"I've been on shows that go for shock value." Daphne Zuniga

Chapter 15

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU WERE ENGAGED TO HER-"

"SERIOUSLY? ENAGEGED? YOUR SIXTEEN REN-"

"OF ALL THINGS TO KEEP SILENT ABOUT-"

"YOU BETTER TELL US EVERYTHING OR ELSE-"

They were in the sitting room, Ren and Jun sitting on one couch, HoroHoro and Chocolove on another, and Yoh sat in one of the chairs. Tamao and Anna were upstairs in Anna's room.

HoroHoro, and the now conscious Chocolove, were shouting at the Tao.

Ren, with his eye brow twitching, said through gritted teeth, "First off, we are not engaged, and second, we were five and the idea was withdrawn before it could ever be official."

"What do you mean?" Yoh asked.

"Well," Jun said, picking up a cup of tea that was on the table. "When mother and father, and Anna-San's parents, presented to idea they threatened to kill themselves if they even tried it."

"How could two five year olds kill themselves," HoroHoro rolled his eyes at the idea.

"That's what we thought…until Ren put a sword to his throat and Anna-San was about to jump off a cliff," Jun took a sip from her tea.

The three boys starred at their friend.

"You were messed up even back then," HoroHoro said. Ren just glared at him.

"So, you two knew Anna when she was little?" Yoh said to Jun, who nodded.

"Her last name at the time was Fujisaki, not Kyoyama. I suspect she got that name sometime to got to Aomori since it's one of the names of Osorezan. After the Tao, the Fujisaki were a great noble family in Japan, even though she's half Chinese and half Japanese."

"But, why is she from that place? Osore or somethin like that," Chocolove asked.

"We don't know," Ren said. "She refuses to say anything about it, even though the Great Spirit only knows how many times I've tried to find out."

"huh." Said Chocolove.

"Explains why you two get along," Said HoroHoro. The two gave Ren a look that made his hair itch towards the ceiling.

"What?"

"Well…"

"We were just thinkin…"

"Can't blame her for not wanting to marry someone like you."

Anna sat on her balcony, starring into the distance, a blank look on her face. She was leaning against the bars, her arms wrapped around her legs. One would think that she was in deep thought but in all honesty she wasn't thinking anything. She was listening to the conversation being taken place downstairs.

"H-Hime-Sama?" Tamao said, rather timidly. Anna glanced at her.

"Is…Is it true? That you and Ren-San…" Her voice trailed off.

Anna looked back in the distance.

"Yeah. But we refused to let it happen. After some arguments our parents decided it was best not to wed us."

"Oh…"

Anna sighed. She was starting to get a migraine and migraine + Reishi = unstable princess.

There was a knock at the door. Tamao went to answer it.

"Uh, Tamao?" Yoh's voice sounded. "Can you go check on HoroHoro, make sure he's okay?"

"Why? Is he hurt?" Tamao said anxiously.

"Not exactly. Him and Chocolove kinda pushed Ren's button's a bit too much and he snapped…Jun and Pirika are with them in the sitting room."

"Okay."

When she left Yoh went to where Anna was, sitting on the other side of the balcony, also leaning against the bars.

"So," he paused, not really sure how to go on. She waited. "You and Ren were supposed to be Engaged."

"I guess," she said, her eyes closed.

"You say that like your not sure."

"I don't remember much of my life back in China. That's the only thing I remember." she said. Then added quietly, "I just turned five when my parents ditched me on Mt. Osore…or so I was told."

"What do you mean?" Yoh frowned.

Anna didn't say anything for a minute. Then she said, "Can you leave? I want to lie down, I have a migraine."

"I can tell," she opened one eye to look at him. "Your usually more tired and less stubborn when your not feeling well." he explained. He grinned sheepishly. "Honestly, it worries me. It almost makes me want to hear you threaten me again."

Anna glowered at him. "Shut up Yoh." she sighed, closing her eyes again. She was too tired to argue with him. He didn't reply. Slowly, her consciousness left her.

"Strange, that it would just give out like that," Mikihisa said. He was outside with Yohmei and a group of knights who were clearing everything out.

"You feel that, don't you?" Yohmei asked.

"huh?"

"There's a dark energy in this area," Yohmei looked around, his eyes narrowed. "Get HoroHoro and Chocolove to scout around."

"Why not Ren instead of HoroHoro?"

"Jun is here, so Ren will want to stay with his sister for a while."

"WHAT?" Pirika shouted. "YOUR KIDDING!"

"Will you shut up?" Ren snapped, his face lightly pink.

"Hmm, I wonder how that would work," Pirika said thoughtfully. "A marriage between two temperamental people."

"Careful Pirika," Jun warned. "How do you think those two ended up like that?" She gestured to HoroHoro and Chocolove, who were currently knocked out. Tamao was sitting beside them, making sure they were still breathing.

"Someone wake them up please," they all jumped as Mikihisa seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Hello Jun," he waved at her.

