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I recently just fell in love with Shaman King and I just can't stop reading Yoh/Anna fanfics. *Sigh* I am totally addicted to that couple. ^__^ *sigh* So I really wanted to give it a try and do one myself. Since I have never done a Mankin (I recently learned that word...I before I thought it meant 'Manta' in a twisted way...But alas, My slow mind finally depicted the words! haha!) fic...so this will be my first try. So please cut me some slack! >_

I must admit, I am just a humble, crossover author from the Sailor Moon dimention...*sigh* dont hit me or anything...^_^ And if you look at my profile, you'll only se Harry Potter and Sailor Moon...I am so twisted...Mwahaha! And did I mention that I am currently suffering from back to school blues??? And a severe case of 'depression'? (I have found out that with the case that I have, my only outlet would be writing and talking to friends over the internet...aka talking to complete strangers...>_

I warn all of you! I have not read a complete manga of Mankin, nor did I finish Mankin anime...since the anime is currently still running here in the Philippines...so, I have not yet finished. HOWEVER! I have read all episodes over the internet! (Bless the internet!) And I basically got the general concept of the 'what-so-evers' of Shaman King. And I am totally in love with Horohoro! Wai! Wonderful Bishie material! *sigh*

So...Maybe I'll get great feed back here as I did in my other stories! And I hope all of you will enjoy this fic...I hope...so to all of you...I give...my first ManKin fic! Wai!

Note: Ano, the time frame would be a year after! So everyone would be one year older, Yoh, Anna and etc... would be 14 and etc...>_

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Disclaimer: I own none of the mentioned Characters. Shaman King does not belong to me!

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			Chapter 1 "Gone..."

Silence filled the Asakura household, signaling that something was seriously wrong. Usually on an late evening like this, the house would be bustling with life. Howeve things were seriously different. An eerie silence filled the whole grounds of the compound.

On the inside of the silent house, 14 year old Manta eyed the silent Yoh, silently contemplating on how to lighten up the mood. His eyes shifted from the silent Yoh, to the frowning Ice Shaman and his crying sister to the hysterically crying Ryu and to the silent Tamao. Soon his gaze fell onto the sinngle sheet of white paper that lay innocently on the dinning table. 'Funny, how one letter can change everything,' he mused.

A grieving Amidamaru silently hovered near Yoh, hoping that his master would at least show some amount of emotion. Sighing softly upon seeing only the blank look on his master's face, his gaze quickly shifted towards the letter.'Why...'

"Maybe it's just a joke...a test perhaps..." mumbled Horohoro, breaking the heavy silence. His voice was heavy, totally unconvincing. It caused another loud sob from his sister Pirika. Kororo made a faint 'epping' sound on her shoulder, most likely a cry.

"Miss Anna doesn't do jokes..." whispered Tamao sadly. She looked up from her seating position on the floor and eyed the silent Yoh. She wondered what might be going on in the young Shaman's mind. Her eyes feel onto the open letter infront of her and her palms clenched into fist at the sheer absurdity of it all. 'It just can't be! How heartless can one person get?!' she thought bitterly as several tears dropped onto her fists. The open letter just taunted all occupants in the room.'How could she?'

"Perhaps..."

Horohoro was never given the chance to finish his next assumption, as the front door burst open and a enraged Ren stomped into the room. He was closely followed by Bason, who hovered next to him. "Ok! I get called in the middle of dinner, about something seriously wrong and emergency...so, what the hell is going on?!"

"It's beef stew night..." whispered Bason to Amidamaru, who sweat dropped in return.

A laugh escaped Yoh's lips as he heard Bason's comment. He looked up and gave the fumming Ren an apologetic smile. "Sorry, if we disturbed you," he said, a silly grin plastered on his face.

"Master Yoh..." whispered Amidamaru in disbelief as he watched Yoh sheepishly scratch his head and grin goofily at the fumming Chinese Shaman.

Ren's eye brow began to twitch dangerously, "You mean nothing's wrong?!" he snapped. The room quickly was once again filled with heavy silence. He finally noticed, Prikia's soft sobs and Ryu's hysterical cries. He watched Yoh's goofy smile slowly disappear and a blank look soon replaced his features. Yoh quickly bowed his head. "What?!"

"You see..." began Manta but quickly was cut off by Ren who spoke up again.

"Wait a minute! Where's the itako, Anna?" asked Ren, finally noticing the itako missing. At the mention of Anna's name, Pirika burst into louder tears once again.

Yoh stood up and smiled sadly at Ren, "She's gone..." he whispered, and quickly left the room.

"Master Yoh..." mumbled Amidamaru as he watched his master disappear up the stairs, most likely to go up to his room.

