Besarki: HIIIIIIIIIIIIII MUNCHIESSSSSSSSSSS! I look like a balloooooooooooooon! :D
Got my wisdom teeth out yesterday. It hurts TT^TT Well, not that bad. I mean, it aches, but doesn't really hurt. Get it? But my face is all swollen XD My dad and stepmom told me that I look like a chipmunk. ^-^
Annnnd...Holy crab cakes! This story is almost over D: What shall I do? AHHHHHHHH!
But there is good news...WE'VE BROKEN 200 REVIEWS! HOORAY! THAT'S AMAZING NEWS! I LOVE YOU GUYS!
I've begun to write the ending. I think of a lot while I'm lying in bed. I forget a lot of what I don't write down (I keep a notebook on my nightstand), but otherwise, it's going well. I think you guys will like it, but we'll see :)
Randomness: Talking to Grazere last night. He told me that he read Ultimo and really didn't like it. I asked him why and he said that there were a lot of things that just didn't match up, and that the Japanese manga industry and the English comic industry shouldn't be mixed. I've never read it, to be honest. Has anyone else read Ultimo? What do you think about it? Comparable to Shaman King? Should Takei be trying new things like this or be sticking to supernatural, spiritual stuff like Shaman King? Or is it spiritual? Like I said, I haven't read it. I know they said that you shouldn't knock it until you try it, but Grazere said it was bad so...hrmph. Someone fill me in here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I opened my eyes last night and saw you in the low light
Walking down by the bay, on the shore, staring up at the planes that aren't there anymore
I was feeling the night grow old and you were looking so cold
Like an introvert, I drew my over shirt
Around my arms and began to shiver violently before
You happened to look and see the tunnels all around me
Running into the dark underground
All the subways around create a great sound
To my motion fatigue: farewell
With your ear to a seashell
You can hear the waves in underwater caves
As if you actually were inside a saltwater room
Time together is just never quite enough
When you and I are alone, I've never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
We need time, only time
When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
If this is what I call home, why does it feel so alone?
So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time, all the time
~The Saltwater Room, Owl City
(The band Owl City is just one guy, however, two people sing in this song. The plain italics is the girl (Breanna something or other), and the bolded italics is Adam, the sole member of the band, Owl City. The second part of the last line is sang by both of them. If you haven't figured it out by now, Owl City is my favorite artist. This is my favorite song. For this chapter only, I'll have this song playing on my website :) I recommend that you go listen to it either there or on YouTube or Owl City's website. Really, it's a great song. Doesn't make much sense, but it's great. Go buy this guy's music. It's amazing. Take it from me)
Hana
I had never tried so hard not to laugh. My lips twisted and my teeth crunched together, but I couldn't help it. Few sights were as hilarious as this one.
Poor Kaa-san had somehow wound up tangled up in the chain, which, for some reason, had her bound to this lonely tree. She was furious.
"Ha ha. Yes, let's all laugh. Okay, now that you've had your fun, MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL AND UNTIE ME!"
I crouched in front of her, unable to hide my smile. Probably a dangerous idea, but I didn't care.
"Hana," She growled, warningly.
"I don't think I can, Kaa-san," I told her.
She glared, frustrated and angry. "Why not?"
"I don't have wire or chain cutters."
I think this new form was making Kaa-san more irritable than usual. She lashed out, throwing one of her tails to slap me across the face.
"OW!" I yelped, falling backwards.
She snarled, flashing her teeth and growling venomously. I think that Tou-san was right. She must have been a fox in a past life.
"Go get--"
"ANNA!"
"Never mind."
Just then, Tou-san ran up to us, sword in hand and kneeled down by the tree trunk. He put his hand against Kaa-san's side and held her safely away from where he struck the chain with his sword.
Kaa-san stared in disbelief.
"You still have Harusame?" She asked, watching him hack away at the chain.
He grinned. "Yeah. Even though Amidamaru moved on a while ago, I kept his sword as a sort of keepsake," He admitted sheepishly.
My mother didn't seem as angry anymore, but I was.
Who the heck was Amidamaru?
"Your father's former spirit ally," Kaa-san answered, her powers of reishi alight in her eyes. "He moved on after Yoh died to become Shaman King."
"You gave up your spirit? But who protects you now?" I couldn't imagine giving up Matamune. How did Tou-san give up this "Amidamaru" character?
"Same way I gave up Naka-Oni." Again, it was my mother who answered. "Most of the time, when a person dies, they return to the Great Spirit. It would be useless to leave a spirit behind waiting for you if you weren't coming back. Neither Yoh or myself planned on returning to the mortal plane so we urged our spirit allies to reach nirvana before we did. After all, if they didn't know that we were okay, they probably wouldn't have moved on."
