"An easy-going husband is the one indispensable comfort of life." -Quida
"When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath
And the space between the things you know is blurring nonetheless
When you try to speak but you make no sound
And the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud"
-Beside You-Marianas Trench
Chapter 12, Chapter dedicated to midori nO hime. Your reviews always seem to make me smile when I read them.
"Is she going to be okay?" Yoh asked.
"Oh yes, she just fainted from exhaustion, that's all." Eliza assured him.
Yoh breathed a sigh of relief. In front of him, Anna was laying in her bed fast asleep. When they got back Yoh hurried to find Eliza to make sure she wasn't getting sicker while Ren put her in her room.
"She should wake up later by either tonight or tomorrow morning," Eliza went on. Ren noticed the frown on her face.
"There's something else, isn't there?" he asked. The blonde nurse nodded.
"It worries me, Johann and I haven't been able to find anything for the poison in her body," Eliza admitted. "It's shocking that she's still alive because medical show that it's been in her system for while now."
"How longs a while?" Yoh frowned.
"Long before she was at the X-Prisons."
"First the X-Laws show up here now we have three Knights who abuse their authority," Mikihisa sighed.
"Enishi, Zex, and Adam resigned as soon as they got back here," Chocolove said, looking at some papers. "Weird, I didn't know Yoh could scare people so bad."
"It wasn't Yoh-San who scared them," Matamune said. They were in Mikihisa's office, discussing what to do. Yohmei was gone on business and Keiko was M.I.A for now.
"Huh? Who was it then?"
"The Princess, Anna-San," Yoh told Matamune what had happened. It was an understatement to say the boy looked worried.
"The Itako? How-"
"That's probably why she passed out," Mikihisa said. "She must have used what little strength she has."
"I thought Itako's had a lot strength?" Chocolove looked confused.
"That's not exactly true," Matamune took his pipe out of his mouth. "Regular Itako's only have enough Furyoku to summon spirits, not control them like you and the others do. But some Itako, like Anna-San, are strong enough to control Gods."
"But he just said-"
"It's because her health isn't great," Matamune interrupted him.
'I wonder if that has anything to do with Sakumari Natsuki…'
"I can stay here Ren, you should probably go get something to eat since you didn't have anything in town," Yoh told his friend. He was sitting in a chair beside Anna's bed.
Ren, who was leaning against the wall, nodded. "Alright. I'll send someone up with food for her. She'll probably be hungry when she wakes up." He looked at Anna with a strange look before leaving.
Yoh, confused, watched him go. Was it just him or did he see a look of concern in Ren's eyes? Now Yoh knew his best friend wasn't completely cold hearted, but he never really showed concern for others unless they were his big sister, Jun. even last year, when they had a day off and went into town, Pirika had fainted from heatstroke and dehydration and while everyone was trying to cool her down all Ren did was suggest leaving her at the store so he could have a quieter life back at the Asakura Mansion. It goes without saying that HoroHoro tried to punch him.
Shaking his head, Yoh turned back to look at Anna.
She looked so peaceful, sleeping. Her face didn't show sadness or anger or hate or indifference.
Anna shifted in her sleep, making the blanket fall a bit. Yoh went to move it back in place when he finally noticed faint scars on along her arms.
"It must have been from the X-Prisons. She has scars all over her body, and even a large amount of poison still in her bloodstream. There is so much of it I'm surprised she's still alive."
"It worries me, Johann and I haven't been able to find anything for the poison in her body," Eliza admitted. "It's shocking that she's still alive because medical show that it's been in her system for while now."
'What happened in her past that caused all this?' Yoh wondered. 'Why was she poisoned? and what caused these scars?'
Unconsciously, he lifted his hand to brush the hair out of Anna's face.
'You know, she is kinda cute when she's not threatening to kill me' he thought, a light blush on his face.
xXxXxXx
'Probably some girl hoping to get with the Asakura's. poor boy, he has no idea he's being taken advantage of'
'What is she?'
'Demon, that's the energy of a Demon'
'Frightening'
'Threatening three Knights? She's insane'
"Stop it…" she covered her ears, trying to block out the voices.
'Why is she with him? Why is he with her'
'let's get away. She might attack us if we stay'
'Is she an Itako? That would explain why those two are with her'
'Poor girl, she's hugging the woman who will eventually kill her, but better her then me'
She was unable to stop the whimper that escaped from her lips. It hurt. These voices were killing her, burning her. She wanted to escape, to die, to-
"Anna, Anna wake up!"
Ana gasped as she sat up quickly. Right away the pain in her head instanced as if she ran head first into a pole and landed on a field that was on fire. She clenched her head in-between her hands, grinding her teeth.
"Anna, what's wrong," Yoh's voice sounded beside her but she ignored it. The pain was too much.
"Anna," she felt a hand on her shoulder. Like a slow wave of cool water, the pain started to leave.
"I'll get Faust," Yoh made a movement toward the door but something held him back. He looked at Anna and saw that she was gripping the back of his shirt, looking away.
"No…don't…don't leave…" she said whispered, pain clear in her voice.
Yoh looked at her, shock clearly shown on his face. A part of him couldn't believe this was that same girl who looked so menacing this morning, yet another part of him felt understating though he didn't no why.
"Ok," he told her. She let go and he sat on the chair that was still beside her bed. It took awhile for Anna to get her breathing under control but she finally calmed down.
"Why…" Yoh paused, wondering if he should ask and if he'd get an answer if he did. Figuring he may as well he said, "What happened? Why were you in so much pain."
Anna looked at him, and he was shocked by how much pain and sadness were in her eyes. It was as if she'd seen things he couldn't imagine. She looked away, towards the night.
