Disclaimer-Shaman King does not belong to me.
Arriving at the house a few minutes later, the group scattered to different parts of the house in preparation for the night. Manta and Ryu went into the kitchen, Pirika into the spare bedroom, Trey raced to the restroom before anyone else could reach it and Yoh went in search of Anna.
"This is strange," Yoh wondered aloud, "she's usually at the door waiting for me with her arms crossed, angry that I took so long in getting back."
Shrugging in defeat at his fiancee's behavior change, he walked into their bedroom to find something to wear.
"Hello, Yoh." a voice greeted him.
Yoh's eyes widened as he jumped, startled, in surprise from Anna's sudden appearance in their room. He clutched his hand to his chest as he looked upon her.
"Anna! Don't scare me like that! I was wondering where you had gone to. I just came in here to change for tonight." he told her.
"You read my mind. I've already laid out our clothes for tonight. I hope kimonos are okay." she said.
Yoh laughed nervously. "I'm sure they'll be fine." he said.
"Good. I was hoping we would get a chance to talk before the party started. You got here later than you said you would." she said.
"Yeah, sorry about that. It wasn't intentional really. We have some time before the festivities begin. What do you need to talk about?" he asked her.
She smiled at him with a slight blush. "Well, for starters, you can start by making up to me for being late." she told him.
He returned her smile, meeting her eyes with his. "I'm sure I can find a way to do that." he said.
Memories of the shared intimacies between since confessing their feelings for each other flooded their senses as they came together to share a deep, passionate kiss. She gasped softly, allowing him to deepen the kiss between them as she weaved her fingers into his longish black hair.
His hands came around to rest at her waist as he stroked his tongue against hers, allowing them both some air so not to have to part from the kiss. They parted some moments later breathlessly.
"As much as I'm looking forward to tonight, I'm mostly looking forward to being in your arms again." Yoh said.
Anna smiled. "I guess it would be rude not to be present to entertain our guests." she said.
Yoh grinned as he locked the bedroom door. "I don't think they'll miss us for a few minutes, do you?" he asked her.
She grabbed him swiftly with an arm around his waist. "You'll get no agruments from me." she agreed, pulling his head down for another deep, passionate kiss...
"What are they doing in there anyway? I swear I heard them lock the door on us." Trey commented, resting his ear against the couple's door.
"Well, they're not being nosy for starters. Leave them alone, Trey. I'm sure they have their own reasons for wanting some privacy." Manta told him.
Trey grinned. "I bet they do." he said.
I often wonder why I have no regrets about taking the life of the shaman priest who had told me that I only had to hit him once to qualify for the Shaman fights. I guess I never realized that I could kill such a person, that they would put their mortal bodies at such a dangerous risk. I heard rumors that other members of their tribe were outraged by my actions, yet I cannot take back what I have done.
It was obvious that this lowly tribesman was not up to the level that Yoh's opponent Silva had been, and the sound of my weapon slicing through his flesh was still just as vivid even now. I believed that Bason was as conflicted as I was, even though he had been a ruthless Chinese warlord in hsi own time.
It was probably the last ruthless act I had committed in the name of becoming Shaman King before Yoh had shown me that I just might have a caring, sensitive human side to me as well. It was all still very confusing to me, even as I crossed my arms before me when my sister Jun announced herself upon entering my chambers.
"Hello, Jun. I'll assume that you're here to make sure that I shall attend this little soiree the Asakuras are having in their home tonight?" he asked her.
"Yes, that's right. I believe it would be rather rude to show up later than when we are expected. I came to see if you were nearly ready." she told him.
"I have been ready for some time now, and I have even consented to wearing the new outfit that our parents sent us from home." Ren said.
Standing before the full length mirror in his room, Ren smoothed down the outfit in question, a handsome back brocade tunic set decorated with gold metallic dragons and gold trim with matching black shoes.
"If I may say so, Master Ren, that outfit is very becoming on you." Bason said.
