Asuka02RedEva
Serenitymoon@lycos.com
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of the characters used in this
story.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hoped that you enjoyed the last chapter and are still interested in the story. Little more fluff in some of the upcoming chapters, as well as, the POVS of Yoh and Anna.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been a month since the accident involving the construction site. The Shaman tournament had already begun and things were well on the way in regard to Yoh becoming the Shaman King. Anna's visions had ceased and for several weeks she thought that perhaps she had imagined them, or maybe they had been channeled to her by accident. In the back of her mind she couldn't believe any of the excuses she had come up with, but decided that it would be better to leave it alone.
Her leg was getting better every day. In a week the cast could come off. The doctor had said that the cast would only need to be on for two weeks, but when an X-Ray was taken it showed a newly made fracture (aka: Anna's foot sent Manta flying out the door). She explained to the doctor that she had no idea how that could have happened. Shortie would pay for the extra three weeks of having to endure that dreaded cast. Yup, Anna was back to her normal self.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After lunch, she went to her room and decided to try something new. Since her accident she hadn't stood on her leg. She carefully set the crutches down and tried to find balance in order to stand. Once she had succeeded with that she slowly took a step forward with her injured leg, trying not to press down too hard on it as she took a step with her other leg.
She slowly found herself making her way toward her desk. A great sense of pride stirring in her; no way were crutches going to keep her down. She had a shaman to train. Well, it was pretty nice to watch Manta, Ryu, and Yoh do her every bidding, but enough was enough. It was much more fun to be able to chase them around the house and throw things at them when they messed up, then it was to sit on her butt and hope that she had good aim when it came to hitting a moving target. They ran because they knew she couldn't...cowards...well they'd get there's in a week...
She turned slowly to walk back toward her door and to the dresser where her crutches were lying. As she took another step she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," she called, as she took a step, and tripped over a bunched spot in the carpet.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna, who was bracing herself for a fall, was rather surprised when she looked up to find herself in the arms of Yoh.
"Anna, are you alright?" he asked, a little concerned as he held her up.
"...I'm fine..." she replied, a little caught off guard and not quite sure how she should react.
"You weren't using your crutches, huh?" he questioned, arching an eyebrow, "You think that's ok?" not wanting to anger her, he quickly added, "I mean, it's great that you're feeling stronger, but you wouldn't want to have an accident and have to wear the cast any longer."
"...No...I suppose you're right," she replied, she then noticed just how close she was to him, and for a moment she allowed herself to not mind it.
'...I can't be mad at him. After all, he did knock, and I did say come in, he caught me, and I believe that he....that he...cares about me...'
Yoh looked down at Anna and smiled that goofy grin of his. He was amazed by the fact that she hadn't sent him flying into a wall or through the window from telling her that it might not be a good idea for her to be off of her crutches.
'...Anna's usually so distant...but lately, even when she's ordering me around, it seems as though she's trying to let me in...I just wish that...Why is she looking at me like that? Oh...man...do we have an audience?' @-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh reluctantly turned his head to find Ryu and Manta standing in the doorway, both wide eyed, their mouths half open, and blinking slowly at the sight in front of them. Anna in Yoh's arms, Yoh not flying through window, and Yoh with that big goofy grin of his.
"...Uh...did we interrupt something?" asked Manta, in disbelief.
"Isn't it beautiful?" replied Ryu, "So young, so in love."
This of course gained Ryu the famous glare of death. Anna slowly moved away from Yoh, and grabbed her crutches.
"Is there a problem, Shortie?" asked Anna, look of death in eyes.
"...Uh...nope...no problem at all...sorry I'll just be running a...."
"Well, I must say you two do have perfect timing." She held out a list to Ryu. "Here's the list of things we need for tonight's dinner. I'm sure that you won't screw it up."
Ryu sweatdropped, grocery shopping was getting off easy when it came to Anna. Manta was left though...
"As for you squirt, the toilet needs to be scrubbed, and make sure you do around the edges on the floor. One of you seems to have bad aim late at night."
Both Ryu and Manta simultaneously point to Yoh. Yoh waves his hands like a madman, ranting that he does not!
"And Yoh?" she interrupted him in mid rant.
"...Yes, Anna?" he asked, cautiously, God only knows what he would have to do.
