~*~*~

Ai! Thank you so much for all those wonderful reviews! Thank you so much! I deeply apologize for the severe lateness of this chapter...but something went siriously wrong with my modem. *kicks modem* Really, really wrong. It won't dial! Eh! I am most likely at an internet cafe right now...the horror of no internet! Waa! I am still looking for ways of repairs...damn...This chapter would have been out last week...stupid computer! So, my deepest apologies!*bows*

Anyway, I have one good reason to be happy. *Grins* I saw Shaman King! Yes! Sa wakas! After long weeks of nothing, I finally got to go home early from school and watch a good episode! Yey! I hope I can continue to watch Shaman King and be happy!

~*~*~

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. I just own the plot.

~*~*~

			Chapter 4 "Broken Promises"

Soft footsteps resounded against the dull-grey floor of Funbari High as Anna briskly made her way out the school building. Mentally cursing every guy that even dared to stare at her, she finally stepped out the building and gratefully welcoming the fresh afternoon sun. Thanking the higher powers for having the day finally end, she began to descend the several brick steps of her school.

Ignoring the happy bustle of her fellow schoolmates, she headed towards the gates in hopes that her brother would be there to pick her up. 'If he is not yet there yet...he'll see heaven in no time at all...' she mused while passing by a group of freshmen. Sending a chilly glare towards a group of cat-calling boys, she stepped out of the gates of the compound and looked around the street.

'He's not yet here...'

Her grip on the handle of her book back tightened and she mentally cursed her brother's lack of time consciousness. Sighing very softly, Anna fought back the urge to just kill her brother when he would arrive. Leaning against the red brick wall, she blankly watched students pass by her.

Out of nowhere Kagetsu appeared, smiling softly at the young itako. Unfazed by the sudden appearance of the spirit, Anna merely stared down the street where her brother would be coming. "What do you want now?" she asked in an irritated tone.

The samurai spirit scratched his head sheepishly and floated next to the teen. "Ano...to keep you company..." he answered. "Master Touya has no sense of time..."

Anna gave the spirit a sidelong glance and frowned. "That's not the reason," she said, ignoring the sets of weird stares she received from her schoolmates that passed her by. "What are you looking at?" she snapped, sending a group of sophomores in hysterics. Knowing that they can't see the samurai spirit Kagetsu, they most likely thought she was talking to thin air...in other words, they thought she was crazy. She could care less.

Kagetsu sweatdropped at the sight of the retreating backs of the sophomores, "I think you scared them Anna-san,"

Anna sent her brother's spirit another sidelong glance, "You're avoiding the question..."

Kagetsu sweatdropped once more, 'So presistent...' he thought. Clearing his throat nervously, he stared down at the expectant itako and began to wonder how to answer her question without being sent to the next world. "You left your classroom in such a haste, why?"

The afternoon wind briefly passed by them, causing her hair to dance to the breeze and her skirt flutter slightly. It felt refreshing and nice that a pang of pain enveloped Anna's heart. It was times like these that she would remember Yoh...how she hated these times. On a bright sunny afternoon he would train under her strict supervision all the while wishing to just be free and lazily sleep under the shade of a tree and listen to his Bob music. Yet he never complained. Closing her eyes briefly at the memory, she willed herself to let it go. And she did.

"Because...because I don't like it there," she answered briskly, answering the spirit's question.

"But Yoh-san, he wanted..." began Kagetsu.

Anna frowned, her grip on her book bag tightened to a point were her knuckles turned white. Whirling around to face the spirit, she sent him one of her famous dark glares. "I don't care about Yoh anymore. How many times do I have to tell you that? How hard is it to get that passed your thick head of yours? He IS my past! I don't care what he wants or what he needs! He doesn't care...so I don't care!"

Kagetsu drifted several inches away from the itako as he felt her anger practically roll off her. Sighing softly after realizing that it was the end of the conversation about Yoh, he simply watched his mistress. Sensing her anger about the delicate subject about the certain Shaman king, he could clearly see his mistress had no intention what-so-ever to even talk to Yoh. "Gomen for bring the subject up..." he whispered in regret.

