TA-DAH! I'M DONE!
WELL? BRING ON THE REVIEWS FOLKS, ^-^.
OKAY SO THIS CHAPTER TOOK A WEEK AND TWO DAYS BECAUSE I HAD WRITERS BLOCK, YOU SEE I WAS PLANING ON MAKING Anna APPEAR IN THENEXTCHAPTER BUT INSTEAD I SAID "NAH."
OKAY SO I WOKE UP 5:00 AM TO FINISH IT FOR YOU GUYS AND GET IT UPLOADED. SO REVIEWS ARE IN OBLIGATION HERE HAHA.
NOW FOR THE REVIEW THANKINGS!
THANKS TO:
Ja 01'Loving you Always':haha I'm not going to be so cruel to Hao as to make his wife die! Ano, that's would be a bit strange, Nianna ending up in Hao's bed haha.
Hpcs2 - Suprema Onmyoji Isah:that has got to be the longest review I have ever seen, haha! I'm glad you liked it ^-^. Haha ur addicted to my fics.
Nightglider:arigatou gozaimasu.
Imtheman:thank you. I'll try my best
KyaKyaNya:yea but shes going to have to put up with tons of people dying soon.
Boblove:arigatou gozaimasu.
Tsuchi-Saikoro:good. I wanted most people to understand. Yea but keep trying!
PinkanAngelTamao:yup they are ^-^
Rosewell:haha thanks for the love, haha
Usui_Pirika~~:arigatou
PiNwIn0:you must've really hated Yui…well more people are dying soon so…
DID I MENTION HOW GLAD I AM TO SEE SO MANY REVIEWS? WELL IM VERY VERY HAPPY HAHA.
WELL LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER!
~~~CrysitaNaima
History's Flames;
A Thousand Paper Cranes Arc;
Chapter Ten
"Picking up my oracle bell… really did me a big favor." He told the blonde in front of him, stepping closer to where she stood. "I want to thank you Anna."
The blonde girl blushed as her fiancée came closer to her, closing the space that was in between them. He stopped to cup her smooth peachy face which was now tinted with a small pink blush on her cheeks.
Yoh looked at her and smiled, slowly bringing his face to hers, just incase she wished to move out of his grasp.
But Anna didn't move, she let Yoh guide her face over to his, ignoring the stain of red on each other's face.
Finally their lips touched, and began to move in perfect synchronization, Anna wrapped her arms around Yoh's neck, while Yoh guided his hands down to her waist, making the kiss deeper.
Amidamaru looked at them in shock and turned his head away from the two of them. 'No, must not look.'
The two of them did not want to let go of another, even as it was getting harder and harder for each other to breath they didn't want to part their lips away.
To just be wrapped around each other this way, that was what they wished to do. This kiss wasn't just a kiss, this kiss was the demise of eternal bliss. The kiss wasn't just a second of meaningless feelings it was the end of priceless beginnings. It wasn't just a thing Yoh wanted to do. Hehad to. It was a need within him that he desired. A desire which he knew she shared as well.
She did not want to ever let go, she felt her heart stop when he finally parted their lips. He played with a lock of her hair, blushing the whole time. "I'm stronger than I thought." He softly laughed, his voice barely a whisper.
She smiled. "Idiot." She knew what he meant. He hadn't kissed her since that night when they made love. They'd embraced each other in their arms, they had slept beside each other, all besides kissed. Why? Because of his fear that he would make love to her once more and the next day end up dead.
But for some reason he couldn't keep himself away from her lips that long, which was why he kissed her just now. He needed to show her his love, he couldn't do enough by just hugging her.
She was still panting, trying hard to catch her breath, she looked at his eyes. The warmth that came from his eyes practically made her heart want to pump out of her chest. "Don't." –Pant- "Lose." She silently ordered.
He bent down and picked up his oracle bell. "Alright! Then I'll do my hardest to ask him!"
With a determined look he began to walk clutching his oracle bell in his hand. "I'll advance towards my goal of being Shaman King again!"
Anna watched him as he walked back down the dusty path. She felt the corners of her lips twitch upward, she let out a sigh and began to walk in the opposite direction from her fiancée.
And her thoughts drifted away in her head, like the soft blow of the wind.
'I feel like an idiot for falling in love with you. Yet I don't regret it one bit.' She turned her head to view the back of his body as he got smaller with the distance. And she smiled.
'I love you…Yoh.'
Yoh sighed. Once again he had another memory in his dreams; it wasn't that he didn't like remembering these moments, hell he wished he could relive them, but it was that remembering Anna was like a dagger striking at him because he was not with her at the moment.
What a lovesick puppy he was.
He opened his eyes and met with a pair of amber eyes sparkling as they watched him, Yoh instantly flinched.
"Ahh!" he jumped in surprise.
The round, golden eyes belonged to Anna-chan, who was eyeing Yoh with a crooked smile on her tiny face.
"You have very cute dreams, Yoh-kun." She complimented, her eyes having that small glistening fire inside them.
Yoh blushed madly; she had read his mind while he was in his sleep, does that mean she saw…
He turned –if possible—redder than before, his face probably matching the color of a ripe tomato. Anna-chan just watched him with an innocent and cheerful smile on her face, her eyes playful.
"Ah, Yoh-san, you're up!" a voice from the kitchen called out to him.
He turned his head and saw Akiko-san drying her hands on a pink dishtowel, a smile across her pale face. Her green eyes looked at Yoh and then to Anna-chan, who was still staring at Yoh, in awe of his "cute dreams".
"Anna, please come to the kitchen, Yoh-san is not fully awake yet."
Anna got on her toes and turned to Yoh. "We got you some clothes; they're upstairs in the bathroom. We'll play right after school, Yoh-kun!" she cheerfully whispered before going into the kitchen.
Yoh got up and went up the steps; trying to find the bathroom in the enormous house Anna-chan lives in. finally he found the bathroom and got in the shower. He didn't take long and once he was done he put on some clothes (which were obviously Edward's) and headed back down stairs to the dining room.
There he was the biggest Japanese breakfast he would ever eat. The dinning room table was covered in dishes of rice, miso soup, and side dishes such as grilled fish, rolled omelet, pickles, dried seaweed, natto, salad, and way more for Yoh to believe.
His mouth hung open as he stared at the breakfast buffet.
"Sit down and eat, Yoh-kun." The small Anna told him, coming into the dining room in an apron and bringing a box full of more rolled egg omelets. "There we go. Eat up!" she happily said, taking off her oven mitts.
Yoh looked from the food to the small blonde in the apron, then he blinked and shouted, "Anna, you can COOK?"
The small girl arched a brow and stared at the boy with an are-you-seriously-asking-me-this look. "Yoh-kun, what kind of a wife would I be one day if I can't cook?"
'Seven years old and already thinking of this?'Yoh laughed in his head. "Anna doesn't cook." He told her.
The small blonde looked at him in awe. "She doesn't?" Yoh shook his head, and her eyes grew. "Then how do you guys eat?"
