The Great Dog Demon and the Chinese Warrior
(Part II)
Ren was the first to go into the offensive with Bason and his kwandao. He leaped into the air for an overhead strike at Yoh. The Asakura met the attack with the wooden sword. Yoh clenched his teeth. In the midst of their power struggle, the Asakura could see into his opponent's eyes. This was the first time that he had seen such unbridled rage and hatred in another shaman's eyes. These were the eyes of a tormented soul who only knew pain and bloodshed.
The smirk on Ren's lips was arrogant and knowing. It told of a surefire victory.
With a grunt, Yoh pushed Ren back and jumped out of his range.
"Tao Ren," Yoh said as he and Ren locked eyes again, "I believe that evil people cannot see spirits, so you must be not evil. You've just been misguided."
Despite his words, the Asakura readily met Ren's next attack head-on. Wood met metal as the weapons clashed.
"Misguided?" The smirk on Ren's face never left. "The true misguided fool will be the loser of this battle," the Tao stated as he and Yoh continued to swing and slash at each other. "The winner's ideals are obviously the superior ones, don't you agree?"
Yoh did not answer. He held his sword out in front of him and asked back, "Tao Ren, why have you come to Tokyo? What is your true objective?" A frontal assault followed the questions.
Ren side-stepped Yoh and turned to counterattack. Yoh held his sword horizontally to block the attack. "To cleanse this filthy world and restore its glory!" Ren shot back. "The fading stars are proof that this world has lost its way!"
The shamans met each other face to face as they ended up locked in another match of strength, each trying to overpower the other. Their objectives and ideals were on the line.
"Stars are lights that guide us, and those who lose sight of that light become corrupted and need to be destroyed!" Ren won the match as he pushed Yoh back with his kwandao's pole.
Ren pointed the tip of his weapon at Yoh, but his tone was sharper than any blade, "You as a shaman should know that! Spirits are merely tools given to shamans to fulfill their duty!" The Tao scoffed, a disgusted look on his face, "And you, a foolish shaman who calls his tool a friend, deserve to die with the rest of filth!"
"The only fool here is the one who does not respect spirits!" Yoh countered as he charged at Ren.
Hidden behind a row of bushes, Kagome, Manta, and Ryu intently watched the fight. "Say, Kagome-chan," Manta suddenly broke the silence between them. "As a priestess, you have a feel of their power levels, right? Who do you think will win?"
Kagome was silent for a moment. Both Ryu and Manta looked at Kagome expectantly. "Well…Based on raw power alone, Tao Ren has the upper hand…" she told them, not noticing how the two stiffened at the news. "And it seems like he also has more skill and training than Yoh-kun, so…" She dared not speak her thoughts. She did not want to put that possibility out into the universe.
"What are you saying?!" Manta asked worriedly. "Yoh-kun and Amidamaru stand a chance against that guy, don't they?!" Manta shook Kagome's shoulder and asked persistently, "don't they?!"
"If that Yoh kid doesn't win, then we're all screwed," Ryu chimed in, sweating nervously.
Kagome ignored Ryu and nodded in Manta's direction, "Of course, they stand a chance. If they didn't, I'm pretty sure Tao-san would have taken them out by now."
Ryu and Manta suddenly gasped sharply, causing Kagome to snap her head back towards the battle. She looked up just in time to see Ren take a step back and call out, "Bason!"
Bason grunted in response. They unleashed a furious barrage from the kwandao, "Chuuka Zanmai!" Yoh was stuck in striking range.
"He can't dodge that attack!" Ryu shouted, his eyes widening in horror.
Amidamaru called to his partner, "If we can not avoid it, then we must strike it down!" Yoh leaped over the blade and bared down with his katana. The clash of weapons ended the storming kwandao's rampage.
Yoh distanced him from Ren and briefly glanced over his shoulder. A nearby motorbike was cleanly sliced in two by his opponent's attack. 'If that had been me…' A nervous sweat ran down his neck.
Ren growled and glared at Yoh down, 'He thwarted my attack?!' Just the sight of a weak shaman like him was sickening—infuriating. This fool was truly weak. And yet, he was still able to stop his technique. Finally, he could understand his father's warning...
[ "Do not underestimate the Asakura family…" ]
Yoh created more distance between them in anticipation. He watched the Tao inhale deeply. With a calmer demeanor, he declared, "Asakura Yoh, I have been chosen to become Shaman King."
'Shaman King?' Yoh's expression hardened at the claim.
"As such, I'm the only shaman needed in Tokyo," the Tao stated. "You should just disappear."
"Shaman King, huh…?" Yoh's eyes narrowed. "So that's what you're after…"
"Hmph, playtime is over," Ren declared as he got into an offensive stance. "Bason! Hyoi 100%!"
Kagome gasped, jumping to her feet to call out to her friend," Yoh-kun, watch out! His power just increased immensely!" The sound of the priestess' voice drew Yoh's eyes to her.
"Asakura! Keep your eyes on your enemy!" Ren chastised as his body propelled towards Yoh like a human bullet. Yoh quickly faced Ren, holding his sword up in a guard stance. "That's useless!" A ruthless pole bash sent Yoh flying back-first into a tombstone.
"Yoh-kun!" Kagome and Manta resounded in unison.
Yoh gathered his bearings as quickly as he could. With clenched teeth, he shook the stars away from his visions. When he looked up, his cloudy eyes met blood-thirsty ones. Yoh hurried to his feet. "Goodbye, Asakura Yoh!" Ren said as he took a step back. "CHUUKA ZANMAI!"
'No…' Kagome's inner voice was in disbelief, her horrified eyes widened.
The attack was launched but the blade never touched Yoh.
'It can't be…'
But still, Yoh was struck by sheer power. Blood spewed from his shoulder before his body slumped to the ground, motionless.
"You were a waste of my time," Ren sneered, eyeing the fallen shaman with disdain. "You and I—We're on two completely different levels as shamans." With cold eyes, he raised his kwandao for the killing blow, "I might as well end your pathetic life right now. Say hello to your 'friend' in the next world."
"Yoh-kun!" Kagome cried out as she raced to her friend's side.
Manta and Ryu were mortified but followed her lead. The older teen yelled at her, "Wait! That kid will slaughter you!"
"Kagome-chan! Wait a minute!" Manta pleaded as his heart thumped in his ears.
Kagome ignored their pleas and warnings as she skidded to a stop between Ren and Yoh. "That's far enough!" The priestess spat as she glared at the Tao. "This needs to stop," she hissed in a loud whisper.
