Hello all,

Thank you so much for your continuous dedication to this story and especially for taking time to comment on it, I'm always looking forward to reading your thoughts! Hope the new arc won't disappoint!

Also, did you know there isn't a three-week gap between Rahu and Yoh's test by Silva? Cause for whatever reason I did, so enjoy some extra content and of course, plenty of more Yohna moments 3

Take care and again, BIG thank you for reading my fic! 3


Summary: It happens to all of us, isn't it? When there's too much going on, everything can be the last straw...Anna and Yoh learned this the hard way, so hold on tight for their journey ahead!

Credits to my lovely friend, AO3 user, Hessy for the idea I developed in the first paragraphs. It was inspired from their fic found here if you're interested or like Patch, it's called The Night Before

Now fic below, no more notes ;-)


Chapter 17: Breaking point

"I think Yoh Asakura shouldn't be tested by Silva." Magna said with a smug, yet confident voice.

"WHAT?" Silva turned around, eyes burning.

He had been selling his Patch trinkets all morning, hoping to get a glimpse of the young brother of the almighty Hao, yet he didn't see him at all. And now, just as he finished his lunch break along with his other colleagues and was about to resume his search, Magna had to speak.

"Silva, we all know…" Magna made a pause to motion with his hands towards the other Patch members to make a point as much as to draw their attention to his speech from their meal aka sandwiches before he continued. "… that you can get quite passionate about your convictions, especially when it comes to your, ahem, origins."

"I DO NOT!" Silva shouted falling exactly into his colleague's trap.

The simple mention or reference of his connection to Hao was just making his blood boil, making him lose temporarily any sense of rationality.

"And that might cloud your judgement and as officiants, we must be impartial, objecti…" Magna continued smiling satisfied with the reactions he was getting from his worked-out colleague.

"THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!" Silva growled getting up from his seat glaring daggers at the calm looking Magna who ignored his outbursts, yet internally enjoyed every single one because they further supported his point.

"…tive. So that's why I was going to suggest that it might be better to have the 'young Hao' assigned to someone else. I wouldn't have mind testing him myself, but rules are rules and I already have my hands full with your family, I mean Hao, myself." Magna concluded his speech unable to make another reference to Silva and Hao's connection.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Silva screamed and lunged towards his smirking colleague, but the other Patch members were prepared.

It wasn't the first time a conflict between Magna and Silva occurred, but it was definitely the most aggressive so far.

Everyone oversouled getting up from the tables, meals forgotten - except Bron, he could oversoul and eat at the same time. Kalim and Chrom grabbed Silva by his underarms, trying to keep him in place while Thalim and Radim put themselves between him and Magna. Bron and Rutherfor stood on each side of Magna either to protect or stop him from any counter-attacks, yet he didn't move an inch and nor did that big arrogant grin that just made Silva's blood boil.

"Patch, behave." A calm yet authoritative voice was heard and all Patch stood aside, putting their oversoul aside.

Goldva entered the lunch hall. She'd just finished giving Lip and Rap, the two little Patch members, some drawings to do to keep them busy from arguing once again over who's doing a better Patch job and now it seemed she had to deal with the other 'Patch children'.

"Now, Magna, we have discussed this already, but Silva's origins to Hao are to not be brought up into your conversations and are not considered when it comes to his duties. He is loyal to the Great Spirit and serves as an objective officiant in the tournament and as all this has been already decided, I would ask you to refrain from any further mentions or else we'll need to take some measures about it." Goldva ordered narrowing her eyes towards Magna who nodded and apologized.

"And you, Silva, this behaviour is unacceptable for a Patch officiant. You must learn how to control those emotions and not let them influence you, especially now when you all have to go and test the awaiting shamans. It is very worrying…" Goldva made a pause and watched Silva nod and apologize as he controlled his trembling body and fury before she continued watching all her officiants.