"Go pick up the laundry at the laundry mat downtown, and on the way, run, make sure you do 250 push ups and another 250 sit ups."
Yoh sighed, noticed a death glare lurking, and ran out of the house without a second thought.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manta sighed as he walked down the hallway with his toilet bowl cleaner in one hand and his scrubber in the other, his shoulders slumped as he walked.
"You should straighten up when you walk, you don't want to develop a back problem at your age," commented Anna who was now laying on a pillow on the living room carpet, watching her soap opera. "...No, Emily don't leave Zander for Nicholas...I told you not to do it..." sighs and shakes her head and munches on popcorn.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Yoh returned from the laundry mat and having done his training for the afternoon he sweatdropped at what he heard.
"You're such a fool, just tell him that you love him," came Anna's voice from the livingroom.
Yoh sweatdropped and moved closer to hear what Anna was saying...
"I'm sure that he won't laugh in your face, after all you've been friends with him since you were young..."
Yoh suddenly blinked and thoughts began to run through his mind, 'Anna...loves me? I mean, I always knew that deep down she cared for me, but she loves me? Whoa...maybe I should tell her how I...' He turned the corner, ready to tell her when...he stopped and sweatdropped.
There was Anna, sitting in front of the television, shaking her head, "You should have told him when you had the chance. Now, he's off with Elizabeth and you're all alone..." She tsk'd a few times and then reached for more popcorn.
Yoh nearly fell over backwards at the sight. He should have known. Anna and her soaps...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night after dinner, Manta had tiredly walked home after a full day of scrubbing the toilet and cleaning the bathroom. Ryu was in the kitchen washing the dishes and Yoh for once hadn't been ordered to do anything.
Yoh walked past the sliding glass door, and then stopped as he saw Anna sitting on the porch. The moon was rising and the stars were beginning to appear in the night sky.
She was slowly reaching behind her head to untie her scarf. She took the scarf off of her head and replaced it around her neck, the scarf tails floating silently in the breeze.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Is everything really alright now?' she thought, '...It's been a while since the visions, but I just can't seem to get them off my mind. They were so real and I know that I didn't imagine everything that happened to me. My arm, the blood I coughed up, could it have been a warning?'
Her thoughts were broken as she felt something around her. She looked startled at first, and then looked to find Yoh, having just placed a blanket around her shoulders.
"It's cold out here Anna, you shouldn't be out here without a jacket on," explained Yoh, "Mind if I join you?"
"If you like," she replied, moving the blanket closer around her shoulders when she thought he wasn't looking.
Yoh smiled and looked up at the night sky. "It's really quiet tonight isn't it?"
"The calm before the storm perhaps?" she asked, her gaze following his.
"You think so too? I'm sure my next challenge won't be too bad, not with Amidamaru and your training to back me up," he replied with a grin.
"I feel that something may be testing us," she said, avoiding his glance.
"Testing us? How?" he asked, turning to face her.
"...I just have this feeling is all..." whispered the Itako as she held her spirit beads in her hand.
"...Anna..." Yoh stated in no more than a whisper as he watched her.
"Do your best tomorrow, Yoh, and don't let anything distract you..."
"Distract me?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head and smiling at her, "Never happen. Amidamaru and I will be victorious as always."
Amidamaru appeared next to Yoh and nodded, "As long as we stay focused I'm sure that we shall win."
"See Anna? No reason to be worried. I'll become Shaman King and give you that easy life you want," he stated, smiling widely at her.
Both Amidamaru and Yoh thought that Anna would have had a great comeback, but instead she just sat there silently. Her hand gripped the fabric of the blanket and she looked down at the small fountain of water in the yard.
'...If he only knew...I don't really care about an easy life, I care about...no, as an Itako, my job is to train him...I can't let emotion cloud my judgement...I can't tell him how much...'
Yoh looked up at Amidamaru and was a little surprised that Anna had said nothing and had suddenly become so quiet. Amidamaru took that as his cue to leave and waved bye bye to his master. Yoh tried to call him back, but sighed as a sweatdrop appeared on the back of his head.
"...Uh...Anna?" Yoh asked, interrupting her from her thoughts.
"...Yes, what is it?" she answered, with her usual nonchalant tone of voice.
