Mouse-kun: Yayyy! I finished another chapter! What a reason to celebrate! ^__^
Everyone else: yay. what joy. what fun.
Mouse-kun: *throws confetti* Okay at this time, I would like to say that, while making this chapter, I finally figured out what OOC means. It means that the story characters aren't much like the real characters for whatever reason. So yeah, my story is going to be rather OOC. Because of this, may I ask that you PLEASE help me with characters! Send me as many character descriptions as possible from mankin (duh. i know who mario is, and i dont need him right now.) And please include the name, the physical description, the personality description, and a sample of what the character might say! And, that would be SOOOOOOOOO helpful!!!
Yoh: Mouse's email is cirquemou-
Mouse-kun: YO-ohhhh! Do you ALWAYS give my email out to random people?!?!?!?! =O
Yoh: O_o *backs off*
Mouse-kun: hmph. Okay. So anyway, my email is Thanks to all who do so! *cookies with milk*
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, Cirque du Soleil, any shows by Cirque du Soleil, or Alta Vista Babel Fish.
Mouse: This chapter contains much yaoi substitute (tofu), with little hints of real yaoi. (burger-bits) Try and guess who. This story keeps ya guessin'! (The couplings, that is.) Here's a hint:
Chibi Team Rocket, this chapter is dedicated to you. Even more so than the last chapter. ^__^
Got it now?
Lyserg: (has found out that Yoh got chewed out by Mouse.) *golf slaps Mouse*
Mouse: o_o what was that for?
Lyserg: That was for yelling at Yoh. ^ ^
Mouse: -_-
Anna: (Has read the chapter) *Smacks Mouse hard enough to send her sailing.*
Mouse: (after jogging back) O_O what was THAT for?!
Anna: = X How could you put that smaking bit with me in this chapter!?!?
Mouse: *twitch* uhhh story time?!
Lights dim to present story. Sounds of Anna doing insane and evil things to Mouse are heard.
....: -~*~- :....
Manta grabbed Yoh's hand again. "C'mon. We can't stay here on the street, or else we're going to attract a lot of attention." And indeed, people were staring at the odd pair. He tugged on Yoh's hand to get him to go, but Yoh was fixed upon his spot. Manta looked up to see stars in his eyes.
¿Qué?
"Don't you think this is going a little too far?" asked Manta. His voice was stern, but his brow was drenched with distress. "Can't you un-integrate, or at least speak normally?"
"¡Ich ne voulez ir!" Yoh pouted.
"You're scaring me, I'm serious!" Manta demanded strongly, "Speak in normal Japanese!"
Yoh resisted him with a royal, injured air. "¿Perchè è cela ogni fois vous emite eine Nachfrage, eu sou a accomplissez-él sofort?"
He paused and watched incredulously as Manta looked down at the ground in concentration, trying to translate to himself these words from such an array of languages. Indeed, Manta knew words from all of them, but to know all thoroughly, let alone to be able to create sentences from different ones so quickly, was not something he thought he would have to do.
"Was? Pourquoi no lo hace usted comprenez-vous pas? Sie kannten mich conosciuto così buon! Per favore, entretien a ich!" Yoh cried out to Manta, shaking his shoulders.
Poor Manta by now had completely lost whatever translations he had been trying to conjure. He just stared up into Yoh's eyes, helpless for words. He knew by now that it wasn't Yoh that had been with him the whole time, though he had sincerely prayed that it was just a prank. But he couldn't decide which was worse- which was more possible- Yoh playing a prank oh him, or someone- or something- else pawning Yoh.
Yoh's grip hardened on Manta's shoulders, and his face pulled into an atrocious scowl."Vous êtes una frode!"
Manta slapped him.
Yoh immediately let go of him as he fell back onto his hindquarters. His eyes huge and his hand on his face where Manta had struck him, he grew pathetic again instantly.
Manta could translate that small bit to know that Yoh had just called him a fraud. Two insults in less than half an hour. He knew now that this wasn't Yoh, integrated, pranking, or otherwise.
