fire in the Sky as well. I didn't want to use it here, but there are a lot of references in the song that appear in the chapter, so...well, yeah)
It was dark, as it always was at two in the morning. With the sun hiding behind the horizon, leaving the moon and the stars to shine with only a fraction of its brilliance, there was nothing to provide a real source of natural light. Not that anyone really minded, though. As most of the country was currently sleeping, this wasn't a problem. Never had been, never would be.
The night was quiet, peaceful. A few hours of relaxation set apart from the chaotic hustle that went on during the day. This time was coveted and sought after by many, though it was not something that had monetary value or rarity. It just...was. This was the only time when there was no danger, no strife.
But there was always something to complicate matters.
In the middle of nowhere, a humble little inn sat in quiet. All of its residents were asleep. All except for one.
An ever-growing trace of moonlight cast itself upon one of the inn's little bedrooms as its door crept open the slightest bit, creaking as it went.
The ray interrupted the darkness of the room, shaking one of the room's inhabitants from her light, yet previously restful sleep.
Without bothering to take the other person's feelings into account, she groaned. "Again?"
The door creaked as the child hiding behind it pushed it open a little more. It was a boy. A little one with brownish blond hair and golden eyes.
"I'm sorry," He quietly apologized.
The woman sighed and sat up in bed. "Come here."
Without a word, the boy left the door and, defeatedly stalked over to the bedside. He sat down on the floor beside her.
She ran her hand through his hair. "Same dream?"
"Yeah."
She sighed. "It really might not mean anything, Hana," She tried to tell him.
Hana fumed. "I've had the same dream six times in the past month!" He yelled.
She clamped her hand over his mouth. "SHHHHH! People are sleeping!" She scolded, furiously. As if to emphasize her point, the man sleeping beside her suddenly snored loudly. Hana would have laughed had it been appropriate to do so at the time.
He pried her hand off. "I'm serious, Kaa-san! We're shamans! We can see things, right?" He scrambled for anything to explain his frightening reoccurring dreams.
His mother wasn't having it. "Hana, they could just be dreams." Anna was pretty sure that Hana knew that she didn't believe that, either. "Not every dream a shaman has is a vision. Besides, we aren't diviners. If you were an expert in divination, well, then maybe I'd believe that you were having visions and not just simple dreams."
Hana glared. "They aren't just simple dreams."
"Hana..." She looked exhausted. Her son wasn't surprised, and honestly felt bad about waking her up so much. He didn't want to, but maybe it would be better if he just let it go...
Like always. He sighed.
Anna looked at him with sad eyes. "Hana, why don't we talk about this tomorrow?"
"You'll forget."
"I won't," She promised.
He drooped his head. "Fine."
She felt bad, she really did, but it was so late. She wasn't exactly coherent, either, though.
The young mother sighed. Her son's horror-stricken dreaming was nothing new. Bad dreams were expected now and then, but, in Hana's case, they were getting kind of ridiculous. His nightmares were rampant. This was the sixth time he'd had this nightmare, but he'd some other one almost every other night.
Though Anna never told him, she was getting worried. Nightmares disrupt sleep patterns and can cause illness when their appearance is high in frequency. Hana would become sick if this streak continued.
But that's not what Anna was really worried about.
All these dreams included the child's family--Yoh, herself, and Hao. Hana himself was included on occasion, but wasn't often.
The divide was fairly even: one half were recollections of events that occurred in the past--past battles and past tragedies--while the other half were things that hadn't happened, yet, according to Hana.
If the dream Hana had tonight was the one that he had had five times prior, then it was probably the one about Hao's minions.
Hao told them that he hadn't revived anyone other than Opacho, but Anna had always been suspicious. If Hana's dreams really were future-sights, then Hao had lied to them and resurrected them all.
Or, at least, someone had.
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She was being ridiculous.
After a moment, Anna sighed, her eyes reopening. Hana was still watching her with the same vacant expression. He wasn't going anywhere, especially not back to his own room.
Anna moved over without a word, making room in between her and Yoh. "You can sleep in here tonight if you want."
Hana stared for only a moment longer, then lowered his eyes and crawled into bed between them. He squirmed a little but then silenced and went limp, falling into a deep sleep.
