Hao was riding his horse out of the court when Mikihisa appeared by the gates, arms crossed.

"Leaving without my permission again?" asked his father. The prince shrugged. "Do I have to report each and every trip I go?"

Mikihisa walked towards him. "It has reached my knowledge that you are looking for a non-existent brother. You know that you are my only son, the only rightful heir to the throne of the shaman king."

Hao laughed. "Father, I am not a kid anymore. You do not have to use those stupid deceiving jokes anymore. As a matter of fact, I'm on my way to meet him…after I visit a sick friend." His grip on the reins tightened. "Now out of my way, or I'll run you over."

"Stubborn fool," muttered Mikihisa. He stepped out of the way as the prince continued on his way. "I have to ask Shilva to stay close to Yoh. It still is not time for them to meet."

The next morning, they were eating breakfast peacefully when they heard a knock on the door. Pirika tensed. "Not another shaman that will answer the ads!"

Chocolove stood up. "Let me answer the door. It must be Ryu." The Wooden Sword went to the market earlier to stock up for their food next week. A minute later, he returned in the dining room, a tall, handsome Indian behind him. "Hey, anyone here knows Saliva?"

Yoh's face lit up. "Shilva!"

The priest bowed. "Good morning, Master Yoh."

"Master?" Anna's eyebrow arched. Yoh stepped on Shilva's toe subtly, laughing uncomfortably. He pulled the court priest out of the house with him.

Ren suddenly got up wordlessly and took his spear. He headed out of the house.

"What's his problem?" asked Chocolove, frowning. "Yesterday, he was the normal snob he was. Why did he suddenly become quiet?"

Pirika shrugged. "That's his problem alone."

Manta sighed. He didn't want to stir trouble by telling Pirika all about Ren's bet, but he felt that he owe it to the girl to tell her about that. And he was hoping that it would make Ren confess what he feels for her. However, his grand plan backfired. The two only ended up with a larger gap between them.

"So what brought you here?" asked Yoh when he was sure that they were out of earshot.

Shilva bowed. "Your father asks that you come with me again and train in the Best Place, found in the Sacred Ground."

"Best Place? Sacred Ground?"

"Your brother is on his way to see you, and although he doesn't know yet where you are right now exactly, he would be able to detect your furyoku. Thus your father asked me to take you to the Best Place and train there for three days." Shilva turned to the mountains. "In that place, the hands of time goes by very slowly. A day's stay there will mean one year."

"Huh? So I'll be away for one year?"

"No, you'll be away for three days, but when you arrive there, the equivalent three days here will mean three years there, giving us a lot of time to train your furyoku. Have you gone over the book now?" asked the priest.

"Well, I think Anna did, but I didn't. I was too sleepy."

Shilva slapped his forehead. "Baka! It's not like it would be her who needs to read the book's contents badly." He sighed. "Anyway, pack your things already. I'll wait for you here."

"Why so sudden?"

"It's not yet time for you to meet your brother, believe me, Master Yoh. Now hurry!"

Anna was waiting for them in the front door, eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. You're taking Yoh along with you again?"

Shilva nodded. "He must-"

Yoh nudged him discreetly. "Actually Anna, we're just going to visit Karimu in the mountains. He's sick, and he wants to see me."

"Oh." Was it him, or did he see the relief in her face? Anna crossed her arms. "How long will you not show your face here?"

"Um, four days at most."

"You'll need food," she said dully. She went into the kitchen, and minutes later, returned with a bag. She threw it to him. "Pirika told me to give you lots of energy drink." She smiled knowingly. "For Karimu."

Yoh grinned. "Karimu would appreciate this. Please thank Pirika then."

"I'll tell her."

"Four days strictly."

"Hai!"

Shilva sighed as he and Yoh walked out of the compound. "Really now, you two act like a married couple already! It's just four days! Besides, more or less, Anna already knows that you are not going to Karimu."

Yoh laughed and looked at the house again. "Shilva, one question…"

"Fire away, Master Yoh."

"How would you know if you…um, care for someone? I mean, really, really care? And how would you tell her that?"

