Thunder: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King.

Chapter 36

Too Much To Contain

"Where is that oh-so-great master of yours David?" Moon asked frustrated as she walked around in circles. David, sitting on a lonely rock, simply sighed in exasperation.

"Isn't that a good thing?" He asked annoyed.

"Not when he leaves me in a very tense and nervous state David!" She answered him while still pacing around.

"It's been a year David, a year! I've been anticipating the worst things, the most awful things I could imagine as I lie down in bed minutes before I meet you here. I've been restless for a whole year, a whole year." She dragged the last words as long as she could. David sighed again, this time clearly annoyed.

"Well I'm really sorry. We never put the thought of me forced into a hospital in our minds. But don't worry; I'll make sure to tell those idiot doctors to kill me tomorrow, just to make sure your little tension wears off." He said sarcastically. Moon finally stopped in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"First, I never asked for you to die. Second, it's not a little tension." David snorted.

"If you think what you're going through is tough, then you'll have no chance." Moon sighed.

"It's just too much, and the fact that I can't really tell anybody makes it more…more…"

"Complicated?" David finished for her.

"Yes. It's just that…I can't seem to imagine the look on everybody's face when they see everything unravel right before them."

"Just a hint, they won't live long enough to see most of it."

"Don't start with that depressing attitude again." Moon pleaded.

"Fine." He said with a sigh. There was a pause between them, each of them drowning in their own thoughts.

"I have a feeling it will be soon though."

"How soon?"

"I don't know, but I don't think my body will hold much longer."

"What are you talking about? You look fine."

"Because that is how I want to look, but reality is that I look like this." Suddenly his entire body took on a great change. His outline grew smaller, thinner. His face looked drained and there was barely any flesh to be seen. Just skin and bone. He simply looked horrible and his body was clearly frail. Moon covered her mouth and tried to stop a startled gasp.

"Forgive me…for showing you this." He said with a husky voice while lowering his head.

"No, forgive me for not…realizing how…bad your condition was." David looked at her and smiled.

"It's nothing to worry about."

"Moon, wake up." Shira called and the normal morning routine started all over again. Things were normal at school, very peaceful after the three boys left. Sarah had told her earlier that a lunar eclipse is going to happen soon and Moon's tension started flowing overboard, it was clear enough for everyone to notice, even those who have nothing to do with her started asking her if everything was alright. One week left for the school's end and for the summer break to start. Things seemed very nice and peaceful, but still had a tense aura when Moon came around. The only one who seemed to understand it though was Yura. He was the only one who wouldn't ask her about anything. She didn't know whether that was called understanding or simply being ignorant but in both cases, she was grateful.

"Why are you so tense?" Shira asked once everybody left. Both Adam and Jerry came for a visit today while the teenagers trained for the tournament.

"Why do you think I'm tense?" Moon asked her as if it wasn't the tenth time Shira had asked that.

"No I know that you are tense but right now…you seem to be trembling." Shira pointed out.

"What?" Moon asked in surprise and looked at her hands, they were indeed, trembling.

"Look, do you want to take a walk in the forest?" Shira suggested after a while of deafening silence. Moon looked at her skeptically.

"A walk? In the night? Now that the sun is down and everything's pitch black? When all the carnivores are out searching for their prey?"

"Come on, it's not that bad. Some cool, fresh night air would do you good. It helps you relax."

"I'm not so sure about this Shira."

"It wouldn't hurt would it? It's not like the house would burn down while we're out." Moon's head whipped at her with a look of total terror.

"I was only joking Moon. See how tense you are? Come on, get up and wear your shoes, put on your jacket if you still feel cold and you can even take whatever's dear to you in case the house does fall apart." Shira said with a little smirk.

"Don't play with my nerves like that! I'm tensed up enough as I am, don't make it worse!" Shira gave a small laugh and got up.

"I'm serious, it could happen, you never know. And just in case it does, I'll go and take out Wolfy, my bracelet and oh, that reminds me, take yours as well; you never know if it would come in handy. Take anything else that you don't want to get robbed with you." Shira said as she rummaged around some drawers and went in and out of rooms. Moon stood there stunned for a while then woke up and got the things she wanted and shoved them all into her mini-backpack, the two then set off. Once the door opened up, a very cool breeze passed by them. The fresh air seemed so wonderful; it felt as if you could taste the cent of the grass and trees. Moon breathed in the cool air, relishing the feeling of being refreshed.

"It's been a while since you last took a walk in the woods just for the sake of walking." Shira commented. Moon hummed her reply, a big smile on her face that slowly turned into a happy grin. She closed her eyes for a moment and heard the cricket's musical chirping and the leaves rustling as the wind passes by them. She heard the soft and fast sound of wings flapping, probably a bat as it takes a sharp turn. The distant hoot of an owl, everything seemed so perfect, or was it she who was sucked up into this worriless world? Then she heard a sound familiar to someone snapping his fingers. She opened her eyes and saw Shira doing just that.

"Wake up nature girl, there's lots more to see, hear and smell. So don't waste your time on just one sensation. Let's head west." Shira said pointing behind Moon.

"West? But we've never been to the west side of the forest before." Moon said with a tinge of worry in her voice.

"You mean that you haven't been there before. There's a special view that I'd like to show you there, it would look better during the day, but everything has its own charm in its own time. Let's go." Shira stated and that was enough for Moon to follow her with an excited smile. They walked and walked for a long time, Moon eventually forgot about all of her worries and let the different sensations take over her. The beauty of nature was something she had always cherished. She would do anything to protect this forest, the forest in which she grew up.

