Yes, I knew the first chapter was short. This is longer. A bit, I think.
Disclaimer: Hiroyuki Takei rules this manga/anime. I don't.
-A Lost Explorer-
2 - Banquet Party
As I stepped quietly through the door, glittering dresses and flashing lights met my eyes. Err...what's the strange music that's playing right now?
"Didn't yeh know? It's da hotel manager's fav singa', Bob Love."
Who's Bob Love?
"Dunno. Think it's some afro singa'."
Afro? The hotel manager sure has some good taste.
"Anou...sumimasen..."
Now what? A Japanese actor?
"Are you Miss Tamamura?"
I turned to the woman who addressed me."Yes, I am. What do you want?"
I quietly added in my mind: And don't speak Japanese.
"The manager wants to see you. Please follow me."
Great. Perhaps he wants me to do some hula dance in front of everyone. That, is one thing that I won't do even if you kill me.
The woman led me to the other side of the banquet room where I immediately recognised Asakura. He had on a suit rather than his rather unusual looking clothing when I saw him last time. (smilbe: you know what he always wears...) Now what was he doing here?
She gestured towards Asakura Yoh. "Mr Asakura called you."
I could see a dense looking, but beautiful lady standing beside Asakura.
"Yo." Asakura waved to me.
What was he doing?!
"Umm, hi?"
"I heard that you came to my hotel--" The lady beside him gave him a warning punch. "Well, Anna's hotel, and I thought I should invite you to this party. Amazing how we have met again here."
"Yes..quite a coincidence..." I replied hesitantly. "Never realized you owned a hotel."
Yeah. Like I knew some sort of stranger who saved me just in time even owned the very hotel that I'm staying for the night.
"Well, uh, it's a kind of a long story. Oh, and this is Anna, my wife."
Hmmm, so he has a wife already?
"Yoroshiku." She said coolly.
How many times do I have to tell you, STOP SPEAKING JAPANESE!!
"Nice to meet you, Mrs Asakura." I bowed politely.
Asakura scanned my plain clothing. "Not a really festive night for you, is it?"
"I have a budget." I said. Would anyone be in the mood to go shopping for flashy fashions right after you get rescued from a desert? I doubt that.
Asakura changed the subject. "Come eat something. You must've been hungry ever since the last time you ate."
I followed him to the buffet. Luscious pork. Oil-covered steak. Greenish vegetables. Strawberry punch. And even more. I can't list them all.
i could already feel my stomach growling.
"Eat as much as you need, Tamamura."
I waved him away so I could get started.
***
I wiped a once clean looking napkin over my mouth and licked my lips. Delicious. No, that's not enough. Indescribable. I can't remember when was the last time I ate so much.
+TINY SNIPPET OF A RECOVERED FLASHBACK FROM MEMORY+
"Tamao-chan, nice job on mountain-climbing! Here, eat some of the food that Mom cooked for us."
"Thankyou, Yoh-sama! Itadakimasu!"
+END OF RECOVERED FLASHBACK+
Hmmm? What was that? A flashback? When was that? Who said that phrase about mountain-climbing? Who was talking to me? That's strange. I'm starting to experience recovering "my lost memories". I suppose that is a good sign.
At my table, Asakura Yoh and Anna had been eating with me.
"C'mon, Anna. Now that we're finished eating, come dance with me. I'm bored."
His wife glared at him. "Didn't you hear my "No"? A no is a no. Go dance by yourself." She rejected scornfully. I suppose that Asakura had anticipated her rejection would have been inevitable. Still, I think Anna's expression was firm so Asakura gave up.
"Would you like to dance with me, Tamamura?"
Hmmm? Was Asakura asking me for a dance?
"Errmmm, sure. Why not?" I stammered.
Why was I stammering? Ah yes, I never learned to dance. Perhaps the result will be freaky and embarrassing.
I thought I saw Anna's eyes flicker with malice. Oops. Did I make the wrong decision? I prayed mentally that I wouldn't regret it.