Tou-san looked kinda guilty as she was saying this, and I knew why. Even though she spoke with Naka before her death, he was so overwhelmed with the way things had played out that he was incapable of passing over. Tou-san had to help in the end, and while I knew that the Kaa-san existed now would feel thankful for his help, the Anna that Tou-san grew up with would probably feel aggravated that she couldn't do this on her own. Tou-san wasn't going to say anything. I wouldn't either.
A short while later, Tou-san cut the final piece of chain and set my mother free from Hao's metal prison. She leaped out but opted to go on gripping the chain in her teeth. I don't know what she was planning, but I had a feeling that I should feel bad for Hao.
"Anna," Tou-san said disapprovingly. Kaa-san rolled her eyes, but spit out the chain all the same.
Tou-san bent over and picked up the discarded chain. He unclipped Kaa-san's collar and handed both of them to me. "Will you return this to Hao please?"
"Return it to Hao?" Kaa-san and I asked in unison.
He smiled sweetly, but I saw the mischief hidden in the undertone. "Any way you want."
"Ohhhh! I get it! OKAY!" I yelled eagerly. I turned around and sprinted back into the house.
---0---0---0---0---0---
Anna
"Clever," I commended. Yoh threw me an innocent look.
"What?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and started to walk in the direction opposite to the house. He stared after me, curiously. "Where are you going?"
"Where am I going?" I snickered, then went on to correct the statement. "We're going for a walk. There's something I need to talk to you about."
"Something Hana can't hear?" He assumed, highly suspicious.
"No, he'll find out eventually."
"Eventually?" He quoted. A loose thought drifted through his mind. I grimaced in annoyance, and a vein popped in my head.
"For the fifth time, no! I'm not pregnant." (AN: Sorry. Running gag)
"Sorry. You were making it sound like we were having a repeat of Hana."
"We're not, and plus, that's impossible right now. I'm dead."
"This is true." He chuckled. I sighed, shaking my head. I couldn't believe he found this funny. "Well, then, if you get to be all reminiscent and spacey, so do I!"
"What?"
"Come here," He said, plucking me up off the ground. I yelped while he stared ahead adventurously. "It's been seven years since I last saw you. We have a lot of catching up to do."
"Yoh..."
He only grinned.
My almost-husband twirled his hand around in the air until a tiny spirit ball appeared within it.
"You still have that?!" I gasped.
He grinned. "Of course!" He laughed and then yelled those faithful words that I hadn't heard since shortly before his death. "Oversoul--Spirit of Earth."
(AN: This story runs on a slightly different timeline than Vol 27 of the KZB reprint. Keep in mind that I hadn't read the true ending until AFTER I started this.)
The spirit flame split, reformed, and expanded. Moments later, I stared and Yoh smiled up at the humongous elemental spirit of Earth.
---0---0---0---0---0---
Hao
"Hey, Hao!" Hana yelled, bolting into my room. I suppressed a heaving sigh. Yoh would send his little monster on me.
"Hello, Hana," I grumbled. I've never been much a fan of kids. At least, not one on one.
"Tou-san told me to give this to you," He announced.
Curious, and not expecting much out of the rugrat, I turned to see what he was going on about.
The next thing I knew, I was getting smacked with a long, metal chain.
"SON OF A FOX!" I swore. I'd just been mauled by a seven-year-old. Kami, I already had to put up with his mother. Now this one, too? I was the Hao-sama--
Getting manhandled by a seven-year-old.
Son. Of. A. Fox.
"What do you want, Hana?" I demanded, furious at his impudence.
"You had it coming. Your goons killed my mother."
"And I brought her back," I reasoned. This rat was the one who had it coming. "And you know what, all I have to do is snap my fingers to summon the Spirit of Fire and send him after your parents."
Hana flinched, but didn't back down. "That's a lie! You don't have Spirit of Fire, anymore!"
Shit! How'd he know that?
"You gave it to that green-haired guy, and he freaked out and let it go!" That green-haired guy? Yeah, I didn't really blame him. I didn't like Lyserg either.
I quickly changed the subject before he caught on to the fact that I had lost a lot of my power when Yoh became Shaman King.
"Hey Hao, heads up!" Rather than brace myself like I should have known to do, I automatically looked over at him.
Only to be clobbered by the airborne Ohachiyo. Hana had thrown him.
...This kid had kill me written across his forehead...
"Asaha-kun," Ohachiyo yelped. I rolled my eyes.
"Get off me, Ohachiyo," I grunted.
Matamune was trying in vain to reason with his current shaman. "Hana-san, you must show respect to those older than you."
