Asuka02RedEva
Serenitymoon@lycos.com
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of the characters used in this fic.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here goes chapter two. Glad that a few people thought that the plot line had potential so thank you.
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Anna made it half way over the bridge before she stopped and looked down at her reflection as it rippled in the small stream below her. She leaned on the railing and tried to make a slight smile. It was no use, however, she couldn't get over the feeling that something was coming.
'Perhaps Yoh would be happy if something were to happen to me?' she thought, watching a fish jump and its presence rippling her reflection causing it to appear as though she were fading away, 'He would not have to listen to me ordering him around, or endure my training program, and I know that his life has changed since I arrived…maybe it would be for the best if I were to…' she could not finish because the thought frightened her so.
She suddenly gripped her prayer beads as a chill ran throughout her entire body as if paralyzing her. Something was watching her, she could feel its eyes upon her…she turned around quickly to find nothing, no one insight at all, and it was so still and quiet…too quiet, no birds were heard…
'An omen...' she thought, the hand holding her prayer breads trembling, 'I've never felt such a strong presence before…I've never felt so helpless, it's as if I am being suffocated…'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh stood outside on the front porch looking up at the sky.
"Something wrong Yoh?" Manta asked, looking up at his young friend.
"There are no birds in the sky," replied Yoh not taking his eyes from the sky.
Manta blinked and then looked around. It was true; there were no birds in the sky, nor any to be found in any of the nearby trees. "What do you think it means?"
"…Death…" whispered Yoh, a call from the rooftop caught his attention as he turned.
"A raven?" questioned Manta, arching an eyebrow, "Yoh?"
He noticed that Yoh's mood had changed. He was staring at the raven as if questioning its purpose for being there. Manta, blinked when he saw Yoh's eyes widen.
'Death?' he thought, 'My own? Am I to fail the shaman fight?'
Manta sweatdropped, attempting to wave a hand in front of Yoh's face. Key word here people, attempting…makes a big difference when the person you're trying to get to notice you is at least 4 feet taller than yourself.
"Yoh? Hey Yoh? What's wrong?"
Yoh snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at his best friend and smiled. He had that carefree expression on his face once more.
"It's nothing Manta, I was just wondering if Ryu would have dinner ready before Anna got back."
"…Yeah…that is a good question. I'd hate to see Anna's face when she came home to no dinner waiting for her. I bet she'd have us doing housework til we dropped."
"I don't know. Anna seems like she's got a lot on her mind right now. Maybe she'd go easy on us, huh?" Yoh asked, placing his hands behind his head and smiling.
"Well, you never know I suppose."
As Yoh stood there he couldn't help but think, 'Anna was trying to tell me something earlier…something was going to happen…to me? Was she trying to warn me?'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna ran off of the bridge as fast as her legs would carry her. The feeling was too overpowering for her to take at the moment and it was clouding the rest of her thoughts. She could feel her heart pounding within her chest as she ran harder and faster. It was as if the presence she had felt was following her, getting closer with every step she took. There was no safe haven now.
Her scarf tails were caught in the breeze as they flew behind her. She gripped her prayer beads within her hand. None of her visions or the emotions she found herself picking up on had ever been so strong before.
In all of her life nothing had actually frightened her…but now…she was terrified of not being in control of what was coming…coming for…
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh, who had been sitting in the living room quickly, removed his headphones as he suddenly had a sharp pain shoot through his mind. He had had this feeling once before. It had been when Manta had been captured by "The Lizard" who had taken over Ryu's body.
He looked around to find Manta was there, watching TV while Anna was still away. Manta was fine. He could hear Ryu busy preparing dinner…they were fine…then who?
Yoh quickly stood up as realization dawned on him. "Anna!" he exclaimed as he ran out the front door, leaving a bewildered Manta and Ryu inside the house.
"I don't see Anna," commented Ryu, looking up from the meal that was being cooked.
