Disclaimer: I own nothing! I just own that stupid Taki and the plot of this story… I also own those typographical errors you see in this story… sorry about that.
By the way Choco's joke about the volcano in the last chapter was my classmate's joke so I don't own that joke too… poor me…
Well on to the story…
The end is very near…
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Chapter 8
Pirika woke up very early though today is a Saturday. As soon as she got a yes from her mother to go to the onsen she hurried to fix some snacks at once. She baked a very scrumptious chocolate cake meant for Horo and a pie for Ren… she also packed some fruits in her snack and some sandwiches for the rest.
"I'm ready mother." Pirika told Mrs. Honda.
"Be careful Pirika and come back early. Ok?"
"Don't worry I will. Bye." Pirika said.
After she kissed her mother on the cheeks she started to run off towards the onsen.
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It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the clouds were all white and the sky was blue… Horohoro's directions were very easy to follow and so Pirika got there in no time at all.
"Hello! Is anybody home?" Pirika shouted in the man gate.
"Pirika? Why are you here?" a voice very familiar to her said.
Pirika looked around but there was no one there, then she remembered something and so she looked down… there she saw Manta smiling happily at her.
"Hello Manta. I am just visiting. I hope I don't disturb you or anything." She politely asked.
"No… we're very happy to see you. I believe you haven't met Anna and Tamao. Come I'll show them to you." Manta invited.
The midget then started to walk as Pirika follows him from behind.
"Anna?" Pirika muttered remembering all the things that Horohoro said about her.
They entered the house as Manta let her sit for a while.
"Want me to get you anything?" Manta asked.
"No… but thanks." Pirika said smiling.
"I'll just call Anna and the rest for them to know that you're here." Manta assured and with that he left.
As soon as he left the room he saw Anna just waiting on the other side.
"So she's here." Anna assumed as Manta seemed looked frightened as well as surprised.
"I'll just call Horohoro and the rest." Manta said as he skipped away happily like little bunny.
Anna just stared coldly at the midget going away. She then looked straight again and opened the door… the only barrier between her and Pirika.
As soon as she entered Pirika jumped to her feet at once. Anna just stared stiffly again, raising one brow. Pirika then slowly bowed.
"Good morning. My name is Pirika Honda." Pirika said and after that she straightened again showing Anna a smile.
"You may sit down." Anna said as Pirika sat down again.
Anna sat down before her too. She studied every inch of the Ainu girl as she looks at her carefully. Pirika on the other hand was just freaked out.
'Nothing seemed to change.' Anna thought.
"You must be Anna. Horohoro and the rest told so many things about you."
"I bet none is good."
"Oh no! Yoh seemed to praise you always. He said that you're very strong… and very admirable."
"He… did?" Anna said somehow blushing. Pirika smiled.
"Oh. Well he should or else I'll punish him." Anna snapped at once when she realized that she lost focus.
"Well tell me things about you Pirika. I heard you're a very rich girl."
"Well my parents are not me… but someday I will be their heir… though I don't know if I could handle that much responsibility… I mean it's a huge company and I'm just a little girl."
'Her self-esteem seems to decrease… she once wanted to fill the whole world with a bunch of plants and now a small company… she can't handle?' Anna noticed taking notes in her head.
Ana wanted to say something to her but as soon as she heard the loud footsteps raging there she preferred to shut up.
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"Hold on Horohoro. You just saw her… why hurry?" Ren muttered, being in a bad mood again.
"Oh Ren he's just excited." Yoh said smiling at him.
Ren just mumbled again on his own still blushing a bit.
"Pirika! Is that really you!" Horohoro shouted sliding on the newly polished floor.
Horohoro can't believe his eyes, he saw Pirika sitting in front of Anna and smiling at him. It was like a dream.
"Hello Horohoro." Pirika greeted when Horohoro came in.
"Hello Pirika glad you could make it here." Yoh said when he finally went in too.
"Horohoro's directions were very easy to follow. I didn't get lost." Pirika explained cheerfully.
"Well good thing he did something right this time." Ren muttered almost hiding his presence in the room.
As soon as Pirika heard his voice she looked at him at once.
"I thought I won't see you here… but I'm glad you're here too… hi Ren." Pirika smiled.
"What's in there?" Horohoro asked, his nose sniffing the basket Pirika brought.
"I brought a cake, a pie, some sandwiches and fruits. " Pirika said taking her basket and opening the lid, letting the mouth watery smell of the goods she have fill the air.
"Yummy!" Horohoro said not even taking his eyes off the cake.
Manta finally come back with Faust with him Tamao went there too with a tray of tea with her.
"Have some tea Pirika." Tamao offered.
Pirika blinked… she still don't know who she was.
"You are?" Pirika asked.
"My name is Tamao Tamamura. Glad to meet you." Tamao said while bowing.
"Me to." Pirika bowed as well.
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Everyone ate the things that Pirika brought while Anna kept some of the fruits in the refrigerator for later. Pirika was so happy to see Horohoro once again as well as the others. Yoh then showed Pirika around the onsen… a tour that she enjoyed a lot.
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Meanwhile…
"I can't believe you invited her here?" Anna asked Horohoro when Yoh had taken the girl for a tour.
"Well she insisted."
"Dummy." Anna muttered.
"Hey why do you always like to insult me?" Horohoro shouted clenching his fist. Tamao was there to stop him.
"I'm just telling you the truth. You said you wanted Pirika to have a normal life and now she's here again? Isn't that contradicting to what you planned before… to get out of her life?" Anna said strongly as her eyes are blank of emotions.