"Thank you, Bason. Well, since it is obvious that you and Li Pailong are ready, I must insist that we waste no more time sitting about here." Ren said.
Jun shook her head at her brother's arrogance, she and her guardian striding forth to walk in step with her younger brother. Even though she knew that Ren was beginning to accept Yoh's offers of friendship, it still surprised her that he responded so quickly to the invitation that Yoh and Anna had sent him. Jun had planned to attend before she had found out that Ren had been invited too, and she wondered what his true motivation for going really was...
For once, Pirika was grateful that her brother's tendency to stick his nose into everybody else's business was keeping him from knowing what exactly she was up to. She would never in a million years admit to her brother the reasons she had taken so long in the department store.
It was because of Ren.
At first, she had disliked him as much as everyone else had. He had been so bitterly angry and so cruel to his guardian Bason and disrespectful to his fellow shamans. She could understand that Trey and Yoh were his rivals, but they were still fighting towards the same goal and that didn't mean he had to sacrifice his own humanity.
Once Ren had begun to accept her brother and Yoh as acceptable competition and not as roadblocks to his own success, Pirika was able to see Ren at face value. In a way, Ren and her brother were a lot alike. They were both incredibly powerful shamans who had trained their whole lives for the opportunity to become Shaman King, each for their own reasons. Ren's orginal reasons for doing so were to prove himself to his family and to gain incredible power and control for himself.
"When I become Shaman King, no one will dare to challenge mine and Bason's authority ever again!" Ren proudly proclaimed to all that could hear.
Yet behind the cold facade of Ren's dark eyes laid a pain, a wretchedness that even she could recognize. She could see the bitter fight for acceptance that Ren had been striving for from his parents since he was a child, the approval he so desperately wanted over anything else. Having been surrounded all her life by so many loved ones, she could understand why he wanted it so badly.
It had been her idea to ask Anna to extend an invitation to Ren in the first place. In her hopes that he would accept, Pirika convinced herself that maybe she could be the one to really get through Ren's steely exterior and find the young man that was hurting so badly underneath. Her heart grieved for the pain she knew he felt inside, and maybe, just maybe, tonight she might have a chance to change that...
"It's been some time since I've had a night away from my boys to really be able to indulge in some exceptional cooking. It almost makes me wish they were here to sample it." Ryu sobbed, choking back his tears.
"I'm sure that's just the onions making you tear up there, Ryu. Just be sure to make extra and we can serve them the leftovers the next time they come by." Manta told him.
"That's an excellent idea!" Ryu agreed.
"Hey you two, you need to turn the music down a little before you upset Anna. You know how tempermental she is." Trey told them, walking into the kitchen.
"Did I hear someone mention my name?" Anna asked, walking in with Yoh beside her.
Manta, Ryu and Trey laughed nervously while Yoh smiled at his fiancee. "I think the guys were just about to suggest that you sample the dishes that they're cooking for tonight." Yoh told her.
She waved her hand at them. "No need. I have no doubts about their cooking skills, but would you mind keeping an eye on them for a few minutes? I'm going to go check on Pirika." Anna said.
"Sure. I'll start feeding the koi and setting up the paper lanterns." he told her.
The trio's eyes widened as they actually saw Anna smile. "That sounds good. Thank you." she said.
Once she was out of earshot, the trio waited for an explanation from Yoh, who was whistling happily as he gathered the fish food and party decorations.
"What is going on with you and Anna, Yoh? You've both been acting very strange lately. It's like the two of you and my sister have all gone insane or something." Trey complained.
"You don't have to worry. Nothing has changed. I guess we're all getting into the spirit of the party tonight, that's all. Do you feel any differently, Amidamaru?" Yoh asked him.
"I am as excited as I would be if I was facing a tough opponent. It makes me very grateful to be able to experience such things even without a mortal body." Amidamaru said.
Yoh laughed. "We couldn't have a party without you, Amidamaru." he told him.
Try shrugged off his friend's less than steller explanation, focusing instead on what exactly Anna and his sister had to talk about...
