Asuka02RedEva
Serenitymoon@lycos.com
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of the characters used in this
story.
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Well here we go! Hope that you enjoyed the last chapter. Thank you very much for your kind reviews! ^.^
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After school had let out, Anna had sent Yoh straight home in order to prepare for tonight's round. She felt badly about being so cold to him, but it couldn't be helped. She was an itako, as well as, a trainer first and a loving fiancée second. To be honest, she didn't know how to let Yoh know how she felt. They were friends, and they were engaged...but was there anything else? The engagement had been planned and there hadn't really been any objection...sure, Yoh had come to an entirely different part of Japan, but that was for training purposes, had nothing to do with him wanting to get the hell away from Anna...^.^()...
She passed by a shop window and caught her reflection in the mirror. She looked worried, but she forced herself to be optimistic about the outcome of tonight's battle. Yoh would be victorious. He just had to, she couldn't lose him...
Her thoughts came to a hault as she found herself near the hospital and it was as if a light bulb had suddenly been lit. She would beat the doctor with the cast on her leg if he wouldn't remove it this very day...
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That night as Yoh was gathering his things for the tournament, Manta passed by Anna's room, the door was open. He took a few steps back and knocked lightly on the open door.
"Yes?" asked Anna, not bothering to look up from her book.
"...Yoh is about ready to leave, aren't you coming?" replied Manta, with a question.
"You're going aren't you?"
"...Yes..."
"Good. Then Yoh doesn't need another cheerleader in his corner," she explained, a matter of factly, turning the page of her book.
Manta was a little taken back. Anna seemed cold...well...colder than usual at least. It wasn't like her to not go cheer...well...order Yoh during his battle.
"I just figured, that since you got your cast off early..." (if he only knew, the poor doctor is still out cold on the floor), "you would come with us tonight."
"Again," she replied, with little emotion, her eyes following the lines of the book, "I'm sure that you can handle the cheerleading section, squirt. Make sure to remember your pom poms and you'll be fine."
Manta blinked at first, he couldn't believe that Anna (of all people) was showing such little of an interest to the battle that would be taking place shortly. He heard Yoh's door close and slowly walked down the hallway towards the front door.
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Yoh waited in Anna's doorway for a moment, "I'm going now, Anna," he announced with one of his familiar smiles shining through.
"Alright, thanks for letting me know. Be sure to lock the door behind you when you leave," she replied, finishing her chapter and closing the book slowly.
"...Anna..." Yoh began, obviously put out, "you've been like this all day, and I know that something is wrong with you, why won't you talk to me?"
"You're going to be late if you don't get going," her back was now to him as she placed the closed book on the shelf, "Just do you best tonight, that's all you can do."
Yoh sighed and then shook his head before leaving, "You know, Anna, the battle really isn't as important as you are. If something's wrong, I wish you could trust me enough to tell me."
When she turned around to explain he had already disappeared down the hall and she heard the front door shut shortly after.
'...I do trust you...it's myself I don't trust at the moment...I don't know what to believe anymore...did my imagination really conjure up the images? The nightmares? What if, I were to tell him...his mind would not be clear. Yoh's driven too much by his emotions, and if he has to worry about me and my non—
Her thoughts ended as she heard the front door open once more, but this time it didn't shut. Had Yoh returned?
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"Hey, Yoh?" asked Manta as they headed towards the appointed site.
"Yeah, pal?" replied Yoh, his thoughts obviously elsewhere at the moment as he walked beside his little (I couldn't resist) buddy.
"...Why didn't Anna come with us?" he wondered out loud, curiosity in his voice.
"Anna, hasn't been herself lately, and she won't talk to me. She just said to do my best tonight," he trailed off, with a bit of concern evident in his voice, as well as, his features.
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Anna suddenly felt a cold chill run down her spine as she stopped herself from proceeding down the hallway. Something was in the house...but it wasn't Yoh...
She took her spirit beads in her hand and held them tightly. She could sense a shaman...and a powerful one at that. Anna closed her eyes in order to help her focus and detect exactly where he was. The power being emitted was too strong to be female. This shaman had a power unlike any she had ever come across, only read about.
But Anna didn't need a guardian ghost to aid her in times such as these, she had some pretty persuasive ways of dealing with intruders (aka: her right hook). Something about this presence bothered her though. Something didn't feel right...
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Yoh was already into his battle and was doing his best to keep up his strength. His opponent would not be easy to beat. He kept hearing Amidamaru telling him to stay focused, but in the back of Yoh's mind he couldn't help but think of Anna.
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Anna quickly opened her eyes as she felt a powerful blow send her flying into the wall at the end of the hallway. She slowly slid down the wall and tried to register what had just happened. The attack had come so quickly, that she hadn't even sensed the shaman so close to her.