His mother watched him sadly, knowing that there was nothing she could do for her troubled son.
Yoh turned over in his sleep and let out a loud snore.
Ajar, the door provided little protection from the light filtering into the room, though the woman wasn't surprised that her husband hadn't awakened. He could sleep through , with light there to vanquish the monsters, well then maybe Hana would be able to get a little sleep.
She could stay up one more night. What's one more when she hadn't slept in days?
She shoved the bitterness off. This wasn't Hana's fault, and she wouldn't blame it on him.
She'd blame it on Hao. No one could fault her there. At least, no one who valued their life...
She rolled over and, with satisfied smile, somehow drifted off into a shaky sleep.
---0---0---0---0---0---
Hana
Knock, knock...knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock
I ground my teeth together as the incessant sound continued.
"I think someone's at the door," I grumbled, my fingernails digging into the wood of the kitchen table.
My mother stood on the other side of the room, looking as irritated as I did. "Yoh's getting it."
"HELLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?!?!?!?!?!?! ANYBODY HOME?!" I knew that voice, but, my god, I wish I didn't.
"Horohoro," I growled.
"I didn't know it was possible to get more immature with age, but he's proven otherwise." Her teeth crunched together and she tried to cover her ears while stirring whatever was in her black cooking pot at the same time. It wasn't going well.
It's been about six months or so since the twins returned to the plane of the living. In that time, a lot has happened.
Tou-san and Kaa-san finally got married. It wasn't a big thing. Only the Asakuras and a few of Tou-san's friends were invited. I was the ringed bear or whatever it's called.
We celebrated my eighth birthday. I don't remember what the name of the place we went to was called but it was really cool and had these really pretty green lights. It was my first birthday with both of my parents so that alone was exciting enough. The rest was just a bonus.
Tamao is touring Japan, singing to whoever will listen. Ryu's her agent. I still get a kick out of that.
Hao has been working with Tou-san and Kaa-san in running the inn. The three are all co-owners, but Kaa-san calls all the shots. I'm not really surprised. Neither are they.
And...actually, that's about it. I guess there hasn't been a lot happening after all. Just a few big things and--
"YOH!" Horohoro suddenly yelled.
"Hi Horo!" Tou-san greeted, laughing his signature 'Yoh laugh.' I couldn't see either of them as they were by the door, but those two were damn loud.
"AWW! C'MERE BIG GUY!" Horohoro gushed. "I haven't seen you in like, six years!"
"Ah, it's, um, only been three days."
"...That's it?"
"Yeah," Tou-san sheepishly replied.
"Oh, well, whatever. Hey, Yoh, you gotta check out this book I got." A pause. "Oh, uh, is Anna here?"
A second pause, this one wrought with confusion. "Um, yeah. She's in the kitchen with Hana."
"Hana! How is the little guy?"
And that was the million dollar question. My father treated it that way, anyway. "Great! He's been practicing with his spiritual powers. He's getting really good!" Tou-san sounded like some kind of mushy soccer coach. The one's who teach the really little kids. You know...the really little ones. The ones younger than even me.
"That's good. Pirika and I have been tutoring some rookie shamans back in Hokkaido."
"That's a scary thought," Kaa-san mumbled. I grinned.
"There's a lot more of them than I ever realized. A whole five!"
I snorted. Wow.
"That man gets dumber every time I see him," My mother muttered to herself.
"So anyway, about this book..."
"Is that--?"
"SHHH! Never speak the name."
"What name? Po--"
"YOH!"
"What?! I don't get it!"
"Just look at this. It's like the bible."
"The bible is a dirty book? But I thought..."
By the point, Kaa-san was standing there gripping her sides and trying not fall over from her intense laughter.
"What's so funny?" I whispered.
She wiped her eyes. I think it's that hearty dress. She laughs a lot more now that she wears it. She choked on another laugh before she finally answered. "That's not Yoh in there."
As if on cue, my father suddenly trudged into the kitchen, still looking exhausted. Had he just woken up? But wait. If Tou-san had been sleeping this entire time, who was...
I shot Kaa-san a confused glance. She smirked, holding a rolling pin over her shoulder. Where had that come from?
"I traded Hao laundry duty in exchange for getting rid of Horohoro for me. In case you haven't noticed, he's been here almost every single day since Yoh was revived and it's getting a bit...annoying."