With a reprimanding stare from Manta, Yoh continued to stage his innocence by drawing his legs against his body and tucking everything that was above his waist against them.
This was a heavy picture for Manta's eyes, and they fell sadly. Whoever this was- it still looked like Yoh. He came forward and laid a finger on Yoh's knee, with a terrified whimper from somewhere within. It sounded like Yoh.
But he knew that it wasn't Yoh.
Strengthening up, Manta hardened his face and extracted Yoh's hand out of the entanglement. Yoh pulled his head up and stared into his face, which was rock-cold.
"Venuto." Manta ordered, and Yoh slowly untangled himself and straightened up, and followed Manta to wherever he could lead a person like this.
--------------
"Silencio." Manta commanded as he led Yoh into a trim yard, which led to a small, traditional house. Yoh nodded his head twice, smoothly, though he still frowned down at him slightly. The house was somewhat quiet, which worried Yoh, but (knowing his friends) worried Manta even more.
Anna was standing on the front porch, leaning over the white, wooden rail with her head in her hand. She seemed disturbed by something, but then, she was disturbed quite often by many things. A stained towel hung from her other hand where it hung over the rail.
"Anna?"
Anna immediately shot straight up into a perfect-posture stance, and the look of disturbance grew slightly. The towel hung hidden at her side, and slightly behind her. She looked down at whoever interrupted her. "What do you want?"
Manta simply stared at her, his mouth open in search of words. When none came, Anna repeated herself, with more agitation in her voice. "What is it?"
Manta simply shook his head and said, "Nothing. Sorry about that." Manta bowed to her.
Anna turned to Yoh, who continued to stand, and was staring at her. He had not bowed, or said anything.
"Yoh! Why are you back so soon? And where is Ren?" Anna interrogated with a raised voice.
Nothing. Yoh simply stood and stared. Anna's blood began to boil.
"Yoh!!! Answer me when I address to you! Where is Ren?"
Yoh blinked. He glanced at Manta, who tried to pantomime bowing. But before he could do that, Anna gave Yoh a hard, agitated slap.
Yoh's face fell. Why does everyone strike at me? he thought. Or does everyone strike each other? How do these people communicate? How do I make them understand?
After a moment, a tiny smile of understanding partook Yoh's lips.
CRACK!!!!
Yoh stood straight, his arm and hand curled over his shoulder. Anna's head and shoulders were still turned in the fashion that it had been forced into, though she was still remarkably on her feet. Slowly, a large red spot appeared on her cheek. It took the shape of a hand.
Anna was stunned. For about a minute, she simply stood like that, her eyes wide, her lips parted slightly, her face frozen in shock.
Yoh smiled warmly, proud of solving the puzzle.
Her eyelids dropped slowly, into a huge scowl, and her teeth gritted so hard that anyone would guess that they would
break. She began to tremble.
Manta's heart took a flying leap.
"A-Asa.....kura...." She managed to put out through her teeth. Her shaking grew menacingly heavier.
Yoh's smile faltered slightly.
"Ohhhh....my...God...." Manta whispered, in a half faint.
"Esto es pas felicidade," Yoh observed to Manta.
"RUN!!!!!!" Screamed Manta, grabbing the confused Yoh's hand and making a beeline for anywhere out of Anna's line of attack.
"Ce qui? Warum?!" Yoh implored as he was forced to follow Manta. He turned back to see Anna. She still stood there, trembling with inflamed energy, staring at them, but not moving an inch...
---------------
"Thank you, please come...a...-uh, yes, well, thank you." The cashier said, looking down scornfully at the two boys, one half-clothed in shimmering rags and the other being very small in height, as she handed them their change.
"Thank you very much," Manta responded, taking the change and their purchases as Yoh goggled at the clinking coins, captivated.
Honestly, those new styles are getting much too out of hand, she thought.
---------------
Manta led Yoh into the restroom and pushed him into the handicapped stall. There, they would have much more space.
"Reposez-vous," Manta said, sitting down himself and pulling Yoh's hand toward the ground. Yoh sat, blushing fiercely, and watched with curiosity as Manta began to rummage through the bag. He pulled out a dark bottle of liquid, some gauze, and some bandages.
