Author's Notes: -Ouch- I'm a week behind in my updating. I'm really sorry. I've just been insanely busy and the craziness isn't going to be letting up anytime soon. But I will attempt to update every week, if I can. Enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King, but I do claim rights to my own character and story plot. Yep yep yep, that I do.
Chapter 5: Green Garnet, Red Jasper, Tree Agate
'We better find more information on these Yume Stones soon. I want to beat Akumu and get the hell out of here. I'm sick and tired of this world, already. I have to be careful of what I say inside because not everyone has there stone yet, and that stupid, evil, woman...' Anna thought as shetwitched subconciously.
'...That woman...what did she do to Yoh? Why is he so void? He's nothing like how the others were. Is he under a different spell? But what spell could make him like that?...Akumu...when I get my hands on her....' Anna's eyes became stormy; reflecting the weather outside.
It had been raining and thundering all day. The wind was blowing fiercely, rattling the windows, and the lightening strikes never seemed to stop, even for a moment. The weather reflected Anna's mood, as she stood at a window in Pirika's room, staring outside.
"Anna? Are you alright?"
Anna closed her eyes and sighed softly. Then she opened them again and turned around. "I'm fine Jun. Just looking at the weather."
"It's a pretty bad storm, isn't it? And it shows no signs of letting up anytime soon, either. I feel bad for anyone caught up in it. No one should be outside on a day like this."
Anna looked about the room, and noticed for the first time that they were the only two there.
She blinked.
"Jun? Where did everyone go?"
"Jeanne came and got Hime-sama a few minutes ago, and Tamao left just after her. She said that she needed to go light candles around the castle and complete a few other chores."
"I see. So we're done for now?"
"Yes. However, I have a favor to ask of you, Anna."
Anna looked at Jun in slight suprise, she'd never requested anything from Anna before.
"Could you accompany me down to the dungeons? I would normally go by myself, but the weather has made me a bit nervous, and I would really appreciate the company."
"I don't have anything else planned," Anna responded.
"Thank you so much, Anna," Jun replied gratefully as she and Anna walked out of the room.
The two walked in silence until they reached the entrance door to the dungeons.
Jun produced a candle and match from her apron pocket. When she hadthe candlelit, she pulled open the door. A blast of cool air hit them full in the face as they decended the stairs together; Jun leading the way.
"It's colder than usual down here. It must be because of the storm,"Jun stated.
"I take it you come down here often?" Anna half-questioned.
"Hai, everyday."
"Why on earth would you do that?"
Jun stopped walking and looked at Anna with such a look of sorrow that Anna's heart nearly missed a beat. She recognized the look as one that she had been frequently wearing when she was alone. It was a look of loss.
"Anna, can I be honest with you?"
Anna nodded her head in response.
Shadows and light chased each other in a game of tag across their faces, as a slight breeze made the candle light flicker. The unceasing game seemed to magnify Jun's words as she spoke.
"Remember yesterday morning when I was talking to you about Ren? Well, I visit him whenever I can. He's so lonely down here by himself. It's always so dreary and cold in here...He's told me quite a bit about himself. He has an older sister somewhere. He says that they are unable to be together as of right now, but he won't say why. Ren acts like he doesn't care much, but I can see in his eyes how much he must truly miss her.
"I'm trying to give him all the support I can, but my presence seems to bring him more pain than comfort. Especially when her talks about her. Perhaps I resemble her in some way..." Jun closed her eyes and shook her head from side-to-side. "I wish I were his sister, maybe then he wouldn't look so forlorn."
She sighed and opened her eyes. "But that could never happen...And it's not only his sister he longs for, but for Hime-sama too. However, Ojou-sama would never allow that to happen. She's been very firm on that point before...If only his pain could be lessened someway..."
Jun trailed off. She sighed again, then turned around and continued to descend into the cold darkness.
Anna followed behind, lost in her own thoughts. Her pace slowed down until she came to a stop. She didn't notice; nor did she notice that the candlelight continued on down the stairs and disappeared around a bend.
Anna abruptly returned to reality when she realized that her stone was glowing. It's soft violet light seemed to grow in the dark. She pulled it out of her dress, mesmerized by it's light, when she realized that there was more light shining from around the bend. Anna clutched her stone in her hands, held it against her chest and ran silently toward the source.
She burst through an open doorway and arrived in time to hear Jun whisper, "Green Garnet," before she enclosed her hand over a pale green stone, shaped like a crystal on a thin silver chain.
Anna watched from the doorway in silence, as another light was added to the darkness when Ren pulled out his stone from beneath his shirt and say "Red Jasper", a smile lighting up his face.
A red and pale green light illuminated the stone walls as tears fell freely from Jun's face. She ran over to Ren and embraced him in a hug; she had never been so happy that he was her younger brother and she, his older sister.