Anna nodded her head, "Of course," she mumbled. She lowered her head slightly, her hair partially covering her face. She wanted to take everything back what she said...but she didn't. She wouldn't...her heart was already closed for him...her heart was already bleeding.

"Anna!"

~Inside the school Campus~

"How can one just lose a classmate?" wondered Ren sarcastically, as the group of Shamans jogged down the hallway of Funbari High. "I mean, not just any classmate but THE itako herself! Gees...the world sure really is twisted..."

"Can it 'Pointy' boy...Yoh-kun just got a little distracted after class, that's all," snapped Horo Horo glaring down at the Chinese Shaman.

Manta sweatdropped at Horo Horo's comment. "Er, Horo-kun, how couldn't Yoh get distracted when you asked him to explain a math problem to you,"

Pirika blinked a couple of times, "Onii-chan asked Yoh-san to explain a math problem to him?" she asked incrediously. "The world is coming to an end..." she muttered under her breath.

Manta laughed slightly and stared up at Pirika, "Er, well...Yoh-kun had no clue what-so-ever about the math problem...so both ended up talking about food..."

Ren stumbled slightly upon hearing Manta and sent the sheepishly laughing Ainu a death glare. "So we are running down the hallway all because of you? This is what we get when a idiot asks another mentally challenged person about a math problem!"

Horo Horo laughed ruefully not quite understanding the insult. "Ah, well...you know what they say, fields of the same grass grow together!"

Manta lost his footing and fell face first onto the grey floor. "Ah, Horo-kun, I think it's 'Birds of the same feather, flock together'," he corrected while struggling to stand back up.

Yoh laughed slightly at Horo Horo's quote and turned around, all the while still jogging backwards towards the doors. "Ne, Horo Horo sure needs to listen more in English..."

Horo Horo grinned sheepishly, "Ano, at least everyone got the point, right?"

Tamao jogged closer to Pirika, "Eh, does that sickness run in the family?"

Pirika sweatdropped, "I think the genes stopped by him..."

Tamao nodded in agreement, quite reliefed for the fact that her friend did not inherit her brother's lack of brain. Smiling softly, she decided it was time for a change of subject. "Ne, what did Anna-san say to you guys?"

Yoh stopped running as they reached the doors and moved to open them. "Eh, I...we...didn't quite establish a conversation..."

Horo Horo inched closer to the pink haired girl, "What he's trying to say is that, he never even talked a word with her. She always disappears before any of us gets a chance to even blink."

Tamao nodded in understanding and followed Yoh down the brick steps, into the afternoon sun. She saw the excited expression cross Yoh's face as he hurried towards the main gates of the school, and she felt her own lips form into a frown. The thought of Anna crossed her mind and what she might want. 'Did she just come back and break Yoh-san's heart?...I won't allow it...' her small hands curled into fists as she watched Yoh's back. 'I wont allow her to hurt him again,'

"So...where is she?" inquired Ren, as the group stood in the middle of the afternoon school bustle. "I for one don't see her..."

"Do you even think she would talk to us?" asked Manta, staring up at Yoh -who was busy Anna-searching. "She really didn't look like in the mood of talking...come to think of it, she didn't even talk to any of our classmates either..."

Yoh momentarily stopped scanning the mass of students and looked down at the midget. He smiled brightly, "Even if she does not want to talk to us, I am very happy to see her again. It really doesn't matter to me...as long as I can see her again, it brings me happiness once again." he said. Turning back to scan the mass of students, his eyes shook slightly with uncertain emotions. 'As long as I know she is withing my hearts reach, I am happy. Even though she may hate me now, even if she does not feel for me...I still feel for her. With all my heart...I have her back,'

"This is hopeless," sighed Horo Horo. "How on earth are we gonna find a blonde girl, wearing the usual black skirt, black jacket and white blouse with black school shoes...that really narrows it down to 85% of the entire girls popu-" An excited squeal of Pirika made him stop in the middle of his talking. "Eh, what gives? What got your panties all bunched up? I was in the middle of a very sophisticated speech!" he sent his sister an indigniant glare.