"What do you mean she's gone?! Isn't she his finacée or not?! What do you mean gone?! What the hell is going on?!" shouted Ren after regsitering what Yoh had said.

"She just left. Just like that..." answered Manta. He let out a soft sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "When Yoh and I came from the store, she was already gone. She only left a note.."

"Note?" repeated Ren, not quite understanding what the reason was as to why the young itako left.

"Why would she leave?" questioned Bason.

"So...the problem is?" asked Ren, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't all of you be at least one inch happy to have that--that...slave-driver gone?"

Ryu stood up abruptly and sniffed loudly. "Miss Anna brought greatness to all of us! She thought all of us to be strong and efficient Shamans! Master Yoh would never have become Shaman King without her trainings!" he exclaimed loudly, while huge waterfalls of tears flowed from his eyes. "She is greatly missed!"

"..."

Tamao sighed softly once again and picked up the letter from the table. "What worries all of us are the feelings of Yoh-sama. Her letter held some startling revelations that were quite shocking..." she said in a soft voice. She walked up to Ren and handed him the note. 'She's so heartless...' added the pink haired girl mentally, walking back to her spot by the table and sitting back down.

Ren took the white paper and eyed Tamao skeptically before gazing down at the letter. Bason hovered over his shoulder and tried to see what was written. Ren's eyes grew wide as he slowly read the note.

Yoh,
	By the time you read this I am long gone. Over the past year, you have 
grown into the Shaman your family has invisioned you to be. And all this through 
the hard training you endured through me. I assure you that the whole Asakura clan
is proud of you. 
		
	Now that things are done and no work is left for me, it is time for me to say
good-bye to you. The truth shall finally be revealed for you. Perhaps on what I am 
about to impart on you might be something you would rejoice on upon. I was never
intended to be your future wife. The engagement that Kino-sensei had set upon us was 
a simple plan for you to strive hard to become a great Shaman King. I was just a simple
tool, there to train you. Kino-sensei knew that you would never train if no one would
push you and give you a reason to fight. So I served your grandmother and did as I was
told. 

	As said, the engagement was never real. And now, you are free to chose whatever
girl you wish to marry. There is no need for you or any of your friends to try to find
me. I don't want to be found. And with this, I bid you great happiness. You are all
free from me now. Good-bye Yoh...

									-Anna

Ren folded the paper after reading and placed it back on the table. "So..." he began, now not quite sure of what to make of the whole situation. Sure, it was a nice thought to have the fearsome itako gone and no one would be on their back constantly barking out orders. And again it was a nice thought. The reality of the whole situation gave it a whole new perspective. Mainly Yoh's feelings. Something that everybody was quite sure of that Yoh had certain kind of feelings for the itako.

"Miss Anna has no wishes to be found. We should respect her descion." said Amidamaru thoughtfully.

Tamao stood up and glared at the spirit. "But what about Yoh-san?" she exclaimed loudly. "Anna-san had no right to just go away like that!"

"Iie," said Manta. "It was Yoh's grandmother's decision. Anna never really had any choice. She is her student. She did have to follow what Yoh's grandmother told her."

"Bu-but!"

"Tamao-chan, there's nothing we can do." said Horohoro finally getting frustrated. "It really sucks to see Yoh all down and sad. But there is little to nothing we can do! Anna-san left, she was supposed to leave. We can't do nothing!"

Tamao looked down and gave a soft sigh. "I know..." she whispered softly. Looking up the staircase, her eyes clouded over with concern. 'Yoh-san...please don't be sad...'

~Upstairs~

Soft moonlight passing through the half-open window, was the only source of light in the darkened room. A lone figure slid the doors closed making little noise. A soft sigh could be heard coming from the person. Eyeing the near empty room, his eyes feel onto the neatly made futon.

'Why did you have to go?'

Passing the stream of moonlight, Yoh walked up to the futon that lay near the window. Kneeling down next to it, he sat down and eyed it blankly. Reaching out, he touched it imagining its owner were there.

"Anna..."

A feeling of emptiness and sadness swept over him, something he rarely ever felt. He soon realized that the itako would not be coming back. And a pang of pain engulfed him. 'I want you back...' His hands clutched the grey blanket tightly, as he bowed his head and his shoulders began to shake slightly. Small droplets hit his fist and the blanket.

'I need you'

The thought of having the itako no longer at his side seemed to scare him. She meant everything to him. She was everything to him. She gave him the will to fight, the strength and the determination. She was his other half. He didn't care if everything was a lie, that the engagement was not true. He just wanted Anna. Only her.

'Come back...please...'

