Through the Ages chpt 13
Yesh… I'm proud of myself for updating before my deadline. ^^ This chapter was, for some reason, pretty difficult to write… Hm.
Find out how it is, cha?
Disclaimer: "Noooo! Come back, you little brat!!"
"Hah! Never!"
A boy no older than nine years old dashed out from his house. In his hand, he held onto a pink underwear.
"Come back!!!!" A teenage girl shrieked at the top of her voice.
The boy just stuck his tongue out at her.
In the middle of the street, he made a show of unfolding the pink underwear, and then reading out the printed words in it aloud.
"Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King."
Manta couldn't believe what was happening to him.
Everything was happening fast, way too fast… It was unbelievable, how quickly fortune changes. Just this morning, he was making snowmen with Li and throwing snowballs at him. Now, Keiko was dead - violated horribly beforehand - and he was kneeling before a whole assembly of ministers, with Lord Michinaga presiding. On the charge of murder.
Murder.
All the faces he saw were unfriendly ones, save for Hao and Matamune, who stood alongside with the ministers and the other Asakura onmyoji. But Manta suddenly found that he didn't really want to look at them.
The soldier that had arrested him stepped forward. "Michinaga-sama," he began in a hoarse rumble. "The boy, as ordered."
"Step down, Takei," Michinaga ordered, fixing hard and angry eyes onto Manta's own.
The soldiers bowed and proceeded to form a line behind Manta. Besides the ministers inside the open-air hall, what seemed to be the entire household had gathered all around outside upon hearing news of the trial. The only empty space was the radius around Manta, where people didn't dare to step too close to him.
Hostile whispers rippled among the crowd as they regarded the kneeling boy, with chains shackled around his wrists.
"He was the one who killed all those soldiers…"
"Prince Ichijo's mother was nearly thrown into a river too…"
"He is the one who did it! My husband, Nobunaga…" The woman's words trailed off in an angry sob.
"That maid too… Keiko, was that her name?"
The mention of that heart-rending name made Manta start slightly, his heart clenching painfully, but the small movement made people draw back as if he had just bared fangs at them.
"Silence," Michinaga commanded. At once, all noise died down.
A small nod from the Fujiwara lord immediately brought one of his advisors forward. "In the light of the recent deaths," the man said in a ringing voice over the silence. "Many of which were horribly mutilated or suffered tragic ends, such as Prince Ichijo's soldiers, Fujiwara no Nobunaga, as well as many more 'accidents', especially one regarding Prince Ichijo's mother and the finger found in Lady Akiko's daily meal."
Whispers broke out again, and the advisor had to call again for silence.
"For a long while, many of us had not been able to apprehend the one responsible," the advisor continued. "But at last, the answer to all of these unhappy events is here." He pointed an accusing finger at Manta, whose eyes widened involuntarily.
"Yellow hairs had been found on the body of the maid Keiko, the last death that occurred before this boy was brought here. A check has been performed, and it was found that no one in this household has that hair colour except for this one…here." His speech finished, the advisor bowed a little before returning to his seat.
"Well, boy," Michinaga said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I…" Manta began hoarsely. "I never did any of – of it. I never killed anyone!"
"Then how do you explain the hairs?" Michinaga demanded. "Tell the truth!"
"I don't know," Manta said. He wished his voice could have that strong impact that his shaman friends, who were so much braver, had. But instead, it came out hoarse and desperate and weak. "I spent more time with her than anyone else, it could have gotten there before – "
But no, of course not… He spent time with her, yes, but he had never made any real contact with her, so of course it hadn't gotten there beforehand. Someone had somehow gotten his hairs and planted it there.
"Yes, I thought you might say that," Michinaga said. "I imagine you killed her by strangulation, then hanged her to make it look like suicide?"
"That's stupid!" Manta burst out, sending shocked glances towards him. "I wouldn't hurt Keiko! How could I be strong enough to do it?"
Another minister turned tentatively towards Michinaga. "My lord, the boy does have a point," he spoke. "Just look at him. He wouldn't have the necessary strength for murder of that scale."
