It started out like any other day, Yoh, wearing his white dress shirt open with green pants and sandals with his orange headphones behind his ears, was relaxing under the shade of a tree while Morti, wore a white dress shirt button all the way with green pants and running shoes, sat next to him reading his 'Morti's Book on Everything', and Amidamaru floated nearby looking out at the horizon.
"Isn't today a great day to relax," Yoh said as he stretched his arms out. "A nice, warm summer's day and there isn't a single cloud in sight. This day just can't get any better." Yoh sat up and touched his toes with his hands and then crackled his back. He then stood up and sighed.
"Hey Yoh," Morti called out to get Yoh's attention. "Aren't you supposed to be training?" Yoh faced his little friend who was looking up at him sitting under the shade of the tree with his book open. "Won't Anna get mad if she sees you slacking off, again?"
Yoh scratched the back of his head with a goofy smile on his face. "Yea, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right," Yoh said with a slight laugh at the end.
"Or help you become Shaman King," An angry sound female voice said from behind Yoh. Yoh was stunned for a moment and hesitated as he slowly turned around. "So you think you can slack off! For that I'm going to triple your training." Yoh's knees were shacking as he faced a girl with shoulder-length, blond hair wearing a black, simple dress, sandals, pearls around her neck and a red scarf on her head. The girl had her arms crossed and a pissed off expression.
"But Anna," Yoh whined. "I'm tired, can't I have just one day off?" He got down on his knees in front of her and begged while giving her puppy dog eyes. Morti and Amidamaru were almost sympathetic until Yoh resorted to begging.
"If you have any hope of becoming Shaman King, you won't even think of having even an hour off," Anna growled. "And you are going to become Shaman King because I'm going to become the first lady, you got that?" Anna's expression scared the three males as she yelled at Yoh. "Here," she said dropping two wrist bands in front of Yoh that each created a hole in the ground 5 inches deep. "You are to run home and back and then back home with these on your ankles at all times."
"Do I really have to wear those," Yoh groaned. Anna glared at him and he quickly put them around each ankle. Yoh struggled as he tried to get up. "How am I supposed to run with these, I can barely stand up," He complained.
"That isn't any of my concern," Anna said emotionlessly. "My concern is that you run, home, then back here and then back home. Come on Morti, you will start cooking dinner while Amidamaru makes sure Yoh doesn't die while running." Anna then walked off toward the En Inn, which was there home for the time being.
Morti closed his book and carried it as he started to follow Anna. "Good luck," he yelled toward Yoh before chasing after Anna.
"I guess to should start running now," Yoh sighed as he thought out loud. He started to move his legs and after moving two yards he started to sweat. "But then again," He started to contradict himself. "I could just relax a bit longer until I'm good and ready to go."
"You better start running now, Yoh," Anna screamed.
"How'd she hear that," Yoh wondered aloud. He looked over at Amidamaru who just shrugged his shoulders. "I think she's out to get me," Yoh groaned. "Well I guess I'm good and ready. Let's get going Amidamaru." Yoh tried moving his legs and was barely able to lift his feet high enough to not drag them.
"Lord Yoh," Amidamaru spoke up as he floated in front of Yoh. "I think you should lift your legs higher up." Yoh sighed heavily and lifted his right leg with the help of his hands. The weight was too much of his upper body to handle and Yoh ended up fall face first due to the weight. "Lord Yoh, are you alright," Amidamaru asked with much concern.
Yoh lifted up his head and spit out dirt and grass from his mouth. "Yea, I'm fine," Yoh assured his spirit partner as he slowly wobbled back onto his feet once more. "Now I definitely know Anna has it out for me," Yoh said tired once more to lift his right leg but not as high as he did before which worked because he didn't fall. He did the same with his left foot and continued doing this until he reached the city. His legs got use to the weights so he tried to run and almost collapsed. Instead he stopped and rested his hand on his knees and tried to catch his breath. "She is going to kill me with training like this," Yoh complained looking over his shoulders at Amidamaru.
"I'm sure Lady Anna has her reasons on putting you through this training," Amidamaru said with an unsure expression.
Yoh sighed once more and continued to run at a slow pace and as he got closer to the En Inn he got faster. "Anna," Yoh yelled as he approached the front door. "I made it here. Can I please take these weights off?"
The front door then slammed opened and freaked out both Amidamaru and Yoh. "Did you return to that tree and come back," She asked coldly.
Yoh thought over what he was going to tell her. 'If I lie to her, she will chase me with a knife until I ran at full speed,' Yoh thought in his mind. 'And if I told the truth I would to double the work.' You decided to slowly back away and as quickly as he could run back to the tree. "She is going to kill me before the Shaman King Tournament even begins," Yoh muttered.
Morti was in the kitchen cooking dinner with an apron on. He listened to the tone Anna gave Yoh and watched Yoh run pass the kitchen window. "I know how you feel, Yoh," Morti said as tears trailed down his face. He quickly whipped them away and continued cooking before Anna worked him even harder.
When Yoh finally reached the same tree as before, he leaned against it as he tried to catch his breath.