Ignoring her brother's words, she beamed at Yoh and pointed at the front gates. "There she is!"

The mere word 'there', sent Yoh into a mad run towards the gates. With a huge grin, the young Shaman King dashed towards Pirika. 'Anna!'

"A----", he was never given a chance to call out her name as somebody else took the opportunity.

"Anna!"

An older teen, with dark blonde hair, dressed in green pants and white school shirt with a matching green jacket with a University logo imprinted on it, came running up to the itako. Stumbling slightly when reaching the younger girl, he took his time to catch his breath.

"A--nna! Eh...gomen...got...held...up....professor...monster...homework...truck-load...I....gomen!" the teen sputtered, while catching his breath after every word. In simple terms, making no sense at all.

"Who's he?" asked Horo Horo, staring at the heavily breathing older teen. Turning to Yoh for answers, he only found the young Shaman King silently staring at the scenario before them.

Anna turned around briskly when she heard the familiar voice of Horo Horo from behind her. She felt her heart drop into her stomach.

Once again, Black clashed with Black.

Feeling her heart get involuntarily constricted, and her throat all of the sudden dry and tight. She simply stared into the coal black eyes of Yoh. Momentarily forgetting her brother and her death treath for him, she found herself totally transfixed with the young Shaman King. It felt so much different to see him up close, only a few feet from herself. 'Yoh...'

Yoh smiled softly and raised his hand in greeting. Feeling his heart ready to burst with joy, 'Anna...'. Given the opportunity to simply just stare at her and know that she was there in front of him gave him all the satisfaction in the world. The final part of him finally clicked into place...he felt whole again. Then again...only partially...for some reasons he was not sure of. 'Does she even feel the same way?' he mused. Feeling his stomach lurch at the dark thought, he let his hand drop when he saw her blank expression. 'No matter...I am still happy...ne, Anna is back,'.

Anna tore her eyes away from Yoh and his group of friends. Somehow she felt hurt of doing so...she didn't care at all. Her eyes turned into an icy glare when she remembered one minor detail. 'They don't care...'

"What do you want?" her question was simple, yet so harsh to the ear.

"Anna-san," began Tamao, inching forward slightly. "It's good to see you back..."

Yoh nodded in agreement and stood next to the pink haired girl. Smiling brightly at the scowling itako, he added. "Tamao-chan is right, it's good to have you back!", His smile widened as he softly smiled down at Tamao before turning back to Anna and smiling once again.

Her gaze settled to the blushing Tamao before sending a chilly glare to the group. Not even giving Yoh another glance, she briskly turned around and grabbed her brother by the wrist. "Let's go..."

Touya nodded and allowed his sister to drag him down the street. Turning his head slightly, he caught sight of a very disappointed Yoh and the rest of the group being very shocked for some strange unknown reason. His black eyes settled on the disappointed Shaman King, 'Asakura Yoh...what on earth have you done with my sister?'

"Well, that scratched out the idea of her being nice and friendly," commented Ren, watching Anna and the older guy walk down the street.

Horo Horo's eyes were wide as saucers and shook in pure horror. Clutching the nearby wall for support, he took in a very dramatic breath, "She touched the guy!"

The sound of Pirika's fist connecting with her brother's thick skull echoed throughout the whole campus. There was a momentary silence as birds evicted the nearby trees.

"Will you shut up?!" snapped Pirika, glaring down at the crumpled form of her brother. Giving him a nice kick, she quickly added. "I can't believe I'm even related to you!"

"Eh, she really didn't look too thrilled to see us," said Manta thoughtfully, purposely ignoring Horo's howling cries of pain.

Yoh shrugged and turned around, ready to walk off home. "At least she's back. That's all I am thankful of,"

Tamao watched Yoh's back sadly as the group began slowly to wander home to the Asakura residence. 'He may no show it, but his heart is bleeding on the inside...Yoh-san, what have you brought yourself into?' Her eyes shock with worry as she watched Yoh laugh at something the Ainu boy had said. Sighing softly, the pink haired girl shook her head. 'Either one of them will get hurt, that is for sure...'

