Notes: I'm at the peak of my anger mountain because the evil channel repeated Mankin AGAIN and they repeated it at the VERY BEGINNING! Wish I could've watched it while it was on local, but I guess one can never turn back time. I was quite looking forward to the time Anna slapped Hao, but I guess that will go with my money now………since I won't have the liberty of watching TV during college, I have to buy the rest of the episodes, Ra-dammit. Anyway, I bought it already…bought it as a gift for myself x.x. Okay, rant mode off. I remembered the time after the third battle of the preliminary round where all the guys except Ren were asleep………Yoh looks simply adorable in that position, ne? .
Okay, note number two. Actually, the way I'm looking at the story overall (yes, my mind already had an ending, it just needs to sort out the middle parts ;P), the baby might look more like a ploy at the succeeding chapters. Might as well change that perspective in this chapter. Oh, and I raised up the rating a bit during the first chapter just to be on the safe side. (Or maybe of the fear of getting another warning from bot.ff)
P.S. To the readers, don't worry, naming a kid after a fruit is not my forte. .
Disclaimer: Take your time going back at the prologue.
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GIFT
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By: Mai
Chapter Two: Big Bang Theory
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Yoh fell down on his futon as though he had been weighed down by a large barbel. His trainings are quite tolerable, but sticks and weighs and swords don't have life unlike the little ball of energy now sleeping comfortably on a futon beside theirs. He would've been out like a dead lightbulb earlier had not Anna reminded him of his nightly duties, a.k.a. hygenic procedures.
When he lied on his back, that's when he realized that the occupant of the other side of the futon was missing. His eyes scanned the room, and finally found her staring out the window. Not finding the strength to even sit up, he just stayed there, silently watching the itako. Bathed with the light of the full moon, Anna's ethereal image would last for a lifetime in Yoh's mind. Memorizing every curve, every thing about her, Yoh found the ounce of strength he needed to stand up and walk toward her.
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The day had been quite memorable, as Anna had put it as she looked out of the window. Along with the unexpected arrival of the little one, she discovered that her fiancé has a soft spot for kids. Well, that would certainly make future arrangements easier to discuss.
Anna knew better than to think of that. With that on mind, it was near to impossible to avoid the topic of marriage life. Not that she was afraid of that. It was just that………being an itako makes it hard. Not only for her, but for Yoh as well. Anna may not know it at its extent, but she knew enough that Yoh had been trying so hard all these years to get to see her smile. Not only to smile, but he had endured everything she had dished out for him just for him to make her understand that he wasn't one to be moved by human hands. That he wouldn't leave her even though it would mean the bloodiest torture man has ever experienced.
But it was also difficult on her part too. She had been taught never to show her emotions to both people and spirits. She learned this the hard way, and somewhere in her training, she swore never to be swayed like that ever again. To face spirits means to hide up whatever arsenal they might use against you. But Yoh didn't need arsenal to bring her to her knees………all it took was him, his too-trusting attitude, and an antagonist that was Tokageroh.
But all in all, she knew that Yoh would be far from being henpecked. With all the illogical and life-threatening decisions he had made earlier in his life, he has learned much, and he knew making decisions like that would make her unhappy, and Yoh would never want her unhappy. But he also knew that he needed to voice out his wants, and not just to go along her orders all the time. That item alone proved that Yoh would be strong enough to stand up to the itako.
Her thoughts were disrupted when she felt two arms snake around her waist. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have allowed this, but remembering her position, she made no move to get away. Why move away when security and comfort rest on those arms?
Yoh pulled her close to him, and placed his chin on her shoulder, admiring the outside view as she was doing earlier. The fact that she could've slapped, kicked, maimed, chopped, diced, or eviscerated him when he did that fatally dangerous move didn't cross his mind as he enjoyed the warmth that was Kyouyama Anna.