"Perhaps he was giving you a heads up that she was on her way?" Manta asked, with a shrug.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh ran down the street, he didn't know what could have made him feel that Anna had been in danger. He just knew that he had to be sure that she was alright. As he turned the corner (in record time I may say. See? Anna's training is good for something)…
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She had not seen the car coming towards her after she had run out into the middle of the street. Her only thoughts had been of the presence she had felt and how it was right behind her.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh stared at several cars, which were piled up around a small figure. He ran towards them, sliding across the hood of one car to find Anna in the middle of the collision.
"Anna?!" he yelled, as he stopped short in front of her.
Anna, who had been nearly crouched down with her hands over her ears and her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes, looking up to find Yoh with a very worried expression on his face.
"Anna?" he asked…crouching down next to her and slowly reaching to place his hand over one of hers.
Anna suddenly realized what had happened and felt both embarrassed and weak at the moment. She gently batted his hand away from her own as she stood up.
"Anna? Maybe you shouldn't...what happened???" Yoh was rather confused at the moment.
"…I…I don't…" she could see the worry in his eyes and she decided against it, "Isn't it obvious? Poor driving skills. Seems they'll give a license to anyone nowadays."
The drivers were busy discussing how it was as if she had been chased right out into the street. There had been no warning and she seemed to be so desperate and terrified, and not because of the cars coming at her either.
Yoh arched an eyebrow at their thoughts. Had Anna been chased? By who? Was there a new Shaman in town?
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna had started walking back home. 'It's best to leave before the authorities come,' she thought, '…How could I be so careless?'
Yoh quickly ran after Anna until he was able to walk along side of her.
"Anna? What happened back there? C'mon, you're not the type to run out in front of cars," admitted Yoh, trying to read her expressions as if they would give him some hint.
"I told you, poor driving skills. Now, let's go home. I'm hungry and after dinner you can wash the dishes," she replied, cleverly avoiding the subject at hand.
Yoh sighed as he walked along side of her. He noticed a cut on her face from where a piece of the road or perhaps a rock must have flown up at her during the collision. Without even thinking her reached his hand out to her and gently moved back some of her hair to reveal the small slash along her cheek bone.
Anna tensed for a moment at his touch, but instead of turning around and giving him her famous punch; she took his hand in hers.
"It's nothing. I'm fine. How did you know where I was?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Yoh looked down at her hand holding his and smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.
"I just had this feeling. I'm glad that you're alright, Anna. Without you I'd be slacking off for sure, right?" he stated with a chuckle, trying to get her to smile.
No smile came though. Instead she looked more troubled than ever and gently dropped his hand from her own and kept walking.
Yoh wasn't sure what to think now. 'What is she keeping from me? Am I right to think that something is going to happen to me? She's acting so strangely…"
As she walked over the bridge once more, she had to repeat to herself within her mind that nothing was there and that nothing had been earlier. It had all been in her imagination, she was overtired. Yes, that was it. A good night's sleep would fix everything and when she awoke the next morning it would be as if nothing had ever happened.
Yoh walked behind her quietly over the bridge, still not knowing what she could be thinking or feeling. He continued to follow her until they had returned home.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ryu and Manta both greeted the two as they entered the house.
"I have dinner waiting for you Miss Anna," stated Ryu, smiling nervously, hoping it would be to her approval.
"It looks really good tonight, Anna. Ryu really outdid himself," commented Manta with a smile.
"Please eat without me. I'm not very hungry tonight," replied Anna, as she slipped off her shoes and headed towards her bedroom.
Ryu and Manta both blinked about a hundred times. Anna. Not. Hungry???? Was the world coming to an end?
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna sat on her bedroom floor, her legs to her side as she was busy flipping through the pages of a large book. Her eyes scanned the book's pages quickly, as if looking for some hidden meaning for her visions to pop out at her.
'…Nothing…this book is useless…' she thought and tossed it to the side of the room, grabbing another book and beginning the same process once more.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is really great, Ryu," complimented Manta as he took another bite.
"Thank you, Manta. I find it odd that Anna didn't want any. It's her favorite too," replied Ryu, taking a sip of his tea.
Yoh picked at his food. He appeared to be staring off into space. Amidamaru appeared, floating behind him.
"What's wrong my friend?" he questioned, looking over Yoh's shoulder.
"…It's nothing…just thinking…" he replied, taking a bite of his meal, "This is really great Ryu."