Anna slid silently from her spot in the doorway and ascended the stairs alone, in the darkness. The chillness of the air seemed to embrace her as she felt her heart begin to grow as cold as the air surrounding her. Violet light lit her way and reflected her dark eyes and their glassy surface. 'They need time to catch up...'
-----Later That Night-----
"Jun! I'm so happy for you!" came Tamao's voice as the door to Pirika's room opened and Jun walked in.
Anna turned away from the window to watch Tamao throw her arms around Jun in a hug.
"Thank you Tamao," Jun replied happily. "I'm very glad as well." Then she looked at Anna and said, "And thank you, Miss Anna."
Anna raised an eyebrow in questioning.
"For giving Ren and I a chance to talk. He noticed your arrival and saw you leave as well."
"I didn't do anything. It was getting too cold down there for my liking, that's all," Anna replied as she turned around to face the window again.
Tamao and Jun exchanged knowing glances, as the door opened again to reveal Pirika, finished with her training for the day.
"Finally!" Pirika exclaimed with exhaustion in her voice. "From the way she trains me you'd think that I had just started learning everything yesterday instead of knowingall thispractically from birth. Jeez!"
Tamao looked away, as Jun's face fell.
Pirika looked at the two. "What's going on? Why do you two look so sad?"
Jun answered. "Well, you see, Hime-sama, I just heard from my younger brother and it was rather upsetting news."
"You have a younger brother? I didn't know that; you never mentioned him before. What happened?"
Jun lookedat Tamao, who looked to Anna, who nodded discreetly.
Jun looked back at Pirika. "Are you sure you want to hear it, Hime-sama? The story is quite sad."
Pirika nodded hesitantly, when she saw the sorrow in Jun's eyes. Then she sat on her bed and waited eagerly for Jun to begin.
Tamao walked over to Anna, who hadn't moved an inch from her spot at the window.
Anna was gazing out at the storm outside again, while rain lashed against the window and lightening lit up the sky brilliantly. Without removing her gaze from it,she murmured to Tamao, "Bring him."
Tamao looked at Anna in suprise. Anna studdied the storm critically. "Bring Ren here; trust me."
Tamao obliged silently and left the room, closing the door with a quiet -click- behind her.
Anna's gaze now shifted to the window itself, as she focused on the two girls in the window's reflection. 'I just have a feeling...'
She listened to the thunder mix with Jun's story about her brother and the girl he liked, and how fate seemed to be preventing the two of them from being together. Anna watched Pirika's reactions of shock upon hearing how his girlfriendhad completely forgotten about him and their relationship.
By the time Jun had finished, Pirika was nearly in tears and Jun was right along with her.
When Jun stopped, Pirika spoke up, "That's such a sad story! Your poor brother."
"Yes, he's been through quite a bit lately, and I'm worried about the two of them."
Pirika suddenly smiled and replied confidently, "They will get back together! I know it! Don't worry, nothing can get in the way of true love."
She sounded so sure, that Jun smiled herself. She wiped away her tears and said, "You're right, Hime-sama. Thank you."
Pirika smiled brightly as the door opened and two figures walked in.
"Ren!" Pirika exclaimed, startled, as Ren and Tamao walked in and shut the door. At the same time a brilliant green light burst from Pirika's chest.
Anna turned around to watch the glowing light slowly fade away, leaving behind a green and white speckled stone, shaped like a crystal, on a long thin silver chain.
Pirika looked at it in wonderment as she closed her hand around her Yume stone, and whispered breathlessly, "Tree Agate."
'Thought so,' Anna thought to herself.
The minute Pirika touched her stone and her memories returned, she burst into tears.
Anna watched from the window as the young girl ran into Ren's embrace and cried her heart out. Pirika apologized over and over for not remembering anyone, no matter how hard they tried to convince her that it wasn't her fault. The couple shared a soft kiss, as Jun wiped tears from her eyes and Tamao ran out of the room to find Horohoro.
Anna felt the ache in her heart increase as she watched the happy reunion. 'It seems like everyone is being reunited with their loved ones...Everyone but me...' She continued to watch from across the room in silent pain, when Hororhoro was also reunited with his sister, until Pirika was called down to dinner.
Pirika was given strict orders to hide her stone and act normal, especially around Akumu. After she left, everyone else in the room decided to head down to the kitchen to help Chocolove serve dinner and then eat themselves. Anna declined, claiming that she wasn't hungry, and then climbed the back stairways to her room.
Once inside, she lit a small candle and placed it on her table. She sat on the edge of her bed and glared at the tiny flame.
'Why does everyone else get to be happy? Why can't I be selfish for once and get my heart's desire? For everyone else it's so simple. If what I am thinking about Akumu's memory spell is true, then releasing everyone else from her grip should be easy. But what about Yoh? What the hell did she do to him?'
Anna walked over to her window to glare at the storm outside. Her hands balled into fists and they began to shake slightly from anger.