Shilva rubbed his cheek. "Gee…when was the last time that I was infatuated…let me see…when you care for her, you want to be with her all the time. When she's not with you, it's all you can do to turn around and find her. Your day won't be complete without seeing her. You think of her constantly…and you feel all floaty and happy when you're near her. You don't ever want to see her get hurt, and you feel this special protective instinct that you can have only for her." He turned to the thoughtful Yoh who was hanging on to his every word. "Why, Master?"

Yoh blinked, colored slightly, then laughed embarrassedly. "Nothing special! Just…just curious." He returned to his thoughtful silence. "S-So how would you tell her you feel that way?"

"That's a tough question. It requires different techniques and styles, you know. Just like in oversouls. How you use Amidamaru with a katana would be different if you use him with a mere rod. " Shilva paused when he saw his young master's bewildered face. He must be trying to make out the connection between katana and courting. "But you can always write her a love letter…" he said.

"I'm not good at poetic stuff."

"Ask Karimu."

"Nah. She would probably fall asleep already even before she reaches the second line of the poem."

"True, true." Shilva cupped his chin. "How about flowers?"

"But I don't know if Anna is allergic with them," muttered Yoh.

"Pardon, Master?"

"N-Nothing!" He sighed. "Maybe I should go for the flowers…but she sees them everyday."

"Yeah, but seeing them everyday is not like being given a bunch of them for her to keep," pointed out the priest.

"Hmm…sounds right. You're really good at this!"

"Thanks, Master."

"Then if you're good at courting, why don't you have a girlfriend yet?" asked Yoh innocently.

Shilva froze, his face dark. "M-Master Yoh…that was a below-the-belt blow," he managed to mutter.

"Oh? Sorry."

Horo Horo readied his snowboard, but his hand caught his head. Damn, the hangover feels like hell! "Tamao, are you sure coffee alone can treat this?" When she didn't answer, he turned to her. "Tamao?"

The girl was staring at him as if in a trance. "Tamao?" he repeated.

She snapped out of her daze. "H-Horo?"

"Nothing." He grinned. "Don't worry. My folks are really kind."

"Iie, I'm not worried," she said softly. Her hands clasped each other nervously. This morning, she woke up earlier than him, so she was able to transfer to another room to sleep there. When she asked him over breakfast whether he remembered anything from his sleep, he laughed and said that he had sweet dreams.

"You don't look worried; you look tensed," he said. "Why?"

She shook her head quickly.

"Don't worry. After one week, I'll come back and take you to the house. We'll just have to make sure that no more spy of the Asakura court would be near the vicinity-" His words stopped when Tamao suddenly rushed towards him, her arms thrown around him. "H-Hey, Tamao?"

"N-Nothing. Don't mind me…" she said in between sniffles.

Horo laughed. "OK, if you say so." He kissed her hair fondly.

The girl, on the other hand, was laughing and crying sadly at once. Horo Horo didn't remember anymore.

"Bason, I've just come to a decision," said Ren as he was resting.

His power spirit stopped its jumping jacks. "What is it, young master Ren?"

"I'm going to go back home."

"What?! But you still have one month to go before your scheduled battle with your father!"

"I'll fight with Yoh after I defeat my father. But for the meantime, I'll go back in the house and train. I can't do it here seriously…there are too many distractions."

"Are you referring to Mistress Pirika?" When the spirit didn't get any response, it sighed. "Distraction? In my eyes, she is your inspiration to become stronger. I notice that when she's watching you, you strive harder, as if you want to impress her or something. Your mind's gone sharper too, with all those verbal jousts. I say she's pretty good for you."

"Shut up!" yelled the Tao. "I've decided to leave, and that's that."

"But Master-"

"Tonight, I will leave."

Bason sighed.

"The traffic is terrible!" groaned Ryu as his motorcycle roared to the on shoulder area of the road. "Izumo may be a backward town, but even it cannot be immune to city problems." He then blinked when he saw a ramble going on at the dead end of one alley. He then saw an emerald-haired cutie leaning against the wall. His eyes burned, and he made a u-turn. "Hurting helpless little girls…hell shall pay!!!" His motorcycle zoomed towards the scene. "Let her go!!!"