And so, our hands joined suddenly as we slowly moved our feet on the ground. I tried not to stare at ground, but I had to imitate Asakura's moves. I danced with him sluggishly, hoping no one would notice.
"Calm down. It's okay if you don't know how to dance." He said.
Eh? How did he read my mind?
"Just follow my moves."
That's exactly what I'm trying to do right now!
Step, by step....am I getting the beat yet? I don't know, I think I'll just go along with the flow.
After what seemed like hours of my face burning with embarassment, I finally got to let go off his hands and sat down. I glanced at Anna. I can't recognise her expression. Angry or cool?
"Hey Yoh! How's it going?" A voice said cheerfully. I looked up. A blue spikey-haired man came up to Asakura. Who's that?
"Hey Horo Horo! Didn't know you'd be here too!"
"Of course I would come! You're our mate after all." Said Horo Horo.
"Hmm! Seems like you haven't changed, Yoh."
Another one?
"Ohhh! Ren! Long time no see! How was it back in China?" Asakura greeted him cheerfully.
"Yoh, I brought along your little friend."
This time, A bony-looking man?
"Faust! You brought Manta along too?"
"Yoh-kun!"
A tiny boy. Hmm...
"You've grown a bit it seems, Manta."
"Stop teasing me Yoh-kun!!"
"Wuehehe!"
What the heck is going on?!!
***
Everything is finally revealed. Horo Horo, Ren, Faust, and Manta are all Yoh's friends a few years ago. They just separated suddenly and now they meet again.
"Hey, who's the girl beside you?" Horo Horo exclaimed.
I cringed. Argh, I knew this would come eventually, but I didn't realize it would be this early...
"This is Tamao Tamamura."
Everyone's eyes bulged just then.
Manta pointed at me. "T-Ta-Tamao?!!"
Ren blinked at me. "She does resemble her younger appearances..."
Wait a minute. What are you all saying? What do they know about my past?
"Eh? You really think this was Tamao?" Asakura asked.
Faust stared at me and faded into a thoughtful mood. They're not telling me something.
Finally, the silent Anna spoke. "I can tell by her eyes. Yeah, it's her."
I couldn't resist the temptation. "What are you all talking about?"
Horo Horo peered at me suspiciously. "Don't say futile stuff, Tamao. We know you're the one we knew when we were still in the Shaman Fight."
"Shaman Fight?!" What's that?!
Manta chuckled a little. "You're trying to hide it aren't you, Tamao?"
Huh?
Yoh held up his hands. "Quiet. Let's listen to what Tamao's got to say."
I took a deep breath and started explaining what I knew in a puzzling tone: "I know that my name's Tamamura Tamao. I had been adopted by a British family, and had lived with them till now since I'm old enough to be alone. They told me that they had found me at the bottom of a mountain, and they said that I probably fell down from climbing a mountain. Somehow, I do not remember what happened during my childhood."
"I noticed that you don't speak Japanese." Manta chimed in.
I nodded. "I've been brought up speaking English."
"I found Tamao in the desert that was near Funbari." Yoh explained.
Silence. What was everyone thinking?
"It's all evident. Tamao's childhood memories were lost." Anna said coldly.
Lost? How did I lose it? This was all too much for me. Understanding so many mysteries in one night...I closed my eyes for a moment.
I opened them again and asked, "How did I lose my memories?"
Anna replied matter-of-factly, "You'll have to find out yourself." She turned and walked away. Everyone else followed her.
"Where are you going?"
No one answered. Why...why are there so many mysteries about me that people won't tell?
***
Chapter 2 is finished. TBC.
END NOTE: Hmmm? A cliffhanger? Well, I hope this fic will be updated more quickly since I've decided to concentrate on each fic until I finish them. That seems to be a good way to get rid of the huge burden on me. I realized this chapter wasn't dark after all. Sorry for the puzzling phrase I added in chapter 1. ^^;; And, it's now time for you to press the "Submit Review" button ~!
