Chapter 3And Still It Goes On

A/N: II oowwnn nnootthhiinngg!

The intruder came close to her, whispering in her ear so only she could hear.

"Like I said. I'll be watching you. And do NOT tell anyone of my appearance here." The enemy hissed. Tamao winced against the enemy's strong grip over her, although it was more of the wooden splinters that held her body up painfully against the wall.

"Yes, you're probably wondering why I chose you. Think about it. You have an Ouija board that will give you all of the answers that you need. And that can be deadly sometimes. Especially when it's someone like you who can use it so well, it becomes as a threat that no one before had noticed."

The young Shaman was completely frozen in terror, unable to move or speak. Seeing that he/she had the advantage over her now, whispered softly and coolly.

"If I catch you telling anyone, I will eat you alive. Literally. If you don't believe me, you can always try. But you will always be watched." The intruder warned. Tamao opened her mouth to say something 'what happened to Anna' but nothing came out. To shaken to speak at all, more tears fell before she entirely blacked out.

The intruder pulled her slowly out of the long wood splinters and rested her against the ground. The shattered over soul source that belonged to the young Shaman laid a few feet away, broken and in pieces. The intruder smiled once before walking off. The figure looked up at the two helpers that came along with the itako being carried by one of them.

"Excellent. We got what we came for. We better leave before they come back."

"Are you sure we aren't going to kill Tamao?" The enemy thought about it for a moment looking back into the kitchen where the young Shaman laid weakened and traumatized and bleeding against the kitchen floor with the hundreds of glass shards stained with crimson as well. It made the enemy's eyes spin for a moment. But the blood everywhere was almost too much.

"They're going to need a witness. We'll keep an eye on her and see how faithful she can be." The person laughed before walking out of the door with his/her two followers carrying the itako on one shoulder, leaving the wrecked house behind.

"That was fun!" Yoh laughed sitting down on the park bench eating some ice cream.

"Yeah. I never thought that you'd actually participate. If Anna had found out what you had done, she…"

"Probably wouldn't have believed it." Yoh laughed lightly. "Well, I hate seven hot dogs in one minute. I got my 30,000 yen so she has to be happy about something. But I'll be sad." Yoh sighed.

'Why?" Manta asked.

"Because Anna is just going to take it and spend it all away within minutes for clothes." Yoh sighed pitifully.

"I feel your pain," Manta patted his friend on the back.

'Boy, am I glad that I don't have to have a scary fiancée.' Manta laid back against the park bench looking up at the blue sky with the bird flying across landing on another branch of a tall tree. He sighed.

"Yoh?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a question…" Manta felt his cheeks began to grow hot. Yoh blinked.

"Hey, your face is all red."

"GYAAA! Shut up!" Manta turned away. Yoh smiled. "Yoh? It's…..umm..… do you like Anna? As in like-like? Coz you're both fiancees and all so….."

"I don't know, Manta actually. If I did really love her, I probably would've told the world because I would have been so happy." Yoh thought. Manta sighed in relief. "But don't tell Anna that. I still respect her as a good friend. Marrying a good friend is kind of weird since I don't like her-like her."

"Do you…..like-like anyone?" Manta asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't say it right now." Yoh looked away. "Besides, it's only suppose to be a crush, right? It'd be bad if Anna knew..…" he sighed.

"Tell me Yoh!" Manta asked cheerfully. Yoh blushed looking away. "Pleeaaase! I bet it's Tamao!"

"No no no, not right now." Yoh coughed. "You're my best friend, Manta. This is the closest I've ever told anyone yet." He pointed out. Manta sighed a little disappointed but then again, filled with high hopes.

"Alright. But tell me who it is when you need to, okay?" Manta asked. Yoh smiled at the smaller boy and nodded.

"Right. Anything we've said here does NOT leave this place." Yoh instructed. Manta nodded.

"Yes. I know. And if I tell Anna?" Manta asked teasingly.

"Don't. But anyways, if that did ever happen, I'll..…be your spirit!" Yoh exclaimed.

"NO!" Manta screamed back at his friend. Yoh just gave his carefree smile and lain back. The tree provided a cool refuge from the evil, hot, burning sun. After relaxing a few minutes, Manta looked at his watch.

