(A/N: Chapter 9 is now up. Chibi Beginnings takes a turn to a more
supernatural tangent. With Priest Seto beginning his evil nastiness!
And after a long run with Tamao and Hao in my other fic, it's nice to get back to the good old days of Yohna. After a while, I was afraid that I'd abandon this fic here. Besides, I sorta', well, wrote myself into a corner.
Oh, and I don't own Shaman King or Yugioh.)
Chibi Beginnings: Chapter 9: Too Late?
Late at night, Chibi Yoh and Atemu arrive at a dark alley, where they stop their walking. This is the same alley where Chibi Anna was found before being taken to the orphanage, but Atemu and Yoh don't realize this yet.
Chibi Yoh: He folds his arms impatiently. (sarcastically) "Yep, dis wukz juzd wiydt, Fawwow. Annah'z defunidwee wytin ad a STYNKYN AWWEY fow mee tew kum fow hew!" (Yep, this looks just right, Pharaoh. Anna is definitely waiting at a STINKING ALLEY for me to come for her!)
Atemu: "This can't be right. Anna has to be here! This is where the trail of her aura ends." He turns to face Yoh. "Yoh, I apologize. But this is as far as I can feel that Anna has been. I dread the thought, but it IS possible that this is... where Anna had-"
Chibi Yoh: He shoots a glare at Atemu. (interrupting, furious) "Dow'd sey dadt! Annah kawd bee... wew, shee juwzd kadt! Dat'z ympaussowbow!" (Don't say that! Anna can't be... well, she just cant! That's impossible!)
Atemu: (discouraged) "Is it? How do you know?"
Chibi Yoh: "Cuz YEW sed dat Annah wuz adt an owfanidj!" (Because YOU said that Anna was in an orphanage!) He kicks at a small, crumpled up piece of paper. "Nawd dys duwmp!" (Not this dump!)
Atemu: "I said that she was at an orphanage. I am positive that I wasn't wrong. And if Anna were already dead, then Priest Seto wouldn't be trying to kill you in your dreams. But, I'm confused. I don't know why the trail stops here..."
Chibi Yoh: He picks up the small wad of paper that he kicked against the wall. He glares coldly at Atemu. "Wew, Iy begg tew dyffow, Atemoo! Iy tink yewr juwdz puwwin miy weg! Iy tynk yew hayv new iydeeyuh wew Annah iz! Eedow yewr wuwkyn fow Settow, an yew wawdt Annah ded, owr..." (Well I beg to differ, Atemu! I think you're just pulling my leg! I think you have no idea where Anna is! Either you're working for Seto, and you want Anna dead, or...)
Atemu: "Or what?"
Chibi Yoh: "...owr yewr AFFWEYD uv faysin Settow! Yew dewdt wawd mee tew fynd Settow kuz hee kykd yewr budt yn da payzdt. Yew'v gawd new yntenshuwn uv weyewniytyn mee wid Annah, yew KAWWUWD!" (...or you're AFRAID of facing Seto! You don't want me to find Seto because he kicked your butt in the past. You have no intention of reuniting me and Anna, you COWARD!) He throws the paper ball at Atemu, but the paper passes right through him, with Atemu being a ghost. The paper bounces off the opposite wall of the alley.
Atemu: As the paper wad moves through him, his eyes shoot open. "I JUST FELT SOMETHING!"
Chibi Yoh: He turns away. "Gimmy a bwayk. Iy'w fiynd Annah awn miy oun iyf-" (Give me a break. I'll find Anna on my own if-)
Atemu: "No, no! Yoh, that paper you threw at me!" He turns around and points at the paper ball. "It felt strongly like... Anna!"
Chibi Yoh: He raises an eyebrow, then walks through Atemu to the wad of paper. Bending down, he picks up the paper ball and uncrumples it. Reading what the paper said, his eyes grow wide with hope and happiness. "NOW WEY! Iz dis..." (NO WAY! Is this...)
Atemu: He circles around behind Yoh, looking at what the paper read. He squints at the paper, riddled with unfamiliar kanji written sloppily in crayon. (inquisitively) "What does it say?"
Chibi Yoh: He crumples up the paper in his hands again. "Id'z pwewf. Pwewf dat yndeeyd Annah WUZ heew, yn dys awwiy. An nau, wee gawd sum wey ta fiyd hew." (It's proof Proof that indeed Anna was here, in this alley. And now, we've got some way to find her.)
Atemu: "How? Anna wasn't conscious when she left the alley, so I can't trace her anymore. So what will we do?" He points at the wad of paper. (sarcastically) "Are we going to ask the paper?"
Chibi Yoh: "Um, wew, yez." (Um, well, yes.)
Atemu: (puzzled) "What? Did you say that we were going to ask the paper?"
Chibi Yoh: "Yeb. Iy gayv Annah dis paypow wen shee wefdt. An dew yew now wud paypow iz mayd awd uv?" (Yep. I gave Anna this paper when she left. And do you know what paper is made out of?)
Atemu: "Well, back in my day, paper, or papyrus, as we called it, was made out of a weed that grew along the banks of the Nile River. Why?"
Chibi Yoh: "Egzaktowee. Weeydz, ow pwantz. An wew dewz pwandz, dewz da sowl uv a ded pwadt, owr a sheekeegawmee. Yowmey's bin teechin mee tew summin dem. An wen Iy suwmin da sheekeeegawmee, den ist wiw weed uz stwaydt tew Annah." (Exactly. Weeds, or plants. And where there's plants, there's the soul of a dead plant, of a shikigami. Yohmei's been training me to summon them. And when I summon the shikigami, then it will lead us straight to Anna.)
Atemu: (impressed) "Hmm. Can you do that?"
Chibi Yoh: (hesitating) "...Wew, teknikowee, uw, new." (...Well, technically, uh, no.)
Atemu: (anime faint) "Well, at least I don't have any reason to be worried myself."
Chibi Yoh: (defensively) "Hay, hay, hay! Iy may nawd bee aybow tew summin sheekeegawmeez wew, budt Iy now Iy wuv Annah, an Iy'd mewv mauwntenz an spwidt seez tew ged hew bak sayfwee." (Hey, hey, hey! I may not be able to summon shikigamis well, but I know I love Anna and I'd move mountains and split seas to get her back safely.)
Atemu: (astonished) *Amazing. Against all odds, he continues on, trusting in the strength of his heart to pull him through. It's actually very inspiring. Because if Yoh, though unskilled at being a shaman, can even manage to summon the little shikigami, then maybe I likewise have a hope of being able to beat Seto.* "Well, Yoh, I wish you luck..."
