Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King nor any of the characters presented in this piece of work.

Note: Thanks for everyone that reviewed! I updated a little faster than usual. I'm so proud of myself. PLUS this chapter a a bit longer than the others, I think... Have fun reading and don't forget to review!

Chapter 18

"Oh man, it's great to be out!" Pirika took a breath of the fresh, cool air after stepping out the school building and threw her hands up the air for joy. "I know I aced those exams for sure." She smiled, beaming to herself. "Hmmm…" Pirika checked her watch. "2:37." She tapped her chin with her fully gloved finger as she contemplated whether she should visit Yoh now or wait until evening.

"You look quite dumb standing there with that clueless look on your face." Someone interrupted her thoughts.

Pirika's brows immediately furrow for she recognize the voice. "Are you some sort of stalker?" She turned and asked him dully.

"My, aren't you a bit full of yourself?" Ren smirked.

"Get lost." Pirika dismissed him with a wave of her hand before walking off towards her car.

"Wait, do you attend school here?" He quickly fell into step behind her. Watching her hands swing back and forth, Ren felt a sudden urge to take hold of them…

"None of your business." Pirika snapped as she continued to walk with her back still to him. She fished out the key to her car when she reached it.

"Hey, you can't leave yet! I'm still talking to you!" His voice grew louder.

Pirika proceeded to opening her car door and started to get it. She was completely ignoring him.

Ren's face grew red from anger. He never had to work so hard to gain a girl's attention. "I said, you can't leave yet! Turn around and talk to me, woman!"

The blue haired girl froze as soon as the words left his mouth. She only had one leg in her car and her body still hovered over her seat.

'Woman?'

Her brows furrowed and her face scrunched up in anger. She didn't care how unattractive she might have looked at the moment; Pirika just knew she needed to punch someone in the face. Her hands clenched into a fist with her nails threatening to dig into her flesh. That didn't matter at the time. With surprising agility, Pirika turned and swung her fist hoping to land squarely on his jaw, but…

"You know, I don't like being punch in the face., especially when it's by a girl." Ren had his grip on Pirika's fist. "And you don't look very pretty with your face twisted in anger." His face inched closer to hers', their nose nearly brushed against each other.

She didn't back away however. The last thing she wanted to do was show any sign of fear towards the asshole, the name she will now refer to him as. Pirika bit her bottom lip as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. His grip was so tight around her fist; she knew she couldn't overpower him.

'Well there's only one thing to do.'

Pirika's lips suddenly pressed lightly against Ren's catching him off guard. He closed his eyes as he took in her sweet scent, but his pleasure was soon replaced by an incredible amount of pain on his lower region. Ren's eyes popped opened and his jaw dropped. His eyes stared back into the gleaming eyes that belonged to the girl that just kneed him in the groin, her face brighter than ever.

Ren soon dropped to his knees, and his hands automatically went to cover the injured area. The pain was greater than any physical pain he had ever endured during his martial arts training. He looked up to see Pirika get into her car and closed the door. Her window rolled down slowly.

"You might want to get some ice on that." Pirika eyed his lower region with a smirk. "Luckily for you, there's snow all over the place. You have fun now!" She added cheerfully and took off after giving Ren a blink.

Ren was still in too much pain to respond.

'Oh, this is war…'

The still full cup of coffee warmed Anna's hands as she spilled everything. She told Ryu about meeting Yoh, the vision she saw on her crystal orb, the accident that was suppose to land her in the hospital but Yoh took the hit himself, her sudden engagement to Yoh, the dark secret Yoh finally told her, and her possible future with Yoh's own tiwn brother. Anna talked nonstop as Ryu did what Anna requested, sat there with full attention and zipped lips.

"…my head was spinning after he told me. I didn't know how to take it, so I left. He was…" Her index finger began to trace the circled top of the cup. '…he was bleeding pretty badly when I left the hospital.

She fell silent then, her head lowered and her eyes staring at nothing in particular.

Ryu took in a deep breath. He leaned back on the chair and crossed his arms. "So…" Ryu closed his eyes with his brows furrowed together as if in deep concentration. "..what you're telling me is…"

Anna looked up at Ryu.