Some of the crowd began to waver and murmur in assent. Until one of the soldiers behind Manta stepped forward as well.
"May I speak, Michinaga-sama?" the soldier asked.
"Go on," Michinaga said.
"Personally, I witnessed something about this boy that could provide the answer to all these murders," the soldier said, his eyes narrow and malicious as he regarded Manta like a rodent. "Did you know that this boy could talk to demons?"
Gasps ensued and a stunned quiet hung over everyone for only a moment before giving way to furious words exchanged among the residents. "Are you sure about this, soldier?" a minister demanded.
"Positive, my lords," the soldier continued, clearly relishing this moment of spotlight. "I saw this boy before speaking with apparently no one in his room before, as well on several other occasions."
" 'Several other occasions'?" Michinaga said suspiciously. "Then why have you not said anything up till now?"
Before the soldier could reply, another voice - all too familiar, causing Manta's insides to freeze up - cut in. "I'm afraid that is my fault."
"Y-Yorimichi-sama…" several people breathed.
A regretful smile played across his lips as the Fujiwara son placed himself in front of Manta. "It was I who ordered my soldier to keep his silence until now," Yorimichi explained.
"Why, Yorimichi?" Michinaga demanded, his tone sharp.
Yorimichi didn't flinch. "It was a mistake, on my part," he said calmly. "I foolishly thought that the boy seeing demons wasn't reason enough for him to kill. I didn't want any unneeded panic. Demons are foul, of course, capable of horrific things, but I didn't think the boy would be necessarily responsible for these tragic deaths just because he could see them. After all, there are others who have seen demons and have still benefited the Fujiwara family greatly." Manta saw him turn his head in Hao's direction, whose gaze was colder and darker than Manta had ever seen.
Then Yorimichi's eyes hardened, as he turned to look at Manta. "I was wrong. The evidence of his hairs on Keiko's clothing, his ability to see demons… These deaths and so-called accidents aren't natural, not what a human is capable of… This has gone far enough."
"What are you suggesting, Yorimichi?" Michinaga asked, though it was apparent he knew the implications of what his son was saying.
Yorimichi's voice was cold and unfeeling. "This boy is of unknown origin. He turns up one day on our doorstep, wearing odd clothes and claims to be from a foreign place that not even the most learned scholars have heard of before. And he possesses strange items." He snapped his fingers, and one of his men came out from the crowd, carrying a bundle.
"Show them," he commanded. His man tipped the bundle over, and out came Manta's open bag, his school things spilling out.
Yorimichi used a foot to push the items out for everyone to see. "Have you seen such things before, Father? Anyone?" He addressed the crowd nonchalantly.
Manta's breath hitched as his laptop, school books, pencil case, writing paper and his scarf were spread all over the snowy ground. The crowd stared at the objects. "What in the name of kami are those?" someone with a particularly loud voice said, before getting shushed instantly.
"I have seen those," Michinaga said. "Just this morning."
"Devil's possessions," someone muttered, and hostility began to spread like a virus once more.
"Such odd written language on those books," a minister whose voice came out in wheezy breaths remarked, peering at Manta's things. "Spellbooks, they must be."
All of a sudden, Manta's tongue loosened. "I tell you," he said harshly, in a voice quite unlike his normal bashful one. "I have nothing to do with all this. My things are my own, and they don't possess sharp points bathed in blood, do they? And you – " he spat at Yorimichi. "- are such a despicable liar!"
Yorimichi turned slowly to face him. "What," he said. "are you talking about, boy?"
Manta ignored the small but urgent shake of Hao's head and his warning look. "You killed Keiko," Manta hissed, now struggling violently against his shackles. The crowd drew even further from him, whispering frantically. "You got your men to – to hurt her! And now you…you're blaming me for everything?!"
His words ended in a yell as a soldier restrained him roughly. "How dare you!" Michinaga said in outrage, leaping to his feet. "Accusing my son! You…devil's child!"
