Night: So here we are at the next chapter, yes the beginning doesn't match up with the end of the previous chapter but it will be explained later. Bare with me for now, I promise all will be known!

Opacho: -speaks while hugging Yumi- Night doesn't own Shaman King, but she owns Yumi and 'Ame so don't take them away!

A flash of light faded away revealing to Yumi that she and Ryoushiame were once again standing in front of the pillars with the birds, she never really could pronounce the name of them.

"Really? This far away? Now I have to run again." the woman grumbled as she broke out into a dead run to get back to the Circle of Totems. Her short meeting with the King of Spirits had gone well, and now that he was safe she could focus on subduing Zeke alongside Yoh and the other boys.

Glancing up ahead, Yumi could sense Yoh fighting Zeke and hoped that the boy could hold out long enough until she could get there. Though the other boys as well as Anna were drawing close to the Circle of Totems so her youngest brother would get back-up soon.

But it was the feeling of Yoh's depleting energy that scared Mayumi the most. Zeke was done with the fight and was looking to end it. If she didn't get there soon then Yoh would die.

Pouring on more speed and pushing Furyoku into her legs, the woman forced herself to move faster. There was no time for her and Ryoushiame to perform Spirit Fusion, in the time it would take for them to do the Fusion the fight would already be over.

When Yoh's energy took another steep drop Yumi's heart leaped into her throat, there was no more time! She needed to get there now!

Legs pounding, arms pumping, and heart racing, Mayumi's eyes widened and tears pooled in them when she heard Anna's scream

When she was within sight of the Circle of Totems, Mayumi Asakura's legs gave out beneath her and she hit the dirt on all fours.

Yoh's lifeless body was in the arms of his fiancé.

The rest of the guys were standing around shocked.

Zeke was smiling.

Yoh was gone.

She was too late.

Night: Ok how mean would it be for me to stop right there?

All Characters in Story: KEEP GOING DAMMIT!

Night: -snickers- Of course, of course. Now then, continuing with the story...

The woman couldn't help but stare at her youngest brother's body as the boys began to fight Zeke.

Ryoushiame tried to talk to her and snap her out of her trance, but it wasn't working.

Even when Anna set down Yoh's body Mayumi wasn't looking away from her brother's body.

It was only when Morty and Yoh's body were almost hit with an attack and Silva moved them out to the edge of the Circle of Totems that the woman was able to hear her Guardian Spirit as he tried to get to her.

"Please! Mistress Mayumi please listen to me! Yoh is still being absorbed by Zeke, you might be able to save him!" the Gryphon-ghost was speaking into his Shaman's ear so no one else could hear him.

Yumi glanced at her long-time friend, confused at what he meant. She wasn't thinking clearly, all she knew was that Zeke now had Yoh's spirit, and she wasn't able to save him.

Ignoring Ryoushiame's words, the woman got up and slowly walked to where Morty was kneeling by Yoh's body. Once she got to them, Yumi took Yoh into her arms and hugged his still-warm body.

"Yumi...is...is there anything you can do?" the small boy's voice was soft as he spoke to his best friend's sister.

"I...I don't know Morty." was the mumbled reply that the short boy got before he refocused on the fight with Silva and Kalim.

Mayumi vaguely heard Silva and Kalim telling the boys to calm themselves, to fight without their thirst for vengeance and knew that they were right. But she just couldn't bring herself to let go of her brother's body and yell at the boys and Anna to calm down.

When the Shikigamis turned on Anna and the pair of Patch Officials went to defend her, Yumi did look up from her death-grip on her brother's body. Zeke was going to take the King of Spirits, and the Shikigamis were now holding off the guys so the pyromaniac could focus on his main objective.

And those blue and red things were doing a very good job against the anger-filled Shaman.

"Oh man, look at them! They're totally out of control! What are they doing!? They're fighting for Yoh, but they're forgetting the way that Yoh would fight. They're not focused, they're not working together! Even Anna..." Morty was worried, and voicing his and Yumi's worries. The woman was about to open her mouth to speak when something happened.

"Maybe you should remind them Morty." a spirit the woman recognized as Mosuke appeared behind them. In their time in Dobi Village, the woman had seen the spirit that had been Amidamaru's friend when they were both alive. The fact that he was residing in Morty's laptop was quite an irony the woman always though.

"Yeah...but how Mosuke?" the short boy was worried, but he didn't know what to do. Yumi had a feeling about what the spirit was getting to though.

"Show them the way, you are ready!" seeing the glint in Mosuke's eyes, Mayumi knew that she had been correct in her assumption.