"Why thank you, Yoh. I will be sure to save some for Anna, in case she is hungry later."
"Yoh, you've been thinking a lot today. What's going on?" Manta asked, pushing his plate aside to show that Yoh had his undivided attention.
"Really, it's nothing. I just think that Anna may be keeping something from us is all."
Manta and Ryu both hmm'd for a moment…
"Like what?" they both questioned simultaneously.
"…I'm not really sure. With Anna it could be anything," replied Yoh with a sigh, as he propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand.
Ryu gasped as another "bright" idea popped into his mind. "Do you think Anna has a boy friend?"
Manta who had been sipping his tea suddenly started choking, spraying Yoh with the hot tea. Yoh's eyes widened as he jumped up.
"Anna? A boy friend????" Manta asked nearly in hysterics, "Who in their right mind would want to date her? Oh, I'm sure the first week would be nice, but then she'd do a 360 and it'd be "do my laundry," "do the dishes," "make my dinner," and God knows what else."
Ryu thought about this for a moment and then pointed his finger at Yoh, nearly jumping over the table. "And what do you think? Is Anna not supposed to be your fiancée? What if some guy was trying to steal her from you? Would you fight for her or would you gladly give her up?"
A rather large sweatdrop appeared on the back of Yoh's head. He blinked at all of Ryu's questions. "…I…uh…well…I'd…uh…"
Now both Manta and Amidamaru were interested in how Yoh would answer all of Ryu's questioned. All three (including Ryu) leaned in closer to Yoh.
Yoh gulped and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Gee, you guys, how the heck should I know? Plus, I thought that Anna wanted to marry me. She's always pushing me to become a better Shaman."
All three couldn't argue with that theory, however, inquiring minds wanted to know.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There sat a fairly large pile of books on her bedroom floor. None of the books seemed to have exactly what she was looking for. No spirit, no evil force, nor a spell that could be responsible for her visions. It seemed that she was in denial; however, what she hated most was to give into defeat. She had never lost to anything in her entire life and now it seemed as though what she would lose would be the thing that should be valued most…
'I don't want to d…' her thoughts were cut short as she heard the guys running from the kitchen to the living room.
She sighed, standing up and heard a small rumble from her stomach. She figured it best to eat and then come back to her work. As she opened the door and stepped out of her room, she barely had time to realize what was going on before she was tackled to the ground.
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Manta, Ryu, and Amidamaru all stopped dead in their tracks as they watched Yoh take down Anna after running full speed ahead from them. The same image popped into their minds: one angry Anna beating the living shit out of a poor pitiful Yoh.
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Yoh looked down and got the most nervous smile known to man. He could practically picture his life flashing before his eyes as his eyes met Anna's.
Anna, now underneath Yoh, looked up at him and watched his eyes intently. So this was the guy she was supposed to marry? The boy who thought their house was obviously some sort of center for a marathon to be held. However, with everything going on at the moment, she figured that once, just this once…
"…Ya know, it's common to apologize to someone when you run them down," she stated her voice no more than a whisper, after having the wind knocked out of her.
Yoh laughed nervously, almost in shock that he hadn't been thrown clear across the house by now.
"I…uh…" he began, still laughing nervously and thinking of the right words to say, "Sorry Anna? Didn't really see ya there."
"I'll let you off the hook just this once. But mark my words you do it again…" she stated, with the all familiar "You're going to be in a world of pain" look, followed by her reassuring smile that she would follow through with her threat.
"…Won't happen again, I assure you!" exclaimed Yoh as he quickly made it to his feet, and rubbing the back of his head with that nervous expression on his face, he held out his hand to her.
To both of their surprises and to that of the others (with it being a miracle that their jaws hadn't already hit the floor or that a large pool of drool now sat at their feet), Anna took his hand and he slowly pulled her up to her feet.
Their eyes met for a moment as Yoh tried once more to search her eyes for what she could be possibly hiding. Anna on the other hand was lost in her thoughts. Who would he marry in her place? Perhaps there was already someone better suited to take her place…
"Anna…I hope you'll eventually tell me what's bothering you," he whispered, trying not to make her uncomfortable due to the fact that the others were watching.
