The power is going to be cut off again any time so this will just be a short chapter consisting mostly of recaps. ^^;; Brown-outs are occurring more frequently this month, until the 15th of July. Please bear with your author.
To the pinoy readers…I'm just curious…sino ang nanonood sa inyo ng Amazing Twins?
Hao looked on at the faraway panoramic view of the houses, forests, and brooks beyond the cliff of the Izumo forest. When he was young, he had dreamed of owning this piece of heaven, thus he trained hard to learn the extremes of shamanic knowledge as the years went by. He wanted to be a shaman so he could protect this place – this special place where he plans to start a family and live the rest of his lifetime.
As his study of shaman powers grew deeper, he had slowly come to realize how pathetic human beings are, enslaving the world and nature when they do not have true power.
He also realized how cocky humans are, ridiculing things that cannot be perceived by their so-called senses. It was funny how most people refuse to believe in spirits simply because it wasn't part of the doctrine that the fast-paced existence of the people laid down for them. Some make fun of the spirits and souls. Others just turn away, uncaring.
He then came to a conclusion that all humans must perish and give way to the real people who must inhabit this world – the shamans. It would only be then that spirits and living people could peacefully co-exist.
Even when the Great Spirit rejected him, he didn't lose heart. He would rebuild the world someday. He, the rightful shaman king. Before he died in his first lifetime, he promised to return after five hundred years.
And he did, fueled by the overwhelming desire to carry out his plans and destroy anyone who tries to disobey him.
He sat down by the rock, deep in thought. However, his musings about the worthlessness of humans were swayed when he met one girl. Kyouyama Anna, the elusive and cold statue.
The first time he met her was when he was watching Yoh train for the oversoul technique. For the first time ever since he started secretly monitoring his brother's battle progress, Yoh's development had begun to become more concrete. He didn't know why and how, but his answer came soon.
By the window, he could see the blonde looking at him – no, staring at him. He was already fascinated when she was able to detect his presence so easily from this location. He didn't know her name until the next day, but her face remained in his mind even after he saluted to her and disappeared in the shadows.
This fascination led him to attempt a more up close and personal interaction with her, just for fun.
One time, he sent his spirits to taunt her in the forest when she was walking alone. Without breaking so much a sweat, she was able to defeat them. He came to realize that she was the itako that he heard was training my brother brutally.
Kyouyama Anna.
He should have known. That deathly calmness. That icy glare. That impeccable mask. That beautiful strength. And right there and then, he decided that she was interesting enough to talk to.
He smiled. "You are scared of me, sweet one, aren't you?"
"Cocky, aren't you?" she asked through her heavy-lidded gaze.
"Confident," he stressed. "I can hear the frantic beats of your little heart, even at this distance. You are panicking. You do not know who I am, and you don't know whether to believe that I am your fiancé's brother."
She was stunned. How could have he read my mind so easily?
He laughed. "No, there is nothing wrong with you, Kyouyama Anna. You can hide your thoughts pretty well, and I can't read your mind, no matter how I try. You may have been a perfect robot, except that your heart betrays you. Your heart is speaking volumes."
At last, she regained her composure. "You seem to know a lot of things, but you forgot one little thing."
His forehead creased in interest. "Oh? And what is that one little thing?"
Hao smiled. Then he was slapped. No one had ever had the guts to do that to him. Everyone was afraid of him. Everyone feared the extent of his powers, and although he enjoyed the feeling of omni power, deep inside him, he was looking for someone who can challenge him.
He never would expect that his match would be a passive and cold lady like her.
He remembered her words.
No one can ever manipulate Kyouyama Anna.
He knew a challenge when he heard one.
He vowed to himself that the high and mighty itako would fall on his hands. He didn't care whether she was his brother's fiancée; for as far as he was concerned, Anna was already his since the moment she slapped him.
However, she wouldn't make things easy for him, for she was devoted to his brother.
Anna stood in front of the cave where Yoh came in yesterday. She clenched her fists when she didn't hear any sign of life inside.
"He won't be back anytime soon," said a voice from somewhere.
She didn't bother to turn around. "What do you want?"