"Aren't we there yet?" Moon asked after a while.

"Tired already?" Shira asked as she glanced back at her with a smile.

"No, just bored. Or actually…I'm just wondering what that place is." Moon answered nonchalantly.

"Hm, you have the right to know. First I'm going to show you a special place of mine then we'll go and visit your old home." Shira replied. Moon looked at her confused.

"What do you mean my old home? What home?" Moon asked in confusion. Shira stopped and stared at her for a while.

"Yeah you probably forgot about it by now. Well, good thing I'm taking you there, right?" She said with a smile then turned and continued to walk. Moon looked at her confused but kept walking behind. They soon reached a clearing; some high rocks were bordering the place, making it look like a very tiny corner. But in reality, it was a huge waterfall that poured into a flowing river that stretched all the way next to the rocky borders, thereby going unnoticed.

"I used to come to this place a lot; it helps me think….even if the sound of the waterfall is too high, it helps me relax. I hope it's doing the same with you." She said looking over at Moon. Moon nodded at her grinning, she liked the place too.

The trees soon became thicker and more crowded as they moved on. It seemed to Moon as if no human being has ever entered this path and yet, there were some traces of a path in which they walked on. It was covered with still growing grass and the trees were only bordering the way, but the branches sure made it too hard to walk. Soon they reached a clearing; it didn't seem very big though that was because of the huge mansion that covered most of it. Moon gaped at the big building.

"There you go." Shira said with a sigh as she stood there and put her hands on her hips.

"So? What do you think?" She asked with a smile as she looked at Moon.

"I…" She started and then trailed off. She had no words to say. Creepy but still amazing? That doesn't sound very… or actually, it sounds very convenient.

"Come on." Shira said when she stood next the opened door. Moon snapped out of her gaze and reluctantly followed. The house was made of wood, very dark, dark wood. The best quality too as it seemed.

"It's been standing here for years and yet no termites ate anything, no dust entered…not even animals like bats live in this place." Shira said fascinated but then her face grew dark in sadness.

"What's wrong?" Moon asked concerned.

"It only shows how scared they were…how…introverted they were….Heh, good thing your mother isn't anywhere near." She finally said with a nervous laugh.

"What makes you say that and…where is mom anyway?" Moon asked.

"Well Moon, this is your family's home. Their house is so deep in the forest, so well hidden. Anyway, I think your mother is wandering around…but she's far. What's your problem with her anyway?" Shira asked amiably. Moon shrugged and walked around, soon she went up the stairs. The house of my family huh? Very gloomy…it feels exactly like mom…am I…that gloomy too? Moon thought to herself as she wandered through the halls.

"Shira…" She called as she felt the red wooden wall.

"Yes?" Shira responded from behind.

"Am I…gloomy?" She asked and slowly turned around to face Shira, a curious and awaiting look on her face.

"You? Gloomy?" She repeated with a laugh. Then she put a finger on her chin and her other hand on her hip, thinking, remembering.

"You do have times in which you get upset or…gloomy. But everyone has those moments, even me! Besides, you only get those after something really worth being gloomy about. So no, you're not gloomy at all." She finally said. Moon smiled at her thankfully.

"Come over this way." Shira said with a chuckle and walked through another narrow hallway, Moon tailing after her. Soon they entered a room that was extremely different from all the others. The walls were still the same gloomy colors, dark brown, black and mahogany. The difference was that it was filled with things that simply didn't relate to the house. A small colorful bed, light blue being its basic color. A big light blue wardrobe, with lots of stickers and flowers glued on it. There was a nightstand with three drawers and a small table with a mirror hung on the wall right over it. There was a part of the wall, very low, which had paint on it. A few big spots here and there and at some point there was a small painting of a smiling flower. The whole thing seemed to point to a child, the lines of the paint were wavy and messy, definitely the work of a child. Shira leaned on the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest with an amused smirk on her face and watched as Moon curiously went into the room. It was dark, but things were still visible. The frown on Moon's face was there all the time, curious as she felt some sort of nostalgia to this place in particular. So far, everything in the house was new to her, as if she'd never seen it in her entire life. But this room, it had something, but Moon couldn't find out what. It was starting to frustrate her; she went to the tiny table only to see her reflection on the mirror. Nothing much was on the table except for more stickers of flowers and a…feather? A small little grey feather fastened with a tape on the table. She carefully removed the tape and went next to the window in order to see it clearer. It was a silverfish grey color…a normal feather…but why did it look so special to her eyes? She carefully looked out of the window; the view of the grass and trees was so dense and clear at the same time. Then she noticed something lying there on the windowsill, a little doll, as it seemed. She carefully picked it up, made of wool, she determined as she traced the fine lines of knotted wool. The colors were very bright and nice. It was only then that she remembered all these things. The feather, was the first and only thing that ever entered the house through her window. It originally came from a nightingale that sat on a branch near her window. Her father made the doll, especially for her. Shira was already standing by Moon's side, watching merrily as the distant smile on Moon's face grew bigger.

"So? Remembered anything yet?" She asked, even though the answer was quite obvious. Moon smiled at her then looked up into the starry sky, the light reflecting on her black eyes. Shira was startled when that happy and peaceful look in her face changed to a look of fear and terror.

"What is it?" Shira asked hesitantly, knowing that she wouldn't like the answer at all.

"The sky will turn black…" Moon silently repeated the clue in her mind as the scene unraveled right before her.

Thunder: Well? How was it?

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