Chibi Yoh: "Tankz." (Thanks)
(at the orphanage, that morning)-----
Chibi Anna and Chibi Mokuba set up the white chess pieces of a chess set on one side of a chessboard as Chibi Seto sets up the black chess pieces on the otehr side of the chessboard.
Chibi Anna: (meekly) "Wew, Mowkewbuh, Settow, Iy'm nawd kwiyd shuw dat Iy'm weddy fow miy fuwzd chezz gaym. Sew pweez gew eeey awn mee, owkey?" (Well, Mokuba, Seto, I'm not quite sure that I'm ready for my first chess game. So please go easy on me, okay?)
Chibi Seto: He places down the final black piece on his side of the board. "Heh! Go easy on you?" He chuckles.
Chibi Anna: "Wud? Wud's sow funee, Settow?" (What? What's so funny, Seto?)
Chibi Mokuba: "Settow duzind eevin gow eezee awn mee, an I'ym hyz widdow bwuddow." (Seto doesn't even go easy on me, and I'm his little brother.)
Chibi Anna: (worried) "Uw-ew..." (Uh-oh...) She sets down her final white piece, the queen.
Chibi Seto: "White has first move. So go ahead." He crosses his arms with great confidence, bordering on cockiness, as he leans back in his chair.
Chibi Anna: She picks up a horse-shaped piece on the back row and holds it up for Seto to see. "Uw, pawn, dat'z dys tingee wiydt?" (Uh, pawn, that's this thingy, right?)
Chibi Mokuba: He slaps his forehead.
Chibi Seto: He raises an eyebrow. "Anna, that's a knight." He taps one of the pieces on Anna's front row, the piece in front of her king. "THAT'S a pawn."
Chibi Anna: She places the knight back down on the square it came from, then moves the piece that Seto tapped forward by one space. (uncertainly) "Owkey, pawn tew, uw, wewevew dys skwayw iz." (Okay, pawn to, uh, wherever this square is.)
Chibi Seto: "You don't have to call out your moves as you begin. That's called 'algebraic notation'. You can just move your pieces."
Chibi Anna: She sighs with relief. "Wew, dats sumfin dat Iy dow'd need tew now juzd yedt." (Well, that's something that I don't need to know just yet.)
Chibi Seto: He stares at the board, holding his chin with his rignt hand.
Chibi Mokuba: "Uw-ew. Dat'z Settow'z spesowtee. Hee ken see da mewvz vewwy faw ahedd uv wen dey happyn." (Uh-oh. That's Seto's specialty. He can see the moves far ahead of when they happen.)
Chibi Anna: (amazed) "Wau, new kyddun! Iy yewzd ta now a guwl hew kuwd dew dat tew. Shee kuwd see da fewtyuw. Hew naym iz Tamawah." (Whoa, no kidding! I used to know a girl who could do that too. She could see the future. Her name is Tamara.)
Chibi Mokuba: (courious) "Wiy yew sey 'iz'? Iz shee styw awiyv?" (Why do you say 'is'? Is she still alive?)
Chibi Seto: "AHA!" He holds up his finger, breaking out of his trance. "Mate in sixty-five. Pawn e5. Your turn, Anna."
Chibi Mokuba: (amazed) "Settow, izund maydt in syxtee-fiyv a byd hawsh few hew? Iy meen dis IZ hew fuwzd gaym..." (Seto, isn't mate in sixty- five a bit harsh? I mean this IS her first game...)
Chibi Seto: (aggressively) "Never underestimate an enemy, Mokuba. Not even Anna. I mean, how are you so sure that Anna never played chess before?"
Chibi Mokuba: *Uw-ow. Iy now wew dys iz gowin...* (*Uh-oh. I know where this is going...) (pleading) "Settow? Cuwd yew..." (Seto? Could you...)
Chibi Seto: He ignores Mokuba's weak and incomplete pleas as he continues on. "I mean, she may have been lying to us about that."
Chibi Mokuba: (weakly pleading) "Cuwd yew nawd gow dew?" (Could you not go there?)
Chibi Seto: His gaze turns sinister. "I mean, for the sake of example, she could be lying about even being an ORPHAN!"
Chibi Anna: She nervously bites her lip and stares down at hearing this.
Chibi Mokuba: His pleas fade into the background noise. (weakly) "Settow..." (Seto...)
Chibi Seto: "Or, even worse, she could actually have a HOME to call her own!"
Chibi Anna: She bites her lip harder. Her face turns red as she shakes at her shoulders and leans her head further down.
Chibi Mokuba: He begins to raise his voice, but to no avail. (weakly) "Settow... yer gowin tew faw..." (Seto... you're going too far...)
Chibi Seto: "Or worse yet. She may have a family! She may have close friends that care for her and look out for her!"
Chibi Anna: She shakes harder at the shoulders. She holds back her tears by biting her lip so hard that a small trail of blood flows down her chin.
Chibi Seto: He seems impervious to Anna's crumbling emotional state at this point. (boldly) "Or do you know what else?" He thumbs his nose at Anna. (sinister) "She could even have a boyfriend!"
Chibi Anna: Her emotions finally break down. "STAWP!" (STOP!) Tears begin to overflow in her eyes and spill out over her cheeks. She runs away from the chess match that Seto had challenged her to, leaving behind her red scarf. She cries hard as she runs.
Mokuba: He raises his voice to a much more confident level. (yelling at Seto) "SETTOW! Iy'v nevow seeyn yew gow dat faw! Wud'z powzessyn yew?!" (SETO! I've never seen you go that far! What's possessing you?!) He raises a fist in defiance of his big brother.
Chibi Seto: A menacing undertone emanated as he spoke. (with undertone) "What do you care?!"
Chibi Mokuba: "WAAA!" He is frightened away by the supernatural undertone in his formerly innocent big brother's voice.
Chibi Seto: His voice reverts to normal as he gasps for air and holds out his shaking hand towards his little brother, who runs away from him in fear. (in a panic) "W-w-wait... That wasn't me... Wh-what happened? Mokie! What's happening to me!?" His hand quakes violently in fear of himself, and of what he had just done.
(outside the orphanage, right after the previous incident)-----
Chibi Yoh and Atemu reach the orphanage's outside walls, after a long and grueling night of walking. But now, Chibi Yoh is about ready to collapse in a heap, held up by the sheer prospect of seeing Anna again. Or at least seeing her once more.
Chibi Yoh: He points to the orphanage, limply holding one arm up with the other arm. (weakly) "A-ha... Dew idt izz! An... Annah'z... waydin... in...siyd... fow... mee..." (Aha... There it is! And... Anna is... waiting... in...side... for me...)
