Besarki: :O I had no right to expect that many reviews and threats! You can do that again, yes? Please? I update quickly if you do! But anyway, hello! Welcome to chapter 2 which is about half as long as chapter 1 and a total detail-stuffed filler! Oh, and the chapter title is a play on the title Fubari no Uta since uta apparently means song or whatever. No one sings in this chapter. Fear not!

Okay, so after receiving several rather confused reviews, I've come to realize that I'm about as clear as muddy water. AND SO! BEHOLD! A CONVENIENT LITTLE GUIDE OUTLINING THE CONCEPTS OF THIS STORY!

The year is 2008.

Anna is 23. Yoh is 23. Hana is 7.
Yoh, Hao, Mikihisa, Faust, and all X-Laws besides Lyserg and Jeanne are dead.
I do not know if the other characters who appeared in the manga (no anime exclusives will appear) will show up in this story.
Most of Hao's minions are either dead or have withdrawn their loyalty. I don't know which ones remain, but I'll figure it out by the time they're due to show up.
Yoh defeated Hao and became Shaman King, ultimately dying.
Anna sensed a familiar presence five years ago and left to find the source. She recognized the presence as being one of the Asakura twins trying to pass back onto the mortal plane, thus forth resurrecting himself. This is nothing new for Hao, but since Yoh is shaman king, he may have the ability to do this as well. She is convinced it's Yoh. Hao's few remaining followers are sure it's Hao. There is no proof pointing to either one so they just have to go and cross their fingers.
The presence came from somewhere in North America. Anna was close to it when she had to turn around and retrieve Hana.
Anna's eyes are goldish unless she is in a trance.
Anna no longer has EITHER of Hao's shikigami. She still has the 1080 among other things...
Hana is incapable of making an oversoul AT THIS TIME.

IN A NUTSHELL:
-Both Hao and Yoh died seven years ago, but one of them is in the process of resurrecting himself.
-Anna sensed a presence and left in search of it. Shortly before she reached it, she met up with Hao's minions who threatened her son. They were bluffing, but rather than take a chance, she went back for Hana.
-Yoh is 23
-Anna is 23
-Hana is 7
-It's currently 2008
-Anna no longer has Zenki and Kouki.
-Hana isn't strong enough to make an oversoul.
-Anna's eyes are an extremely light brown--almost gold. When she puts herself in a trance and uses her Itako powers, her eyes glow blue (as seen early on in the anime).

Mother:
Okaa-san and Kaa-san both mean mother. The latter is more like mom than mother, though. Sure you all knew that already. When speaking to his mother directly, Hana will always address her as Okaa-san or Kaa-san. I'm trying to keep some consistency.

Oh, also: This chapter is dedicated to who I believe to be Smart Angel. Thank you much for the encouraging email!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take me above your light
Carry me through the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight

~Hello Seattle, Owl City
(One of the themes that inspired this story :) )

"This is delicious!" I shouted as I ripped yet another chunk out of the fish in my hands. I had no idea what kind of fish it was, but whatever the type, it was sure good.

Kaa-san glanced up at me from across the crackling fire, and a small smirk cross her face.

"It's a good thing you like it. This is about to be our diet for the next week or so."

My good mood was instantly shattered as an array of horrible possibilities swarmed inside my head. "Week?! We're not swimming, are we?"

"If we were swimming, it would take a lot longer than a week." Okay, good. That was the worst of them.

"Riding giant seahorses?"

"Okay, Aquaman." I didn't even want to know how she knew about an American comic book character.

"Flying?" I suggested, though I was pretty sure that wasn't it.

"On what?" And I was right.

"Grrr...I was just asking."

"As was I."

"That's not funny, Kaa-san."

"I wasn't trying to be funny."

"Good, cause you weren't."

"Such an attitude," She noted offhandedly.

"I get it from you," I snickered.

She smiled, too. She couldn't argue with that. "You do."

I grinned and took another bite out of my fish. I'd been with Okaa-san for roughly a week now, but, to be honest, it seemed more like a few years more than a few days. The fact that she'd raised me for the first two years of my life helped, I guess. So I suppose it was sort of like just picking up were she left off.

Just with extremely different circumstances, which were dangerous and far-reaching, but whatever. Beggers can't be choosers.

"Don't you have a spirit ally, Hana?" She randomly asked. I was caught off guard by the question, but I did catch a hint something within it. The way she asked made me think that she already knew the answer.

"Yeah, of course," I said, whipping off my backpack and pulling a mortuary tablet out of the biggest pocket. I dropped my bag and tapped the tablet twice. "You can come out now," I told my spirit. Almost immediately, the tablet glowed and an orange nekomata emerged from the surface.