Hao went very still as Manta glared at the ministers. The residents were now talking in louder, angrier voices. "Devil's child," Nobunaga's wife spat at the blonde.
"Getting desperate, aren't you?" Yorimichi said coolly to the struggling boy. "You just landed yourself into more trouble with your words."
"Like I care!"
"Do you deny it then?" Yorimichi shot back. "Can you see demons, child? Can you talk with them? Answer me, and swear that every word is true!"
Manta jerked his head, eyes wide. He gritted his teeth, a bead of sweat sliding down his face.
"I…"
"Well?"
"I…don't deny it."
His words had come out stronger than he thought, but they immediately sent everyone in an uproar as people started to converse wildly. "Did you hear that, everyone?" Yorimichi said.
"He admits it," a man nearby said in disgust. "And he just accused Yorimichi-sama of such horrendous acts! Indeed, he must be the devil's child!"
"Execute him!"
"Burn him at stake!" several women cried out at once.
"No, drowning must be in order!"
Manta couldn't seem to breathe. He could feel the murderous tension emanating from the crowd, tension that should have been directed at this monster. He was going to die, and the crowd was all for it.
"Oh, shut up, everyone!"
Manta's heart leapt, and he turned around swiftly.
Tao Li's face was hard and furious, unlike his usual cheerful disposition. Behind him stood his father and brother, coming through the crowd easily as they parted automatically to make way for them.
"My respects to you, Lord Michinaga," Tao Long greeted coolly in his deep voice, placing one restraining hand on his youngest son's shoulder. Li looked ready to rip apart the chains binding Manta's wrists together.
"T-Tao Long?" Michinaga faltered. Fear was evident on the people's faces, and even the cold, calm look reflected the Yorimichi's eyes wavered a little. "Why are you here?"
"Oh, nothing much," Tao Long said casually. "It's just that my second son here – " he jerked his head in Tao Jin's direction, who gave a mock bow, "- was badgering me about that you have already apprehended the culprit." He looked at Manta up and down, which wasn't much of a movement at all, given Manta's size. "Is this him?"
"Yes, Tao Long," Michinaga said, regaining his authoritative stance.
"A little chit of a boy carrying out murders of such unprecedented scale that the Fujiwara family had to call the Tao assassins in for investigation?" Tao Long said questioningly. "I'm not impressed."
"Were you expecting a fully-grown man with unmatched skill, then?" Yorimichi interjected. "That may have been the assumption for many. But this boy communicates with spirits, and – his behaviour is odd."
"Odd? Any specifics, Yorimichi?" Tao Long asked, raising an eyebrow. "Other than the fact that he speaks with demons, which our esteemed onmyoji can do so much more? Or that he even deigns to talk to my youngest son?"
No one dared to confirm the direct challenge Tao Long was posing, waiting for a word against his family. "The hairs are proof," one brave soul murmured, but everyone caught it.
"Ah yes, the hairs." Tao Long smiled wryly. "Incriminating evidence, though not the most solid, given that young Manta has been spending more time with the maid than anyone else. Still, what are you going to do with him, Michinaga? Execute him? An execution would certainly be a fine way to start off wedding celebrations."
Michinaga fell silent. The crowd gazed at Michinaga, waiting.
"Very well," Michinaga snapped. "The boy's fate will be decided at a later date. Take him away."
The crowd seemed rather taken aback at the sudden end of the trial, but no one was stupid enough to voice their thoughts aloud. Two soldiers seized Manta, heaving him to his feet. As the blonde cast a quick look around, the hot, accusing gazes thrown at him were answer enough – he wasn't innocent by their standards, no matter what anyone said. He forced himself to look at Hao, Matamune and Li, who probably were the closest allies he would be getting.
Hidden in the privacy of the Tao family's quarters, Tao Li was seething.
"I don't believe this!" Li snarled. He paced up and down agitatedly, taking three steps forward, then three steps back again.
"Calm down," Tao Jin said.
"Calm down?! This is insane! Manta? Kill? Are those people completely blind? He's the same size of a bloody cat! Or are they just stupid?"