"And because it is very worrying and not just to me, but also for your colleagues who had to watch this exchange, we can't just get over it so easily. I don't want doubt to cloud any of your decisions and we need to work together not against each other. Carrying along negative thoughts about each other will only affect your duties and responsibilities in the long term and we can't afford this. You have been chosen to be officiants and carry proudly this title…" Goldva made a pause to watch everyone node before she concluded. "So to carry on with your mission without any further such foolish thoughts, I ask from you to vote whether Silva should or not test Yoh Asakura."

"WHAT?" Silva asked incredulously.

"Silva, your behaviour is increasingly worrying and despite what's been decided, you're proving the opposite and letting your emotions come out. I will consult with the Great Spirit, but until we get an answer, the preliminaries must go on and someone must test Yoh Asakura."

"But I won't let my emotions cloud my judgement in battle! I will be objective! I won't behave the same way!" Silva argued trying to keep his voice steady.

"Your efforts to change are already visible and I have no doubt you will do your very best in battle, but I don't think your colleagues think the same. And what about you? Could you say right now that if this Yoh Asakura proves to be as merciless and wicked as Hao, taunting you or bringing up your past, would you be able to control yourself?"

"I will try my best to be objective despite the boy's attitude or comments." Silva replied yet his voice wavered and everyone could tell.

Silva lowered his head in shame and defeat and tried to control any other raging emotions. He realized that he played into Magna's trap, but it was too late now - the least he could do was to see how things would play on from now on.

"I think it's been decided then. Shall Silva test Yoh Asakura? Or should someone else test him until we get an answer from the Great Spirit? Raise your hands if you think he shouldn't or keep them lowered if you think he should. Vote as an officiant, not as a friend." Goldva added as she looked in Kalim and Chrom's direction.

Kalim sighed and looked apologetically in Silva's direction before he raised his hand. Chrom kept it lowered, trusting that his friend could improve in the future - he always thought the best for everyone.

Radim, Magna, Bron, Renim and Namari also rose their hands, while Thalim and Rutherfor kept them lowered - the former saw through Magna's plan and just thought Silva had been played out; the latter just found it reasonable for Silva to get so worked up after Magna's words and believed that if Silva had become a Patch officiant, he would act like one in a fight indeed.

"6 against 3. Then it's been decided. We shall wait for the Great Spirit's answer, while in the meantime someone else than Silva shall deal with Yoh Asakura. Since rules say that one officiant per God class shaman, then Magna, Bron and Namari won't have to deal with him. The Great Spirit hasn't mentioned if he possesses great power, but since he is an Asakura and Hao's twin brother, he should be a force to be reckoned with, so I suggest we approach him carefully."

"If he is a troubled soul like his brother, then I won't mind giving him a try." Chrom offered taking a step forward.

"But Chrom then all the more you shou…" Silva said yet Goldva's piercing look made him consider his next words carefully before causing another scene. "What I meant to say was that you should be very careful then, my friend."

'Because if something happens to you because of my tainted bloodline, then I will never forgive myself. Why do you always have to go for the troubled ones? Just because your brother is quite a handful, doesn't mean that you have to get better at handling him by learning from other cases.' Silva thought looking at his friend with worry, but he smiled back reassuringly.

"Then if that's settled, Chrom will give him a try. However, if by some reason you can't, don't pursue him more than once as it might be the Great Spirit's will and his way to show us you're not the one to test him. And if the Great Spirit agrees in the end, then Silva can test him as he wished." Goldva spoke moving her gaze from one Patch member to another, before she changed the topic swiftly to avoid further comments. "Now, on to the next problem, we've started trialling if getting you different jobs than selling Patch crafted stuff will mean you earning more money for us. Silva, Kalim and Renim, you're the only ones left who are still selling our tribe's stuff, how much have you earned so far?"

"Nothing." Silva said.

"Minus one souvenir, some kids stole it while I was looking away." Kalim admitted.

"A police notice for selling in an unauthorized place, but I still have the stuff." Renim replied.

"And how are the ones with jobs doing?" Goldva asked mentally face-palming herself upon hearing the results.

"I got a raise." Thalim smiled - he worked in a school as the gardener, but ran other various errands.