Arriving at the house a few minutes later, the group scattered to different parts of the house in preparation for the night. Manta and Ryu went into the kitchen, Pirika into the spare bedroom, Trey raced to the restroom before anyone else could reach it and Yoh went in search of Anna.
"This is strange," Yoh wondered aloud, "she's usually at the door waiting for me with her arms crossed, angry that I took so long in getting back."
Shrugging in defeat at his fiancee's behavior change, he walked into their bedroom to find something to wear.
"Hello, Yoh." a voice greeted him.
Yoh's eyes widened as he jumped, startled, in surprise from Anna's sudden appearance in their room. He clutched his hand to his chest as he looked upon her.
"Anna! Don't scare me like that! I was wondering where you had gone to. I just came in here to change for tonight." he told her.
"You read my mind. I've already laid out our clothes for tonight. I hope kimonos are okay." she said.
Yoh laughed nervously. "I'm sure they'll be fine." he said.
"Good. I was hoping we would get a chance to talk before the party started. You got here later than you said you would." she said.
"Yeah, sorry about that. It wasn't intentional really. We have some time before the festivities begin. What do you need to talk about?" he asked her.
She smiled at him with a slight blush. "Well, for starters, you can start by making up to me for being late." she told him.
He returned her smile, meeting her eyes with his. "I'm sure I can find a way to do that." he said.
Memories of the shared intimacies between since confessing their feelings for each other flooded their senses as they came together to share a deep, passionate kiss. She gasped softly, allowing him to deepen the kiss between them as she weaved her fingers into his longish black hair.
His hands came around to rest at her waist as he stroked his tongue against hers, allowing them both some air so not to have to part from the kiss. They parted some moments later breathlessly.
"As much as I'm looking forward to tonight, I'm mostly looking forward to being in your arms again." Yoh said.
Anna smiled. "I guess it would be rude not to be present to entertain our guests." she said.
Yoh grinned as he locked the bedroom door. "I don't think they'll miss us for a few minutes, do you?" he asked her.
She grabbed him swiftly with an arm around his waist. "You'll get no agruments from me." she agreed, pulling his head down for another deep, passionate kiss...
"What are they doing in there anyway? I swear I heard them lock the door on us." Trey commented, resting his ear against the couple's door.
"Well, they're not being nosy for starters. Leave them alone, Trey. I'm sure they have their own reasons for wanting some privacy." Manta told him.
Trey grinned. "I bet they do." he said.
I often wonder why I have no regrets about taking the life of the shaman priest who had told me that I only had to hit him once to qualify for the Shaman fights. I guess I never realized that I could kill such a person, that they would put their mortal bodies at such a dangerous risk. I heard rumors that other members of their tribe were outraged by my actions, yet I cannot take back what I have done.
It was obvious that this lowly tribesman was not up to the level that Yoh's opponent Silva had been, and the sound of my weapon slicing through his flesh was still just as vivid even now. I believed that Bason was as conflicted as I was, even though he had been a ruthless Chinese warlord in hsi own time.
It was probably the last ruthless act I had committed in the name of becoming Shaman King before Yoh had shown me that I just might have a caring, sensitive human side to me as well. It was all still very confusing to me, even as I crossed my arms before me when my sister Jun announced herself upon entering my chambers.
"Hello, Jun. I'll assume that you're here to make sure that I shall attend this little soiree the Asakuras are having in their home tonight?" he asked her.
"Yes, that's right. I believe it would be rather rude to show up later than when we are expected. I came to see if you were nearly ready." she told him.
"I have been ready for some time now, and I have even consented to wearing the new outfit that our parents sent us from home." Ren said.
Standing before the full length mirror in his room, Ren smoothed down the outfit in question, a handsome back brocade tunic set decorated with gold metallic dragons and gold trim with matching black shoes.
"If I may say so, Master Ren, that outfit is very becoming on you." Bason said.
