Yoh and Anna Side Story: Another one bites the dust

Yoh stared at the ceiling for a long time while Anna showered, he was thinking, he'd been thinking since he made it to where he was, inside Anna's subconscious memories. He sighed; he had once again angered Anna. What did he say? He didn't remember stating she was emotionless, but it seemed she took it that way. Or maybe he subconsciously thought it and she heard it? No. He would've noticed. He rolled on the futon face down in his stress, muttering a few words here and there, but he was forced to bite his tongue when Anna's head peeked from the bathroom door.

"Yes, Yoh, you were saying?"

"N-Nothing, Anna," he replied, scratching his head and starting to get up. Her head then disappeared from the room, possibly to place a yukata around her…naked body. Ugh! He mentally thought to himself, he really had to stop thinking of her…nice…naked body…

"Oh man, this is going be a long day," he muttered, throwing himself back down on the futon. He heard her as Anna turned the knob of the bathroom door, then came out, and shut the door behind her. He lifted his head slowly and saw her in her black turtle neck dress, with the white knee-high socks, he smiled as he remembered the day Anna showed him the dress in the catalogue.

"What do you think of this dress?" she had asked.

Yoh looked at it and shrugged, "It's all the same to me." SLAP!

Yoh wanted to laugh at the memory, it was another time there had been a misunderstanding between the two. Yoh simply meant that it didn't matter to him what she wore, because she would still be beautiful to him, but obviously Anna did not catch that.

Anna did not look at him, she simply sat down once more in her previous position beside the table, picking up her fallen chopsticks and continued eating. Her eyes wandered over to him, "Eat," she ordered. He decided not to push her temper any further, she had already slapped him after all, so he walked in front of her on the other side of the table and sat down, picking up his chopsticks and eating. The silence was painful, he had to admit, but he didn't want to be the one to interrupt it. Anna was the one to break the silence when she finally noticed Yoh's constant gaze, she slammed her bowl of food down on the table and glared at him. "What?" she demanded to know.

Yoh looked back down at his food, sipping some noodles, to avoid her question. He looked up saw her glare still in place, he swallowed the noodles in his mouth and sighed, "I'm sorry…"

"For?"

"Making you mad…" he said in a whisper, "I don't like making you mad…" she raised a brow curiously. Was there another misunderstanding? "N-not because you're scary when you're angry or anything!" he stuttered. Great. He really was stupid.

"Thanks," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her husband's bad attempt to save his arse. She stood and was about to take to plates to wash them herself, till Yoh got them and stood.

"I'll clean them today," he said, feeling a little guilty of his last comment, "is that okay?" he called from the sink as he dumped the dishes and began scrubbing with soap. Anna sat down and took out a magazine, she began eyeing every picture, every detail and every article, but she felt that she had already read it. The writers of magazines were all the same. She sighed and stood, taking a few steps to where her jacket laid on the floor; she placed it over her body and walked over to the kitchen.

Yoh continued to wash the dishes, scrubbing, rinsing, and drying, he did this until he felt Anna pull his arm, pulling him out of the kitchen. He blinked, about to open his mouth to say something until Anna threw his jacket at his face. "Let's go" she ordered, turning her back on him, stepping hurriedly out the door. Yoh blinked a couple more times before rushing out the door after her, his jacket tightly in his grasp.

"Oi, Anna…"

Anna casually looked back over her shoulder at her following husband; he walked behind her, his eyes staring at the floor rather than her. Anna stopped walking and let Yoh pass her before he stopped and turned to look at her. "Did I make you mad?" he asked, the blood suddenly rising to his cheeks for no reason. "If I did…I'm sorry…" Anna felt a sudden lump in her throat as Yoh suddenly came closer to her. She pushed him away and walked past him to a bench where she harshly sat on.

Yoh sighed and sat beside her. "I'm sorry…" he whispered once more.

Anna stared out into the white snow, seeing the small flakes fall on the sheet of white, snow on snow. "Why do you put up with me, Yoh?" she suddenly asked. Yoh raised his head to look at her, he opened his mouth, ready to speak, but Anna's expression lead the silence to last longer than expected. The light from the sun was bouncing off the blanket of white and shining onto Anna's skin. Yoh gulped and tried his best to look away, but found out that he couldn't.

Anna felt his gaze on her, then his hand gently made its way to hers and held it tight, Anna turned her head and saw Yoh looking in the same direction she had before, his eyes concentrating hard, his cheeks slowly turning pink. "You know…you're always very distant, you've always been like that…but…I've never known why. Can you tell me why?" he whispered softly.

Anna's eyes averted to where Yoh's gazed, at a small red bridge that was rarely visible due to distance, Anna saw this and looked to the ground and sighed. She was not going to tell him this for his pleasure. No. She would just say it to get the damn story off of her chest. Only for that reason would she say it. "When I was a bit younger the Kyoyama family hosted a party at the old mansion. I was forced to dance with many stupid bachelors so that I could be finding a suitor…" Yoh frowned, "One of the boys I danced with had the damn nerve of kissing me on the lips…" she paused in anger, "he ended up at the hospital several minutes later."

"YOU KILLED HIM!?"

Anna shrugged. "Not physically."

"ANNA!" Yoh shouted in horror, shocked that Anna would've brutally killed a boy for kissing her. Well he wasn't THAT shocked. But he knew the boy couldn't help it; shoot, it was bad enough for him trying to restrain himself from kissing his own wife all the time…

Anna turned her head and glared at her stupid fiancé, "Idiot, his soul left immediately to the Great Spirit." Yoh blinked, still clueless as to what Anna was explaining, she let out a sigh. "A Shaman Queen's kiss is meant to send the Shaman King straight to the Great Spirit to receive his Kami-like power. When that good-for-nothing-brat kissed me his spirit left and didn't come back."

Yoh blinked again, thinking hard as his brain cells worked at their fastest. "But when we first kissed on that night…"

"Nothing happened. I know."

Silence crept up between them, Yoh felt his grip around Anna's hand tightening slowly, he saw the space that was between them and scooted closer to Anna, so close that their sides where touching. "For once I was scared…" he heard her whisper, "I thought that if we became closer, we'd end up kissing one day, and on that day…you'd leave…That's the reason why I kept my distance. Sending you off to do tons of laps took plenty of time each day, so I began sending you off to do that to avoid you. And also it made you stronger, so that you could become Shaman King, I wouldn't have to worry so damn much." Beside her, Yoh softly chuckled; she looked at him and raised a brow, "What?" she demanded to know. Yoh just kept quiet and smiled, staring out in front of him.

Anna smacked his head. "Are you listening to me?!" she asked, annoyed.

"Ow Anna. That hurt." Yoh rubbed his head. "I was listening. You were worried about me. But in reality…I was always worried about you, Anna. I came here because I was worried what had happened to you when you were younger so…I came to find out so I could help…make you happy…"

Her heart skipped a beat. She shook her thoughts and crossed her arms. "Why should you care? It has nothing to do with you." She quickly snapped.

"Because I do. And..." Yoh grinned. "It does have to do with me, I'm causing trouble for you by just being here…" he looked at her and kept his grin, " But by being here I'm understanding you more," he told her, his eyes gazing warmly into hers, that boyish grin of his causing her to look away due to her hyperventilating. Yoh moved his face closer to hers to see why she turned away, "What's wrong?" he began to ask before he got a glimpse of her now pink skin. 'She's blushing... Cute...' A childish smirk crept up his face and he pulled away from her gaze, and decided to gaze up at the sky, watching each flake naturally fall to meet the others. "You know," he began, "I think there's more you're not telling me Anna…"

"I've told you enough for today."

He frowned, obviously wishing that wasn't her answer, but yet he gave in easily with a childish pout. "I guess you did…"

Anna turned her head to look at him. He had that look on his face, the one that was both thoughtful and blank. The one that made her want to slap him because she wanted to know his thoughts without invading his head. Sometimes she had no other choice, and her curiosity was aching to dig in. He turned his head to look at her, a small smile on his face, indicating that he was listening incase she wished to say something. Damn him. "What do you want to know?" she sighed in defeat.

"Forget I asked," he smiled and was silent for a while. Anna felt herself frown, her anger bubbling inside her.

"Tell me." She ordered.

"Nope."

"Yoh…" she said menacingly, she was serious now, "Tell. Me. Now."

Yoh shook his head, and Anna moved in closer to him. Her face was now only centimeters away from his, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and smirked at the sight of Yoh's blood rushing to his face. He could feel his own temperature rise, and he could smell Anna's sweet scent above him. He could feel something bubbling inside him, and it was then he realized that he was weaker than he had thought, because he quickly gave in and without a warning he kissed her on her lips. Anna's eyes widen at his actions and she suddenly felt speechless. Suddenly she felt her blood rise, was it out of anger? She didn't know at the moment, but she did feel like killing him. Yoh laughed at her expression and wrapped his arms around her.

Anna just glared, "You have no right to do that," she warned him.

Yoh's smile faded, "Anna…" he wined. Anna just turned her eyes away, her body still on top of his. "You're being mean."

"I never said I was nice, Yoh."

Yoh laughed and closed his eyes, letting Anna's scent enter his sense of smell, he did feel better when he was with her, people just couldn't tell. And it was rather embarrassing when they did. But only a few people knew, and those people were his friends. The kids at school never really noticed much now that he thought of it…or maybe he just never really paid attention to how people reacted when he and Anna always walked with each other, and Manta, to school. He had noticed some boys giving him death glares though…

He shrugged, oh well. It's best to think of now than the past. And right now he was enjoying the undisturbed silence of him and Anna.

