Drastic Changes
law-of-roninz

Disclaimer: Let's face the truth, we cannot own SK… It belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and its copyright laws

Chapter Three: Unexpected Realizations

Lyserg lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He sighed sadly. In the past dew days of his stay at the onsen, he found himself secretly drawn to Anna. He didn't exactly know why. But recently, when he is lost in his thoughts, all he could think of is the blonde. For him, it's a mistake, knowing that she is still suffering from Yoh's deception.

'Anna...'

When he first heard the news from Ryu, he felt that something snapped inside of him. At first, he shrugged it off, thinking that it was just his imagination. However, when he talked to her, asking permission if he could stay there for a while, he saw the remorseful look right through her eyes. It's as if her life had become too worthless that she doesn't give a damn if she died then and there. How he wanted to take her into his arms and take away her agony. Yet, he simply couldn't. He knows that there still remained an empty gap in her life. Something that is needed to be filled by someone special. And that someone couldn't and wouldn't be him. For it would be always be the one who broke her fragile heart. Yoh Asakura.

Elsewhere, Anna was in the park. Laughing bitterly, she reminisced the time when Yoh has bought her here. The weather then was chilly. He asked her suddenly to go out. And she could say no for an answer. There, they talked about their childhood. How they were engaged by Kino and the times when there were just the two of them. Until now she cannot accept the fact that Yoh was in love with another girl.

It was already 9 PM but she chose to stay there for a while. After all, she didn't want to be stuck forever at the inn.

'Why do you take this Anna, why do you allow Yoh to mess with your heart, as he picked another girl over you... ' her mind demanded sharply. When she didn't answer her own question, it continued, 'it's because you lack self-confidence! You can't bring yourself to admit it! You're too kind to someone who's just giving a trip down the path of unrequited love. You seem to be standing for it…why…why must you take to being abused is it because of what you were as a child and all of this is psychological? Because you feel it is what you should put up with? Why not have backbone and hike out of here and explore greener pastures, find someone who will be honest and return the same genuine feelings you possess.'

Anna paused for a moment, drinking in the statement her inner self had just said. 'I wish I can... but my heart only yearns for him...' Finally realizing that she should be going home, Anna dusted her black dress and secured her red bandana around her neck.

She was startled when she heard various voices which belonged to a group of men. "Hey, take a look at this babe! Isn't she a hotty?" The itako mentally cursed herself for leaving her beads at her room. 'Darn! If only I bought it with me then I wouldn't be wasting my time dealing with these pretentious bastards!' Seeing that the only way she can avoid this situation is to run, she hastily scrambled her way back to the onsen.

Turning at one corner, she continued running. Fate must really be playing on her. "Stupid woman. Do you think you can escape us that easily? Well, you are sadly mistaken." To her shock, she was already surrounded. The blonde narrowed her eyes, surveying each and every one of them. She felt a movement at her back. A middle-aged man was approaching her. As a reflex, she slapped the ugly man straightly at the face.

"Why you-! GO GET HER!" The man's other companions charged at the helpless itako only to stop upon hearing a cold voice. "Don't you think it's rather rude to attack a lady in distress? Six against one? You must be joking. "Lyserg appeared out of nowhere. The moment he perceived an unknown sensation, he rushed directly to the place that came to his mind.

"Watch your tongue kid! You don't know who you're talking to. We're the-"

"Are we gonna finish this off or you'll continue blabbering your trash information?"

"Wha!" It had been only a split second. A lot happened. He had turned sharply, facing them, quickly disposing of them both without warranting a bead of sweat to form on his forehead. His agility terrified and awed her.

Wanting to get his revenge early, A bald man, who was severely injured like his other comrades, slowly picked a nearby dagger and crawled his way towards Anna. The English man, who was unaware of the current circumstance, averted his gaze to Anna. He gaped at most unpleasant sight he'd ever want to see. Anna was about to be stabbed at her back. Darting forward quickly, he called the name of his beloved.

"Anna!"

Morphine, hearing his master's voice, eagerly followed Lyserg's order and strikes the bald man. However, all of his efforts were put into vain as Anna sprawled onto the ground with blood oozing from the large gash at her back. "K'so!" he swore under his breath. "If I hadn't brought my guard down, this wouldn't have happened!"

The next thing Lyserg knew, he was carrying the almost lifeless body of Anna in his arms. Luckily, on his way, he saw a patrolling police and asked for assistance. The latter was terribly abashed seeing how badly wounded the blonde girl was. He didn't ask any questions and contacted an ambulance immediately. He would just ask later the green-haired man of what exactly caused this horrifying incident.

Inside the ambulance, Lyserg held Anna's frail hands, never wanting to let go. "Anna, please hang on. Don't leave us… don't leave me…" Tears started trickling down the English man's face.

"Yoh… Yoh…" Anna softly called out. Her eyes still shut. The energy from her body was draining.

Lyserg smiled acrimoniously. Even in the itako's fifty-fifty chance of living, all she could mention is the name of her ex-fiancé. The pain was tearing him apart inside and out. Maybe… just maybe someday she will learn to forget him and notice his affections for her.

a/N: Whew! It took me a very long time for my brain to start working again… I'm terribly sorry for the very late update… Summer vacation is almost over. Yay! Classes will start a week from now… But don't worry, lots of ideas sprout to my mind during boring classes and vacant periods. So I might be able to write a new chapter once in a while. (this also applies to my other fics… especially to 'A Dorky Story'…) I hope you liked this chappie! Flame if you didn't like it at all. :D

P.S.

oh! The poll is STILL open:

yohxanna - 5

lysergxanna - 6

Maybe I'd reveal the girl in the cemetery in the upcoming chapters. But definitely not in the next one.

Ja

Ne!