Shaman King

by The Amazing Sakumachan

For Higurashi Kagome, moving to Tokyo was supposed to be a fresh start. But little did she know that she was walking a similar path that was walked before. A fateful encounter. A promise that transcends time and space. A gift that keeps giving. What path lends a Happy Ending? [SPOILER-IFIC]

9. The Shocking Conclusion Ryu's Resolution

Authoress' Notes: EEEEEyup, I'm still working on this renovation process. I slacked off for mooooonnnnths but hurry! I did it!

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The Shocking Conclusion, Ryu's Resolution!

Asakura Family Plus TWO?!

"Higurashi," the priestess's name was as sharp as daggers on Anna's tongue. Normally just a glare was enough to put people in line, but Kagome was different. "Do not interfere," the itako commanded, her voice demanding subordination.

"No," was Kagome's stern reply. "I understand that you show your feelings through tough love," she explained as images of Anna's grueling training regimen flashed through her mind. "It's different," she admitted as her mental images changed into flashes of the fun and relaxing times she had with Yoh and Manta, "but I still respect it."

"If you respect me, then you wouldn't act against my will," Anna said. "Lower your weapon." The distance between them was short. With a few strides, the priestess would be within arm's reach. Anna took a single step forward, it was both tentative and imposing. However, Kagome's own will did not waver, her grip on her bow remained steady.

'I can't back down now...because...I wouldn't be me if I did,' Kagome thought to herself.

Bailong's brutal kick sent Yoh shooting through the air.

Kagome did not take her eyes off Yoh or his opponent. "You're wrong about that, Anna-san. I can respect you—" Bailong launched himself at Yoh, his body speeding at the young shaman like a bullet. "While thinking for myself." Nanoseconds flew by as the priestess' hawkeye sent the image of Yoh and Bailong to her brain. Quick calculations ran through her head. 'Now!'

"That tough love of yours," She let the arrow fly. "It's not my style."

The arrow burned brightly as it barreled through the air. Jun was breathless as she instinctively stepped out of its path as the searing intensity whizzed past her and up at her kyonshi. The arrow homed in on Bailing, curving and tailing his path with expert precision.

The kyonshi disappeared within a burst of light as the arrow made contact. The onlookers squinted and shielded their eyes until the light faded away moments later.

Jun took in the aftermath. Her eyes were stunned wide.

The two fighters plummeted towards the ground, the shaman battered and the kyonshi subdued.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Jun exclaimed while Manta and Kagome cried out," YOH-KUN!"

Kagome dropped the Crescent and the bow disappeared into a burst of sparkles. She dashed across the street with her arms outstretched. "I've...got... you…!" She lurched forward as Yoh neared the ground. Her desperate call of his name was cut short by sharp squeak.

The wind was knocked out of Kagome's body as Yoh crashed into her waiting arms. His weight pushed her flat onto her back with his face landing safely into her chest. Kagome blushed and mentally berated herself for the flutter in her heart. 'Now's not the time, Kagome,' her inner voice groaned.

Yoh then lifted his head, his cheeks slightly pink. "Thanks for the save," he grinned, a hand scratching the back of his head after he sat up.

"Don't mention it~" Kagome smiled back. She and Yoh then stood up and turned their attention to Bailong, who was still laying on his back. Blue electric sparks sent his body into spastic convulsions.

"Kagome-chan..." Manta whispered as he wiped tears from his eyes and smiled weakly. "She did it. She defeated Li Bailong with a single attack."

The bitter-sweet feeling that he felt was quickly swept up into confusion by the itako.

"No," Anna stated solemnly. This caught Manta's attention and he looked up at the spiritual medium curiously. "It's not over yet. Watch." He gasped when he turned his attention back to the battle at hand.

"Bailong, you cannot be defeated by a single arrow from a sapling priestess!" The outraged Tao marched over to her kyonshi. She glared down at the convulsing corpse and gave its ribcage a swift kick. "Rise to your feet!" Jun commanded harshly.