"Usually our friend, Tamao, cooks for us." He responded. "Either that or our other friend, Ryu."
Akiko-san came in the dining room and brought a basket of oranges and placed them in the middle of the table. "Yoh-san are you not going to eat?"
"Huh? Oh –hai, gomen." Yoh sat down and eyed the food in front of him in astonishment, everything looked so good, he picked up his chopsticks and clapped his hands together calling out "Ikitadimasu~!"
Then he plopped some omelets in his mouth and chewed. "Ah, this is good, Anna-chan~!" he complimented. "You have passed the test."
Akiko and Anna raised a brow. "Test?" they both asked in unison. Yoh popped a mouthful of fish in his mouth and nodded.
"Hai. The test of becoming my wife, he he." He joked.
The two blonde's across the table laughed.
"I hope you're not serious." A voice from the door said, ruining the cheerful mood. Edward was dressed in his school uniform with his suitcase hanging over his shoulder by one of his hands; he looked around the dining room, and set at the table, taking a bite of some miso soup.
"Ohayo, Edward." Akiko greeted cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"
The boy shrugged and glared at Yoh, who kept on happily eating as if no one was blaring holes into his body. Akiko was amazed at how much the young boy could eat, he kept on stuffing his mouth with food yet, somehow, he kept his manners.
"Does Cadm-san not feed you, Yoh-san?" she asked, blinking at the boy. Yoh laughed.
"It's just that I've never tasted such good food, it's really good!" he announced making Anna-chan smile.
Edward jerked up from the table and pushed his dish to the middle of the table; he got out of his chair and swung his school briefcase over his shoulder. "Let's go, Anna." He ordered.
The small Anna looked at her brother, chopsticks still in mouth, and frowned. "I was going with Yoh-kun, Onichan." She told him.
"Not anymore you're not." He mandated, his eyes irritated from the seven year old disobeying. "You're coming with me; it's dangerous for you to be out in town by yourself."
A vein popped up on Anna's head, "I'm not going to be alone, Yoh-kun is taking me."
Edward slammed his fist on the small kotasu table, making Yoh suddenly realize of the fight going on between the two Kyoyamas. "Ano…"
"Damaru!" Yoh immediately did as told and shut his mouth. Anna-chan jerked out of her chair and gave her "older brother" vicious death glares through her burning brown eyes.
"Iie , damare, onichan!" she shouted. The room suddenly began to lightly shake as the girl screamed at her brother.
Yoh blinked as the house shook. It was a gentle jerk, but yet it took him by great surprise. Akiko and Edward on the other hand didn't seem to notice, but Yoh saw Anna-chan's eyes grow in realization of the shake.
"You two please don't fight." Akiko asked of them, she stood up and suddenly began to cough, turning pale in the process.
Anna looked at her mother's pale and worried face then she looked away from her brother's gaze and ran out the door in frustration.
Yoh watched her go and stood to go after her, but Akiko placed an arm in front of him to stop him. "Let her *cough* *cough* go. Edward *cough* you go after her."
The dirty blonde haired boy looked at his mom before nodding and running off to chase after Anna.
Yoh just stood helplessly at the table; he turned to Akiko-san. "Akiko-san, I can go after her."
The woman shook her head. "Since you are her friend, I wish for you to understand her better, Yoh-san. And for that I need to show you something. *cough* *cough*"
She walked over to a drawer and opened it, taking out a small book, then she sat back to the table. "Here." She said passing him the book.
Yoh opened the book and gazed over the first picture it was a body lying on a hospital bed with a bunch of breathing tubes surrounding their body, along with wires that were hooked up to many machines.
"That was me a few years back." Akiko said with a weak smile. "I have a sickness that causes me to grow weak suddenly. My husband, Kyoyama Damasu, was my doctor and went through a great deal to heal me. But…I died the first time."
Yoh jerked his head to stare at the woman, she just kept smiling weakly, Yoh stared at her, completely stunned by her words.
"However, they said that after a few seconds of being dead my heart began pumping again and I came back to life. Since then my illness was completely healed. But…seven years ago, it came back."
"…" Seven years. It wasn't rocket science; Anna-chan was born seven years ago. 'Her sickness must have begun around the time Anna was born.' The young shaman King noted.
"A few days later, I found Anna-chan over by Mt. Osore and I took her in. Ever since I did my illness has become well…more serious."
Yoh turned to the next page and it was of a child wrapped in blankets, a big mountain in view behind the child. He'd know that baby anywhere, first of all the baby looked a lot like Anna, second the baby was way to stunning to be normal, and thirdly the child had a strong concentrated gaze that was un-normal for infants.
"My husband believes Anna may be the cause of my illness…but I highly doubt that. But I do believe that Anna sometimes thinks she is the cause of it, so I worry."
There was a long, silent, pause; the only sound heard was the woosh of the papers as Yoh looked past each picture in the album.
"Akiko-san…does Edward-san also think this?" he asked his tone serious but questionable.
Akiko looked at him and shook her head. "Have you happened to have gone to Shio-san's work any of these days, you know the convenience store?"
"Ano…hai." Why was she asking him this?
"Well then I would like for you to take a better look at that painting hanging over the counter…" she looked at the clock and covered her mouth with one of her hands "oh dear," she gasped. "I'm going to be late if don't leave now!" she jerked out of her seat and picked up a bag off the ground. "make yourself at home, Yoh-san. Oh, and if you wish to visit Anna during her lunch time all info is on the fridge, gomen but I am running late. Je ne!"
With that said she stormed out of the house before Yoh could react to anything that had just happened. He blinked and looked around the house. It was very, very mute and empty.
He stood out of his chair and walked over to the living room, carrying the photo album with him. He sat down near the kotasu table and placed the album on it, flipping to the page where he left off.
He flipped through almost the whole thing until one picture caught his eye. He read the caption in his head, 'Kyoyama Damasu, Oyamada Mansumi, and Kyoyama Anna.'
He specifically remembered that waitress back at the café saying that Anna's "Father" worked with the Oyamada Company. That seemed to disturb him a bit, seeing as Mr. Oyamada had been a grumpy old man that once something caught his attention he had to have it.
'But why would Mr. Kyoyama work for him?' Yoh wondered.
Suddenly the phone of the Kyoyama home rang, making Yoh jump in surprise, his eyes were now glued to the machine until it went to message recording mode.
BEEP. You have one message.The machine across from him informed. Playing message one.
"Kyoyama, this is Tamurazaki,"–Yoh blinked at the name, suddenly more intrigued in the message- "since you are not answering I suppose this means you have not arrived back to your home. Getting to the point I must inform you that Mr. Oyamada has sent someone to take care of your…business, she is of the problem's kind so they will be able to interact. But the point is Mr. Oyamada is requesting you NOT to get rid of the problem, instead we will bring it in for studying. Call back as soon as possible."
