Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, yada, yada, yada.
Chapter 2: Memories of Memories
Yoh squinted at the light streaming down his eyes.
It was that dream again.
Anna.
Yoh groaned as he rolled of his bed and began stretching his muscles. It has been eight months now, why couldn't he have gotten over it?
She was the one who left, for crying out loud! He thought to himself and then shook his head. Those dreams meant something; he was the Shaman King, after all. He knew dreams were there for a reason. Frankly, he knew what his dreams meant.
I'm guilty, Yoh thought, I chased her away, I shouldn't have listened to Utsumi, I shouldn't have said all those things to her…
To tell the truth, he was reluctant to break off their engagement. She was Anna, after all. If it wasn't for her, he probably wouldn't be Shaman King. But after listening to Utsumi and the others, he realized that they had a point. She was too far gone. She probably wasn't the same Anna who trained him five years ago. She had been gone too long.
Yoh sighed. But still, he wished it hadn't happened this way.
Maybe I should have stopped her, begged her not to leave. I shouldn't have just watched her walk away…
He took out a picture from his dresser. It was him and Utsumi, taken a month ago. Utsumi was smiling.
Anna rarely smiled like that, Yoh thought, but when she did, it was as if the whole room lighted up.
Yoh mentally kicked himself.
Why am I comparing them? I already made my choice, it's done.
He closed his eyes, but snapped them open almost immediately. He sniffed the air.
Are those waffles?
He ran out the door, his stomach grumbling.
Anna Kyoyama flinched as the needle punctured her skin, again.
She looked at the lady in front of her, apologetically. The lady, in turn, shook her head in disapproval and took Anna's finger to mend.
Anna looked around her. It was so quiet here. So peaceful. It was like nothing could hurt her.
She wished that was true.
The lady finished examining her finger and returned to her sewing. Anna did, likewise, as well.
Briefly, her mind went back to that house. That inn. It probably had so many people living in it now. Even without her.
Yoh.
Anna sighed, loud enough for her companion to hear it and look up. But she ignored her.
She wondered how Yoh was doing.
He's probably alright. New girlfriend, great friends, nothing to moan about.
She looked at her finger, already healed. I wonder if he still thinks of me, she added as an afterthought.
Her mind flashbacked to that night. She was amazed at how far her ability to mask her feelings could do. The moment she heard what Yoh was saying, she knew she was about cry, to let her tears flow, right in front of him. Only when she was alone that she allowed herself to cry.
He was right, of course. After five years of no communication, no one would've waited that long.
She shouldn't have expected it.
A middle aged man drew close. Anna's sewing companion/mentor quickly rose and left them alone.
"Anna."
Anna looked up from her sewing, put it down, and greeted him, as well.
"Master Shotoku."
He sat down the unoccupied seat.
"I am taking Keiji with me to the Shaman Convention." He paused. "I need you to come, as well."
Anna looked at him in the eye. "Is something going to happen?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so."
Anna pondered for a moment and then agreed.
"Very well." Shotoku said, "We leave at dawn."
a/n: Pleeez review!