"My boss is a pain, but pays well." Bron smirked - he worked as the bodyguard for Oyamada Mansumi.

"My kids love me!" Rutherfor beamed - she was a teaching assistant in a different school than Thalim because according to her very 'official and truthful' CV, she had a degree in teaching.

"I made some friends today, but I got weird looks from the visitors while hanging out with them, guess they don't like snakes." Namari commented - he worked as a Zookeeper for reptiles because as Rutherfor, his CV also said he was 'very qualified'.

"I've got more students signed up for classes and we have a show in two weeks, you should come to see my students, they are brilliant!" Chrom boosted - he worked as a dance teacher for a private school dance that was eager to employ a person with so many qualifications in contemporary dance, ballet, hip hop and so on according to his 'very truthful' CV .

"It's tiring memorizing all those lines, but I enjoy it more than I thought!" Radim cheered - he worked for a small theatre as a side-characters' actor, though he was recently promised to play as the main character.

"The new movie sold out, but I found it boring, don't know what the hype is all about." Magna commented - he was a cinema usher who was secretly a cinephile and enjoyed watching the movies while he was supervising the cinema hall attendees.

"I'll take that it's a success…then Silva, Kalim and Renim, get a proper job unless you become successful salesmen for Patch crafts overnight!" Goldva ordered and left to sort out things with the Great Spirit regarding Silva testing Yoh.

"Silva, you are my friend and I know how worked up you can get over stuff and…" Kalim said putting his hand on Silva's shoulder, looking at him with sadness.

"It's OK, Kalim, no hard feelings, you have a duty to the Patch as much as I have, so all good." Silva replied smiling reassuringly in his friend's direction before his gaze became serious.

"Glad my friend." Kalim nodded relieved his friend didn't hold a grudge over his vote.

He then followed Silva's gaze and his eyes landed on Chrom who was chatting cheerily to Renim, giving him advice on getting a job. He immediately understood his friend's worry. After all, Yoh Asakura might be as dangerous if not worse than Hao and that might put Chrom's life at risk.

And for the first time since he had become a Patch, of which he was very proud of and ready to put his life in line if needed, the thought of actually losing a comrade or even a friend, crossed his mind and it deeply saddened him. Maybe Silva wasn't the only one who had a hard time controlling his feelings about certain aspects and this only made him feel worse about previously voting against his friend.

"I'm sorry, Manta. I should have stopped you from running into the house like that and made you knock instead. And regarding the hoodie, it's actually an old hoodie of mine. Anna sometimes wears it in the house when everyone's out. And It's just a weird coincidence it looked similar to the one the guy you saw was wearing. I mean, are you really sure they had the exact look?" Yoh explained as he bandaged his friend's knee.

"Not sure they looked exactly, exactly the same, I mean part of it was covered by this cover..." Manta said deflated keeping an ice pack on his forehead.

"See Manta!" Yoh smiled apologetically.

The boy felt really bad his friend caught up in such a silly incident caused by his and Anna's secret, yet he just couldn't tell him yet about it. They weren't ready. He wasn't ready.

"But the hand holding!"

"We already discussed that, didn't we?" Yoh smiled.

"But, but…"

"I trust Anna. I have known her for a long time and she would never ever cheat on me. If you don't trust her, at least trust me, OK?"

"I'll try Yoh, but if you are in love with her or scared of her, it will just make you oversee such things and I don't want you to get hurt. Maybe you should say something to your family, I didn't hear what you say about them before…"

"I know I might be overseeing some things Manta, but just trust me on this particular one, please? Anna didn't cheat on me, I am very sure." Yoh said seriously, ignoring the comment about his family.

Manta looked at Yoh's eyes. He didn't look sad or begging or blinded by love -whatever that should look. He looked apologetically as if he had done something wrong by his friend and that confused the little boy because he was the last person to blame in his opinion. He was a victim of Anna's as much as he was.