"Sorry," Kagome whispered to Yoh as he picked up the metal pole again and watched as the kyonshi slowly rose to a kneeled position. "I wasn't thinking so I didn't aim for the talisman," her voice reflected regret and embarrassment.

"It's alright," the brunette replied with a reassuring smile. "You still helped out a lot, so you did a good job!" His grin widened as he placed a hand on top of Kagome's head and patted it gently. Yoh had no time to dwell on the pinkening of Kagome's cheeks or the flicker of warm nostalgia in her eyes. The sound of Bailong's shoes scraping against the pavement grabbed his attention as the kyonshi made it back on his feet.

With a plastic smile, Jun glared at the younger shamans. Her voice was like the calm before a storm, unnervingly quiet and steady, "Don't get cocky because you landed a hit on my Bailong."

Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat, seeing that the kyonshi quickly reanimated and recovered from her attack. With a hardened face, Yoh was sure to stand in front of the priestess as Bailong's head turned in their direction.

"As I've said before, he is the ultimate weapon," Jun smirked as at the man at her side, "so this fight won't end until Asakura Yoh-kun is dead!" She gloated. The Tao pointed her folded paper fan towards Kagome and Yoh. "Now, Bailong. Finish the job. And if you have to, temporarily dispose of Higurashi Kagome-chan."

"Again with that familiarity?!" Kagome huffed with flushed cheeks.

"Now is not the time to be bothered by such petty things," Sesshomaru pointed out as he appeared by her side. His eyes were fixed on the kyonshi as his mind examined its rigid, robotic posture and movement.

"So you've come to help us out after all?" the priestess inquired curiously, a glimmer of hope in her voice. She was almost glowing with the excitement of testing out her shaman skills. Not a split second later, the glow was dulled into a dark, gloomy aura.

"I remain firm with my decision," Sesshomaru informed. "I will have no part in this fight."

Kagome raised a hand to her forehead, muttering to herself, "Some partner you are…"

"Prepare yourself," the demon lord warned as he watched Bailong slowly take a shaky step towards the priestess and shaman.

"Yoh-kun, Kagome-chan, you seem very fond of each other," Jun nearly sung from behind her unfolded fan. The duo was unfazed and focused on the approaching kyonshi, while the statement made Anna bristle and Manta blanch at the itako's reaction.

Bailong's steps were eerily deliberate.

"But after I send Yoh-kun to Hell, the bond you share will be broken. And then—Hah?!" Jun's haughtiness turned into a wide gape when Bailong stopped just short of Kagome. He quietly got down on one knee in front of the priestess. His head bowed and knuckles flat against the ground.

"Ba-Bailong is... kneeling before Kagome-chan?!" Manta inquired, completely shocked at the turns of events. Despite spectating Yoh and Amidamaru fighting a few times before, the boy continued to make new discoveries about the various subtypes of shamans.

"Higurashi is a priestess," Anna explained as she watched the scene play out before her. "Priestesses are specialized shamans. While most shamans are more in tune with spirits than priestesses, priestesses are more in tune with the gods. Higurashi's purification powers are linked to a higher level of being," she took a short breath and finished, "Therefore, her powers overthrew the Dàoshì's command over the kyonshi, for a god's rule is more powerful than a shaman."

'I'm not sure if I follow this completely,' Manta thought to himself. 'But whatever is going on... It looks like things have turned in our favor.

"Li Bailong?" Kagome looked down at the kyonshi. She placed a hand on his shoulder and was unsurprised by the feel of his skin. 'He's so cold…' Her eyes softened as she asked, "Are you alright now?"

"..." Bailong did not answer. His head merely remained bowed towards the ground. The silence was unnerving but Kagome nor Yoh shied away from the encounter.

"Bailong?" Kagome asked again, a hint of edge in her voice. "Is Tao still controlling you?" She pressed him for answers. When she fired her purification arrow, she honestly had no clue what type of effect it would have on the kyonshi. So now, she was unsure if he was still an immediate threat to them or not.