"Hmm?" Ren's smirk was amused. "The weak girl from before. Look at you, you're trembling," he almost laughed on the spot. The sight of her small, shaking shoulders was almost enough to strike pity. "I have no qualms on sending two fools to their gra—."
The clap of skin resounded as an open palm slapped across unsuspecting flesh. Kagome was heaving as she retracted her arm and straightened her posture.
The spectators and Ren alike were stunned into silence.
The Tao was floored, but unharmed.
The slap damaged his ego, not his body.
Upon recovery, the Tao growled while turning his head back. His lips spat venom as his hands gripped his weapon, "Insolent worm…!"
The rage bubbling in Ren's eyes brought made Kagome realize what she had done, and the consequences.
The new few moments seemed to play out in slow motion.
The shouts and warnings from Manta and Ryu did not reach her ears.
The priestess flinched. But nothing could prepare Kagome for being struck in the head. She was instantly knocked unconscious and fell into Ryu's awaiting arms. He hoisted the girl onto a motorbike and made a hasty retreat with his followers and her friends in tow.
Ren watched them speed away with a scowl. "Tch." He was in no rush at the moment. Yoh's escaping only meant that he could relish in his defeat even longer.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The emergency clinic was stuffed to the brim with teenagers that night. The presence of obvious gangsters alerted no one, as this was the clinic that they usually went to be patched up. Ryu looked down at Manta. The younger teen was sitting on the edge of his seat with his hands folded in his lap. His thumbs anxiously danced with each other as his eyes stayed glued to the floor.
Like a dart that hit a bullseye, a twang of guilt embedded itself in Ryu's heart. Sure, his gang and Manta's friends had their differences and their squabbles in the past… But that did not change that Ryu could empathize with how the boy felt. Manta reminded Ryu of himself whenever one of his gang was seriously injured.
The older teen put on a calm face and stated, "Your friends will be fine for now. The doctor on duty is a really good one. I told him that they were in a bike accident." He then grinned and added, "But I'm not sure how much he'll believe that."
Manta looked up at Ryu and gave him a weak but appreciative smile, "Thanks for everything, Ryu."
Ryu nodded and explained, "I owe Asakura that much, he saved my life after all…" He then leaned back in his seat and looked up at the sterile white ceiling, "But something still bugs me about that Tao kid…"
"What is it?" Manta inquired. It was surprising enough that Ryu could see spirits. But the fact that he readily accepted the existence of humans with special powers was also amazing.
"He kept talking about how Tokyo only needs one shaman," Ryu responded. "And he mentioned something about a 'shaman king'. He must have come to Tokyo with the intention to kill anyone who stands in the way of that."
"Yeah...I thought about that too," Manta nodded slightly. "There's still a lot of that I don't know about the world of shamans. But Yoh-kun seemed to understand him, so I guess…" He trailed off then shook his head. "No, there's more important matters right now."
That was when Ryu sighed and stood up, his followers immediately mirrored his movements as they walked towards the exit. "Well then, let's just thank the gods for now," Ryu said as he stood on the sensor mat on the floor. As the automated doors parted, he gave Manta a request, "Give Asakura my gratitude."
"Thanks, Ryu…" Manta's words entered an empty room.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Manta spent the entire night in the waiting room. He was unable to rest for over an hour, but eventually, his anxious mind fogged over and blanked out. He was awakened the next day by a comely, smiling nurse informing him that his friends were available for visitation.
"Ah, so Ryu saved me?" Yoh asked, his face calm and unsurprised by the news. "I need to thank him next time I see him."
Seeing his friend alive and awake was a great relief to Manta. He could finally smile again after seeing how Yoh was acting like his usual self "The doctor also said your injury isn't serious," Manta informed him before glancing at his friend's bandaged shoulder. "So how do you feel now?"
Yoh sat up in the hospital bed and grinned as widely as usual, "I'm alive~ And it's all thanks to Amidamaru!"
On cue, Amidamaru appeared hovering next to his partner's bed. The samurai was conflicted, his face regretful and voice miserable, "I do not deserve your praise, Yoh-dono. If it weren't for me… You wouldn't have gotten hurt."
Yoh turned to Amidamaru with a reassuring smile and said, "Don't beat yourself up because things didn't go the way you wanted. As long as we're all alive, that's all that matters," Yoh paused for a moment before something clicked in his head. "Speaking of us all, where's Kagome-chan? Did she go home or something?"
Yoh didn't catch on to the reluctant looks that Manta and Amidamaru exchanged. The shaman looked left and right, then scoped the entire room. He looked back at his companions and only then did he notice their downcast expressions.
"Well, she'll live..." Manta began slowly. "But, she's a patient here too. She tried to defend you while you were conscious, but…" The events from last night played out like a slideshow. Yoh's collapse. Kagome slapping Ren. Kagome being struck down.
"Where is she?" Yoh's inquired, his voice lowered and hurried.
"I-In the room to the right," Manta answered hesitantly. As he expected, Yoh was quickly on his feet. "A-Ah! Wait, Yoh-kun! The doctor said that she'd be fine with some sleep!"
"Okay, but I still want to see her," The shaman stated while slipping into his sandals.
Manta hopped out of his chair, "But will it really be okay to disturb her? She was hit on the head after all." Despite his reluctance, he and Amidamaru still followed Yoh's lead.
"She's a lot tougher than she looks," Yoh replied as he headed out into the hallway. "Besides, nothing's more reenergizing than seeing your friends~"
Kagome's room was identical to Yoh's, save for the person lying in bed. Kagome was sleeping peacefully with bandages wrapped around her head, covering her long bangs. Yoh placed a hand on hers and lightly squeezed it. "Manta...what should I do…?" he asked softly.
Manta blinked, then scowled as he felt unsure about what he was being asked. "Do about what?"
"I was told that people who can see spirits aren't evil…" Yoh replied as he removed his hand from the sleeping girl's. "But anyone harms my friends, no matter who they are, I can't forgive them."
Manta opened his mouth to speak, but his train of thought was derailed by Kagome's voice. She groaned in her sleep, summoning her friends to her side. A few moments later, her eyelids twitched before opening slowly. "K-Kagome, you're awake!"
"Yeah, I am," Kagome replied as she sat up in her bed. She noticed the room was not her own and asked, "Hospital…?" She smiled sheepishly, "Guess we lost pretty badly."
Yoh shook his head and told her, "Nah, it was my loss. And it's my fault that you got hurt."
"What?!" Kagome quickly protested, "No way! Don't blame yourself like that! You've always been the one to protect us ever since we first met!"