"Oi, kid, get that perverted look off your face," he heard a voice say before he felt a foot on his face, that kicked him hard. Yoh came crashing into the snow, and accidentally pulled Anna under him and fell on her in an awkward position.

Anna realized his position and blushed. "Idiot!" She hit Yoh and knocked him off of her.

"Itai! Why'd you hit me?" Yoh stood up, rubbing the spot that Anna hit.

"Because you had a very disturbing look on your face, a kid your age shouldn't think of things like that when lying on a public bench," a voice mocked above him.

Yoh looked up and saw Ohachiyo sitting on the bench from where he and Anna had fallen. The demon had a mischievous smirk on his face and he stood on the bench and looked down at Yoh. "The only time you're allowed to have that look on your face is when you're sleeping with your wife, kid. Or when you're looking at her back side when she cooks or when she's reaching for something. Other than that, that look cannot be seen in public. Got it, kid?" Yoh blushed furiously and looked at Anna, Ohachiyo couldn't see her, maybe that was a good thing…

Anna glared at the demon who had caused her to fall and the fact that he was speaking of such inappropriate things wasn't helping his situation much. "Yoh, smack him," she ordered violently.

Yoh shook his head, his eyes wide at Anna. "No way," he responded in a low whisper.

She crossed her arms. "He is being disgusting."

Yoh shrugged. Hmm... "It's his way of being, you can't expect much from a demon, Anna."

Anna frowned, "Ohachiyo, you're a bastard." Anna growled viciously, knowing he could not see nor hear her.

Yoh frowned, "That's not nice," he said a little louder. Ohachiyo raised a brow and smirked.

"Don't like people talking of your love life…I get it," he laughed, jumping down from the bench and turning his back on Yoh and the invisible Anna. Anna raised her arm, ready to slap the demon across his cheek, but Yoh grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Anna! Stop!" Yoh he whispered and pulled both of her arms back and held her.

"Yoh, let go! I'm going to kill him!" Anna yelled.

Yoh sweat dropped, 'All the more reason not to let go…' he thought to himself.

"Oi, kid!" Ohachiyo called from the distance he had walked, "Cadm told me to get you by the way…seems that Akiko-san has woken up…and something seems to be messed up…"

----------------

Anna sighed and stood in her position for a while. What was she doing here?

Oh, right, she insisted Yoh go in to talk to Akiko on his own. She was already learning too much of what she didn't want to know. She looked at the door in front of her…should she go in or just wait for Yoh in the lobby? No. That would be pointless. She looked at the door and casually faded inside her younger self's hospital room. To her right she saw Cadm sleeping soundly on a chair, she wrinkled her face, why wouldn't he leave the damn room?

She looked around and found a chair right in front of the hospital bed, she shrugged and took a seat in it and stared at her younger reflection. Her complexion was pale, but her features seemed as if they where carved of marble, there was a little tint of pink on her cheeks and lips, but that was it. Her long golden strands of hair covered a few places on her face, but the rest laid perfectly straight on the pillow.

Anna frowned, 'Really ... What am I doing?' she looked at the unconscious Anna-chan, and began to ponder. 'Do I really look like that?' she asked herself while looking at her younger self once more. Her sleeping figure looked almost angelic…She shook her head, Anna Kyoyama was far from angelic, why would she even think of such thing? Really…but still…Without noticing her actions, Anna placed her hand on her face and slowly touched her facial features.

She couldn't really understand why those damn males at school tried to whoo her each day. It was bad enough on her first day of school after all…

Anna sat close to the back of the room, class had now ended but they had lunch at the moment, so she found herself sitting in the back of the room on her first day, keeping an eyes on Yoh to make sure he was eating right.

There he was just two desks across from her, talking happily with Manta, well Manta did most of the talking, Yoh just smiled and listened. Occasionally Yoh would look back at her and jerk his head back to Manta when he saw she was looking at him. Anna would just roll her eyes.

"Oi, Kyoyama! Why are you sitting all alone?" an annoying male roach asked her, "If it's because you don't know anyone then sit here," the boy patted the chair next to him, "You could get to know me."

All heads turned to look at her, out of the corner of her eye Anna saw Yoh and Manta also looking at her. "Leave it to Anna to attract attention on her first day," she heard Manta whisper to her fiancé. Anna ignored his comment and looked at the roach who called her.

"What the hell do you want?" Anna snapped coolly. The roach looked at her and smirked. 'Feisty,' his mind said, 'Me like…' Anna narrowed her eyes in disgust.

The roach approached her desk and smiled, "I just want what almost every single guy wants. You."

Something flashed through Yoh's eyes, anger? Jealousy? At the moment she didn't care, she just closed her eyes, stood up, and before anyone could realize what she was doing, she smacked the guy so hard he came crashing down on a group of desks behind him.

"Don't ask for things to satisfy your hormones, you pervert."

Everyone blinked and stared at Anna, who ignored their looks and casually walked out the door as if nothing had happened. Yoh smiled at everyone's bewildered expressions, Manta looked at his friend, "Why are you smiling?" he asked in fear.

Yoh laughed and stood up, "Because that's Anna."

Because that's Anna…She had heard him say that while she was out the door. Without meaning to she remembered what Yoh had been thinking when he said those words to Manta. 'A girl that stuns you with just the first look at her…that's Anna…' the baka was thinking of that. How he could say that after she made him do the light chair throughout the whole day, plus her special training from hell…

Anna frowned and casually placed her chin on the back of her hand. It was true…she was no angel…

"Looks like a spirit is a little on the depressed side."

Anna swung her head around to catch a glimpse of someone sitting on the stool of the open window beside the bed. It was a boy with long brown hair, a cloak with stars on it, and a warm but menacing childish face with a teasing smile. It took her a few seconds to notice that it was Hao…a young seven year old Asakura Hao, the one whose heart hasn't been opened, but instead was locked up in a whole of darkness. Her eyes narrowed as she quickly closed up all emotions that seemed to be pouring out of her mind.

"What are you doing here," she snapped angrily at someone catching her off guard, not to mention it was her very own brother-in-law...only…in miniature size…

"Come on now, spirit, is that how you greet the future king that's concerned about a friend?"

She returned his comment with a silent stare that seemed to be raging with anger that she held towards him. Getting up from the chair, she folded her arms silently across her chest as she stared back up at the young Hao who quickly joined her on the floor.

"Why such a long a face?" His mahogany hair seemed to echo his movements as he stepped closer towards Anna who only took another step back still glaring at him in return.

"It doesn't concern you so you don't have any need in knowing. Now what do you want?" Anna replied spitefully hoping to end this conversation just as it had arisen.

Hao's eyes stared into her own blank stare almost as if he could see straight through her. She couldn't help but start feeling awkward under the stare and how he was now only a few centimeters from her own face. "Should I be asking that question to you, spirit?" Seeing how Anna wasn't going to respond he continued in his casual voice, but his eyes told her that he was letting on less of what he already knew. "I just came to check up on my future wife, the young Shaman Queen."

Anna took a step back a little shocked as to how he had acquired that information, but she quickly pushed it aside as she continued to stare at him as if she wasn't registering what he had just said. "What makes you think this girl is the Queen?" she asked him. Why the hell was he here? How long has he known of her identity? And how was it that she could never feel his presence when she was younger? She mentally shook her thoughts. This was Asakura Hao, the man she knew as well as Yoh, how could he not know. "I believe you've made a mistake, kid."

His mouth broke into a small smile as he noticed right through her cold lies, as always. Even when a child, Asakura Hao had never been an idiot, he was not raised that way.

"That's not what I see." His taunting voice seemed to fill the air with an awkward silence as Anna was glaring at him.

"Her furyoku is greater than mine, and I can feel it growing with each second that I am here. Her beauty reminds me of my mother's, and of another whom I'd rather not speak of." His simple childish smile crossed his face again as she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came but another glare. Blowing some of his bangs that had fallen lazily in front of his face he smiled pleased as his eyes looked over Anna-chan's face. "No doubt she is the Queen."

"But you're not going to take her." Anna stated coolly, taking her seat on the chair from where she stood.

The small Hao shook his head, his eyes for once becoming those of an innocent child, "No, not today," he admitted, "her small mind at this moment is uncovering the lost memories of her past, I wouldn't want to interrupt that."

There was silence for a few minutes, Anna just sat there, occasionally staring at the seven year old Hao or staring at the early night that was appearing through the window. Now the night was a calming thing to look at. It was silent. It was dark. But, as many things, it did not last long. The small Hao broke the silence.

"Life is very confusing, you know," he slowly began, not staring at the older Anna, but at the younger one in front of him.

"This coming from a kid who wants his mommy," Anna mocked.

He didn't laugh, he didn't seem amused, his eyes warmed and his face slowly faltered. "You jest at scars that never felt a wound, spirit. Do you know who killed my mother?" –Anna stayed silent- "the very disgusting race that harms the mind of dear little Anna-chan here. Humans. Their evil thoughts fill her head so much that they are the cause of the Oni she summons. And from her exhaustion she collapses to where she hears the thoughts of her past, and the past of others."

Anna crossed her legs and crossed her arms out in front of her chest, "How would you know this?"

A childish smirk appeared on his face and he crossed his legs and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "I can perfectly hear what she's thinking," he announced in pride.

Anna narrowed her eyes at him, "No you can't," she stated.