Atemu: He stares at the orphanage in astonishment. (stunned) "Amazing... I can't believe you were able to pull that off, Yoh. You must truly want to see Anna again, don't you?"
Chibi Yoh: (short of breath) "Wud... kynda... kwestyun'z... dat... Atemoo? Cowz Iy wawda... seey Annah ugen..." (What... kind of... quesiton is... that... Atemu? Of course I want to... see Anna again...)
Atemu: He glances at the building through the metallic fence. "Well, you may just get your chance right now." He points at the building.
Chibi Yoh: He turns his attention to the building, weakly lifting his head up. His eyes shoot open as he runs towards the fence, seemingly with renewed energy.
A door opens and a short girl wearing an even shorter black dress runs out of the building, crying her eyes out. She collapses on her knees, right in the dirt, and covers her face with her hands.
Chibi Yoh: He grins from ear to ear. (weakly excaliming) "Id'z Annah! Hay, Annah! Id'z mee, Yow! Iy'm heeyw!" (It's Anna! Hey, Anna! It's me, Yoh! I'm here!) He shakes the fence as hard as he can in his tired state.
Chibi Anna: Being too far away from the fence, she can't hear Yoh calling to her at the time.
Chibi Yoh: He screams at Anna from on the other side of the fence, but to no avail. (weakly yelling) "Annah!" (Anna!) He shakes the fence as hard as he can.
Atemu: (calmly) "She can't hear you, Yoh. We're too late. This has got to be the handy work of Seto." He balls up a fist.
Chibi Yoh: (frustrated) "Ow yeh? Wew Iy'm gowin iyn dew!" (Oh yeah? Well I'm going in there!) He clutches a hole in the fence with his fingers and pulls himself up. He wraps his bare feet around the cold metal fence as Yoh's weight pulls him onto the metal. He shrieks in pain, but bites his lip. "GrrrrAAAAAAAH!"
Atemu: "Yoh, you are aware that I could just pass through the fence and possess someone inside and get somebody to let you in the front gate. This is too dangerous, and that fence is about four, five times your height."
Chibi Yoh: He grits his teeth, trying to withstand the pain of his toes being driven onto the metal fencing by his own weight on them. (defiantly) "NOW! Yew kadt! Iduw... GrAAAA... tayk tew waung... an... rraAAAA... beesiydz..." (NO! You can't! It'll... grAAAA... take too long... and... rraAAAA... besides...)\
Atemu: "What?"
Chibi Yoh: He climbs higher on the fence, lifting himself higher and higher. (while screaming in agony) "If... yew pozzezz sumwun iyn dew agenzd deyr wywww-AAAA... den wud maykz yew aaAAAa... anee dyffowidt fwum Settow?" (If... you possess someone in there against their will-AAAA... then what makes you aaAAAa... any different from Seto?)
Atemu: His eyes shoot open at Yoh's analysis of the situation.
Chibi Yoh: He reaches the top of the fence at last, throwing his limp leg over the fence. He throws his weight off the fence and falls hard on the opposite side of the fence. "OWW!"
Atemu: He effortlessly walks through the metal fence.
Chibi Yoh: He is very short of breath. (gasping for air) "Iy'm... iyn... Juwzd a widdwo byd fuwdow..." (I'm... in... Just a little bit further...) He lifts himself off the dirty ground with all the strength remaining in him after climbing the fence, but he collapses on his face.
Atemu: He bends down to Yoh. (attempting comforting) "You can take a rest now. You're in. You made it so far already..."
Chibi Yoh: (defiantly) "Now! Iy'm sow kwowz..." (No! I'm so close...) He drags his weak and hindering body along the ground with sheer ambition fueling him. His stare is deeply fixed on Anna, who is only about forty or fifty feet away, still kneeling down and crying her eyes out. He reaches out to Anna with all his strength. (weakly) "I-i-iy pwomizd... dat Iy'd k- k-kum few yew..." (I-i-i promised... that I'd c-c-come for you...) He crawls forward on his hands and knees. He pulls himself closer and closer to Anna, dragging his own cumbersome and weak body with him.
Chibi Anna: She continues crying, not realizing that Yoh is merely feet away.
Atemu: Frozen in astonishment, he stands in front of the fence, staring in awe at Yoh's tired and weak, though crudely effective movements toward Anna. *Yoh's perseverance is amazing! For someone so young, he was able to go all night without sleep, food, or water, and is barely conscious, though he can still think of nothing better to do than to comfort Anna... and will not rest until he does!*
Chibi Yoh: (weakly) "Annah... Iy'm kumyn... Iy pwomiz..." (Anna... I'm coming... I promise...)
Chibi Anna: She faintly hears Yoh, though is so distraught that she thinks that she is only hearing Yoh's voice in her mind. "Yow... Iy kan styww heeyw hyz vowyz..." (Yoh... I can still hear his voice...)
Chibi Yoh: (responding, in near whisper) "I-i-iym wiyd heew... fow yew..." (I-i-i'm right here... for you...) He crawls closer, slower as he approaches.
Chibi Anna: (whispering to herself) "I-i-iy kan heeyw hym wiyk heez wiyd heew wid mee..." (I-i-i can hear him like he's right here with me...) She stares down.
Chibi Yoh: He crawls closer yet. He tries to raise his voice, but hic voice ends up turning into a shrill squeak. "Annah... Iy awm heew...!" (Anna... I am here...!)
Chibi Anna: She wipes her eyes with her right forearm, then commences crying again. "Iym sudj a wymp. A wuv stwuk wymp. Wiy dew Iy keeyp heewin Yow? Iy'm putetyk... bedtin awn a ded howz..." (I'm such a wimp. A love-struck wimp. Why do I keep hearing Yoh? I'm pathetic... betting on a dead horse...) A tear runs down her cheek, but someone reaches towards her face to wipe the tear away. She darts her head up and finds her staring at a battered, exhausted, and thoroughly beat up Yoh. Her eyes light up as an ear-to-ear smile crosses her face.
Chibi Yoh: He places his hands on Anna's shoulders, partly to comfort Anna, and partially to hold himself up. "Yowr nawd putetyk. Iy sed Iy'd be heeyw fow yew, an yew waytid fuw mee... Datz nawd putetyk. Datz sweedt..." (You're not pathetic. I said I'd be here for you, and you waited for me... That's not pathetic. That's sweet...) He leans in and kisses Anna on the cheek.
Chibi Anna: She places a hand on Yoh's scarred left cheek. "Ow, budt Yow, yer sow tiyowd... Yew gawda get sum wezdt!" (Oh, but Yoh, you're so tired... You've got to get some rest!)