The emerald-eyed person blinked as Ryu chased the goons away with his motorcycle before finally turning to face him.

"You're safe now…oh!" Ryu's eyes sparkled. "You're prettier up close!"

Lyserg blinked again then smirked secretly. "Pretty good muscles…but you didn't do that alone, right?"

"Huh?"

"You're a shaman, right?"

"Wow, you can see spirits!"

The dowser smiled cheerfully, "I'm a shaman too. My name is Lyserg Diethyl."

Ryu grinned. "Nice to meet you, Miss. My name is Ryu."

"Do you have other shaman friends?"

"Oh, but of course! And you should see my master…Master Yoh is awesome!" gushed the Wooden Sword.

"Oh?" Lyserg grinned. "Will you take me to him?"

"By all means!" He turned to his motorcycle. "Hop in, little one."

"Thanks!" Lyserg accepted the helmet. Just what he needed – a shaman. He was glad that he decided to start a ramble – he knew only shamans would immediately sense the furyoku he was using.

Once I find the strong companions I need, I can finally kill Hao…and get Jeanne back.

"Please, Ms. Pirika, let her stay for the night!" begged Ryu over dinner tonight.

Everyone else gaped at Lyserg, who was silently eating his buttered vegetable. The two arrived this early evening, looking for Yoh, but Anna told them that he went out to visit a sick friend.

"Well, alright. The more the merrier, I suppose." She peered at the guest curiously. There was something too elegantly boyish in the person, but who was she to ask anyway?

Lyserg, on the other hand was secretly smiling in glee. He could feel the furyoku of the people around him. This must be the will of heaven – for him to reach this place.

Soon…

That night, as Pirika prepared to sleep, she suddenly felt the urge to look out at her window again as she usually did before, to watch Ren train.

"Pirika, stop it! That boy just wants to hurt you!" she scolded herself as she opened the window. She shut her eyes when she pushed the window open, expecting to hear Ren's usual voice practicing his oversouls. Instead, she heard only the crickets. Puzzled, she opened her eyes, but there was no one outside the garden. She frowned. That was really strange – why didn't he practice tonight?

She went back to bed, her heart heavy with mixed emotions.

Ren put on his mandarin coat and was about to leave the house when he suddenly felt his eyes go to an all-too-familiar direction – Pirika's room. His eyes saddened when he saw the open window. "Bason…"

"Master Ren?"

"I still have one last thing to do before I go." With that, Ren headed towards the trellis.

Nyorai, seated in the cold floor of the dungeon illuminated only by the peeks of moonlight through the small iron-barred window, lifted her locket with her finger. It was carved by hand by Chocolove for her seventh birthday, and contained her name written in elaborate, flowing script.

A tear dropped on her locket. That was before, when she thought that she was the number one person in his life.

I wonder…did he succeed in marrying the girl looking for a shaman husband?

She smiled sadly. She didn't expect that he would know about her pitiful situation right now, least of all that he would save her.

But at least, she hoped with all her heart that he would at least remember her, even just in passing.

She tucked her knees and slept, her face still wet with tears.

"Cold?"

She looked up and around, and noticed a young boy looking at her, his eyes blank. On his hand was his mantle, and it was aimed her way.

They were silently staring at each other when the door suddenly opened, revealing a tall man dressed in priest clothes. "Nichrome, what are you doing here at this time of the night?" He then saw what the boy was doing. "Don't bother anymore about that girl. Master Hao didn't order us to spoil the girl rotten."

"It's cold," said the boy, his voice as blank as his eyes. "She needs protection more than I do." He turned to her and inserted the mantle in between the bars. "Good night."

Nyorai was speechless, even when the two priests disappeared. "Ni…chrome…"

Ren carefully let himself in to Pirika's room, and as he stood there awkwardly, gawking at the sleeping beauty before him, he felt his heart wrench bittersweetly. He couldn't comprehend what is it with this girl that affects him so.

Carefully, he crossed the room and knelt by her bed. His hand reached for her long, silky hair. She remained unaware, but he could hear her soft mews. He smiled lovingly. "Pirika, you know what? You make me feel really dumb. Whenever you're involved, I tend to do the stupidest, most senseless things…I become jealous, irrational, ill tempered, unreasonable…"

"But it's OK, I guess. Because you also brought out a side within me I barely knew that existed…God, Pirika. I didn't know that I am capable of caring! I thought that a real warrior must not have emotions, just like my father. But with you, it feels so right."