"Prejudiced," Hao said quietly. The room was fairly well-decorated and large and the onmyoji too, was seated on an elaborately-carved chair beside the Taos – with the exception of Li, who didn't seem to be in the state to remain still.
"Prejudiced? Against what?"
"Haven't Father and I told you before, Li?" Jin admonished. "During your training? People need scapegoats, that's just how humans deal with their problems. They don't care who, or what, they blame half the time. It's so much easier to stop up their eyes, ears and - for all that's good and evil – their common sense and just throw the guilt onto something else to make the problem vanish."
Li's brother ended off with a slight but pronounced sneer that was mirrored on Li's own face. "People here will believe anything," he said disgustedly.
"Demons are the perfect fodder for blame," Tao Long joined in evenly. The cups of green tea that were laid out for each person remained untouched on the wooden stands. "That little kid – he really can see spirits, can't he?"
"He can," Hao said, glancing down at Matamune on his lap. "He can see Matamune whether or not I allow it."
"Then he's done for," Jin interjected. "And it can't help that people have seen him playing with Li here, given our reputation. Now they'll be talking about how Manta mixes with killers too."
Li paused, an ugly look coming over his face. Then he spoke, low but viciously: "If they do anything to Manta, then I will become a killer."
The other three fell silent, eyeing Li closely. "Li, Jin – leave us," Tao Long finally ordered calmly.
Jin got up, and beckoned for his younger brother to follow him. Li looked as if he wanted to stubbornly stay right where he was, but thought the better of it, then quietly followed his brother out of the room.
"That's better," Long said heavily. He fingered the rim of his porcelain cup, and at last deigned to drink the warm green tea in it.
"Any particular reason for this private chat, Tao Long?" Hao asked, a wan smile spreading across his face.
Long raised his heavily pencilled eyebrows. "Actually, I was thinking you wanted to say something that was best said in my sons' absence."
Hao, uncharacteristically, looked down upon the wooden floor, his smile disappearing. "What is there to say? The plans are coming along exactly as how the brother and sister wanted them to. I should have sent the boy back when I had the chance, instead of waiting all this time."
Long didn't speak for a long while, but just stared at Hao.
"Yes?"
"I was just thinking," Long began, setting down his cup. "This really isn't like you at all, Hao."
Hao's eyebrows lifted by a fraction.
"I have not known you to be so easily defeated, so lost. I am not an idiot – you care for the boy. Are you going to be content with him going to his execution, as he will be in only a matter of time? I can't imagine why you can't send him back – wherever it is – even at this point of time."
"No I wouldn't," Hao said shortly, standing up. Matamune landed on the floor with a slight thump, something which would have made him disgruntled on any other day. "He doesn't wish to go at all, and I can do nothing if that is the case."
Long wasn't quite sure what his friend meant, but he knew better than to ask. "Why should he remain here for? For his death? Or is it merely guilt that is the cause for Manta's plight?"
"A dear friend has died because of him," Hao answered. "At least, that's how he sees it. Leaving now would seem irresponsible, in his point of view."
Long chuckled, making Hao turn back to him. "So he wishes to stay to somehow take responsibility? Foolish child."
Hao didn't seem to have anything to say to that other than another wry nod, so Tao Long continued. "Forgive me for saying this, but I was rather surprised you didn't say anything throughout the 'trial' – if it can even be called that – given the situation the boy's in now. I heard them shouting their new name for him a mile away – 'devil's child', indeed. Why did you not put them in their places?"
The assassin leader knew he had gone too far with that remark, but he kept his gaze cool and steady as his eyes met Hao's, which suddenly seemed to spark with a burning ferocity. "That was rather presumptuous, Tao Long," Hao said softly. "What on earth would you have me say that would have made a difference in those humans' perceptions of the boy?"
"Well, think back," Long said coolly. "What would you have had anyone say when you were suffering the same treatment when you were a child?"
BANG!