Anna, however, was not quite ready to tell Yoh about her visions or that she had no way of preventing them. It was very out of character of her but…
"…Thank you. I'm fine, really."
With that she dropped his hand and walked past Yoh, as well as, the other three, making sure not to slip in any of the drool that may have landed on the carpet from their mouths hanging open.
"Don't make that face too long boys, they make stay that way."
She walked into the kitchen and Ryu was the first to snap out of shock. He quickly ran after Anna to reheat her dinner.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna was about to reach into the fridge when Ryu offered to reheat her dinner for her. She decided not to argue with him and nodded in acceptance.
"I hope it is to your liking," he stated, placing her dinner in front of her once it had been reheated.
"It looks fine, thank you."
"Miss Anna, excuse me for being nosey, but are you alright?"
She looked up from her meal and noticed the nervousness in his posture. She sighed quietly and gave him a reassuring look.
"I'm fine, just overtired. I haven't gotten much sleep lately," she replied, in partial honesty.
"Well, that's good to know. I know that Yoh was worried about you and Manta as well."
She took a sip of her tea and couldn't help but think how all three were worried about her. If she were to tell them (especially Yoh) the truth, then his mind would not be clear and he would not be able to focus on the task ahead, to win the Shaman Fight.
Her nose suddenly wrinkled up. 'Who made this tea, the squirt????' It was toxic by all means…
"Here we thought that maybe you had a new suitor. Maybe that's what Yoh needs to get him into shape. Miss Anna you should go and find yourself a boy friend to ignite the fighting spirit within Yoh!" exclaimed Ryu getting a little too into this.
Anna sweatdropped, as she spit the tea back into her cup to prevent herself from choking. Yoh who had just heard the tail end of that conversation nearly fell over backwards at the thought. While Manta just blinked and still was in awe about someone liking Anna…and living long enough to continue liking her.
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That's it for this week, leaving Thursday for a trip to NYC and won't be back til Sunday. Hope you enjoyed. I know it's not very long but small chapters keep you guessing. Please review. Thanks! Ja Ne ^.^
Serenitymoon@lycos.com
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of the characters used in this fic.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here goes chapter two. Glad that a few people thought that the plot line had potential so thank you.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna made it half way over the bridge before she stopped and looked down at her reflection as it rippled in the small stream below her. She leaned on the railing and tried to make a slight smile. It was no use, however, she couldn't get over the feeling that something was coming.
'Perhaps Yoh would be happy if something were to happen to me?' she thought, watching a fish jump and its presence rippling her reflection causing it to appear as though she were fading away, 'He would not have to listen to me ordering him around, or endure my training program, and I know that his life has changed since I arrived…maybe it would be for the best if I were to…' she could not finish because the thought frightened her so.
She suddenly gripped her prayer beads as a chill ran throughout her entire body as if paralyzing her. Something was watching her, she could feel its eyes upon her…she turned around quickly to find nothing, no one insight at all, and it was so still and quiet…too quiet, no birds were heard…
'An omen...' she thought, the hand holding her prayer breads trembling, 'I've never felt such a strong presence before…I've never felt so helpless, it's as if I am being suffocated…'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh stood outside on the front porch looking up at the sky.
"Something wrong Yoh?" Manta asked, looking up at his young friend.
"There are no birds in the sky," replied Yoh not taking his eyes from the sky.
Manta blinked and then looked around. It was true; there were no birds in the sky, nor any to be found in any of the nearby trees. "What do you think it means?"
"…Death…" whispered Yoh, a call from the rooftop caught his attention as he turned.
"A raven?" questioned Manta, arching an eyebrow, "Yoh?"
He noticed that Yoh's mood had changed. He was staring at the raven as if questioning its purpose for being there. Manta, blinked when he saw Yoh's eyes widen.
'Death?' he thought, 'My own? Am I to fail the shaman fight?'
Manta sweatdropped, attempting to wave a hand in front of Yoh's face. Key word here people, attempting…makes a big difference when the person you're trying to get to notice you is at least 4 feet taller than yourself.
"Yoh? Hey Yoh? What's wrong?"