"Pirika, I never thought I could ever say this to another woman aside from those in my family, but…well…" He finally smiled. "Wo ai ni." He bowed down towards her face, intending to kiss her forehead. However, she jerked up, her eyes slightly open.

"Nani…" She blinked, fully awake. The tip of Ren's nose was touching hers, his eyes gazing at her tenderly. He seemed to realize that she was already awake, because uncertainty crossed his face. However, determination immediately took its place, and he bent down lower.

"Ren…" Her mind was telling her to push him away, but her hands won't move.

"Just this moment…give it to me, then I'll go," he whispered. "You will never ever see me again, I promise you that." He then kissed her tenderly, warming her from toes up.

A tear streaked down her cheek, and Ren immediately stopped. "Pirika?"

"What is that for?" she asked, trembling. She was expecting his smirk and his announcement that he conquered her once again.

But what she got from him was a smile that nearly took her breath away. "My thank you for making me do something stupid- something I would do over and over." He reclaimed her mouth once more, and this time, Pirika did her best not to think anymore. She wanted this too, badly, in fact. She cared for him so much secretly, and this moment was enough to erase all the heartaches he caused her.

When their lips parted, his eyes were shining. "Great. Now I would find it harder to stay away from you."

She leaned against the headboard, hugging her blankets. "Y-You better go…before anyone sees you here…" Her cheeks were still on fire. She surrendered to him once again! "R-Ren…w-will you really go away?" she asked, stammering.

"I think you specifically said that you don't ever want to see me again."

"T-Then don't," she whispered, aware of how his eyes lit up. "You kissed me yet again…and I told you about our tribe customs regarding that…right?"

"Right." Ren smiled at her and jumped out of her window.

"Ready to go, Master Ren?" asked Bason, but he knew that his young master has already decided on something else, basing on the strangely goofy smile on the Tao's face.

"Bason, maybe we can linger here for a few more weeks…"

"As you wish, Master Ren." Bason grinned, knowing fully well that the Tao's few weeks mean a lifetime.

Tsuzuku

Waaaahhhh!!! Mankin is through already!!! GMA 7 didn't even have the heart to replay the series!!! Waaaahhh!!!!

*ahem*

Since some readers want the translation of my omake, I decided to put off the first act of SxS (naks!){In our language, it means 'Wow!' or 'Great!'} and translate the character list.

Shaman x Shaman Character Roll Call

Asakura Yoh = Gon Freecs, because in the local dub, they have the same voice. ^^

Ren Tao = Killua Zordick, because both of their fathers are ideal daddies (and yeah, the same local dub too)

Lyserg Diethyl as Kurapika, a fresh fish no more (clue: look at the eyes…usually fishes that are not fresh anymore have red eyes)

Ryu of the Wooden Sword as Leorio, the macho gay

Faust VIII as Hisoka, the Gon-obssessed strangely-dressed (naks, rhyming!) that is weird to the superlative degree. In the story he's not fond anymore of skeletons…but in Poker, he is. (Tong-its is our local card game, and having no idea what is its English equivalent, I resorted to another card game name)

Iron Maiden Jeanne as Neon Nostrad, the immature boss that Kurapika (Lyserg) will protect

Hao Asakura as Leader of the Ginei Ryodan *comments withheld; Syaowee loves him too much*

Mikihisa as Gon's daddy who's fond of traveling to all kinds of places and that he has to be fetched by his son just to go home. And he even has the nerve to leave a voice tape and a Greed Island game just for Yoh to find him!

Shilva as Master Wing who looks like Boss Jay in Let's Draw (a comic strip) found in Funny Komiks

Anna Kyouyama as the Narrator, as meddlesome as the one in The Poor Prince (a Chinese comedy soap), but the cast can't complain. Her 1080 beads are too damn powerful…perhaps that's why she was made a secret character in the (videogame) Spirit of Shamans.