The doors bounced slightly off the walls as Hao disappeared from sight. Matamune hissed, his shackles raised and claws sharpened from the impact of the sudden blow. Throwing Tao Long an unfathomable look, the cat too slinked out of the door to look for his master.
Tao Long lowered his arm to reveal an empty space where the onmyoji had stood only a second ago, but his gaze slid to the limb he had used to block the attack instead. An angry burn was imprinted on his forearm. It wasn't serious enough to render any amputation necessary, but certainly enough to leave a nasty scar even as it healed afterwards.
Not to mention that it hurt like hell, too.
Despite his injury, Tao Long only sighed as he turned to reassure his Guardian Spirit. "It won't leave any serious lasting damage," he said to the tiger spirit beside him, who growled with indignation and worry for his master.
He turned to stare out of the open doorway. "Your son appears to be still hurting after so many years, Asano Ha," he murmured.
The next morning dawned sunny and cold. The thin shoji screens of the aristocratic women's chambers and wide rooms allowed conversation to be overheard far too easily. It was only for that reason that Lady Murasaki had agreed to meet her younger brother in one of the Northern Branch halls, where entry had been strictly forbidden by the two aristocrats.
"You certainly do know how to play dirty, Yorimichi," Murasaki told her brother coldly. "I have underestimated you far too much, as your elder sister."
Yorimichi only calmly smiled as he took an infuriatingly long drink of his steaming green tea, before setting the cup down on the wooden stand beside him. "What on earth are you talking about, Oneesan?" he asked.
"Don't play the fool," Murasaki replied shortly. Her own cup remained untouched. "It doesn't reflect well on you. I'm referring to Keiko, of course."
"That maid of yours?" Yorimichi let a cold smile overtake his features. "You are angry about her…unfortunate plight? I had no idea you actually cared for any of your servants."
"Again, you are playing dumb," Murasaki said. If not for the court lady's etiquette training she had received from young, she would have been tempted to let out a most unladylike snort. "Keiko is nothing to me, but a maid. And you saw fit to punish her in my place?"
When Yorimichi merely raised an eyebrow, Murasaki had to struggle to keep her voice low for fear of being overheard, but the threatening note was clearly heard in her tone. "Not only did you kill her," she hissed. "You stripped her of her chastity. I am a woman as well, my brother. And you handled my maid as you pleased…in the most disgusting manner of all."
"If I've offended you, then I apologize," Yorimichi said smoothly. Even an idiot would have noted the trace of amusement in his voice, instead of regret. "But it was not I who violated her. Sleeping with maids would not exactly uphold my honour, I must say…"
Murasaki very, very nearly gave into her previous impulse.
"I cannot help how my soldiers deal with disobedient women. It's amazing that you found out about it, though, Oneesan."
"You made sure to torture her for your own sadistic pleasure," Murasaki said. "But in any case, I am no fool. I saw her body, and when the undertaker checked her corpse, you can guess the unpleasant results he relayed to me afterwards."
This time, it was Yorimichi who adopted a suspicious, cold glare in his narrowed eyes as Murasaki finally decided to drink her tea. An ironic half-smile played across her lips.
"Nothing to worry about," she said nonchalantly. "I personally made sure he was taken care of. No one will notice the disappearance of a mere undertaker."
Yorimichi relaxed his gaze a little. "You use my methods too, Oneesan," he chuckled. "That aside, how is your job going on?"
"Again, nothing to worry about," Murasaki answered. "The Taira and many Fujiwara ministers have all agreed to support you in the uprising against Father. If it is coming any time soon."
"You certainly know how to be persuasive," Yorimichi remarked. "I didn't imagine you'd make such fast work of them. Was there anything extra you offered them?"
The smile was immediately wiped off the lady's pale face, replaced with a cold look that would have quelled the hearts of brave warriors.
"Forgive me, Oneesan," Yorimichi said, although a small grin was forming across his own face. "There is no need to be impatient. Father's downfall will come shortly… after the boy is taken care of, of course."
"You are sure that disposing of the child will serve your goal?" Murasaki asked, her scepticism apparent.