"Okay take of your sh-..." Manta stopped. How was he going to tell Yoh what to do? Yoh looked at him patiently. "Faites- ...F-Faccia questo," Manta just barely remembered to switch languages. He pantomimed peeling his shirt off, and motioned Yoh to do the same.
Yoh's eyes shot open, and his arms bolted across his chest. He scooted back away from Manta as though he were dangerous.
Manta understood. Yoh now thought that he was a sick pervert.
"Ah, non! Non, non!" Alarmed at having frightened Yoh, Manta reached toward him, but that was a mistake. Yoh gave a little gasp and continued to scoot backward. Manta followed him, and they did that until Yoh hit the wall. Startled, he quickly looked behind him and then back, and gasped again. Manta was right next to him. Yoh tucked his legs and crumpled into a ball again, looking up at him. When Manta reached out a hand, Yoh whimpered and hid his face.
Manta's insides froze solid. His face falling slightly, Manta stopped and simply stared at Yoh. Feeling ashamed, Manta slowly reached into the ball that was Yoh and pulled out his hand, this time slowly and gently. His thumb stroking the familiar knuckles, he waited patiently until Yoh's face slowly came back into view. When he saw Yoh's eyes again, Manta spoke...as well as he could.
"Je suis....a......amico...." Manta concentrated hard on jumping to different languages. "Amico!" He pointed to his face and smiled. "Amico!"
Yoh brought his head up from his lap and gazed at Manta.
"Nein........K-KEINE....keine dolor." Manta concluded, smiling gently. He then slowly reached his free hand out to Yoh's shoulder, praying that he wouldn't whimper and hide again.
Slowly...slowly.......closer and closer.........
Yoh jerked his head toward then hand, which promptly froze. He looked back at Manta, who's face was frozen in anxiety.
What's he going to-? Manta didn't have time to finish his thought. Yoh reached out and traced Manta's facial features with the tip of his finger. Confused, Manta's cheeks colored slightly.
"Avete un visage nettes," Yoh said softly, distantly, yet still directly to Manta. " In pieno de la vie." His finger paused at Manta's chin, and it swung underneath to tilt his head up slightly. "Mais, Sie haben molto de um knack para las lingue, ¿usted?" he asked with a mock sigh, and then a sly smile.
Manta's heart quickened, and yet his blood ran cold.
Yoh trapped Manta in his arms, and gripped at his white shirt. Thrusting his head forward, he kissed Manta with enough force to drive him back ten feet. Leaning over him, Yoh wrapped his legs around him as well to truly keep him limb-and-lip locked. All the time, Yoh's eyes stared into Manta's but not with bliss- of sheer determination.
For a second, Manta was stunned. He simply hung loose in the trap. His best friend was smooching him straight on.
Yoh was kissing him.
He didn't know what was going on, but everything seemed to melt in euphoria; He couldn't feel, couldn't hear, couldn't see-
He couldn't see! What was going on? He knew that he was entangled with the kiss, but everything had turned to grays and blacks. He didn't understand- "AAAKWGKKK!!!"
Something was sliding down his throat!
What was it?!
A bird!
It was a bird!
He could see the bird flying straight toward him as its other being blocked his throat! How he knew it was a bird was unknown, for the bird was covered in shadow, but his subconscious told him it was a bird.
Knowing the bird was headed in a bee-line for him, he tried to get out of the embrace. But to no avail. Manta kicked and squirmed and flailed as though his life depended on it- for it just might have! But Yoh held on tight, never even slipping in his grasp, just fought Manta to hold on to him. His lips were so strong- they were too strong!
The bird was less than a meter away, when Manta stopped squirming and screamed within the kiss. He felt his lips be pressed tighter still, but now a sensation- something stroking his head. And a strange, throaty tune came from the direction of the bird. The instrument was odd- but the song was beautiful.
The bird took a nose dive less than ten centimeters away from Manta's face, and disappeared. The world slowly began to turn around over Manta's head, until the shadows and grey had cleared and he was surrounded in a realm of white. He saw another bird- a white dove to be exact- swooping through the air, to the melodramatic tune that came from nowhere. The bird landed softly on the white ground.
