Forgotten Memories

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

A light chapter with a slight fluff follows. =)

Chapter 8: Conversations at Midnight

The shock brought about by Anna's revelation did not left their faces for quite sometime. Just the mere thought of her being powerless was way beyond their imagination.

"You're joking right, Anna?" Yoh was a bit in denial although he knew very well that his fiancée was not the type who would pull anyone's leg.

"Do I look like I'm kidding, Yoh? I, the future Shaman Queen am currently incapable of seeing, hearing, calling or even sensing spirits." There was a tinge of hurt in the itako's voice.

"When Mistress Jeanne's guardian spirit Shamash was devoured by the Spirit of Fire, she completely lost all her shamanic powers. However, we believe that she can gain them back through vigorous training," said Lyserg slowly.

"There is still hope," Jeanne agreed. "We can work hard for it."

"But unlike Anna, Jeanne did not lose her spiritual senses," Chocolove's careless words were instantaneously rewarded with punches on both cheeks from Ren and Horo Horo who were sitting beside him.

"Some sensitive guy you are," they both muttered harshly to him.

Old Kino cleared her throat. "This is really some serious matter. We should all be vigilant of Hao's new spirit. If he can steal furyoku and shamanic abilities as well as block someone's spiritual senses, then we are all in grave danger. He could take you one by one and render you helpless."

"Who could have thought that such a frighteningly strong spirit could exist?" Tamao felt disheartened all of a sudden.

"I guess we should train as a group to check on each other once in a while," Lyserg suggested.

"That is a logical recommendation young man but I have to stay at the inn to look after Ryuu and the rest of the victims," Faust VIII insisted.

"We could do rotations. One of us will accompany Faust in overseeing the inn while the rest train. We could just change shifts every hour," Ren proposed.

"That seems to be a very decent plan," Faust approved.

Old Kino stood from her chair when the resolution has come to its finality. "I'm going back to Izumo to relay to the Asakura elders of what happened here. Please contact me as soon as your friend and my trainees wake up. Suzume, kindly tend to everyone's needs while I'm away."

"Yes, Master Kino," the apprentice bowed.

The old woman turned to her grandson before leaving the room, "Yoh, please accompany me to the Shimokita train station. The sun will be setting in an hour. You wouldn't allow a poor old blind woman to walk all by herself in the almost darkness, would you?"

"Of course not, grandma," Yoh sweat dropped then followed her out of the room. "I'll be back right away guys," he waved before sliding the door shut.

Anna immediately stood up as soon as her fiancé and grandmother-in-law left. "I'm going to rest in my room. Don't bother me," she said firmly.

I wonder how Anna is taking it right now… Manta can't help but feel pity for her as he followed her out of the room with his gaze.

"I'll just check on my patients. You can find me in this inn's clinic if you need anything," Faust was the next to leave.

The remaining occupants of the small meeting room just sat still for the next few minutes. The silence may have been brought about by exhaustion, anxiety or distress. Everyone felt heavily caught up in the situation and was certain that they were in for one hell of a summer vacation. However, the grimness of the atmosphere did not last long due to an audible grumbling of someone's stomach.

"Oh boy! Let's call it a day. I'm hungry! Tamao what's for dinner?" Horo Horo grinned at the pink-haired girl sitting across the table.

The clock struck midnight but the sandman seemed to have deprived Anna of a good dream. She was standing once again in front of a large mirror reflecting an older version of her in Patch tribal clothes.

"What if you don't regain your powers?" she heard her own voice speaking to her as the woman in the mirror moved her lips. "You would be nothing but a useless weak human girl. You would no longer be fit to be the Shaman Queen. He will just leave you like what he did to me before."

"Yoh is different. He wouldn't leave me for being powerless," Anna's voice broke. She was on the verge of crying.

"They are of one and the same soul. Trust me. Give me your hand."

Anna reluctantly placed her hand on the mirror's surface so that their palms were touching again.

"Do not forget how he had hurt us deeply."

Anna wrinkled her forehead in pain as her recurring dream played on her mind once more -- the frosty night, the wailing baby, the long-haired shaman with cold eyes who left them for good. She was being forced to remember it all again.

"Anna!"

She instantly pulled back her hand from the mirror when she heard someone calling her name.

Anna woke up and wiped away the tears that formed when she was asleep. She heard soft knocking on her bedroom door followed by Yoh's voice calling to her worriedly. She got up and reached for the door but hesitated to open it. Instead, she just stood a few inches away from it and spoke, "What is it this time Yoh?"

Yoh stopped knocking, paused for a while then replied from the other side of the door, "I thought I heard you crying, Anna. I wanted to check if you're ok."

"I'm not crying stupid. You may have heard a cat. Why are you awake at this time of the night?"

"Errr… I had to pee..." There was a pause again. "The others told me you went straight to your room and did not have dinner. I tried to knock earlier but you were not responding so I thought you were already asleep. Do you want to eat?"

"That's true, I was already dozing off when you happened to wake me up."

Yoh thought he heard muffled sniffs from the other side of the door. "Are you alright Anna?"

"Stop asking questions Yoh. You're starting to irritate me."

"Ohhh…. Sorry for disturbing you. I'm going back to my room now. If you're hungry, just give my door a tap. I can accompany you while you eat in the kitchen. Good night Anna!" he started to leave but halted when he heard the door being opened to reveal his fiancée with tear-stained cheeks.

"Do – you – mind – if – you – would– sleep – beside – me – for – tonight?" the itako was having a hard time letting the words out. She was blushing furiously.

Yoh nodded but couldn't hide his blush, too. "I do-don't mi-mind An-Anna. It's pre-pretty cro-crowded in m-my ro-room ri-right n-now," he stammered while slowly sliding the door shut behind him.

They both laid down facing opposite sides on the futon with quite a number of inches apart from one another. There was that awkward silence again.

"Yoh."

"Anna."

They both uttered each other's names at the same time. They slowly turned to face each other to remove the tension that was forming. "You go ahead first Anna. Mine's not that important."

"You always say that during conversations like this, stupid. Are you that afraid of me?"

"Ammm… I am a bit frightened when you get angry or annoyed Anna," he averted his gaze from her.

"You shouldn't be now. I'm currently in an awful state. I am no match for you," there was sadness in the itako's voice.

"Don't lose hope, Anna. You'll have them back eventually. Trust me." he beamed at her.

"What if I don't get them back? What will become of me then? An ordinary human girl is no longer fit to become Shaman Queen."

Yoh thought for awhile then smiled sheepishly, "Then you would still become Yoh Asakura's wife. Nothing would ever change that fact, Anna."

The itako felt her heart melting. She immediately turned her back on Yoh as a teardrop rolled down her left cheek. "Go to sleep then Yoh Asakura. If you want to become my husband, you would have to train hard."

End of Chapter 8

Thanks for reading!