'Yoh shouldn't be apologizing for Anna's behaviour, yet I feel there's something more…Maybe there was a coincidence or there's something I missing and Yoh knows. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised he saw her leave with this guy and maybe he had a chat with him or something so that's why he is sure. And Yoh is right, can't see Anna the type to let someone make a move on her or lower herself to any guy, she's ruthless in school with boys! Now if I think about it, maybe I did jump to conclusions and I should have just trusted Yoh. I guess all the extra studying lately and late-night shows is finally getting to me…'

"OK Yoh, I'll let this one pass and believe you, to be honest I had enough of it, everything hurts." Manta said smiling and his friend smiled back looking rather relieved.

Initially, because then his face darkened.

"That's great, Manta, but now there's something more you need to do…"

"I apologize Anna for insulting you or accusing you of cheating on Yoh. I confused some things and shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, I definitely shouldn't watch any more shows on TV. I will retain from any ill comments towards your relationship with Yoh in the future and just trust you two. I also apologize for coming in the house without knocking and being insensitive towards you and your relationship with Yoh. I apologize for all and I hope you can forgive my behavior and let me visit you and Yoh in the future!" Manta pleaded lowering his head to the ground.

Anna watched him with an irritated look, arms crossed.

"Words need to be backed up by action."

"I will try my best to prove that, but would another spa voucher suffice for now?"

"You can't just buy me." Anna glared daggers at him looking insulted.

"I will also buy your groceries for a week and make sure Yoh finishes his training today."

"Much better." She commented and left the room, but not before she added. "And I expect two vouchers for all you've done and a full house clean by the end of the week."

Manta sighed - he had a lot to make up for.

"At least she didn't hit you again."

"She hit me when I came in."

"At least she didn't hit you twice."

"Her glares make me feel as if I'm being killed and revived to be killed multiple times per minute."

"OK, at least she still let's you visit! Now let's go back to my training, I need to make up for losing most of the morning!"

"Yeah, let's go, I have groceries to do and vouchers to get."

Yoh had been training all morning, mostly accompanied by Manta. They had lunch together before the boy continued to train till late in the evening when he dragged his body back home. Part of him was still feeling bad for having put Manta through this and he felt touched by his little friend's concern for him.

He never had anyone worry for him like that or stand for him. And although now it wasn't the case to actually need any protection, he still deeply appreciated it because Manta cared about him. And that was more than enough for someone who was used to caring but not being cared for.

Of course, he had a family that cared, but they cared as much as they should, never deeper. Nevermore than just as part of their job responsibilities for being his family like cooking for him, sending him to school, making sure he has a place to sleep. Yoh always thought love should feel warm, not cold, not a duty to someone, but something that comes naturally, that you do because you feel, not because you must.

The boy knew love was like that mostly because of Anna. She was the first to show him a bit of what he thought it was when they first met - he'd fallen for her and she eventually showed she had similar feelings and it felt great! And Yoh also knew it now that love was all those wonderful warm feelings he hoped for it to be and even more thanks to their current growing relationship.

The boy did have some 'warm' family memories, but so little and so scarce and not enough for a growing kid that had so much love to give like he did. So he just couldn't stop wandering why they didn't really love him? Did he do something wrong? Did they not like him?

Despite knowing all this about his family and their 'care' and 'love' for him, Yoh still hoped for a call from his grandfather about the tournament. But that didn't happen and the boy knew from the house ghosts he didn't miss it either. He tried to hide his disappointment behind his usual cheery mood while he listened to Manta's banter while he made them dinner. Manta, his friend who got in trouble with his fiancée because of him, another reason to feel bad and hide behind his big grin. He yawned. And he felt so tired from the lack of sleep and intensive training. Mental and physical drainage, what a great combination…

"And then my father insisted I also take this course because he thinks he can buy everything including time and I tried to explain to him that's not possible, but it's like talking to deaf ears, so now I barely have any time left after school so I'm sorry I won't be able to stay much longer despite being Sunday, but I have to study for the course tomorrow. And also come up with a good excuse for those new wounds…"

Yoh flinched at the wounds mention, but Manta didn't see, busy finishing up dinner.

