Disclaimer: Don't own SK
Chapter 11: Itako
You could hear laughter behind the huge oak door. Wearing royal blue kimono with her hair styled elaborately and bare footed while holding a pair of slippers and a paper in her hand, Saga burst inside without announcing herself. Ai, Aoide and Haku looks at Saga then the laughter stops. Saga stalks across the room and stood beside Ai, who sits calmly on her bed.
The room is big enough for a royal princess, but Ai always says that her room could hide two elephants and still there is room for her to dance around. The walls are painted on cloud-like effect in pale pink color. Her vanity stands at the left of her queen sized white poster bed with tinge of pink at the tips. A large heart shaped mirror stands at the far left of her room. Beside the mirror, is a bookcase filled with books about people's love story and soon to be.
"Which one of you pranksters put my slippers at the pillar?" Everyone looked away guiltily; Saga just raised her eyebrow and looked at Ai. Ai smiled innocently at her while Aoide and Haku tried not to laugh. It was a welcome gift, Ai said before Saga came, for Saga to pin her favorite royal blue slippers and draw Ryu's face beside it at the entrance. Saga, surprisingly, just smirked at Ai as if telling her she would get even someday. Ai laughed nervously and tried to change Saga's mind by making her forget whatever she is thinking.
"You look really pale today, are you okay?" For a second Saga's attention diverted but she decided to play along knowing her revenge would be sweet.
"Nothing a good rest will do besides I'm stronger than you think. Heck, I could even shout and ran whenever I want to." Truth to be told Saga is not as strong as she used to be. She used a lot of her powers making her weak that is why she kept on coming back to their realm.
"But still you should take care of yourself more seriously when we all know your powers aren't returning that fast to you." Aoide said.
"By the way, could you give me some more info about Yoh and Anna?" Ai interrupted excitedly to Saga.
"Didn't Haku or Aoide tell you everything?"
"Not that much." Ai answered. Aoide conjured a blue chair and Saga sat on it.
"Yoh has already found Anna, which I believe they already told you that." Ai nodded.
"They never told me as much because they haven't been monitoring them as much as you do." Ai said. Saga raised her eyebrow at Haku, who turned to look away.
"I already told you I'm sorry I have a mission after the council." Aoide said apologetically but Saga and Haku isn't listening. Ai just smiled at Aoide to let her know she is just joking.
"This is interesting." Saga said still keeping her gaze to Haku for a moment then continued her story. "Before running off towards you, I divided myself when nobody was looking and went to chase Yoh. As we predicted, Anna didn't recognize Yoh when they met again but what we didn't expect was for Anna to faint. I guess your grand story of romance didn't work out." Saga said to a blushing Ai.
"What grand story?" Haku asked. Before Ai could stop Saga, Saga stood up and smiled evilly.
"Ai pictured out their romantic meeting before which I said was pure nonsense." Ai glared at Saga. Saga conjured a flat TV and turned off the lights. "Ai said that the moment Yoh saw Anna he will hug her tight and say "I'm sorry I made a mistake please forgive me." Okay so maybe that part came slightly true but that is not the fun part. Yoh kisses her passionately and Anna will swoon and say. "Who are you?" Then Yoh would release her and will look constipated. "Don't you remember me, darling?" Anna who looks lost and torn will say. "I'm sorry." Then Yoh would just smile at her even though his face looks like it was stretched and scary. "Don't worry darling, everything will be alright…"
"STOP!" the lights went back and the television suddenly vanished. Ai looks like she wants to kill Saga who looks smug and dangled her slippers in front of her. Aoide and Haku laughed hysterically and fell off their chairs. "That is so not funny. By the way nice narrating." Then everyone laughed. Moments later Saga resumed her story.
"Anna's cold attitude completely blew Yoh off. I expected this to happen but I have never seen someone so empty and cold." Saga mused. "Yoh was stunned at first but he manage to keep his calm attitude and just went with the flow." Saga sighed. "The truth is I couldn't read what is inside his head."
"I guess that idiot gave up and accepted the lies you made." Haku said in a disappointed tone.
"Maybe." Saga said.