"Shouldn't we be getting back home now, Yoh-kun?" Manta asked. "It's already 4:45PM." He said looking over and saw his best friend sleeping drooling on the park bench. "YOH!"

"Huh?" he immediately sat straight up like a zombie. Manta blinked. "Did you say something, Manta?" Yoh asked picking up his headphones. Manta sighed hopelessly wondering how his laid-back friend could be so laid-back when there is a scaaaarrry fiancee waiting to kick his ass back home. Anna Kyouyama was probably the only opponent Yoh may ever chicken out to fight against no matter how high his furyoku can be. The controlling wife always has her way. Thinking about that, Manta covered his mouth with his hands holding back laughter.

"What is it, Manta?" Yoh asked. Manta smiled shaking his head.

"Nothing. Just pitying how much you have to go through."

"Hey….."

"Anyways!" Manta stood up on the park bench, his head slightly higher than the backseat. "It's 4:45PM."

"Anna is going to kill me; I was suppose to be home by 5:00PM." Yoh admitted.

"Stupid!" Manta yelled.

"Don't worry Manta! It only takes ten-minutes to walk back. Anna will be happy to know I'm home early!" Yoh picked up the grocery and shopping bags along with Manta's help and began their slow walk home.

"You're walking too slow. Hurry up," Manta walked a few steps further ahead.

"I…..don't wanna go home." Yoh admitted.

"WHY!"

"Ohh it's nothing..…I am going to have to face her sooner or later," Yoh shrugged speeding up his pace until he finally caught up with Manta. "I guess I just wanted today to last longer, I guess. It was fun, don't you think?" Manta blushed again but this time, looked down at his own two feet exchanging steps.

"Y…..Yeah I guess so." Manta stuttered. "I think days like these should last longer. By the way, did you finish your research paper yet?" Manta asked. Yoh stared down on the little kid.

"What research paper?"

"Yoh? Did you even DO the research paper? Or on the other hand, KNOW there was one due tomorrow first thing in the morning?" Manta asked.

"Gee, I completely forgot about it." Yoh confessed. Manta's mouth drop opened.

"It's suppose to be three pages long, typed." He said. "And I'm sure you've chosen a topic?"

"What topic?"

"You're hopeless, Yoh-kun," Manta sighed. "Maybe requesting to Anna that she'd also be responsible for your schoolwork and make you do the light-chair for a day every single time you forget to complete an assignment. It could help straighten you up."

"NOOO!" Yoh seemed to have almost fainted anime style from shock. Cruel and horrible mental images entered his mind vaporizing the sanity out of him!

"Yoh? Are you alright?" Manta interrupted his frightening thoughts.

"Yes, of course, of course…" Yoh shrugged it off wondering what will become of him.

The rest of the way they walked in silence, as if they were walking towards the road of doom, Yoh began thinking about if he should confess to Manta whom he liked-liked. He looked down on Manta for a moment who seemed to have walked even calmer than he did. He didn't have to worry about going home to see a pissed-off witch just waiting to beat the crap out of him.

Perhaps someone I know quite well? Other wise, I would have cried for someone else's sake even though I thought I was going to die then. And I think I also heard two other voices. I forgot if they sounded familiar, but there were no names. Probably to see if I'm still able to keep my mouth shut after what happened.

I now know how scary it feels to be someone important. I always thought I wasn't needed that much by others although people depended on me because I use the Ouija board. I can practically find any answer I was looking for on it. But I never would have predicted there would be someone to attack me.

And now I've completely lost all of my confidence in using the Ouija board ever since the person began to haunt me that Sunday morning. The Ouija board was still there. Left at the exact same spot it was when that person tapped into my mind. I guess even Miss Anna couldn't even get to the board when she was taken.

Yes, she was taken by them. Three people came. But I was attacked by their ringleader, I think. And I blamed it all on myself because of that stupid Ouija board. But is it myself for choosing that area to train in, in the first place? Why would I be considered such a powerful person already? Is it just because I can predict the future and have good control of looking for all of the answer I need?

Maybe.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The words were planted. She didn't know how they came into her head. She didn't hear a voice, only a blank mind putting its thoughts into her head.