Chibi Yoh: (weakly, yet defiantly) "Nawda chanz, Annah. Iy few azweep da wazd tiym yew neeydyd kumfowding. Nau, Iy'm payin fow idt." (Not a chance, Anna. I fell asleep the last time you needed comforting. Now, I'm paying for it.)
(flashback, two days ago, Asakura complex, that morning)-----
Chibi Yoh: "Iz Yowmey gawn?" (Is Yohmei gone?)
Chibi Anna: "Yez. Wud fow?" (Yes. What for?)
Chibi Yoh: "Guwd, kuz Iy wawda sweep sum mowr!" (Good, because I want to sleep some more!) He collapses on his sleeping bag and immediately falls asleep.
Chibi Anna: "Stewpid Yow!" (Stupid Yoh!)
(flashback ends)-----
Chibi Yoh: He holds Anna's hand and tries to squeeze tightly, but cannot muster the strength.
Suddenly, a malicious and sinister laughter emanates from behind the two.
Yoh and Anna turn their heads to see Chibi Seto leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed. A sharp, red glare emanates from his eyes.
Chibi Seto: "Muahahahahaha! You've come, Yoh Asakura. I've been expecting you."
Chibi Anna: She holds Yoh tightly around the waist. (mortified) "No-no- nou, st-t-tey awwey, Settow!" (N-n-no, st-t-tay away, Seto!)
Chibi Yoh: He stares at Chibi Seto from over his shoulder. He cradles Anna in his arms with strength and security. (with renewed energy and rage) "Idz YEW! Wud dyd yew dew tew Annah?! Tew mee, nau!" (It's you! What did you do to Anna?! Tell me now!)
Chibi Seto: He stares past Yoh and Anna. "Ah, and I've been expecting you, too. Pharaoh!"
Atemu: He materializes in between Yoh and Seto. (furious) "Grr, Seto! Release that child, NOW!" He points at Seto with authority.
Chibi Seto: "Why bother, Atemu? You were never able to tell me what to do in the past. So there is no reason to listen to you now." He leers at Anna.
Chibi Anna: She shrinks away in Yoh's arms. (innocently) "Yow... Dow'd wed hym huwd mee..." (Yoh... Don't let him hurt me...)
Chibi Seto: He grins widely. "The damage has been done to her. I'm done toying with her. You can have her back." He utters a sinister cackle.
Chibi Yoh: He grits his teeth. (furiously) "Wud'z dat suwpowzd tew meeyn?" (What's that supposed to mean?)
Chibi Anna: She shivers in fear as she stares with wide eyes into Seto's menacing glare. She breaks her stare and buries her face into Yoh's shirt.
Chibi Yoh: He pets Anna's hair back. (comfortingly, to Anna) "Oh, puw Annah, idz owkey, idz owkey, Iy wowd wedt Settow huwd yew enny mow." (Oh, poor Anna, it's okay, it's okay, I won't let Seto hurt you anymore now.) He turns his attention back to Seto. (furiously, to Seto) "YEW! Yew wowd gedt awey wid dys!" (YOU! You won't get away with this!)
Chibi Seto: (taunting) "Hmm, strong words. For such a shrimp, anyway. Didn't Pharaoh tell you about when I faced him in a Shadow Game, all those centuries ago?"
Atemu: (intervening) "What does that have to do with anything?"
Chibi Seto: (sarcastically) "Oh, silly me. That's right. After you lost to me, I killed you with my Blue Eyes White Dragon. So you couldn't really know to warn Yoh that threatening me could get him killed."
Chibi Yoh: (defiantly snorting at Seto) "Heh!"
Chibi Seto: "And what was that, Yoh? Is that a challenge?"
Chibi Yoh: (confidelntly) "Newbuddey huwdz miy pweshuz Annah. An Iyw kyw yew fow twyin! Iy'w-" (Nobody hurts my precious Anna. And I'll kill you for trying! I'll-)
Chibi Anna: She pulls at Yoh's shirt. (worried) "Nou, Yow. Pweez, dowdt. Yew juwzd kaym bak, an Iy kawd bayw tew wewz yew agen." (No, Yoh. Please don't. You just came back, and I can't bare to loose you again.)
Chibi Seto: (sarcastically) "Well, that sounds promising. Nobody thinks you can beat me."
Chibi Yoh: (tenderly, to Anna) "Iy wowd wooz. Twuzd mee." (I won't lose. Trust me.) He kisses Anna on the forehead.
Chibi Seto: (to Atemu) "Yoh seems even more cocky than you were right before you lost to me. I'll kill him. Then, I'll get rid of you."
Atemu: (sincerely, to Yoh) "Yoh. From all you have shown me, I believe that you CAN beat Seto. You walked all over the land to find Anna, going without sleep and food to find her. A shadow game will be hard for one who has never done one before, and I would be honored if I could stand by your side against Seto."
Chibi Yoh: (to Atemu) "Tankz, Atemoo. Iy kuwd yuwz a haynd." (Thanks, Atemu. I could use a hand.) (to Anna) "Seey Annah, Atemoo'z gunna' keeyp mee fwum gettyn kywwd biy Settow." (See Anna, Atemu is going to keep me from getting killed by Seto.) He brushes Anna's hair back again with his hand.
Chibi Anna: She sighs, though not adequately comforted. (worried) "Bee kayfow..." (Be careful...)
(A/N: Sorry for not getting out in a while. After re-hooking the internet, the computer began to throw little wobblies. Of course, that isn't happening anymore. You're reading this fic after all, right? And I promise that 'Why So Shy Tamao' followers will not be let down. They'll get fics just as good, if not better, which is my true opinion right now.
Commentary time: I think my fics make "The Lord of the Rings" look short. On my word processor, it almost took up TWELVE, count 'em, TWELVE pages, and it's eating up eight pages here on my real computer. A lot happens here, Yoh and Anna meet again, Priest Seto takes his stand against Yoh and Atemu, and overall, things are wrapping up.
Next chapter will probably take the longest to write. It involves the Shadow Game between Chibi Yoh and Seto. Duh. Haven't quite figured out exactly how to do that yet, but I'm working on it.
And afterwards, HAI, the rumors ARE TRUE, at this rate the epilog will be the very FIRST SONGFIC by DrakeTheDuelist! Yay! No, no, I've already picked out my song, so no sending in reviews and emails changing my mind. Besides, you're still not quite sure just what is going to happen in the end. I'd tell you what the song is, but it would spoil the ending BIGTIME to tell ya'. And if you're not big on songfics, then you have two options: read and skip the song part, or don't read at all, which I would honestly recommend to no one. It's a really kawaii ending. (Gee I sure hope I spelled that right...) Gomen, so wait and find out just what the lucky tune is...)