"That is not good, I guess I should go there and…" when she saw the stern look of Saga and Aoide including Haku, that is if isn't wearing a mask, gave her a stern look. "Okay, so I'll stay here and rot." Ai sulked in her bed.
"You do that young lady." Saga said. "The next day Yoh made a promise to fix everything up and make a brand new start with her. I left them afterwards knowing they needed their privacy and I am beginning to get sick. Oh yeah before I forgot, we hid Anna and let
…How shall I put it, make a brand new start with Anna but there is one minor problem that had happened. Since Anna is the most favorite person in Osorezan we hid her unconscious body at Shorty I mean Manta's rest house so she can rest. It would be dangerous if they learned that Anna is weak and was resting at Manta's house." Saga stopped and looked at their apprehensive looks.
"So what happened?" Aoide asked.
"Wait, why is Anna unconscious?" Ai asked.
"She used a lot furyoku in summoning that army of weaklings." Haku explained. When he saw that Ai still didn't get it he sighed and explained once more. "Anna is a strong Itako and that is a fact, sure she can summon two to three or even ten spirits but summoning an army could take a lot heck even all of your furyoku and let us not forget the bastard who also feeds on her power, and that my dear is what had happened to Anna." When Saga saw that Ai already got it she continued her story.
"Somebody alerted the town's people about Anna and you know how the human mind works…dishonorable. Good thing my power alerted me of what will happen and I took the chance to escape Anna and Yoh to Izumo. Nothing much happened after that but the weird part is, even though Anna's memory gem is stolen she could still remember Yoh's favorite fruit." Ai smiled at Saga.
"I know Aoide told me already that and it's not a big mystery to me if Anna manage to remember that. The heart is the best keeper of sweet memories."
"Master Yoh wake up, we have a problem." Amidamaru said from his tablet.
"Mmmmm…five more minutes…Anna." Yoh mumbled under the covers.
"Master Yoh, Miss Anna is missing." Amidamaru said with panic in his voice.
"Okay…five more minutes…" A sweat drop appeared on the tablet. It seems Yoh is too asleep to hear him. As soon as his clock alarmed Yoh bolted out from his bed and out into his room leaving Amidamaru still locked inside his tablet. Outside the room you could hear Yoh screaming Anna's name. Just then Keiko stopped Yoh from shouting around the house.
"Anna went out moments ago. I think you can find her at the garden or maybe at the temple." Keiko said in a calm voice. "Or maybe she went out shopping?" She then said happily. Yoh sweat dropped at what his mom had said.
"Shopping?" His only response was a grin from her mother. "Well, thanks anyway Mom."
"Anytime." Yoh left his mother and went out to look for Anna after he released Amidamaru.
'I wonder where could she be?' Yoh asked himself after looking around. Amidamaru appeared beside him.
"Master Yoh I am so sorry I let her go away. I don't know how she does it, it's like she can read my mind, but she took my tablet from your room and put me in there." Yoh contemplated what he said for a minute.
"I remember Anna having that power but I also remember that ability of hers suddenly just vanished because…" Yoh tried hard to think of what had happened but he couldn't. It is as if a part of his memory was erased. "I can't remember." Amidamaru looked at him worriedly.
"Master Yoh, are you feeling okay?" Amidamaru said. Yoh snapped out from his mumblings and remembered this is not the world he used to know.
"Don't worry I'm just thinking what a wonderful day to sleep." Yoh faked a yawn and left Amidamaru by telling him he's just going to sleep under a tree today. The truth is he just wanted to be alone right now…at his favorite place.
Yoh went deeper into the forest that belonged to their family and stopped into an open clearing. The place is picturesque just like it came from a fantasyland. A small clear lake could be found at the center with red roses bordering it. The sky is clear and blue with soothing breeze pass through you. Trees in different sizes and shapes serve as a border to this fantasy world but that is nothing compared to the lady sitting on the branch of fallen tree at the lake. Yoh stared at her with awe and a soft smile on his face. Her legs dangled freely with her feet touching the lake. Her long blond swayed freely with the wind. She wore a long blue sleeveless dress, obviously lent by Yoh's mother, which reached into the lake. She looked like a nymph. What surprised him is the blue bracelet on her right wrist.