Manta nodded, "She's right, Yoh-kun! You're always the first person to come to the rescue!"
"You have a kind, strong heart, Yoh-dono," Amidamaru added with a soothing smile. "The kindness and regard for others is your strength." He thumped his chest, "That is why I will not back down from any challenge. I'll follow you to the next challenge, and the one after that."
"You guys…" Yoh smiled softly and nodded. "Thanks. You're the best friends I could have ever asked for."
Kagome smiled as she climbed out of her bed. "Alright, I'm out," She said as she reached for her shoes. "I need to grab something real quick."
"No way! You should be resting!" Manta shook his head. "Whatever it is, I'll get it for you!"
"Yeah, count us in," Yoh added before smiling at his partner. "Right, Amidamaru?"
Kagome smiled and waved her hand a bit, "Thanks for the offer but this is something that I need to do on my own. Try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone, okay?" Yoh quietly looked at Manta for answers, but the other teen just shrugged and shook his head.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome found him without any trouble. Sesshomaru was exactly where she thought he would be—leaning against a tree near the clearing that used to house the priestess-eater. He sensed the familiar aura approaching several minutes before she arrived. "Why have you returned, girl?" Sesshomaru questioned in a quiet, cold voice.
Kagome smiled warmly as she cupped her hands behind her back, "I'm sure you know why I'm here."
"Indeed, I do," the demon spirit confirmed. "And as you know, the answer is no."
"But why?!" Kagome asked. "I know we'd make a great team!" she protested. He was right. She did not expect him to accept her proposal. But that didn't make the rejection any less disappointing.
"And I am sure we will not," Sesshomaru countered sharply. "I have no interest in such things. And even if I was, I would never stoop so low as to choose a weak human girl as my partner, a priestess no less." His expression remained stoic as the priestess' became more indignant and agitated.
"Just stop and think about it, Sesshomaru," She insisted as she took a few more steps towards him.
The demon lord's only reply was, "Sesshomaru-sama."
"Ses-sho-ma-ru," Kagome deadpanned, unable to hide how peeved she was. "Just hear me out," she said. "Another powerful shaman has appeared and he's a lot for Yoh-kun to handle. I'm sure that with a powerful spirit like you, even someone like me can win."
"The strong devouring the weak is part of the circle of life," Sesshomaru told the girl. "If you or your companion cannot overcome your enemy, then it is your fate to die at their hands."
"You don't mean that," Kagome insisted. "I know you more than you think." She told him, which actually caught Sesshomaru's attention. "Long ago, you protected my ancestors. Higurashi Rin and Ran. They were weak, but you didn't allow them to die."
"Those two were my wards, correct," Sesshomaru admitted. "But that has nothing to do with you. I have no further obligation to the Higurashi family."
"Are you sure about that?" The priestess asked back. "The other day, you asked how many Higurashi's were devoured by that demon…and all of this time, you've stayed around my family's property. It makes me wonder," the girl lifted her head and caught the spirit's eyes with her hopeful ones. "If you feel responsible for all of us."
"I see," Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "You're the type of human who receives copper but values it like gold," he stated while folding his arms across his chest.
Kagome stifled a laugh before smiling warmly, "If it's a gift from the heart, then it's always worth more than gold. But, maybe that's just me." She nodded respectfully to the demon lord and turned around. "Before I leave… Do you want to know the reason why Tenseiga didn't work on Rin?"
The demon's lord silence was Kagome's cue to continue speaking.
With a wistful smile that he could not see, the girl explained, "It's because Rin's soul already moved on.…that quickly. Her life was short, but it was sweet. I believe that Rin had absolutely no regrets and was ready to move forward. There were tragedies, but she was saved by love and compassion." The priestess went quiet as she closed her eyes to reflect on the story. She put herself in her ancestor's shoes. Kagome even thought about her own life. Her mind could picture the smiling faces of Yoh, Manta, and Amidamaru. 'Yes, that's right... I too...have been saved...'
Sesshomaru merely stared at the girl.
"She got lost along the way, but she wanted to move on. I think that Rin moved on because she wanted to be reborn as soon as she could." The priestess' voice was now softer. She gave the demon lord a smile from over her shoulder. "I think that Rin hoped that she could hurry and be reborn, just so she could meet you again."
It was pure conjecture.
But still, Kagome shared that sentiment.
No matter when or how she perished, she was sure that she would want to be reborn and meet her friends once again.
In that moment, Kagome resembled his ward more than ever.
Sesshomaru's lips parted involuntarily as memories of the lost Higurashi flashed through his mind. It was centuries ago, but he could still hear her voice in his head. "Rin…"
A warm breeze swept through the air, swaying the priestess' hair. Like the sun piercing through rainclouds, a beam of light descended from the heavens. Kagome's gasp was inaudible as she whipped around to face the new presence. The golden, crescent bow was illuminated and sparkling in the silver light as it followed the light's trail.
"Sesshomaru-sama, it's me."
'That voice…!' Kagome's eyes widened. 'I can hear it, in my head?!'
"Rin," Sesshomaru regarded the voice calmly. "Your leaving without my consultation is insubordination."
"Forgive me, Sesshomaru-san. I truly am sorry. I died and wanted to see you again. But I ended up so confused. I got lost and had forgotten what I was searching for you."
"And you found me," the demon lord responded as he stopped leaning against the tree and took a few steps forward, ready to take hold of the hovering bow. "Let us leave." He raised a hand.
"Actually, you and Kagome-chan, together, you found me."
Kagome's lips were parted in wonder as the bow moved out of Sesshomaru's reach and placed itself into her waiting hands. She looked down at the magnificent weapon. It was as curved as the mark on Sesshomaru's forehead. Spiraling around the bow's curve was a silver replication of Sesshomaru's boa.
"If it were not for Kagome-chan, you would have never found me… I owe my rescue to your meeting. Rin believes that fate brought you together to do wonderful things."
Sesshomaru quietly looked towards the sky. The place from which the bow emerged was still shining. Pure gold replaced the earthly blue. It was surely a glimpse of heaven—the place where Rin belonged.
"Rin will always be watching. Sesshomaru-sama, won't you please experience them with her?"
The beam of light then narrowed until it completely disappeared, leaving the priestess and the demon alone once again. Kagome held out her hands and stated, "Here. This was originally a gift from you to Rin, right? It doesn't feel right taking it from you."
For a moment, the two only stared at each other.
"Rin passed it along to you," He finally stated. "It is now a Higurashi treasure." Sesshomaru then began to walk away, "Come along, girl. If there is somewhere you must be, let us go there."