"And done! That should put Anna in an even better mood and make her see I'm already trying my best to make up for today. As I was saying, I'm sorry I can't join you for dinner, but I have to get going." Manta turned around and noticed his friend looked rather off despite his smile. "Yoh, is everything OK? You look rather sad which is odd for you...Is it because I'm leaving and letting you face Anna alone and she'll pick on you for defending me before?

"No, I think she'll be fine, especially now that you fixed dinner for her. And I'm not sad, I'm fine."

"Yoh?"

"Perfectly fine." The grin grew, but his eyes still held that wariness that made Manta worry for his friend.

He had to catch the bus. He had to go.

"We can chat about it tomorrow, don't worry Yoh, it will work out! Bye!" Manta waved smiling to his friend.

"Bye Manta, sorry again about Anna!" Yoh briefly smiled upon hearing his friend use his own moto, but it didn't last upon he heard the word's Manta shouted as he left the house.

"Don't worry, it's not your fault!"

"Yeah, it's mine…" Yoh murmured.

His body suddenly leaned forward as he let the wave of sadness, he'd been keeping in wash over him. It was both a relief to let it out and also hard because he didn't like feeling like that - he liked being happy. However, sometimes keeping a smile on the outside was hard even for him when there was so much weighing on his heart and mind that he had no idea how to deal with it. And that was somehow scary, but he kept on repeating himself that 'things will work out' and eventually they always did, but until then, he just had to make it through his internal struggle.

'Keep a smile, look content and believe that 'things will work out.'…eventually…' The boy repeated to himself encouragingly knowing that he also needed to believe in these words to see it happen. It was like Anna said: "Words need to be backed up by action."

"Yoh-dono, are you OK?" Amidamaru asked concerned materializing next to him.

"Yeah, just tired Amidamaru, it's been a long day." Yoh smiled, but his eyes told another story.

"Yoh-dono, if you want to ta…"

"I'm going to call grandpa." Yoh said cutting in.

Amidamaru watched him with worry as he dragged his body to the phone, shoulders slumped. His master was carrying too much on them today and that wasn't good.

'The fact that Manta got hurt by Anna because of him really affected Yoh-dono despite him trying to hide it. Manta really cares for him and Yoh-dono really cherishes it even more because it seems his family doesn't which seems really off to me, but I don't have all the information yet. Just what I heard or read from Yoh's behaviour. Maybe Anna could reach to him and help him…' Amidamaru thought.

Little did he know she wasn't feeling any better herself.

Anna went for a walk later to clear her mind and get some shopping done. It temporarily helped but now as she was approaching home, she remembered how weak she'd been that night and during the day both during training and her outburst after Manta angered her. Her fists closed tighter around the bags' hold.

Being angry at Manta was easier than being angry at herself - after all, Yoh was right and he was just a victim of their secret, so she shouldn't get so worked up. Yet, the thought of her inability to control her powers better, just irked her. Was it because she was afraid Yoh will get hurt? Or that the onis will hurt her? Both? Something else? Why couldn't she just be happy with Yoh and had to try her powers once again?

For the first time since she decided to use her powers again, she regretted the decision, but only for a split second. Head held up straight, eyes narrowed and pace quickened, the girl's mind started racing with determination.

'I am not weak. I will learn to control those damn powers for myself as much as for Yoh. I'm not going to hide behind my fears and I will face them even if they like it or not. I am not regretting my decision of wanting to be stronger. I am stronger and will grow stronger. I am no weakling.' The girl thought almost bumping on some screeching little stupid thing that happened to be on her way aka the culprit for everything that went wrong in her life lately.

"Woaaa, Anna, you almost stepped on me!" Manta said looking at her scared and pretty sure it might be intentional.

"Get out of my way." She snarled, making Manta shrink as he immediately stepped aside to let her walk past him.

"Sorry again Anna, bye Anna, I need to catch the bus!"

