Ren let go of the girl, smirking insultingly. "So that's how you shut a girl up."

Pirika's eyes were still wide with shock. Tamao, on the other hand, didn't know what to do.

The boy calmly picked his spear up. "I had my fill already anyway. The porridge was really good."

"Matte!" screamed Pirika, startling both the boy and Tamao. "Do you realize what you've just did?!!!"

He shrugged. "I kissed a little girl."

"No!!!" She clenched her fists. "My first kiss…you took my first kiss! Only my future husband can do that to me! That was a sacred rule of courtship in our tribe!"

He looked unimpressed. "So what are you saying? That I have to marry you?"

Colors rushed to her face. "I-I never said that! I-I was just telling you what trouble you caused me!" She shook violently. "What would I do now when my future husband kisses me? He'll know my lips are not virgin anymore," she cried.

He smiled mockingly. "Give him my name."

"Why you-" She shut her eyes tight. "If only onii-chan was here, I'm sure he would have murdered you already right now."

"Fat chance," shrugged the boy. "I intend to become the strongest fighter in the world."

Her eyes widened. "That's it!"

"Huh?" He looked at her as if she had gone insane.

"Wait for my onii-chan to get back from his journey, then he would have to decide over this!" she told him.

He raised a brow. "Look, it was just a thoughtless lip lock-"

"How dare you talk that way about a kiss!" exclaimed both girls. Ren groaned. He nearly forgot how silly women could be with the simplest things.

Bason suddenly appeared. "Master, they're right. And at least you'll get to eat three times a day here."

Ren nodded solemnly. "You've got a point."

Pirika blinked. "E-Eh?"

He looked at her quizzically.

"Y-You're a shaman too?" she asked.

"Do you know any other shaman aside from me?" he asked, frowning at the word too.

"Of course. My brother," she said sweetly.

"Anna…"

"Shut up."

"Anna…!" whined Yoh. "Aren't you going to say 'up' yet?" He looked at his trembling knees and elbows.

"Down," she snapped.

"Anna, have mercy!"

"Down!"

"Ok, Ok!" He lowered himself into the ground more, ignoring the scorching heat of the sun, the painful friction the graveled road was causing to his naked chest, and his quaking joints. He longed to wipe the sweat falling like rain on his face. How could have it become so sunny all of a sudden when it just rained?

"Where is your energy, you slacker?" she asked. "How can I expect you to be an efficient bodyguard if you can't even endure a simple round of ten push-ups?"

He seriously doubted if even the palace guards get this kind of training from their commander, but commenting things like that was dangerous. He learned that the hard way, after getting slapped or slammed on the head. Or getting ordered to do inhuman exercises, just like what he was doing now.

Amidamaru appeared, crying. "Oh, Master Yoh, I'm so sorry! I feel so helpless! I can't do anything for you!"

He forced a grin. "H-Hey, this is…"He grimaced when he heard a snap sound coming from his body. "…fun."

"I-I know! I-I'll cheer for you!" The spirit clapped his hands encouragingly. "Ganbatte, Master Yoh! You can do it! You only have eight more to go! Master, Master, he's the man! If he can't do it-"

"-he will die," smirked Anna, crossing her arms in front of her chest smugly. "Continue irritating me with your false falsetto, power spirit, and it will be you who's next on my trainees list."

Yoh grinned at his spirit. "Thanks anyway, Amidamaru!"

"Good luck, Master!" Amidamaru quickly disappeared.

Yoh turned his concentration back on keeping himself as low as possible without his chest touching the ground, when he realized that there was something itchy on his back. He looked at the ground and saw red ants making its trek towards his body. He turned to the girl. "Anna, let's take a five-second break."

"Who are you to do that?" she snapped. "I'm the one giving orders."

"B-But…" He looked at the merciless red ants that were nearing his skin. "T-Then may I move a little to the right, please?"

"Stay put."

"A-Anna…"

"Stay put."

"Anna, they'll eat me alive!" He turned to the ants that were on his feet already.

"You can still hear yourself, can't you? You're still alive."

"Anna!" he yelled when he felt something prick him. The red ants have started their kill.

She paused indecisively.

"Ouch!!!" Yoh felt that a hundred needles were pricking him, but he did his best to remain still and to keep his push-up posture stable.

She turned her back on him. "Get up."

Yoh blinked, momentarily forgetting the ants that were eating him alive. "E-Excuse me?"

"Didn't you hear me?" She started to walk away, and Yoh had no choice but to allow himself to get dragged by the invisible cord of the necklace.

They ended up by a brook near a clearing. She turned to him. "Take your clothes off and take a bath there."

Although puzzled, he did as told. On the other hand, the itako turned her back on him and started to busy herself with some leaves.

"Anna!" called Yoh suddenly.

"What?" she asked, not facing him.

"Why don't you join me here? The water feels great!" he said.

She turned to him, eyes narrowed. "Next time, don't call me when what you will say to me is not so important."

Yoh blinked, then shrugged. "OK." He submerged himself into the water again. She seized the chance to watch him for a few more moments, a small smile on her face.