"Oh, but I can. I can even hear what's subconsciously going through her head at this very moment, and ironically…it's the thoughts of my mother." Anna's eyes widened for a second before she composed her expression once again, she looked up, noticing that the smirk never left young Hao's face, "Spirit," he spoke up, "I'm about to tell you something no one, but Kami and the Patch chief, knows…"

-------

Yoh looked at Anna, then looked at the door to Akiko-san's room, then looked back at Anna, "You want to come in with me?" he asked nervously. The truth was, he didn't know what to expect at the moment, all he knew was that something was wrong with Akiko-san. He thought maybe he wouldn't worry so much if Anna were there…

"No. Go in alone." She ordered rather harshly. Yoh sighed. Right. There would be no reason for her to go in…it might affect her more…

"Okay," he gave in, "But where will you be??" he asked her worriedly. Anna turned her back on him and began walking off without giving him an answer. He sighed. Knowing her, she might be going to wait in the lobby and look at a catalogue or something.

He turned his attention back to the door, once more he sighed before saying, "Well here goes nothing," and faded into the room.

Akiko's body was lying on the bed and two nurses constantly examining her, it seemed like simple things like feeling her forehead, checking her pulse, her breathing, as well as other things. When done, the nurses moved away from the bed to recover the empty plates from Akiko-san's breakfast tray.

"Hmm, her memory isn't doing so well…" one of the nurses spoke up in a voice only heard by her co-worker, and Yoh and Ohachiyo who were listening beside them.

The other nurse quickly placed her finger up to her lips.

"Shh," she ordered, then pointed to a corner of the room, "You don't want to wake him." Yoh looked over at the corner and saw Edward asleep on a chair. "Besides he'll become suspicious of Damasu's medications for his wife…I am a little worried if we get caught…"

"Oh he won't wake up, we gave him the strongest sleep medicine we had, Dr. Kyoyama's orders."

"Is he allowed to give such a strong prescription to someone who's not a patient?"

The nurse pondered that for a minute, worry beginning to overcome her, "Now that I think of it…let's just hurry up and leave," the other nurse agreed and with that said, the two nurses left the room in a hurry.

Yoh looked at Edward, who was still asleep, Ohachiyo appeared beside him and poked at the blonde. "Oh he's dead asleep," he said.

Yoh gave a nervous smile and walked over to Akiko-san who slowly opened her eyes. She slowly sat up, her hair flowing to her back, she placed her hands on her lap, "Could I be in such a condition that the nurses have to whisper in secret?" she asked herself in worry.

A drop of sweat fell from Yoh's forehead, 'he he…so she wasn't asleep…'

Akiko froze for a half a second and slowly turned her head, her eyes falling on Yoh with a hint of confusion as she stared. "Ano…and who may you be?" she asked kindly with a gentle smile.

Yoh let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in and smiled back, so far it seemed like she was still the same. "Akiko-san, I am a friend of your daughter, remember?" maybe her illness was affecting her most recent memories or it could be possible that she can't think clearly. Maybe her response would tell him something…

Yoh turned to her and saw Akiko blink, her face full of confusion and sudden thoughtfulness, "My daughter?" she repeated in question, placing her index finger to her chin and looked up at the ceiling, "Daughter…?" she lowered her head and gave Yoh and apologetic look, "Ano…gomen…could it be that you may be confused? You see, I don't have a daughter…but I do have a son maybe you speak of him…?"

Yoh's face altered. Could it be she had been brainwashed? "But Akiko-san, you do have a daughter, her name is Anna, she's seven years old and-"

"Anna?" Akiko replied, her tone startled. Yoh noticed that her grip on her blankets had tightened and that her eyes had turned into large green orbs, "You don't mean that demon child that lives in my home do you?!" an unknown tone forming itself within her voice…fear.

Yoh blinked in surprise of her words. Demon child? "N-nani?! What are you saying Akiko-san?!"

"You speak of that girl my husband brought in for testing, that scary beast!" Akiko began breathing harshly, her eyes were now most certainly showing fear… and plenty of it. "No. No. NO! That THING is not my daughter! NO!"

Yoh subconsciously took a step back; he looked at Ohachiyo who shook his head. "When someone loses their memory they are vulnerable to believe everything one tells them…especially if someone they trust is the one that tells them those lies…"

"Damasu …" Yoh said through gritted teeth, his eyes suddenly filling with specs of water, "Why does he do this, Ohachiyo?"

The demon shrugged, "Damasu believes in the spiritual world thanks to his job at the Oyamada company, who get most of their riches from discovering the supernatural. He really doesn't believe that anyone could be perfect…so he targets those people as supernatural beings."

"But…why would he involve Akiko into this?"

"He at one point began believing she wasn't human either…" Yoh stayed silent. Allowing Ohachiyo to continue, "Cadm and I have been following Damasu and Anna-chan for a while. He doesn't trust anyone. When he sees a beautiful woman with a kind personality he thinks she's a fox in disguise. It's ironic actually…"

"How?"

Ohachiyo crossed his arms and legs and sat down on the floor, "Wounds of a parent's anger and frustration will carry those scars for years, kid. Akiko-san was healed of her sickness when she decided to take Anna in. Her heart before that was so lifeless and weary. She had a sickness where she would bleed too much and there was not enough blood in her body for her to live on. She became tired of her suffering. On the day she found Anna-san on Osorezan Mountain she was planning on committing suicide by freezing to death." Yoh's head raised itself and his eyes grew at Ohachiyo's words, the demon did not look at him, but went on, "But yet there were signs of Akiko-san's realization. She held the abandoned Anna-san and at realizing that she no longer felt pain her hands got sweaty, her head was fuzzy and confused, to test her condition she bit her lip and no matter how hard she bit it…she never bled. That was when she realized Anna-san's power and, thinking she was an angel sent from Kami, decided to keep it a secret. But Damasu knew she knew something and Akiko began to go into depression due to her husband's rage. Akiko's depression created doubts and her sickness returned because of the lost of the faith she had before."

"So Damasu decided to use Akiko's sickness to his advantage, and gave her a drug that would erase her memory…and then he would fill Akiko-san's head with new thoughts…" Yoh said dully, his voice sad but his face without expression. He looked at Akiko-san, who now was covering her ears with her hands and sending out ear-breaking shrieks with her voice.

The door slammed open at that moment, and Damasu ran inside followed by two nurses. He quickly ran over to his wife's aid, "Akiko, tell me what troubles you? Calm down, you're causing a ruckus!"

One of the nurses looked over at Edward's sleeping figure, "Dr. Kyoyama, why won't your son open his eyes? With all this noise you'd think he would have jolted."

Damasu ignored the nurse and looked at his wife, who was now shrieking into his arms. Damasu patted her head, "shh, come on now," he whispered gently, "there's no reason for you to be shouting…"

For another half a second, Akiko-san froze, she quickly recovered and pushed her husband, her eyes wide, looking at her husband as if he were of another planet. "No reason?!" she shouted in horror, her long strands of blonde falling in front of her face, causing her previously angelic visage to look savage.

Yoh for some reason could not look at Akiko's face, he looked away, his gaze shifting to the two nurses who both withheld frightened expressions. To Yoh, it seemed as if both of the nurses had something to say, but would rather it be if they didn't. They stared with uneasy stances as Akiko screamed and shouted in an almost hysterical way.

One of two nurses, whom had blue-hair with matching midnight blue eyes, leaned over to whisper into the ear of her light auburn-haired co-worker. "Strange," Yoh heard her whisper, "Mrs. Kyoyama seems the opposite as to what the rumors say of her."

"Nani?"

"Well, the rumors say that she's a woman with grace and elegancy in her character, that never once did she yell or say something rude…how strange, huh?"

The auburn haired nurse opened her mouth to speak but was suddenly interrupted by Damasu.

"Nurses," he spoke up, his face for once showing a bit of kindness to it, "could you two please leave alone for a moment?" he asked gently. He paused as he noticed a tray of food in the auburn haired nurse's grasp, "Oh, and leave her lunch here as well."

The auburn haired nurse flushed at remembering what she was to do before she had heard Akiko scream. Her boss had just caught her off guard and realized his wife had not had lunch yet. 'I should have brought it in earlier!' the nurse cursed herself, 'If I get fired because of my own carelessness then I won't be able to take care of my older siblings! Wah~~ I'm such a failure!'

Yoh kinda felt bad for her.

"Sumimasen," The blue haired spoke up, "But we are supposed to cut up her meat for her and-"

"I'll do it," Damasu interrupted her, his eyes suddenly falling on a certain object on the tray, "And I'll return the kitchen knife when it is no longer in use," he added with a smile.

The nurses winced at the never-before-seen smile, "H-hai!" they responded uneasily. They placed the tray on the stand and immediately left the room.

Ohachiyo shook his head, "Humans…they'll believe anything said to them with a smile…"

Yoh never took his eyes off Damasu. The elder Kyoyama had his wife in hands and patted her head softly. "The medications I gave you had a rather strong effect on you, Akiko," he stated softly in her ear. "I'm afraid you're causing too much of a commotion over Anna-chan." Akiko looked up at her husband; she noticed…he was ashamed of her 'episodes'. "But I can say that it's okay to be scared of her. I believe it's part of being human."

Yoh's knuckles turned white, he felt sick at those words. "It's okay, it's okay," Manta had once said trying to assure Ren, "as a human being, being scared of Anna-san is normal." Manta had been joking at that time, but now Yoh didn't find it so funny…

"Do you want to forget?" Damasu asked, "Will you not regret it?"

Akiko-san tightened her grip on her covers, "I'll never accept her, Damasu, never. I have become irritable to people. When I think of that demon I feel cursed." Yoh stared at the ground, not want to hear any more of it. "My only regret…is that I never had the guts to kill her before."

The Shaman King's body froze.

"Really?" Damasu asked in false surprise, "You should've told me in advance, my dear, I'm done with my tests on her, after all…"

Akiko's face lit up, her eyes suddenly seemed as if they gained life, the blood came rushing back to her face, "Are going to get rid of her?"