And after a long run with Tamao and Hao in my other fic, it's nice to get back to the good old days of Yohna. After a while, I was afraid that I'd abandon this fic here. Besides, I sorta', well, wrote myself into a corner.
Oh, and I don't own Shaman King or Yugioh.)
Chibi Beginnings: Chapter 9: Too Late?
Late at night, Chibi Yoh and Atemu arrive at a dark alley, where they stop their walking. This is the same alley where Chibi Anna was found before being taken to the orphanage, but Atemu and Yoh don't realize this yet.
Chibi Yoh: He folds his arms impatiently. (sarcastically) "Yep, dis wukz juzd wiydt, Fawwow. Annah'z defunidwee wytin ad a STYNKYN AWWEY fow mee tew kum fow hew!" (Yep, this looks just right, Pharaoh. Anna is definitely waiting at a STINKING ALLEY for me to come for her!)
Atemu: "This can't be right. Anna has to be here! This is where the trail of her aura ends." He turns to face Yoh. "Yoh, I apologize. But this is as far as I can feel that Anna has been. I dread the thought, but it IS possible that this is... where Anna had-"
Chibi Yoh: He shoots a glare at Atemu. (interrupting, furious) "Dow'd sey dadt! Annah kawd bee... wew, shee juwzd kadt! Dat'z ympaussowbow!" (Don't say that! Anna can't be... well, she just cant! That's impossible!)
Atemu: (discouraged) "Is it? How do you know?"
Chibi Yoh: "Cuz YEW sed dat Annah wuz adt an owfanidj!" (Because YOU said that Anna was in an orphanage!) He kicks at a small, crumpled up piece of paper. "Nawd dys duwmp!" (Not this dump!)
Atemu: "I said that she was at an orphanage. I am positive that I wasn't wrong. And if Anna were already dead, then Priest Seto wouldn't be trying to kill you in your dreams. But, I'm confused. I don't know why the trail stops here..."
Chibi Yoh: He picks up the small wad of paper that he kicked against the wall. He glares coldly at Atemu. "Wew, Iy begg tew dyffow, Atemoo! Iy tink yewr juwdz puwwin miy weg! Iy tynk yew hayv new iydeeyuh wew Annah iz! Eedow yewr wuwkyn fow Settow, an yew wawdt Annah ded, owr..." (Well I beg to differ, Atemu! I think you're just pulling my leg! I think you have no idea where Anna is! Either you're working for Seto, and you want Anna dead, or...)
Atemu: "Or what?"
Chibi Yoh: "...owr yewr AFFWEYD uv faysin Settow! Yew dewdt wawd mee tew fynd Settow kuz hee kykd yewr budt yn da payzdt. Yew'v gawd new yntenshuwn uv weyewniytyn mee wid Annah, yew KAWWUWD!" (...or you're AFRAID of facing Seto! You don't want me to find Seto because he kicked your butt in the past. You have no intention of reuniting me and Anna, you COWARD!) He throws the paper ball at Atemu, but the paper passes right through him, with Atemu being a ghost. The paper bounces off the opposite wall of the alley.
Atemu: As the paper wad moves through him, his eyes shoot open. "I JUST FELT SOMETHING!"
Chibi Yoh: He turns away. "Gimmy a bwayk. Iy'w fiynd Annah awn miy oun iyf-" (Give me a break. I'll find Anna on my own if-)
Atemu: "No, no! Yoh, that paper you threw at me!" He turns around and points at the paper ball. "It felt strongly like... Anna!"
Chibi Yoh: He raises an eyebrow, then walks through Atemu to the wad of paper. Bending down, he picks up the paper ball and uncrumples it. Reading what the paper said, his eyes grow wide with hope and happiness. "NOW WEY! Iz dis..." (NO WAY! Is this...)
Atemu: He circles around behind Yoh, looking at what the paper read. He squints at the paper, riddled with unfamiliar kanji written sloppily in crayon. (inquisitively) "What does it say?"
Chibi Yoh: He crumples up the paper in his hands again. "Id'z pwewf. Pwewf dat yndeeyd Annah WUZ heew, yn dys awwiy. An nau, wee gawd sum wey ta fiyd hew." (It's proof Proof that indeed Anna was here, in this alley. And now, we've got some way to find her.)
Atemu: "How? Anna wasn't conscious when she left the alley, so I can't trace her anymore. So what will we do?" He points at the wad of paper. (sarcastically) "Are we going to ask the paper?"
Chibi Yoh: "Um, wew, yez." (Um, well, yes.)
Atemu: (puzzled) "What? Did you say that we were going to ask the paper?"
Chibi Yoh: "Yeb. Iy gayv Annah dis paypow wen shee wefdt. An dew yew now wud paypow iz mayd awd uv?" (Yep. I gave Anna this paper when she left. And do you know what paper is made out of?)
Atemu: "Well, back in my day, paper, or papyrus, as we called it, was made out of a weed that grew along the banks of the Nile River. Why?"
Chibi Yoh: "Egzaktowee. Weeydz, ow pwantz. An wew dewz pwandz, dewz da sowl uv a ded pwadt, owr a sheekeegawmee. Yowmey's bin teechin mee tew summin dem. An wen Iy suwmin da sheekeeegawmee, den ist wiw weed uz stwaydt tew Annah." (Exactly. Weeds, or plants. And where there's plants, there's the soul of a dead plant, of a shikigami. Yohmei's been training me to summon them. And when I summon the shikigami, then it will lead us straight to Anna.)
Atemu: (impressed) "Hmm. Can you do that?"
Chibi Yoh: (hesitating) "...Wew, teknikowee, uw, new." (...Well, technically, uh, no.)
Atemu: (anime faint) "Well, at least I don't have any reason to be worried myself."
Chibi Yoh: (defensively) "Hay, hay, hay! Iy may nawd bee aybow tew summin sheekeegawmeez wew, budt Iy now Iy wuv Annah, an Iy'd mewv mauwntenz an spwidt seez tew ged hew bak sayfwee." (Hey, hey, hey! I may not be able to summon shikigamis well, but I know I love Anna and I'd move mountains and split seas to get her back safely.)
Atemu: (astonished) *Amazing. Against all odds, he continues on, trusting in the strength of his heart to pull him through. It's actually very inspiring. Because if Yoh, though unskilled at being a shaman, can even manage to summon the little shikigami, then maybe I likewise have a hope of being able to beat Seto.* "Well, Yoh, I wish you luck..."