Yoh laid himself on the grass, a happy relaxed smile on his face. "Ah, this is the life!"

"Did the insect bites feel less intense now?" she asked, her eyes on the brook.

He paused, then smiled cheerfully. "It's as if I didn't get bit at all."

She turned to him briefly, handing him a small vial of crushed and boiled leaves. "Rub it on your skin later when you get dry."

He looked at the small bottle in awe. So that was what she was so busy with awhile ago.

"I didn't show you the medicine to stare at, moron," she snapped. "Take it already."

His face relaxed into a boyish grin. "Arigato!"

She quickly tore her eyes away from him. "Next time, before you drop down the ground, check if it is insect-infested, understand?"

"Hai!" He followed her gaze – to the sun already setting down. "It will be night soon. I better prepare the bonfire." He got up. "Anna, what do you want for dinner tonight?"

She didn't reply. She was still looking at the sun bidding farewell for the day.

He grinned, then decided that he would just check their stock and do the menu himself.

Amidamaru appeared by his side. "Are you feeling better, Master Yoh?"

He placed his finger on his lips, hushing his spirit. He pointed to Anna, who seemed to be deep in thought.

Anna stuck her toe delicately to the cold brook water, then smiled to herself. She immersed both of her legs into the water and looked up at the night sky, enjoying the evening breeze.

Yoh grinned at his spirit. "Let's not disturb her." They went to their sleeping place for the night to start a fire.

Anna looked up at the night sky, as if searching for the answers to the questions in her mind.

I wonder what the shaman king looks like…

If I do meet him, what will I say? What will I do?

She shook her head vehemently. She silently hated herself when she would come up with absurd questions like this once in a while. It was not right for a respected itako like her to think like this, but deep inside her, there were times when she was not sure of herself, and what she would do next.

She stole a glance at the working Yoh, and found herself smiling again. Despite herself, she couldn't help but admire how carefree the boy was. As if nothing in the world could ever make him worry enough to lose sleep or appetite.

I wonder how is it to live life like that…worry free.

She sighed and looked back at the sky. She hated her vulnerability – stupid senselessness floods her mind when times like this comes.

Yoh glanced at Anna, who was still looking up at the sky. "Amidamaru?"

"Master Yoh?"

"I wonder…how does an Anna Kyouyama live each day of her life?"

"Probably, she lives with the dogma of sadistic ways," said the spirit, rolling his eyes. "What made you ask that, Master?"

He shrugged. "I don't know…it's just that…she's so cool. She never loses her calm, and she knows exactly what to do in her life." He rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. "As for me, I don't know what I would do tomorrow. Believe it or not, I'm starting to think that it was a good idea to come with her-" He laughed when he saw the expression of utter horror on his spirit's face. "Really, I do! Because now, I have something to do in my life. Something I know that is productive. Being her bodyguard gave me the direction I sought for all my life."

Amidamaru was speechless. He had never heard his master speak so seriously before.

"Sometimes, I wonder how is it like to have things planned in your mind already. That you already know what you will be ten years later, whether you will have a family or not, or how many kids are you planning to have." Yoh turned his attention back to his cooking. "I sound senseless, don't I?"

Amidamaru smiled fondly at his young master.

"Anna, mealtime!" announced Yoh, waving his arm cheerfully.

She turned to him, then nodded. She got up. "That better be edible."

"I was hoping you got so hungry with your reflection awhile ago that you won't notice anymore whether this tastes good or what," he said, grinning. "Don't you ever get tired of thinking?"

Anna sipped her water delicately. "For someone like you, I'm sure thinking is quite a chore."

He laughed. "Hai. So what did you think about tonight?"

She looked down. You. Instead, she said, "Nothing important."

"That's not like you then," he teased.

She blinked when she realized that he won a point over her. "Let's eat," she said, changing the topic.

He threw her an inquisitive look. She gave him a lethal glare. He got the point. He shrugged. "OK."

"We're lost! I told you an hour ago, we're lost!" said Ryu, sighing exasperatedly.

"Ssh! I'm trying to commune with Mother Nature!" said Horo, shutting his eyes. "I shall follow the Northern breeze."

"If you didn't insist on taking your short-cut…"

Horo sighed. "I told you, I can not go wrong. Cute guys have keen sixth sense. Besides, if we pass by the main street, we'll reach the other side of Izumo only after two days because of traffic." His eyes widened when he heard something. "I think I hear people around the vicinity."

"In this isolated forest?" echoed everyone.

Horo beckoned Ryu and the others to follow him.

True enough, there were voices speaking.

"It won't budge!" exclaimed a familiar male voice.

"Push harder then!" ordered a female voice.

"M-Maybe I should just pull away and-"

"Do that and I'll kill you! I've been through so much for it to loosen a bit…"

"But it's too tight!"

"Lubricate it then."

Horo sprang out of the bushes. "Enough!!! Stop your disgusting acts of lasciviousness!!!"

The headphones boy, the blonde, and a samurai spirit looked at him in shock. On the boy's hand was a vial whose lid was partly open.