Pulling the blanket off the futon, Yoh silently lay down on the futon and pulled the covers back up to his shoulders. The familiar scent of roses envaded his senses. Closing his eyes slowly, he began to drift off to sleep. Pain and saddness filling his heart as he slowly dreamt about the itako.

'Anna...I love you...'

~Somewhere else in Japan~

"All passengers bound to Aomori please get your belongings ready. In several minutes we will be arriving at Aomori Train Station. Thank you,"

A lone passenger looked up from her reading as the conductor made the announcement over the intercom. She closed the novel and placed it back into her bag. Sitting alone in the compartment, she stared out the window with a cool expression. The world outside was dark as night fell, they passed trees and fields of grass.

Her expression grew bored after a minute or so of just staring out. Soon her thoughts began to wander to the life she left behind in Tokyo. 'Yoh'

Anna let out a soft sigh. Even though she was told to never get attached to the grandson of Kino-sensei, she couldn't help but feel lost. Now that her task of making Yoh a great shaman is completed, there was nothing left for her. It was time for her to head back home and leave everything behind.

Kino-sensei had simply instructed the itako to act as Yoh's 'fiancée' and make him train hard, which of course he did. Being told that she were just a tool in order for them to attain their dream of making the lazy Yoh a great shaman, Anna agreed with the task. Of course she was perfect for the job. Fearless, emotionless and fearsome. She would never grow attached with Yoh. Never.

How wrong they were. Though possessing a core of ice and an emotionless mask, Anna soon learned to care for the lazy boy. Which she barely ever showed. Barely. Now that she was leaving him, a feeling of familiar loneliness overwhelmed her. Something she learned to ignore for so long. As an itako, she was thought to keep all emotions in check. The only thing she ever learned to feel was pain and saddness. Something she learned from so long ago from her childhood. Yet over the time she spent with Yoh, a small fire seemed to rekindle. And now she wished she never left...

'It's for the best...'

The train slowly came to a stop as it entered the station of Aomori. Standing up in a fluid motion, she slung her usual handbag over her right shoulder and taking a small grey suit case into her left hand. Anna made her way out of the train, being the only passenger that late evening.

A cold night breeze hit her shoulders and she cursed herself for packing her coat into her suit case instead of wearing it. Her red bandana around her neck billowed in the wind and her prayer beads rustled as the wind picked around them. She surveyed the empty station and again cursed mentally. She watched as the train began to move suddenly and then slowly move out the station, heading to what ever next destination.

Frowning in annoyance, Anna set her suitcase down on the marble floor and crossed her arms. She eyed the entrance of the station with an expression of pure annoyance. After several more minutes of nothingness, a figure came running into view. She watched him racing down the stairs of the station and stopping momentarily at the foot to catch his breath. A spirit hovered nearby the young man. Her eyes narrowed down into angry slits as she watched the teen speak softly to the spirit, who in turn pointed at her. The young man turned around and waved at her and quickly approached her, spirit not far behind.

"Anna!"

The teen came into view. A young handsome young man with black eyes and dar blonde hair, several shades darker than her own. Dressed in jeans and a shirt with a blue jacket over his shoulder, he bowed at her. A small smile spread across his lips as he stared down at the younger girl.

Anna nodded her head in return and briskly walked past the older boy without much word. Ignoring the floating Samurai spirit, she quickly walked towards the exits. She let the older boy take her suit case and turned around.

"Hurry up Onii-san, it's getting cold,"

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>_

So, yes. Anna has an older brother! Err, that is pretty much made up! But I have not knowledge whatsoever about Anna's past. Nothing, so I am making this up. But if there is anything mentioned about Anna's past in the Manga or Anime, PLEASE tell me! I really need to know! I do hope you guys enjoyed this fic. Also, did I do the japanese word for older brother correct? If not please tell me! And, can somebody tell me what the japanese word for 'little sister' is? ^_^ I really wanna know!

Oh yeah! I gotta know, about the schooling system in Japan! How long do they go to high school? At what age do they reach their senior year? At 18? How old are the seniors anyway? You gotta tell me guys! It's important for the fic! >_

So, Umm, please if you review...please be gentle...lol. Take it easy on me and dont tear me apart just yet. Cause I promise you people that it'll get better by the next chapters! Really better! So I am open for any ideas you guys want! So tell me what you think!

And oh! Yeah! Do you guys want Hao to come back? Do you want him back into the picture? Just tell me! Put it in your review! If you got any ideas, then tell me through reviews or e-mails!

ja ne!

Elisabeth

PS: I am using html for the first time...I am so excited! ^_^; *sigh* I know, I'm so Pathetic...