"Of course I am," Jun scoffed indignantly. "That technique of yours is not enough to override my control over my Bailong," she gloated before smirking, "It was rather impressive though." Jun then closed her eyes and focused more of her energy on the charm set upon her kyonshi. "Li Bailong! Do not forget who your master is! Now—ATTACK!"

Kagome gasped when Bailong's head suddenly snapped up. She paled when she caught a glimpse of cold, dead eyes from beneath the talisman.

Yoh spotted the subtle twitch of the kyonshi's biceps.

'Yoh-dono, we're in melee range! There's no time!' Amidamaru warned his partner.

'I know! I let my guard down and let her stay too close!' Yoh screamed back mentally. "Kagome-ch—AH!" His words choked in his throat.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat at the sickening crunch of Yoh's bones after he pushed her to the side and fell into the path of Bailong's brutality. A single punch sent the teen flying across the street again.

"Yoh-kun!" Kagome shouted for the umpteenth time that night. She quickly ran to his side while he struggled to recover and pick himself up again. The moment that the boy tried to rise, a crack and intense pain reminded him of his fractured bones. Their angry protest brought him back down to earth.

"Yoh-kun, don't push yourself anymore!" Kagome told him while gingerly touching his scraped and bruising arm. His immediate wince made her scowl. "Leave it to me, okay?"

"I-I can't..." Yoh told her as he grimly watched Bailong walk toward them again. "This fight belongs to Amidamaru and me... I would do him an injustice if I just ran away. And besides..." Yoh suddenly looked into Kagome's eyes. The contact made her heart jump. "He's pulling his punches even more than before, which means your powers are still working. We can definitely handle him."

Amidamaru appeared at Yoh's other side and chimed in, "Yoh-dono is correct, but in order to break through his defense, I need something that resembles a real katana... Something with a grip."

Jun huffed a bit upon hearing the samurai's declaration. She was haughty and demeaning as she said, "Hmph. A true samurai would never blame his lack of skill on his weapon. This just shows how unworthy you really are, Yoh-kun..." The Tao sent a smug smile to the Asakura.

Kagome got to her feet and stood in front of Yoh. Her arms were stretched out towards each side, blocking Yoh from Jun's and Bailong's view. "I've had just about enough of this! If you truly want to kill Yoh-kun and take Amidamaru-sama..." The young girl glared at the Dàoshì and her kyonshi, who towered above her and Yoh, easily overshadowing them. "You'll have to kill me first!"

"Stop it, Kagome-chan! Run away!" Yoh insisted as he tried to push himself up. The unbearable pain of his fracture made him flinch and grunt. "Damn it... it hurts...so much," He whispered angrily.

Jun hid a secretive, amused smile behind her decorative fan, "Hmm~?"

As Kagome challenged Jun with a defiant glare, she did not recognize the mirth that danced within the Dàoshi's eyes.

"What makes you think I want to kill you, Kagome-chan~? I have other plans for you, more important affairs," the older teen informed in a scarily sweet voice. Not a second later, Jun gave Kagome a cutting, cold glare that finally made her resemble Tao Ren. "But I suppose you'll have to learn your place the hard way..." The Dàoshi looked at her kyonshi and telepathically gave him her command. "It's about time to get serious."

With those words, Manta watched in terror as his idol continued his ruthless onslaught, aiming for a shakily, stooped over Yoh. "Watch out!" the priestess cried out as she dove for her friend, pushing him flat onto his back and just under Bailong's first kick.

"You two are nuts! How can you just stand there and watch?!" Manta shouted at Anna and Sesshomaru, tearing at his sandy locks with bulging eyes and a wide, toothy scowl. Neither the itako nor the demon acknowledged the blond boy. They favored watching the game of cat and mouse.

Jun was more than entertained as her kyonshi threw punch after punch and kick after kick at Yoh. The brunette found himself pushed, rolled to the side, or shielded by the determined priestess every time. It was a deadly dance that was soon turning into a test of endurance.