Silence was still present as the couple stayed there, wrapped in their own trance, in a world completely different from the world the baby is in, and with the warmth of the other placing them both in a state of comfort and assurance that even if the world would turn against them – which is quite unlikely, with Yoh's position – they would still have each other.
Yoh's eyes left the view of their yard and went to look at the face of his fiancée. His eyes crinkled and his lips curved into a smile when her gaze met his. They were like that for a while before going back to enjoying the view of their yard.
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Anna knew that the next day was too good to be true. She woke up in the arms of one Yoh Asakura, who was still in a deep slumber. The baby, who just woke up after she did started to crawl towards them, with every intention of waking the both of them. She slowly slides off of Yoh's arms, and goes to the baby, who is wreathed in all smiles. How this baby could smile so much in one day is beyond her. But the what the heck, it's better than the kid crying now, isn't it?
She lifted the little one on her arms, once again reminded that they hadn't decided a name for this one yet. She remembered what happened yesterday, when Yoh wanted to name the baby after his favorite fruit. Instead of slapping him for that absurdity, she just raised an eyebrow and took the kid away from him in case he gets any more silly ideas, like do a throw and catch with him.
The baby looked at her with large inquisitive eyes as she stared in return. 'Now what?' was on her mind as the baby struggled to slide down her arms. She realized in horror what the baby wants as he snuggled to her chest as she cradled him.
'Crud. There's no way I'll be able to give him -that-.'
She adjusted his position as she went out to the kitchen, still in her sleeping robe. No one at this time would be crazy enough to come, with the exception of several people, (namely Manta and HoroHoro, both of which not in the proper time to visit, since Manta has cram school and HoroHoro was back at the northern province) so she knew that the little secret of this one won't be leaving the house for a while. She placed him in the makeshift crib – which she placed in the kitchen along with the baby on one arm with ease – and went at it with the pots. When the necessary utensils are in place, she stopped. She looked around and sighed.
'I'm not supposed to feed infants with hard solid foods.'
She paused for a while, before an idea finally popped in. She went to the fridge, and took out several vegetables and fruits. She proceeded in chopping the former, boiling the water, and peeling the fruits, either by the knife, or by her hands. When the water started to boil, she dropped the chopped vegetables, and prepared another pot with a small amount of water. She opened the sack of potatoes Yoh bought two days ago, and took out several potatoes before placing them in the pot. She returned to the vegetable soup, added seasoning, and placed the lid over the pot to cook. When everything is finished – at last – she placed the soup in a big bowl, the potatoes in another, and the mashed fruits in another bowl before taking all three bowls in a table beside the makeshift crib. Taking a spoon from the drawer, she dipped it into the fruit bowl.
"I certainly hope you like fruit salad." She said in a voice not lower than a whisper, as she took some of the fruits and spoonfed it to the baby. The baby just looked at it before opening his mouth and ate it with great gusto. "Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
She continued to feed the little one when Yoh entered the kitchen, with the largest grin on his face. She just raised an eyebrow as he walked towards them.
"Good morning Anna!" he chirped (!) as he stopped to inspect the kitchen, or whatever is in there anyway. He then looked at the baby, who was still eating the mashed fruit salad. The little one took the time to look at him.
"Papa!" he greeted out, reaching his arms to the shaman. Yoh only chuckled, and was about to reach out as well when he saw the murderous look on Anna's face. 'Guess now's not the time to play….ehehe.' He opted to pat the baby's head instead.
"Morning, squirt." He grinned, earning a babyish chuckle from the little one. "We're gonna play later, okay? But Anna has to feed you first, okay?"
"Play!"
Yoh laughed, and went to the counter, as Anna went back to feeding the baby. He surveyed the things Anna made and went for the vegetables. The itako watched him as he gobbled the entire thing up before she went back to the feeding. The way Yoh ate that food, he's no more than the baby.
No sooner the baby finished his food when they heard a knock on the front door. Anna and Yoh looked at each other, unexplainable emotion running through their veins as the baby gurgled his own saliva. It's time to face the firing squad.