'Us?' Kagome could not contain her smile. "Right I'm comi—!" The priestess blinked before calling out to the spirit, "Wait! That's the wrong way!" Sesshomaru stopped and gave her an irate glare from over his shoulder. The priestess swung the bow over her shoulder and beamed in response. 'Rin, thank you so much. I'll make you proud.'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh, Manta, and Amidamaru were still at the hospital. A doctor checked Yoh's wound and later asked him how he got injured so badly. The same doctor also questioned if they knew where Kagome had snuck off to. After explaining that neither Yoh nor Kagome had any nearby legal guardians to speak to, the doctor relented in favor of checking up on his other patients.
Manta scowled as he glared down at his phone screen. "You were right, after all. Kagome-chan isn't answering her phone."
"I'm guessing things went well for her then," Yoh stated nonchalantly.
"How do you figure that when we can't get through to her?!" Manta shouted, dramatically pointing a finger at his friend. "Oh, I get it! It's you using your shaman powers, right!? Well, I don't have those!"
"Chill, Manta," Yoh replied. "You should take a page from my book and just relax!" He plopped back onto his hospital bed, linking his hands behind his head while smiling contently.
"Yoh-dono," Amidamaru suddenly spoke up. "It's been on my mind since last night. Do you have an interest in becoming Shaman King?"
"I was wondering about that too," Manta admitted while looking at his friend curiously. "But what exactly is Shaman King?"
Yoh closed his eyes and hummed. He turned to his side as he explained, "hmm… well, I don't know much about it either but… My grandfather told me about it… It was ten years ago… All I know is that the Shaman King is the one shaman who gets merge with the Great Spirit, the spirit of all living things. And yeah, ever since childhood, I've wanted to become Shaman King so I can…" his voice trailed off.
"So you can?" Amidamaru and Manta leaned forward and urged the young shaman to continue.
Yoh suddenly shot up and gave them a big grin and thumbs-up, "So I can live a life of leisure!" Manta and Amidamaru jaws dropped at the sight of his smug expression. He seemed to be so sure of his master plan.
'How can you admit something like that?' Manta mentally asked, feeling floored at his friend. 'Such impure motivation…'
"Well, I wanted to wait around for a while until Kagome-chan came back, but I guess it can't be helped." With that said, Yoh got off his bed once again and then doubled over from the pain. "D-Damn it, it still hurts that much?"
"Then you shouldn't be moving, Yoh-kun!" Manta exclaimed with a horrified face. "You need to heal first!" He went to his friend's side and tried to steady him.
"I would if I could, but I can't," Yoh stated as he went to the window. Manta and Amidamaru followed him and looked outside when Yoh opened the curtains. Sure enough, there at the gateway to the hospital stood Tao Ren, kwandao in hand. Yoh did not flinch or hide away when their eyes met, but he did whisper aloud, "He sure is persistent…"
"Are you going?" Manta asked, looking up at Yoh, but he already knew the answer.
"Yeah, I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble for anyone else," Yoh replied. A few minutes later, the two teens and samurai spirit snuck out of the hospital, leaning firmly against walls and ducking beneath the front desk as they went. With the eyes of a hawk, Yoh spotted a metal pipe leaning against a set of dumpsters. It was no sword, but it was a suitable length for his purposes.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The location of the battle was moved to a local park. It was a quiet, secluded venue that went overlooked at this time of night. "Hmph. You don't think that thing," Ren's eyes glanced at the pole in Yoh's hand, "will increase your chance at winning, do you?" To Manta, the Tao's tone was infuriatingly pompous.
Despite Yoh's calm demeanor and deliberate silence, Ren could tell that he was getting under his skin. "Asakura Yoh, you're only capable of bringing out fifteen percent of your tool's power while I can draw out one-hundred. And you call yourself a shaman?" The Tao smirked and relished in how Yoh's body bristled ever-so-slightly. "Guess it's straight to business with you. Bason!"
"Amidamaru!" Yoh called to the samurai spirit that appeared loyally behind him.
The Tao held true to his nature as he went in for the kill. Swift head turns from Yoh narrowly escaped Ren's hungry blade. Ren's offense became a volley of strikes. Yoh was forced to defend as the relentless barrage aimed to maim him.
Yoh raised his pipe and blocked the last swipe. Manta's eyes widened when the top half of the pipe fell to the ground with an echoing clatter.
"Thank you," Yoh smirked triumphantly as he paid the discarded half no mind. "The length is perfect now." The Asakura then bore onto Ren with equal vigor. The metal poles clashed with a reverberating ring. Yoh's onslaught continued. Each attack pushed Ren further and further back.
Ren sidestepped a daring swipe from Yoh. The Asakura stumbled forward, baring his back. Ren took the chance to stab into the unprotected skin.
Yoh stumbled more as he hissed through the pain.
"It seems like that's the best you can do," Ren stated with a smirk. "On the other hand, I'm not even using thirty percent of Bason's power." Ren pointed his blade into Yoh's face and yelled, "A shaman who calls a spirit a friend is disgusting! When a shaman and spirit become one, they merge two wills into one body! It's impossible for two wills to coexist willingly with each other, therefore," Ren paused as he began his next attack. "A spirit must be dominated and used as a tool!"
Yoh rolled out of reach then dove into the thick underbrush. Ren huffed but easily cut down everything in his path. With no more cover, Yoh took to the air. The Asakura cried out as he swung his weapon. Ren blocked the attack and continued his taunts, "The only reason you're still breathing is because of that samurai spirit…" His smirk widened as he added, "Yes, I think I can make good use of him."
"What?" Yoh hissed out. "Amidamaru is my friend, and I'll never let anyone abuse him!"
"It's stupid beliefs like that make you so weak!" Ren retorted. Yoh took a pole to the stomach and was sent flying. His body rolled and skidded across the ground until it came to a stop.
Ren smiled at the sight of Yoh crouched on the ground with Amidamaru next to him. "So your strength has diminished to the point that you can't even hold the Hyoi Gattai?" Ren inquired. Ren approached the shaman and his spirit at a leisure pace. The battle was confirmed to be over.
"A-Amidamaru…" Yoh grunted as he looked at his partner. "As long as I'm alive, he can't make you into his…" The usual warmth was gone from his smile as he commanded, "Take the time to leave here. Cross into the next world with Mosuke so he can't get to you."