~

"So," breathed Touya, swinging his book bag from side to side as he and Anna entered the city park. "How was your first day?"

'He just gave her such a caring smile. Like the ones he used to give me before...wait a minute! Why the hell do I even care about this? Did I actually even notice those small gestures? Damn...damn to myself...'The wind touseled the young itako's hair as she silently watched the Sakura blossoms drift to the ground.

Touya rolled his eyes at the non-responsiveness of his sister. Breathing in deeply, he began to talk again...to himself generally. "Oh, well. My day was just peachy...why you ask...well, my professor was just a monster..."

'He seemed happy though, especially when he smiled down at her.' Pushing some stray strands of blonde hair behind her ear, Anna continued to ignore her brother. Purposely.

'It just shows you that he doesn't care much...' said a forgein voice into her mind.

'Yes, if he would have cared for you over all those years, then he would have been a lot more happier to see me. Like maybe actually approach me...' Pain flashed briefly in the itako's eyes as more painful thoughts raced through her head.

'Three years you were gone and he completely forgot you. He's treating you like a new person.' said the foreing voice once more. 'It just means that...'

'He never really cared to begin with.' For some unknown reason, Anna felt her heart silently cry in pain at the whole prospect. 'Yoh never really cared...' Closing her black eyes, she silently cursed herself for being so affected with the thought.

"...and Economics was a real killer, and...Anna?" Touya stopped talking when he noticed his sister's presence no longer next to him. Turning around, he found her standing by the railings of the lake with her head slightly bowed. "Tou-chan?"

"Why didn't you come earlier?"

Touya scratched his head and eyed his sister with a confused look. Approaching her, he laughed softly, "Eh, I told you...I got held up at College."

Anna nodded her head, placing her head into her hands on the railing, she blankly eyed the calm lake. "If you came earlier, then I wouldn't be in this trouble," she said. "It's all your fault,"

'If you just picked me up earlier Onii-san, then I wouldn't have seen Yoh.'

Touya cocked his head and eyed his sister, "Trouble?" he repeated. Remembering what Kagetsu had told him, his eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you mean you and Yoh-kun,"

"He doesn't care at all," muttered Anna. "I am sure he just saw me as the trainer that his grandmother sent him,"

Touya shurgged his shoulders and leaned forward on the railings. Closing his eyes, a calm expression crossed his face. "You know, Love is such a weird thing..."

Anna stared at her silent brother blankly. Processing what Touya had said, her eyes widened slightly, she felt her stomach drop considerably. 'I don't...I can't...I...I...I am not in love with him...no...it can't be...damn,' Turning back to the lake, her face grew solemn. Now she understood why it felt so difficult to be around Yoh, why she felt so different around the boy. Why she felt...whole with the boy. Closing her eyes, she felt her heart break at the whole thought of it. 'I will stop...'

Her whole promise, her whole determination of not caring...broke into pieces. The simple promise she made of not falling in love, of not allowing to have her emotions get the best of her...failed. She failed. Failed...failed...Now she understood, now she she knew. She must put a stop to it, in order to keep up with the promise. To not fall in love with him...to let him go.

'Let go...' the voice sounded like a hushed whisper in the wind. 'Go...'

"Anna?" said Touya, turning to his sister. He was taken back by the sight of the pain that flickered in the younger girl's eyes. 'What's going on with her?' Worry appeared on his face, as he placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. "You alright?"

She wanted to cry desperately. If only she could cry. It so painful to let something one has realized go...she loved him...yet she must let go. She WILL let go. She must...she will...'It hurt...' Sighing mentally, she shrugged off her brother's hand and turned around. Ignoring the pulsing pain in her heart, she briskly made her way homewards. Hoping that the pain would eventually wear off. Hope, that's all there was.

Sighing loudly, Touya eyed the back of his sister. 'If you keep denying everything, you may end up with a disaster Imotou,' he mused. Shaking his head sadly, he quickly made his was to catch up with her.