Damasu stared at a certain item on the lunch tray, the gears in his head moving so loud Yoh thought of the gears of a grandfather clock slowly turning till the hand struck the time it was set to ring on. "Akiko," the clock spoke suddenly, "why don't you give Anna-chan a bath before the separation between you two?"

--------

"There are things that the Patch tribe does not want to influence the Shaman Queens, those things include previous actions done by previous Queens that were seen as sin and dishonor. Things such as falling in love with a man not the Shaman King, and having a child with that man. Immediately, the Queen and child must be killed, and an artificial Queen must be made in her place, a Queen made by the five elemental spirits. When the real Queen is killed, her thoughts and actions still remain to be passed down to the future Queens, but the Patch found a way to make those thoughts and actions only enter subconsciously and then be forgotten when waking up."

Anna shifted in her seat and narrowed her eyes, "Why the hell would you know such a thing," she said to the younger Hao

Hao smiled innocently, the smile of a child, "Do you not trust my words, spirit?" he asked as Anna-chan's lips parted and whispered, 'Asaha…' Hao's gaze on the small blonde became warm and he became closer to her sleeping figure, "Hai, Okaa-san?"

Anna-chan did not answer back, her face simply turned hurt, as if pained. "Fire…" she whispered in pain, "fire…"

Anna's knees became weak, they wobbled until she regained her balance by holding on to the chair.

Fire…

Fire…

"Officer look! It's this woman!"

"Tie her down!"

Anna's head was beginning to ache, she was seeing it, the men, the house…the fire. 'No. There's no way in hell!' she told herself, 'Asanoha was the incarnated spirit of my biological mother…she is not me. She is not me!'

"Burn her with the house!"

"Now let's see if she'll show her true form!"

"Hahahaha…"

'Shut up…' Anna ordered within her head, 'Shut up!'

"I know what you're thinking, spirit," young Hao spoke up, "This girl's biological mother was my mother's reincarnation, right?" –Anna lifted her head and stared at Hao, wide-eyed– "But her mother died giving birth to her, right? Well what do you think happens to my mother's spirit?" Anna's eyes could not help but to grow wider, "It goes back to the original Queen."

"OKAA-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"URUSAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Anna?"

Anna lifted her head to see Yoh standing at the doorway, looking straight at her with a worried face. She turned her head to the window, Hao was gone…

"Anna, what's wrong? You look like a human that saw a ghost…" Yoh said as he went over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Anna's breathing was going fast, her blood was pumping to an extend. She buried her face in Yoh's chest, her hands pulled tightly on his shirt. "Anna…"

"I didn't see a ghost, Yoh." She finally spoke into his shirt, her breathing becoming steadier now that she was in his arms, "I saw a damned demon…"

Yoh looked at her and opened his mouth to speak–

"Sumimasen!" a nurse called from the doorway. Cadm's eyes flew open and he sat up on his chair, not noticing the Shaman King and Queen in the middle of the room.

"Hai!" he quickly responded, now fully awake. The nurse giggled and smiled.

"I was told to take Kyoyama-san to her mother's room for a bathing. I didn't mean to wake you, gomen!"

Cadm smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head, "Go ahead," he said, "It's part of your job after all." He paused for a moment, "Ano…do you mind if I come along?"

"Are you a relative?"

"You can say that."

"Okay then."

Yoh watched as Cadm left the room as the nurse carried off Anna-chan on her bed. He looked down at Anna who was looking towards the other direction, at the window… "Anna-"

"I'm fine now." she curtly answered, pushing herself out of Yoh's arms and also walking out the door. Yoh followed her out to the lobby that was right in front of Akiko-san's room. She sat down on one of the blue couches and placed her head on her two small hands. Yoh looked over at Akiko-san's room and saw Cadm inside. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in.

At least Anna-chan was fine with Cadm in the room.

He sat down beside Anna and lowered his head to her level, his face two inches away from hers. "Want to talk about it?" he suggested.

Anna's eyes moved to look at him, his warm brown eyes were staring straight at hers, full of worry and concern. Her eyes turned to look ahead of her, "Fine," she gave in.

Yoh smiled in relief, she was now willing to talk, he felt at ease now.

"I saw Hao," she began, "he was in the room with me, and he saw me in there, and he spoke to me, the little bastard. And he could hear my younger self's thoughts. Everything. What she was thinking, what she was dreaming, what she was feeling…"

"But he can't hear your thoughts, Anna," Yoh protested.

Anna didn't look at him, she stared at the reception desk in front of her, "That's only because I trust, Yoh. The fact that I trust makes it so no one can enter my head. When younger I didn't even trust myself, so how could I trust others?" –Yoh remained silent– "He knows everything about me, Yoh. Things I didn't know a damn thing about. And as I think of them, the more my hell of a life makes sense."

"Example?"

Anna turned to face him, her eyes gazed into his, showing how serious the matter was, "Asanoha's spirit is subconsciously inside me, which explains why I was not able to detect her spirit when I was reviving people back at Mu. Her spirit was once inside my biological mother, then it transferred to me after her death…"

"I see," Yoh began thinking out loud, "So I was right…" –Anna raised a brow– "Those two you brought from Mu weren't the real Jane and Asanoha…as for Annaka-san…you simply took her spirit out of you because you knew she was inside of you, but since you didn't know about Asanoha being inside of you until now you couldn't bring out the real one…"

Anna smirked and looked away. Yoh wasn't always a complete idiot. They remained in silence for several minutes. Anna noticed that every once in a while, Yoh would shift his gaze to Akiko's room. After a few more minutes, they say Cadm leave the room, Yoh's body tensed. "It's bound to happen anyway, Yoh," Anna spoke up, "If you don't want to see the bloody outcome, then don't look."

"Bloody outcome?" he asked, his voice shaking violently, "You know what's going to happen, right?"

"Because she is me, I know what will happen." Anna stated matter-of-factly, "But because we have one decisive difference, the consequences will be drastic."

Yoh raised a brow at his wife, "What's the difference?"

"I trust…" she turned her head to look at the open door that led to Akiko-san's hospital room, then she looked away, "My younger self doesn't know what trust is anymore. And she subconsciously kills what she can't trust…"

There was a pause, and the place suddenly became silent…

Yoh's head turned to look at the door to Akiko-san's room, which had been left opened, he heard a few muffles, maybe the sound of people talking. Suddenly a figure was seen through the crack of the door, a falling figure that came crashing down to the ground. A second figure appeared in front of the first and Yoh stopped abruptly in partial confusion when he saw something in the second figure's hand. The second figure turned its back to the first began to walk slowly towards the side of the room where the bathroom was located. The figure seemed to be taking his/her time to its destination. Yoh squinted to get a better look at the object it held in its hand. He let out a gasp when he realized the weapon…a large knife

Knowing that something strange was going on in that room, it seemed Yoh couldn't move off from the couch even if he tried, he looked at Anna, who dully looked at the floor that reflected her visage perfectly.

"We Shaman Queens learn one thing when we are born into this world…," she began to speak once more. She raised her head and looked at Yoh's frightened face in shame before saying, "'kill those who you know you can't trust.'"

Yoh's breathing elevated quickly as the figure slowly advanced towards the bathroom and then disappeared from his sight, meaning it was about to reach it's destination. He couldn't stand it, he knew something was about to happen, he could feel it from the nauseate sensation he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. Without meaning to, he shut his eyes tight and threw his head on to Anna's lap right before he heard the very thing he feared.

…a wretched scream that echoed through the whole hospital to announce the death of yet another person…


Hoshi No Kissu Arc IV

Tao Rem, having just finished his most Herculean training of the day, laid on one of the rocks surrounding the Tao's current estate on the Mu continent. His newest spirit, Bason, faithfully waited beside him, wondering what could be going through the mind his always confident master. "Bason," the Tao suddenly called in a rather loud voice, breaking the previously calm silence.

Bason winced in surprise "H-hai, Bocchama?"

"Tell Ju that after my shower I'm going to the center of this damn island to kill time," he ordered, standing and walking away in the process of speaking, "And tell her not to be surprised if I come back with blood on my clothing, time is not the only thing I'm going to kill." He heard his spirit mutter a 'yes Bocchima,' and fade away behind him.

Rem stared at the sky for a while longer, once again becoming lost in his own annoying thoughts. For some damn reason, everyday he felt as if his life was drifting away from him, like now that he had become heir and leader of the Tao's he had no other reason to practice his shamanic training, to try to become stronger. It had felt that way ever since his father's murder. The day in that blood-filled month where Tao blood was shed around the palace back in China.

He remembered that day perfectly as if it was yesterday……

He had walked into the Tao mansion after another on of his many training sessions. That day he had managed to slice through 332 of the Tao zombies in just three minutes. "That was your best yet, Lord Rem," his trainer had said to him rather nervously. He had just looked at his trainer for about two seconds before he was sliced in two with Rem's Kwan Dao. "Three-hundred and thirty-three," he had told the corpse of his trainer, "that's a much better number."

When he had gotten inside, the whole mansion was incredibly silent, neither a servant nor member of the family spoke. He smelled blood, but at the moment thought it could just be him, besides, the smell of blood was normal in the Tao household.

That was when he saw his father, lying on the floor, covered in the same liquid he had seen on his trainer a few minutes ago. When Rem saw that, he actually felt something ache inside him for the first time, at least, until he heard that night the cause of his father's death.

"It turns out that one of the servants had seen someone walking around the palace a bit before the murder occurred," one of the maidens had whispered nearby, "But the servant will not say who it was."

"Who's the servant?"

"Xiaolong, I believe…"

Xiaolong was [and still is] Ju's servant, he was taken by force to serve the Tao family due to his excellent martial art skills. He was a shaman too, but he would not use up his furyoku for any reason, making him vulnerable under the sight of Rem's Kwan Dao.