The Shaman King blinked at this information, he got up off the couch and walked over to the machine, pressing the play button to rehear the message.
"Someone to take care of your business…" Yoh repeated after hearing the message for the third time. After listening to it a few more times he shook his head. "Ah, why am I worrying about this?" he asked himself, laughing. "Whatever business this guy has with Mr. Oyamada doesn't involve Anna…or…could it?"
He let out a long sigh and looked outside, it was a nice day to go out and look at the sky…
Then at that moment he headed out the door.
...
"Ah~ it feels much better to be outside!" Yoh said to himself. "Being a spirit isn't that bad."
The Shaman King was now in his spirit form, floating around the small town with ease. No one had seemed to be able to see him so what he guessed was that people could only see him when he was with Anna or Cadm.
If that were true than he could practically do anything he wanted to.
He let out a wide grin to take over his face. "I'm going to have a lot of fun. He he."
He floated around the town until he spotted the café where he and Anna-chan were at yesterday. He began to wonder if Cadm was working at this time. Filled with curiosity, the brunette shaman went inside.
He didn't have to use the door, not like he could anyways, all he had to do was float right pass the glass door. When he came inside he searched around for Cadm.
Hmm. The only familiar person he saw was that waitress from yesterday and she seemed greatly occupied at the computers at the moment. With a long sigh Yoh went back out side.
"I wonder what I could do around here." He asked himself, looking around the place. His mind was off wandering.
'I don't know what to do around here because these past two days I've been with Anna-chan…'he mentally analyzed.
Then it came to him! He remembered Akiko-san telling him to look at a painting back at the convenience store. Yoh knew which painting she was talking about, he saw it on his first day here, but what did he have to lose by looking at it again?
Having nothing better to do, the brunette decided to go there, who knows? Maybe he would be able to find something out about Anna.
He knew the way to the store, he had passed it many times the last 2-3 days he'd been there. (A/N: please note how the times are different within and out of the Great Spirit. Outside the Great Spirit it has been 2 weeks & 3 days since Yoh and Anna went to sleep inside the GS. Inside, it's been about only 5 days.)
"Let's see," he mumbled to himself, looking at his surroundings as he floated past familiar sightings. "It should be right…ah, there!"
At last he spotted the convenience store only a few stores in front, he went over to it and entered it by passing through the door as he did before.
There were hardly any people inside, probably because most people had work or school in the mornings. He went over to the cash register, the guy at it was fast asleep, and looked at the painting over the desk and studied it, realizing some things he did not notice the first time he viewed it.
It was still the painting of a girl in a grassy meadow looking up at the sky, but now he saw much more within the painting.
The girl had short, shoulder-length, golden locks that blew away from her face, and her eyes were an olive brown with a reflection of the clouds in them. Her expression seemed blank. Blank and lonely, she had neither friend nor companion beside or around her, nothing but the clear blue sky which she probably saw each passing day of her life.
Yoh felt a lump in his throat the girl looked exactly like his Anna. Everything about her was like his Anna. The blank eyes, the features of her fragile and peachy face, the form of her body, the way she sat with her knees pulled to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. The girl's kimono had cuts and was ripped in some areas, but you could barely notice because the tall grass practically covered most of the view of her.
It seemed like Anna as if Yoh had never befriended or loved her.
"Interesting painting, isn't it?" A voice asked behind him.
Yoh jerked his head back; Cadm was standing behind him, a smile on his face as he eyed both Yoh and the painting.
"It's Anna." Yoh responded hoarsely. Cadm raised a brow and took a step towards the painting, he scratched his chin as he examined it carefully.
Ohachiyo appeared on the front desk, his arms crossed, looking a bit annoyed at his partner. "Do you really have to get so close to see?" he asked through his gritted teeth.
Cadm gave a dumb-looking smile, "I want to make sure Yoh-sama is looking at this painting right." He laughed.
"But how can you tell if you've never seem the Anna in my time?" Yoh asked.
Cadm considered this and nodded, Ohachiyo let out a sigh, and Yoh laughed. Then he looked back at the painting in wonder. "Why did Akiko-san want me to see this?" he asked aloud.
"Because that blonde hot-headed male of hers painted it." The demon remarked. Yoh blinked and looked at him, his eyes huge.
"Edward-san painted this?" he asked completely amazed.
Cadm nodded, still scratching his chin. "Hai. He painted a visual of what he thought would be little Anna in a few years. Of course he got the position and the face expression from how he usually sees his…sister."
"Akiko-san…does Edward-san also think this?" he asked his tone serious but questionable.
Akiko looked at him and shook her head. "Have you happened to have gone to Shio-san's work any of these days, you know the convenience store?"
"Ano…hai." Why was she asking him this?
"Well then I would like for you to take a better look at that painting hanging over the counter…"
Now the young king understood why Edward was a pit overprotective over Anna-chan. He thought Anna was lonely, but it was the opposite, Anna-chan has lots of friends but they're all ghost, things that Edward is not able to see. "He sees Anna-chan as lonely."
The other two nodded at his observation, so he knew that he was right. But yet none of this, nothing that has happened so far has told him why Anna had ever shut her heart from everyone.
If this lasted long then how long would it be until he saw Anna again?
...
Yoh walked around the Machiosore Park, eyeing all the people that passed him, failing to notice him in the form of a spirit.
He let out a big sigh as he laid on the snow that touched the ground.
It was cold…a weak sense, which was growing and disturbing. The coldness was greatly increasing even though the sun was out and shining, yet somehow snowflakes were falling and landing on his face and melting as they made contact with his warm skin.
Looking at the sun above him made him grow tired, yet aching as he realized the sun was the color of Anna's golden locks… he decided, instead of looking up at the sky, to take a small nap to clear his mind.
Though he knew what would happen as soon as he would close his eyes, those memories of him and Anna would suddenly appear in his head, but frankly at the moment he didn't care. He wanted to see Anna, even if it was only in his head.
He wanted badly to see her, the pain in his chest was excruciatingly painful to his poor heart. Kami-sama, how much he loved her and wished to be with her at the moment.
He'd been away from her before, for three years, for three months, yet being away from her for three days still seemed like an eternity…
'How much I wish Anna would be here.' He wished in his head, he took a deep breath. "Maybe the Great Spirit only lets me have one wish at a time…" *sigh* "Well, everything will work out in the end!" with one long, last stretch of his body, he closed his eyes, letting the sweet memories of him and Anna sweep into his subconscious mind once more.
"Wah~" the Shaman King yawned. "What a day…first the fight with The Ren, then Hao decides to come to join us in the bath and now he's spending the night…" he sighed "What's really bad is that tomorrow we have to fight the people Manta's dad brought to the island…and it could be our last day…"
He walked down the halls of the Inn in his yukata, looking around the place for what could be his last time. Finally, he stopped at the bathroom to brush his teeth.
He slid the door open and saw Anna at the sink, brushing her teeth. She saw his refection in the mirror placed on the wall in front of her and turned her head. "Oyasuminasai." She said.