"W..Why?" she trembled. The thoughts didn't answer back. Tamao again reached further daring the mind to mock her again.

"If you touch it, I will kill you." Her eyes widened in shock as she backed away from the Ouija board. "That's a good girl. I'll be watching you so you better not get anywhere near it…..understood?"

"Who are you!" she demanded. Tears began to form in her eyes. The mind seemed to have laughed at her.

"Poor Tamao. It looks like the Asakura family had been neglecting your talents. Your predictions 90 of the time have been concisely accurate. People wouldn't rely on you if you were just…..a beginner in using the Ouija board, correct? I'm also pretty sure seven years of hard work does not make you a trainee anymore. Am I right?"

And the person seemed to have stated the Asakura family as if it was something foreign. But this person must have known about me using the Ouija board. Someone who had watching over me since I enrolled in as a student in the Asakura shrine.

And someone who also seems to have enough confidence in who I am and what I can do. Someone, someone who saw right through me. And probably saw what I really can do.

Is this why they were after me? But then what about Miss Anna? Is that person just using me as a setup to take her away. But why? What does Miss Anna have that they may want? Perhaps it is the itako ability she has. That's probably the only reason they may need her right now. To summon something perhaps.

And Yoh-sama is blaming himself for the mess too.

"It'd be great if you'd help me with my research paper." Yoh suggested.

"You need to try doing this on your own!" Manta scolded.

"PLEASE MANTA! I'll do anything! Your homework, your chores, anything!" Yoh begged.

"Naa…..can't really trust you to even complete my homework in the first place and you'd probably screw up my entire house," Manta teased.

"Pleeeeaaaase! Oh, wait! I'll tell you who I like-like!" Yoh brought up the subject. Manta's head perked up.

"Seriously?" he asked. Yoh nodded.

"Yeah, seriously." Yoh said.

"Okay. Tell me now and then I'll help you with your paper. Deal?"

"What? Hey, now it's like you're the one making the deal," Yoh complained. "How about after you help me finish my research paper, then I ---" he froze dropping his groceries against the floor.

"…..? Yoh-kun?" Manta looked up at him, a startled, horrific look in his what used to be calm brown eyes. Manta turned his gaze and gasped at the sight of Yoh's house.

All of the glass windows had been completely shattered. Glass laid all over the floor. The house was standing and probably would have been easily fixed with a few payments of 100,000 yen (…I think that's the right amount..?). The furniture inside the house had been a wreaked, as if Yoh's house had became the center of the next world war.

"W…..What happened?" Manta asked. Yoh bit down on his tongue and walked towards the house ignoring the grocery bags that were left on the sidewalk.

"Anna?" Yoh called out. No answer. "Tamao?" No answer. Amidamaru came to his aid, and stared at the house, in shock. "What happened here?" his fists tightened, the nails digging deep into the skin of the palm, the nails dug so deep, Manta saw a few drops of blood landing on the sidewalk.

He stepped slowly towards the house. It was quiet. He dared himself to go further, afraid of what he may had to see, that's if…if the two were still alive. Amidamaru followed behind him sadly with Manta walking along seeing small drops of blood against the glass. The young boy shuddered at the suspenseful sight.

Exploring the house, Yoh checked many of the rooms on the lower floor not finding anyone to his dislike. But in the words, it made him both relieved and hysterical at the same time. Relieved he didn't see what he didn't want to see and hysterical of wondering when he's may find someone alive…..if they were alive, that is…..

"Tamao!" Yoh rushed over to the wounded girl. Blood flowing from her head, shoulder, arm, waist, and heel, crimson surrounding the floor beneath her and the glass debris that stabbed her skin, that had pierced her flesh. He picked her up and looked around the room for a moment.

Large wooden fragments in the wall were stained with ruby paint and the marble counter splashed with the same color. Her over soul board laid a couple feet away all in pieces obviously demonstrating that she had tried to fight back or resist at who or what had attacked her.

Manta and Amidamaru rushed into the kitchen in response to Yoh's voice.

"Tamao? Is she…..?" Manta paused as he heard the panic-stricken whisperings of the young girl repeating over and over.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." Manta stared discouraged, and confused, left not knowing what to do.