And no one was older than me. Except for spirits, but they were dead.
Hana turned away. "He doesn't deserve respect. He killed Kaa-san."
"No, Hana. He did not. His followers killed Anna-san."
The blond-haired runt didn't believe him. It was time for me to step in.
"What is wrong with you? Hasn't your mother taught you manners?" I hissed.
"Yeah, but they don't apply to jerks like you, Hao."
...What?
I'd had enough. "Ohachiyo, get rid of him."
"Pleasure's all mine!" The demonic rabbit insisted.
He whipped out his club, only to be met with Matamune's Oni Goroshi. This would be a one-sided battle if I let it continue.
Oh well. Sacrifices must be made.
---0---0---0---0---0---
Yoh
I chuckled as Anna stared in shock at the Spirit of Earth. True, I even surprised myself when I managed to bring it with me.
All the same, this was Anna, and everyone knows just how hard it is to surprise Anna.
"Well, come on, then," I laughed, picking her up and crawling into SOE's hand. "Let's go flying."
"Nnnnnnn," The Spirit of Earth hummed.
I shrugged. "Anywhere is fine."
"Nnnnnn."
The SOE took off from the ground and fired forward.
Anna swore under her breath. Her spirit ally, Naka, hadn't been this fast and the SOE's speed alarmed her. I reacted the same way the first time I traveled across the spirit plane on its back. It was a natural reaction.
"Where are we going?!" Anna demanded against the wind throb, her ears flopping humorously in the wind.
"I don't know!" I replied.
"What?!"
I laughed. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride!"
"Easy for you to say! You're not at risk of flying off and any given time!"
"Don't worry! I won't let you fall!" I promised.
She didn't look like she believed me. I flashed her my famous smile to try to calm her.
When she saw it, her behavior flipped--from irate to unstable.
The way she stared made me think that she was about to burst out in tears, but her reputation was forcing her to fight those feelings with all she had.
The sight made me so upset that I grabbed her and hugged her.
"Yoh--" She gagged.
"It's okay, Anna! I'll still love you even if you cry!" I cried, actual tears leaking from my eyes.
"What?!"
"IT'S OKAY! I'LL FORGIVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT! I PROMISE!"
"That's great, Yoh, but--" I still wasn't letting her talk.
"DON'T WORRY!"
It was then that she finally gave in, and let me cry unexplainable tears into her burgundy fur.
---0---0---0---0---0---
Hana
I stared at my uncle from across the table. My eyes were alight with curiosity for the story he was telling.
"Then what?" I demanded.
He flashed a smile and continued on with his tale. "Then Yoh joined with Matamune in a Hyoui Gattai, and together they defeated the Oo Oni with the powered-up Oni Goroshi."
I threw my hands down on the table. "NO WAY!"
"Way, Hana," He chuckled.
"THAT'S AWESOME, JI-CHAN!" I jumped up out of my intense excitement. "Tell it again!"
He laughed. "It's Oji-sama to you."
I rolled my eyes. "Just tell the damn story, Oji-san."
Apart from us, Matamune and Ohachiyo were watching with totally shocked eyes.
"Weren't they fighting a minute ago?" Ohachiyo asked.
Matamune nodded. "Yes, then Hana started crying and Hao-sama felt bad and told us to stop."
The rabbit rolled his eyes. "Then the loon made him lunch. What the heck happened to all-powerful Hao-sama? Has he become the all-powerful babysitter-sensei?"
Matamune shrugged. "Apparently so."
"These guys are weird. Hey, wanna go spy on those two love birds?"
"That's not very polite."
"Who cares?"
"...Very well."
---0---0---0---0---0---
Anna
I sighed, allowing the crisp air to glide in and out of my lungs. My eyes were closed, but I could see everything.
Yoh laid on the ground beside me, breathing slowly and perfectly at ease. His eyes were closed too, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was sleeping.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked quietly, lying down and curling into myself.
He smiled and chuckled a little. "You aren't just going to read my mind and find out for yourself?"
"It's not always voluntary, Yoh-kun," I reminded him.
He laughed. "I know." His eyes opened and he rolled his head over to stare at me. "Otherwise you would have just dug through my thoughts to answer your question, right?"
I snorted. "Probably."
"So predictable, Anna-chan."
"What?"
"What? I said Anna-san."
"The fact that you knew what I was talking about proves that you didn't."
"Ehehehe. Let's talk about something else," He said, nervously changing the subject. I couldn't hide my satisfied smile.
"So, Yoh...you brought me here to catch up without having me spare the gory details that I would have had to had Hana been around, correct?"
"Um, sure."
Actually, I just wanted to spend time with you.
