Me: Okay, people-many thanks to the reviews for the previous chapters. Once again, I don't own Shaman King, and that won't change-(gasps loudly as beads end up pinning my arms and legs)
Anna: (glares at me) I don't know who I'm going to hurt first-you for putting Yoh in that ridiculous challenge during the last chapter, or Yoh for accepting the challenge!
BlackTerriermon: (points to me) Him-he put Yoh in the situation.
Me: (glares at BlackTerriermon) No dinners for 3 weeks!!
BlackTerriermon: (screams loudly, passes out)
Anna: (smirks) Hmm…you did cook an exemplary dinner this past Friday-despite the fact it was just pizza-so, I'll let you off the hook…this time. (releases beads from my arms and legs) But, you'd better have at least one song in this story!
Me: (grins lightly) Hmm…you've just given me an idea, Itako no Anna. Oh-and, I don't own Build a Bridge by Limp Bizkit-find the CD Results May Vary, to listen to this amazing song, by the way.
Anna: (raises eyebrow) This song had better be good-especially if you're putting it in this early.
Me: (grin widens) Oh, trust me-this song is extremely good.
Shaman King-The Rematch
Chapter III: My Bridge of Trust
"If he can't beat an opponent of this caliber, then there's no hope for him…I do believe Yoh can do it." –Kyoyama Anna, Shaman King: Run Manta, Run
"With your strength and skills powering my body…we're invincible!" –Asakura Yoh, Shaman King: The Boy who dances with Ghosts
"Yoh…I can't believe you accepted his challenge…!"
Choosing not to look at Manta after he'd said that, or respond, Yoh clenched his fists tightly and closed his eyes, waiting for the expected ranting from Anna about his decision. To his surprise, she hadn't responded…
KAWHAP!
…until he felt a tremendous ounce of pain on his right cheek and came to the simple, yet blunt, conclusion that the reason Anna hadn't responded verbally was because she'd chosen to respond physically! Reopening his eyes, Yoh found himself staring into the narrowed eyes of his fiancée. It was at this time that Yoh remembered something he'd heard a while back, that the eyes were windows to the soul. If that was true, then what he was seeing in Anna's eyes wasn't just anger, or bitterness…but, also a hidden pain normally not seen by anyone.
"How could you do this, Yoh…you've put everything on the line for a challenge you shouldn't have accepted in the first place! Not just your samurai ghost, but you even said that if you lose, you'll have to give me up, too…!"
"Anna…I didn't mean to…I wasn't thinking…!"
Turning away from her fiancé, Anna replied, "Yeah-you never think, Yoh. You always just assume that everything will turn out okay, but not everything is all fun and games."
Without waiting for a response from Yoh, Manta or Amidamaru, Anna started walking off, her own hands clenched together and shaking, though she tried to keep them in control.
"He wasn't thinking at all when he accepted that challenge-that's Yoh's problem! He always sees life as a way to slack off and be lazy. With that kind of carefree attitude, he'll never be the Shaman King…"
Not even waiting for the others to catch up with her, Anna continued walking, struggling to keep the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks at bay. Despite what she'd just thought, she hadn't meant a word of it.
Build a bridge to your mind, takes me there everytime…
Lay it all on the line, if there's a way…
Build a bridge, make a path; overlook the aftermath…
Make my tears be your bath, if there's a way…
The rest of the evening passed with solemnity in the air, and the morning came and went all too quickly for a certain shaman in training.
"…What time is it…? WHAT?! 10:00 IN THE MORNING?!"
Jumping out of bed faster than normal, Yoh got himself dressed, placed the weights around his ankles and wrists, then ran down to Anna's room, bowing over and over again.
"I'm sorry I overslept, Anna…I'll make it up to you with a special dinner for tonight…"
Looking up, Yoh suddenly realized one thing-Anna's room was completely empty! The bed had been made up, and all of her things were gone.
"Where did she go to…? She couldn't have packed everything up in this short a time, could she?"
Heading downstairs, Yoh also noticed that the dishes from last night had been cleaned as well, since he'd been given leave not to do them.
"Why would she have left so suddenly without telling anyone?"
Looking back toward the household she had-slowly-become accustomed to calling home, Anna turned back around and departed, wiping away some tears that had forced their way out.
"I know I'm supposed to train you, but…this is for the best, Yoh. You'll do fine, and once you beat Ren… if things work out the way you want them to, things might not change at all."
Only if you'll take a ride…Go with me to the other side…
Chorus: Even though it's gonna crumble down…(gonna crumble down…!)
I'll keep building 'til you come around…('til you come around…!)
Even though it's gonna fall apart, break my heart…(break my heart…!)
I'll keep building 'til I die…!
"This wouldn't be like her to just up and leave like this-she's been determined to make me the Shaman King, so why would she pull something like this?"
"I'm not sure why, Lord Yoh, but I'm sure she's not far."
Nodding in agreement, Yoh continued running as fast as possible, looking for Anna in any place he could think of, but it's somewhat hard to do so when the only places he knew she actually went to were the house and the school.