"Um…" Horo started to laugh uncomfortably.

The headphoned-boy's eyes lit up. "You're the one who asked me to buy you a lottery ticket, right?"

"A-Ah…."

"So, did you win something?" he asked, grinning, as if forgetting that the boy before him had just barged into the place accusing him of sexual acts.

"Actually…"

"Master!!!" Ryu sprang out from the bush and hugged Yoh. "Oh, Master! I thought I'll never see you again!"

Horo blinked. "You mean, he's also the boy you told me that defeated you with a mere twig-assisted hyou gattai?"

Ryu nodded eagerly. "Master, you must promise me that you'll train me to be as strong as you!"

"W-Well…" He looked at Anna.

"Look, you just don't invite yourself here," she snapped.

"I'll do anything, Ma'am!" begged Ryu, nearly groveling on her feet. "Just please let me train under Master…uh…what's your name again, Master?"

He grinned. "Yoh."

"Yoh!" Horo stepped forward. "Come with me. You must partake of the good fortune I received! Come with me!"

"Um…it depends on Anna actually…" he said helplessly.

Anna received quizzical looks. To this, she smirked. "If you must know, he is my bodyguard, and I can't let him get off from his duty so easily." She gestured to Yoh's tusk band.

Horo rubbed his jaw. "Fashionable."

Ryu nodded. "Black is so in."

Anna sweatdropped. "What I mean is, as long as he's wearing that, he can't get away from me so much a foot."

"Then take it off," said Horo.

"I-It's not that easy…" said Yoh slowly.

"Why not?" Horo took the band. "Here, let me help." He pulled the necklace, but to no avail. He only succeeded in nearly strangling the boy.

"So that means you're stuck with her for life?" asked Ryu.

"I'll decide until when do I want him around," said Anna.

"B-But I'm planning to make him live with me and my sister in the mansion because I won the jamboree's super ultra mega jumbo lottery!" said Horo.

A flicker of interest crossed her eyes. "So you're a millionaire now, huh?"

"Correction. Multi-millionaire."

"Do you have a hot spring bath there?"

"Of course! I even chose my new mansion to be built by a dormant volcano just for that purpose-" He stopped speaking when he saw Anna arranging their things.

"I changed my mind, Yoh," said Anna. "We'll go to the Asakura Palace later. I want to check out his place first."

"OK!" Yoh was only too happy to oblige.

"But Yoh is the one I want to bring!"

"He goes where I go." She smiled sarcastically. "Or if you want, we can split him up. You can get his head and I'll get what would be left from his body when his neck breaks."

Yoh gasped and held on to his neck.

Horo sighed. "Is blackmailing a talent or something? She sure has lots of it."

And so, to cut the long story short, Anna, Amidamaru and I got to live with the multi-millionaire Horo Horo, thought Yoh. Meaning, more edible food for us.

Tsuzuku

Pinoy Omake 2: Mankin goes to Chinovelas

( La Vendor)

starring:  Ren Tao as Yi Shin / Hao Asakura as Leo

Ren: Aalis ka na?

Hao: Oo. Pupunta na ako as kabilang buhay.

Ren: Hindi ka na babalik?

Hao: *kamot ulo* Malayo yun eh.

Ren: *napapaiyak* Hindi ba ako pwedeng sumama?

Hao: Hindi ko alam kung may roundtrip na biyahe doon eh. Hayaan mo, ipagtatanong ko.

Ren: Baka mawala ka doon.

Hao: Huwag kang mag-alala. Maraming parak doon as pupuntahan ko.

Ren: Talaga?

Hao: Eto nga pala. *bigay ng lavender* Yan ang bulaklak ng lavender.

Ren: Bigay mo ito as akin?

Hao: Hindi. Bilhin mo na lang sa akin, wala pa kasi akong pamasahe papunta ng kabilang buhay eh.

Ren: Magkano?

Hao: *naglabas ng calculator* Four hundred pesos.

Ren: Mahal naman.

Hao: Sige, five pesos na lang.

Ren: Call.

Hao: Pero may bigay ako sa iyo. *bigay ng tinapay*

Ren: H-Huh?

Hao: Babalik ako pagkatapos ng isanglibong taon, pangako ko yan. Pag nagkita tayo, sana andyan pa rin yan.

Ren: *napapaiyak* Ang daming pwedeng mangyari sa isang libong taon!

Hao: Hahanapin kita, kahit anong mangyari. Pagbalik ko, pag hawak mo pa rin ang pandesal na yan, kakainin ko.

Ren: Talaga??? Pramis?

Hao: Peksman.

Ren: Maghihintay ako. Hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggan, ikaw lang ang mamahalin.

Hao: *hawak sa kamay ni Ren* Sana ay ikaw na nga.

Ren: Wag yun. Inagawan natin yun ng timeslot.

Hao: Ay, oo nga. Sori.

*Lavender opening song plays*

Syao: Don't flame me. I love Lavender ^^, it's just that I can't resist doing a Hao/Ren parody.