"Yoh-dono," Amidamaru replied seriously. "Even if I wanted to rest in peace, I couldn't…" The samurai spirit then glared at Ren who looked as if he was going to laugh at them. "Because I am already attached to you!" he declared aloud.
"How touching," Ren mocked as his shadow loomed over Yoh. He positioned his kwandao. "You two can disappear together then!"
Manta's heart skipped a beat. He hoped that a day resting would be enough edge for Yoh. But there he was, on his hands and knees and covered in bloody, dirty scrapes. His head was held low as he whispered to Amidamaru. And there it was: Ren's kwandao held like an executioner's ax.
"Y-Yoh-kun!" The boy shouted as he jumped from his hiding spot.
Just as the weapon began its assault, a streak of blue light shot into the blade. Ren's eyes widened when his kwandao was knocked out of his hands. It rotated in the air then embedded itself into the ground nearby.
Ren gritted his teeth as he turned to the source of the light. "Who's there?!" He demanded. "Show yourself, coward!"
Kagome then emerged from the shadows of the forest. She glared at Ren as gripped her golden bow in a ready position. Manta gasped, "K-Kagome-chan?!"
Yoh raised his head at the sound of Manta's voice. "Kagome-chan…" he whispered, his surprise overshadowed by a ball of anxiety. "This isn't your fight! Just take Manta and get out of here!"
Kagome shook her head as she summoned an arrow of light to her hand. "Yoh-kun," she frowned, "how can you say something like that?" The priestess' eyes never left Ren as he recovered his weapon. "You, me, Manta-kun, and Amidamaru-sama… We're all friends. And friends always stick together, no matter what."
"Besides…" she continued. "Back when we first met, you did the same thing for Manta-kun and me, and we were complete strangers back then." Kagome glared at Ren and declared, "Tao Ren, I'll take you on!"
Ren gripped his stomach as he doubled over, laughing aloud, "You? Take me on?" His laughs died abruptly as his gaze became even chillier. "You must want to die early."
"Don't underestimate me!" Kagome countered. "Let's do it, Sesshomaru!" On his shaman's command, the silver-haired and gold-eyed demon lord appeared behind her.
"Sesshomaru?! But how did Kagome-chan manage to get him to join her?!" Manta wondered while scratching his hair violently. His friends continued blowing his mind!
"Sesshomaru, huh?" Yoh looked up at the spirit and smiled through the pain. "I'll admit it, that's pretty awesome, Kagome-chan."
"So you're a shaman too?" Ren's eyebrow raised at the discovery. "Tokyo's tools are misused. They promise themselves to the weakest trash around."
Kagome's eyebrow twitched as she glared at Ren. "Sesshomaru! Spirit Ball Mode!" she commanded. Sesshomaru followed her lead. His form condensed into a raging red fireball. Kagome eagerly guided the spirit into her chest. A gasp was caught in her throat at the sensation.
Burning.
Searing pain.
Kagome's body was on fire. Her lips parted into an "o" as she threw her head back. Beads of sweat flew through the air.
"Tch," Ren sneered when the girl's body stiffened and levitated off the ground. The violent swirling clash of blue energy with red energy was a telltale sign of a power struggle. "Disgusting. A novice like that thought she had a chance of beating me?" He sent a smirk at Yoh, who was on his feet and taking in Kagome with fear, "See that? The battle for dominance between that girl and her spirit—she'll never achieve Hyoi Gattai if she doesn't use it like the tool it is. Accepting a spirit into your body as an equal is foolish. It might be fun to watch that demon tear her body apart."
"T-that's not true!" Manta exclaimed. "Someone like you would never understand what she's going through!"
Ren scoffed, "Asakura Yoh, the company that you keep is quite annoying, even for a human." His golden eyes looked from Kagome and Manta. "I know…" he whispered before smiling widely at Yoh. "How about I kill them both right in front of you?" The widening of Yoh's eyes was a beautiful sight. "If your ideals are truly superior, you'll be able to save them. Let's start with…" He looked towards Manta, making the blond bristle and tremble uncontrollably.
"Tao Ren, I've had enough of your mouth," Yoh announced as he calmly walked to the discarded end of the pole. With both poles in his hand, the Asakura crossed his arms over each other. "You taught us that one-hundred percent strength can only be achieved when shaman and spirit are one…" Yoh and Amidamaru spoke in perfect unison. "So we'll show you how it's done!"
"Cut the crap, Asakura!" Ren shouted.
"Chuuka Zanmai!"
"Amidamaru Goukoujin!"
The attacks met head-on.
Ren's breath stopped when his kwandao was cut to pieces.
Not even a second later, the Tao was sent flying across the clearing. Manta's eyes lit up as he was exhilarated. He threw a fist into the air and cheered, "He did it! Yoh-kun—ah." The excitement deflated when he looked away from Ren and towards his friend.
Yoh dropped the poles and went to Kagome's side. She was suspended midair. "Kagome-chan?" The shaman asked the girl.
The girl then descended until her feet touched the ground. In that instance, the blue energy dissipated, leaving nothing but stormy red energy lashing about. Yoh flinched when the burning energy whipped against his skin like a gale set ablaze. Her eyes opened slowly, revealing cold, golden pupils. The crescent moon on her forehead was revealed by the energy that whipped her bangs about.
"K-Kagome-chan, are you in there?!" Manta called out as he approached them.
"The priestess is not here," Kagome answered, her voice lower than before.
"S-Sesshomaru…" Manta frowned. "Well, the fight is over so you can just leave her body now."
Sesshomaru was quiet for a moment as he stared through the teens in front of him. Finally, he spoke again, "I cannot—"
Golden eyes narrowed.
Suddenly the Asakura rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the girl's frame. He pulled her body close to him. "Kagome-chan, don't give up. Come back to us."
Manta nodded before wrapping his arms around Kagome's leg from the side. "Yeah, you can do it!"
"Kagome-sama, this is the ultimate test!" Amidamaru added in as he floated on her other side.
Kagome's eyes closed and her body relaxed.
"E-Eh? Yoh-kun?" Her familiar voice inquired, clearly confused. Yoh pulled back and felt relieved at the sight of her usual eye color. "What are you doing?" She asked.
"A-Ah!" the shaman blushed and released the girl, backing away while holding his hands up. "I was just worried about you! Sesshomaru said—"
The demon lord appeared behind his partner, arms crossed, "That I could not leave your body, because you wanted to keep trying."
"Eh—" Yoh paled as Manta shot him a sharp, accusatory glare. He avoided Amidamaru's embarrassed expression.
"Yeah," Kagome confirmed. "I realized that we failed Hyoi Gattai, but I wanted to see if we could get it right," she explained with her pointer finger in the air.