"Hey, Yoh! What's going on?"
Seeing that Manta had spotted him and was now on his way over, Yoh figured that now was a good time as any to inform him of Anna's sudden departure. After doing so, Manta had only one thing to say:
"This wouldn't make any sense-she's been determined to make you the Shaman King by any means possible, so she wouldn't just leave you like this without an explanation."
Appearing before the two boys, Amidamaru nodded solemnly after overhearing Manta's point of view, which startled the aforementioned boy.
"Well, Amidamaru? Have your informants heard anything about this?" Yoh asked grimly.
"No, but a few of them have seen Lady Anna heading towards the bus stop nearest to the house. It shouldn't take us that long to get there, either."
With that said, Yoh and Manta headed off, Amidamaru heading back inside the memorial tablet.
"Yoh…I just thought of something…"
"Yeah, Manta?"
"Once we do find Anna…she might do something horrendous to you for what happened yesterday, so if I was you, I'd apologize the second we find her!"
Despite the pain he was feeling from his wrists and ankles, Yoh shrugged lightly.
"I'd already planned on doing something like that, but the thought is nice."
Build a bridge of memories, stretch it out overseas…
…to the end of the world, if there's a way…
Build a bridge made of pain; send my longing down the drain…
Have no reasons to complain, if there's a way…
Laughing lightly to himself, Tao Ren went out to start the day's training, confident in his abilities as a shaman and expecting things to go well in the next three days.
"So, your three days begin now, shaman…you'd better be training especially hard. I want you to be at your best when I beat you and claim not only your spirit, but your fiancée as well. Afterward, you'll head onto the afterlife, but neither Amidamaru nor your other half would be joining you for quite a long time…"
Only if you'll take a ride…Go with me to the other side…
Chorus: Even though it's gonna crumble down…(gonna crumble down…!)
I'll keep building 'til you come around…('til you come around…!)
Even though it's gonna fall apart, break my heart…(break my heart…!)
I'll keep building 'til I die…!
It had taken Yoh and Manta nearly 45 minutes to get to the correct bus stop in which Anna was at. Yoh took a few steps forward, when he noticed that Manta hadn't moved from his position behind the tree!
"Manta-what are you doing?!"
"Nothing-I just assumed you and Anna needed some privacy and decided to wait here for you. So…good luck!"
Yoh sighed lightly while turning back around and heading toward his fiancée. "Thanks, Manta…!"
Heading down toward where Anna was at, Yoh thought about what he should say to her, and, if she chose to listen, his apology and explanation about why he did what he'd done.
Wait…wait for me…! Wait…please wait for me…!
Wait…wait for me…! Wait…please wait for me…!
"What kept you?"
Stopping after hearing Anna speak to him since the previous day, Yoh quickly gathered his thoughts together and reminded himself about what he'd wanted to say to her.
"Anna…before I say anything else, I just wanted to say…that I'm sorry for what I did last night. I hadn't been thinking with my head…but, I was thinking with my heart."
The last comment had confused Anna, at least for a moment. Why would Yoh admit that he had been thinking with his heart in a situation like this?
"When Ren had said he didn't want just Amidamaru, but you as well if he could beat me…I didn't see anything but a red haze. At that time, I just wanted to do whatever it took to prove to him that I can beat him…even if it did cost me my life, at least I would've proven that I'm worthy enough-not just to be the Shaman King, but worthy enough to be a husband who will grant his wife an easy life."
Chorus: Even though it's gonna crumble down…(gonna crumble down…!)
I'll keep building 'til you come around…('til you come around…!)
Even though it's gonna fall apart, break my heart…(break my heart…!)
I'll keep building 'til I die…!
Even though it's gonna crumble down…(gonna crumble down…!)
I'll keep building 'til you come around…('til you come around…!)
Even though it's gonna fall apart, break my heart…
I'll keep building 'til I die…! (song ends melodically)
Anna smiled faintly while facing her fiancé, amazed that he had been thinking about her during that intense situation and pleased he would be able to admit that.
"He's improved so much in so little time…he definitely has what it takes to become the Shaman King…"
"I hope you'll be able to forgive me in time, Anna."
Eying her fiancé, Anna couldn't help but smirk at his comment.
"Of course I'll forgive you, Yoh. Besides, what you've done today proves you're more than ready to face Ren, but, just in case, we'll need to make the best of these next two days."
Yoh blinked in confusion as Manta chose that moment to start heading toward the two of them.
"What I did today? You mean apologizing to you?"
"No-I mean your training. You ran at least 50 miles or so just to get down here, and you can make up the rest of it by making lunch as well as dinner. I'll help out with the dishes."
Yoh smiled lightly as he came to the simple, yet blunt, conclusion that Anna had done this to help him train in preparation for the upcoming rematch he had with Ren.
"So…she wasn't leaving me at all-it was just to help me prepare for my rematch. I knew there was a reason to put on these extra weights today…and, I was right! Ren, you'd better watch out, 'cause when Amidamaru and I are done, you'll be hightailing it back home!"