"…you've left me for someone else!" Ryu stood up and slammed his hands on the coffee table, his eyes swelled up in tears. Everyone turned their way with his sudden, not to mention loud, outburst.

Anna Stared up at him with her brows arched. "Yes." She answered simply. "And I've never left you since I was never with you. Get it straight."

"But, Miss Anna!" His voice lowered just bit, but was still loud enough to hold everyone's attention.

"Don't make me have to get physical." The now annoyed blonde warned.

But for some twisted reason, Ryu felt a little turned on by Anna's threat. His mind floated to what Anna could have meant by getting "physical" with him. His face soon contorted to fear as the only images that came to him was Anna physically torturing him.

"Well, that felt good letting everything out. I guess I'll be going now."

Anna stood up and turned to leave but stopped suddenly when she felt Ryu's warm hand on hers'. She turned around quickly to slap his hand off when she saw the genuine concern in his eyes. He removed his hand before Anna said a word.

"Miss Anna, I've sat here and listen to you talk for the past hour. If I may, can I'd like to give you my opinions on this?"

Anna stared at him for a moment before she decided to sit back down.

"I should warn you. If you're just going to say your regular moronic things, I will have to hurt you. And I promise you it will be more painful than anything you've ever experienced." She glared at him showing how serious she was. Ryu only nodded.

"It seems to me that this person, Yoh, is very important to you," he began. "I understand why you may be angry with him, but was it really his fault?" Ryu looked to Anna but she was looking away with her cheek propped on her hand. After realizing she wasn't going to reply, Ryu continued. "Yoh seems to be a great guy from what you told me. He threw himself in danger in order to save other people he doesn't know. Even I would willingly give up pursuing you if I knew you are going to be with a person like him. And believe me, Miss Anna, my feelings for you are stronger than any emotions I've ever felt for anyone."

The blonde sat still with the same expression on her face.

Ryu sighed long and loud. "Look, Miss Anna, all I really want is for you to be happy. And maybe this Yoh person is just the one to give you that. So is there a way you can forgive him?" He asked.

"There is another person." Anna replied in her monotonous.

Her answered wasn't what he expected. In fact, he half expected her to say "no", but her saying there was someone else never entered his mind.

"Who?" Ryu became curious.

"His brother, Hao. They looked identical, so maybe the person I saw on the orb was him. He even said my future belongs with him." She said without looking at Ryu in the eye. Even she couldn't convince herself she would be find happiness with Hao.

"That doesn't sound like the Anna I know." He eyed her suspiciously.

"You don't know me at all." She snapped back at him. "All I want is to live an easy life. I know it sounds selfish but I've suffered enough to have to go through anymore pain. And if my happiness lies with this guy Hao, then that's where I need to be." Anna got up and left the restaurant without looking back.

Ryu didn't make any attempts to stop her. "Well I can't say I'm not disappointed with your decision. But I do hope you'll find the happiness, Miss Anna…"

The guy began sobbing hysterically. "Oh why much heaven be so cruel? Why can't I find my own happiness. Why doesn' she lo… Ohhhhh!" Ryu's full attention was suddenly on the Jade-haired woman who just walked past the restaurant's glass window. "There she is, I've found her, my happy place…" His eyes glazes with passion and without a moment to lose, Ryu dashed out the door to catch up with the girl.

"Yoh, are you sure you're ok?" Manta looked hard at his best friend who still held a smile on his face despite the fact he just get out from having to get his cuts re-stitched.

"I'm fine, Manta. It did hurt when they were doing it, but everything's cool now."

Manta gave him a skeptical look.

"Stop worrying, Manta. I'm really ok." Yoh flashed him his trademark grin to reassure his friend. "Besides, it's getting late. I'm sure Tamao wants to go home already." Yoh directed his attention to the pink haired girl who was standing there silently up to that point.

"No, no I'm fine." She shook her head and her hands. "We'll stay here with you if you need some company. I'm sure Anna will come visit you soon."

Yoh's face dropped. "I don't think she's coming." He said sadly. "But you guys really don't have to stay here with me!" He caught himself in time. Manta and Tamao looked at each other before looking back at Yoh. "Please, I just need some rest."