Impulsively, Anna turned on her powers and looked at the boy running away, wanting to know if his apology was genuine or if he actually hated her more. She hoped it was the latter because she was already worked up and needed something or someone to lash on.

'God, I hope she doesn't kill Yoh, I made her a really good dinner, she usually likes my food. I hope she appreciates it and if not, at least Yoh did! And I should try and avoid annoying her if not for my sake, then for Yoh's. He seems to really love her, so I don't want to see him get hurt by her in any way, he looked…' Manta's thoughts faded as he got further away from Anna's hearing range.

She just stood there rather astonished by Manta's lack of negative thoughts, just the usual fear towards her. She could only feel his genuine concern for Yoh's wellbeing seemed to be overpowering any hate feelings for her.

'Even he is better than me…' Anna thought as she lowered her head in anger and felt her body tremble from fury. 'No, I won't let my emotions control, I am strong. If Manta can control his anger around me and put his friendship above all, then so do I. I am stronger than him, DAMN IT!' She made an effort to shut off her powers so she won't hear the thoughts of all the house ghosts. 'Why didn't he let me blow off some steam on him, why couldn't he just hate me as usual so I can't just lash at him…why did he have to be a good friend! Why did he have to be the better person, damn! Now I'm even more furious and I don't want to get angry on Yoh, I won't get angry on Yoh, DAMN IT! I don't want to…' She cursed again and again walking towards the house trying to keep everything within herself - the tiredness from the lack of quality sleep and from training her powers, the overwhelming emotions, the negative thoughts and the frustration, anger and jealousy on Manta - how dare he think so low of her and accuse her of cheating?!

She focused on Yoh, on the great day they had yesterday, and all the happy moments they built together so far, on how much she really didn't want to have a breakdown on him. She stopped at the gate and sighed, a wave of sadness washing over her. She didn't want to be mean to Yoh - he's been great to her and offered her all his love. He didn't deserve her fury. She had to somehow calm down, maybe take a shower, but first she waited a bit longer at the gate for her powers to shut completely off. She didn't want to deal with the house ghost's thoughts.

Once she was sure any noise coming from the house was starting to fade away like a background noise, she began walking towards the main entrance, keeping up the battle with her restless negative mind. She just had to make it to the shower.

Just as her mind was about to finally go silent, one particular thought was loud enough to make itself heard clearly.

'Anna, Anna, ANNA! It's all about her all the time, what about me, the world isn't all about her, UHHH! She's not …'

And then it was silence.

Anna froze at the door, recognizing the owner of that mind. She felt a shiver go through her whole body as if something had electrified her. Her eyes started to sting, her heart shrank and her knees felt weak. She left the bags down.

'What did Yoh mean about me?' The girl thought trying to suppress a sob as she wiped her unshed tears.

She looked at her wet palm. She was crying. She felt sick. She felt so weak. Weak again. She was weak.

'I'm not weak, damn it and damn all those stupid emotions!' She screamed at herself, all sadness replaced by fury with such force it almost made it hard for her to breathe.

She was angry at him, at herself, at her powers and at everything because everything just made her weak. How dare Yoh have such an influence on her?! Here she was worrying she'll lash on him, upset him, while he was sitting at home thinking how fed he is of her. Stupid weak her, of course he was due to have enough of her, especially after her display of powers today. He was just hiding it better than she thought. Her mind just kept telling her more and more similar negative stuff, feeding her hidden fears that were only getting worse because she felt hurt. And as usual, she all disguised it as anger. Blind rage. Emotionless indifference.

Anna burst into the house, threw the bags with a kick somewhere in the hall and stomped her way to where Yoh was waiting for her in the living room.

"Welcome home Anna, I was waiting for you so we can have dinner together." Yoh greeted cheerily as usual, yet his eyes still held some of the previous sadness and that made him oversee her really bad mood.

"Have you finished your training?" She snarled, her voice cold.

"Yes, about an hour ago or so." He replied eyes wide, suddenly aware of her indisposition. "Are you…"

"Go train some more than. I am sure you have plenty to make up for today." She demanded, her tone sending chills down his spine.

