Disclaimer: I really wish I owned Shaman King but I don't...

A Girls Best Friend

Part Three: Secrets

Anna grabbed Bootz and threw him into her room.

Yoh wouldn't dare look in here.

Yoh had said that he and Manta would meet up with Ryu on his way back from shopping and all three would come to the house. Anna had barely put the plate away and sat down before the door slid open.

She heard Yoh's laughter and footsteps. He was ten minutes late as usual. "You're late," she stated, "again."

Just forget all about Bootz, you're getting rid of him anyway.

"Aww, come on Anna, just ten minuets. We'll run the next time!"

He said it as more of a plea then an argument.

Though, he wouldn't dare argue with me.

"If there is a next time." Anna replied.

Yoh started to walk past her into the kitchen. "Are the leftovers still there? I'm staved!"

Anna gritted her teeth. He knew he wasn't allowed anything to eat.

So why's he asking?

She shook her head. "No, I threw them away."

"Huh? Why?"

Anna's eyebrows began to form a V shape as she scowled. Yoh flinched. "I mean… don't we usually save them?"

Anna was undaunted. "They were going mouldy, you wouldn't be questioning me would you Yoh?"

Yoh's body became tense. "Um… No… I just… Um…" He couldn't seem to get the sentence out. "I think I'll just get an orange."

He continued his walk to the kitchen.

Anna began to examine her fingernails. "Yoh?"

"Yes, Anna?"

She didn't look up. "Don't you have training to catch up on?"

"Oh… right… of course!"

He shot out of the room into the garden. "And Ryu shouldn't you be unpacking the food and Manta find something to do that doesn't get in my way and that's useful."

Both boys rushed out of the room. Anna smirked.

That will keep them busy.

She headed up the stairs to her room. Halfway up she paused.

They know it already; I may as well add something onto the end to stop them being suspicious.

"Remember, no one is to enter my room! It seems someone's been in there!"

That'll do.

She continued up the stairs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He was going to be late. He couldn't dodge it. "Come on guys! The less late the less pounding from Anna!"

Manta ran as fast as his little legs would carry him. "Maybe we could sneak in?" He suggested, out of breath.

"No chance!" Puffed Ryu. "She's always home before me!"

Yoh said nothing, he just concentrated on running, being late four days in a row was NOT a good idea. He had a reason though; he'd been trying to get the perfect present for Anna. In few weeks it would be the day they'd first met, all those years back, and he wanted to get something special.

He stopped at the front door to catch his breath, the others followed.

No need to make it obvious that we've been running.

As he opened the door he laughed, more out of fear then anything else, wondering what punishment Anna had for them.

"You're late," he heard her say, "again."

"Aww, come on Anna," he begged. "Just ten minuets. We'll run the next time!"

Even though we always do.

"If there is a next time." She said simply.

He needed something to stop her asking why he was late. He began to walk towards the kitchen. "Are the leftovers still there? I'm staved!"

He heard her grit her teeth.

Bad idea.

"No, I threw them away."

Yoh couldn't help himself. "Huh? Why?"

Whoops!

Her eyebrows began to form a V shape as she scowled. He flinched.

Think of something! Quick!

"I mean… don't we usually save them?"

She seemed undaunted. "They were going mouldy, you wouldn't be questioning me would you Yoh?"

His body became tense; it was not a good idea to question Anna. "Um… No… I just… Um…" He couldn't seem to get the sentence out. Then he had an idea. "I think I'll just get an orange."

Wow, what a bright spark that was.

He began to walk back towards the kitchen.

"Yoh?"

He felt a bead of sweat run down his forehead. "Yes, Anna?" He turned. She was looking at her fingernails.

She didn't look up. "Don't you have training to catch up on?"

His eyes widened.

The deal for going to Manta's!

"Oh… right… of course!"

He shot out of the room into the garden. Glad he hadn't just been whacked one. And, from the sound of it, nether had Ryu or Manta; "And Ryu shouldn't you be unpacking the food and Manta find something to do that doesn't get in my way and that's useful."

Manta came running out the door. "Was that good luck or what?!" He asked, a big smile on his face.

Yoh returned the smile with a grin. "Either that or she's is in a very good mood!"

They heard Anna from the stairs. "Remember, no one is to enter my room! It seems someone's been in there!"

Yoh was confused. He looked at Manta. He looked just as confused as he did.

It was Manta who asked first. "Did you go in Anna-san's room?"

"No way! Did you?"

"I like my head between my shoulders!"

"Well I doubt Ryu went in."

"Ah well, do you want to prepare Anna-san's present now Yoh-kun?"

"No, I'd better get training, good mood or not I can't disobey a direct order!"

They were both laughing as Yoh began to do sit-ups.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bootz was shocked. One minute he was sat beside his Anna- and now he was in a room all by himself. He heard Anna move around for a bit then some more footsteps.

There were three, he could gather, someone tall, someone short and someone about Anna's size who's laughing.

He began to wag his tail.

Big, medium, small! The three bears!

The medium one stopped laughing when Anna spoke. From what he could gather this one was called Yoh.

He seems scared too and the others won't even speak! They must know of Anna's mysterious power to control people.

Yoh's voice became a little bit higher through the conversation. Bootz lay down. He was bored and wanted Anna back.

He heard Yoh run into the backyard. Bootz had already had a look at the backyard. It was huge! Anna said something containing the name Ryu and the large one ran into the kitchen.

Large one: Ryu. Got it!

Then she said something containing Manta and the little one scurried after Yoh.

Little one: Manta. Right!

Hearing this Yoh and Manta say something about Anna he placed his ears back and growled. Not too loud though, he was under strict instructions to keep quiet. Then he heard Anna's footsteps and began to wag his tail again. Then he heard her shout from the stairs. This made him jump up and give a little bark.

"Anna's back!"

End of Part Three

A/N: Yeh, I know it's long but that's what you get when you repeat something 3 times! Told you it would have Yoh in! Yoh's got a present for Anna. Isn't he sweet? Bootz is growing attached to her too. Please review! Later!