"But… but…"
"But what? You're too scared to lose her… and yet you gave her away. If you really wanted her to have a normal life then you should've not let her meet you. You're really stupid." Anna said coldly as Horohoro started to look distressed.
"But what should I do?" Horo asked hoping Anna would give him a good advice.
"I don't know what's your problem but while she's here better give her a good memory about us… but swear that this would be the last."
"Okay."
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After Pirika's tour they all head back to the room where they came before. Pirika and Manta started to play chess in the balcony; Horohoro was watching them while still eating the cake Pirika baked. Yoh was sleeping beside them while Anna was gone, probably watching TV again. Ren though was just outside training on his kwan dao.
While waiting for Manta to make his next move Pirika can't help to look at Ren. He was sweating all over, which was complementing his muscular body as it flexes with each strike. Pirika blushed staring at him while not even noticing that her mouth was slowly opening… she may not notice it but Horohoro did… making his brow arch bringing him into a thought.
"Pirika?" Manta called as Pirika suddenly snapped.
"Oh… my turn." Pirika said as she stared at the chessboard.
While Pirika was thinking Horohoro suddenly decided to train too, thinking that she was impressed by what Ren was doing.
'I don't want a pointy-haired-shorty outstand me in the eyes of my sister.' He thought and with that he suddenly stood up.
He then stepped outside and suddenly started doing some sort of fighting styles.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ren asked seeing that Horohoro was disturbing him in his daily training routine.
"Nothing… just training." Horo said while winking.
"Horo-kun!" A feminine voice suddenly shouted from inside. Pirika turned to her at once.
"Tamao?" she muttered seeing Tamao get a towel and head outside at once.
She went to Horohoro looking all so worried.
"It's very hot you'll sweat a lot. Look you're already sweaty." Tamao said wiping the sweat from Horo's brows.
"Sorry… I forgot that my body is used to severe cold temperatures and not to the heat of the sun." Horohoro said smiling and rubbing his head.
Tamao was just pouting.
"Oh… don't get angry. I forgot. Sorry." Horohoro joked.
"If you two don't mind… you're disturbing my training." Ren reminded the two looking irritated and about to slash Horo with his weapon.
"Okay. Hey Tamao… want to eat some peaches… you should try some." Horo invited just so that Tamao would forgive him.
"Okay. But don't forget this next time."
"I will, I will." Horo said as he pushed Tamao inside.
Upon seeing that Pirika turned furious!
"Manta, tell me are Tamao and Horohoro… um… dating?" Pirika asked while still not moving a piece in the chessboard.
"I'm not sure but I think… yes… I think because they often look so sweet together. They share that look which I see in soap operas about romance but why are you so curious?"
"Oh nothing at all." Pirika said, then moving her horse and smiling at Manta.
"Check." Pirika said and with that Manta looked at the chessboard and saw that he was beaten.
"I surrender. You weren't a good chess player before." Manta said sadly.
"Before? This is the first time we played chess?" Pirika said, confused.
"Oh… I meant… oh just don't notice me." Manta said almost slipping his tongue.
Pirika then stood up making Manta a little bit nervous.
"Where are you going?"
"Just going to get water." Pirika answered and with that she left.
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When Pirika went to the kitchen she stopped when she heard Horo's voice.
"Thanks Tamao." He said as Pirika slowly sneaked to peek.
Horohoro was sitting just opposite Tamao. They were eating the cake Pirika baked… well that was fine with the blue-haired girl but the only problem is the fact that they were eating on just one spoon.
"Hey Tam there's some icing on your lips." Horo said pointing at it.
Tamao blushed and tried to wipe it but she wiped the wrong side.
Horo chuckled getting a table napkin from the countertop.
"Here let me get it." Horo insisted wiping the chocolate icing on Tamao's lips.
Because of that both blushed furiously.
"Tamao…" Horo muttered, his eyes expressing a lot of things but doesn't know where exactly to start.
"Horohoro… are you going to say something?"
"Shh." Horo hushed putting his finger between her lips.
"I wanted to say this from the very first time I met you… I think I was just… scared to what your reaction may be." Horo started staring at Tamao sincerely.
"Why then are you saying this? Now?"
"Because… after the tragedy between… you know… me and my sister I thought that I was alone but because of you… what I'm saying is I never felt that I'm alone because of you. You're always there for me… I guess to summarize all this… I just want you to know that…"
Pirika then closed her eyes, feeling her heart crush into a thousand pieces…
'My destiny has found his destiny.' Pirika thought, her eyes overflowing with tears.
"I just want you to know. Tamao Tamamura… I…love… you."
Upon hearing that Pirika just wanted to leave…her heart was broken… badly.
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Pirika did go outside… in a place that she knew no one would think to look for her –the rooftop.
She just kept on crying as the full moon shone above her. The night wind was breezy and cold. Pirika could hear Horo's voice shouting and looking for her… it has been a while since she was not seen in the house.
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"Maybe she went home." Yoh said.
"She will not go home without saying goodbye to me." Horo insisted and he kept on looking for her.
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"Why would I ask for your permission before leaving… you're not my brother. Maybe (sniff, sniff) you just treat me like this because… (sniff) you remember your dead sister in me. (Sniff) I hate you." Pirika muttered and then cried again.
"I thought you were my destiny… how could you do this to me… just when I thought that you love me too. Like I love you."
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Poor girl… who can heal her broken heart now? Where's Ren when you need him? What will happen next?
Find out soon enough in the next chapter…
n.n
Well a little bit HoroXTamao there… hope you like this one and please review… thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and again thank you… look out for the next chapter… it'll be pure RenxPiri.