And Manta didn't fear for his life. There was no fear associated with this bird. He held out an arm, and the bird flew over to perch on it. Gingerly, it crossed Manta's arm in a birdy way, until it reached the upper arm. Carefully, it lowered its head to Manta's mouth. Manta knew what it wanted, and now he would allow it. He opened his mouth. The bird gently flapped over, perched onto Manta's lip, and slid itself inside. He closed his mouth.
Manta felt its head slip down the back of his tongue, down his esophagus. He felt the rest of the body follow. He felt smooth, gentle feathers tickle his throat. And then it disappeared.
Manta slowly opened his eyes. Their lips were still pressed against his, but not nearly with as much force as before. Yoh pulled away just enough to part the pairs, with a small pop. Manta realized that Yoh's grip on him had lessened quite a considerable bit. He stepped out of what was before stronger than a bear trap.
Yoh's eyes finally flipped open a little themselves. He stared at Manta, who stood tall and staring back. When he saw Manta in good condition, he smiled, before sliding down into a lie and closing his eyes to sleep.
-----------------
"Anna!" Yoh called, hauling Ren over his shoulder as he staggered into the yard. Ren still had a vacant complexion- he saw nothing in this world, and who knows what he saw in his- if he did see at all?
"Anna!!!" Yoh spotted her swinging open the screen door. She stood with one foot on the porch and one hand braking the door. Her head was held high, and a look of inconceivable fury stormed on her scarlet face. The veins in her eyes had burgeoned, and with her bright blue irises, she was paralyzing. Even with the huge patch bandaged to her face, she was a menacing giant.
Relieved that Anna had responded to his call, Yoh had overlooked the flashing warning signs and smiled as he ran up to her, with Ren in his support.
"Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-"
"I can't belive you dared to show your face here again." Anna growled quietly. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"What?" Yoh paused at the step that connected the grassy ground to the wooden-planked porch. "Anna, what are you-"
"SHUT UP!" Yoh was struck by Anna's hand with the force of a surging bullet. The force of the anger behind the slap knocked Yoh to the ground. Ren rolled out of his grasp and stopped face up on the grass.
Yoh clutched at his cheek, his eyes watering slightly. That was definitely one of Anna's harder slaps. He looked up at her, completely bewildered. "Anna! What happened! What did I do?!"
Anna froze at the top of the steps. She stared down at Yoh, a demonic look in her reddened eyes. She stepped down to the next step. One step closer to Yoh. He sat up quickly, preparing for more pain- more slaps, more training?
But Anna didn't order pain onto Yoh.
"Get out of here."
Yoh stood up. "Anna..."
"GO!!!" Anna hollered with such force, that Yoh jerked slightly, before silently exiting the yard and walking away.
He turned back just in time to see Anna gently secure the patch on her cheek. What happened to her? he asked himself.
Once Anna was sure that Yoh was gone, she turned her attention to the other perturbing mass, this one motionless. She kicked at Ren's foot, which rested very close to the step. "Get up." she demanded of him.
When he didn't move, she stepped onto the grass and stared down at him, deciding that he was unable to drag his own lazy ass into the house. But when she looked into his face, she noticed something odd. His look wasn't of normal unconciousness- his eyes were wide open and glassy, his mouth closed, he was hardly breathing at all. He had a look of faraway bliss.
Anna suddenly got a jolt of a sense, the same sense that soaked her towel. She clutched at her head, and her eyes widened with anguish. She emitted a little gasp. And then it was gone.
It was extremely diluted this time, or else she would have fallen over again. But it was enough to send chills all over her body. She looked again at Ren, her eyes wide.
'Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-'........
Was Yoh actually telling the truth? What was going on?
----------------------
Manta was sitting against the wall opposite to the one that Yoh was lying against. He was waiting for him to reawaken.
When Yoh opened his eyes, Manta smiled, and searched for the French word for "hello."
And wasn't it a shock to hear this Yoh sit up and say, "Do you understand?" in perfect Japanese.