"...I've sensed for quite a while now, that something was bothering you," he began, looking down a little nervous as to how to proceed, "...I thought that maybe you would have talked to me about it...we used to talk about everything."
"Things change, Yoh," she whispered, as she stood up and put the blanket around his shoulders instead, "I wouldn't stay out here too long, if I were you, after all it's pretty cold."
Yoh thought that he had seen a slight smile appear on her face before she walked back inside and slowly slide the glass door shut behind her.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once inside she sighed quietly to herself and leaned up against the hallway wall.
'...Why can't I lean to control my emotions? It used to be so easy, but now that I'm living with Yoh it seems that I've become too involved. I was sent here to train him, not to distract him or go easy on him. An Itako must be strong. I must get these thoughts out of my mind and start training him the best I can.'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A girl sat in front of a sacred fire and suddenly opened her eyes.
"...A dark presence will come for a young girl...but who is she?"
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night as Anna lay asleep in her bed and cuddled up to the warm covers, she dreamt of a time when she and Yoh would tell each other everything.
She had been brought up on the Asakura Compound just like Yoh, and their grandparents had engaged them at a young age. Back in those days things were simple: "You stepped on my sand castle!" *SMACK* "Did I say you could have the last cookie?!" *CRASH* "I have to marry him?!" *THUMP* Yeah those were the good old days...
But everything changed when Yoh left the compound and Anna continued her training to be an Itako and become an honorable wife for Yoh. She remembered the day he had left, with that goofy grin on his face.
Even then she had known that her mission would be to train him and to protect him. She could never open herself up to him, for if she had he might have become distracted. As an Itako she would have to shut her emotions off to the rest of the world and be strong enough to train him.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl continued to pray for guidance in order to help her solve the mystery of who the girl in her vision had been...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning came and Yoh found himself hit in the head with an alarm clock.
"...Morning..." Twitching "Anna..." Yoh said a large lump forming on the side of his head.
"You're late, breakfast is getting cold, and we have to be to school in less than an hour," she said with a bit of annoyance in her voice, "You'll never be ready for your challenge tonight if you can't even get out of bed on time!"
"Got it! I'm going!"
With that Yoh run toward the bathroom with a bundle of clothes in his hands...
"Well that got him moving..." She then heard a THUD in the hallway and walked out to see what had happened.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh lay on the hallway floor after being hit with the bathroom door after it had opened. Horo Horo looked down at Yoh and sweatdropped.
"Sorry about that buddy," he laughed nervously.
Anna looked less than impressed (if there was one thing she hated it was a freeloader!), but before she could speak she found her nose wrinkling up and her hand covering her nose and mouth.
"Yeah, sorry about that too, haven't been feeling very well lately," he rubbed the back of his head and laughed, "Something sure smells good..." he stated as he made his way past Yoh and Anna into the kitchen.
Anna felt like she was going to pass out, 'Something may smell good in the kitchen but it sure in hell doesn't smell good in the hallway!'
Yoh lay twitching on the floor and managed to shut the bathroom door with his foot.
"...That's...so...wrong..."
Anna looked not only ill but extremely upset. "...Yoh, in the future..." she began in between breaths and trying not to gag, "I would appreciate it if you were a better judge of character when it came to choosing friends."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl's eyes opened as the fire showed her the identity of the girl she so desperately wished to know...
"...It can't be..."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh and Anna walked to school, Yoh holding both of their book bags due to the fact that Anna still had her crutches for one more week.
"Hey Anna, you still worried about tonight's tournament?"
"I believe you will do your best," she replied, with a "You better!" statement lurking around.
"Yup, with Amidamaru I'll be fine. Are you going to come?"
She did not reply and Yoh arched an eyebrow, "You came to the others. I'd really like it if you were—
"I'm sure Manta will be there to cheer you on," she replied, stopping him short.
"...Yeah, but..."
"I have things to do this evening..."
Yoh looked down as they continued to head toward the school. Anna seemed colder than usual...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl shook her head in disbelief, "...No...no it can't be...it's...it's..." she stopped, her voice no more than a whisper when she spoke once more, "...Anna..."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woo! Way to go me! 2 chapters up in such a short period of time! Hope you enjoyed! Please Review, Ja Ne!