Even with Bailong trying to restrain himself, the martial arts master was more than Kagome had ever fought before—though she would not call what she was doing "fighting". Calling him fast was an understatement. His assaulting limbs flew by blurs of color and Kagome knew she was only dodging on pure instinct, her eyes alone could not keep up with his speed.

A twirl away from a punch.

Hit the ground to avoid the following kick.

Roll to the left to dodge a stomp.

Roll to the right to evade another.

All of that and more, all while defying Yoh's wishes and dragging his limp body along for the escape. Kagome was tiring quickly, she was panting heavily. The girl's maneuvers forced Yoh into being a ragdoll. She pinned him flat on his back to the ground as she kneeled over him protectively. 'My legs are heavy! We can't escape from this…!' Her inner voice panicked as Bailong raised his foot again.

In that split second, Kagome's eyes found Yoh's. Despite the predicament that they were in, he did not look half as scared as she was. Through his gritted teeth and pained expression, all that she could see was the frustration of being unable to fight back—to prove himself, and fight for what he believed in.

'That's right…' For Kagome, it felt like the entire world slowed down as she turned her head back to her assailant. The sole of Bailong's shoe was closing in on them. 'The reason why I decided to continue my training is because of Yoh-kun…'

She remembered that triumphant, proud grin that Yoh wore when he saved those children from the restaurant fire… She remembered how it made her heart skip a beat…

'Yoh-kun is the reason why I'm not afraid of being myself. That's why I can't give up!'

With a speed that shocked even herself, Kagome raised her arms and extended her palms. A blue barrier erected between her and Bailong's foot just in the knick of time. It was but the size of an average car window, but it was still powerful enough to thwart the kyonshi's attack.

"A barrier?!" Manta gaped. "I-I thought that Kagome-chan couldn't create things like that!"

Anna was unmoved as she explained, "Dire situations tend to bring out latent potential. Higurashi is unaware of it, but she has tremendous reserves of strength." But the itako knew better. There was more to being a shaman than one's reserves of energy. It was as clear as day that the unrefined priestess hastily poured too much energy into that one barrier. 'She's done.'

Bailong easily righted himself.

But instead of immediately following up, he stood still for a moment.

'Maybe I can reason with him…!' The priestess thought. Her voice was breathless as she asked urgently, "B-Bailong…" She panted heavily, "Can you hear me…? You can stop this. I know that you don't want to hurt us…"

"K-Kagome...be careful…" Yoh managed to grunt as he pulled himself into an upright position.

Without rising from her knees, Kagome smiled weakly at Yoh. His eyes widened when her shaky hand found his cheek. "Don't worry. I'll protec—grgh." An open-palm strike to her back disrupted her speech. Blood spewed from her parted lips. The priestess' moans escaped as coppery red gurgles.

Kagome's body trembled, but she did not collapse. Instead, she lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Yoh, opting to use her back as a shield.

"Kagome-chan!" Yoh screamed, his weak arms fruitlessly tried to push the girl away from him. The source of Kagome's sudden strength was a mystery as she kept her arms tightly wrapped around him. She continued showing Bailong her back, using it as a shield against the kyonishi's attacks. "Y-you have to leave me! You'll die!" The shaman protested.

But his body was too weak to resist… 'Damn it…! Amidamaru, at this rate, Kagome-chan will—!'

'Yoh-dono, both of your bodies are at your limits! Kagome-sama doesn't have the energy to create another barrier!' The samurai exclaimed.

"Y-Yoh-kun..." Kagome whispered with a weak smile. Her breathing was ragged. She flinched and winced with each direct blow. "S-sorry...I'm just being...selfish right now." She thought back to what Manta told her about the scars all over Yoh's body.

["...when we were changing for kendo, I noticed that his body was covered in cuts and scars."]

'If I can endure this pain...can I become a stronger person…? Can I become more like him?'

"Kagome…" Her name was but a whisper on his lips.