"And yours too," Yorimichi added. "People fear demons – and the unknown – above all else. What better way to gain power by exterminating the very bane of human existence?"
"Do you fear them, then?" Murasaki asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.
"Certainly."
The straightforward answer was obviously not what Murasaki had been expecting. Her eyes widened slightly and a very small, surprised sound escaped her throat before being suppressed instantly. Yorimichi, however, showed no sign that he had noticed his sister's reaction.
"The boy has the Tao family behind him, though," Murasaki finally said after a pause. "I heard about Tao Long's intervention yesterday in his trial."
Yorimichi didn't seem in the least worried. On the contrary, the news seemed strangely pleasing to him. "Exactly," he said smoothly. "An assassin family is supporting Manta-kun… An assassin family with their own special, demonic powers, in fact. Why would such a family help the poor boy unless he was a demon's child himself?"
"Aren't you afraid that they would come after you? Their powers are not of this world, if the rumours are to be believed. I would hardly be surprised if they found out you were the mastermind behind this whole scheme."
"Possibly…" Yorimichi looked up from his cup, where he had been idly tracing the rim with his finger. A more serious expression filled his eyes. "But what are they going to do? Kill me? If they are not afraid of getting the boy into deeper trouble… they can try, by all means. I doubt they will be stupid enough to do that, however… Especially with Manta's friendship with the assassin's son, Tao Li."
The cruel, calculating smile that lit up his face afterwards would have shown the Fujiwara son's true character in an instant. "Friendship," he said, almost laughing. "Such a wonderful bond… Yet that bond truly makes everything so much easier to manipulate. All for one boy's well-being, just imagine that."
Murasaki said nothing to that, but her own, shrewd gaze lingered on her younger brother, under the pretext of taking another drink. "Well," she sighed. "I dare say the Tao family will be out of the picture and back in China sooner or later, anyway… As long as Father doesn't make a direct attack on them – which he certainly wouldn't – those assassins won't have an excuse to disrupt the noble Fujiwara family."
She set down her drink, frowning. The tea was getting cold already. How annoying. "So, what are you going to do?"
"Hm?" Yorimichi looked up at his sister.
"After the boy is out of the way."
"Well," Yorimichi said. "There is no need to wait for that child to be rid of, really… But one boy is definitely insufficient to start the whole 'demon extermination'. So – " he sat back, crossing his arms into his sleeves, a satisfied smile lighting up his features once more. " – our next target: -
- Asakura Hao."
Manta looked up blearily, consciousness starting to prick his mind. Through the carvings in the grey stone wall, much like the room he had slept in near Aokigahara, a thin stream of light poured in, telling him that it was daylight already. He wished he had his watch with him, but the guards had taken "anything dangerous" away from him and made him don worn-out, grey wear instead.
The initial fury that had invigorated him during the trial the previous day had died away, leaving only a miserable numbness in its place. Keiko's death was still fresh in his mind, and it didn't help that…it had been all his fault…
Trying to will away the horror that was beginning to seep into him again, Manta shook his head violently and hugged his knees tightly, shivering. Despite the sunlight, the wintry day was still very cold, and his gloomy cell only enhanced the chill – both physically and within himself. They, of course, had not thought it necessary to provide something to keep him warm.
He could still remember the events of the trial… Dirty, fearful and accusatory gazes flung at him, including many of whom he had known when he was still helping with the wedding preparations… Miyo, her friend, even some of the bickering ladies and workers who had helped him… Their looks toward him had been anything but friendly.
Was he really going to die? Without ever seeing Yoh and his friends again? He couldn't imagine how Li and Hao would just leave him like this… But even if Hao had offered him a chance to leave all this behind, he knew he could not. He had absolutely no idea what to do, but he couldn't just leave. Not after all those people, who had died because of him…
Manta groaned, starting to rock back and forth again. He didn't know why Yorimichi and Murasaki were doing this, why they had killed all those people just to set him up… He didn't know…
Why wasn't anyone coming down to give him the answers he deserved? Hao… The thought of the onmyoji made his heart twist painfully. He didn't really know whether he wanted to see him or not… It wasn't fair to Hao, but Manta wasn't even sure if he blamed him or not. A small, nasty voice kept ringing in his mind… If only Hao hadn't been so bloody secretive, and had been honest with me from the start, maybe Keiko wouldn't have died…
Manta put his head down, groaning once more. He just wanted someone, anyone, to come to see him, someone he could perhaps strangle the answers out of if it was the last thing he did…
Crunch.