Chibi Yoh: "Tankz." (Thanks)
(at the orphanage, that morning)-----
Chibi Anna and Chibi Mokuba set up the white chess pieces of a chess set on one side of a chessboard as Chibi Seto sets up the black chess pieces on the otehr side of the chessboard.
Chibi Anna: (meekly) "Wew, Mowkewbuh, Settow, Iy'm nawd kwiyd shuw dat Iy'm weddy fow miy fuwzd chezz gaym. Sew pweez gew eeey awn mee, owkey?" (Well, Mokuba, Seto, I'm not quite sure that I'm ready for my first chess game. So please go easy on me, okay?)
Chibi Seto: He places down the final black piece on his side of the board. "Heh! Go easy on you?" He chuckles.
Chibi Anna: "Wud? Wud's sow funee, Settow?" (What? What's so funny, Seto?)
Chibi Mokuba: "Settow duzind eevin gow eezee awn mee, an I'ym hyz widdow bwuddow." (Seto doesn't even go easy on me, and I'm his little brother.)
Chibi Anna: (worried) "Uw-ew..." (Uh-oh...) She sets down her final white piece, the queen.
Chibi Seto: "White has first move. So go ahead." He crosses his arms with great confidence, bordering on cockiness, as he leans back in his chair.
Chibi Anna: She picks up a horse-shaped piece on the back row and holds it up for Seto to see. "Uw, pawn, dat'z dys tingee wiydt?" (Uh, pawn, that's this thingy, right?)
Chibi Mokuba: He slaps his forehead.
Chibi Seto: He raises an eyebrow. "Anna, that's a knight." He taps one of the pieces on Anna's front row, the piece in front of her king. "THAT'S a pawn."
Chibi Anna: She places the knight back down on the square it came from, then moves the piece that Seto tapped forward by one space. (uncertainly) "Owkey, pawn tew, uw, wewevew dys skwayw iz." (Okay, pawn to, uh, wherever this square is.)
Chibi Seto: "You don't have to call out your moves as you begin. That's called 'algebraic notation'. You can just move your pieces."
Chibi Anna: She sighs with relief. "Wew, dats sumfin dat Iy dow'd need tew now juzd yedt." (Well, that's something that I don't need to know just yet.)
Chibi Seto: He stares at the board, holding his chin with his rignt hand.
Chibi Mokuba: "Uw-ew. Dat'z Settow'z spesowtee. Hee ken see da mewvz vewwy faw ahedd uv wen dey happyn." (Uh-oh. That's Seto's specialty. He can see the moves far ahead of when they happen.)
Chibi Anna: (amazed) "Wau, new kyddun! Iy yewzd ta now a guwl hew kuwd dew dat tew. Shee kuwd see da fewtyuw. Hew naym iz Tamawah." (Whoa, no kidding! I used to know a girl who could do that too. She could see the future. Her name is Tamara.)
Chibi Mokuba: (courious) "Wiy yew sey 'iz'? Iz shee styw awiyv?" (Why do you say 'is'? Is she still alive?)
Chibi Seto: "AHA!" He holds up his finger, breaking out of his trance. "Mate in sixty-five. Pawn e5. Your turn, Anna."
Chibi Mokuba: (amazed) "Settow, izund maydt in syxtee-fiyv a byd hawsh few hew? Iy meen dis IZ hew fuwzd gaym..." (Seto, isn't mate in sixty- five a bit harsh? I mean this IS her first game...)
Chibi Seto: (aggressively) "Never underestimate an enemy, Mokuba. Not even Anna. I mean, how are you so sure that Anna never played chess before?"
Chibi Mokuba: *Uw-ow. Iy now wew dys iz gowin...* (*Uh-oh. I know where this is going...) (pleading) "Settow? Cuwd yew..." (Seto? Could you...)
Chibi Seto: He ignores Mokuba's weak and incomplete pleas as he continues on. "I mean, she may have been lying to us about that."
Chibi Mokuba: (weakly pleading) "Cuwd yew nawd gow dew?" (Could you not go there?)
Chibi Seto: His gaze turns sinister. "I mean, for the sake of example, she could be lying about even being an ORPHAN!"
Chibi Anna: She nervously bites her lip and stares down at hearing this.
Chibi Mokuba: His pleas fade into the background noise. (weakly) "Settow..." (Seto...)
Chibi Seto: "Or, even worse, she could actually have a HOME to call her own!"
Chibi Anna: She bites her lip harder. Her face turns red as she shakes at her shoulders and leans her head further down.
Chibi Mokuba: He begins to raise his voice, but to no avail. (weakly) "Settow... yer gowin tew faw..." (Seto... you're going too far...)
Chibi Seto: "Or worse yet. She may have a family! She may have close friends that care for her and look out for her!"
Chibi Anna: She shakes harder at the shoulders. She holds back her tears by biting her lip so hard that a small trail of blood flows down her chin.
Chibi Seto: He seems impervious to Anna's crumbling emotional state at this point. (boldly) "Or do you know what else?" He thumbs his nose at Anna. (sinister) "She could even have a boyfriend!"
Chibi Anna: Her emotions finally break down. "STAWP!" (STOP!) Tears begin to overflow in her eyes and spill out over her cheeks. She runs away from the chess match that Seto had challenged her to, leaving behind her red scarf. She cries hard as she runs.
Mokuba: He raises his voice to a much more confident level. (yelling at Seto) "SETTOW! Iy'v nevow seeyn yew gow dat faw! Wud'z powzessyn yew?!" (SETO! I've never seen you go that far! What's possessing you?!) He raises a fist in defiance of his big brother.
Chibi Seto: A menacing undertone emanated as he spoke. (with undertone) "What do you care?!"
Chibi Mokuba: "WAAA!" He is frightened away by the supernatural undertone in his formerly innocent big brother's voice.
Chibi Seto: His voice reverts to normal as he gasps for air and holds out his shaking hand towards his little brother, who runs away from him in fear. (in a panic) "W-w-wait... That wasn't me... Wh-what happened? Mokie! What's happening to me!?" His hand quakes violently in fear of himself, and of what he had just done.
(outside the orphanage, right after the previous incident)-----
Chibi Yoh and Atemu reach the orphanage's outside walls, after a long and grueling night of walking. But now, Chibi Yoh is about ready to collapse in a heap, held up by the sheer prospect of seeing Anna again. Or at least seeing her once more.
Chibi Yoh: He points to the orphanage, limply holding one arm up with the other arm. (weakly) "A-ha... Dew idt izz! An... Annah'z... waydin... in...siyd... fow... mee..." (Aha... There it is! And... Anna is... waiting... in...side... for me...)
Atemu: He stares at the orphanage in astonishment. (stunned) "Amazing... I can't believe you were able to pull that off, Yoh. You must truly want to see Anna again, don't you?"