Another wince and whimper. "I'm doing this because I want to return the favor for all the times you've been there for me, but I was too weak to help you..." Kagome explained. "I don't want to be... a burden to you."

"W-What are you talking about?" Yoh inquired with wide eyes. "You've never been a burden."

"You're lying!" Kagome cried out as another wince caused her to squeeze her eyes shut and grit her teeth. "Ever since we've first met, you've done nothing but save and protect me. And I did nothing in return because I was too weak!" she explained. "And you never complained about it one bit, even though it's true... So this time... This time... I'll protect you."

Kagome truly wanted to protect Yoh.

But there was something more than that instinct.

There was a deeper feeling that she could not put her finger on.

Yoh's implorations for her to flee were muted by the sound of her internal voice.

'I can't say it out loud… But I hope that someday, you'll look at me...I want you to see me the way that I saw you that day.'

"Enough of the sappy chit-chat, Kagome-chan," Jun cut in callously. "I suggest you stop with your foolish interference or you'll lose your life."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" the priestess showed off her tenacity. "This time, I'm protecting Yoh-kun!"

"Kagome-chan, take Yoh-kun and run!" Manta called out from the sidelines. "Get out of there!"

"T-There's no way to escape in our condition!" Kagome yelled back, flinching when Bailong stomped against her back again. "Now hurry, you know what to do! We're counting on you!"

Manta nodded and took off as fast as his legs would carry him.

'Hurry back, Manta-kun...' Kagome thought desperately. 'I don't know how much more of this I can take!' Her vision was becoming speckled with dark spots.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Oyamada Manta ran at top speed through the dark streets. 'Something that resembles a katana...' he told himself. Determination and urgency fueled the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He had a place in mind; he just had to get there in time! After accompanying Yoh and Kagome during their training regimen so many times, even his endurance increased greatly.

Manta smiled when the sports shop came into view. His sneakers screeched to a halt in front of the store. 'It's closed, but the owner stays here well after hours…' He noted as he reached to push the glass door open—only for the solid resistance of the lock to prevent his entry.

"WHAT?!" He yelled, frustrated when he saw a sign on the front door that read:

"Closed for the week, out on vacation."

Manta growled, but wasted no time and raced towards another store he had in mind. The dark streets were emptier and quieter than usual. The world and any passersby went by in a blur of colors as the teen dashed towards his next destination. He arrived at an antique weapons shop. No luck. All of the lights were off and the door was locked.

'Where else can I go...?' he thought, panicking. 'Yoh-kun desperately needs a sword so he can defeat Bailong… And Kagome-chan...she—' what he was about to think made sweat drip from his forehead. He shook the thought away.

Suddenly the sound of motorcycles revving hit his ears and Manta perked up at the sight of headlights turning the corner in his direction. 'That must be!' He did not hesitate to rush to the middle of the street. His arms spread out to his sides as he blocked the road.

There, before Manta was a typical street gang: a band of older teenagers equipped with an array of weapons. Under normal circumstances, Manta would have kept his head down, hid, or ran away from the sight of such terrifying people. But today was different. His friends were on the line.

Manta did not even flinch when the young man who headed the triangular formation parked his bike. He was the spitting image of a stereotypical gang leader: a well-built physique and unruly, spiky hair. The leader glowered at Manta as he approached the younger teen; he allowed his wooden sword to drag along the asphalt as he walked.

"Oi, little brat!" The leader barked. He stopped a few meters away from Manta. "Out of the way unless you want trouble," he snarled a warning.

Manta's eyes were shadowed behind his bangs as he whispered, "Please…"

"Ehhhh?" the gang boss placed his free hand behind his ear mockingly. He took large, animated steps towards Manta. "Can't hear ya!"

Manta's head snapped up as he blurted out, "Please allow me to borrow your sword!"

"What are you, retarded?!" The leader yelled as he swung down at Manta. But he was taken aback when the boy merely grabbed hold of the sword and wrapped his arms and legs around it. Even when the gangster reeled his arm back to lift the sword, Manta clung to it like a koala. "You're a freaky little leech! Let go if you know what's good for ya!"