"Thank you, Bason. Well, since it is obvious that you and Li Pailong are ready, I must insist that we waste no more time sitting about here." Ren said.
Jun shook her head at her brother's arrogance, she and her guardian striding forth to walk in step with her younger brother. Even though she knew that Ren was beginning to accept Yoh's offers of friendship, it still surprised her that he responded so quickly to the invitation that Yoh and Anna had sent him. Jun had planned to attend before she had found out that Ren had been invited too, and she wondered what his true motivation for going really was...
For once, Pirika was grateful that her brother's tendency to stick his nose into everybody else's business was keeping him from knowing what exactly she was up to. She would never in a million years admit to her brother the reasons she had taken so long in the department store.
It was because of Ren.
At first, she had disliked him as much as everyone else had. He had been so bitterly angry and so cruel to his guardian Bason and disrespectful to his fellow shamans. She could understand that Trey and Yoh were his rivals, but they were still fighting towards the same goal and that didn't mean he had to sacrifice his own humanity.
Once Ren had begun to accept her brother and Yoh as acceptable competition and not as roadblocks to his own success, Pirika was able to see Ren at face value. In a way, Ren and her brother were a lot alike. They were both incredibly powerful shamans who had trained their whole lives for the opportunity to become Shaman King, each for their own reasons. Ren's orginal reasons for doing so were to prove himself to his family and to gain incredible power and control for himself.
"When I become Shaman King, no one will dare to challenge mine and Bason's authority ever again!" Ren proudly proclaimed to all that could hear.
Yet behind the cold facade of Ren's dark eyes laid a pain, a wretchedness that even she could recognize. She could see the bitter fight for acceptance that Ren had been striving for from his parents since he was a child, the approval he so desperately wanted over anything else. Having been surrounded all her life by so many loved ones, she could understand why he wanted it so badly.
It had been her idea to ask Anna to extend an invitation to Ren in the first place. In her hopes that he would accept, Pirika convinced herself that maybe she could be the one to really get through Ren's steely exterior and find the young man that was hurting so badly underneath. Her heart grieved for the pain she knew he felt inside, and maybe, just maybe, tonight she might have a chance to change that...
"It's been some time since I've had a night away from my boys to really be able to indulge in some exceptional cooking. It almost makes me wish they were here to sample it." Ryu sobbed, choking back his tears.
"I'm sure that's just the onions making you tear up there, Ryu. Just be sure to make extra and we can serve them the leftovers the next time they come by." Manta told him.
"That's an excellent idea!" Ryu agreed.
"Hey you two, you need to turn the music down a little before you upset Anna. You know how tempermental she is." Trey told them, walking into the kitchen.
"Did I hear someone mention my name?" Anna asked, walking in with Yoh beside her.
Manta, Ryu and Trey laughed nervously while Yoh smiled at his fiancee. "I think the guys were just about to suggest that you sample the dishes that they're cooking for tonight." Yoh told her.
She waved her hand at them. "No need. I have no doubts about their cooking skills, but would you mind keeping an eye on them for a few minutes? I'm going to go check on Pirika." Anna said.
"Sure. I'll start feeding the koi and setting up the paper lanterns." he told her.
The trio's eyes widened as they actually saw Anna smile. "That sounds good. Thank you." she said.
Once she was out of earshot, the trio waited for an explanation from Yoh, who was whistling happily as he gathered the fish food and party decorations.
"What is going on with you and Anna, Yoh? You've both been acting very strange lately. It's like the two of you and my sister have all gone insane or something." Trey complained.
"You don't have to worry. Nothing has changed. I guess we're all getting into the spirit of the party tonight, that's all. Do you feel any differently, Amidamaru?" Yoh asked him.
"I am as excited as I would be if I was facing a tough opponent. It makes me very grateful to be able to experience such things even without a mortal body." Amidamaru said.
Yoh laughed. "We couldn't have a party without you, Amidamaru." he told him.
Try shrugged off his friend's less than steller explanation, focusing instead on what exactly Anna and his sister had to talk about...