Everyone else: yay. what joy. what fun.
Mouse-kun: *throws confetti* Okay at this time, I would like to say that, while making this chapter, I finally figured out what OOC means. It means that the story characters aren't much like the real characters for whatever reason. So yeah, my story is going to be rather OOC. Because of this, may I ask that you PLEASE help me with characters! Send me as many character descriptions as possible from mankin (duh. i know who mario is, and i dont need him right now.) And please include the name, the physical description, the personality description, and a sample of what the character might say! And, that would be SOOOOOOOOO helpful!!!
Yoh: Mouse's email is cirquemou-
Mouse-kun: YO-ohhhh! Do you ALWAYS give my email out to random people?!?!?!?! =O
Yoh: O_o *backs off*
Mouse-kun: hmph. Okay. So anyway, my email is Thanks to all who do so! *cookies with milk*
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, Cirque du Soleil, any shows by Cirque du Soleil, or Alta Vista Babel Fish.
Mouse: This chapter contains much yaoi substitute (tofu), with little hints of real yaoi. (burger-bits) Try and guess who. This story keeps ya guessin'! (The couplings, that is.) Here's a hint:
Chibi Team Rocket, this chapter is dedicated to you. Even more so than the last chapter. ^__^
Got it now?
Lyserg: (has found out that Yoh got chewed out by Mouse.) *golf slaps Mouse*
Mouse: o_o what was that for?
Lyserg: That was for yelling at Yoh. ^ ^
Mouse: -_-
Anna: (Has read the chapter) *Smacks Mouse hard enough to send her sailing.*
Mouse: (after jogging back) O_O what was THAT for?!
Anna: = X How could you put that smaking bit with me in this chapter!?!?
Mouse: *twitch* uhhh story time?!
Lights dim to present story. Sounds of Anna doing insane and evil things to Mouse are heard.
....: -~*~- :....
Manta grabbed Yoh's hand again. "C'mon. We can't stay here on the street, or else we're going to attract a lot of attention." And indeed, people were staring at the odd pair. He tugged on Yoh's hand to get him to go, but Yoh was fixed upon his spot. Manta looked up to see stars in his eyes.
¿Qué?
"Don't you think this is going a little too far?" asked Manta. His voice was stern, but his brow was drenched with distress. "Can't you un-integrate, or at least speak normally?"
"¡Ich ne voulez ir!" Yoh pouted.
"You're scaring me, I'm serious!" Manta demanded strongly, "Speak in normal Japanese!"
Yoh resisted him with a royal, injured air. "¿Perchè è cela ogni fois vous emite eine Nachfrage, eu sou a accomplissez-él sofort?"
He paused and watched incredulously as Manta looked down at the ground in concentration, trying to translate to himself these words from such an array of languages. Indeed, Manta knew words from all of them, but to know all thoroughly, let alone to be able to create sentences from different ones so quickly, was not something he thought he would have to do.
"Was? Pourquoi no lo hace usted comprenez-vous pas? Sie kannten mich conosciuto così buon! Per favore, entretien a ich!" Yoh cried out to Manta, shaking his shoulders.
Poor Manta by now had completely lost whatever translations he had been trying to conjure. He just stared up into Yoh's eyes, helpless for words. He knew by now that it wasn't Yoh that had been with him the whole time, though he had sincerely prayed that it was just a prank. But he couldn't decide which was worse- which was more possible- Yoh playing a prank oh him, or someone- or something- else pawning Yoh.
Yoh's grip hardened on Manta's shoulders, and his face pulled into an atrocious scowl."Vous êtes una frode!"
Manta slapped him.
Yoh immediately let go of him as he fell back onto his hindquarters. His eyes huge and his hand on his face where Manta had struck him, he grew pathetic again instantly.
Manta could translate that small bit to know that Yoh had just called him a fraud. Two insults in less than half an hour. He knew now that this wasn't Yoh, integrated, pranking, or otherwise.
With a reprimanding stare from Manta, Yoh continued to stage his innocence by drawing his legs against his body and tucking everything that was above his waist against them.