Hao appeared from behind and joined her. "If I tell you that I want you, would you give me what I want?"
Her eyes, emotionless like a wall, turned to him. "Do you want me to answer that?"
"No, I don't think so," he laughed. "But I can give you what you want. A good life, isn't it?"
"Yes, and I want to be the mistress of an onsen hotel." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"I can give you all of those," he said, smiling.
"I know you can," she said. "But I don't care."
"And you care for my little brother, is that it?"
"I never said anything like that," she said coolly.
"You don't have to," he said, grinning. "Your heart can say it out loud."
"Your colorful interpretations of my heart's supposedly speeches amuse me, but I'm afraid you're mistaken." Her eyes gave nothing away. "Love isn't for someone like me."
"Then I guess we're compatible." He knelt and brought her free hand to his lips. "Asakura Hao is my name."
Her eyes widened.
"But she still remained calm," he mused. "Even answering back my teasings." He didn't see any trace of fear in her eyes – they were like a vacuum. He wanted her beautiful strength – God knows how he wanted to take it at that time! He was getting more and more drawn to the indefinable itako.
"Yet there was a time when I saw her vulnerable," he thought. "While she was waiting for Yoh to come out from the cave alone, shivering from the cold."
The sight tugged something in his heart – one thing he thought he had let go of already. As Zinc looked at him quizzically, he placed his coat over her to protect her from the chill. He would have wanted to embrace her, but he was scared to touch her, for she might wake up. He wanted to keep her unaware angelic face in his memory.
Zinc commented that it was rather unusual that he chose to watch her than to listen to his reports about the activities of the X-Laws, not his biggest fans actually, least of all getting all worked up and protective about a human which he detested so. He didn't reply anymore, for deep inside, he himself didn't know why.
Zinc didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure things out. The priest cautioned him that it was alright to play with people sometimes, but that he mustn't lose track of his plans. He also reminded him that Anna hated him so. However, he had made up his mind – he was going to take Anna.
Fate seemed to agree with him, for it presented him an opportunity to make it happen. He was able to defeat his brother with consummate ease in one of his visits to the Asakura compound.
Lightning struck, revealing the twistedly sinister face of Hao looking down at his brother. "Just as I thought. You are not worthy to be the shaman king after all. It is only I who can give justice to the title." He pointed his hand towards Yoh. "Your time is up."
He did a double take when he felt something restraining him. He turned to his side and found that Anna had chained the Spirit of Fire with her itako beads.
"If you have the patience, you can wait for Yoh to improve more," she said, voice blank.
"He was already blessed by the Best Place, and yet, he was defeated so easily." Hao laughed softly. "What do you want me to do then?"
"Wait until he finishes his training," she said.
"No matter how hard he trains, he would never match up against me…unless…" His eyes twinkled. "Oh, I know."
Anna looked at him expectantly.
"I have a proposal."
He had to admit – he was a little worried whether Anna would buy his proposal. If Anna would do so, then that would mean she cared more about her fiancé than her damn pride. He didn't know why, but it made his heart ache peculiarly. Suddenly he found himself hoping that Anna wouldn't come at all.
But she did. Her presence became like a double-edged sword. He was delighted to have her near, but at the same time, he couldn't erase from his mind that the only reason Anna was with him was because of Yoh.
Kyouyama Anna though, was like wine. Too much of her can only drive him to weakness, but still, he couldn't resist her sweetness. And according to Zinc, there were two things a man cannot hide – that he is drunk, and that he is in love.
He was both.
Anna was already endeared to him even if the time they spent together was nothing compared to that of hers and Yoh's, and that all he got from her was unresponsive coldness.
He didn't care; he just didn't want to lose her. He had already given way too much to her – not only the Notes on Shamanic Powers. He had already handed over to her his heart and soul. He had never did that to anyone before – trust with all his life.
Too bad she wasn't aware of that, and he seriously doubted if she would ever will.
He had never learned to trust, but she taught him so.
He had never known how warm a fellow person's yolk is, but she allowed him to stay in her arms.
He had never experienced what it was like to be concerned about someone other than himself, but she brought out the protective instinct within him.