Disclaimer: Hiroyuki Takei rules this manga/anime. I don't.
-A Lost Explorer-
2 - Banquet Party
As I stepped quietly through the door, glittering dresses and flashing lights met my eyes. Err...what's the strange music that's playing right now?
"Didn't yeh know? It's da hotel manager's fav singa', Bob Love."
Who's Bob Love?
"Dunno. Think it's some afro singa'."
Afro? The hotel manager sure has some good taste.
"Anou...sumimasen..."
Now what? A Japanese actor?
"Are you Miss Tamamura?"
I turned to the woman who addressed me."Yes, I am. What do you want?"
I quietly added in my mind: And don't speak Japanese.
"The manager wants to see you. Please follow me."
Great. Perhaps he wants me to do some hula dance in front of everyone. That, is one thing that I won't do even if you kill me.
The woman led me to the other side of the banquet room where I immediately recognised Asakura. He had on a suit rather than his rather unusual looking clothing when I saw him last time. (smilbe: you know what he always wears...) Now what was he doing here?
She gestured towards Asakura Yoh. "Mr Asakura called you."
I could see a dense looking, but beautiful lady standing beside Asakura.
"Yo." Asakura waved to me.
What was he doing?!
"Umm, hi?"
"I heard that you came to my hotel--" The lady beside him gave him a warning punch. "Well, Anna's hotel, and I thought I should invite you to this party. Amazing how we have met again here."
"Yes..quite a coincidence..." I replied hesitantly. "Never realized you owned a hotel."
Yeah. Like I knew some sort of stranger who saved me just in time even owned the very hotel that I'm staying for the night.
"Well, uh, it's a kind of a long story. Oh, and this is Anna, my wife."
Hmmm, so he has a wife already?
"Yoroshiku." She said coolly.
How many times do I have to tell you, STOP SPEAKING JAPANESE!!
"Nice to meet you, Mrs Asakura." I bowed politely.
Asakura scanned my plain clothing. "Not a really festive night for you, is it?"
"I have a budget." I said. Would anyone be in the mood to go shopping for flashy fashions right after you get rescued from a desert? I doubt that.
Asakura changed the subject. "Come eat something. You must've been hungry ever since the last time you ate."
I followed him to the buffet. Luscious pork. Oil-covered steak. Greenish vegetables. Strawberry punch. And even more. I can't list them all.
i could already feel my stomach growling.
"Eat as much as you need, Tamamura."
I waved him away so I could get started.
***
I wiped a once clean looking napkin over my mouth and licked my lips. Delicious. No, that's not enough. Indescribable. I can't remember when was the last time I ate so much.
+TINY SNIPPET OF A RECOVERED FLASHBACK FROM MEMORY+
"Tamao-chan, nice job on mountain-climbing! Here, eat some of the food that Mom cooked for us."
"Thankyou, Yoh-sama! Itadakimasu!"
+END OF RECOVERED FLASHBACK+
Hmmm? What was that? A flashback? When was that? Who said that phrase about mountain-climbing? Who was talking to me? That's strange. I'm starting to experience recovering "my lost memories". I suppose that is a good sign.
At my table, Asakura Yoh and Anna had been eating with me.
"C'mon, Anna. Now that we're finished eating, come dance with me. I'm bored."
His wife glared at him. "Didn't you hear my "No"? A no is a no. Go dance by yourself." She rejected scornfully. I suppose that Asakura had anticipated her rejection would have been inevitable. Still, I think Anna's expression was firm so Asakura gave up.
"Would you like to dance with me, Tamamura?"
Hmmm? Was Asakura asking me for a dance?
"Errmmm, sure. Why not?" I stammered.
Why was I stammering? Ah yes, I never learned to dance. Perhaps the result will be freaky and embarrassing.
I thought I saw Anna's eyes flicker with malice. Oops. Did I make the wrong decision? I prayed mentally that I wouldn't regret it.