Yoh walked over to the sink beside her and picked up his tooth brush. "Oyasuminasai." He replied, bringing his tooth brush to his lips.
They brushed in silence, the only noise heard being the brush colliding with their teeth. Finally Anna spoke.
"Are you scared?" she asked, rinsing out her tooth brush before placing it in the cup on the sink.
Yoh did the same and answered. "Should I be?"
Anna looked at him, her olive eyes piercing small holes into him from her long gaze. "Sooner or later everyone is going to die." She told him. "Death is a way of life, it cannot be avoided."
Yoh nodded. "I know. That's why I'm not running away from it. There's no reason for me to."
The itako took this in and nodded, Yoh continued brushing his teeth then looked slowly around the room. "Anna?"
She turned her head to look at him,"Nani, Yoh?"
He studied her stone face, trying hard to copy the image of her into his head, so he could keep seeing the image of which he fought for. Anna took two steps closer to him, each one slow and hesitant. She brought her hand up to lightly wrap itself around his hand and pulled him to her.
Yoh began to take steps towards her until they both heard the door slide open.
Both their gazes went to the man at the door, who smirked back at the both of them.
"Well, isn't this something." Hao mused, the smirk still on his smooth face.
Yoh felt Anna's hand tighten as she glared Hao with death piercing eyes. Hao took a few steps into the room and his gaze landed on Anna."Heh, and I thought I saw all things with beauty this world had to offer." He said as he eyed her in her yukata.
Anna stiffened and let go of Yoh's hand, crossing her arms in front of her. Her amber eyes looking at Hao as if he were an insect. "Why are you here?" she viciously asked, her tone speaking for itself.
Hao just lazingly placed his arms behind his head and gave her a grin that annoyed her. "Can't I just come into the bathroom whenever I have to do my business?"
"He has a point, Anna." Yoh told his fiancée, "When you got to go, you got to go."
Anna soften her expression when she looked at her dimwitted fiancé, surely he didn't really believe Hao honestly came to do what he says he came to do. Yoh just looked at her and smiled.
"See? Even my lower half agrees with me." Hao pointed out. "But now I am curious and suddenly feel guilty."
Yoh blinked at his words. "Of what?" he asked.
Hao gave a mischievous smile, making Yoh wonder if he really should've asked. "Curious," Hao began, "as to whatyoutwo are doing in here. And guilty, seeing as to this is Yoh's last night with you, Anna."
Anna clenched both her hands and her teeth tightly as she atrociously scowled at the older Asakura twin.Yoh just calmly looked at his brother as placed himself in front of Anna to keep Hao's eyes away from her. Yet his brother smiled, smirked and laughed."You think hiding her behind you will help any, Yoh?" he laughed, "I can see her perfectly through your thoughts of her…" –Yoh's eyes widened- "And I must say Anna, your fiancé's got a good image of you naked…"
That was it! She pushed Yoh out of the way and raised her left hand to whip Hao across the face, but as soon as she brought her hand down for the impact she felt another hand, a strong one, grab it. She turned and saw Yoh looking down at her, his eyes sad.
"Don't Anna." Was all he said as he pulled her back to where she was before, behind him.
Anna's eyes grew as Yoh pulled her behind him, then she began to protest, her eyes burning. "Yoh! He's –he's-"
"He's only seeing what I'm thinking of, Anna. He can't control it, if there is someone to blame then it's me for thinking it."
Anna blinked as she looked at her fiancé's depressed face. Hao began to smile.
"So you understand that this power is something I can't control, hmm, that impresses me." The he spun and turned his back to the two of them. "Well, I had my fun for the night-"
"Hao." Yoh interrupted, looking at his older brother.
Hao turned his head to look back at his younger twin. Yoh stared back, completely calm. "You want me to keep a dying wish don't you?" he asked.Anna stared at Yoh, completely dumbfound, she glared at Hao, knowing his answer immediately."It depends if I can keep it." Hao smirked back, his face full of mischief.
Yoh looked back at Anna then at Hao. "I want you two to get along." He told them, both Hao and Anna stared back each surprised by Yoh's words. He just smiled at the both of them. "You two are both important family for me." He explained, "Hao as my older brother and Anna as…" his face at that moment turned a bright red from the words that were planning on coming out of his mouth.
Yet the two of them both understood what he meant. Hao turned his head back to the door and slid it open. "Well then I have no problem with that dying wish. Seeing as youare my younger brother. And no worries after I eat your soul Anna and I will get along just fine." he laughed at that last sentence.
Anna crossed her arms and glared at him as he said his last words before leaving the room. Then she turned to Yoh.
He stood with his back to her, staring at the now closed door. She couldn't see his face yet she felt that Hao's words had somehow saddened him.
"Yoh, I-"
He spun and was across to her in what seemed like no time at all, not even the smaller part of a second. Anna only had time to register the ferocious expression on his face before his lips were crushing against hers and his arms were locked around her like steel girders.
She immediately forgot what she was going to say. It didn't take long for her to grasp the reason for his mood, and even less to feel exactly the same way.
He pushed her against the wall, still kissing her with lust and hunger, it was the biggest and longest kiss he had given her since that night where they made love. Yet neither of them minded being in each others arms this way, kissing each other with the greatest feeling of love they had for one another.
Then he started kissing her neck as she moaned. She could barely keep her thoughts straight during this time, all she could think of at the moment was him; and all Yoh could think of was her.
"Gomen Anna," he hoarsely apologized as he pressed his lips to hers once more. He wanted to enjoy what could possibly be his last moments with her, he wasn't planning on going far, he didn't want to do that to her.
Yet he didn't want to pull away from her lips, even as he was now having trouble breathing he didn't want to pull away, but in the end he had to.
And when he pulled away they were both breathing roughly, both their hearts pounding at the same rapid speed, Yoh placed his head on Anna's chest and rested it there, his face practically glowing in color.
Anna held him tightly to her, not wanting to let go or for him to let go. She heard Yoh's pants as he apologized once more. And she shook her head. "Don't kill yourself over it, Yoh."
He laughed and raised his head, then sweetly brushed his lips to hers once more before grinning at her, his cheeks still pinkish.
"I love you, Anna."
Yoh didn't want to open his eyes; he wanted to keep them closed to keep that wonderful memory in his head, the memory of kissing her, and holding her. What he felt was his face growing red from those thoughts, the blood rushing quickly to his head.
He felt something else though, a sort of warm feeling beside him, as if the sun was brought down beside him, but he ignored it, thinking deeply of that sweet moment.
Then her name softly escaped his lips. "Anna…" he involuntarily called.
"Nani, Yoh?"
His eyes flew open almost instantly at that voice, that smooth and cool ringing voice which he recognized so easily, because it belonged to her.
His vision was a total blur at the moment, but he could see it, he could see her. Her olive eyes were staring down at him in concern, her short blonde hair framing her face as she had her head bent down to stare at him. And everything about her was real, yet he couldn't help asking…
"Anna? Is that really you?"