Yoh snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at his best friend and smiled. He had that carefree expression on his face once more.
"It's nothing Manta, I was just wondering if Ryu would have dinner ready before Anna got back."
"…Yeah…that is a good question. I'd hate to see Anna's face when she came home to no dinner waiting for her. I bet she'd have us doing housework til we dropped."
"I don't know. Anna seems like she's got a lot on her mind right now. Maybe she'd go easy on us, huh?" Yoh asked, placing his hands behind his head and smiling.
"Well, you never know I suppose."
As Yoh stood there he couldn't help but think, 'Anna was trying to tell me something earlier…something was going to happen…to me? Was she trying to warn me?'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna ran off of the bridge as fast as her legs would carry her. The feeling was too overpowering for her to take at the moment and it was clouding the rest of her thoughts. She could feel her heart pounding within her chest as she ran harder and faster. It was as if the presence she had felt was following her, getting closer with every step she took. There was no safe haven now.
Her scarf tails were caught in the breeze as they flew behind her. She gripped her prayer beads within her hand. None of her visions or the emotions she found herself picking up on had ever been so strong before.
In all of her life nothing had actually frightened her…but now…she was terrified of not being in control of what was coming…coming for…
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh, who had been sitting in the living room quickly, removed his headphones as he suddenly had a sharp pain shoot through his mind. He had had this feeling once before. It had been when Manta had been captured by "The Lizard" who had taken over Ryu's body.
He looked around to find Manta was there, watching TV while Anna was still away. Manta was fine. He could hear Ryu busy preparing dinner…they were fine…then who?
Yoh quickly stood up as realization dawned on him. "Anna!" he exclaimed as he ran out the front door, leaving a bewildered Manta and Ryu inside the house.
"I don't see Anna," commented Ryu, looking up from the meal that was being cooked.
"Perhaps he was giving you a heads up that she was on her way?" Manta asked, with a shrug.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh ran down the street, he didn't know what could have made him feel that Anna had been in danger. He just knew that he had to be sure that she was alright. As he turned the corner (in record time I may say. See? Anna's training is good for something)…
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She had not seen the car coming towards her after she had run out into the middle of the street. Her only thoughts had been of the presence she had felt and how it was right behind her.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh stared at several cars, which were piled up around a small figure. He ran towards them, sliding across the hood of one car to find Anna in the middle of the collision.
"Anna?!" he yelled, as he stopped short in front of her.
Anna, who had been nearly crouched down with her hands over her ears and her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes, looking up to find Yoh with a very worried expression on his face.
"Anna?" he asked…crouching down next to her and slowly reaching to place his hand over one of hers.
Anna suddenly realized what had happened and felt both embarrassed and weak at the moment. She gently batted his hand away from her own as she stood up.
"Anna? Maybe you shouldn't...what happened???" Yoh was rather confused at the moment.
"…I…I don't…" she could see the worry in his eyes and she decided against it, "Isn't it obvious? Poor driving skills. Seems they'll give a license to anyone nowadays."
The drivers were busy discussing how it was as if she had been chased right out into the street. There had been no warning and she seemed to be so desperate and terrified, and not because of the cars coming at her either.
Yoh arched an eyebrow at their thoughts. Had Anna been chased? By who? Was there a new Shaman in town?
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna had started walking back home. 'It's best to leave before the authorities come,' she thought, '…How could I be so careless?'
Yoh quickly ran after Anna until he was able to walk along side of her.
"Anna? What happened back there? C'mon, you're not the type to run out in front of cars," admitted Yoh, trying to read her expressions as if they would give him some hint.
"I told you, poor driving skills. Now, let's go home. I'm hungry and after dinner you can wash the dishes," she replied, cleverly avoiding the subject at hand.
Yoh sighed as he walked along side of her. He noticed a cut on her face from where a piece of the road or perhaps a rock must have flown up at her during the collision. Without even thinking her reached his hand out to her and gently moved back some of her hair to reveal the small slash along her cheek bone.
Anna tensed for a moment at his touch, but instead of turning around and giving him her famous punch; she took his hand in hers.
"It's nothing. I'm fine. How did you know where I was?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Yoh looked down at her hand holding his and smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.