"Do you mean...?" Morty sounded shocked at the suggestion, but his Guardian Ghost spoke once more.

"It would make Yoh proud. Just buy them some time, and remind them to focus. It's up to you Morty." looking to Yumi for a confirmation, Morty got a small smile and a nod. The woman was completely confident that the boy could handle Spirit Unity for a short time.

"Up to me, humph!"

It was interesting to watch the boy as he prepared for Spirit Unity, and it was something that Yumi would not forget. There was sheer determination in Morty's eyes, determination that Yumi knew would come in handy when she took him in for training after all this blew over.

"Mosuke, Sprit Form! Unity!"

The guys had all been blown back from the Shikigamis' latest attack, and Morty was able to get right up behind the red and blue pair and give them both good whacks with his hammer. With the shocked faces of the guys and Anna on him, Morty gave his speech about them and their anger.

"In case you haven't noticed, you guys are losing this fight! And unless you calm down and get a grip, we're all done for! I'm just as angry as you are but remember, anger doesn't get you anywhere! You've gotta fight with the love of Yoh in your spirit, not the hatred of Zeke! There's a difference, and you guys have come too far and gone through too much together not to know that!"

"You're right Morty." Anna all but cut the boy off as he showed signs of tiring. There was a small smile on her face as she saw the boy. Morty looked relieved as everyone visibly relaxed, but that was short-lived as he lost Spirit Unity and proceeded to pass out.

"NO! MORTY!" the boys cried out in horror as the short boy hit the ground and the Shikigamis began to get back up.

"Go Joco!" Len ordered the joker of the group hurriedly.

"I got 'em!" Joco exclaimed before speeding faster than the untrained eye could follow, grabbing Morty's unconscious form and stopping right in front of Anna. The girl carried Morty back to set him down near where Yumi was holding Yoh's body, casting the older female a worried glance as Yumi hadn't released her death-grip on Yoh yet.

"Morty? Hey, Morty!" the boy had started showing signs of coming around so Anna tried to rouse him more.

"Gah? Hey Anna...I'm pretty tired, Spirit Unity is pretty tough." Morty managed to get a few words out as he began to drift back to sleep.

"What you said about Yoh was right." the blonde itako had a smile on her face as she spoke to the short guy.

"Well thanks, I think I'll nap now..." and with that Morty promptly fell back asleep.

The guys then began to compliment Morty and come up with a plan with Anna. They noticed Yumi holding Yoh's body, but the itako ushered them away from her.

"She's in shock." Anna told the guys quietly when they questioned why Yumi wasn't fighting with them.

"Shock? What do you mean Anna!? We're all shocked too but we're fighting!" Trey exclaimed.

"No, Trey, her body is in shock. She tried so hard to protect Yoh from Zeke and now she was helpless to stop Zeke from taking Yoh's spirit away. Everything she's worked to achieve over these past few years just got blown away in an instant. Yumi's mental stability is wavering right now, she's clinging to Yoh's body to try and convince herself that not all is lost. But we all know that Yoh is gone." Anna spoke softly and in sadness, glancing at the other female who was holding Yoh.

"Shock is a horrid thing, but we must focus on Zeke for now! Anna, get those beads ready and we'll hold off Zeke!" Lenny exclaimed as he and the other guys headed off to fight Zeke.

In the next instant Zeke and the Spirit of Fire were showing off their power to the King of Spirits, and the barrier that surrounded the Star Sanctuary vanished, allowing them to be seen by those in Dobi Village.

The air was soon filled with the screams of the people, both Shaman and Spectators alike, who were now seeing that Zeke was heading for the King of Spirits.

But Yumi didn't hear the screams, she was focused on Yoh and Morty. Even after Morty's show and her confidence in him, she was still upset and unable to get to her feet and fight. Still though, she was beginning to think.

'Morty fought, he...he fought bravely even though Yoh is gone from his body. The guys and Anna are fighting still, to beat Zeke for Yoh...what can I do though, I was useless to save him, they can't want a useless woman who couldn't even save her own brother.' the thoughts that coursed through Yumi's mind were filled with negativity, and Ryoushiame was silent. The Gryphon didn't know what to do, his Shaman had never gotten like this before, ever. And this was scaring him. So, all he did was wait and hope that the guys and Anna would find a way to defeat Zeke.

As the boys began to confront Zeke and Anna began to summon the one-thousand and eighty Asakura spirits, Ryoushiame and Yumi watched in hopes that they could defeat the pyromaniac once and for all.