Yoh saw her roll her eyes and frown. "No, it's Chocolove, of course it's me you-"
She didn't have time to say anything else because. Like in the memory Yoh was viewing, she felt Yoh's strong arms warp themselves around her and pull her over top of him, their lips crushing together.
Her eyes were wide with surprise as he kissed her with lust and joy. Yoh's mouth was hot and hard and Anna thought she must be hallucinating, dreaming, because kisses could not possibly feel this good, could not possibly be real, because she could feel his love through every muscle that pressed against him as he kissed her. She suddenly found herself kissing back causing Yoh to smile in between the kiss.
Finally he pulled away, both their faces bright pink, Yoh had a wide grin on his face while Anna blinked in his arms, her faced flushed, her breathing ragged.
"How… flattering." She curtly mumbled under her breathing.
Yoh laughed and pushed her head so that her ear would be close to his lips. Then he whispered to her, "I'm glad you're here, Anna."
History's Flames'
Chapter Ten
Being what she is, Nianna has seen death so much death that comes to many people, around her. Guilt comes to her from all this.
At hearing the long and final beep of the cardiac monitor Goldva had been connected to the brunette girl couldn't help but to feel the guilt of death rise in her once more.
She could only imagine what it's like to sacrifice, to offer all I have, unto those whom she could only imagine what it's like to be alone, how it feels to be rejected, how to get by on my own, to feel empty deep inside. She was only dirt, dirt stolen from Kami-sama's creation that is this earth and used to form her.
But then that was when Hao's words echoed in her head. 'She doesn't have a fucking heart.' Nianna blinked, letting the words settle down in her head, he took a breath before she asked, "What. Did. You. Say?" she asked her breathing suddenly turning rigged.
Hao turned to look at her, his eyes dark, "Did you not hear me?" he said coldly, as if his words were venom, "She doesn't have a fucking heart."
Jeanne was the first to react. "That's impossible Hao," she breathed, she too in shock, "How can she not have a heart?"
"I don't fucking know!" he shouted standing up and throwing his hands up in exasperation.
Marco was about to open his mouth, about to yell at Hao for screaming at the Maiden, Luchist grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, shaking his head not to do it. For once Marco took his advice and remained silent, but not without giving Asakura a warning glare.
Faust looked at Hao. The Asakura's perfectly sculpted face was a statue of rage that only came from the feeling of being clueless. Nianna wondered what was going through that man's head. Here was man who used to look at the stars every day and think. In lazy days, lonely nights, looking for a lonely star, who'd keep him company throughout the hell that was his life. He would look at the widespread sky, him being a lonely soul, gazing at the moon so bright.
"Hao, have Annaka-san and you had sexual intercourse?" Faust suddenly asked, several Shaman blushed red at the question. "Since Anna-san revived her I mean."
Tao Ren and Usui Horokeu each made a face of disgust, the X-Laws remained quiet, yet their faces showed revolting unapproval of this. Now as for Tamao, her face was difficult to read. Everyone else's face was in between disgust and disapproval of the question.
Hao shook his head, "No." he said curtly, "She never let me touch her."
"I can see why," Horohoro mused, "Finding out that your wife literally doesn't have a heart is a huge turn off." Ren punched him in the balls.
Faust's face was in thought, searching his head for a medical answer that would be enough to save the girl. If it were that easy. Manta seemed to think the same. "Faust, this isn't science. This is beyond it."
"He's right," Luchist agreed, scratching his beard while in thought, "This is all Shamanic."
Jeanne frowned, her eyes lerking over the blonde's body, now going into hyperventilation, "That doesn't mean we're not going to try," she stated, suddenly walking over to Annaka and brought out her spirit. Shamash brushed its lips on the blonde's, pouring furyoku the best it could. Annaka's skin gaining a sudden blue glow yet she didn't open her eyes.
Oyamada Manta was standing beside Nianna, eyeing the situation in front of him. He turned to her, his eyes completely dilated in worry. "C-can they revive her?" he hesitated to ask.
Nianna didn't answer.
"Jeanne-sama, do not waste your precious furyoku on her. Jeanne-sama!" Marco commanded in a worriedly overprotective tone. He ran over to the pale maiden shaking her and telling her to stop Shaman immediately.
The Iron Maiden refused, she shook her head roughly. "Non." She replied, "Anna-san revived her for a reason Marco," she took a deep breath before placing Shamash's lips on Annaka's once more, "I'm not one to doubt her decisions."
"Jeanne-sama, please think about this." The green haired boy pleaded to his leader, grabbing a hold of her. "She might already be a goner." Hao narrowed his eyes at the boy's words.
Jeanne yanked herself from Lyserg's grasp and set Shamash to kiss Annaka once more, furyoku pouring into the blonde without hesitation, without a break.
"Marco, calm her down." Luchist hissed under his breath, standing impatiently, and waiting for the scene to end.
"Maiden-sama," Marco began to plead, "For all we know this could be an omen-"
He was cut off at the sudden pain to his face that sent him flying back to the ground. Everyone looked at Hao, his knuckle was now bloody with Italian blood, he narrowed his dark eyes, his voice menacing, "Call my wife an omen one more time and I'll fucking kill you."
Nianna rolled her eyes, "Your wife is not normal, Asakura. Anna lied to you. She played you and just made you look like a fool who was desperate for his wife. For all you know she might not even be the real Annaka."
"Not like you're any better." Ren spat suddenly to everyone's surprise. The Chinese shaman crossed his arms out in front of him, a sudden faith in his friend taking place, "I don't trust in that woman as much as Yoh, but if he trusts her then that's all I need to know that she's smart enough to not make stupid decisions." He turned to Faust, "She wanted you in Yoh's team for a reason, so I'm sure you're capable of handling this."
Faust nodded in response, a sudden hope filled the doctor's face, his eyes thankful for the kind words. "Eliza." That woman appeared by his side, her hands in two metal rectangles which were wired to the side of her hips. An oversoul of AED machine.
The woman looked at the blonde as she connected wires around Annaka-san's body, hooking her up to a cardiac monitor. Then her gaze turned to her husband and she parted her half lifeless lips. "Lauf der Zeit?" she asked in her soft German tone.
Faust smiled and took her hand in his, "Yes Eliza. I'm going to give her some of my time." he whispered gently, so soft so that only his love could hear. That man had a pure heart. One of the most pure of hearts ever, to sacrifice his time and give it to another for the sake of young love was not something you saw among many these days.
Hao's face turned grim. "Faust…" he warned, "You don't have to do this." He knew what the doctor was up to. Asakura Hao knew almost everything. All Faust did was shake his head, flaming fires appeared in the Asakura's eyes, the flames that made you know he was entering your head.
And Faust seemed to take this opportunity to plug himself to the AED machine and warm up the metal plates on Eliza's hands. And whispering as the instrument in Eliza's hands charged. He looked at Hao, his face in a soft smile, "I trust Anna-sama's actions, Hao."