"Right…" Yoh breathed a deep sigh of relief before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Kagome gasped and caught her friend before he crashed to the ground.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The next morning Manta was roused out of his sleep by Kagome's voice calling out to him. "Manta-kun… Manta-kun!" The girl gently shook his shoulder until she saw his eyes open. Manta yawned and stretched before rubbing his eyes. He looked at Kagome, and then at Yoh, who was already awake and smiling casually. He seemed to be in high spirits for someone who was hospitalized a second day in a row.
"Oh… Good morning," he greeted them in a raspy voice. "What is it?" he asked.
"Yoh-kun is hungry so I'm going to the cafeteria for some breakfast," Kagome announced. "Would you like anything?" she asked.
"A pork cutlet and some bitter melon juice," Manta replied with a grateful smile.
Kagome nodded and waved to her best friends before leaving the room. "I'll be back soon, okay?"
"Don't get lost!" Yoh called out playfully and Manta sweatdropped when he heard Kagome yell of "Oh, shut up!" from the hall.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome huffed, her face slightly flushed, as she made her way to the cafeteria. The discovery that she was the only patron at this hour was enough to make the girl beam. With no contests, the girl visited every station. Less than ten minutes later, she was making her way back to Yoh's room. 'Almost there.' She looked down at the contents of her bag and smiled widely. She could just imagine the excited expressions of her friends.
She rounded the corner and—
BAM!
Kagome was knocked to the floor. "Ow..." she whimpered and raised a hand to her aching forehead. The sound of cans rolling across the floor made her eyes shoot open. Her eyes lifted from the floor. She gasped at the sight of another girl on the floor in front of her. The girl had straight, blond hair that brushed against her shoulder blades. A large red scarf was wrapped around her head as a sleeveless black dress and layers of blue beads adorned her petite body. 'Oh, wow. She's really pretty…' The comely girl growled as she held her head.
The blond girl then stood up quickly, as if the literal head-on collision did not faze her. She brushed off her dress before leering down at Kagome. "That hurt," she hissed.
Kagome gave her a sheepish smile, "Eheh, yeah. Sorry about that." She then began collecting the escaping beverages. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Never mind that," the girl replied as she crossed her arms. "You're heading for that room, aren't you?" she questioned as she pointed down the hall at Yoh's room.
"Yeah…?" Kagome felt reluctant to answer such an odd question. She lifted her arm, showing the bag of goodies that she bought. "I'm bringing food to my friend, he's not feeling well."
The girl raised an eyebrow at the statement, "Asakura Yoh, right? Knowing him, he's just slacking off and taking it easy with no real injuries," The girl said no more as she turned heel and headed to Yoh's room.
"Wait for me!" Kagome called out before jogging to catch up with the mysterious girl that somehow knew her best friend. She did not seem like a bad person or like she had any ill intentions. Her aura was powerful, but not tainted like Tao Ren. She smiled and gave the girl a gentle pat on the shoulder, "My name is Higurashi Kagome. What's your name?"
The girl gave her a sharp look, but still replied straightforward, "Kyoyama Anna."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh and Manta smiled when the door opened slightly and Kagome poked her head inside. A warm smile was on her face. "Yoooooh-kun! You have a visitor!" she announced cheerfully.
"A visitor?" Manta asked curiously. "Who could that be?" he asked as he looked over at Yoh. Yoh only shrugged and shook his head.
"Look who came to see you~!" Kagome said as she stepped aside to reveal another girl standing in the doorway.
"Really, Yoh?" The girl hissed out incredulously as she placed a hand on her hip. "You're doing nothing but being lazy and carefree as usual," she stated as she sized up the boy in bed. "The future sure looks bleak."
The brunette almost fell out of bed at the sight of the girl. He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. He was sweating heavily as he grinned, "o-oh… hi, Anna."
"Um, excuse me," Manta moved to greet the girl, rubbing his hands nervously as the girl's commanding presence was more than intimidating. "What is your relationship to Yoh-kun here?"
Anna glared at Manta and snapped, "Shut it, dumping."
Manta's face flushed from anger, 'du… dumpling?!' he growled. 'The nerve of some people…!'
Kagome smiled and explained, "Anna-san came all the way from Izumo to see Yoh-kun, so they must be—"
"Betrothed, future husband and wife," Anna cut in.
"Bethrothed, right," Kagome nodded with a proud smile. "That makes sense—" She paused. "Wait, what…?"
…Amidamaru, Kagome, Manta went quiet and looked at each other.
"BETHRRRRROOOOTTTHHHHEEEED?!" the trio chorused in unison.
"Is that true, Yoh-kun?" Kagome questioned, throwing her friend a shocked, horrified look. Somehow she wanted him to say it was a lie, but Anna did not look the type to make up far-fetched stories.
"Y-Yeah…" Yoh replied in a nervous tone, scratching a slightly pink cheek. "It's true." He admitted.
Anna then turned to Manta and said, "I'm thirsty, and I like bitter melon juice." Manta's eye twitched when she casually took the can from his hands and opened it. She ignored the short boy's protests as she raised his drink to her lips.
"Anna-san sure is interesting," Kagome whispered to Yoh as she went over to his bed.
"Maybe I should run away…" Yoh muttered to himself, just loud enough for the priestess to hear.
"You can't do that!" Kagome whispered harshly. "Anna-san might take her rage out on us."
"I'll pretend I'm dying then," Yoh concluded before lying flat on his back. "Tell her that I'm dead."
Kagome sighed and smiled at her friend's antics. She then leaned over Yoh to fluff his pillow, unknowingly putting her chest in his face. The boy blushed, his breath caught in his throat. He turned his face to the side to avoid staring. "You can't do that," the priestess lightly chastised before leaning away and straightening up. "Anna-san seems scary as it is when she's calm. I can't imagine how she is when she's angry."
Yoh almost sobbed, "You're telling me. All of my memories of her end with me crying…"
Anna turned her attention from Manta, and gave Kagome and Yoh a disapproving look. "What are two doing over there?" she asked suspiciously. "Yoh, your injuries don't look serious at all."
Kagome tried to smile, for Yoh's sake, "Actually, Yoh-kun just went through a lot. He hasn't had time to properly heal and rest so—"
"It's because you're coddling him that he's gotten away with slacking off," Anna cut in. "That ends today because Yoh will start my Special Training Program." She stated firmly.
Kagome's face flushed as she shot back, "I do not coddle him!" She looked at Manta, "Back me up here!"