"People have told me Reishi is a gift but it's nothing but a curse," she said quietly. "A curse in disguise as a gift."
"Reishi? You mean your mind reading power?" he asked. She nodded.
"Does it always hurt you like that?"
"Sometimes."
"Why?" Anna gave him a look that clearly said 'You-Really-Are-Stupid'.
Leaning back against her pillows, she said, "Imagine being a room full of people who are talking at once and you can't get them to stop. Then imagine hearing their secrets, their hatred for others and sadness and pain. It soon gets so over whelming that you just want them to leave you alone and die." she gripped her bed sheets so hard that her knuckles started to turn white.
"Only you can help me get rid of them Anna…Won't you help avenge your ancestors…It's either kill or be killed, you have no time to cry…"
"Well, what if you find a way to block out those thoughts?" Yoh placed his hand on top of hers, loosening her grips a little. Anna's eyes widened at his touch. "If they get to overwhelming like that, just think about happy memories."
"Happy…memories…?" The words were almost foreign to her. She's never been happy. All her memories were of her hateful childhood and betrayal. "I don't have any," she looked away.
"Then…make some," She looked back at Yoh, who was grinning. "Make some so you won't be in pain like that again. And I'll help. Everything will work out in the end."
'He's…' Anna didn't know how to finish her thought. This boy was too much. He was so easy going, so care free that it made her feel…almost hopeful.
"Idiot," she took her hand from his, laying down and turning her back to him, pulling the blanket over her head. "Your so stupid, it's annoying."
Yoh sighed. 'And your so stubborn' he thought. He stood up. "I'll let you go to sleep now."
Anna rolled over, the blanket still shielding her, and grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
"Don't…Don't go yet," She said quietly, her face red. Whether it was from the heat from being under the blanket or from her small outburst even she didn't know. She just knew she didn't want him to leave.
She could hear confusion in his mind but also…warmth?
"Alright," he said. He held her hand as he sat back down in the chair. He pulled the blanket off her head, a gentle smile on his face. "I'll stay, but you really should get some sleep."
"Don't order me around," she muttered, closing her eyes. The blush was still on her cheeks.
"It was a suggestion, not a order," he chuckled.
"…" Anna didn't say anything. She let herself calm, feeling his hand holding hers. Before she fell asleep she thought, 'Why…do I feel safe with him…'
A half hour past and Yoh was still there, watching her sleep.
When he was in his room he could hear Anna crying in her sleep so he came to see if she was alright. It hurt him to see her like that.
"Itako's have no emotions. They may act like they do, but it's only a ruse so don't fall for it…" that's what Yoh was told and yet the pain and sadness he saw in her eyes was so real, there's no way she could have been faking it.
"It's the Asakura's fault that Itako's are feared," Anna's words repeated in his head. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.
He rested his head on the bed, his head beside hers, still holding her hand. It was warm and soft and felt fragile in his. Before he fell asleep he thought, 'Why…do I feel protective of her like this…'
And for the first time in what seemed like forever, both had a peaceful sleep…
Anna woke as the sun hit her face. The first thing she saw as her eyes fluttered open was Yoh's face. She gasped and sat up, ready to slap him. Then she remembered what happened last night. The thoughts that kept going through her head, the pain, how he comforted her, how she didn't want him to leave…
She looked at his sleeping face, that looked even more calm then it usually did. Shaking her head she got off the bed, careful not to disturb him. She went to her closet, picking out a black dress. Before she left, after some hesitation, she put a spare blanket that was also in the closet over his shoulders and left to change in the bathroom.
As she took off her Yukata and pulled the dress on, one thought stayed in her head.
'He stayed…' it confused her. Why would he? Even though she asked he had no obligation too. He could have just gotten up and left as soon as she fell asleep but instead he stayed the whole night.
She walked out and went to the garden, where she was with Keiko yesterday. She sat on the porch and looked at the blue bracelet on her wrist.
Slowly, a small smile came to her lips.
'I was wrong' she thought. 'Their nothing alike'
When Yoh woe up he was confused at first of his surrounding.
"This isn't my room," he mumbled sleepily. Then he remembered what happened last night. "Oh yeah, Anna was upset…" speaking of which, where was she?
He got up, looking around. 'Maybe she's outside' he thought.
And sure enough, there she was. Sitting on the deck, looking at the garden.
"Feeling better?" he asked, sitting beside her.
"A bit," she said.
Here in the sunlight, Yoh could faintly see the scars on her arms.
"Where did you get all those scars? He found himself asking.
"Training," Anna said quietly, surprising him. Training? he thought. He trained for battles and he only had a few, if any, scars.
"Your said Itako's train to summon spirits," he said. "What kind of training would do that to you."
Anna looked at him and at first he thought she was going to answer him. Then she stood and said, " You ask too many questions. It's annoying."
"Sorry," Yoh smiled sheepishly. "I don't usually pry in other peoples business. I guess I just…Want to know you better."
Anna's face went a light shade of pink. She tuned to leave and ended up tripping on a loose floor board. Yoh, with his quick reflexes, got up in time to catch her before she fell.
Slap!
"Ow," Yoh winced, touching his cheek. "What was that for?"
"Don't touch me," Anna said, the pink on her face darkening.
"You didn't seem to mind when I held you hand last night," Yoh said, almost a cheeky tone in his voice. Now Anna's face was completely red.
"That was different," she snapped, and started to leave.
"Hey, where're you going?"
"To find Ren! He's the only one I can stand to be around right now!"
Yoh watched her go, a smile on his face.
"She's cute when she blushes," he said to himself, thinking no one was around to hear him.
Too bad there was.
SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I got surgery on Dec 15, and didn't fully recover 'till the 23, then I went on vacation 'till the 28 so…GOMEN!