And so, our hands joined suddenly as we slowly moved our feet on the ground. I tried not to stare at ground, but I had to imitate Asakura's moves. I danced with him sluggishly, hoping no one would notice.
"Calm down. It's okay if you don't know how to dance." He said.
Eh? How did he read my mind?
"Just follow my moves."
That's exactly what I'm trying to do right now!
Step, by step....am I getting the beat yet? I don't know, I think I'll just go along with the flow.
After what seemed like hours of my face burning with embarassment, I finally got to let go off his hands and sat down. I glanced at Anna. I can't recognise her expression. Angry or cool?
"Hey Yoh! How's it going?" A voice said cheerfully. I looked up. A blue spikey-haired man came up to Asakura. Who's that?
"Hey Horo Horo! Didn't know you'd be here too!"
"Of course I would come! You're our mate after all." Said Horo Horo.
"Hmm! Seems like you haven't changed, Yoh."
Another one?
"Ohhh! Ren! Long time no see! How was it back in China?" Asakura greeted him cheerfully.
"Yoh, I brought along your little friend."
This time, A bony-looking man?
"Faust! You brought Manta along too?"
"Yoh-kun!"
A tiny boy. Hmm...
"You've grown a bit it seems, Manta."
"Stop teasing me Yoh-kun!!"
"Wuehehe!"
What the heck is going on?!!
***
Everything is finally revealed. Horo Horo, Ren, Faust, and Manta are all Yoh's friends a few years ago. They just separated suddenly and now they meet again.
"Hey, who's the girl beside you?" Horo Horo exclaimed.
I cringed. Argh, I knew this would come eventually, but I didn't realize it would be this early...
"This is Tamao Tamamura."
Everyone's eyes bulged just then.
Manta pointed at me. "T-Ta-Tamao?!!"
Ren blinked at me. "She does resemble her younger appearances..."
Wait a minute. What are you all saying? What do they know about my past?
"Eh? You really think this was Tamao?" Asakura asked.
Faust stared at me and faded into a thoughtful mood. They're not telling me something.
Finally, the silent Anna spoke. "I can tell by her eyes. Yeah, it's her."
I couldn't resist the temptation. "What are you all talking about?"
Horo Horo peered at me suspiciously. "Don't say futile stuff, Tamao. We know you're the one we knew when we were still in the Shaman Fight."
"Shaman Fight?!" What's that?!
Manta chuckled a little. "You're trying to hide it aren't you, Tamao?"
Huh?
Yoh held up his hands. "Quiet. Let's listen to what Tamao's got to say."
I took a deep breath and started explaining what I knew in a puzzling tone: "I know that my name's Tamamura Tamao. I had been adopted by a British family, and had lived with them till now since I'm old enough to be alone. They told me that they had found me at the bottom of a mountain, and they said that I probably fell down from climbing a mountain. Somehow, I do not remember what happened during my childhood."
"I noticed that you don't speak Japanese." Manta chimed in.
I nodded. "I've been brought up speaking English."
"I found Tamao in the desert that was near Funbari." Yoh explained.
Silence. What was everyone thinking?
"It's all evident. Tamao's childhood memories were lost." Anna said coldly.
Lost? How did I lose it? This was all too much for me. Understanding so many mysteries in one night...I closed my eyes for a moment.
I opened them again and asked, "How did I lose my memories?"
Anna replied matter-of-factly, "You'll have to find out yourself." She turned and walked away. Everyone else followed her.
"Where are you going?"
No one answered. Why...why are there so many mysteries about me that people won't tell?
***
Chapter 2 is finished. TBC.
END NOTE: Hmmm? A cliffhanger? Well, I hope this fic will be updated more quickly since I've decided to concentrate on each fic until I finish them. That seems to be a good way to get rid of the huge burden on me. I realized this chapter wasn't dark after all. Sorry for the puzzling phrase I added in chapter 1. ^^;; And, it's now time for you to press the "Submit Review" button ~!