Manta raised a finger to his lips and he mulled over the idea. "Well...you do make us lunches...and condone him sleeping in class...and not studying after school…"
"You're not helping," Kagome deadpanned as her brow twitched.
"Birds of a feather flock together, I suppose," Anna concluded while crossing her arms. "A true shaman knows that you cannot become stronger by sitting around and doing nothing."
"Birds of a feather?!" Kagome and Manta cried in unison. "We're nothing like him!"
Yoh scowled and gave his friends a deadpanned look, "Why are you acting like it's a bad thing?"
"If that's true, then you won't get in the way of Yoh's training," Anna said. "If you do, then he'll die," she casually declared.
"He'll… die?" Manta asked slowly.
"At his current state, Yoh stands no chance against the millions of other shamans gathering up around the world to be Shaman King," Anna explained. "A human's full potential is only brought out in a dire situation; therefore, fighting is the only way to discern who is qualified to be Shaman King."
"You mean there will be more guys like Tao Ren?" Kagome asked.
Anna nodded quietly, her expression grim. Yoh smiled nervously, "but I have my own way of—"
"Your way is not good enough! You'll never survive the Shaman Fights in Tokyo!" Anna yelled as she got in Yoh's face. "You have to win and become Shaman King!" She commanded.
Manta's face showed visible discomfort, but he still managed to "But Anna-san, why do you want Yoh to become Shaman King so badly?"
"Idiot, isn't it obvious?" Anna asked. "Yoh will be my husband. And I want to be the Shaman King's First Lady," she stated. "And then, I'll get to live a leisurely life!"
Kagome, Manta, and Amidamaru anime fell, all thinking, 'they're both the same on the inside!'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
It had been two weeks since Kagome and Manta met Anna. That day, the girl dragged Yoh out of the hospital to start his special training. His arm was extended to them and tears were streaming down his face. The debut of Yoh's fiancee changed their group dynamic and the activities that they had gotten used to doing. They got to see Yoh during school, but after school, he had to hurry and head straight home, or Anna would torture Amidamaru.
Stargazing at Crow Cemetery felt odd without the boy who brought them together. So the evenings that Kagome and Manta spent together turned into study sessions at her house. The sessions usually began with studying but ended up turning into chatting and goofing off. During the very first session, Manta glanced at Kagome's notebook and noticed doodles of their group beneath a starry sky.
He bristled and tapped his lookalike with his pencil, "This isn't supposed to be me, right?"
"What's that supposed to mean?!" The priestess questioned with a pout as she lifted the notebook, "Just look at it, it's a perfect caricature!" They shared a laugh at that.
They shared a lot of laughter.
But that did not stop them from missing what brought Yoh brought to the table.
"Hey, Kagome-chan," Manta said as he finished his shaved ice. "I was thinking of visiting Yoh-kun today. Wanna come with me?" he asked.
Kagome's face lit up at the question. "Of course, I do!" She looked down at her dessert, "Too bad that this would melt before we got there. I think he deserves a treat for working so hard..." She then sighed a bit, "Not that Anna-san would allow it anyway."
Sesshomaru then appeared and ordered, "Take this opportunity to observe his training methods."
Kagome paused before placing another spoonful into her mouth. She sweatdropped, "Don't tell me that you want to torture me the way Anna-san tortures Yoh-kun?" She could not imagine herself going through what Yoh did. At school, he was forced to train his legs and core by squatting and positioning his body as if he was sitting on an invisible chair. And he had to hold that pose throughout all of their lectures.
On the third day of the training regimen, Yoh thought he would take a day off while at school. But the moment that he pulled up a chair, Anna walked into the room, wearing their uniform. She sent her fiancee a blank expression that chilled them to the core.
On the fifth day, they found out that even Yoh's diet was restricted. When Kagome offered Yoh an obento during lunch, Anna snatched it away and stated that he would only eat what was in the food diary that she created for him. Manta pitied his friend as he watched Anna partake in double portions. Kagome prepared lunch for all four of them—and Anna ate hers and Yoh's right in front of him.
"But, we've already improved so much on our own, haven't we?" Kagome tilted her head a bit. "I mean, we can merge without me getting possessed so there's that~" The girl's optimism shone through her content smile. 'I can't hold the Hyoi Gattai for more than two minutes though...' she thought to herself. She wouldn't say that out loud in front of Manta.
"Then what the girl said about you was correct," the demon lord stated. "You and the Asakura are one and the same." His partner reacted to his statement exactly as he expected.
"I am not!" The girl got to her feet, slamming her hands on the table. "Fine. Let's go!" She abandoned the rest of her flavored ice and grabbed Manta's hand as she powerwalked out of the door.
"Um, Kagome-chan…" Manta tried to interrupt.
"The nerve! Me, and Yoh? The same?!" Kagome fumed as she marched down the street.
"Kagome-chan, will you please liste—!"
"He's always looking over my shoulder, Manta-kun! Judging everything I do! Once he even critiqued how long I spent in the bath!"
Manta snatched his hand away and yelled, "Will you stop and listen for a second?!"
"Eh," Kagome blinked. "Sorry. What is it?" asked Kagome, feeling embarrassed.
Manta sighed and pointed in the opposite direction, "Yoh-kun's house is that way!"
"…Oh."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Wow, it's huge!" Kagome marveled when they stopped in front of a structure that resembled a mini-mansion more than a house. It was a traditional Japanese-style house, but it was twice the size of the Higurashi home and was encompassed with a large wooden gate with a grand pair of doors in the front. "I could probably get lost just in the yard."
"Do they really need all of this just to house one family?" Manta asked curiously as Kagome knocked on one of the two large doors. The door eerily creaked open, and out fell Yoh into Kagome's arms.
"Ah! Yoh-kun!" Kagome and Manta shrieked in unison.
"Are you alright?" Kagome asked fearfully, he was pretty limb. "You gained a lot of weight," she pointed out.
Yoh slowly lifted his head and he moaned out in a hoarse voice, "K-Kagome-chan… Help… me…" Kagome screamed at Yoh's zombified face.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"You scared us for a second, Yoh-kun," Manta said. "But I guess I can't blame you… Having to run fifty kilometers wearing those heavyweights…it sounds rough." The three of them were resting in the shade of Yoh's back porch.
"Anna's training is deadly," Yoh moaned. "The only break I get is at school. And there's still strength training there, along with P.E.!"
"On the bright side," Kagome smiled. "Anna-san's training keeps you awake during lessons now~"
"You're too cruel, Kagome-chan!" Yoh exclaimed. "You have to rescue me or I'll die!" He melodramatically plopped over on his side and wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist, causing her to blush fiercely.