My feline spirit ally glistened and took shape beside me. He bowed and removed his pipe from his mouth.

"Ah, good evening, young master," He greeted, his striped tails swishing. My spirit ally was about a thousand times as polite as all the others I'd met thus far.

"Good evening, Matamune." I took a fish from the campfire and set it before him. An offering.

He eyed it for a moment before smiling lightly. "Arigato."

I grinned.

Matamune had been my spirit ally since shortly after my birth. I don't honestly remember ever meeting him. It feels like I've just known him forever.

He was strong. Really strong. My mana was kinda low, all things considered, but with Matamune, I hardly ever lost a battle.

Matamune nodded once, and turned to my mother. He jumped a bit, like he wasn't expecting to see her there.

"And Anna-sama," He said, somewhat astonished. "You're looking well."

"I could say the same for you, Matamune," She returned. It didn't occur to me at the time that Kaa-san might know Matamune from somewhere other than his current vocation.

"What about your spirit ally, Kaa-san?" I asked, changing the topic the slightest bit. "You've got one, too, right? Why don't you bring him out?"

I didn't like mischievous grin she gave me. I didn't like it one bit.

"He's a little big," She told me. "And meeting him right before bed might not be the best idea."

"Why not? Is your spirit ally the boogie man?" I joked, laughing.

"You'll just have to wait and find out, won't you?"

Matamune looked as suspicious as I did. In fact, he looked even more suspicious, like he might have more of an idea than I did.

"Okaa-san..." I hedged, a little nervous now.

"You'll meet him when you do," She said, waving her hand dissmissively. "No point in worrying now."

"But-"

"Nope. Don't ask."

"Why not?!"

"You stress too much, Hana. Relax a little. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a spirit by it's description."

"But then why did you-" She cut me off by placing her hand over my mouth.

"Settle down," She said, softer and more soothing than usual. She moved her hand back to her side, and turned her attention to the black canvas above her. "Just look at the sky. It's beautiful tonight."

I looked up at it involuntarily, and had to admit, she was right. Seeing the stars made me feel better somehow. So many of them in that condensed little space. The sky was just like Japan. Overcrowded, but really pretty.

I was glad I didn't say that aloud. I bet Kaa-san would have teased me if I had. Not that I care...okay, I do care...but only a little. Little, little bit. Just a little.

"What are you stressing over now?" She asked.

"Nothing," I lied. She shook her head, clearly not believing me.

"Whatever you say, Hana." She sighed and her gaze returned to the sky. "Whatever you say."

When I turned back to my mother, I noticed something I hadn't seen before: An odd glaze over her eyes that wasn't there five minutes ago.

I hadn't seen it before because it wasn't visibly there, and hadn't sensed it because Okaa-san was an excellent actress, but even the best fail sometimes.

She hid it well, but I could see it in her suddenly sullen eyes. The sheer loneliness and longing for someone who wasn't there, and hadn't been for seven years.

At that moment, my mother's mind was a thousand miles away from our little midnight campfire.

Besarki: Kind of a sad ending to this chapter, but everyone wanted Yoh so bad, so I had to at least hint towards a memory of him. There won't be a flashback next chapter so don't stress for everyone who hates those (like me). Another introduction chapter, sorry. If I could have, I would have skipped this chapter and gone straight to the ocean, but I can't because they can't go from a town near Funbari to the ocean in one chapter. Plus, I have to pound all the details out before we can actually begin the plot. Bah. But next chapter should be better. More action. Maybe even a fight! Wouldn't that be cool?

Having Hana call the sky pretty makes him sound a little bit gay, but get over it. He's 7. Seven-year-olds say stuff like that.

-.- I didn't spend as long on this one as I did the last. I admit that I wrote this in a few hours where the last one took several days. Sorry. I just want to get to heck out of Japan already and into America where I actually know where stuff is.

Oh, and the part with Matamune? I just love throwing wrenches into stuff. WAHAHAHA! Yeah, I'm not the first to use Matamune as Hana's spirit ally, but I think it fits, don't you?

Random-osity:
Ah! I was checking the spelling of arigato when I found this:

"Thank you" in many languages:

Japanese [Izumo] (Japan) Dan san

It's said differently in Izumo! That's so weird!

How do you say you're welcome? I found do itashimashite (accent on the o, but ffnet wouldn't recognize that) but I don't know if that's it. Is it?

Hrmph. Anyway, Anna's spirit ally NEXT CHAPTER! Props to anyone who can guess what it is.