Chibi Yoh: (short of breath) "Wud... kynda... kwestyun'z... dat... Atemoo? Cowz Iy wawda... seey Annah ugen..." (What... kind of... quesiton is... that... Atemu? Of course I want to... see Anna again...)
Atemu: He glances at the building through the metallic fence. "Well, you may just get your chance right now." He points at the building.
Chibi Yoh: He turns his attention to the building, weakly lifting his head up. His eyes shoot open as he runs towards the fence, seemingly with renewed energy.
A door opens and a short girl wearing an even shorter black dress runs out of the building, crying her eyes out. She collapses on her knees, right in the dirt, and covers her face with her hands.
Chibi Yoh: He grins from ear to ear. (weakly excaliming) "Id'z Annah! Hay, Annah! Id'z mee, Yow! Iy'm heeyw!" (It's Anna! Hey, Anna! It's me, Yoh! I'm here!) He shakes the fence as hard as he can in his tired state.
Chibi Anna: Being too far away from the fence, she can't hear Yoh calling to her at the time.
Chibi Yoh: He screams at Anna from on the other side of the fence, but to no avail. (weakly yelling) "Annah!" (Anna!) He shakes the fence as hard as he can.
Atemu: (calmly) "She can't hear you, Yoh. We're too late. This has got to be the handy work of Seto." He balls up a fist.
Chibi Yoh: (frustrated) "Ow yeh? Wew Iy'm gowin iyn dew!" (Oh yeah? Well I'm going in there!) He clutches a hole in the fence with his fingers and pulls himself up. He wraps his bare feet around the cold metal fence as Yoh's weight pulls him onto the metal. He shrieks in pain, but bites his lip. "GrrrrAAAAAAAH!"
Atemu: "Yoh, you are aware that I could just pass through the fence and possess someone inside and get somebody to let you in the front gate. This is too dangerous, and that fence is about four, five times your height."
Chibi Yoh: He grits his teeth, trying to withstand the pain of his toes being driven onto the metal fencing by his own weight on them. (defiantly) "NOW! Yew kadt! Iduw... GrAAAA... tayk tew waung... an... rraAAAA... beesiydz..." (NO! You can't! It'll... grAAAA... take too long... and... rraAAAA... besides...)\
Atemu: "What?"
Chibi Yoh: He climbs higher on the fence, lifting himself higher and higher. (while screaming in agony) "If... yew pozzezz sumwun iyn dew agenzd deyr wywww-AAAA... den wud maykz yew aaAAAa... anee dyffowidt fwum Settow?" (If... you possess someone in there against their will-AAAA... then what makes you aaAAAa... any different from Seto?)
Atemu: His eyes shoot open at Yoh's analysis of the situation.
Chibi Yoh: He reaches the top of the fence at last, throwing his limp leg over the fence. He throws his weight off the fence and falls hard on the opposite side of the fence. "OWW!"
Atemu: He effortlessly walks through the metal fence.
Chibi Yoh: He is very short of breath. (gasping for air) "Iy'm... iyn... Juwzd a widdwo byd fuwdow..." (I'm... in... Just a little bit further...) He lifts himself off the dirty ground with all the strength remaining in him after climbing the fence, but he collapses on his face.
Atemu: He bends down to Yoh. (attempting comforting) "You can take a rest now. You're in. You made it so far already..."
Chibi Yoh: (defiantly) "Now! Iy'm sow kwowz..." (No! I'm so close...) He drags his weak and hindering body along the ground with sheer ambition fueling him. His stare is deeply fixed on Anna, who is only about forty or fifty feet away, still kneeling down and crying her eyes out. He reaches out to Anna with all his strength. (weakly) "I-i-iy pwomizd... dat Iy'd k- k-kum few yew..." (I-i-i promised... that I'd c-c-come for you...) He crawls forward on his hands and knees. He pulls himself closer and closer to Anna, dragging his own cumbersome and weak body with him.
Chibi Anna: She continues crying, not realizing that Yoh is merely feet away.
Atemu: Frozen in astonishment, he stands in front of the fence, staring in awe at Yoh's tired and weak, though crudely effective movements toward Anna. *Yoh's perseverance is amazing! For someone so young, he was able to go all night without sleep, food, or water, and is barely conscious, though he can still think of nothing better to do than to comfort Anna... and will not rest until he does!*
Chibi Yoh: (weakly) "Annah... Iy'm kumyn... Iy pwomiz..." (Anna... I'm coming... I promise...)
Chibi Anna: She faintly hears Yoh, though is so distraught that she thinks that she is only hearing Yoh's voice in her mind. "Yow... Iy kan styww heeyw hyz vowyz..." (Yoh... I can still hear his voice...)
Chibi Yoh: (responding, in near whisper) "I-i-iym wiyd heew... fow yew..." (I-i-i'm right here... for you...) He crawls closer, slower as he approaches.
Chibi Anna: (whispering to herself) "I-i-iy kan heeyw hym wiyk heez wiyd heew wid mee..." (I-i-i can hear him like he's right here with me...) She stares down.
Chibi Yoh: He crawls closer yet. He tries to raise his voice, but hic voice ends up turning into a shrill squeak. "Annah... Iy awm heew...!" (Anna... I am here...!)
Chibi Anna: She wipes her eyes with her right forearm, then commences crying again. "Iym sudj a wymp. A wuv stwuk wymp. Wiy dew Iy keeyp heewin Yow? Iy'm putetyk... bedtin awn a ded howz..." (I'm such a wimp. A love-struck wimp. Why do I keep hearing Yoh? I'm pathetic... betting on a dead horse...) A tear runs down her cheek, but someone reaches towards her face to wipe the tear away. She darts her head up and finds her staring at a battered, exhausted, and thoroughly beat up Yoh. Her eyes light up as an ear-to-ear smile crosses her face.
Chibi Yoh: He places his hands on Anna's shoulders, partly to comfort Anna, and partially to hold himself up. "Yowr nawd putetyk. Iy sed Iy'd be heeyw fow yew, an yew waytid fuw mee... Datz nawd putetyk. Datz sweedt..." (You're not pathetic. I said I'd be here for you, and you waited for me... That's not pathetic. That's sweet...) He leans in and kisses Anna on the cheek.
Chibi Anna: She places a hand on Yoh's scarred left cheek. "Ow, budt Yow, yer sow tiyowd... Yew gawda get sum wezdt!" (Oh, but Yoh, you're so tired... You've got to get some rest!)