"I just had this feeling. I'm glad that you're alright, Anna. Without you I'd be slacking off for sure, right?" he stated with a chuckle, trying to get her to smile.
No smile came though. Instead she looked more troubled than ever and gently dropped his hand from her own and kept walking.
Yoh wasn't sure what to think now. 'What is she keeping from me? Am I right to think that something is going to happen to me? She's acting so strangely…"
As she walked over the bridge once more, she had to repeat to herself within her mind that nothing was there and that nothing had been earlier. It had all been in her imagination, she was overtired. Yes, that was it. A good night's sleep would fix everything and when she awoke the next morning it would be as if nothing had ever happened.
Yoh walked behind her quietly over the bridge, still not knowing what she could be thinking or feeling. He continued to follow her until they had returned home.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ryu and Manta both greeted the two as they entered the house.
"I have dinner waiting for you Miss Anna," stated Ryu, smiling nervously, hoping it would be to her approval.
"It looks really good tonight, Anna. Ryu really outdid himself," commented Manta with a smile.
"Please eat without me. I'm not very hungry tonight," replied Anna, as she slipped off her shoes and headed towards her bedroom.
Ryu and Manta both blinked about a hundred times. Anna. Not. Hungry???? Was the world coming to an end?
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna sat on her bedroom floor, her legs to her side as she was busy flipping through the pages of a large book. Her eyes scanned the book's pages quickly, as if looking for some hidden meaning for her visions to pop out at her.
'…Nothing…this book is useless…' she thought and tossed it to the side of the room, grabbing another book and beginning the same process once more.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is really great, Ryu," complimented Manta as he took another bite.
"Thank you, Manta. I find it odd that Anna didn't want any. It's her favorite too," replied Ryu, taking a sip of his tea.
Yoh picked at his food. He appeared to be staring off into space. Amidamaru appeared, floating behind him.
"What's wrong my friend?" he questioned, looking over Yoh's shoulder.
"…It's nothing…just thinking…" he replied, taking a bite of his meal, "This is really great Ryu."
"Why thank you, Yoh. I will be sure to save some for Anna, in case she is hungry later."
"Yoh, you've been thinking a lot today. What's going on?" Manta asked, pushing his plate aside to show that Yoh had his undivided attention.
"Really, it's nothing. I just think that Anna may be keeping something from us is all."
Manta and Ryu both hmm'd for a moment…
"Like what?" they both questioned simultaneously.
"…I'm not really sure. With Anna it could be anything," replied Yoh with a sigh, as he propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand.
Ryu gasped as another "bright" idea popped into his mind. "Do you think Anna has a boy friend?"
Manta who had been sipping his tea suddenly started choking, spraying Yoh with the hot tea. Yoh's eyes widened as he jumped up.
"Anna? A boy friend????" Manta asked nearly in hysterics, "Who in their right mind would want to date her? Oh, I'm sure the first week would be nice, but then she'd do a 360 and it'd be "do my laundry," "do the dishes," "make my dinner," and God knows what else."
Ryu thought about this for a moment and then pointed his finger at Yoh, nearly jumping over the table. "And what do you think? Is Anna not supposed to be your fiancée? What if some guy was trying to steal her from you? Would you fight for her or would you gladly give her up?"
A rather large sweatdrop appeared on the back of Yoh's head. He blinked at all of Ryu's questions. "…I…uh…well…I'd…uh…"
Now both Manta and Amidamaru were interested in how Yoh would answer all of Ryu's questioned. All three (including Ryu) leaned in closer to Yoh.
Yoh gulped and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Gee, you guys, how the heck should I know? Plus, I thought that Anna wanted to marry me. She's always pushing me to become a better Shaman."
All three couldn't argue with that theory, however, inquiring minds wanted to know.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There sat a fairly large pile of books on her bedroom floor. None of the books seemed to have exactly what she was looking for. No spirit, no evil force, nor a spell that could be responsible for her visions. It seemed that she was in denial; however, what she hated most was to give into defeat. She had never lost to anything in her entire life and now it seemed as though what she would lose would be the thing that should be valued most…
'I don't want to d…' her thoughts were cut short as she heard the guys running from the kitchen to the living room.