"Why do you need us?" HoroHoro yawned. Chocolove stood up, stretching.

"Don't tell me you guys were just sleeping," Pirika said.

"I just want you two to scout the area where the West Wing collapsed. There's a strange feeling there."

"Alright," HoroHoro stood up. "That'll give us something to do until dinner is ready. Hope it's something good."

"Onii-Chan, all you think about is your stomach," Pirika huffed. HoroHoro ignored her.

"You can count on us Mikihisa, we'll be done in no time, Of course I could do it better without Chocolove." he said, making Ren scoff.

"Uh, sure. Just hurry up."

"Hey Pirika," Chocolove said. "What do you call a snowman whose head is bigger then his stomach?"

"Huh?"

"BoroBoro No HoroHoro!"

Pirika burst out laughing. Jun covered her mouth with her hands but a giggle still escaped her lips. Even Ren chuckled slightly, a smirk on his face.

"Finally, a good joke," he said.

"Finally, I made everyone laugh," Chocolove wiped a tear from his eye.

"Not every one…" Chocolove turned to see HoroHoro glaring dangerously at him, murder written all over him.

"Uh…didn't you think it was funny?" he asked, sweating.

"Five seconds."

"Come on, even Ren and Jun thought it was-"

"Four."

"Your over exaggerating Boro-"Three."

And he was gone, HoroHoro right on his heels.

"Wow, everyone's really lively." Yoh came into the room, a smile on his face. "Hey Tou-San."

"Where's Anna?" Ren asked him.

"You would want to know where she is," Pirika muttered under her breath.

"She's laying done, she was getting a migraine."

"Ren, why don't you help Jun take things to her room?" Mikihisa asked. "Tamao, can you go with them? I need to talk to my son for a moment."

When they left Yoh turned to his father.

"What's up?" he asked, his hands in his pockets.

"Your grandfather wanted me to tell you something." Mikihisa paused.

"About what?" Yoh frowned.

"First, he's leaving later to discuss some stuff with some important people. Second…" He paused again.

"Why do I get the feeling that your about to say something about Anna?"

"Because you a smart kid," Miki said. "Yes, it's about the princess. He talked to you mother about it. He doesn't want you to get…close to her and-"

"She told me about Yohken." Yoh interrupted. Mikihisa looked at him, shocked though you couldn't tell because of his mask. "And why Itako's are hated so much."

Silence fell between them.

"You have to understand Yoh times were different back then," Mikihisa finally said.

"But what about now?" Yoh's voice had gone quiet. "You've seen how much they've suffered. How much Anna's suffered. I was taught it was their choice to be Itako's so I didn't question it much, but Anna told me it was because it gave them a reason to live. So what right do we have to destroy that? How different are they from us?"

Mikihisa didn't say anything. Not because he couldn't think of anything, nor was it because he was shocked his son would say that.

It was because he knew that he was right.

"What should I do Kian? He's always with her!"

"Calm down Sis, breath."

Melin took a deep breath, calming her self. She was with her brother in the infirmary. They looked alike, black hair and their feature were very similar, only difference was that his eyes were green, like their mothers.

"It's not fair," she whispered. "I've loved Yoh-Kun since I've first met him. Then I go away for a month and when I come back, he's spending all his time with an Itako." she said the word as though it were a swear.

Kian sighed and put his hand on top of her head. "I know. Mom and Dad know. And I'm pretty sure everyone here knows."

"Your point?"

"Sooner or later Yoh will see how great you are, even if you temper is scary."

"Nii-Chan, shut up or I'll break your leg even more."

"See what I mean?"

Melin didn't say anything. True, her temper can get out of control but it was only because she loved Yoh so much but he never seemed to pay attention to her. Maybe if she tried to work on it, he would love her and stop being with that other…thing.

Kian noticed the depressed look on her face and said. "Hey, you went shopping right? What did you get?"

"Huh?" Melin blinked. "Oh I got a new dress, some bracelets…"

Kian leaned back on his pillows, closing his eyes. He hated hearing her rant about shopping, but it was better then her getting depressed over the Asakura boy.

"You see anything?"

'Nope, you?"

"No, Mic and Kororo don't seem to see anything either."

HoroHoro and Chocolove paused, looking around. They hadn't seen or heard anything since they've been out here but there was a strange feeling in the air. Like something was going to happen and soon.

How's that for a fast update? I think that's the fastest I've ever updated this story. I won't be able to update for a while though, I'm getting surgery tomorrow on my small intestine and the recovery is about a week. Once again, as you've noticed no song for this chapter. There will be next one though! I hope…

Fictiongurl3553: thanks for the review, hope you like the others reactions

Koorinosekai: I know, I don't like her either but like you said, you always needs to have the one character everyone hates in a story

Nelfayt: how's that for a shocker? I wanted to do something no one would suspect. Some people have guess that they knew each other before but I bet they didn't think that, haha