"But I did make up for the missing hours today! I'm exhausted and hungry!" Yoh complained getting up to take a better look at her.

"I don't care, go train more, it won't hurt."

"Yes it will!"

"You dare to disobey me?" She arched an eyebrow unimpressed, too angry to bother to care about his needs right now.

"Anna, did something happen?"

"Go train."

"An…"

"I said get out."

"But An…"

"GET OUT NOW!" She shouted making him take a step back in awe.

"No."

It was her turn to be astonished. Her golden eyes grew as she watched him come closer and he put his arms on each of her shoulders, determination visible in his eyes - exhausted eyes, but she was too blinded by her own to notice it.

"Now tell me what's going on?"

Anna lowered her head and her bangs hid her expression. Yoh thought he got through, he was so tired, he just wanted a calm evening, yet something was wrong with Anna and he feared he didn't have much energy left to deal with it as he was already fighting against his own worries.

However, when she raised her face, he understood her walls were somehow back up. And that meant he needed to double his efforts to reach her. But he just couldn't, not tonight. And that hurt and made everything he was already feeling even worse. Sick. Helpless.

"Shut up and go train or I'll make you train all night!" Anna growled and took a step back from his touch, her fury overwhelming any rational thinking.

"Anna, if you keep like this, you will…"

"I have it under control, so don't you dare bring that up! Now go train and I better not see you till morning." She said crossing her arms.

"But we have school!"

"Stop complaining and go Yoh."

"But…"

"GO DAMN IT, DON'T MAKE ME HIT YOU!" She screamed, her body trembling from the fury.

"OK, be your way, see you in the morning, Anna!" Yoh replied losing his patience and walked past her with a serious gaze.

"Finally! Go and have a break from me, after all your world is too full of me!" She shouted after him.

"What do you mean?" Yoh stopped not understanding. "I never said…uh, never mind…" He decided and continued to walk away, too tired to deal with this anymore.

After Yoh left Anna scared all the ghosts from the house away till morning as well. 'Happy' she was finally all by herself she went to have her shower. She trained. She then watched TV. And trained some more. She didn't eat, but she trained. She read a magazine. And trained again despite all the exhaustion. She had to get better so she could calm herself, so she could make it up to Yoh.

Her head lowered and her shoulders sank at the thought of him. She suddenly felt very small. And hurt. And lonely.

"I'm sorry Yoh, I didn't mean to…Please come back, you know I didn't mean to, do you?" She whispered feeling her eyes sting, all previous adrenaline starting to fade.

"He might not and that means he might just never come back…"

"Who's there?" Anna asked looking around herself at the sound of an unfamiliar voice.

Suddenly, she realized she wasn't alone and there was another presence in the room. A foreign one that materialized just in front of her eyes - a massive blue figure, with icy-blue cold eyes and sharp teeth and nails. She pushed her body back till her back hit the wall.

"Oh, you can't recognize me?" The blue oni taunted her.

"Why are you here? I was in control. I am in control."

"You never were, you fool, you just lied to yourself and made it worse and poof, here I am, little girl." The oni replied laughing.

"I'm no fool, go away!" She shouted focusing on sending him back to where he came.

"Good luck with that, I've been here since you sent your little friend away, hiding in the shadows and enjoying all the negativity you've been feeding me in the past hours. It's been delicious hearing how you've been tormenting yourself."

"Shut up! I will defeat you, I'm no…"

"I'm not weak, I'm now weak!" The oni imitated her in a pitchy voice. "Continue telling yourself that, I think you're doing great."

"Stop it!" Anna demanded, yet her determination was starting to dissolve.

"Oh, look at you, all big and mighty, already giving up? Don't worry, I won't leave you like your stupid boyfriend, you have plenty more feelings there that we could share together." The oni told her dreamy batting their eyes mockingly at her.

"He's not stupid." Anna growled getting up moving towards the living room exit, voice angry yet determined. "And I'm not afraid of you."