Disclaimer: I only own Lady Kite, Kentaro, and Tami. The other main characters don't belong to me!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink.
"What's wrong, Yoh? Can't move?" Tami taunted, continuing to swing her rosary beads in a steady rhythm only she knew.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
"Heh. Too bad."
Both Manta and Yoh watched as Tami lowered her head and fell into her own Itako stance. Yoh grimaced. "Damn her."
"One I place on my father's grave.
Two I place on my mother's.
Three I place by my brother's charred bones.
Here I offer his soul to repent for my deeds.
Yoh, hear my voice, your soul will arise.
Hear the sound of my beads . . .and DIE," Tami chanted.
Yoh felt a wave of déjà vu. The chant sounded oddly like Anna's only with an evil twist to it. All of a sudden, he felt himself detach from Amidamaru. Amidamaru seemed so far away. He felt like he was . . .flying! He flew around the room and looked down. He saw his body sprawled on the floor. Amidamaru's spirit hovered above the body.
"L-lord Yoh? Get up! We must beat this witch!"
Tami smirked and stopped the swinging. "Soul of Yoh Asakura! Let your flesh decay. Itako style spirit channeling!"
She threw the rosary beads at Yoh's soaring spirit like a lasso. She caught him and wrapped the gold beads around him, tying him to a chair. "You know, Yoh, I'm generous. I'll channel Anna's spirit here so you can watch your little friend's death." She gestured to Manta's struggling form. "Then, I'll send you to the gates of hell with the knowledge that you didn't get proper judgment, that Manta's dead, and that Amidamaru will now belong to Tao Ren."
Yoh's spirit growled and pulled against the gold bindings.
Tami held up another rosary bead. This one was black. "Curious, are you? The gold one can take the soul of people. Elite itakos, such as myself, are able to use the gold ones. They're mostly used for painless execution of murderers but that's too boring. The black one is able to summon spirits from everywhere." She smiled, lighting up her pretty features. "That's all your pitiful fiancée can do. Still want to marry her? You can be with me."
"No. You're a psycho bitch. Anna might be one, but at least she helps me. She cares enough to help me, even if it will kill me." Yoh gritted his teeth. "I wouldn't be with you even if doing so would make me Shaman King. You aren't worth it."
Tami laughed. "Don't you want the power?"
"Hm. . .and all I have to do is be stuck with you for the rest of my life? Let me think. Hell no."
Tami growled. She held up her black rosary beads and quickly summoned Anna's spirit. She tied Anna to a chair beside Yoh.
"Yoh!" Anna exclaimed. She frowned. "You got caught too? What kind of husband are you going to be if you can't handle this bitch?"
"I don't see you beating her either," Yoh snapped.
"How did you get tied up with her anyway? I told you the club was a bad idea."
"You didn't tell me why. It would've helped."
"You wouldn't have listened. You heard 'free food' and instantly, you want to be in this little club."
"Why'd you get involved with her? What made this happen to you in the first place?"
"I was trying to protect you from her! I grew up with her so I know her better than anyone else would. She killed her family, you know. They kept her from rising to power."
Tami crossed her arms. "You can chat later when you're in hell. Right now, Manta's going to die slow and painfully."
"Manta's here too?" Anna cried.
"Yep. Afraid so," Yoh said.
Tami fished in her pocket for a blood red rosary bead.
Anna flinched. "The color of blood. She's going to torture him until he's out of his mind."
"Won't take too long, will it?" Yoh joked.
"Yoh! It's not funny!" Manta screamed, struggling harder.
"Manta! Listen to me. Do anything you can to get free. You're the only one who can help us!" Yoh said.
Anna looked around at the crowd. "Can't you people do anything? What's wrong with you?!"
Tami laughed. "They're my slaves. You notice that all their shamans happen to wield a weapon of some type. It's a trap, I'm afraid."
"Damn. What're we going to do?" Yoh muttered.
"Wait, Amidamaru's still here. I know what to do," Anna said.
"What? Tell me."
She whispered something in Yoh's ear.
Yoh nodded. "Oh, so that's what that was for." He turned his head to Amidamaru. "Amidamaru!"
Amidamaru turned to face Yoh's ghost. "Yes, my Lord?"
"Backup Plan A. Pronto!"
"B-but my Lord," Amidamaru hesitated.
"Do it now! He won't mind, trust me. Hurry!" Yoh said.
"Do it before Yoh's body rots," Anna added. "Once that happens, I don't want him anymore."
"Aw shut up."
"What're you planning?" Tami asked, cocking their head at the two.
"We're going to have Amidamaru try to integrate with you by force. When it's done by force, you won't have a way to stop him," Yoh said with a burst of insight. He looked at Anna, urging her to understand. Anna nodded slightly.
"Oh yeah?" Tami held out another black rosary bead and wrapped it around her neck. On the bead was a small wooden Buddha. It was meant to protect her. "Nothing's getting in," she sneered.
"Damn," Yoh said, faking helplessness.
