Disclaimer: As always, Shaman King belongs to their respectful and praise-able owners.

Author Notes: Thanks to everyone who is reading this fic and thanks to everyone who reviewed for the previous chapters. Your reviews always inspire and motivate me as a writer. A note about Anna's birthday… er.. I've gotten several birth dates, which I was really surprised to get first of all. I surfed all over the net and haven't even found a year, so to all those who submitted Anna's birth date… thank you soooooooo much! I just went with the majority who said Anna's birthday was on July 22nd and I apologize if I made a terrible mistake.

Warnings: The usual. Ok... I'm not really sure about how the Asakura complex in Izumo exactly looks like... so you'll have to work with me a bit on that part. Just realize that when I say 'main complex' … it's the shrine. (Really sorry, but I had to make it up the setting as I go along since I don't know much about this place _) …Don't expect much.

Further Notes: Oniichan - brother. The Tai family is a family… I made up. I didn't write a scene for Manta, Ryu, Faust or Tamao since they live relatively close… Uh... You'll see what I mean. And… I really like making notes ._.

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Endless Days, Ch 4

~~~

Kyouyama Anna

and

Asakura Yoh

invite you to share in the everlasting love

that takes them to a new beginning

as husband and wife

on Tuesday, the twenty second of July

Two thousand and three

at two o'clock in the afternoon

held in the Asakura main complex in Izumo

"So they're really gonna do it.." Horo Horo smiled as he read the invitation. Excitedly, he rose to his feet, holding out the invitation and screamed, "Pirika!! Come over here quick!"

Curiously, Pirika listened and came over at the tone of her brother's voice, "What is it?"

"See for yourself," Horo Horo handed her the invitation, "Anna and Yoh are getting married."

Slowly, Pirika read each line trying not to squeal in delight. "Gwahhh!! This is great, oniichan!"

"Yup. Though I do hope we don't have to wear anything fancy over there."

"What are you talking about? It's a wedding!! You have to look nice. Even if Yoh won't mind, aren't you forgetting his wife? What about Anna-san? If you don't wear something fancy, I'm sure she'll do something about it," Pirika replied, raising her finger to make a point.

The older boy froze. He had almost forgotten about that. "Well… what I wear shouldn't affect the ceremony. It's a wedding celebrating their love, not criticizing what I wear!"

"But still… you're supposed show respect for their marriage and the ceremony itself."

Horo Horo sighed at his defeat, "As soon as it's done… I'll change… formal wear irritates my skin. He stuck out a tongue before quietly muttering to himself, "…. Heh.. I still can't believe that they're finally going to make it official."

In New York

"What is this?" Chocolove asked himself as he rummaged through his pile of letters. He opened the envelope and began to read the card.

"Heh? A wedding? …Yoh… Anna.." The boy burst out laughing, "So the day has finally come… these guys…"

Emotional fake tears rolled down his cheeks as his jaguar spirit, Mic rolled its eyes. 

Somewhere in China…

"Isn't this great, Ren? You'll be able to go back to Japan like you wanted," Jun smiled at her younger brother.

Ren flushed slightly as he held the invitation in his hands.

"Oh! Remember that adorable suit that you wore during the Tai's wedding? You should wear it during this wedding too… It would look so cute on you!"

Ren swallowed. 'Th-That… monstrosity of a suit? Is she kidding me? I haven't worn that in ages.'

"Are you su-sure that suit will fit? Ma-maybe I have to find another one," he stammered. 

"Don't be silly. We can always get it altered, right? Please Ren? Wear it for my sake, please? You really do look so cute in it," Jun brought her hands together and made a sincere face.

'No! No! Not that look.. that look… is…'  His mind began.

"Well.. if it's for your sake…"

'No! Don't say it! Don't do it! Don't fall in her trap! Look away! Cover your eyes!!'

"I'll do it," Ren finished aloud.

'Nooooooooooooo…. Baka!'

"Alright. I'll have it altered a few days before the wedding so you can fit into it. Aww… My brother -- is going to completely cutely dressed at the wedding," She hugged the dark haired boy tightly.

"What have I done?" Ren mumbled in her grasp. 

Meanwhile… in London

"Morphine… look," Lyserg smiled as he pointed at the card on his desk, "We're invited to Anna-san and Yoh-kun's wedding."

The spirit hovered over the invitation and then flew around her master in joy. Lyserg laughed as the fine powder from Morphine's flight filled his room. 

~~~

During the next two weeks, life returned as normal in the Asakura household -- training, chores, and frequent romantic gestures. Although excitement would occasionally rise from the impending event just around the corner, the couple hid it well and only thought about it amongst themselves when they were sure that they were alone.

It wasn't a matter of discussion, only a feeling that the two secretly shared without words.

As the morning of the wedding day finally arrived, Anna once again awoke by herself. She opened her eyes slightly, peeking at the missing figure beside. Her tired eyes tried to close its vision to recuperate from the fatigue that had settled last night. However, they once again shot open when she found a strange red colour replacing her fiancée's presence.