~

'He must be more than happy when he realized I was gone,'

'Jerk'

'I was no longer there to make his life a living hell...he must have been overjoyed.'

'Jerk'

'He didn't care...'

'Jerk'

She continued to place the bad thoughts about Yoh into her mind. One after another, putting heart breaking thoughts into her head. In plain hopes to just forget about him and let him go. The task was simple, yet so hard to accomplish. She must keep up with her promise. Not to open her heart to him... to close it, just for him.

"If your brother would think as much as you, he'd be a scholar by now," commented the old Kyouyama Hosho as he slowly sat down on the floor of their old Japanese home and placed a cup of steaming green tea infront of the girl.

Anna looked up from her staring at her lap and eyed her grandfather blankly. "What?"

Hosho shook his head, "I was just talking about the moon and the stars,"

Narrowing her eyes, Anna raised a delicate eyebrow. "No you weren't, you were talking about Onii-san's lack of intelligence," she said. An indignant shout came from the kitchen, coming from none other than Touya himself.

Hosho chuckled, "Ah, I can see you were paying attention,"

"Of course I am,"

Hosho simply nodded and began to drink from his own tea. "Are you so sure?" he asked, his eyes were closed while inhaling some of the warm scents of the tea.

"Very,"

"Then why are you ignoring your heart?"

Anna carefully placed her own cup of tea back onto the table. Staring at the silent elder in slight confusion, her expression remained as blank as possible. "I don't know what you mean,"

Hosho chuckled, "From the day I have seen you three years ago, I felt your heart heavy and troubled. For three long years, the trouble in your heart remained as it cried out to you. Now I can feel it bleeding...why can't you answer it's call?"

Anna's eyed turned hard and a determined expression crossed her face. "I don't want to fail,"

Hosho sighed softly, and placed the tea cup onto the table. "Means failure that much to you?" he asked. "Does it meant that you have to give up everything, to ignore the cries of pain of your heart? Does that mean going through such pains in order to avoid failure? Does keeping such promise of yours mean so much to you?"

"Yes"

The old man shook his head in disbelief. "Continue that way child, and it will cause you your downfall,"

Anna looked up and stared at her grandfather directly in the eyes. "That's a risk I am willing to take,"

"What did I miss?" asked Touya curiously, as he entered the dining room carrying his own cup of tea. Sitting down next to his sister, he stared between the two silent parties.

"Nothing," muttered Anna, looking down onto her lap.

Hosho chuckled softly, "It was about something nothing of importance," He said. He watched as Kagetsu glidded into the room, an intruiged expression crossed his face. "Though there is something I wish to ask the two of you,"

"Hai?"

"About the fight last night," began Hosho. "Do you know who you battled with?"

Kagetsu shook his head in dismay. "Iie, it was impossible for us to tell. The Shaman had his face covered in the white cloth,"

Anna stared at her grandfather with a cool expression, "I felt him all the way here," she said. "His aura felt so different, yet quite familiar at the same time. It was all so overwhelming,"

Hosho nodded, "He must have been powerful if he could overpower the Shaman King himself." he said thoughtfully. After taking a long drink from his tea, he placed the cup back down. "Darkness is coming,"

Anna looked out the window as silence fell onto the group. The feeling of something being silghtly different could not be ignored. Something, or somebody is bound to cause some trouble again. Danger is lurking somewhere again. And only the Shaman King can prevent it.

'Yoh...be careful,'

~*~*~

*sigh* I deeply apologize if this chapter didn't go so well. I am still a bit angry about my modem. Still need to fix the damn thing. I can't believe I'm at an internet cafe! Argh!

Thank you so much for reading! This chapter would have been much longer, with an appearance of *Cough* I wont tell you *cough*...but I reached notepads stupid character limit...whatever that is...damn!

Well! I am off to do homework...thank's for reading! Remember to review! I'm open to ideas and suggestions! REVIEW! ^_____^

Ja Ne!

Elisabeth