"Then that's..."
A loud yell interrupted my morbid thoughts. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! FIRE!"
"Hao," She finished, snickering.
My father walked over to stand beside my mother. "Ohayo."
She nodded in response, still too caught up in the act with Horo and Hao to say anything to her husband.
"What's funny?" He asked, groggily.
"Your brother is playing a trick on Horohoro."
"Boroboro!" I chimed in for old times sake. Both of my parents snorted at that.
"FIRE!!!" Horo screamed--like a little girl, might I add. No one paid him any mind. No surprise from my mother, but I'm kind of surprised that my father didn't run to his rescue. He's just that sort of guy.
"So, eh, what's the plan for today?" Tou-san randomly asked.
Kaa-san shrugged. "I don't care." She turned the fire off on the stove and dumped the contents of the pot into a strainer over the sink. "There's a man coming in today who wants to ask his deceased grandmother something so I have to stay here. You two can go out if you want, though."
Under Tamao's care, the inn didn't do too well. An acetic wasn't really suited to be an inn hostess, but she kept it running at least. When my parents got back, Kaa-san kicked her out and she and Tou-san added a "ghost branch" to the services. If you paid for a room, you could ask any of the shamans working there to find a ghost for you and ask it a question or carry out a conversation. Kaa-san was the only itako, though, so most went to her. Hao didn't think it would work, but the Asakuras had an excellent reputation of enchanting even non-ghost-believers. Was he ever wrong.
Tou-san smiled at me. "What do you think about that idea, Hana?"
I shrugged. I didn't really care. It'd be fun to go hang out with my father but there wasn't really anything to do. "What would we do?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure we can figure something out." To paused to think then snapped when an idea struck him. "I know! We'll go to China and pay the Taos a visit!"
He couldn't be serious. "You expect to get to China and back in a few hours?"
He flashed me a grin. "I have the SOE, remember?"
Oh, right.
"Come on," He urged, "it'll be fun! They have a son around your age."
"Not even close," Kaa-san muttered from across the room. Tou-san didn't hear her.
"And this huge estate you two can play on. I haven't seen Ren in a while. Come on, it'll be a nice visit." I had a feeling that he wanted to go more than I did. Sheesh. And I thought I was supposed to be the little kid.
I knew I wasn't going to get out of going today, but, before I gave in, I threw Kaa-san a meaningful look. I hadn't forgotten her promise. We had dreams to discuss.
Besarki: Keepin' it light for now because the majority of the story is dark. There's a lot of personal conflict, BUT THAT MAKES THE MAKEUP SO MUCH SWEETER! Annnnnnnd I'm not going to say anymore in order to--OMG ASAKURA FAMILY FIGHT--keep the plot a secret because--HAO'S AN ASSHOLE IN THIS STORY--if you knew what happened then it wouldn't be--HAO'S MINIONS ARE PISSED THAT HE'S A GOOD GUY NOW--a surprise. ^-^ That was surprisingly fun to write out.
Not sure how I want to play Horohoro yet so I kinda left him a little bland to give me time to think on it. But besides him, there are lots of new (and by new, I mean characters like Ren, Lyserg, and Chocolove who didn't appear in Living For The Moment) characters in this one. I can't wait for Chocolove! I have the worst jokes ever planned! Chocolove and the Munzers were supposed to be in this chapter, but I cut them out. In other words, I got lazy and didn't write them. :D
The reason I didn't reveal who Hana and Anna were right away was because I wanted you to squirm a little, thinking that it might be Tamao. I wouldn't send Hana to that twit, but I bet something thought I did! ^-^ Heh heh heh.
Hana's Spirit Ally Poll: Still up but I've pretty much decided to use Matamune with Amidamaru cameos. If one comes across as a clear victor in the poll, then I'll change this. Kay?
I wanted this first chapter to be funny, but today is a very depressing day for me so I kinda...failed. o.o Sorry. I promise that my rude humor will be back in full form for chapter two!
REVIEW OR YOU GET THE CROWBAR! (Story actually has a good plot. This first chapter is just a preemptive. I'm trying to forge a good balance between happy and sad.)
And I, baby, I'm sorry to see
Maybe we're not meant to be