"Yoh-kun, this is so inappropriate!" Kagome protested, trying to shake him off. "Manta-kun! Don't just stand there! Get him off me!" she yelled as she went red as a tomato.
Manta then latched onto Yoh and tried pulling him off, "Kagome-chan is right! You have a fiancée after all! And Anna-san will get mad!"
"Noooooo! You can't just abandon me!"
"Ahhhh, stop! This is so embarrassing!"
"Yoh-kun, it's not that serious!"
"SAVE ME!"
"HELP ME!"
"STOP IT!"
On cue, Anna came out to the back to find Yoh on his knees with arms wrapped tightly around Kagome who had her hand on his face trying to get him off her, and Manta latched to Yoh's leg being swung back and forth and not really helping. "What's going on back here?" Anna asked. The sound of her voice made all three of them freeze in place.
"Uhhh, hi Anna/Anna-san," they said in unison, all staring at the blond with wide eyes.
"You," Anna said as she pointed at Yoh. "Stop fooling around and get back to training. Since you're so comfortable with twelve-kilogram weights, I guess I'll switch them with the twenty-three kgs." Anna then looked at Manta and stated, "You, dumpling. You're going to make yourself useful and wax the floors, they need a good shine" Kagome stiffened when Anna looked at her next, "and since you're going to be living here from now, you might as well cook dinner."
The girl clapped her hands as she walked away, "Chop, chop. Get to it."
Yoh then fell over and almost cried just thinking about his new training, "t-twenty-three kgs…"
Manta's eye twitched as he resisted the urge to yell at the girl, "…dumpling? Why does she keep calling me that?"
Kagome was stunned, "I'm...going to be living here from now on?"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome smiled when Manta and Yoh came to join her at the kotatsu. "Looks like Kagome-chan finished first after all," Manta stated to Yoh. He then sighed tiredly and grumbled, "Anna-san made me scrub then wax all the floors in the house. And it used to be an inn so that explains why it's so big."
"She made me run another fifty kilometers with those new weights," Yoh moaned as he laid his head down on the table.
"She made me cook a feast without offering a lick of help," Kagome added with a slight pout. "And it turns out that Sesshomaru was sneaking behind my back and making deals with Anna-san… I have no clue what they have in store for me…"
"What should we do?" Yoh asked Kagome, hoping she would say they should run away. It was what he would have done… If Anna did not constantly have custody of poor Amidamaru.
"Nothing," Kagome replied simply, which deflated Yoh. "I'm actually…grateful," she smiled warmly. "Thanks to both of them, I get to be with you all day every day."
Manta and Yoh looked at each other and blinked at her statement. Kagome then realized how it sounded then blushed, "Not that I plan on following you around everywhere! I mean we can have time apart if that's what you want!"
Manta and Yoh laughed at Kagome's rant, which made her blush even harder. "It's okay, Kagome-chan," Yoh said. "I like being with you too." Yoh blinked when Kagome's and Manta's eyes widened after his statement. "What?" he asked.
Manta pointed a shaky finger and Yoh stiffened, "Anna's right behind me, isn't she?"
"Mmhm…" Manta and Kagome nodded slowly.
Yoh turned around to find Anna giving him a stony yet blank stare. "I hope you like your training as much as you like goofing off," Anna stated. Yoh smiled nervously, knowing that it was a hint that tomorrow's training was going to be more hectic than today's. "I'm hungry." She looked at Kagome. "Did you finish dinner, dobe?"
"What?!" Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Dobe?!" The priestess' face flushed from anger. "I hope you weren't referring to me!"
"Of course, I was," Anna replied. "I call them as I see them. And according to your spirit, you have a long way to go before you even reach Yoh's current level. That's pathetic."
Manta and Yoh shrunk away as steam blew out of Kagome's ears. They did not want to be in the path of the priestess' rage if she blew her top.
A moment later, she groaned then took a deep breath and chanted a mantra, 'She's Yoh-kun's fiancée… So she must be a good person. She's Yoh-kun's fiancée… So she must be a good person… She must be… She must be…'
Kagome suddenly beamed at Anna radiantly and said, "You're right, I do have a long way to go." Yoh and Manta stepped out of her way as she left the room to retrieve tonight's meal.
"She's mad," Yoh whispered to Manta.
"Yeah, really mad," Manta nodded.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome sighed then turned to gaze at herself in the bathroom mirror. She ended up borrowing one of Anna's night robes, as she brought nothing but the clothes on her back. She glared at her reflection, noticing how tight it looked and felt in certain areas. 'Am I really that much bigger than her?' That thought was almost embarrassing and almost annoying.
Besides the ill fit, Kagome did not want to wear the robes. She was tempted to sleep in her day clothes. She did not want to feel like she owed Anna anything. But, it couldn't be because she disliked her, right? They just met two weeks ago after all.
But…
Whenever Anna was around, she was haughty, domineering, and she bad-mouthed everyone. And—.
Kagome shook her head. 'We just met, I can't just judge her as a bad person…' the priestess scolded herself. But then, there was the fact that Anna was Yoh's fiancée. For some reason, Kagome wished that she never knew that. For some reason, knowing that Yoh and Anna were to be married someday bothered her. Was it because Anna's appearance shattered her dream of enjoying her youth with Yoh, Manta, and Amidamaru? Did she already miss those carefree days?
A sudden knock on the door brought Kagome back to reality. "Dobe, hurry up. It's not just your bathroom," Anna stated from the other side.
"Sorry, I'm finished," Kagome responded as she opened the door. Her blue-gray eyes immediately met Anna's dark brown ones. The priestess paused. Anna's critical gaze seemed to be sizing her up.
"Hmph," Anna huffed while pushing past the other girl.
Kagome did not know why, but she suddenly felt compelled to speak, "A-Anna-san!"
Anna stopped closing the door to quirk an eyebrow, "What is it now?" she asked impatiently.
Kagome shook her head and said, "Just, good night."
Anna nodded silently and closed the door.
Kagome sighed softly and headed back to her room. It was directly across from Yoh's. She stopped just short of opening her own door. The girl looked at Yoh's door from over her shoulder. It was tempting to see if he was still awake.
But, she decided against it.
The last thing that they needed was a misunderstanding.
From this point on, Kagome was sure that her strange life was going to become more and more hectic.
But maybe…
She smiled as she entered her new room and closed the door behind her.
...maybe that wouldn't be so bad.