"You're doing great Lord Yoh," Amidamaru cheered. "All you need to do now is go back to the En Inn and you will be done." Yoh looked at Amidamaru and saw a smile and Yoh started to gain more self confidence.
"You're right Amidamaru," Yoh said and stood up straight. "I can finish this run and then I can have dinner." The thought of food got Yoh to run even faster and Amidamaru floated right behind him the whole way.
Before Yoh entered through the gates of the Inn, he stopped and quickly hid behind the fence and peeked up to see what was going on. Amidamaru did the same thing. They heard Anna yelling at someone but they saw Morti still the kitchen and Anna's voice was coming from the side yard.
"Who are you and why are you here," Anna demanded to know as she stared at the guest.
"You can see me," the guest said with a surprised tone.
Yoh slowly approach Anna and the guest. As he got closer he saw the guest was a guy with orange hair in black kimono and flip flop, looking sandals over white socks with a sword on his back. Anna then glared at Yoh who stood behind the guest which cause Yoh to froze and gulp.
"Hi Anna, what's up," he nervously stuttered.
The guest looked turned to look at Yoh and Amidamaru as he appeared by Yoh's side.
"Don't 'what's up' me," Anna snapped. "This guy won't answer my questions," She growled and pointed at their guest.
"What guy," Yoh said playing dumb as he slowly made his way toward the door of the Inn. "I don't see any guy."
Morti came out from the door that connected the side yard to the kitchen. "You can't see who," Morti asked and saw the orange haired guest. "You mean that guy with the orange hair and the sword?"
Anna started to growl and clenched her fists.
Yoh quickly reacted. "Oh you mean that guy," he nervously said. "Yea I can see him." Yoh then walked up to their mystery guest and stuck out his hand and smiled. "Hi, I'm Yoh Asakura. Who are you?"
The mystery guest was confused for a second and then shook Yoh's hand. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," he replied.
Yoh stopped shaking his hand and but his hands behind his head. "So what brings you here, Ichigo," he asked.
"I've come for him," Ichigo said pointing at Amidamaru. "It is my job as a Soul Reaper."
Morti quickly went into the house and back out with his 'Morti's Book on Everything' and started search for Soul Reaper. "Here it is Soul Reaper," Morti said and began reading the definition out loud. "A spirit with spiritual energy, able to cast spells and send souls to a place called Soul Society see page 2382. Soul Reapers also slay evil forces called Hollows see page 902. Soul Reaper can only be hurt by a special sword, otherwise they are untouchable."
"Wow, how did know that book have information on a Soul Reaper," Ichigo said looking over Morti's shoulder. Morti fell forward in shock that Ichigo was behind without him noticing. Ichigo took Morti's book and flipped through the pages. "I wonder what else this book has," Ichigo muttered to himself.
"So you plan to send Amidamaru to the place called Soul Society," Yoh clarified.
"Basically," Ichigo said and looked up from the book. "As well as all the other spirits in this Inn."
Amidamaru floated beside Yoh and whispered into his ear, "Lord Yoh, what should we do?"
"If you want to send Amidamaru to Soul Society," Yoh said in a low tone and glared at Ichigo. "You'll have to get through me first."
Ichigo handed Morti his book and walked towards Yoh. "You do know you can't hurt me," Ichigo reminded him. "What makes you think you can stop me?"
"You're under estimating your opponent," Yoh said in the same low tone. "I am a Shaman and I was able to shake your hand." Ichigo remembered and a shocked expression appeared on his face. "Let's go Amidamaru," Yoh commanded. Amidamaru transformed into a spirit flame in Yoh's hand. Yoh pushed Amidamaru's spirit into his chest as he shouted, "Integrate!" Ichigo watched in awe as Yoh lifted his head after the integration but Ichigo saw Amidamaru within Yoh's body.
"I shall not let you take me away from Lord Yoh," Amidamaru said through Yoh. Morti tossed Amidamaru the only sword around too bad it was a wooden sword. Amidamaru grabbed the sword and looked over at Morti. "I thank you Lord Morti," Amidamaru said and forced Yoh's body into his fighting pose. "Whenever you're ready, Soul Reaper," Amidamaru said.
Ichigo sighed heavily and took out his sword, well technically it was a zanpakutou so will go with that. His zanpakutou had a large blade with a hilt and guard. "Looks like I have to settle this the hard way," he groaned as he stood his fighting pose. "It won't be my fault if the Shaman dies." Amidamaru had Yoh charge at Ichigo who charged back.
"Who do you think is going to win, Anna," Morti asked as Anna walk towards him not looking away from the two fighting.
"I . . . I . . . I really don't know," she stumbled to say. "I have never met let alone heard of Soul Reaper."
Morti started to get really worried as he watched Anna's body shake as the two fight. He watched as the wooden sword he had given to Amidamaru survived Ichigo's strikes.
"Ichigo that is enough," A stern female voice ordered.
Morti and Anna franticly searched for the source of the voice. Eventually they saw that both Ichigo and Yoh stopped fighting and were looking at the Inn's roof. The two race to see what or who was on the roof. All they could see was the silhouette of a skinny person of the roof.