Thank you so much for the reviews-it's the most I've gotten at a single time! They made my days so much brighter. (Blows kisses to all of you) I only hope that the story continues to be worth such praise.

"What are we going to do!" Horohoro finally broke the stunned silence.

"What are WE gonna do? What are THEY going to do! DO YOU KNOW HOW OLD THEY ARE!" Manta started flipping out, pulling at chunks of his hair. He acted almost as if he had just received this news about himself.

"Uh, wait a minute," HoroHoro cocked his head as if he was trying to remember some information hidden in the back of his mind, "Yoh's birthday is the 2nd of May so he's-"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Gaping Manta cut him off, but HoroHoro never had a chance to respond; a rather annoyed Anna appeared in their midst.

"I suppose you think it's funny yelling in my house after you know I have a migraine," she said in such a way that, if this were under normal circumstances, Manta and Horohoro should be expecting something along the intensity of 'Inn Hostess Punch'. However, this circumstance was not normal; she was prevented by an unusual kindness instead of coming upon the usual frightened ere.

"I'm sorry," Manta started, "I'll shut up! But shouldn't you be, er, resting? We'll, er, take care of everything."

"Yeah," a gleam appeared in the spiky-haired teen's eyes, "yeah, I'll take care of everything! After all, it'll be hard for Yoh in trying to be Shaman King from now on." Horohoro, oblivious to the cold stare he was receiving, had decided to take it upon himself to make sure everything worked out all right. After all, what else could he do for a friend, especially if that included Yoh.

"What is going to stop Yoh from being Shaman King?" Although Horohoro had not used any of his powers, the room had gone very, very cold.

"No! It's not like that, not like you think!" Shorty had said this in about one breath, afraid that they would be goners if she suspected they were going to endanger her dreams. Now he gulped and said in explanation, "We know."

"Know what?

"We know that you…you know…" This time HoroHoro had attempted to answer. From the bitter silence that ensued, the two boys figured that she still didn't understand them. Struggling to find a way to explain, Manta looked up at her.

"We know about…your…condition." The last word was said in a hushed voice, as if in utterance of a forbidden word. In an effort to prove the point that they wished to be helpful, HoroHoro grabbed and filled a glass with water, and after finding that there was no ice to put into it, handed it to Anna.

"Here's some ice water, minus ice 'cuz your fridge's broken-but I can fix th-" He didn't have enough time to even finish the thought. One moment his hand was over the glass of water, the next he found himself bruised on the doorstep… His pain didn't cease as Manta was thrown head first into his own head with a resounding smack. Standing at the door she looked dispassionately down at them.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. But if I find you're doing something against Yoh…" She let this hang dangerously for their imaginations. As she turned and slammed the door, both boys thought they heard her muttering about 'lazy-ass never paying the bills' but then there was silence from within.

"Hey! What was that for!" Horohoro angrily banged on the door, yelling at the still house.

"That…that's not the point…" Manta had obviously picked up on something the other hadn't. "Didn't you hear Anna? She had no clue what we were talking about…"

"So? What's the problem?"

"SHE DOESN"T KNOW THAT SHE IS…you know… And…you know what that means, don't you?"

"YEAH," HoroHoro shouted indignantly, "YOH HASN'T TOLD HER YET!" Opening and closing his mouth, as if that answer had momentarily muted him, Manta just gawked at the other teen.

"I…I don't think either of them know yet." The pint-sized kid had decided not to take the time to correct the answer he had been given. "So," he paused for just enough time to gulp, "that means we'll have to…to tell them." Expecting to find the usual bouncing-off-the-walls attitude, Manta was surprised to see the other boy huddled in a fetal position on the ground.

"How can I tell them…what if they ask a question or something," Horohoro was muttering to himself hopelessly, "They already, are having ahhh, well yeah…and I've never even kissed someone. I'm SO INFERIOR!" Kororo appeared and comforted him, clinging to his arm. Taking strength from this Horohoro jumped up, "You're right, Kororo! I'll tell Anna right no-"

"NO! What if she murders you or something? Besides, do you think that she'd even believe us?"

"What are we gonna do then?"

"Well…if we can get a doctor to look at her somehow and tell her…"

"I know the perfect doctor! I'm on it!" With that, HoroHoro ran off, Kororo clinging tight to his shoulder. Blinking, Manta walked off in search of the illusive Yoh, wondering how his friend would take the news.

I apologize for the lousy chapter, however I did not want to leave the story hanging for so long. You see, I will be gone until next week, so don't expect any updates until then.

P.S. Who's to say Anna was the one taken advantage of... (Wink)

Oh, and it's been officially tested...the blue button does work.