I'm so sorry that I've been neglecting my fic…but I'm just TOO HOOKED on FFXI!!! *sigh* I'm gonna try to update more often then…I'm also kinda having writer's block…Ah well…So, let's get this thing started!

Disclaimer: Shaman King and all related characters and logos are copyright Hiroyuki Takei and I don't own them.

Chapter 5 – Manta fights!!!



Manta had just finished his daily training routine. It was one week after Manta first oversouled, and due to hard work, he became very good at it. Now, he just needed to train more to become better at it. Horo horo was watching Manta train.

Horo horo: Hey, Manta, you look tired.

Manta: Of course I'm tired, I've been oversouling for 3 hours straight! MOSUKE, OVERSOUL!

Horo horo: Well, I have something for you to help out. I've figured out a way to hold an oversoul when I'm away from it, and at this point, holding an oversoul is easy for me. I've put Kororo in my headband, she'll cool you down when you're all hot and sweaty

Manta: You sure you can hold an oversoul from far away? Thanks!

Horo horo threw Manta his headband, and Manta put it on.

Manta: Wow! This really helps alot!

Horo horo: It's no biggie really…

Anna: Horo horo? Where's your headband?

Horo horo: Eh?! YOU WERE WATCHING ANNA?!

Anna: Yes, I already knew what you were doing before you said anything. I DO have security cameras you know…Plus, the ghosts are still living here, they told me everything. As punishment, I told Pirika to quadruple your training schedule.

Pirika suddenly appeared behind Horo horo and caught him in her fishing net

Pirika: ONII CHAN! GET YOUR HEADBAND AND GET BACK TO TRAINING!!!

Horo horo: a-ah...Manta? Could you please…

Manta: Of course. Sorry about that, I'll just manage on my own then…

Anna: Manta, I'm adding 2 more hours to your schedule today.

Manta: WHAT? WHY?

Anna: At this point, do I really need a reason?

Manta and Horo horo: T_T

Pirika walked away, dragging Horo horo along the ground, and Manta continued to train for another 2 hours.

Manta: I'm finished, Anna-san…

Anna: You took a bit longer than I expected…But, you've been training hard, sit down and have dinner with us.

Yoh: Ryu made Shrimp tempora, Crab dumplings, and nattou!

Ryu: It's nothing really, I AM Funbari Onsen's chef after all…

Ren: Hmpf…The 33 chefs at MY mansion make me 33 different kinds of food every night…Ryu's cooking is mediocre at best compared to my chefs…

Ryu: WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

Manta: Calm down you two, let's just eat!

They enjoy a nice meal together, and after dinner, Anna speaks with Manta.

Anna: Manta, tomorrow you have a special training assignment. With all your training, you have a furyoku level of about 5732 so far.

Manta: But what does my furyoku have to do with my training?

Anna: You'll find out tomorrow morning. Please get some rest though, you'll need it.

Manta: I suppose so…

Manta goes to bed and wakes up the next morning to find Ren standing where Manta normally fights, with a set of baghnakhs (claw like weapons) on his hands.

Ren: Manta, Anna told me to fight you with these.

Manta: So THIS was the special assignment…Wait, Bason is a Chinese Warlord, he can't be put into baghanakhs!

Ren: You're forgetting that the Tao family has a diversity of spirits…

Manta: I suppose so…

Anna: The rules are that of an ordinary Shaman fight: last one who can hold their oversoul wins. Since Ren isn't as proficient with martial arts as he is with his Kwan-dou, his power will be about equal to yours, Manta. FIGHT!

Manta: RIGHT! MOSUKE, OVERSOUL!

Ren: YOUKAI, OVERSOUL! (A/n: Youkai is my Monk in FFXI. I just couldn't resist having him in the ficcy. ^_^)

Manta and Ren oversoul, and lunge towards each other, and make the first blow. Manta's shirt looks as though a tiger scratched the back, and Ren's stomach is bruised slightly

Ren: Good opening strike, Manta, but you should remember to never let your guard down!

Manta: What?

Ren lunged towards Manta and struck him again in the back with his baghnakhs. The wound bled slightly, but not much. (A/n: The claws on baghnakhs are slightly blunted)

Manta: GAH!

Mosuke: Manta-kun! Are you alright?

Ren: Such a small wound…it shouldn't bother you…

Ren lunged towards Manta once again

TO BE CONTINUED

---

Manta should be ok…Ren's kinda his friend at this point…so don't worry or anything. ^_^

Maybe I'm gonna have Ryu have a cooking competition with Ren's chefs. Ryu's team could be his friends from his gang or some of Yoh's friends. (Yoh can't cook that well. ^_^)

WHEN WILL I STOP USING ^_^?!?



Anna: PUSHUPS!!!

Me: HAI!!!

*starts doing pushups*