As though he had been electrocuted, Manta's blonde head shot up. Someone was there. Outside, coming closer to his prison cell…
Hao…?
"Well, well…" a nasally voice drawled. "The lil' kitty down here, all alone…"
His breath hitched. He didn't recognize the voice, nor the giggles that responded to it. Dread started to form in the pits of his stomach.
The heavy stone door to his cell opened by an inch. Not one, but four people stood outside, peeking in through the crack. Three teenage boys, and a girl…
"Manta~~" the female started to speak in a sing-song voice, grinning nastily. "Feeling lonely~? Why don't we play a game, hmm?" The other boys laughed.
A thrill of terror shot up his spine as Manta stared at the four newcomers coming into his cell, their shapes blocking out the light from outside.
END OF… OH WELL, LET'S HAVE A SHORT PEEK HERE, SHALL WE?
November 1999, Funbari Hill
"Remind me again," Horo Horo growled. His left eyebrow was twitching. "Why is it so crowded in here?"
"Because Hao-sama wishes so," the little African child, Opacho, said obstinately. "Baka."
"Why you little - !"
And so on. The residents of Funbari Inn, both original and newcomers alike, sighed when they heard another commotion going on in the next room. The tension was so palpable that small explosions and scuffles were starting to be considered normal in the dead silence that permeated most of the house.
Upstairs…
"Where did that tea come from?" Anna demanded abruptly. She folded her arms, glaring at the shaman standing by the window as though he had just announced that soap operas had been cancelled for the next month. One was airing on the television behind her, just to say.
"It smells wonderful, doesn't it? On a cold winter day like this," Hao said cheerfully, not answering her question at all. He set down the cup of steaming green tea onto the window ledge. "Care to join me, Anna?"
"If you have even touched anything in my kitchen…"
Before the thoroughly irritated itako could complete the sentence, a roar sounded outside the door and what seemed to be a wildly spinning tornado flew into the room, slamming the door open with an almighty crash.
A mixture of people (for the lack of a better description) or rather, what seemed to be people were tangled up together, muffled growls and roars emitting from it. If one managed to peer closely enough, a small child was hanging onto Horo Horo's arm by the teeth, said boy was trying to fling the child off, and Ryu and Chocolove were… well, what they were doing there was a mystery.
No one did manage to get a close look, though, for they crashed right into Anna. Perhaps she had been too annoyed earlier, but she didn't manage to dodge in time. And so she fell…
…right into Hao's arms.
"Well," Hao said, a mixture of suggestion and amusement dancing across his features as he gazed upon the shocked itako. "That certainly was a fortunate accident."
Anna lifted her head to look at the fire shaman. Once she saw the look on his face, she got over her stunned surprise. Flushed the tiniest bit.
And gave him the greatest slap of his life.
Everyone else stopped dead (including the said 'tornado') upon hearing the resounding smack, which seemed to echo throughout the entire house.
"Well," Yoh said, after a nasty silence. He peered at the people surrounding the table, trying not to think of what had just happened upstairs, and trying not to catch any of Hao's followers' eyes.
"Oranges, anyone?"
Whatever happened in the aftermath will be left completely to the reader's imagination.
END OF CHAPTER 13
Author's Note: Eh…. Not too certain if I managed to pull off that last scene there. Just thought there had to be something to brighten up this angst-filled chapter… Manta's trial was a headache. How did they carry out trials in Heian Japan, anyway?
Enjoyed it? Hated it? Leave a review. I did work hard on this chapter before I fly off overseas on the 7th for you guys, after all.