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It was rather unusual for one like Horohoro Usui to knock on someone's door, especially when that someone's door was Yoh Asakura's. But the Ainu felt the need to knock on the door, rather than surprising them like the usual. He just didn't know why.
One might wonder why a northlander like him would come and visit one of his best buddies in this time with his sister. But honestly speaking, both Horohoro and Pirika didn't know why. They just had the feeling that they should visit the two, since it has been quite a while, and the two might need more company other than themselves. Or maybe that reason alone suffices.
"Maybe they're still asleep, oniichan." Pirika pouted as Horohoro knocked on the door for the nth time. They had taken the time to try visit their friends, but the thing is, the timing was bad. Ryu wasn't around – still probably looking for his Best Place, even though he mentioned during the second round of the tournament that his Best Place would be when Yoh becomes Shaman King – and Chocolove returned to New York for a while, to use his ability to humor (no one except Pirika and Tamao) there like what his mentor did. The Tao's, namely, Jun and Ren, went back to the Tao mountains to assume responsibility of the Tao family, and to walk towards Izumo just to visit Tamao would be suicide.
"Nah. I for one know that someone like Anna wouldn't wake up late." Horohoro replied, rather familiar with the regular habits of the itako. "Or unless she and Yoh were really that busy overnight that she decided to skip waking early today."
Pirika was about to give her brother a piece of her mind when she was abruptly interrupted by a flying sandal. The wonderful piece of footwear flew straight to Horohoro's face, sending him down on his back immediately.
She then blinked.
A flying sandal………?
Then that means………
She turned around, and there she realized that the door has long been opened, and it revealed Anna in her yukata. The annoyed look on the itako's face was enough to send the strongest of warriors begging for mercy. Pirika then gave her warmest smiles before anything drastic – rather, sad – happens to her dear brother.
"Good morning Anna! We just decided to visit you guys for a while." She said, somewhat rescuing Horohoro from whatever fate Anna would dish out for him. "But it seems we were at the wrong time?"
"No, it's alright." Anna replied, the thoughts of breaking the male Ainu's face for giving out such a ridiculous comment dissapating from her mind. "We're not busy at the moment, if that's what you're thinking."
"Ahh, it's not like that!" Horohoro tried to defend, one sandal on his hand, but instantly met the other sandal on his face and lied back down. Anna merely raised an eyebrow and turned on her heel.
"Come on in. I bet you haven't really tried our new hot spring bath." The itako welcomed, a small smile on her face as she left the door opened for Horohoro and Pirika and went back to the kitchen to where Yoh is.
Or where he was.
The three stopped at the doorway as Yoh greeted them. They were about to greet back when Horohoro and Pirika finally notice the little ball of hyperactive energy clinging to Yoh. It was enough to make them stop in their tracks.
Anna and Yoh looked at each other, and sighed. These two needed an explanation, and quick, before………
"Wow. Aren't you the fast ones." Horohoro remarked.
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Notes: Yep, I went completely insane. I just finished watching all 64 eps of Shaman King, and I realized a few things… I wan't really consistent of the said story…Hmm, that's why I'll rewrite this whole thing. Damn me. Anyway, for the points.
Point one. About the Tokageroh bit. Try scanning your archives for episode eleven of SK. I was about to add that bit where Hao took in Yoh's soul, but I'm tired. Imagine me trying to finish this story early morning when I just finished watching the entire series five hours ago.
Point two. My mom told me that babies could be fed with soft food during six months. Well, I can't doubt her, after all, she –did– raise me up.
Okay. No one guessed it. And I can't afford to spoil the plot. But I'll ask you guys this. Why did the baby call Anna his mom and Yoh his dad? Keep that in mind, and you might guess what happened.
Thank you for reading!
P.S.: I've never seen Hao looking so insane when I watched the last eps.
Quote of the month: "I'm not throwing away my anger. I'm redirecting it." – Ren Tao (Shaman King)