"Well…"

Tamao took hold of Manta's hand causing his attention to turn to her.

"Come on, Manta. Yoh really needs some rest. We can maybe go over to my house or something." She blushed a little. Manta only stared at her with his mouth slightly parted. "I just learned how to cook this American dish and I thought maybe you can be the first one to try it."

Yoh snickered at the shy couple. "Yeah, Manta. You two go ahead. I'm gonna get some shut eye." Yoh pressed a button on the controller. The bed soon lowered the head portion until Yoh was comfortable. "I'll see you two tomorrow?" He looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"Ugh, yeah…" Manta was still recovering from what Tamao had suggested.

"Ok." The brunet said happily before turning over with his back to them. Soon Yoh heard the click of the door as it shut behind Manta and Tamao. He sat up immediately and stared at the out the window for a long while.

"I want you to be happy, Anna."

He thought to himself before picking up the phone. He dialed a few numbers before it began to ring. It took three rings before someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Yoh. I need a favor."

"Of course, Yoh. What do you need?"

"I need to leave here, tonight. I need to get out of this country."

There was a moment of silence.

"What about Ann.."

"It's really important that I leave without her knowing." Yoh interrupted.

More silence.

"Please. I have to do this." He was pleading now.

"…ok." The person on the other finally agreed. "If that's what you really want."

"It's not what I want, but it's something I should do." Yoh hung up the phone feeling as if this heart was being pricked by millions of tiny needles.

"God, how am I going to survive without you…"

Note: Hehe, isn't Pirika evil? But ummm I guess Ren deserved it. Their relationship won't really develop until the sequal, and then part 3 will truly focus on them. The sequel will focus on Hao and Anna? Hmmm… I wonder what that means… lol. You'll have to read the sequel to find out.

Haha, don't you just love Ryu. What an idiot.

Hmmm, you guys are probably thinking I'm cruel for trying to separate Yoh and Anna huh? Eh. You'll survive, right?

Juiicy: I didn't take THAT long to update. I don't think... and yeah, i'm surprise this story have all those reviews also. I hope you do reach that goal.

Keyo: Yeah that's what I'll call you. Saves time typing lol. Yes! You think Tamao and and Manta are cute! Wouldn't we all love to see Anna forgive Yoh soon?

anangelslife: Ooooo another person who thinks Manta and Tamao are cute. Thanks!

YamiandAnzu4ever: Wohoo! you're the 3rd person. I'm feeling pretty good right now . Yeah that's Hao sitting there alright.

uncertainty: 23? hmmmm, well i was planning on only 20 chapters which will conclude Yoh and Anna's story.

Vash: Yeah Ryu's pretty hilarious... looking. lol j/k. I really do love the idiot. He's just so funny.

sweet-but-evil: Well Yoh's alive so I guess your happy now right?

Emic: I never said that he was. But I think most of the character in this story is OOC. I don't think Ren, Jun, or Pirika would act that way at all. But it's all for fun, in this story at least.

hannah-asakura: Sigh... sadly, that's a promise I cannot make. I'm horrible at keeping promises lol.

unicorn13564: Oo You asked me to e-mail you? Sorry but I didn't get that message. I would e-mail you but at this point, I'm not sure what you want me to e-mail you about. Of course I'll update. I'm not cruel enough to just stop writing the story, unless I'm completly stuck. Awwww you're so sweet trying to get your friend to read this story. here' a cookie for you! Hmmm as for killing Yoh off, he actually does die in my other story so...

lovebaby: Ooaf! Yeah, thanks for the tackles.

cherri-chan: Hmph! Another threat.

Rayless-Demon: Haha thanks for pulling in a reader . I'd like to know how Hao gets Anna also!

grdiang3l: Well you're great to me for reading!

kAndrea: Wow, 2 days huh? I feel so proud.

ekilow lettyion: Here's the updated! Breathe, please!

saRah: Hope your're satisfy with that Ren/Pirika part at the beginning of this chapter. I know it wasn't romantic or anything but you didn't request for any fluff, unless you count the part where she kissed him only to get a chance at kneeing him in the groin...