Manta Oyamada as the Great Extra (highest paid in my script ) Sometimes he's a tree, sometimes he's a random person walking in the background of a scene, sometimes he's one of the goons the protagonist must beat the crap out of for battle scenes. If he's really unlucky, he is the wind (w/ matching sound effects…-wooosh!)

Horo Horo as the curtain boy in scene transitions

Chocolove as the great one-man applause committee, in case no one laughs at the jokes here.

--

OK, scene 1 next chap!

Huling Hirit: Random Mankin Talk (tandaan, wlang imposible s animes! Oo nga pla, may Yaoi themes w/ matching na umaatikabong murahan ito. Stop reading if u don't like that. ^^)

Anna: Ano ang mangyayari kung si Marcos pa rin ang presidente hanggang ngaun?

Ren: Nakapaa lng ako.

Anna: Huh?

Ren: Sosolohin nung asawa nya ang lahat ng sapatos sa Pilipinas.

Anna: Eh kung c Cory?

Ren: Hindi mo na mapapanood ang Lavender. Araw-araw, brown-out.

Anna: Buti na lng nde na cya. 11 episodes n lng ung Lavender eh.

Ren: Ano ka ba, eh mamatay din nman yung babae at ung baby sa huli ah!

Anna: Gago!!! *sapak kay Ren* SPOILER!!!

Ren: Sori, sori, Tao lng! Nde cnasadya!!! Panoorin mo n lng ung kapalit nung Lavender kc eh.

Anna: Chinovela n nman?

Ren: La Vendor. Andun kami ni Hao.

Anna: Salamat, pero yung kay Jericho at Kristine n lng ang panonoorin ko.

Lyserg: C Hao, may soap? Oi, ako kaya, kelan?

Ren: Hayaan mo, itatanong ko kay Direk Syao-chan kung pwede kang mag-guest dun.

Lyserg: Wag na. Knowing Syao-chan, limang minuto p lng akong nakatayo sa may kalsada, bigla na lng nya akong pasasagasaan s ten-wheeler truck. *mutters* Nde nya tlaga matanggap na gusto kong tapusin c Hao.

Manta: O kaya may bedscene kayo ni Ryu.

Lyserg: Wag n lng. Magguguest n lng ako s Kakabakaba, Kaya Mo Pa Ba?

Ren: O ni Hao?

Lyserg: Cge lng, Ren, tuloy mo pa yan at baka halikan kta jan ng wala s oras.

Anna: Manta, balita ko, kailangan ng kaloveteam ni Mahal sa MTB.

Manta: Lilipat ako sa kabila? Kasama b c Yoh?

Anna: Bugok. Ilusyunado k tlagang maldita ka!

Manta: Oi, bakla, tumahimik k jan! Baka mamaya sabihin ko s knila ung tungkol s operasyon mo!

Anna: *eyes alert* ah eh…

Horo: What the madapaking hell r u talking, Mantot?

Manta: Isa ka pa, Toro Toro! Kala mo kung cnong pacute kng Inglisero! As if nde ko alam kung saan ka pumunta kagabi! Nagpaalam ka kay Pirika na jan k lng s may Greenhills tatambay, eh nakarating ka ng Pegasus.

Horo: Oh, you think I'm a lier, huh? I'm not a lier!

Manta: Huuuu…

Horo: Pailbhasa, you lack iodized salt in your body that's why your mind is so purol! Palibhasa, you are afraid of Enervon C and Ceelin!

Manta: Anak ng….nakakalalake ka na ah!!!

Ren: Nakakalalake huh? Ikaw kaya, lalaki pa? Tutubo k p kaya nyan?

Manta: Nagsalita ang malaki jan.

Chocolove: Nanlalalake? Cno, c Ren?

Ren: P*ta, manahimik k nga jan! *busies himself in burying Choco in the nearest poso negro*

Anna: Punyeta! Lhat kayo, puro walang katorya-toryang kausap! Sana bumuka ang lupa at lamunin n kayo ng buo! *walks away. sa likod nya, bumuka nga ang lupa at nilamon ang mankin characters. Tunay ngang walang imposible s animes at as utak ni Syao-chan, lalo na pag utos ni Anna*

Bow!