I didn't tell him that I had heard that, though his blush would have given him away anyway. Regardless, the thought made me smile. I was glad he still thought things like that.
"So, Yoh," I began, "what is it that you've been wanting to know?" (AN: Wow! That rhymed like freaking crazy!)
"Um...so...how've you been?"
"That's it?"
"That's a start."
"I've been fine. I'm a ghost, but I've been fine."
"You don't have to keep reminding me," He grumbled sadly.
"You asked. Anyway, how have you been up in cloudsville?" I didn't make this big a deal when he died, so he shouldn't throw a fit when I did. Given, I died to save Hana's life and Yoh died to become Shaman King. No, they were both worthy causes. Neither of us had the right to complain.
"Fine. It's nice to finally be able to see again."
"Oh, right. I forgot about that."
"Though it would have been nice to have my first sight be something other than my young son crying over my wife's dead body."
I growled. I was getting really irritated. "Let it go, Yoh."
"Sorry," He sighed. "I just didn't think it was possible."
"What? You didn't think what was possible?"
He gave an apologetic smile. "I didn't think that I was capable...of losing you. I thought you'd be around forever. Manta, Tamao, even Ryu, but never you."
I stared at him for a moment before I got sick of all this sappy talk. "Okay, that's enough, Yoh-kun. Let's talk about you now. I've had my moment."
Yoh grinned and reached over to pull me to him. "You don't get off the hook that easily, Anna-chan."
"Yoh..." I growled. He laughed just as he always did.
"Anna-chan!" He said in a sing-song voice.
I rolled my eyes and bit his hand, but otherwise let him go on doing what he was doing.
I'd missed times like these, though that wasn't something I'd tell anyone anytime soon.
People could go on saying whatever they wanted. Think of me what they wished. Go on believing whatever. It didn't matter.
Because I no longer cared what people thought of me. I wasn't the sad girl that everyone thought I was. I was happy. Truly, truly happy. No one knew just how incredibly wonderful I had felt since I'd met Yoh, and had given birth to Hana.
No one knew, and no one ever would. Because these were words would never leave my lips. Never meet the ear. Never spoken.
I'd never tell a soul.
Besarki: ...That was undoubtedly the fluffiest thing I've ever written. O_O Wow, I didn't know I was capable of something that cutesy. For most authors, this is nothing, but fluff is NOT my strong point. To many of you, this will seem like nothing, but this is way out of my territory. So...wow. I can't believe I wrote that. Romance, I can't do it. I've dated and I still can't do it x.x FORGIVE ME!
So, what did everyone think of Besarki's attempt at fluffeh? Stick to humor, right? Haha. I knows it, I knows it.
So, despite the insane number of POV changes in this chapter, I don't know if this was the POV chapter because it had Hao's POV in it too. If I run out of time, I may call this it, but that's not my plan. I'm going to see what I can do about making the Yoh-Anna-Hana POV chapter, chapter 26 (in other words, next chapter)
Well, keep voting. It's pretty close at this point. Like, neck and neck. If it's a tie, I have to make the final decision and I really don't want to do that. So, please. There are over one hundred of you (that's visitors, not hits. I KNOW HOW TO READ A CHART, MUNCHIES). PLEASE, take just three seconds and vote. I can't see anything about the voters. Not your name, your IP address, nothing. I WILL NEVER KNOW WHO VOTES UNLESS THEY TELL ME! If you want to make a difference, GO VOTE!
Also, there's something I'd like to know from all you: Do you want an epilogue? The story actually isn't designed to have one. I could change the last chapter into an epilogue, I suppose, but it's not meant to be. What would you like?
So, the final arc of the story (and I say arc loosely because it's only like two chapters) is about to start. Next chapter will be the Asakura Family chapter. Then one more character FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE STORY will appear and that will mark the final battle. This character? I mentioned him/her briefly but it didn't seem like it was relative to the plot. At the time, it wasn't but a few days ago, I decided that I was going to use it. THINK THINK THINK! BE LIKE POOH BEAR AND THINK! THINK! YOU CAN DO IT!
Anna's Tails Clue: Anna has five tails. What else are there five of? I've already named two of them ;)
Don't forget to check out The Saltwater Room on Owl City's website, YouTube, or Dragonwitharosary (my site. dumb name, I know)! Also, I stuck that one picture from Mantarite on my site. If you have a minute, go look at it and tell me if you recognize that picture of Anna. I can't remember this one for the LIFE OF ME! It's pretty freaking annoying. Someone help the forgetful little cripple (my mouth is so sore! Forget what I said earlier TT^TT).
And as usual...MEET THE QUOTA! See you in a few days, my munchies!