Manta gripped the sword tighter as the gang boss tried shaking him off of his weapon.

"Please allow me to borrow your sword!" Manta repeated. "If you don't... my friends will die!"

"What are you blabbering about?!" The leader questioned. Without caring for an answer, he brutally bashed the sword against the ground, smashing Manta along with it each time.

'I can't give up!'

He was smashed.

'Because right now, Kagome-chan is going through much worse!'

And bashed.

'I have to find a way to help them!'

And bruised.

'Yoh-kun! Kagome-chan! Please wait for me!'

But still, Manta held onto the sword.

"I'm begging you!" Manta cried out. "Please allow me to borrow your sword!"

This time the leader punched Manta square into the eye, immediately bruising it a shiny purple. "You're too damn persistent! I'll end things here—!" His large fist rose from his side again. But before he could deal another blow to Manta, a blur of white swiftly streaked across the way.

Within the blink of an eye, the leader was on the ground, his jaw swollen.

And Manta was now the only one with a hold of the wooden sword.

He looked up at his savior and gasped, "Ryu?!"

As the rest of the gang floored it away on their bikes, Manta had never been so happy to see a gangster in his entire life.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Another jab to Kagome's back.

But she did not make a peep.

Instead, her grip around Yoh loosened as her face fell into his chest.

Yoh felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

'Kagome-chan…'

Bailong's fingers curled into a tight fist as he prepared his next attack.

'Amidamaru...I can't stop him…!' Yoh called to his spirit.

'Maybe not alone!' Amidamaru told him. 'But believe in your friends! Together, we can make a miracle!'

Yoh looked down at the top of Kagome's head and placed his hand there. 'I do believe…' he affirmed. In that instant, he felt something mysterious. He was filled with a refreshing warmth that soothed his sore muscles and alleviated his pain. 'It really is a miracle...'

With his sudden rejuvenation, Yoh grabbed Kagome and rolled out of the way of Bailong's devastating punch. Yoh landed on top of Kagome. He lightly slapped her cheek and confirmed that she was out cold. The gentle warmth that spread through him rushed into a burning intensity. He was seething as he got to his feet.

"You hurt my friend! Now I'll never forgive you!" Yoh proclaimed, his eyes on the Dàoshi.

"There you go about friendship again," Jun was peeved by Yoh's brazen affection and loyalty. "Look where friendship got poor Kagome-over there," she sneered at the priestess' broken state. "What good are friends if it means you'll have to die for them?!"

The exchange was interrupted by the roar of an engine and an orb of light speeding towards them. Ryu's motorcycle screeched to a stop as the stench of burnt rubber filled the air. Manta hopped off a motorcycle, a wooden sword in hand. He brandished the weapon proudly to the shaman. "For one thing, friends help in getting rid of pests like you!" Manta countered before he and Ryu went to Yoh and Kagome.

"You didn't run away?!" Jun was in shock. She was sure that the human showed his true colors and abandoned his friends to save his own hide. But here he was, as beaten and bruised as his friends. After witnessing the pain that Bailong afflicted on Yoh and Kagome, this tiny human still returned to help them...knowing he could very well be returning to his death.

This conception of friendship was foolish—Jun could not make sense of it.

"Here it is," Manta stated while extending the wooden sword to Yoh. "A katana with a grip. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Manta fought bravely," a familiar, deep voice informed the shaman. Yoh looked up and gasped at the sight of Ryu of the Wooden Sword hoisting Kagome into his arms. "Accept his readiness," He looked down at the girl in his arms. "And I'll take care of the little lady here."

Yoh smiled appreciatively and nodded as he took the sword from Manta. "Thanks, Manta. I really appreciate it." Manta smiled back and scratched the back of his head.

Amidamaru then manifested beside his partner. He was wearing the grave expression that was reserved only for dire battles. His eyes shot a challenge to Jun, "thanks to Manta's zealous efforts, Yoh-dono and I will end this battle with my finest technique!"