Anna stares lifelessly at her pale reflection at the lake. She couldn't understand what is happening to her worthless life right now. One minute she lives in world full of darkness and hate and the next thing she know this nameless guy suddenly appear and turns her world upside down. He makes her feel things that are new to her. Things that she never thinks she would feel. She feels like she didn't know herself anymore if continue to stay.
"I thought you left." Anna's eyes widen to see Yoh sitting beside her. "You didn't know how worried I was when Amidamaru told me you left."
'How?' He just grinned at her and stared at the lake.
"I see you have found my favorite place." He laughed and stretched. "I was…" His face fell for a second. "It doesn't matter. Your wearing onee-chan's bracelet, that's good." Anna raised her arm to look at the bracelet.
"I will need it someday." Anna said simply. Silence dawned on to them.
"You look much better with your hair longer." Yoh said out-of-the-blue. Anna looked at him suddenly with her face fixed in confusion. Yoh smiled and looked at her. "It's true, you see back then your hair just reached past your shoulders and…" Yoh frowned and stared back to the lake sadly. "Forget what I said?"
"Have we met before?" Anna said. Yoh laughed but it is a hollow one.
"Maybe." Yoh said sadly. "I'm sorry about what I said it's just that you look at lot like her." Yoh closed his eyes and stood up. He brushed his black pants and started to leave. "I'm glad you stayed."
She didn't know what had gotten into her. A part of her wanted him to stay with her but a part of her wanted to kill him and flee. She knew she would regret what she would do next but it seems like her mouth has a mind of it's own.
"You're grandmother made me stay." Yoh stopped and looked at her.
She thought she couldn't escape after the ghost and the lady, who kept on insisting she must change her clothes because she stinks, blocked her way but she did. When she was about to go out the giant gates she felt a strong aura calling her. Curiosity got better of her and decided to check it out. Imagine her surprise when she learned that the aura belonged to an old lady. She hid beneath the shadows of the trees and watched the old lady.
"Both of you are lazy bums! I want you to clean this place up! I don't want to see a speck of dirt!" Kino barked to them.
"But Mother this is a backyard." Mikihisa said
"And this place is a forest." Kino looked at them silently and both of them got scared and went off to clean.
"Your name is Anna right?" Anna didn't even raise her eyebrow because she was expecting this. "I know you can read minds but…" Kino stared at her. "…You are still weak." Anna glared at her. "If you want to be strong, you have to train as an Itako." Kino left her alone.
Yoh sweat dropped at her story. "That's grandma alright."
"I don't know why I'm telling you this?" Anna said to herself but Yoh heard her.
"You made the right choice, Anna-chan." Anna glared at Yoh for calling her that but he just continued talking. "And grandma would sure be surprised after you've finish training under her because you will become the strongest Itako ever." Excitement filled Yoh's face. "You sure are lucky."
Anna glared at the lake before her ignoring Yoh. 'Tell that to my family who left me alone.'
"How many more steps do we have to take?" Horohoro whined to Tamao. He slumped down at the stairs when Pirika reprimanded him.
"Oni-chan stand up you're embarrassing me."
"Leave the weakling alone." Ren went ahead of them. Ryu went past them in an amazing speed with hearts on his eyes.
"MISS SETSUNA, HERE I COME!" Everyone sweat dropped at him. Faust and Eliza just trudged the stairs as if walking through the park. Marco stood between Lyserg and Jeanne. Jeanne smiled apologetically at Lyserg while Marco glared at him. Chocolove is with Manta, who unfortunately has to hear all of his jokes.
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?" Horohoro was about to lunge when he stopped and smiled evilly at him. "Oh now I get it, you're moody because you're having a period right now." Ren's hair stood up straighter and took out his weapon.
"Say that again toilet boy." Ren said in a dangerous tone.
"You're having a period or PMS" Pirika whacked him in his head and pulled out a mallet and whacked him again.
"You're disgusting." Pirika left him alone and went ahead.
"Are you okay?" Tamao looked at him worriedly only to be greeted by a grunt. "Oh dear."
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I would like to thank everyone and tell me if there are some confusing scenes on here. I'm sorry it took me so long to update. School is killing my poor brain. Anywayz I would find a way to thank you guys personally.