"Tamao? Tamao, it's me, Yoh." He tried encouraging her lightly to 'wake up'.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." She replied again and again.

"Call up Faust." Yoh ordered.

"Yoh..…"

"Call him up! Now!" he repeated, with a harsh tone. Manta nodded reaching for the phone. "And..…call the police too." He announced. "We need to make sure it gets to the others as well."

And it was like that for a while. No one said anything. It was just all too confusing and no one knew what to do. There was no one they could find to blame. There were no suspects of who could have done this. And the attack was also completely random.

The police arrived at their residence within ten minutes and writing down what had occurred. Some news stations also sent some of their crew to write a story on what had happened.

Faust was able to cure most of Tamao's injuries impressively fast even though the damages done seemed to be so major. Tamao received some blood transfers since the blood she had left after being attacked could hardly support her for another day. Unfortunately, although Faust cured most of her damages, he wasn't able to bring back her sanity in the mean time.

"I'm sorry, Yoh. She has gone completely and mentally insane. I don't have a cure that could help treat someone who has gone psychologically off the mental scale. Yet..…" he sighed. "…..another person..…whom I failed to save."

Within those two days, Tamao couldn't eat, sleep, talk, or do anything. She repeated the same sentence over and over for the past forty-eight hours still in total terror. She refused to go outside or into her room or anywhere near the Ouija board for being afraid of being attacked again.

Yoh hopelessly couldn't think of what to do now that Anna was gone, he quickly sunk into depression. Manta began to also notice his absence in school as began to grow since the incident.

But within two days after it all happened, fortunately, Tamao recovered—barely though. She still refused to go to her room, Conchi was discovered the next day, battered up like she was on that Sunday afternoon. Her words fell into broken sentences, saying she was attacked from behind, and she avoided talking or getting near other people, even Yoh. The school agreed to allow her to stay home for a week to recover most of her sanity from the incident.

During that week, Yoh did not go to school at all and only stayed in his room, isolated from everyone else and refused to talk to anyone. Not even Manta. These were the two people that seemed to have been hit hardest by that incident.

After that week had gone by, Tamao began to recover much faster. Although her cheery self didn't return, her speech became stable as it was before that Sunday evening, and she got back on track with her daily routine. But she still refused to go back to her room afraid that the person may talk to her again or perhaps kill her this time.

"Yoh-sama?" Tamao knocked on the door. No reply. She sighed again holding the tray of food. "Yoh-sama?" she knocked again.

"What?" a low, cold reply came. Tamao looked down at the food and sighed.

'Yoh-sama's been like this since Anna-sama disappeared. And it's all my fault for not being strong enough…..'

"..…Nothing," Tamao turned around to walk back downstairs.

"Tamao?" the door opened behind her after she took a few steps down the hall. Startled, she turned around looking up at Yoh. "..…It'd be nice to have some food. I am kinda starving." He admitted.

"You're a mess," Tamao added.

"I know." He sat down. She blinked. "We can eat right here, if that's okay with you." She smiled and nodded.

"Okay….." she placed the food down on the ground as Yoh slowly ate his food. The two stayed silent for a while as Tamao watched Yoh mindlessly eating. He gulped down a few mouthful of rice and some meat before he set down the bowl and the chopsticks.

"Thanks Tamao." Yoh thanked. Tamao nodded.

"Are you sure..…you don't want anymore?" she asked.

"I don't know. Things…..have changed so much since then. I…..don't know what to say about it all..…but…..you did a good job. Don't blame yourself for what has been done already," Yoh embraced the young Shaman. Tamao blushed in surprise, her heart beating fast and felt the temperature in her rise. "It's alright….. to cry once in a while….." tears began to form in her eyes. Tamao couldn't hold back anymore and tugged against his shirt allowing the tears to flow freely. "…..because I'm sad too."

And it was quite obvious that dear Yoh was so upset over the issue. Just thinking about his words calmed me down a bit, but I still regret for not having turning around fast enough. Still, if I was only stronger, stronger like Anna, then none of this would have occurred.

I didn't bother to ask what Yoh had been doing in his room the entire time though. But when he came out to stop me, his eyes seemed so sad, and slightly red. Did he cry too? But Yoh…..he was never like this. No…..he'd always have a way to find and get her back.