'What does she want from us? Why is she tormenting us? What's her game? She's just toying with us; waiting for her next move. She's not stupid. Akumu knows when the others recieve their Yume stones, just as we do. I saw the black crystal-shaped stone hanging from her neck. What's she waiting for? What is she going to do next?'
Suddenly Anna's door flung open and a pale, stricken Tamao raced breathlessly inside.
"Miss Anna! It's Pirika! Akumu she--and now Pirika's--oh! It's horrid! We don't know what to do!"
Anna's heart began to race as she tried to calm the desperate girl down. "Tamao, calm down. What's going on? What did Akumu do to Pirika?"
The panicked girl burst into tears as she struggled to explain, "I-It's Pirika! Ak-kumu's done s-s-something to her! She w-won't w-wake up, s-she's burning with a fever, a-and she's no-not g-getting b-better no matter what we t-try to d-do. I-I-I think she's d-d-dying!" Tamao collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
'Damn you Akumu,' Anna thought bitterly before she helped the trembling girl to her feet. "Tamao, take me to Pirika. Now! Hurry!"
The two girls ran down the halls, as Tamao led the way to Pirika's room. They entered to find the room in hysteria.
Jeanne was trying her best to keep Pirika's fever down. Jun was trying her hardest to keep Ren from racing after Akumu and attempting totake the life from her. Horohoro was torn between going along with Ren's idea and staying by his sister's side.
The noise and confusionkept increasing until Anna had had enough and took charge.
"Ren! Stop trying to go off and kill Akumu by yourself! Are you trying to get killed? Guard the door and be careful of who you let in. Horohoro, stop running from the door to the bed, it's not doing anyone any good. Take Tamao with you to the garden's and try to find any and every herb that could help. Jun, help Jeanne to keep Pirika as comfortable as possible and try your best to keep her fever under control," Anna demanded.
"And what about you, Miss Anna?" asked Jeanne.
"Yes, what do you plan to do? I think we should go after Akumu and force her to undo this!" Ren yelled angrily at Anna.
Anna voice became ice cold and her glare was enough to send someone to an early grave. She said so quietly and calmly that it was nearly a whisper, "You think I like standing around waiting for Akumu's next move? Do you have any idea how much I want to take care of Akumu, myself? How many times a day I want my revenge as well? But I know I can't; not yet. And right now is not the time for it. Akumu will still be alive in a couple hours time, but will Pirika be if we don't take care of her first?
"Now, I'm going to the library. I need a map as soon as possible, and I only know one person who can find it quick," Anna finished as she ran back out the doors, leaving a shocked silence behind her. After a moment they reacted and hurried to the jobs that had been assigned to them.
Anna raced along the hallways and up the stairs, never slowing in her pace, on her way to the library.
"Manta!" she yelled, quick and sharp, the moment she ran through the doors.
"Anna? What's wrong?" came his reply as he appeared behind a shelf on her right.
"There's no time to explain. I need a map to Faust's house and I need it now!"
Manta didn't ask anymore questions as he hurridly led her to the back of the library and pulled a map out from a desk drawer.
"Here it is," he said as he opened the map on top of a semi-empty table. "Go out through the back kitchen door and follow the path through the forest here. The path is a bit overgrown, though, and it'll be crazy trying to get through there in the dark. Especially in a storm like this."
"Well then I must be insane because that's what I'm doing," she stated.
"What? Why?"
"Go to Pirika's room and you'll find out soon enough, and bring all the medical books you can carry," she answered over her shoulder as she raced back out the library doors.
Anna climbed one more story and burst into her room, heading straight for her wooden wardrobe. She yanked open the doors and began a frantic search.
'There has to be one in here. I don't have time to waste...Ah! Here it is!' She pulled out a midnight blue cape with a hood, tied it around her neck and ran back out of her room. She dashed down the halls and stairs until she reached the kitchen.
"You too, Anna? Where is everyone off to in such a hurry tonight? Everytime I turn around someone is running somewhere," came Chocolove's voice from across the room.
"If you want to know so bad then run up to Pirika's room, and ask what you can do to help," she snapped, as she pulled the hood up over her head, opened the back door, and ran headlong into the raging storm.
She tried to run against the wind and through the forest, as she wrestled with tree branches, bushes, and the lashing rain in her eyes. The wind tried to blow her back, but she pushed on as quick as she could, until her foot got caught in a tree root and she fell to the ground.
"Itai!" she exclaimed when she felt her ankle twist underneath her, just before she made impact with the rough floor, but she immediately began to push herself up and try to stand up.
'I don't have time for this; twisted my ankle...and I can barely see in here. Where's a light when you need one?'
At that moment her Yume stone began to glow, illuminating the path before her. 'Convienent,' she thought before she got to her feet and rushed down the path. A stabbingpainshot up her leg with each step she took. She just gritted her teeth and struggled on. 'I can handle the pain.'
Anna needed to get to Faust's house as quick as she could, because time was something she didn't have as Pirika's life was slowly fading away...