CHIING~ BANG~!
Nothing. All the shock did was send and electrical current through Annaka's body, making it jump with a jolt from the impact.
Faust seemed to notice that the shock did nothing and he tried again, warming up the plates once more, the expression on his face more determined. "Once more, Eliza." He commanded to his spirit wife.
CHIING~ BANG~!
Nianna watched Annaka's body jump once more from the impact of the shock as it rushed through her nerves, the brunette was unphased by the whole scene A few feet away from her she saw Ari flinch. The girl swiftly ran to Wilhelmina and whispered in her ear, as she spoke into her Chinese ally's ear the image of the words went straight to Nianna's head.
Ryu taking a step forward to comfort the Maiden, who was still stunned from the slap she received from Tamao, then the dolt trips over his own feet, and Hana who was in his arms…
"No!" She gasped, instantly jerking her head towards the muscular shaman to her right.
He began to take that step, his eyes glued to the pale 10 year old in the green haired boy's arms, then as showed from the images from Wilhelmina, the idiot tripped over his two feet.
Only Kami-sama knows how in the world she got the speed to do this, but in the blink of everyone's eyes, she bolted up and launched herself to catch the infant who was floating in the air.
It was seen as if time stop and all Nianna could see was Hana as he landed on Annaka's stomach just as Faust brought the metal plated to the blonde's body; Nianna grabbed Hana's small fragile and just as soon as the metal plates made contact with the blonde's skin.
CHIIINNGG~ BANG~!
A bolt of heat flooded through the brunette with the impact, lightning flying through her veins like a forest that had caught on fire. It spread like a phantom throughout a haunted castle, slowly and with a pattern, She shut my eyes tightly and clenched her teeth to keep myself from screeching out an agonizing wail.
The girl's body began to tremble and her blood was accelerating through her body at an impossible speed, the trembling was getting tighter and faster. She felt as if she was losing age. The time of her life slip out through with a jolt through her fingers.
She lost her breath and fell as soon as Faust pulled the plates away from Annaka, realizing what had just happened. Nianna fell, to the ground, pulling Hana with her, he landed gently by her side. Staring at her without a care in the world, while Nianna felt her lungs about to burst.
The blonde on the ground jerked up in a sitting position at that moment. She too breathing in large amount of air to get her lungs working. She was drenched in sweat, but decided to ignore that fact as her eyes scanned the room, her crimsoned eyes making sure what was around her was all real. Annaka's red eyes guided themselves to the other shamans. They were all prepared for anything that would've gone wrong, she knew this because Ren and Chocolove were in the front of the group as if there was danger.
To her left she saw Marco readying his gun, standing in front of Lyserg, who had Jeanne in his arms, a big pink flush on one of her cheeks.
The only calm ones were Luchist, Opacho and Soraguimi. Everyone else was frozen, weapons ready, as if she was actually going to latch out at them. Manta was the first to react calmly, he slowly moved around her –each step taking nearly half a second, each step flowing sinuously like river water weaving over smooth stones –his hand still outstretched.
"Annaka-san?" he asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in his voice layered Annaka's name with tension.
She could not answer immediately. The girl's mind spun out, spiraling back to what was happening a few moments ago.
"Faust maybe you did something wrong." Horohoro suggested in the far corner, annoyed that the girl was taking so long to respond.
Faust worriedly took this opinion in.
"I'm fine," she answered calmly.
Ryu ran over to the blonde eyeing her. "Miss Annaka you look much better now!" he piped up, a nervous smile on his face.
Annaka glared at him. "You dropped Hana on me, while Faust stuck me with the AED oversoul!" she accused him.
Ryu flinched and hid behind Tamao. "I'm sorry, Miss Annaka, it was an accident~!" he wined, scared for his life at what the blonde might do to him.
But the girl did nothing, her eyes turned to Nianna, who was on the floor gasping violently for air, the infant in her arms completely unphased by what had happened. Annaka sighed, "Just go get Hana," she ordered Ryu. The man instantly did as she said, she turned to Faust, "Tend to Nianna." Faust nodded and stood.
Everyone else was silently watching Annaka, she didn't miss their gazes, they were questioning her. Annaka took a deep breath turned to Hao, her gaze suddenly becoming serious, at seeing his dark expression.
"I need to talk to you. Alone." Everyone turned to look at Annaka
Manta sweat dropped. "She acts as if nothing happened…" he muttered to himself.
"Hai. A bit stubborn isn't she?" Arisu said, suddenly appearing beside him making Manta and Ren jump a mile in the air.
"ARE YOUR TRYING TO KILL ME, WOMAN!" the Tao shouted in anger, his eyes raging in fire.
The pixie girl just grinned at him.
"Master Ren's hair spiked up!" Bason shouted in horror of his master's temper.
Ren took out his spear and aimed it at the girl's head. "You have bothered me long enough, woman. Tell me who the hell you are." He menacingly ordered.
Manta frantically waved his hand above him while jumping so that the Chinese boy could see him. "Ren." –Jump- "stop." –Jump- "you. Don't. have. To do. That!" –Jump, jump, jump, jump-
The Tao didn't listen he glared at the small girl in front of him. 'She's as dangerous as a leaf, and I can slice a leaf up in a few picoseconds.' He said to himself. "Now, tell me what the hell you are." he said through his gritted teeth.
"Iie…lover boy."
"Kisama!" he jumped in the air and threw his spear forward, aiming it at the small girl.
All Ari did was stand there with a smile that made Ren even more furious. Then before he brought his spear to slice her he saw her lips move, mouthing something.
3…2…1… she mouthed, when she reached zero Ren felt a wire wrap around him and pull him back to the ground. He recognized the wire perfectly because he had to face it before, Lyserg's pendulum.
"Ren-kun, don't lose your temper like that! They are friends here to help us!" Lyserg shouted as he pulled Ren down.
He let Ren go and brought the wire back into his medium, looking at the Tao with an apologetic look. Ren grimed and was going to open his mouth to say something but stopped when he saw the pixie girl suddenly appear with her arms around the green haired boy.
"Arigatou, Lyserg-kun!" she said, practically hanging on to Lyserg's body.
The green haired boy blushed to the roots of his hair, why were girls suddenly getting close to him? He waited till the girl let go of him, but it didn't seem to be anytime soon. Manta found himself studying the girl as she took the liberty to hang from Lyserg; it was rather odd. The girl acted as if she were among people whom she had known all her life, yet none of them, not even Lyserg whom she glued herself to, had known her until recently.
"She likes him…and The Maiden does not seem pleased by it." Tamao stated, her eyes dark. Manta looked up at her; she didn't look the same, something about her eyes and the way she said those words…flat out cold...was something wrong with Tamao?
"Tamao? Are you okay?" Manta asked, taking a few steps back just incase.