"Who killed my father, Xiaolong?" Rem had asked Xiaolong heatedly, "I know that you know! So tell me you bastard!"

"Niisama, stop it!" Ju had cried, when she saw the Kwan Dao only a millimeter away from her servant's neck. Rem tried to ignore her, but she was clinging to his clothing and trying her hardest to pull him back, "Niisama!!!" Rem had allowed his younger sister to cling to him for one more second before shoving her away into a small double-door closet that was behind him, then without warning he had closed it shut by placing a bar through the handles. "Niisama!! NIISAMA!!" she shouted while punching the other side of the closet door.

"Stay in there. Don't think of coming out of there if you know what's good for you!" He ordered coldly.

Ren turned back to Ju's servant. Xiaolong was on the floor holding his upper body up with his elbows, which made his muscles look larger than usual. His short bushy black hair was covering his eyes therefore Rem could not see his expression. When he was a part of the Ming Dynasty he had worn only pants. After The Tao family had killed off most of the Ming family, Xiaolong was taken captive as well as the Ming princess. Xiaolong had to look more presentable so he was given black and green Dao Pao Quan with the symbol of the Tao Family on the chest of the outfit. Although Xiaolong was five years older than Rem, the Tao was never frightened of the servant. "If you don't have a death wish, Xiaolong, then I suggest you tell me who killed my father."

The servant chuckled, "You know, it's funny Tao, because your father said something similar to Hime-sama before he raped her."

The Tao brought the blade closer to his lowly servant, "What did you just say?" he asked menacingly.

"Your father raped my Hime-sama, and then through her out to the street, where she was raped by three drunk males repeatedly. It seemed likely that she would come back and get revenge."

"You're lying!"

"That's something your father did, not me! He had an overwhelming desire for Hime-sama, despite his marriage to your mother! He lured Hime-sama into his quarters by pretending to be sick and desiring her to cook a special meal for him. He ignoring her protests, he raped her. Then through her out in the streets to die!! He raped her and two-timed your mother!"

Tao Rem felt something burn inside of him as he recalled that memory, the memory of his father cheating on his mother with the princess of the Ming Dynasty, whom the Taos had lowered to an imprisoned servant. When Xiaolong told him this, the Tao did not expect his mother to be right outside the door listening to all that Xiaolong had shouted. He did not expect his mother to lose her will to live and fall into a sleep in which she would never wake from.

….No, he did not expect any of it………

Ju had cried for a whole month in her room, never leaving her quarters to eat with Rem or any other member of the family that was left. And during that month, many clans tried to take over the Tao palace, tons of Tao blood had been shed in that month. The only direct descendents that were left were Ju and Rem, so Rem had trained his hardest since then so that Ju would never have to lose another family member ever again. But after all the family members she lost, Ju was not longer able to cry…

Since then, Rem trained with the same question always in his head, was his training worth anything? He trained so he could live, what good was living if there were still people like his father on this earth. People that made people like his sister become victims of their actions. Then he heard of the Shaman Fight. It was the perfect opportunity to rid the earth of people like his father, and he thought he was the best shaman to win.

That was until he met Asakura Hao…

"Make all the excuses you want. It won't change the fact that your father cheated on your mother and now your sister has lost her ability to cry. Stop being so weak. That girl has made you soft, and you can't be like that if you want to become Shaman King." Asakura had said to him during his entrance exam for the Shaman Fight.

"Urusai, you bastard!"

"The truth hurts sometimes, Tao Rem."

After that Hao had walked up to him grabbed his wrist and made his fingers lightly slap his forehead, "You hit me once," he announce, holding up an oracle bell, with a playful grin, "Here's your pass to move on to the next round!" he placed Rem's oracle bell in the Tao's hand, "You'll be very fun to watch Tao Rem…"

He suddenly felt like he had a large void of cracking lightning where his heart was supposed to be. The burning came back. He felt sick. His fingers closed his eyes again. A few deep breaths weren't enough. It took almost five minutes this time. When he looked up he seemed almost angry.

During his entrance exam he had fought with all of his furyoku and he couldn't hit Asakura once! That guy…it didn't look as if he broke a sweat, while Rem felt he was about to pass out! That guy let him pass for some reason…but why?

He shook his head in anger. It made him very pissed when of thinking about that Asakura. In fact, thinking of him made him want to just kill somebody, namely Asakura Hao.

A few voices in the distance made the Tao awaken from his troubling thoughts, he raised a brow in interest, 'Trespassers, huh?' he mused as the voices became louder. He could hear two of the trespassers talking.

"Master Rowland, are you sure we are allowed to do this?"

"The Patch Officials never said we couldn't eliminate the competition early did they?"

"But I hear there is a female that lives here, are you willing to kill a female?"

Rem hid himself behind several trees, he saw about thirteen men, most likely English, walking with caution, several spirits floating over them.

"Well if the female is attractive, why not enjoy ourselves, boys?"

Rem clutched his Kwan Dao tightly as several of the men laughed and whooped. He was disgusted……

"We'll just get rid of the males and get the girl for ourselves, I'm willing to share!"

'Last straw, you bastards.' He ran over and stabbed his Kwan Dao through the first man in the group, the one who was closest to Rem's home, he pulled out his weapon andlet the body fall to the ground. The English men winced at the sudden attack and stared at the body of their comrade before looking at the Tao, his back was turned to them.

"I'm giving all of you three seconds to get your damned asses out of my territory," he said in a low voice.

All of the men began shaking at the murderous sound in Rem's voice, but of course the leader of the group had to prove his idiocy and say, "Just who do you think you are, boy?"

Rem turned around slowly and the men took a step back in horror. "Do you have a death wish?" He asked coldly, his eyes so wild with rage that you could see sparks of lighting within them. The aura around him was dark and full of rage. He pointed his weapon at the lowlifes. "It a 'Destroy or be destroyed' world. So guess who'd going to be destroyed?"

Horrible yells followed sickening cracks as bones of the English men snapped cleanly. The next two seconds featured a flurry of movement racing through the ranks of the stupid men who dared positioned at the front of the Tao residence.

"Hmm," Rem pondered with a taunting disinterest. He cast a look at the defeated men, ignoring their howls of pain as they clutched at their legs and arms. He would normally let his victims live with pain for along while, but he was extremely pissed. After what was only a few seconds, Rem was standing in the center of a circle of bloody bodies, each one left without a spirit inside the now corpse. The only untainted and unharmed body was the leader's, 'How fun…'

The syndicate boss was cowering like a coward within the bodies of his dead comrades. As Ren began a slow walk toward him, stepping on and over bodies along the way, he pushed himself up against a tree, not even thinking of running away. By the time he stopped in front of him, the leader was reduced to a quivering idiot. Rem scoffed at him.

"It's because of people like you that I wanted to cleanse the world," he said. "You don't even deserve to be called human."

He raised his Kwan Dao high.

"It's a 'destroy or be destroyed' world, Rowland," He added bringing the blade down to finish him off.

But it never made contact. Rem looked behind him to see Ju holding the back of the handle.

"That's enough, Rem," she said calmly, her face looking more angelic than he had ever seen it. The older Tao hesitated for a moment, his younger sister only stared at back at his gaze, "Niisama, let go."

After a few more seconds of glaring at her Rem whirled around and walked off, making his way back to the palace, "Fine, if you want to be raped, I don't care." Then he was out of sight.

Ju turned her gaze to the man that was thankfully grabbing on to her leg, he kissed her feet, she placed the palm of her hand on her cheek and looked down at the man, "Oh Xiaolong," she said in faux concern, "What a pitiful English man..."

Xiaolong didn't look at the man, he hated watching people die, it reminded him of that night where the Taos came in and brutally murdered everyone he knew. Kyo and Shu simply gazed at the man with dull expressions, becoming disturbed by the fact that the man was now kissing Ju's feet, "Do you wish for one of us to dispose of him for you, Ju-sama?" Kyo dully asked, ready for whatever orders the younger Tao wished to give them.

She gave a malicious smile. "Clever toy," she spoke up, opening her fan in an attempt to cover the sight of the man below her getting slaughtered. She heard the man below her gasp and cough uncontrollably, feeling some warm liquid get on the bottom of her clothing, and within a few seconds Kyo returned to his place beside Shu and Xiaolong. Ju smiled, "Thank you, Kyo," she thanked him, bringing down her fan and looking at the slaughtered body beside her feet. 'Niisama is not the only one who needs to let off steam…' she reminded herself.

Xiaolong finally turned his gaze to the body at his master's feet, noticing the blood stains on Ju's clothes, "Ju-sama, you got blood on your clothes…" he told her.

Ju looked at him and smiled, "It'll be bad if Niisama sees this. Xiaolong, I'll need some help changing."

"Feeling less troubled Niisama?" Ju asked her brother. Ever since the older Tao's encounter with Asakura Hao, that question has become a daily thing between the two.

"Shut up," he remarked as he usually did. Ju looked at him for a while with a worried expression before sighing and placing her head on the shoulder of one of her newest zombies. The young Tao would usually dispose of her 'toys' after using them once, but she seemed to have grown attached to these two. Maybe it's because they were made to look a bit more realistic to a human, something that Ju has never met. But if humans looked like Kyu and Shu…well…she'd like to see more of them.

"Tell me Ju, what does that Asakura have that I don't?" he hissed in angered question.

Ju lifted her head off of her zombie, Shu's, shoulder. She closed her eyes and slowly began fanning herself slowly, "Do you wish for the long list or the short one?" she asked in a musing way.

Ren glared at the girl standing on the opposite side of the room, gritting his teeth, "Whatever," he replied.