Just when he thought he knew everything about life, loss, and existence, she came along and gave rise to a new question he couldn't bring himself to answer, at least out loud.
Had he finally fallen in love?
Anna gathered the hem of the pink wedding dress as Opacho tucked a flower behind her ear.
She looked at her reflection in the nearby river, and she had to smile. She would be a hypocrite if she didn't admit that she looked lovelier than before. Her hair partly tied in a ponytail, but with a few strands at either side of her cheeks, was played on by the breeze.
That was how Hao saw her when he arrived. He beamed. "You look so ethereal, my Kyouyama Anna, do you know that?"
She looked down, not commenting, but she was blushing faintly.
He noticed that. He was instantly delighted. "Come. We'll seal the vow in a nearby shrine." He took her by hand and acquainted her to the Spirit of Fire, which took them to the mountains.
Zinc watched, smirking, as Yoh hurried to the mountains, his aura of anger emitting from him.
"It's starting…the fun is about to begin." He could already imagine how wrath was eating the shaman's heart. He was sure that it would prompt the Great Spirit to rethink its decision of who would be the shaman king.
Yoh couldn't think straight. All he had in mind was Anna. As he trudged on the rocky part of the forest, he repeatedly berated himself for falling asleep. Had he remained awake last night, he could have stopped Anna.
No, if he had only become stronger, Anna wouldn't have to exchange herself for the Notes.
If he only trained harder, he would have defeated Hao at once.
If only…if only…
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to calm down. He had to locate Anna in the vast forest, and for him to accurately do that, he had to be calm.
"Yoh Asakura!"
Yoh froze and looked up. A priest was standing by the treetop, looking at him, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Follow me. I will lead you to Kyouyama Anna." With that, the priest, started to jump between the branches of the tree, heading for the mountains.
Yoh didn't have to think twice. He followed the priest who was secretly smirking.
Lyserg and Jeanne finally arrived in the shrine – a temple brought down to ruins.
"The Gates of Babylon?" The dowser didn't hide his surprise. How could the wreckage defeat someone like Hao?
"Great power is coming from this place," she explained. She raised her arms towards it, and the wreckage suddenly glowed. "I suspect that Hao would make his appearance here soon. I have to hurry."
Lyserg nodded and stood beside her, lending his power to the ruins.
Horo blinked. "I thought I saw Master Yoh go there!" He pointed towards the mountains.
"Then we better hurry," said Amidamaru.
Suddenly, Horo's oracle bell rang. He answered it hastily as he ran along with his friends.
Great Spirit is moving abnormally. Do something before anger consumes Master Yoh. –Tamao
Horo punched in the keys furiously.
We're trying to catch up to him. What do you mean the Great Spirit is moving 'abnormally'?
The reply came quickly.
The Great Spirit shall consume the body of the shaman king it rejects. That is how Asakura Hao died five hundred years ago. If Master Yoh's heart becomes unchaste, the Great Spirit might reject him, and he might suffer the same fate as Hao's!
Horo texted back. Alright, we'll move double time. Please make sure that Pirika arrives home safely. She's on her way there.
He got another reply. Take care, Horo Horo. I'll wait for you.
Longing washed all over him. My bath better be ready when I come home, he typed. I love you. No, you don't have to answer this. I just want you to know that. I might never be able to say it again…just in case…
He didn't expect her to reply anymore, but she did. He felt his chest constrict when he read her message. If you still care enough on what I have to say about that, come back soon, you blue-haired moron! I don't want to have a dead guy for a boyfriend, you know.Kororo smiled at him, and he grinned, wiping a tear that spilled on his cheek in embarrassment.
"I am so coming back," he vowed, grinning as he caught up with the others.
Hao and Anna finally arrived in front of the shrine he was talking about. He helped her down then led her into the temple. "We better start the ceremony-" he began to say when Anna froze. He followed her gaze.
Yoh was standing in front of the altar, his back turned on them. However, he had sensed them quickly. He turned to them, grim faced.
"I've come to take Anna back," explained Yoh in a low voice.
tsuzuku