This was a heavy picture for Manta's eyes, and they fell sadly. Whoever this was- it still looked like Yoh. He came forward and laid a finger on Yoh's knee, with a terrified whimper from somewhere within. It sounded like Yoh.
But he knew that it wasn't Yoh.
Strengthening up, Manta hardened his face and extracted Yoh's hand out of the entanglement. Yoh pulled his head up and stared into his face, which was rock-cold.
"Venuto." Manta ordered, and Yoh slowly untangled himself and straightened up, and followed Manta to wherever he could lead a person like this.
--------------
"Silencio." Manta commanded as he led Yoh into a trim yard, which led to a small, traditional house. Yoh nodded his head twice, smoothly, though he still frowned down at him slightly. The house was somewhat quiet, which worried Yoh, but (knowing his friends) worried Manta even more.
Anna was standing on the front porch, leaning over the white, wooden rail with her head in her hand. She seemed disturbed by something, but then, she was disturbed quite often by many things. A stained towel hung from her other hand where it hung over the rail.
"Anna?"
Anna immediately shot straight up into a perfect-posture stance, and the look of disturbance grew slightly. The towel hung hidden at her side, and slightly behind her. She looked down at whoever interrupted her. "What do you want?"
Manta simply stared at her, his mouth open in search of words. When none came, Anna repeated herself, with more agitation in her voice. "What is it?"
Manta simply shook his head and said, "Nothing. Sorry about that." Manta bowed to her.
Anna turned to Yoh, who continued to stand, and was staring at her. He had not bowed, or said anything.
"Yoh! Why are you back so soon? And where is Ren?" Anna interrogated with a raised voice.
Nothing. Yoh simply stood and stared. Anna's blood began to boil.
"Yoh!!! Answer me when I address to you! Where is Ren?"
Yoh blinked. He glanced at Manta, who tried to pantomime bowing. But before he could do that, Anna gave Yoh a hard, agitated slap.
Yoh's face fell. Why does everyone strike at me? he thought. Or does everyone strike each other? How do these people communicate? How do I make them understand?
After a moment, a tiny smile of understanding partook Yoh's lips.
CRACK!!!!
Yoh stood straight, his arm and hand curled over his shoulder. Anna's head and shoulders were still turned in the fashion that it had been forced into, though she was still remarkably on her feet. Slowly, a large red spot appeared on her cheek. It took the shape of a hand.
Anna was stunned. For about a minute, she simply stood like that, her eyes wide, her lips parted slightly, her face frozen in shock.
Yoh smiled warmly, proud of solving the puzzle.
Her eyelids dropped slowly, into a huge scowl, and her teeth gritted so hard that anyone would guess that they would
break. She began to tremble.
Manta's heart took a flying leap.
"A-Asa.....kura...." She managed to put out through her teeth. Her shaking grew menacingly heavier.
Yoh's smile faltered slightly.
"Ohhhh....my...God...." Manta whispered, in a half faint.
"Esto es pas felicidade," Yoh observed to Manta.
"RUN!!!!!!" Screamed Manta, grabbing the confused Yoh's hand and making a beeline for anywhere out of Anna's line of attack.
"Ce qui? Warum?!" Yoh implored as he was forced to follow Manta. He turned back to see Anna. She still stood there, trembling with inflamed energy, staring at them, but not moving an inch...
---------------
"Thank you, please come...a...-uh, yes, well, thank you." The cashier said, looking down scornfully at the two boys, one half-clothed in shimmering rags and the other being very small in height, as she handed them their change.
"Thank you very much," Manta responded, taking the change and their purchases as Yoh goggled at the clinking coins, captivated.
Honestly, those new styles are getting much too out of hand, she thought.
---------------
Manta led Yoh into the restroom and pushed him into the handicapped stall. There, they would have much more space.
"Reposez-vous," Manta said, sitting down himself and pulling Yoh's hand toward the ground. Yoh sat, blushing fiercely, and watched with curiosity as Manta began to rummage through the bag. He pulled out a dark bottle of liquid, some gauze, and some bandages.
