For Better, For Worse
By: FiendisHSerapH
Chapter One: Sudden
The stars were crying.
Thousands of them fell from the midnight-blue sky to bereave with the marching crowd below. They were grieving due to the loss of a great man who had implored for their wisdom for countless times. That man knew how to appreciate nature. In fact, he had spent much time adoring each of them as they twinkle. Sometimes he envied them for being able to get much closer to the Great Spirits than he does. That man was a great man, full of simplicity, compassion and love for others. That man was a great friend, a great son, a great husband and a great shaman.
The people stopped in front of a rectangular hole on the ground. The coffin was placed before it. For the last time it was opened and from the group emerged a woman clad in white. Long eyelashes revealed black orbs that stared and stared. Pale lips pouted and parted; she sighed. She bit her lip and shut her eyes tight, waiting for tears to somehow ease the sorrows of her soul. Tears… indeed they came flowing down her cheeks. The ice queen has emotions after all. It seemed unbelievable, but it's true. The blonde woman was down on her knees, begging for him to come back, for her husband to somehow find a way to talk to her again; through some medium, any manner will do. Just bring him back, let him speak to me, she thought.
Everyone in the crowd can't believe that he's gone. It seemed so sudden. Everyone wished it was a nightmare, one that is easy to wake up from. Six days ago he left their place with other valiant shamans. They didn't know what ensued; his companions can't speak of the pain… or of the weakness they had shown to make the hero give up his life for them. All they knew was the body was found almost toasted the skin already fragile like paper. But they wondered well why his face and the expression on it were still intact. It was carefree, smiling… as if he was happy to have sacrificed his life. Indeed, he has the right to be happy. The great man had done his share; he's leaving this world for a better place, the so-called paradise.
He was a picture of selfless love. Despite his friends' strong protests, his coffin was closed. Flowers were offered, thrown to him as he was slowly being settled to the welcoming darkness and silence of the earth. Lower, deeper, until the ones he had left cannot make out the contours of his coffin anymore. Loose pieces of soil were being sprayed on him, slowly blocking his sight of his beloved people. The light hadn't completely vanished when he saw the woman whom he had loved all his life look down on him. For the last time he heard her scream his name.
Despite his disagreement, he knew he can leave the world peacefully now. He had sent someone to finish his task. The Great Spirits are calling him to be one with them.
She had lost track of the hands patting her shoulders for comfort; she had grown numb of them. Still sitting on the moist grass, she stared at the name engraved on the cornerstone. Yoh Asakura, it said. She still can't believe her husband had died just like that. She had been managing his training since they were kids. She knew that he is strong, therefore being defeated that easily is just a joke, a big joke. But yes, she had also taken note of the times he had been weak for his friends. He can be stupid for camaraderie sometimes. Right there, she knew what caused his untimely death. It's his stupidity, the stupidity that made her love him more.
Coldness stung her back. She looked up to the heavens. Stars had hidden behind the thick night clouds. Perhaps they had given up and accepted the fact that he's gone. More water droplets fell on her face, washing down the traces of tears left on her cheeks. Rain… Yoh loved the rain because he can escape training and sleep in his room for prolonged hours.
"Forgetting you is not easy." She talked to the tomb at the back of her head. The rain grew stronger, leaving her damp, soaked and freezing. If Yoh were still alive, he would surely give her an umbrella or he'll take her hand and they'll sprint to their home as fast as they could.
Just then, the rain stopped pouring on her. She looked up and saw a black umbrella overhead. She was about to utter her husband's name but she knew that would be stupid.
"He's dead, remind yourself of that." Her mind commanded her heart.
"But I can't." It answered back.
Her sight registered black pants, blue shirt, tanned skin and blue long-backed hair with bangs overshadowing the person's eyes.
"Night rain is not good, Miss Anna. You might get sick."
All of a sudden, her vision doubled and from her throat her bitter-tasting supper lurched up. Everything happened so quick that she didn't have time to prevent it.
The rain washed away the gunk as the man gathered the unconscious woman in his arms.
To be continued -
Author's Explanations:
Most people will surely ask me, "Why worry too much on Yoh's death? Anna's an itako and Horohoro's a shaman as well therefore they can still talk to him, right?" The concept I followed here is patterned to the one that happened between Amidamaru and Mosuke. Spirits can't leave this world peacefully because of an unfulfilled task. Since Yoh already instructed Horohoro to carry on his mission which is to be with Anna and to take care of their future child, he already left and merged with the Great Spirits. (So that means Yoh knew that Anna will be bearing a child before he died!) With that, his spirit can't return to this world anymore. That also meant that shamans can't see him anymore. Different, isn't it? This is fiction anyway, so to invent twisted theories is free! I hope you understood that. Post a review for further clarifications. Anyway, comments are always welcome… just don't flame me if you don't like what I'm doing. We have our own wants, you know, so respect mine.