The young Tao opened her eyes and smirked, amused at her older brother's aloof attitude.

"Well he seems to have plenty of loyal followers, plus he's trained in hell for a several hundred years so he's experienced, and it seems those loyal followers of his are rather strong…I hear they all have a shamanic ability…" Ju pondered for a moment, "Well four may not have it…maybe three if you count an itako as special…" she spoke aloud…more to herself rather than her brother. "I'm not sure about that crimson-eyed nee-san though…"

Tao Rem's grip on the towel tightened, then he looked back and gave her a disgusted look. "Are you jealous of her?"

Her face turned red in anger of such suggestion. "N-No! Of course not!" she cried. "It's just…"

"What?" He was getting annoyed. He hated feeling dirty, and Ju was stalling his bath time for too long. "Just spit it out already!"

She scowled. "It seems Asakura is attracted to her…" she stuck out her tongue in disgust of the thought, Rem began to chuckle. "What are you laughing at?"

The purple head Tao began making his way past her and stopped in front of her, "Why wouldn't he? That crimsoned eyed girl seems to

"Niisama, do you remember what the last thing was you said to Father before his murder?" the young green haired girl asked calmly.

"No."

"Well I remember perfectly," Ju said as a matter-of-factly, "You turned around, enraged of the news of you having to one day have a wife chosen for you. You told Father, 'I refuse to participate in something as damned as having a wife!'"

Rem smirked at the memory and in his defense he said, "Like hell I was going to marry a woman chosen by Father, that man was damned in his own failed marriage. I never wanted to be anything like him."

"Of course not," Ju whispered as she stood. "But also Nii-sama, who'd honestly want to marry a heartless brute like you?" By the time her words had registered in his head, she had already walked past him, making her way out the door.

The Tao, suddenly enraged by his younger sister's words, threw his Kwan Dao at the mull post beside Ju's head. The smaller merely stopped walking, looked at the weapon without moving her head, and smirked. "Would you like me to repeat my words, Niisama?"

"Only if you dare to say them again."

"You see Niisama, that's why we can chat so casually," The green haired Tao chuckled, as she yanked the Kwan Dao off the mull post of the door way and handed it to Kyo.

"What the hell are going on about now, Ju?" Rem spat as Kyo threw the Kwan Dao into his hands.

"You and I have something in common, Niisama," Ju spoke up, ignoring Rem's strange and deadly looks, she turned around and gave him a gentle smile, "While the whole world is scared of us, you are not afraid of I and I'm not afraid of you. And that is why I'll do my favorite older brother a favor."

Rem raised a brow and watched Ju walk away from him and had her zombies close the door behind her, leaving him alone within the house in silence.

Hao's P.O.V

"Demon child! Demon child!"

The cruel and false accusations went on for several minutes as the village children kept pushing a small boy with long hair, back and forth between the girls of the group, while they pushed the boys threw hard rocks at his frail body to threaten him.

"Fox child! Demon's child! Come on! Show your true form!"

"Devil's child," one of those boys spat in disgust. "My dad saw it, you know. He saw your mother talking to herself!"

"Urusai..." the smaller boy, the one they were tormenting, whispered.

"Oi, what did you say, demon-chibi?" a girl asked as she shoved the boy to the ground, "Are going to admit it?"

"Urusai!" he yelled, pushing himself up from the dirt. "Okaa-san is not a demon!!!"

As he yelled those last words, a boy tightened his grip on the rock he was holding, "Oi, demon!" he shouted suddenly throwing the rock at the boy, "Know your place!!!" The rock made a harsh impact on the boy's forehead; he came crashing to the ground in tears from the pain. A warm liquid slowly dripped from the wound, it travel from its origin to his lips, where he tasted its salty substance, proving to him it was his own blood.

"Oi, Demon-chibi-san," a girl spoke as the other children began to leave, having enough fun for the day, "The towns people have summoned a Monk to get rid of your mother," she turned her back on him a giggled, "If Kami allows it, today is your last day ruining our lives. Sayonara!" with that she ran off after her friends to go back to their village.

The boy child on the ground did not move, he didn't speak, he just stayed in the position the children had left him in. Though the pain from his wound hurt, but it was fading, what wouldn't fade were the words of those kids, those humans, calling his mother something she was not.

The current sunset of that day was slowly becoming covered by dark clouds, making the night come early. Nothing could be heard for those long minutes that he stayed there, trying to overcome his hate for the people who harmed him, that moment was when the heavy sound of foot steps began to be heard throughout the village. They began faint and hardly audible, but they grew in sound, the boy lifted his head and watched as men from his own village carried swords, sharp sticks, and sticks on fire to light their way. A large man lead them, his calm and greedy face somehow both frightened and disgusted the boy to an extent where he began to run towards his home.

'If Kami allows it, today is your last day ruining our lives.'

He ran harshly, going through a route where he would not have to pass the men and their weapons, the pain in his bones was great, but nothing seemed more important at the moment than the need to get to his mother, to warn her, and to run away with her…

The path finally became familiar as he came across a line of bushes that surrounded his house, he hid inside them as he heard the deep and mocking voices of men.

The distant voices grew louder as he circled his house while in the bushes, he could hear protest and laughter that frightened the small fellow. But it was that same fear that made him look over the bushes to the front of his home. He could see everything, his house, the men and his mother in the rough grasps of several men. They pulled her by her arms and dragged her to the fat monk who touched her face as if caressing it. His mother spoke something to the monk and then received a hand that smacked her left cheek and knocked her to the ground.

At the impact of the slap, the boy hid back in the bushes. He had never seen his mother in pain and to see her in it now pained him. But the words of the men pained him even more as they finally grew loud enough for him to hear…

"Let's just burn the entire house with her!" one of the men shouted, "She will surely show her true form!" many cheers and whoops followed the man's suggestion.

The boy shoved his head up the bushes to witness more, but his mother was no longer in sight. A whirlwind of feelings, far beyond anything a child of his age could sustain, took hold of him. It was dark, no moon lightened the sky yet, he was hiding, he couldn't see his mother, the scary men were shouting and laughing loud and a terrible aura surrounded them and the whole scenario. He had never felt these feelings or had witness the burning of a mother. He was forced to cover his mouth as the flames began to surround the house and engulf his mother inside. The men began laughing hysterically as if they were maniacs, they began cheering and handing over money to the monk as a gratitude of thanks. It was sick…

The boy didn't move. He simply couldn't. Only his eyes widened, and tears started falling from them like silent rain as he saw his small house started to crumble in the hands of the flames. The men and the monk kept laughing and celebrating as everything slowly dissolved into nothing, nothing but ashes, ashes of the place he calmly slept, ashes of the place he came for comfort, ashes of the only person who ever loved him...

"Okaa-san…" he softly called in a faint whisper, as if calling her would make her appear before him once more.

No one heard him. The crackling sounds of the wood weren't as faded in reality as they were in his mind, so they didn't allow the men to hear his whimpering voice.

"Okaa-san…." He tried once more in a choked yell, as though the flames where also taking away his voice and every part of him along with his mother.

"OKAA-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Hao-nii-san!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My eyes flew open with the rest of me feeling slightly annoyed. There was that dream again…That annoying dream I've had for the past week. I blinked and felt my gaze shift to my left as I noted my fire spirit hovering almost eerily beside me in his spirit ball form. I smiled humorlessly at it, for some reason, the abysmal gaze of this Spirit's emerald eyes quirked a strange amusement in me. I petted its round orbed head as I chuckled at it, "You can never find any peacefulness in the world today." I told it humorously, it gave me a curt nod.

The events that happen to me, are just a reminder of my goal, obviously they served no higher purpose to me than keeping myself strictly on my path forward. That was perfectly all right though – I wouldn't like to forget the reason why I had the need to end a world with humans. But certain reminders ruin my time to myself. A perfectly reasonable example is happening at this moment. Just when I was able to clear my mind with something as simple as a bath, here comes someone to place worries within my head.

I turned my gaze forward, knowing already who I was to expect. In just a few seconds, Arisu was already in my sight, running towards me at her fullest speed. 'Annaka-san won't answer her door, I'm worried, Niisan!!'

I buried my head in my crossed arms. That girl has been here for a week now and she was still as stubborn as ever, I found it quite amusing, but the others were annoyed. I, of course, could care less of what they thought.

"Hao-nii-san…" Ari's voice called above me, her skinny finger poking the top of my wet head. Wow, this girl won't stop will she? I'll admit it, there are times when she makes my day so much better with her strange comments and childish attitude, but other times…

"Ari, has the Maiden of Stubbornness not taught you that a girl must not disturb a man while in the bath?" I asked her.

'I didn't see anything,' "I didn't see anything, really," she swore, "But I was worried of Annaka-nee-san, she won't open her door…I taught that maybe she had passed out on her floor…"

Something spark inside my head, "Why would she pass out?"

"Well…" 'She hasn't eaten for the whole week…'

Ahhh, no wonder she's so uptight. "Ari, cover your eyes," I ordered, but of course the small girl did more than that, she got up ran to the nearest tree, hid behind it, turned her back on me, and covered her eyes. I rolled mine, there would be no reason to cover her eyes if her back was turned to me…

With my hands touching the ground beneath me, I pushed myself up and immediately tied my yukata around my wet naked body. That girl…did I not tell her she should eat? Honestly, I thought Miss Joan D'Arc was the Maiden of Stubbornness. I could feel my hair's dampness trespass through the back of my yukata and onto my back. Lovely, I did not even have time to get dry…curse that girl. "You know I'd rather not face that girl today, my morning has already been ruined enough…"

"I want your help, Hao-nii-san!" Her voice had developed just a hint of determined desperation.