As the ten-eighty beads bound Zeke and the Spirit of Fire and the guys put on their final attacks, Yumi was the first to hear Anna's gasp as the main bead began to crack.

In the next instant, the beads were nothing but tiny shards and the boys were crashing to the ground once more.

It had failed.

Their plan had failed.

Anna fell to her knees as Zeke berated her, saying that it would have taken one million and eighty beads to slow him down now.

Lenny and the guys got back up though, they still intended to fight with all of their being.

And from her place, clinging to Yoh, Mayumi heard a voice filled with static.

It was Amidamaru.

He was trying to get through to talk to Yoh.

'He's...trying to talk...to Yoh? Wait, if Amidamaru is trying to talk to Yoh, then that means that Yoh might still be able to hear me even though his spirit is being absorbed by Zeke! That means...' a glint appeared in Yumi's eye, a glint that Ryoushiame hadn't seen in his Shaman's eyes for a very long time.

It was the glint that meant that Mayumi had a plan that she knew would work without fail.

It was the glint that made Ryoushiame feel proud of his Shaman.

And it was that very glint that made her such a strong woman.

Relaxing her body just slightly, Mayumi loosened her hold on Yoh and placed his head in her lap.

Closing her eyes, the woman took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening them again.

All this had caught the attention of the now-awake Morty, Silva, and Kalim, who were now looking at her curiously.

"Do not interrupt me, and please trust me." the woman's voice was strong and her tone was unwavering, just that caused the three males to nod curtly before watching what she would do next.

After all, if she was going to do this right, then Mayumi knew that she was going to need all the calm and concentration she could get.

So, closing her eyes once more and positioning one hand to run through Yoh's hair while the other rested on his stomach, Yumi began to sing.

Night: And that, my friends, is where I leave you off. -fends off angry readers-
But now I bring you to the Crack Side Story (That may or may not have a hint in it for something in the near or far future, and the singer may or may not be the same gender as the one who sang it originally.)! =D

It was a dark and cold night in the forest outside an unknown town in an unknown country, but one lone figure was hurriedly making their way into the dark woods and away from the town.

The figure was cloaked with their hood covering their head and shadows covering their face. It was impossible to tell the identity or even the gender of the figure as they escaped from the town and into the forest.

Animals that roamed the woods at night did not recognize nor pay attention to the figure as it made its way on foot through the darkness, though they scurried away from the cloaked figure if it came to near.

Once the figure was far enough away from the town, they slowed their progress but never once removed their hood, fearing that they may have been followed into the darkness of night.

It had been a frightening evening for the figure, they had been exposed for what they truly were and were unsure if their friends would accept them. So, in their fright, the cloaked figure had fled their companions for the solitude of the forest.

A small sigh escaped the hood of the figure, and they finally gave into their need to sing their feelings to the dark woods and its animal occupants.

[[ Cloaked figure ]]

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight,
Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation,
And it looks like I'm the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried.

Don't let them in! Don't let them see!
Be the good girl! You always have to be!
Conceal, don't feel! Don't let them know!
Well now they know!

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold me back anymore!
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn away and slam the door!
I don't care, what they're going to say!
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance, makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all!
It's time to see what I can do,
To test the limits and break through!
No right, no wrong,
No rules for me!
I'm free!

Let it go! Let it go!
I am one with the wind and sky!
Let it go! Let it go!
You'll never see me cry!
Here I stand, and here I'll stay!
Let the storm rage on...

My power flurries through the air into the ground!
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around!
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast!
I'm never going back!
The past is in the past!

Let it go! Let it go!
And I'll rise like the break of dawn!
Let it go! Let it go!
That perfect girl is gone!
Here I stand, in the light of day!
Let the storm rage on!
The cold never bothered me anyway!

Feeling a bit better now that they had let their feelings out in song, the cloaked figure continued on their way through the dark woods.

They didn't plan to head back to the town and their companions, but in the back of their mind, the figure hoped that their companions would seek them out. The figured still cared for its companions, but did not want to be shunned so had ran.

Letting out another sigh, the figure shoved the thoughts out of their mind and continued their journey in the random direction they had chosen in sweet silence.

Night: You won't get anything out of me about the Crack Side Story's significance, so don't bother trying.

Opacho: The songs in this chapter are -
Chapter:: none
Crack Side Story:: Let it Go from Frozen

Night: Now, remember to review! As you can see by the shortness of time it took me to get this one out the next chapter should be out soon, but I make no promises. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!