Chapter 1 – Never Again

A scream filled the night air and all Anna could feel was the sheering pain that tore through her very soul. There was no way to stop it, there had never been. It was almost too much for her and she just wanted to die yet somehow she always pulled through it all, but not without the cost of the Oni running rampage and destroying everything around them. She just wanted the pain to stop and then all she could feel was fear.

"Anna!" Anna felt herself being shaken and it only caused the pain to increase.

'Go away!' She cried out to it and tried to purge the overwhelming feelings away, but it wasn't enough. 'Stop it!' She cried at the Oni, but it didn't stop and continued to destroy everything.

"Anna!" She was filled with worry then and realized that someone was calling her name.

'Who's there?' She couldn't see anyone, but the Oni before her as it wrecked havoc.

"Anna, wake up!" Anna opened her eyes to see that Yoh was too close with his hands on her shoulders. She slapped him hard across the face. He released his hold on her as he jerked back.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed out and pulled the covers tighter against her as Yoh continued to stare at her with a worried expression on his face and a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Anna…" It took a moment for Anna's cold, dull eyes to adjust to the darkness in the room. She fully woke up and realized what she had just done. Not too far behind Yoh stood Faust and his wife in the doorway. They were all looking at her. Yoh noticed the change in Anna's eyes and knew that she was coming around now. "Anna, you were having a nightmare."

"Get out."

"Eh?"

"I said to leave me alone Yoh." Yoh slowly nodded and moved toward the door. Faust and his wife backed out of the doorway, into the hallway. Yoh paused at the door.

"When you're ready to talk, I'm here to listen." And with that Yoh closed the door behind him with a soft click.

Faust and his wife were exchanging glances in the hallway. Yoh smiled his trademark Asakura smile at the couple. "Don't worry, she'll be fine." They all returned to their rooms and Yoh found himself seated at his windowsill. The stars were burning bright in the night sky and Yoh remembered a time like this, where he had found himself gazing up at the stars. It had happened several years back, but Yoh remembered it all as if had happened yesterday.

Yoh was carrying Anna on his back. "Are you alright now, Anna?" Anna wanted to reply, but the words wouldn't come out so she merely nodded. Yoh grinned and continued to talk. "It's a bit cold out tonight." Small bursts of fog were coming out of Yoh's mouth as he spoke. "I'm sorry that I have nothing better to cover you with other than my jacket. We kind of were in a hurry." A soft murmur from Anna was her reply and Yoh slightly nodded. "It sure is nice out tonight." Yoh paused and peered up at the sky. "The stars that is."

Anna was barely able to lift her head, but somehow she found the strength to life her head long enough to gaze up at the night sky. It was filled with bright yellow stars that shone brightly. She had never realized it before that the sky at night could be so beautiful. She lowered her head back down onto Yoh's shoulder. She couldn't hang on anymore and felt herself slip into unconsciousness.

"Anna?" Yoh glanced over his shoulder to see her asleep. "Don't worry, I'll get you home." Yoh began to walk again toward the direction of the Asakura household. Anna could barely make out the word as it echoed in her mind. The sound of his voice… 'Home.'

Anna pulled the covers off from her futon and sat down with her legs under her. If only it had been Yoh in her room. Maybe she would have talked to him or maybe not. The dreams were coming back and she realized that this wasn't a good sign. She was unsure of if she should bring it up to Yoh or not. She wanted to try to deal with this on her own. Yoh had done so much for in the past when it had happened before. She was no longer the weak girl that she was before. She was an all powerful Itako. Anna the Itako. She would deal with this on her own.

She grabbed a hold of the beads that lay beside her futon and began to silently chant. Her lips moved yet no words came out. She would deal with things her own way and prove this time that she was no longer weak. That it would not consume her anymore. It held no control over her. She was the future wife of Asakura Yoh, the Shaman King. She wanted to show everyone even Yoh that nothing would ever drive her life the way it had in the past. She wanted Yoh to know that she was worthy to become an Asakura and his wife.

"Never again…" She whispered as she entered a trance.

Yoh felt it. The faint aura as his pupils dilated as he turned to look toward the door. 'Anna.'