And Manta wasn't happy either. I guess Yoh's absence to everyone had impacted them. Especially me. Of course, there was Horohoro and Ryu to drop by but Yoh refused to even look at them. He was really serious. Things these days have been so depressing, I don't understand at all.

No, I still haven't gone back to my room. I've been just sleeping in the guest room and I had to convince Manta to get my clothes to bring it over into the guest room so I didn't have to go in my own room at all. Yes, I was really that frightened of dying. Even then, and even now.

I don't know if the X-Laws know about this incident, but I'm pretty they had because of Lyserg. He's the only one who really has a connection with us that is at the same time from the X-Laws.

"Poor Tamao. It looks like the Asakura family had been neglecting your talents. Your predictions 90 of the time have been concisely accurate. People wouldn't rely on you if you were just…a beginner in using the Ouija board, correct? I'm also pretty sure seven years of hard work does not make you a trainee anymore. Am I right?"

It was probably would have never attacked before in my life…..because I'm always so scared to hurt as well…..

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The words were planted. She didn't know how they came into her head. She didn't hear a voice, only a blank mind putting its thoughts into her head.

"W..Why?" she trembled. The thoughts didn't answer back. Tamao again reached further daring the mind to mock her again.

"If you touch it, I will kill you." Her eyes widened in shock as she backed away from the Ouija board. "That's a good girl. I'll be watching you so you better not get anywhere near it…understood?"

"Who are you!" she demanded. Tears began to form in her eyes. The mind seemed to have laughed at her.

Someone who'd dare laugh at me. I know I can be weak, I know I can be fragile but..…who'd want to take advantage of me. Why am I so important? Why now? I don't care if I'm being used. This person knows me..…extremely well..…but I don't know anyone who knows me like that.

That person..…was so strong too. That person was so heartless. Did he/she care if I bled to death? I don't understand. There are too little answers, and I'm the only one who knows them but I don't know them.

But then…..! It makes sense. Someone who knew me so well, probably didn't communicate too much, but knew me enough. But then..…why would he/she do it then? And why me?

It doesn't matter now. Now that I have Ponchi back, I'm able to use them, try predicting without the Ouija board. Anna said I could do that, so..…does that person know I can do that slightly as well?

Manta suspects Asakura Hao for this. I almost agreed in some cases that he seemed to really deeply admire Anna more than just a simple admiration, but what does that have to do with me? Yes…he wanted my spirit before since it's one of those valued spirits that would make the Spirit of Fire much stronger but if it was him, why didn't he kill me then? It's that simple. He was so much stronger than I am if that was him who I fought against, and he could have taken my spirit away on the spot.

If that was really Hao Asakura, he didn't take it..…he spared me when he originally wanted it.

Could it probably have been Anna? Why and how could she have done such a thing then? That may have been the only way that Ponchi and Conchi would have been beaten up so badly. But she was taken so that wasn't possible.

The intruder came close to her, whispering in her ear so only she could hear.

"Like I said. I'll be watching you. And do NOT tell anyone of my appearance here." The enemy hissed. Tamao winced against the enemy's strong grip over her, although it was more of the wooden splinters that held her body up painfully against the wall.

"I don't know. Things…have changed so much since then. I…don't know what to say about it all…but…you did a good job. Don't blame yourself for what has been done already," Yoh embraced the young Shaman. Tamao blushed in surprise, her heart beating fast and felt the temperature in her rise. "It's alright… to cry once in a while…" tears began to form in her eyes. Tamao couldn't hold back anymore and tugged against his shirt allowing the tears to flow freely. "…because I'm sad too."

This feeling…..it sounds so familiar. And…..it's almost too hard to believe that someone like him would do that to me. It's almost too hard to believe. But it makes so much sense. But why? Nonethless, there is only one person who is responsible for all of this…..

Asakura Yoh.

A/N: WAAA! That took a long time! I somehow felt like I dragged out the story a bit. But I only wanted to give you ideas on who to point fingers to coz I'm not good at writing mystery stories and all coz I either my 'complex' stories are too easy to guess or they become to complicating that even I don't understand at all. I hope this would have been an improvement. Yeah, Tamao is going to confront Yoh.