"Of course you do," I remarked, not answering the plea at all. "Though I wonder what made you attempt to get her to eat this past week. Whatever was it that gave you no time to persuade the girl to eat?"

That was it. The question she had been dreading. And there was I, staring at her with such an exaggerated interest that she doubt for a moment that I was making her feel guilty on purpose. She was right. "...no answer, eh?"

"I'm sorry…"

The only answer I gave her was a stony silence.

Even I had to admit – Annaka-san was quite… interesting, in her own right. I doubt that any of my followers have viewed the girl such as I do – with the exception of maybe Annai – "Hmph…" The sound accompanied a tiny, humorless smile, "Well I guess I have no other alternative now that I have postponed my own bathing…"

-----------

"Well, Hao-nii-san?"

For the past fifteen minutes Ari has been going at the fact that Annaka-san and I would make 'pretty babies'. Although I personally do not mind just the simple thought, I have not answered her once since she had begun to ask me.

"Some people really are too meddlesome for their own good, don't you think?" I posed in a casually to the Spirit of Fire, looking up at it from its great height above us.

Ari frowned beside me, "Who are you talking about, Hao-nii-sama?"

"Perhaps a person who apparently has been constantly asking random questions about a same person repetitively," I said dryly, sliding my gaze a bit sideways, a twisted mix of amusement and a smidgen of annoyance possibly forming in it.

Ari blinked for a second and raised her right index finger, pointing at herself. I nodded and continued walking. Ari tried to stay silent.

What is it about silence that causes people to want to bring up whatever conversation they find most fitting? The picture that came to mind was that of a silent, watchful viper that may or may not strike even if you didn't move an inch.

During times as this find myself recalling things of the night before. What sort of event could trouble my mind to an extent where I become puzzled? My arrogant subconscious. Since that carbon copy of my mother showed herself in my presents every dream has been the same. Voices hollering crazed yells of demons and devil's children, flames burning, so bright in their marvelous passion, and the image of my mother being reduce to nothing more than a horrid corpse of ashes at my feet…

The knuckles on my fist turned white. Depression had never suited me. Yet, I couldn't recall feeling so…helpless?

I heaved a small sigh.

Foolish. Helpless. Words meant for the weak. By god, I was NOT weak.

Weakness is something that I saw in the humans. Humans were the helpless ones, so hopelessly stupid about what they didn't understand. Their feeble, foolish attempts to destroy the unexplainable were wild, erratic, and they never cared who would end up hurt as long as it wasn't themselves…

That very thought was threatening to stir the old feeling of fury and irritation inside me, the feeling I felt when I saw my mother's killer face to face.

Last night after having the repeating dream, Annai was sitting outside, my door gazing out to whatever she wished to see. Where I was standing, I could see her face was as dull as ever. "Another one of those dreams?" she had asked me.

"Yes. Another one of those dreams…" I couldn't help muttering. Ari looked up at me curiously, but she didn't question me, she knows how troublesome subconscious images are. She kept quiet and looked away, something Annai had taught her to do…

Annai…

I could never imagine that girl smiling, laughing, or doing any of the things my mother did. So why did I feel an attachment as if she were my mother? She was a similar image to my mother, but not the same. Annaka-san had my mother's exact features…the blonde hair, the fragile body, the itch she had on her hand whenever I did that seemed to her as a nuisance…

"Hao-nii-san, what's bothering you?" Ari asked worriedly, cutting straight to the point as she always did, like a child.

I felt myself almost cringed. I shot her a look that I was sure held a brief yet quite alarming spike of my displeasure. To her credit, Ari didn't flinch, nor did she back down. I'm not surprised, Ari has the innocence of a child, she does not fear what she trust, she does not believe being honest and curious will hurt anyone. If only the world could think like a child.

"Bothering me?" echoed the words as if the words were unknown to me.

A drop of sweat dropped from her forehead, "It's just…" her index finger pointed in front of us, "We've been standing in front of these walls for five minutes now…"

My eyes shifted in front of me, sure enough there was my current residence…well, haven't I become obvious…

I looked to my side, Ari's large blue eyes were staring me down with their childish patience…she wanted an answer…

My teeth clenched. "What's bothering me is the fact that if there weren't so many walls, we could get to our destination a bit more rapidly than we are currently going…" I paused. "Maybe I should burn them."

"Iie!!!!!" she screamed latching her pitiful arms around my right one, as if her feathered weight was going to cause my arm to stop its movement.

I chuckled at her foolishness. "You're so small, Ari…"

She frowned, haha such a child indeed…

"What's with all the damn noise?" 'Oh, of course the damn nymph…'

Good morning to you too, Tamao...

My day just turned to be…less entertaining than I wished for it to be…

I looked back to see my pink haired admire looking out her doorway, her long rose-like hair was dripping water from its very tips. She too wore a white yukata around her body, but as always she tied it tightly around her waist so her curves showed in every direction. Yes, she does it on purpose. Tamao's eyes narrowed as they continued to glare imaginary holes through Ari's frail body. 'Noisy echo, go and disappear in a cave. Your damn presence makes me want to rid myself of my own being just to get away from the cacophonies caused by you.'

I felt my eyes narrow…

"Before you go kill yourself because of the horrid noise, Tamao, it'd be best to realize that I am also standing before you," I mused, "Or is my presence also that bothersome to you? Perhaps you'd kill yourself knowing that I am the cause of Ari's 'cacophonies'."

The girl's face didn't change to the least, she just took a look at me and my wet hair and looked away, seeming annoyed, "Not at all, Hao-sama…" she whispered harshly.

I smirked. Whether she'll admit to it or not, she was attracted to my wet figure.

Ari looked from me to Tamao and pulled at the sleeve of my yukata, "Hao-nii-sama, we got to go!" 'Annaka-san….!'

A spark struck within Tamao's head, "Where are you two going?" she asked, her rose eyes trying hard to strike thorns through Ari's body. Ah, jealousy…how you affect women…

"Apparently my assistance is needed to awaken a certain sleeping beauty that is the newest addition to our group," I stated calmly.

Although we are currently standing only a few feet apart it took me several minutes to notice that the water escaping from her eyelids was not coming from her wet hair. Fake tears…she's very good at making them…or perhaps these were tears of anger? Well her face was starting to match her hair…

She wiped them away with one of her white yukata sleeves, as if they were just water and not her salty tears, and then tightened her hands into fists. "Do you enjoy laughing at me behind my back, Hao?" She asked as her eyes narrowed slightly. Her teeth slowly clenched together.

I casually raised a brow and shrugged my shoulders, "I'm positive that don't know what you speak of, Tamao."

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She began to yell randomly, Ari winced and hid behind me. Tamao has always had the habit of being very abstruse when she was angry, this would be one of those times.

"So selfish," a voice piped up unexpectedly. Tamao's eyes narrowed as she glared at Ari.

"What the hell did you say, you echo?" she asked menacingly.

Ari, instead of looking abashed at her own rudeness, only grinned upon seeing the furious blush and heated indignance forming across Tamao's face.

Female fights are amusing…

"I see you two are having fun," I spoke up, feeling my damp hair sway slightly to the side as the wind blew around the outside of the house. "Now," I began, "if you excuse me, would you mind following me, Ari?" Ari scrambled to obey and was at my side in a second.

"Afraid I'll tear the girl apart, Hao?" Tamao called behind us. 'This brat needs to disappear in a cave…'

Ari turned to speak, but I was not in the mood for more childish games…

"To be completely honest, I do doubt Ari here would be able to survive any more mistreatment on your part, Tamao," I answered dryly. "But worry not, you can have her after I am done with her." I smiled, "Good day, Tamao." With that, we walked away in silence once more.

"Jealousy is a powerful thing, isn't it Ari?" I began speaking up randomly, it was just small talk until we made it to our destination, "It can take over the thoughts of a grown woman with just a few words. Promise me you'll never turn out like that."

"Mm," she replied. 'I'll try my best…'

I paused in my walking, "Do my desires displease you?" I asked as I noticed her saddened tone.

"Ano… Hao-nii-san? Are you really going to give me to Tamao-san after this?"

I couldn't help but chuckle, "You're naïve. No I am not. You are far more useful to me than a toy I can give Tamao to let off steam." I assured her.

Her eyes looked at me for a second then looked ahead, "She's like a demon, Hao-nii-san, and it's scary."

I felt my right eyebrow twitch. How long has it been since I've heard someone being called a demon? By now I would expect my followers to know the difference, although Ari is a child I do not take those words lightly. "Ari, you know the meaning of a demon, am I right?" –She nodded her head– "Then use that word at an appropriate time when speaking."

'…but I've seen a demon…and she the eyes…the eyes of a demon.'

The eyes of a demon, eh?

Part of me can not help but to think that those eyes are the eyes of hatred. After all at birth Tamao killed her mother…

NORMAL P.O.V

Tamao watched as Hao slowly left with the annoying echo following behind. She saw Ari turned her head back only to meet with Tamao's glare. She quickly turned her head and turned the corner with Hao, no longer in the pink haired girl's sight.

"Damn him," she hissed in rage, "That man…" she tightened her hand and swung her fist to a tree, "I really hate him!" the tree sliced itself in half and fell to Tamao's feet. She glared at the tree with disgust.

"Things that live and breathe are a nuisance," she spat, she took a long look at the tree before she knelt down to touch it, "You think you have a purpose, don't you," she spoke to it as her hand slowly made its way to the fallen wood, "You have no purpose in living, there's no need for you to give oxygen to a race that will one day kill itself."