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hoped that you enjoyed the last chapter and are still interested in the story. Little more fluff in some of the upcoming chapters, as well as, the POVS of Yoh and Anna.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been a month since the accident involving the construction site. The Shaman tournament had already begun and things were well on the way in regard to Yoh becoming the Shaman King. Anna's visions had ceased and for several weeks she thought that perhaps she had imagined them, or maybe they had been channeled to her by accident. In the back of her mind she couldn't believe any of the excuses she had come up with, but decided that it would be better to leave it alone.
Her leg was getting better every day. In a week the cast could come off. The doctor had said that the cast would only need to be on for two weeks, but when an X-Ray was taken it showed a newly made fracture (aka: Anna's foot sent Manta flying out the door). She explained to the doctor that she had no idea how that could have happened. Shortie would pay for the extra three weeks of having to endure that dreaded cast. Yup, Anna was back to her normal self.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After lunch, she went to her room and decided to try something new. Since her accident she hadn't stood on her leg. She carefully set the crutches down and tried to find balance in order to stand. Once she had succeeded with that she slowly took a step forward with her injured leg, trying not to press down too hard on it as she took a step with her other leg.
She slowly found herself making her way toward her desk. A great sense of pride stirring in her; no way were crutches going to keep her down. She had a shaman to train. Well, it was pretty nice to watch Manta, Ryu, and Yoh do her every bidding, but enough was enough. It was much more fun to be able to chase them around the house and throw things at them when they messed up, then it was to sit on her butt and hope that she had good aim when it came to hitting a moving target. They ran because they knew she couldn't...cowards...well they'd get there's in a week...
She turned slowly to walk back toward her door and to the dresser where her crutches were lying. As she took another step she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," she called, as she took a step, and tripped over a bunched spot in the carpet.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna, who was bracing herself for a fall, was rather surprised when she looked up to find herself in the arms of Yoh.
"Anna, are you alright?" he asked, a little concerned as he held her up.
"...I'm fine..." she replied, a little caught off guard and not quite sure how she should react.
"You weren't using your crutches, huh?" he questioned, arching an eyebrow, "You think that's ok?" not wanting to anger her, he quickly added, "I mean, it's great that you're feeling stronger, but you wouldn't want to have an accident and have to wear the cast any longer."
"...No...I suppose you're right," she replied, she then noticed just how close she was to him, and for a moment she allowed herself to not mind it.
'...I can't be mad at him. After all, he did knock, and I did say come in, he caught me, and I believe that he....that he...cares about me...'
Yoh looked down at Anna and smiled that goofy grin of his. He was amazed by the fact that she hadn't sent him flying into a wall or through the window from telling her that it might not be a good idea for her to be off of her crutches.
'...Anna's usually so distant...but lately, even when she's ordering me around, it seems as though she's trying to let me in...I just wish that...Why is she looking at me like that? Oh...man...do we have an audience?' @-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh reluctantly turned his head to find Ryu and Manta standing in the doorway, both wide eyed, their mouths half open, and blinking slowly at the sight in front of them. Anna in Yoh's arms, Yoh not flying through window, and Yoh with that big goofy grin of his.
"...Uh...did we interrupt something?" asked Manta, in disbelief.
"Isn't it beautiful?" replied Ryu, "So young, so in love."
This of course gained Ryu the famous glare of death. Anna slowly moved away from Yoh, and grabbed her crutches.
"Is there a problem, Shortie?" asked Anna, look of death in eyes.
"...Uh...nope...no problem at all...sorry I'll just be running a...."
"Well, I must say you two do have perfect timing." She held out a list to Ryu. "Here's the list of things we need for tonight's dinner. I'm sure that you won't screw it up."
Ryu sweatdropped, grocery shopping was getting off easy when it came to Anna. Manta was left though...
"As for you squirt, the toilet needs to be scrubbed, and make sure you do around the edges on the floor. One of you seems to have bad aim late at night."
Both Ryu and Manta simultaneously point to Yoh. Yoh waves his hands like a madman, ranting that he does not!
"And Yoh?" she interrupted him in mid rant.
"...Yes, Anna?" he asked, cautiously, God only knows what he would have to do.