"Okay take of your sh-..." Manta stopped. How was he going to tell Yoh what to do? Yoh looked at him patiently. "Faites- ...F-Faccia questo," Manta just barely remembered to switch languages. He pantomimed peeling his shirt off, and motioned Yoh to do the same.
Yoh's eyes shot open, and his arms bolted across his chest. He scooted back away from Manta as though he were dangerous.
Manta understood. Yoh now thought that he was a sick pervert.
"Ah, non! Non, non!" Alarmed at having frightened Yoh, Manta reached toward him, but that was a mistake. Yoh gave a little gasp and continued to scoot backward. Manta followed him, and they did that until Yoh hit the wall. Startled, he quickly looked behind him and then back, and gasped again. Manta was right next to him. Yoh tucked his legs and crumpled into a ball again, looking up at him. When Manta reached out a hand, Yoh whimpered and hid his face.
Manta's insides froze solid. His face falling slightly, Manta stopped and simply stared at Yoh. Feeling ashamed, Manta slowly reached into the ball that was Yoh and pulled out his hand, this time slowly and gently. His thumb stroking the familiar knuckles, he waited patiently until Yoh's face slowly came back into view. When he saw Yoh's eyes again, Manta spoke...as well as he could.
"Je suis....a......amico...." Manta concentrated hard on jumping to different languages. "Amico!" He pointed to his face and smiled. "Amico!"
Yoh brought his head up from his lap and gazed at Manta.
"Nein........K-KEINE....keine dolor." Manta concluded, smiling gently. He then slowly reached his free hand out to Yoh's shoulder, praying that he wouldn't whimper and hide again.
Slowly...slowly.......closer and closer.........
Yoh jerked his head toward then hand, which promptly froze. He looked back at Manta, who's face was frozen in anxiety.
What's he going to-? Manta didn't have time to finish his thought. Yoh reached out and traced Manta's facial features with the tip of his finger. Confused, Manta's cheeks colored slightly.
"Avete un visage nettes," Yoh said softly, distantly, yet still directly to Manta. " In pieno de la vie." His finger paused at Manta's chin, and it swung underneath to tilt his head up slightly. "Mais, Sie haben molto de um knack para las lingue, ¿usted?" he asked with a mock sigh, and then a sly smile.
Manta's heart quickened, and yet his blood ran cold.
Yoh trapped Manta in his arms, and gripped at his white shirt. Thrusting his head forward, he kissed Manta with enough force to drive him back ten feet. Leaning over him, Yoh wrapped his legs around him as well to truly keep him limb-and-lip locked. All the time, Yoh's eyes stared into Manta's but not with bliss- of sheer determination.
For a second, Manta was stunned. He simply hung loose in the trap. His best friend was smooching him straight on.
Yoh was kissing him.
He didn't know what was going on, but everything seemed to melt in euphoria; He couldn't feel, couldn't hear, couldn't see-
He couldn't see! What was going on? He knew that he was entangled with the kiss, but everything had turned to grays and blacks. He didn't understand- "AAAKWGKKK!!!"
Something was sliding down his throat!
What was it?!
A bird!
It was a bird!
He could see the bird flying straight toward him as its other being blocked his throat! How he knew it was a bird was unknown, for the bird was covered in shadow, but his subconscious told him it was a bird.
Knowing the bird was headed in a bee-line for him, he tried to get out of the embrace. But to no avail. Manta kicked and squirmed and flailed as though his life depended on it- for it just might have! But Yoh held on tight, never even slipping in his grasp, just fought Manta to hold on to him. His lips were so strong- they were too strong!
The bird was less than a meter away, when Manta stopped squirming and screamed within the kiss. He felt his lips be pressed tighter still, but now a sensation- something stroking his head. And a strange, throaty tune came from the direction of the bird. The instrument was odd- but the song was beautiful.
The bird took a nose dive less than ten centimeters away from Manta's face, and disappeared. The world slowly began to turn around over Manta's head, until the shadows and grey had cleared and he was surrounded in a realm of white. He saw another bird- a white dove to be exact- swooping through the air, to the melodramatic tune that came from nowhere. The bird landed softly on the white ground.
