Me: Alright, everyone-thanks for the reviews during the previous chapter, by the way-I don't own Shaman King, and I probably never will, so-let's get this show on the road-
BlackTerriermon: (gasps) Hey…forgetting about something?! LIKE ME!!! (is being choked by Anna for comments in previous chapter)
Me: Hmm…you're right-I did forget something. (walks over to refrigerator, takes out bottle of soda; drinks it) That's better.
BlackTerriermon: HEY! (struggles to breathe)
Anna: (smiles lightly, frowns at grinning BlackTerriermon) That was a poor move on your part, informant!
Me: (chuckles lightly, drinks soda) Now, like they say in Hollywood…roll 'em! And, don't worry-she's not gonna kill him; how else would Anna be able to keep track of her fiancé?
BlackTerriermon: (gasps loudly) Momentai…!
Anna: (narrows eyes) Oh-and, to a certain author who wants me to "go easy on Yoh" during the training…you'd better hope I don't find you!
Me: (sighs, continues to drink soda; ignores BlackTerriermon's frantic movements) Also, I don't own the song "Trust You," the first ending song for this series. The lyrics are found on www.animelyrics.com.
Shaman King: The Rematch
Chapter VI: The Calm before the Storm
"People with special senses share a bond. It's called 'feeling it in your bones.' It's an omen from the stars. I felt it, too…" –Kyoyama Anna, Tokagero's Assault
"You do not truly know someone…until you fight them." –Seraph, The Matrix: Reloaded
The day had finally arrived…for Asakura Yoh, within the next 17 hours or so, he would be involved in a battle for his life, so to speak. He would have to face an opponent he had already defeated before, but had agreed to face him again, with bigger stakes on the line. If he lost, not only would he have to relinquish his spirit samurai, Amidamaru, but his fiancée, Kyoyama Anna, who hadn't been thrilled about Yoh accepting the rematch from Tao Ren in the first place, yet remained by his side.
"This match is one that I must win…no matter what it takes! I'll just do my best, and together, Amidamaru and I will win!"
"Yoh! You're falling behind! Hurry up-school's going to start in 30 minutes!"
"Coming, Anna!"
"Finally, Bason…the day has come for my revenge!"
Tao Ren was still in intense training as the day had begun-at least, once he'd gotten up.
"The attack with the assassins may have failed, but they did accomplish one thing-they tired him out. He might not be at 100% when we face off this evening, and that would be a shame if that was to occur."
Jun paced in the other room, concern for her brother and his opponent growing. If things had gone her way-or, Anna's-this match wouldn't be taking place.
"Yoh…I hope your fiancée trained you well, and I hope you can defeat my brother again…girls like the itako are a rarity to come by."
School was going quicker than Yoh had expected; matter-of-fact, when it was time for lunch, Yoh had actually expected to be doing the Electric Chair again since Anna had caught him sleeping during class!
"You think she's going lenient because of what may happen tonight?" Manta asked.
"Probably. Then again, she could just be waiting until after we get home." Yoh responded grimly.
"Yeah. That would definitely be something Anna would do." Manta agreed.
Speaking of the itako, she was approaching her fiancé with her own homemade lunch, eyeing Yoh with a look of caution in her eyes.
"You'd better give it your all tonight, Yoh…and, you'd better be careful, too. The last thing I-any of us-would want is for something to happen to you…"
(Why are more and more people dreaming of the other world…? Laugh all the way…)
The day had come and gone, and both shamans were spending the afternoon training as vigorously as ever, in preparation for the upcoming rematch. Whereas Ren trained with the same brutality that had been shown in their first Shaman Fight, Yoh's training schedule had lessened. True, he still had to go through the usual running and swimming, but his time limit wasn't as strenuous as it had been ever since Anna had reunited with him in the hospital.
"Okay, now I'm convinced-she's going lenient on you!"
"What makes you say that?" Yoh asked grimly while running back as fast as he could. "I still have to do the training exercises-and, tonight's the rematch! How is this going lenient?!"
"Simple-she said you had to be done within one hour, where, normally, you would have to go until nearly dinnertime."
Blinking once or twice, Yoh realized, as his best friend turned the corner, that he was right.
"Heading back to school?"
"Yeah-unlike you, I have a later class; I'll be able to make it in time to cheer you on, though."
Yoh grinned to himself as he waved back at Manta, continuing on the path back to his house.
As for Anna, she wasn't doing what she would normally be doing-watching television-but, instead, she was outside the house, awaiting the arrival of her fiancé.
"Things are moving forward too rapidly, Yoh. The Shaman Fight is nearing, which means you have to survive this rematch…I won't allow him to beat you!"
The wind gently passes through my hair…
(There's no place like you for me…)
Unchanged from yesterday, alone in the quiet sunset…What are you looking at?
Far eye sight…looking before you…Move on without turning back
Once again, Yoh had surprised Anna by showing up promptly on time, since he had been late the night he'd been "tortured" by having to run 1,000 laps around the house.
"Okay, Anna…I've done the running exercises, and the swimming exercises…is there anything else I've gotta do today?"
To Yoh's surprise, Anna shook her head, signifying that he was done for the day.
"Alright. Then, I guess I'll go and get dinner ready-"
"Not tonight, Yoh."
Turning around to face his fiancée in near shock, Yoh saw it at that precise second-concern and worry in Anna's eyes before she abruptly closed them. When she reopened them, they were the same as before-void of emotion.