She slowly stood up, finding her bearings, only to come face to face with him...
"Hao!?" her reply more of a question than a statement.
"It would appear that I have come at a good time after all, my other half doesn't seem to be here," he replied, all too calmly with a slight smirk, "of course, I knew he wouldn't be."
Anna glared at him, "What do you want?" she asked, bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning up against the wall.
"What do I want?" he repeated, his smirk broadening, "I wanted you to react differently to the visions I sent you."
"So you're the one, hmm?," she replied, her emotionless look now plastered on her face, "Do go on..."
"If you had been any other woman then you would have run straight to your fiancée and told him of the terrible things you were experiencing, and then, of course, his mind would not have been clear...I'm sure you see where I'm going with this," explained Hao, with a matter of fact tone, "you're rather intelligent, now aren't you?"
"So you figured that Yoh's mind wouldn't be clear had I told him. Which would mean that he would never have to face you in the Shaman Tournament, that way you wouldn't have to fear being defeated."
"Well, well, it seems that I cannot get anything past you. It's really too bad that things couldn't have gone according to plan," he closed his eyes for a moment and smirked, "well, well, well, it would appear that my other side has won another round. You should be pleased, you trained him well."
"Spare me with the flattery. What did you hope to gain by showing yourself to me?"
"A wife of course," he moved in quickly, now only inches from her face, "only you are worthy of becoming the queen of the shaman king, my wife of—
He was cut off as Anna's hand came flying up towards his face. He caught her hand with his own and smirked, his eyes full of amusement.
Anna stood in shock for a moment before coming to her senses and reaching up with her other hand, only to have that too caught by his swift hand.
"...Now, now, now...I'm sure you'll come to see things my way eventually. After all, if Yoh continues to compete in the tournament, he becomes one step closer to his death," he whispered seductively in her ear, "And if he won't back out of the tournament? That's what's on your mind isn't it? Well, should he refuse, then we'll just have to make him see the light, now won't we?"
Anna arched an eyebrow, showing no fear, she wouldn't let herself be an easy victim, "What do you mean, we?"
Hao's smirk showed traces of evil as his eyes narrowed, "Did he not say that some things were more important to him then the tournament?"
Anna's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. Hao nodded in approval, "Now you're starting to understand...if something should happen to you, then whatever would my other half do?"
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Well here we go! Hope that you enjoyed the last chapter. Thank you very much for your kind reviews! ^.^
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After school had let out, Anna had sent Yoh straight home in order to prepare for tonight's round. She felt badly about being so cold to him, but it couldn't be helped. She was an itako, as well as, a trainer first and a loving fiancée second. To be honest, she didn't know how to let Yoh know how she felt. They were friends, and they were engaged...but was there anything else? The engagement had been planned and there hadn't really been any objection...sure, Yoh had come to an entirely different part of Japan, but that was for training purposes, had nothing to do with him wanting to get the hell away from Anna...^.^()...
She passed by a shop window and caught her reflection in the mirror. She looked worried, but she forced herself to be optimistic about the outcome of tonight's battle. Yoh would be victorious. He just had to, she couldn't lose him...
Her thoughts came to a hault as she found herself near the hospital and it was as if a light bulb had suddenly been lit. She would beat the doctor with the cast on her leg if he wouldn't remove it this very day...
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night as Yoh was gathering his things for the tournament, Manta passed by Anna's room, the door was open. He took a few steps back and knocked lightly on the open door.
"Yes?" asked Anna, not bothering to look up from her book.
"...Yoh is about ready to leave, aren't you coming?" replied Manta, with a question.
"You're going aren't you?"
"...Yes..."
"Good. Then Yoh doesn't need another cheerleader in his corner," she explained, a matter of factly, turning the page of her book.
Manta was a little taken back. Anna seemed cold...well...colder than usual at least. It wasn't like her to not go cheer...well...order Yoh during his battle.
"I just figured, that since you got your cast off early..." (if he only knew, the poor doctor is still out cold on the floor), "you would come with us tonight."
"Again," she replied, with little emotion, her eyes following the lines of the book, "I'm sure that you can handle the cheerleading section, squirt. Make sure to remember your pom poms and you'll be fine."
Manta blinked at first, he couldn't believe that Anna (of all people) was showing such little of an interest to the battle that would be taking place shortly. He heard Yoh's door close and slowly walked down the hallway towards the front door.
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Yoh waited in Anna's doorway for a moment, "I'm going now, Anna," he announced with one of his familiar smiles shining through.
"Alright, thanks for letting me know. Be sure to lock the door behind you when you leave," she replied, finishing her chapter and closing the book slowly.