"Go pick up the laundry at the laundry mat downtown, and on the way, run, make sure you do 250 push ups and another 250 sit ups."
Yoh sighed, noticed a death glare lurking, and ran out of the house without a second thought.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manta sighed as he walked down the hallway with his toilet bowl cleaner in one hand and his scrubber in the other, his shoulders slumped as he walked.
"You should straighten up when you walk, you don't want to develop a back problem at your age," commented Anna who was now laying on a pillow on the living room carpet, watching her soap opera. "...No, Emily don't leave Zander for Nicholas...I told you not to do it..." sighs and shakes her head and munches on popcorn.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Yoh returned from the laundry mat and having done his training for the afternoon he sweatdropped at what he heard.
"You're such a fool, just tell him that you love him," came Anna's voice from the livingroom.
Yoh sweatdropped and moved closer to hear what Anna was saying...
"I'm sure that he won't laugh in your face, after all you've been friends with him since you were young..."
Yoh suddenly blinked and thoughts began to run through his mind, 'Anna...loves me? I mean, I always knew that deep down she cared for me, but she loves me? Whoa...maybe I should tell her how I...' He turned the corner, ready to tell her when...he stopped and sweatdropped.
There was Anna, sitting in front of the television, shaking her head, "You should have told him when you had the chance. Now, he's off with Elizabeth and you're all alone..." She tsk'd a few times and then reached for more popcorn.
Yoh nearly fell over backwards at the sight. He should have known. Anna and her soaps...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night after dinner, Manta had tiredly walked home after a full day of scrubbing the toilet and cleaning the bathroom. Ryu was in the kitchen washing the dishes and Yoh for once hadn't been ordered to do anything.
Yoh walked past the sliding glass door, and then stopped as he saw Anna sitting on the porch. The moon was rising and the stars were beginning to appear in the night sky.
She was slowly reaching behind her head to untie her scarf. She took the scarf off of her head and replaced it around her neck, the scarf tails floating silently in the breeze.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Is everything really alright now?' she thought, '...It's been a while since the visions, but I just can't seem to get them off my mind. They were so real and I know that I didn't imagine everything that happened to me. My arm, the blood I coughed up, could it have been a warning?'
Her thoughts were broken as she felt something around her. She looked startled at first, and then looked to find Yoh, having just placed a blanket around her shoulders.
"It's cold out here Anna, you shouldn't be out here without a jacket on," explained Yoh, "Mind if I join you?"
"If you like," she replied, moving the blanket closer around her shoulders when she thought he wasn't looking.
Yoh smiled and looked up at the night sky. "It's really quiet tonight isn't it?"
"The calm before the storm perhaps?" she asked, her gaze following his.
"You think so too? I'm sure my next challenge won't be too bad, not with Amidamaru and your training to back me up," he replied with a grin.
"I feel that something may be testing us," she said, avoiding his glance.
"Testing us? How?" he asked, turning to face her.
"...I just have this feeling is all..." whispered the Itako as she held her spirit beads in her hand.
"...Anna..." Yoh stated in no more than a whisper as he watched her.
"Do your best tomorrow, Yoh, and don't let anything distract you..."
"Distract me?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head and smiling at her, "Never happen. Amidamaru and I will be victorious as always."
Amidamaru appeared next to Yoh and nodded, "As long as we stay focused I'm sure that we shall win."
"See Anna? No reason to be worried. I'll become Shaman King and give you that easy life you want," he stated, smiling widely at her.
Both Amidamaru and Yoh thought that Anna would have had a great comeback, but instead she just sat there silently. Her hand gripped the fabric of the blanket and she looked down at the small fountain of water in the yard.
'...If he only knew...I don't really care about an easy life, I care about...no, as an Itako, my job is to train him...I can't let emotion cloud my judgement...I can't tell him how much...'
Yoh looked up at Amidamaru and was a little surprised that Anna had said nothing and had suddenly become so quiet. Amidamaru took that as his cue to leave and waved bye bye to his master. Yoh tried to call him back, but sighed as a sweatdrop appeared on the back of his head.
"...Uh...Anna?" Yoh asked, interrupting her from her thoughts.
"...Yes, what is it?" she answered, with her usual nonchalant tone of voice.