She sighed, standing up and heard a small rumble from her stomach. She figured it best to eat and then come back to her work. As she opened the door and stepped out of her room, she barely had time to realize what was going on before she was tackled to the ground.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manta, Ryu, and Amidamaru all stopped dead in their tracks as they watched Yoh take down Anna after running full speed ahead from them. The same image popped into their minds: one angry Anna beating the living shit out of a poor pitiful Yoh.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh looked down and got the most nervous smile known to man. He could practically picture his life flashing before his eyes as his eyes met Anna's.
Anna, now underneath Yoh, looked up at him and watched his eyes intently. So this was the guy she was supposed to marry? The boy who thought their house was obviously some sort of center for a marathon to be held. However, with everything going on at the moment, she figured that once, just this once…
"…Ya know, it's common to apologize to someone when you run them down," she stated her voice no more than a whisper, after having the wind knocked out of her.
Yoh laughed nervously, almost in shock that he hadn't been thrown clear across the house by now.
"I…uh…" he began, still laughing nervously and thinking of the right words to say, "Sorry Anna? Didn't really see ya there."
"I'll let you off the hook just this once. But mark my words you do it again…" she stated, with the all familiar "You're going to be in a world of pain" look, followed by her reassuring smile that she would follow through with her threat.
"…Won't happen again, I assure you!" exclaimed Yoh as he quickly made it to his feet, and rubbing the back of his head with that nervous expression on his face, he held out his hand to her.
To both of their surprises and to that of the others (with it being a miracle that their jaws hadn't already hit the floor or that a large pool of drool now sat at their feet), Anna took his hand and he slowly pulled her up to her feet.
Their eyes met for a moment as Yoh tried once more to search her eyes for what she could be possibly hiding. Anna on the other hand was lost in her thoughts. Who would he marry in her place? Perhaps there was already someone better suited to take her place…
"Anna…I hope you'll eventually tell me what's bothering you," he whispered, trying not to make her uncomfortable due to the fact that the others were watching.
Anna, however, was not quite ready to tell Yoh about her visions or that she had no way of preventing them. It was very out of character of her but…
"…Thank you. I'm fine, really."
With that she dropped his hand and walked past Yoh, as well as, the other three, making sure not to slip in any of the drool that may have landed on the carpet from their mouths hanging open.
"Don't make that face too long boys, they make stay that way."
She walked into the kitchen and Ryu was the first to snap out of shock. He quickly ran after Anna to reheat her dinner.
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Anna was about to reach into the fridge when Ryu offered to reheat her dinner for her. She decided not to argue with him and nodded in acceptance.
"I hope it is to your liking," he stated, placing her dinner in front of her once it had been reheated.
"It looks fine, thank you."
"Miss Anna, excuse me for being nosey, but are you alright?"
She looked up from her meal and noticed the nervousness in his posture. She sighed quietly and gave him a reassuring look.
"I'm fine, just overtired. I haven't gotten much sleep lately," she replied, in partial honesty.
"Well, that's good to know. I know that Yoh was worried about you and Manta as well."
She took a sip of her tea and couldn't help but think how all three were worried about her. If she were to tell them (especially Yoh) the truth, then his mind would not be clear and he would not be able to focus on the task ahead, to win the Shaman Fight.
Her nose suddenly wrinkled up. 'Who made this tea, the squirt????' It was toxic by all means…
"Here we thought that maybe you had a new suitor. Maybe that's what Yoh needs to get him into shape. Miss Anna you should go and find yourself a boy friend to ignite the fighting spirit within Yoh!" exclaimed Ryu getting a little too into this.
Anna sweatdropped, as she spit the tea back into her cup to prevent herself from choking. Yoh who had just heard the tail end of that conversation nearly fell over backwards at the thought. While Manta just blinked and still was in awe about someone liking Anna…and living long enough to continue liking her.
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That's it for this week, leaving Thursday for a trip to NYC and won't be back til Sunday. Hope you enjoyed. I know it's not very long but small chapters keep you guessing. Please review. Thanks! Ja Ne ^.^