"...Anna..." Yoh began, obviously put out, "you've been like this all day, and I know that something is wrong with you, why won't you talk to me?"
"You're going to be late if you don't get going," her back was now to him as she placed the closed book on the shelf, "Just do you best tonight, that's all you can do."
Yoh sighed and then shook his head before leaving, "You know, Anna, the battle really isn't as important as you are. If something's wrong, I wish you could trust me enough to tell me."
When she turned around to explain he had already disappeared down the hall and she heard the front door shut shortly after.
'...I do trust you...it's myself I don't trust at the moment...I don't know what to believe anymore...did my imagination really conjure up the images? The nightmares? What if, I were to tell him...his mind would not be clear. Yoh's driven too much by his emotions, and if he has to worry about me and my non—
Her thoughts ended as she heard the front door open once more, but this time it didn't shut. Had Yoh returned?
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"Hey, Yoh?" asked Manta as they headed towards the appointed site.
"Yeah, pal?" replied Yoh, his thoughts obviously elsewhere at the moment as he walked beside his little (I couldn't resist) buddy.
"...Why didn't Anna come with us?" he wondered out loud, curiosity in his voice.
"Anna, hasn't been herself lately, and she won't talk to me. She just said to do my best tonight," he trailed off, with a bit of concern evident in his voice, as well as, his features.
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Anna suddenly felt a cold chill run down her spine as she stopped herself from proceeding down the hallway. Something was in the house...but it wasn't Yoh...
She took her spirit beads in her hand and held them tightly. She could sense a shaman...and a powerful one at that. Anna closed her eyes in order to help her focus and detect exactly where he was. The power being emitted was too strong to be female. This shaman had a power unlike any she had ever come across, only read about.
But Anna didn't need a guardian ghost to aid her in times such as these, she had some pretty persuasive ways of dealing with intruders (aka: her right hook). Something about this presence bothered her though. Something didn't feel right...
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Yoh was already into his battle and was doing his best to keep up his strength. His opponent would not be easy to beat. He kept hearing Amidamaru telling him to stay focused, but in the back of Yoh's mind he couldn't help but think of Anna.
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Anna quickly opened her eyes as she felt a powerful blow send her flying into the wall at the end of the hallway. She slowly slid down the wall and tried to register what had just happened. The attack had come so quickly, that she hadn't even sensed the shaman so close to her.
She slowly stood up, finding her bearings, only to come face to face with him...
"Hao!?" her reply more of a question than a statement.
"It would appear that I have come at a good time after all, my other half doesn't seem to be here," he replied, all too calmly with a slight smirk, "of course, I knew he wouldn't be."
Anna glared at him, "What do you want?" she asked, bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning up against the wall.
"What do I want?" he repeated, his smirk broadening, "I wanted you to react differently to the visions I sent you."
"So you're the one, hmm?," she replied, her emotionless look now plastered on her face, "Do go on..."
"If you had been any other woman then you would have run straight to your fiancée and told him of the terrible things you were experiencing, and then, of course, his mind would not have been clear...I'm sure you see where I'm going with this," explained Hao, with a matter of fact tone, "you're rather intelligent, now aren't you?"
"So you figured that Yoh's mind wouldn't be clear had I told him. Which would mean that he would never have to face you in the Shaman Tournament, that way you wouldn't have to fear being defeated."
"Well, well, it seems that I cannot get anything past you. It's really too bad that things couldn't have gone according to plan," he closed his eyes for a moment and smirked, "well, well, well, it would appear that my other side has won another round. You should be pleased, you trained him well."
"Spare me with the flattery. What did you hope to gain by showing yourself to me?"
"A wife of course," he moved in quickly, now only inches from her face, "only you are worthy of becoming the queen of the shaman king, my wife of—
He was cut off as Anna's hand came flying up towards his face. He caught her hand with his own and smirked, his eyes full of amusement.
Anna stood in shock for a moment before coming to her senses and reaching up with her other hand, only to have that too caught by his swift hand.
"...Now, now, now...I'm sure you'll come to see things my way eventually. After all, if Yoh continues to compete in the tournament, he becomes one step closer to his death," he whispered seductively in her ear, "And if he won't back out of the tournament? That's what's on your mind isn't it? Well, should he refuse, then we'll just have to make him see the light, now won't we?"
Anna arched an eyebrow, showing no fear, she wouldn't let herself be an easy victim, "What do you mean, we?"
Hao's smirk showed traces of evil as his eyes narrowed, "Did he not say that some things were more important to him then the tournament?"
Anna's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. Hao nodded in approval, "Now you're starting to understand...if something should happen to you, then whatever would my other half do?"
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