'Blood…?' Her mind instantly thought of the worse in this scenario. Her vision began to focus as her startled thought awoke her senses. She peered closer at the replacement and realized that it wasn't blood at all. It was a rose. A red rose attached with a note.

~ Happy birthday, Anna! ~

As you've probably noticed… I'm not here.

Actually, I'm probably cooking breakfast as you read this.

I awoke looking at your peaceful and beautiful face and

I really didn't want to disturb you.

Actually, I had something planned for this morning.

Look around the room for a sec, will ya?

Obeying the letter's instruction, she paused her reading as she glanced around the room. She sensed something was different about the room but she couldn't put her finger down on which aspect was different. Now she saw it -- and gasped in surprise.

The room was practically covered in red rose petals, matching along with the rose placed on Yoh's pillow. The petals were everywhere -- on top of drawers, on the floor, on top of her blankets. Each petal brought a coloured influence over the objects… somehow it brought each solid figure alive, bringing out beauty, which would have never thought to exist in such dull things. Anna barely recognized the room in its makeover. Realizing that she had not finished the note in her hands yet, she continued on:

I hope you like it.

I know roses are your favourite so I thought,

'What could go wrong with decorating the room in roses?'

I'll be up soon enough with breakfast.

~Your husband (soon-to-be), Yoh

The young girl's lips slowly curved into a smile. Her thoughts immediately wondered back to her last birthday. Yoh had not only cooked meals throughout the day as he did usually, but at the end of each meal he presented to her a fortune cookie. The fortunes inside were custom-made puzzle pieces. Each slip had on one side, a part of an image and the other side, some sort of text. At the end of the final meal, Anna rearranged the fortune slips into a picture of her and Yoh in a place she forgot about due to the passing of time. Yoh, as always, grinned in the picture, while she, also as always, frowned.

It took her a while to familiarize the location and the events during the picture. It was taken at the Osorezan while they were younger. She remembered how Yoh had tried to make her smile and recalling those images had brought a warming feeling in her heart, knowing that Yoh has not changed one bit since his earlier years. He had acted like several animals and even imitated his grandfather's serious 'If-you-don't-train-I'll-do-this' faces.

At that time, her heart was slowly softening at his actions, but not enough to make her smile -- resulting in the picture she had seen before her. Remembering the second side of the puzzle, she carefully turned over the slips of paper. It read:

Happy Birthday

Remember this picture?

After this day, I realized that I wanted

to spend the rest of my life with you

wanting to make and see you smile

 Love you always…

~Yoh

She had framed the image and on had the memo engraved on the bottom of the frame and kept it above, on one of the drawers. 

Anna took the long stemmed rose into her hands, caressing the petals with gentleness.

"Good morning, birthday girl… or I mean... woman," a voice said at the corner of the room.

As promised in the note, there was Yoh holding a large tray of breakfast as he did prior in the week before.

"Morning. You really didn't have to do all this, you know," Anna gestured around the room, "Waking up next beside you already makes my day."

"Your 18th birthday doesn't come everyday, so we have to make the best of it," he grinned as he set a plate of food on her lap.

"Is our marriage not 'the-best-of-it'?"

"Yes and no. I just want today to be a perfect memorable day for you."

"It's already memorable enough… If you make any more memorable days, I'll end up boring my children and grandchildren to death with these stories."

Yoh laughed, "You make it sound like it's a bad thing. Anyways, we better eat up -- Today is a big day."

Anna placed the rose aside as she watched Yoh carrying his own plate, settling in beside her.

"Itadakimasu!!" he cried before digging in to his breakfast.

Anna watched the dark-haired boy in semi-amusement as he hungrily consumed the contents on his plate. After a while, she began to join him in the meal without showing the immense excitement she held inside.

~~~

"…What took you so long to get here?" Kino asked as she spotted the couple entering through the gate.

"Relax, it's only 10 in the morning! We have plenty of time," Yoh replied laxly.

"That may be so for your case, but it is quite the opposite for the bride. I'm sure you know that this day is quite an important one that greatly impacts on the rest of your lives, the both of you. The bride must look exceptional, isn't that right, Anna?"

"Of course. I apologize for our unpunctual arrival," the blond replied as she bowed her head.

"No need to show such consistent politeness after all these years. You know very well that you can act as yourself. Though… Yoh might have to learn this kind of respect more often, hmm?" the elder woman suggested, hinting distinctly at her grandson.

Yoh forced a chuckle, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good boy. Anyways, I do think it is time to fit into our attire, just to make sure there aren't any glitches along the way. Yoh, your grandfather is waiting for you in your room. Anna, please come with me."

Yoh looked at Anna one more time before disappearing into the house. She wasn't going to be his fiancée anymore when they would meet the next time. 

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One more chapter! (I think/hope) Yes, I like to draaaaaaaaaaag this on. =)

Again, very sorry for any rushing that may have occurred. I get too excited doing this -_-

Also, sorry if some parts could have been lengthened a little more. I tried my best and if it doesn't meet your standards, I truly apologize.

Reviews, comments, criticism and the whole 12 yards are always welcomed. (Yes, that's right, 12.)