Tamao turned to look at him, she blinked and Manta noticed she was clueless to why he was stepping away. "Ano…why? Do I seem strange?" she asked, her tone sounded of one of worry.
From a few feet away Hao heard this and arched a brow, the girl's thoughts were slowly changing in a fraction of a second, something was up. Manta shook his head, he was sure that minutes ago she was a whole other person… "No, never mind it's nothing." From a corner, Emmetto smirked, and Wilhelmina looked at him as if he were crazy to smirk for no apparent reason.
"Oi, Shorty." Hao called out to Manta, who responded with Hao's nickname for him. "Call your father; we're going to need a ride to get off the island."
Manta sweat dropped and pointed to himself. "Me?" he asked wearingly.
"Do you know anyone else who has a rich father that can get us an aircraft in a few hours?" Annaka's voice called out, suddenly appearing beside Manta who jumped with shock of her sudden appearance. The blonde threw him a cell phone and Manta barley caught it between his mini hands.
He began to dial numbers fast, Annaka and Hao turned their gazes to everyone around them. Hao opened his mouth, "We're leaving this place, so let's go." He ordered the other shamans. His gazed then turned to five specific shamans and said in a low, serious tone, "And you five are coming with us."
No one refused, no one went against him.
And no one asked about Annaka
...
"Uh-huh, okay…I see…fine…hmm I'm not surprised…okay we'll wait…ja ne." Asanoha hung up the oracle bell on which she was talking to and turned her gaze to Jane.
"That was Luchist, he said they are now leaving Mu to head back." she acknowledged the blue haired Patch.
Jane took a sip of her tea and nodded, then she placed the cup on the table and looked up at the blonde Asakura, her red eyes shining. "They won't be back for another three days if they are just now leaving…" she muttered.
Asanoha took a seat on the other side of the table and took a sip of her tea. "Hao found out about Annaka." She said into her cup, not bothering to react to Jane's action.
The Patch slammed her hands on the table and looked at the Asakura in horror. "He what? How?" she exclaimed, spilling her tea all over her green dress.
Asanoha closed her eyes and set down her cup, she sighed. "He just did," she replied curtly and left it at that.
Jane grabbed a napkin and began dabbing the cloth at her dress to get rid of the tea stain on her dress. "What else happened?"
There was a long pause as both women thought about the occurring events. "Let's see, the cause of the Apocalypse has not yet been discovered, at least they are still unsure of the cause. The Patch leader is now dead, Anna's secret with Annaka has been exposed, Hanagumi still hasn't opened up their hearts…what else was missing? Oh yeah…There's a third Queen." Asanoha said out loud. She knew the danger that was behind this. So she was not surprised at Jane's next action.
"WHAT!" Suddenly the French Maiden felt a bit woozy, her head began to hurt terribly. "Impossible, how…?" she paused, her eyes narrowing, "Goldva." she said the name with such disgust that she did not hid it from the blonde.
"Goldva is dead. As I said before."
"Well, the Lord knows when it's time to take an old hag."
Asanoha busted out laughing. "Nice to know you cared about her."
Jane glared hard at the table under her hands; she was in such a rage she felt like she could punch it in two. "What are we to do about the third one?" she softly whispered to herself in question.
"We can't kill her, or we'll stoop down to the hag's level." Asanoha mused. "Besides, killing is not in our conscious so we'll let her live and when Yoh and Anna return we'll let them decide."
Before Jane could comment a voice broke through the house.
"Ohayo Jane-san, Asanoha-san!" greeted a happy Pirika as she came down the stairs dressed and ready for the day. Behind her Jun greeted them as well.
But Hanagumi also came down the stairs; they on the other hand didn't say a word. Instead they went straight to the couches and sat down, their faces dull.
Jun let out a sigh as she came in the kitchen to help Jane and Asanoha. "It seems they have not let go yet."
"Well what do you expect?" Asanoha asked as she chopped some onions at a rather rapid pace. "They are girls that were taught to be nothing but hardheaded."
From the living room Hanagumi frowned at the woman's remark.
Jane shrugged and walked into the living room carrying a dish full of egg rolls. She smiled at Hanagumi and placed the egg rolls on the table in front of them. Pirika took some chopsticks and took a bite of her egg role.
"You all better eat, too." Jane said to the blank girls lying on the couch. "The others will be coming back in three days."
Pirika's eyes dilated from what she just heard, she jumped and got closer to the Patch woman, her eyes getting bigger with each passing second. "Really! Onichan's coming back soon?"
"Aho." Pirika glared at Kanna, who just stayed at the couch with her arms crossed. "You really expect us to believe that just after a week and three days Lord Hao and the others have manage to destroy whoever is causing the delay in the Great Spirit?" she coldly remarked.
Jane smiled and shook her head. "Iie, they just ran into some complications." She cheerfully stated.
Mari held Chuck closer to her chest. "Mari wants to know what kind of complications." She told them.
Jane frowned as she thought about the reason, still not feeling comfortable about it. Asanoha smiled maliciously and said, "Annaka-san is pregnant." The comment was meant to be a joke, the blonde really just wanted to see everyone's reactions.
They didn't disappoint.
Macchi choked on a piece of egg roll at that moment, and it landed right beside where Kanna was sitting. She looked it for a solid minute before turning her attention back to Macchi, her face wrinkled with disgust. "Gee, thanks, Mati." she said curtly.
Matilda was now hitting her chest with her fist, coughing, she glared at the Patch woman. "DON'T SAY SUCH THINGS WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT!" she protested, her cheeks turning red.
Kanna threw the couch pillow at her. "Baka! Don't think like that!" she yelled at her, her cheeks turning red as well.
Mari blinked as she thought about it. "Mari does not understand…" she said. Beside her Pirika wiggled uncomfortably to her side and whispered into the Italian girl's ear. Mari turned bright pink and screamed, hiding her face in Chuck's hair.
"Well I think it's sweet!" Jun clapped, suddenly appearing in the living room with them. "For two people to express their love and have a child…it's kawai~!"
Jane glared at Asanoha, she turned to the other girls, "She was kidding. Annaka is not pregnant."
A vein appeared in Kanna's temple. "To say such things…it's repulsive." She accused.
Asanoha smiled sweetly, "There are things in life so much more repulsive than that Kanna-san. With luck you will one day not have to face any."
...
Kino opened her mouth.
Kino chewed.
Kino took a sip of water before placing the cup down.
Kino took up a piece of meat with her chopsticks.
Kino chewed.
Someone gulped, when she took another sip of water and slammed it on the table.
"I swear, you two are exactly the same." She muttered across the room. "Always bringing more guests whenever something happens. Tell me why that is…Hao."
Hao was across the enormous Asakura dining table at the other end. He had his head rested on his hand, his elbow propped up and rested on the table. He brought his cup of tea to his lips and took a sip before answering.
"It can't be helped." He stated, a wide, mischievous smile on his face. He looked over at Annaka, who sat to his right eating some fried fish, then he turned his attention back to his grandmother. "You're telling me you don't approve, Kino?"