"...I've sensed for quite a while now, that something was bothering you," he began, looking down a little nervous as to how to proceed, "...I thought that maybe you would have talked to me about it...we used to talk about everything."
"Things change, Yoh," she whispered, as she stood up and put the blanket around his shoulders instead, "I wouldn't stay out here too long, if I were you, after all it's pretty cold."
Yoh thought that he had seen a slight smile appear on her face before she walked back inside and slowly slide the glass door shut behind her.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once inside she sighed quietly to herself and leaned up against the hallway wall.
'...Why can't I lean to control my emotions? It used to be so easy, but now that I'm living with Yoh it seems that I've become too involved. I was sent here to train him, not to distract him or go easy on him. An Itako must be strong. I must get these thoughts out of my mind and start training him the best I can.'
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A girl sat in front of a sacred fire and suddenly opened her eyes.
"...A dark presence will come for a young girl...but who is she?"
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night as Anna lay asleep in her bed and cuddled up to the warm covers, she dreamt of a time when she and Yoh would tell each other everything.
She had been brought up on the Asakura Compound just like Yoh, and their grandparents had engaged them at a young age. Back in those days things were simple: "You stepped on my sand castle!" *SMACK* "Did I say you could have the last cookie?!" *CRASH* "I have to marry him?!" *THUMP* Yeah those were the good old days...
But everything changed when Yoh left the compound and Anna continued her training to be an Itako and become an honorable wife for Yoh. She remembered the day he had left, with that goofy grin on his face.
Even then she had known that her mission would be to train him and to protect him. She could never open herself up to him, for if she had he might have become distracted. As an Itako she would have to shut her emotions off to the rest of the world and be strong enough to train him.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl continued to pray for guidance in order to help her solve the mystery of who the girl in her vision had been...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning came and Yoh found himself hit in the head with an alarm clock.
"...Morning..." Twitching "Anna..." Yoh said a large lump forming on the side of his head.
"You're late, breakfast is getting cold, and we have to be to school in less than an hour," she said with a bit of annoyance in her voice, "You'll never be ready for your challenge tonight if you can't even get out of bed on time!"
"Got it! I'm going!"
With that Yoh run toward the bathroom with a bundle of clothes in his hands...
"Well that got him moving..." She then heard a THUD in the hallway and walked out to see what had happened.
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh lay on the hallway floor after being hit with the bathroom door after it had opened. Horo Horo looked down at Yoh and sweatdropped.
"Sorry about that buddy," he laughed nervously.
Anna looked less than impressed (if there was one thing she hated it was a freeloader!), but before she could speak she found her nose wrinkling up and her hand covering her nose and mouth.
"Yeah, sorry about that too, haven't been feeling very well lately," he rubbed the back of his head and laughed, "Something sure smells good..." he stated as he made his way past Yoh and Anna into the kitchen.
Anna felt like she was going to pass out, 'Something may smell good in the kitchen but it sure in hell doesn't smell good in the hallway!'
Yoh lay twitching on the floor and managed to shut the bathroom door with his foot.
"...That's...so...wrong..."
Anna looked not only ill but extremely upset. "...Yoh, in the future..." she began in between breaths and trying not to gag, "I would appreciate it if you were a better judge of character when it came to choosing friends."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl's eyes opened as the fire showed her the identity of the girl she so desperately wished to know...
"...It can't be..."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoh and Anna walked to school, Yoh holding both of their book bags due to the fact that Anna still had her crutches for one more week.
"Hey Anna, you still worried about tonight's tournament?"
"I believe you will do your best," she replied, with a "You better!" statement lurking around.
"Yup, with Amidamaru I'll be fine. Are you going to come?"
She did not reply and Yoh arched an eyebrow, "You came to the others. I'd really like it if you were—
"I'm sure Manta will be there to cheer you on," she replied, stopping him short.
"...Yeah, but..."
"I have things to do this evening..."
Yoh looked down as they continued to head toward the school. Anna seemed colder than usual...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girl shook her head in disbelief, "...No...no it can't be...it's...it's..." she stopped, her voice no more than a whisper when she spoke once more, "...Anna..."
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woo! Way to go me! 2 chapters up in such a short period of time! Hope you enjoyed! Please Review, Ja Ne!