"I'll get dinner ready, Yoh. You should rest until I call you."
Knowing he would be signing his death wish should he refuse in any manner, Yoh simply nodded before turning back around to head to his room.
"Yoh…!"
"Yeah, Anna?"
Her hands trembling ever so slightly, Anna stared at her fiancé for what seemed like an eternity, wondering what she should say to him, if she should say anything at all concerning this fight.
"…Never mind, Yoh. Just get some sleep."
The itako's thoughts were her own as she watched Yoh head into the house before going to prepare dinner.
"I want to tell you, Yoh…but, not now. Once you've fulfilled your dream and become Shaman King…that's when I'll say it."
Chorus: Sometimes, I'm very lonely…
Sometimes, I'm very painful…
I want to run up, hug, and tell you, but I won't say it now
The day you capture your dream, I will only believe that day…
(Why are more and more people dreaming of the other world…? Laugh all the way…)
Dinner, as Yoh hadn't had to make it this time, was a borderline between amazing and stunning. What was also stunning to the young shaman was that he'd run quite a long way in a shorter amount of time than usual, and he wasn't wiped out.
"It must've been because of the sleep Anna suggested I get. That must be why I'm not tired-or, as tired as I would normally be, like at school-"
"Yoh!"
Anna's abrupt, though not unusual, response had snapped Yoh out of his thoughts. Looking over at the itako, who was sitting across from him, Yoh took notice that Anna had gotten out of her seat, had finished her dinner and was now staring out of the window as the last rays of sunlight were fading and giving way to darkness.
"Tonight may very well be one of the most difficult matches you will have to face before the Shaman Fight begins. You're going up against an opponent who you've already battled, and was actually able to defeat him despite receiving a serious injury. I won't have to tell you to be on your guard and I won't be able to jump in and help out like I did the night before. But, I will be able to tell you this-don't you dare lose, Asakura Yoh…"
When the tired and injured wings want rest…
(There's no place like me for you…)
At your heart, ask softly, and the answer will be there…
By trying to despise and trying to blame, the light will never shine…
Yoh nodded, with the same grin on his face as he normally had, preparing to say something, but Anna held up one hand, not to slap him with, but to mentally say that she wasn't done talking.
"…I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
Yoh's smile turned into a gentle one as he walked over to the itako and, knowing he was risking his life even more so than usual, turned her around-so that she was facing him-and hugged her.
"Don't worry, Anna. Nothing's going to happen. Everything will turn out okay. You'll see."
To Yoh's surprise, Anna wrapped her own arms around him and returned the hug; he hadn't even noticed that she was now resisting the urge to cry on his shoulder.
"Things don't turn out the way you want them to…but, in this case, Yoh, I hope you're right…"
Chorus: Sometimes, I lose my way…
Sometimes, I stop…it's okay to feel low or get lost
With the miracle that was found, a new wind will blow
I am believing the overlapping destiny…
Living…this time…
Gathering what he would need for this battle following dinner-mainly the bokuto and Amidamaru-Yoh was barely able to notice a ghost shimmer next to Anna, say something to her in a low voice, then shimmer out as if it had never been there at all.
"The rematch between you and Ren will take place at the graveyard within a few hours, so we'd better go now."
"Huh?" Yoh looked over at Anna, a perplexed expression on his face. Anna frowned a moment after seeing it.
"Don't even think that I was about to let you go there by yourself. I already know that you were going to get Manta to go with you, and if you think I was going to let that happen, then you didn't get enough sleep."
"Sure, Anna. No problem."
Yoh grinned sheepishly as he headed out the door, failing to notice the look of concern return-momentarily-to Anna's eyes.
"I want to see you defeat this adversary with my own eyes, Yoh…that way, I'll know one thing-you'll be able to do the exact same thing during the Shaman Fight, and become Shaman King."
I won't comfort you, but…
Chorus: Sometimes, I'm very lonely…
Sometimes, I'm very painful…
I want to run up, hug, and tell you, but I won't say it now
The day you capture your dream, I can see you capturing it…
(Why are more and more people dreaming of the other world…? Laugh all the way…)
(song ends melodically)
Midway to their destination, Yoh, Anna and Amidamaru were joined by Manta, who almost went home after hearing where the battle was going to take place; however, after recalling that he was friends with all the ghosts, plus Anna's heated response that Yoh was his best friend and why wouldn't he be there to give him support, prodded the young boy to change his mind.
"Do you think he'll have forgotten about the rematch?"
"Think about it, Manta-he was the one who challenged Yoh for this rematch. He wouldn't forget about this, especially if he added that Yoh had only three days in which to train."
"Oh. You're right about that, Anna."
Yoh couldn't keep a grin off his face, even though he was only minutes away from being in one of the biggest battles of his life.
"Are you ready for this, Amidamaru? This could be a fight I might not make it out of."
"Be confident in yourself, Lord Yoh. You will survive this fight. I assure you."
Yoh's grin got a bit wider once he heard the vote of confidence from his samurai spirit.
"Thanks, Amidamaru."
Looking ahead, over to where Amidamaru's grave was at, Yoh's eyes narrowed when he saw that Tao Ren was perched on it, a sinister grin on his face, already merged with his spirit Bason.
"It's time, Amidamaru. Let's do this!"
Grabbing his bokuto at that moment, Yoh held it up in the air before preparing to face one of his biggest challenges ever!