Yohmei slammed his fist on the table. "It's not that we don't approve!" he contradicted. "We just want you to explain why you are sent to protect Yoh from a great danger and come back finding no danger and bring back your pregnant wife and…what are you again?" he asked Nianna.
Nianna smiled and turned to Yohmei. "A copy of Anna-san made from the three elemental spirits, sir." She curtly answered, giving baby Hana his bottle of formula.
Yohmei slapped his hand on his forehead. "I am getting to old for this." He mumbled under his breath. Then he turned to Soraguimi, who sat beside and across form Nianna. "And why are you three here?"
Arisu took a sip of her water and looked at the elder Asakura. "We were forced to come here by Hao-oni-" before she could say anymore Emmetto stuffed a slice of sushi into her mouth and answered for her.
"Asakura Hao stated we had to come too." He said, earning a nod from Wilhelmina.
Keiko eyed the three of them before turning to the cloaked boy beside Nianna. "And he is…?"
"Nagehiko doesn't talk or show his face much." The dark haired Anna replied, a sort of annoyed tone in her voice as Nagehiko growled beside her.
"I see." Keiko answered back, a bit uneasy.
Another fist slammed against the table, all eyes fell on the Great leader of the Tao family. Tao En glared across the table to Hao. "What does any of this have to do with Ren?" he asked in rage. "You sent my son out to America for no reason at all?"
Hao calmly took a bite of his fish and looked at the giant Tao. "I wasn't the one that called your son to come and help. That was all the Patch, your son was the one that came along in order to save his dear friend." Hao mocked.
En glared his eyes at the long haired Asakura, making Tamao and Manta shiver in fear from where they were sitting.
"Ren wouldn't do that, seeing as if Asakura Yoh were to die then Ren could have an easy chance at getting the Shaman King throne." He said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Are you so sure about that, Tao?" Annaka asked, placing her cup gently on the table, all eyes now placed upon her.
Annaka simply ignored all the eyes that were glued to her, even Tao Ren's menacing glare from down the table. She just turned her gaze to the wall to her left. "You act like you know your son quite well, En, but you're completely clueless on how soft your son can be."
Ren hair spiked up by at least three inches from those words, he jerked up and aimed this spear across the table, only a few inches away from the blonde's face. "I, Tao Ren, am not soft!" he clamored.
The blonde ignored him, but yet her gaze turned to the purple haired Chinese shaman. "Tell me Tao Ren, would you still want to be Shaman King knowing if you become it then you would have to marry the one person your friend loves the most?"
Ren sat back down and put away his spear, not saying a word at the comment the blonde just made. Neither Annaka nor Hao had to read his mind to find out what his answer was.
Annaka popped some sushi into her mouth and chewed, then she turned her question to the others on the table. "What about the rest of you?"
At first, there was absolute silence. In between, it's an emotional silence, that'd kill with bare hands. Attentive silence, absorbed in the environment. Thoughtful silence, wallowing and preparing. Embezzled silence, bored in self indulgence. Quiet silence, uncomfortable and unwanted. Subdued silence, waiting in the wings. Meditative silence, which can move heaven and earth. In all these communicable silences, no one said a word.(A/N: Don't you just love how many kinds of silences I can come up with, haha.)
Hao smirked at all their expressions of thought, then he looked at his wife who stood up with one last glance in their direction and said, "As I thought…you all love your friend." Then with that said she left the room, leaving everyone to their thoughts.
Hao stretched out his arms and laughed. "I am enjoying this quality time with family but I'd like to get to the point." He coolly said.
All attention and heads were turned to him, ready to hear what the real head of the Asakura had to say.
"What do we do about her?" he asked, his eyes gradually pointing at Nianna.
The Asakura and Tao elders began to think, pondering over what they could do. Then it was The Iron Maiden who responded by clearing her throat, getting all pairs of eye to view her.
"I do not see any harm by keeping her." She attentively began. "We failed in finding the threat that will cause harm to the throne, but we have her" –she pointed to Nianna- "and Annaka-sama to help us with any thing as such. So why not let her join us?"
"Ingeniously put, Jeanne-sama." Marco applauded.
"You all fail to see a threat in here." Avaf informed them, suddenly appearing above Chocolove's shoulder. "Has it not occurred to any of you why Goldva kept saying she had to kill one of them?"
That had certainly not occurred to any of the shaman, eyes grew, and questions began forming in everyone's heads.
Chocolove gave a lazy shrug and added, "Why not just ask Nianna here directly?"
Nianna looked up from Hana's gaze and stared back into the eyes that surveyed her. Everyone besides Nagehiko and Soraguimi eyed her with skeptical puzzlement. She returned her gaze to the Shaman Prince in her arms and said, "That's something I cannot reveal."
"It's your scream isn't it?"
The girl's head jerked up to look at the pink haired shaman with astonishment, as so did many others.
"I have noticed it before," Tamao added, a bit out of her character, "you, Anna-sama, and Annaka. Each time you scream something happens." She raised her head and had some strange view in her eyes, Manta shivered, she looked different again, more grave.
Ari and Wilhelmina both looked at Emmetto, a smirk began to slowly creep on his features as he looked at the girl.
Hao stared at the girl in analytical examination, his eyes becoming firery as he searched through the girl's head; then Tamao's gaze fell on Hao, she narrowed her pink eyes at him. The face seemed somehow familiar to him that way, those pink narrow eyes turning cold under his gaze. Then at that instant Tamao grabbed her hands and looked away, the coldness in her eyes turning into shy warmth once more.
"Itai~!" she yelped, rubbing the burnt wounds on her hands from before.
Horohoro raised a brow at her. "Tamao?"
She looked up shyly to see all attention being paid to her. "Ah, gomen! My wrist just burn for some strange reason." She apologized.
Kino hit Tamao in the head with her cane. "Please excuse this girl… she is very slow."
Tears formed in Tamao's eyes. "Gomen~!" she apologized.
Then Kino cleared her throat. "Well then," she began, "I see no trouble with this girl and her allies to be staying under the watch of the Asakuras." She announced, then her head turned to Hao's side. "Do you two? Matamune and Ohachiyo?"
The two spirits appeared each on one side of Hao. Both of them shaking their heads. "I see no trouble from this." Matamune announced. Ohachiyo nodded in agreement, "As long as the Asakura have an eye on them, I'm fine."
Amidamaru then appeared above Hao's head. "What about Yoh-dono? There is still a great threat for him and Anna-dono out there." He worriedly asked.
Hao stood up and made his way out, stopping before getting to the exit. "Annaka took care of that with the Patch, they'll warn us if they spot anything out of the ordinary. Now if you excuse me, I got a pregnant wife that needs my attention." Then he left to join Annaka in the living room.
Mikihisa scratched the back of his head, "Ah, that son of ours is troublesome."
Everyone at the table nodded in agreement.
DON'T. FORGET. TO. REVIEW