And Manta didn't fear for his life. There was no fear associated with this bird. He held out an arm, and the bird flew over to perch on it. Gingerly, it crossed Manta's arm in a birdy way, until it reached the upper arm. Carefully, it lowered its head to Manta's mouth. Manta knew what it wanted, and now he would allow it. He opened his mouth. The bird gently flapped over, perched onto Manta's lip, and slid itself inside. He closed his mouth.
Manta felt its head slip down the back of his tongue, down his esophagus. He felt the rest of the body follow. He felt smooth, gentle feathers tickle his throat. And then it disappeared.
Manta slowly opened his eyes. Their lips were still pressed against his, but not nearly with as much force as before. Yoh pulled away just enough to part the pairs, with a small pop. Manta realized that Yoh's grip on him had lessened quite a considerable bit. He stepped out of what was before stronger than a bear trap.
Yoh's eyes finally flipped open a little themselves. He stared at Manta, who stood tall and staring back. When he saw Manta in good condition, he smiled, before sliding down into a lie and closing his eyes to sleep.
-----------------
"Anna!" Yoh called, hauling Ren over his shoulder as he staggered into the yard. Ren still had a vacant complexion- he saw nothing in this world, and who knows what he saw in his- if he did see at all?
"Anna!!!" Yoh spotted her swinging open the screen door. She stood with one foot on the porch and one hand braking the door. Her head was held high, and a look of inconceivable fury stormed on her scarlet face. The veins in her eyes had burgeoned, and with her bright blue irises, she was paralyzing. Even with the huge patch bandaged to her face, she was a menacing giant.
Relieved that Anna had responded to his call, Yoh had overlooked the flashing warning signs and smiled as he ran up to her, with Ren in his support.
"Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-"
"I can't belive you dared to show your face here again." Anna growled quietly. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"What?" Yoh paused at the step that connected the grassy ground to the wooden-planked porch. "Anna, what are you-"
"SHUT UP!" Yoh was struck by Anna's hand with the force of a surging bullet. The force of the anger behind the slap knocked Yoh to the ground. Ren rolled out of his grasp and stopped face up on the grass.
Yoh clutched at his cheek, his eyes watering slightly. That was definitely one of Anna's harder slaps. He looked up at her, completely bewildered. "Anna! What happened! What did I do?!"
Anna froze at the top of the steps. She stared down at Yoh, a demonic look in her reddened eyes. She stepped down to the next step. One step closer to Yoh. He sat up quickly, preparing for more pain- more slaps, more training?
But Anna didn't order pain onto Yoh.
"Get out of here."
Yoh stood up. "Anna..."
"GO!!!" Anna hollered with such force, that Yoh jerked slightly, before silently exiting the yard and walking away.
He turned back just in time to see Anna gently secure the patch on her cheek. What happened to her? he asked himself.
Once Anna was sure that Yoh was gone, she turned her attention to the other perturbing mass, this one motionless. She kicked at Ren's foot, which rested very close to the step. "Get up." she demanded of him.
When he didn't move, she stepped onto the grass and stared down at him, deciding that he was unable to drag his own lazy ass into the house. But when she looked into his face, she noticed something odd. His look wasn't of normal unconciousness- his eyes were wide open and glassy, his mouth closed, he was hardly breathing at all. He had a look of faraway bliss.
Anna suddenly got a jolt of a sense, the same sense that soaked her towel. She clutched at her head, and her eyes widened with anguish. She emitted a little gasp. And then it was gone.
It was extremely diluted this time, or else she would have fallen over again. But it was enough to send chills all over her body. She looked again at Ren, her eyes wide.
'Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-'........
Was Yoh actually telling the truth? What was going on?
----------------------
Manta was sitting against the wall opposite to the one that Yoh was lying against. He was waiting for him to reawaken.
When Yoh opened his eyes, Manta smiled, and searched for the French word for "hello."
And wasn't it a shock to hear this Yoh sit up and say, "Do you understand?" in perfect Japanese.