Her hand finally reached the tree and as soon as she touched it the grand oak withered and turned to black dust before her touch. She dully looked at the black dust then raised her hand to stare at her palm. "Because I've been keeping my true self from Hao it's been a while since a plant has withered under my touch," she told herself, tightening her hand into a fist, "That idiot…I hate the fact that I have to rely on that man."

She got up and began walking into the forest, her body was feeling weak, her head was becoming ridiculously heavy for her to keep up. She stopped midway into the woods and fell on her knees. Something was pounding hard against her head, pounding louder and louder and louder until it became painstakingly arduous.

"!!!!!!!!!!!!"

ANNAKA'S P.O.V

Something echoed through the trees as I continued walking throughout the copse. It sounded as if the earth was in pain, like the pain of a woman giving birth to something. But of course…I would never be able to know that feeling. At least, I will not know the feeling of bearing a child to the man you love, because I know for a fact that no matter who he will be, I will never fall in love with whoever is Shaman King. Because I…cannot fall in love…

I have no say in many things, but when I was young I thought I would have a say in who I was to love. That was an ignorant childish dream, it was because of my childish ways that I was robbed of the feeling of love along all other feelings a normal person is to have.

I…will never forgive Nee-san for that.

But why have a child when Ultimo was childish enough to be my own child? The idiot went into the woods on his own. I knew for a fact he would be lost. And the idiot really got lost.

"Honestly you're the most stupid man ever, Ultimo," I criticized while dragging him by the collar of his cloak, "I'm pretty sure Nee-san gave you the brain of a child."

Ultimo just whimpered, "I'm sorry Heika-sama!" he apologized for the damn fifth time.

"Shut up," I ordered, "You always cause me trouble, you baka."

"But I was just trying to find a way back to Joan-sama," he complained as I continued to drag him.

"I don't care, honestly you're such a nuisance."

Besides I doubt that Asakura would let us go so easily. That man is much more stubborn than Nee-san…

But yet part of me doesn't really feel like leaving and going to Nee-san either…why? For some reason just the thought of leaving this damn place makes me feel as if something is tugging at my heart, as if my heart was a pumping harp where someone other than I is playing the strings…

But that's stupid…

A heart does not have strings to pull and also…no one else will control me other than myself. I'll make sure of it.

Rustle

Rustle

My feet stopped moving suddenly, as if they were trying to tell me something. Ultimo looked up at me, his ears twitching as he too heard the rustle in the bushes as I did. "Heika-sama…" I let go of his collar and nodded. This presence, there was nothing human about this aura I felt…

Rustle

Rustle

"DDDDIIIIEEEE"

Hmmm….

"Ultimo, go hide behind that tree over there," I ordered, my eyes pointing to the biggest tree in our current location.

"B-But!"

My eyes narrowed, "Are you going to disobey me?" I asked with a taunting glare, within seconds he was out of sight.

The rustle in the bushes behind me continued, this time they were accompanied by footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

The sound of falling trees filled the silent woods, and loud screeching came from the direction of the noise. This noise, this aura, this horrible feeling of death…I knew what was coming this way…

Oni. Spirits full of hate and revenge that increases through time. They continuously collect gather venomous thoughts and hence slowly take shape…they are the Devil's demons…

"I smell Kami…" It yelled right before the woods around me where stripped from their roots within the dirt and crashed in front of me, just two inches in front of my feet. And sure enough there it stood. A large ugly beast so huge it hovered over the large oaks, it's red body built with rock-like flesh, a horn in the place of where a nose was supposed to be poked out with a sharp end. His sharp teeth clenched together closing his wide mouth, his repugnant and immoral orbs or yellow gazed at me with appetence. "I smell Kami…" it growled at me as it took another step forwards. I stared at its large mouth, a blue fog was coming from his mouth. This guy had just tasted his former devilish companions.

"How disgusting," The oni winced at my voice, "Let me guess," I became, "You're very gluttonous and wish to eat all the spirits of living things. You're greedy and do not wish for any other to come and steal what you consider your food. You're lustful of the venomous thoughts of humans, especially those of wrath, pride, anger, and envy, because those thoughts is exactly what make you…" the creature stared at me his eyes not pulling away from my body, my reflection in his eye was seen very clearly. It wanted to get rid of me. "As I thought." I paused "You're nothing but one of the devil's disgusting creatures. I think you…should go and die."

It growled at me and made its move towards me. I smirked as I felt the furyoku from within me escape into my hand. It's been a while since I exorcised a demon. "O.S. Oni-Goroshi." The demon shrieked as I fissured his right arm. The sound was so obnoxious to my ears, it was the sound of metal clawing against the finest glass, screeching so loud my ears were bound to explode. I felt my face harden, "How annoying."

The oni fell to the ground in pain the way it scurried annoyed to the point where it just looked damn pathetic. "You're in pain are you not?" I asked it dully, it responded with another annoying screech. "Shall I rid you of your pain?"

"Kami!!!! Die!!!" it screeched again as it grabbed its arm and yanked off its remaining pieces, it got up and hovered over me by taking a large leap.

I looked at it as it came down before reacting. "What a stupid beast." The grip on my oversoul tightened as I placed both hands on it and raised it up. The stupid beast came down on its sharp blade, my oversoul barged into its gut where smoke began to pour out into the air from its wound. I smirked, "You smell Kami because I am a direct descendent of the Great Spirit, that being the case, isn't it my job to exterminated you?" the oni gagged, and I narrowed my eyes at it. Repulsively foolish glutton. "Go and die, Oni. Kokusatsu!"

HAO'S P.O.V

I paused for a moment at feeling some strange power coming from within the woods. It was strange, a very quire but powerful force, it was furyoku for sure. I felt something tugging at my yukata, I looked down at Ari's face, she was looking at me a very bewildered expression on her face, 'Hurry up Hao-nii-sama!'

I looked back to woods for a second longer before I began to walk again. I had sense two types of powers for some reason. One was the furyoku of Onis, after a few minutes they had formed into one enormous power and began to move. Then it met with another power, one I had never sensed before… "Hao-nii-sama we're here!" I looked at the door in front of me and sighed. This was very troublesome. I would have to check those auras out later.

I walked over to the door and placed my hand on it. "As I thought no thoughts were coming from inside," I spoke up.

Ari blinked and looked at me, "Meaning…?" I slid the door open to let her see for herself, as I had expected the inside of the room was empty. "Hmm, not much to be said. She must've left her quarters without telling anyone." I pondered. I looked down and grinned when I noted the frightened expression on Ari's small face. "In other words she's not here."

Ari looked inside and frowned, "Is she trying to run away?" I frowned. I highly doubted that possibility. That girl has been here for a week now and has not once tried to escape. So why do it now? It would make no sense. So it's possible she intends on coming back.

But just incase…

"Ari, I want you to keep a look out for her. And while you do that," I casually added, "Find Emmetto."

She kept quiet for a while before asking, "What are you going to do Hao-nii-sama?" her voice was quivering.

I looked back at her small pixie-like self and smirked, "If she's out there with no one but that red-headed boy with her, then wouldn't she be in trouble if some uninvited guests appear?"

She stayed silent and gazed at me with blank horror, 'You're going to kill anyone who comes near here aren't you Hao-nii-sama…?"

I turned around and smirked, in Ari's head I could see a malicious reflection of my face as I said my next words, "I'd rather call it eliminating those who are small."

ANNAKA'S P.O.V

Ultimo poked his head out from behind the tree, he looked at the now remaining bones of the Oni that lied at my feet. Then he rushed and wrapped his small arms around my waist, "UUWWAHH, Heika-sama is amazing!" he shouted excitedly.

I couldn't help but to narrow my eyes at his sudden contact. A vein popped on my temple, I lifted my foot and kicked the side of his face, annoyed. "You're too damn noisy!" I shouted at him.

He looked at me with childish eyes and pouted, "But Heika-sama is indeed the best, just as Joan-sama said to Ultimo." I rolled my eyes. Speaking in third person proved his childish way of being…

I turned my back on him, and I felt my tone go cold, "What are you saying, you kid? Because you're a runt it's only natural for you to long becoming strong. It's only natural that you are interested in those who, unlike yourself, have been strong since birth."

"That's not true, Heika-sama!" he shouted wrapping his arms around me once more like a five year old holding on to his mother, "All men wish to be strong, I wish to one day protect Heika-sama and Joan-sama with my life."

I looked away and sighed, "Fantasy and reality are two different things, moron."

"Heika-sama!-"

"Shut up." I ordered as there was a sudden sound. The rustle of bushes. There was another sound that escaped from behind us. A chuckle. No. A giggle. A female giggle...

"Indeed. You really are an amazing woman, Crimsoned-eyed-nee-san." I felt Ultimo's body freeze as he looked behind me, his body began to shake violently. I turned my head and met with a pair of green eyes above a purple fan. The owner of the eyes closed her fan and gave a confident smirk. Both the face and mind were familiar. "nǐ hǎo, Crimsoned-eyed-nee-san. It's been a while hasn't it?" she asked gently as if to mock my common sense. "I have come to ask a favor of you, Crimsoned-eyed-nee-san."

I boredly looked at her, "Favor?" I asked dully.

She smiled as she pulled out talismans, a handful of them, as she did this behind her over a hundred shadows appeared hidden in the trees. I didn't have to see them to know what they were. They were nothing less than her zombies. By her side were what was probably her two main ones. She continued to have a smug look on her face as she said her next words. "I was wondering if you could become the wife…of my dear Nii-sama Rem…"

…..

How disturbing…..

Konnichiwa! I know it's been forever and I'm sorry, but I've been incredibly busy and had the bad luck of getting viruses on my computer…yeah it's been bad. But I hope you can all forgive me and enjoy this chapter! AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!~~~~~

-YohAnna4eva/ Crystel Hidalgo