Chibi Yoh: (weakly, yet defiantly) "Nawda chanz, Annah. Iy few azweep da wazd tiym yew neeydyd kumfowding. Nau, Iy'm payin fow idt." (Not a chance, Anna. I fell asleep the last time you needed comforting. Now, I'm paying for it.)
(flashback, two days ago, Asakura complex, that morning)-----
Chibi Yoh: "Iz Yowmey gawn?" (Is Yohmei gone?)
Chibi Anna: "Yez. Wud fow?" (Yes. What for?)
Chibi Yoh: "Guwd, kuz Iy wawda sweep sum mowr!" (Good, because I want to sleep some more!) He collapses on his sleeping bag and immediately falls asleep.
Chibi Anna: "Stewpid Yow!" (Stupid Yoh!)
(flashback ends)-----
Chibi Yoh: He holds Anna's hand and tries to squeeze tightly, but cannot muster the strength.
Suddenly, a malicious and sinister laughter emanates from behind the two.
Yoh and Anna turn their heads to see Chibi Seto leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed. A sharp, red glare emanates from his eyes.
Chibi Seto: "Muahahahahaha! You've come, Yoh Asakura. I've been expecting you."
Chibi Anna: She holds Yoh tightly around the waist. (mortified) "No-no- nou, st-t-tey awwey, Settow!" (N-n-no, st-t-tay away, Seto!)
Chibi Yoh: He stares at Chibi Seto from over his shoulder. He cradles Anna in his arms with strength and security. (with renewed energy and rage) "Idz YEW! Wud dyd yew dew tew Annah?! Tew mee, nau!" (It's you! What did you do to Anna?! Tell me now!)
Chibi Seto: He stares past Yoh and Anna. "Ah, and I've been expecting you, too. Pharaoh!"
Atemu: He materializes in between Yoh and Seto. (furious) "Grr, Seto! Release that child, NOW!" He points at Seto with authority.
Chibi Seto: "Why bother, Atemu? You were never able to tell me what to do in the past. So there is no reason to listen to you now." He leers at Anna.
Chibi Anna: She shrinks away in Yoh's arms. (innocently) "Yow... Dow'd wed hym huwd mee..." (Yoh... Don't let him hurt me...)
Chibi Seto: He grins widely. "The damage has been done to her. I'm done toying with her. You can have her back." He utters a sinister cackle.
Chibi Yoh: He grits his teeth. (furiously) "Wud'z dat suwpowzd tew meeyn?" (What's that supposed to mean?)
Chibi Anna: She shivers in fear as she stares with wide eyes into Seto's menacing glare. She breaks her stare and buries her face into Yoh's shirt.
Chibi Yoh: He pets Anna's hair back. (comfortingly, to Anna) "Oh, puw Annah, idz owkey, idz owkey, Iy wowd wedt Settow huwd yew enny mow." (Oh, poor Anna, it's okay, it's okay, I won't let Seto hurt you anymore now.) He turns his attention back to Seto. (furiously, to Seto) "YEW! Yew wowd gedt awey wid dys!" (YOU! You won't get away with this!)
Chibi Seto: (taunting) "Hmm, strong words. For such a shrimp, anyway. Didn't Pharaoh tell you about when I faced him in a Shadow Game, all those centuries ago?"
Atemu: (intervening) "What does that have to do with anything?"
Chibi Seto: (sarcastically) "Oh, silly me. That's right. After you lost to me, I killed you with my Blue Eyes White Dragon. So you couldn't really know to warn Yoh that threatening me could get him killed."
Chibi Yoh: (defiantly snorting at Seto) "Heh!"
Chibi Seto: "And what was that, Yoh? Is that a challenge?"
Chibi Yoh: (confidelntly) "Newbuddey huwdz miy pweshuz Annah. An Iyw kyw yew fow twyin! Iy'w-" (Nobody hurts my precious Anna. And I'll kill you for trying! I'll-)
Chibi Anna: She pulls at Yoh's shirt. (worried) "Nou, Yow. Pweez, dowdt. Yew juwzd kaym bak, an Iy kawd bayw tew wewz yew agen." (No, Yoh. Please don't. You just came back, and I can't bare to loose you again.)
Chibi Seto: (sarcastically) "Well, that sounds promising. Nobody thinks you can beat me."
Chibi Yoh: (tenderly, to Anna) "Iy wowd wooz. Twuzd mee." (I won't lose. Trust me.) He kisses Anna on the forehead.
Chibi Seto: (to Atemu) "Yoh seems even more cocky than you were right before you lost to me. I'll kill him. Then, I'll get rid of you."
Atemu: (sincerely, to Yoh) "Yoh. From all you have shown me, I believe that you CAN beat Seto. You walked all over the land to find Anna, going without sleep and food to find her. A shadow game will be hard for one who has never done one before, and I would be honored if I could stand by your side against Seto."
Chibi Yoh: (to Atemu) "Tankz, Atemoo. Iy kuwd yuwz a haynd." (Thanks, Atemu. I could use a hand.) (to Anna) "Seey Annah, Atemoo'z gunna' keeyp mee fwum gettyn kywwd biy Settow." (See Anna, Atemu is going to keep me from getting killed by Seto.) He brushes Anna's hair back again with his hand.
Chibi Anna: She sighs, though not adequately comforted. (worried) "Bee kayfow..." (Be careful...)
(A/N: Sorry for not getting out in a while. After re-hooking the internet, the computer began to throw little wobblies. Of course, that isn't happening anymore. You're reading this fic after all, right? And I promise that 'Why So Shy Tamao' followers will not be let down. They'll get fics just as good, if not better, which is my true opinion right now.
Commentary time: I think my fics make "The Lord of the Rings" look short. On my word processor, it almost took up TWELVE, count 'em, TWELVE pages, and it's eating up eight pages here on my real computer. A lot happens here, Yoh and Anna meet again, Priest Seto takes his stand against Yoh and Atemu, and overall, things are wrapping up.
Next chapter will probably take the longest to write. It involves the Shadow Game between Chibi Yoh and Seto. Duh. Haven't quite figured out exactly how to do that yet, but I'm working on it.
And afterwards, HAI, the rumors ARE TRUE, at this rate the epilog will be the very FIRST SONGFIC by DrakeTheDuelist! Yay! No, no, I've already picked out my song, so no sending in reviews and emails changing my mind. Besides, you're still not quite sure just what is going to happen in the end. I'd tell you what the song is, but it would spoil the ending BIGTIME to tell ya'. And if you're not big on songfics, then you have two options: read and skip the song part, or don't read at all, which I would honestly recommend to no one. It's a really kawaii ending. (Gee I sure hope I spelled that right...) Gomen, so wait and find out just what the lucky tune is...)