"There is no technique that can defeat Bailong," Jun retorted with a scoff. She pointed at Yoh, who steadied the wooden sword. "Bailong, go! End this battle once and for all!"

Under his master's command, Bailong sprung into attack mode.

The kyonshi shot across the way. He stuck one leg out and spun like a tornado. Yoh and Amidamaru warded off the spinning kick with their sword. Jun was shocked to see Bailong forced back with a mere wooden sword.

"Amidamaru!" Yoh called to his partner as his armed hand extended to the side. "Shinkuu Buttagiri!" With a single swing of the sword, the shaman unleashed a slash of searing red energy. The energy tore up the pavement as it roared towards Bailong.

Before the kyonshi could react, the attack barreled straight into his face.

Everyone stood frozen in time.

A deathly silence filled the area.

...suddenly, the talisman on Bailong's face fell off and shredded into pieces.

All of the arrogance that Tao once exuded was wiped into utter disbelief.

Anna huffed through her nose as she placed a hand on her hip, "And now, it's over."

The icy white void of Bailong's eyes faded into their natural color. His mind that was once clouded in a heavy fog was now clearing up. His emotions soon followed suit...the first feeling was an intense confusion.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar figure plastered in the middle of a poster. The printed promotion was stuck to the glass window of a nearby store. "Bai... long...?" The man questioned tentatively. It was as if he was testing the taste of the name of something foreign on his tongue. As if he was unsure of his own identity.

The kyonshi then walked over to the poster of his movie and read over the contents. "Seventeen years?!"

"What have I been doing all of this time?!" he questioned himself while staring down at his hands. They were cold and shaking. After being deceased for seventeen years, everything felt off. His world was turned upside-down. And as someone who knew his body well, he could sense that something was amiss.

Li Bailong was tossed into a storm of turmoil and anguish.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?!" He roared as he shot his fist at the poster. The monstrous weapon easily shattered the glass. He was stunned into silence as he stared down at his trembling hand.

"W-Why…?" He queried in a wavering voice. "Why do I not feel any pain…?!" He was breathless as he stared down at the many glass shards that were embedded into his flesh.

"Foolish Bailong," Jun suddenly spoke up. "You've been dead for seventeen years. A kyonshi should act like a kyonshi and do as your master, Tao Jun, says." The Dàoshì's stern eyes and haughty tone betrayed no signs of empathy for the man's mounting trauma.

'Tao!' the name resonated in Bailong's mind; it felt as if he was hit with a ton of bricks.

That name...

'Tao'...

It triggered a memory that had been repressed for seventeen years…

He could see the images clearly in his mind now...

[ It was the first time that anyone dared to corner the martial arts master. The stranger had nerves of steel. His identity was concealed by a higher-collared trench coat and matching hat that hung over his eyes. He pointed a pistol directly at Bailong's heart," Li Bailong, being the great warrior that you are, I regret that I have to do this to you. But you are to become a main spirit of the Tao family. My condolences." A flash of light, the loud bang of a gunshot. And then... nothing. ]

Until now.

Jun threw another binding charm at Bailong.

Without turning to face her, the kyonshi lifted his arm and grabbed the enchanted paper. He crumpled it within his fist.

"Ba-Bailong grabbed the charm?!" Manta's jaw dropped at the development.

"Wha—What's going on here?!" Ryu asked; the newcomer was even more lost than Manta was.

"Li Bailong is rebelling against his Dàoshì," Anna explained simply.

Sesshomaru's face was as stony as usual as he remarked, "Humans are such foolish creatures."

"Because of you..." Bailong silently seethed. "I lost everything... My life... My dreams…" His teeth ground against each other. He then turned around and glowered at Jun, "EVERYTHING! BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Manta gasped when Bailong began to attack Jun with blind fury. Suddenly the Dàoshì found herself in a dire situation. She was forced to take defensive maneuvers as her rebellious kyonshi threw a barrage of punches and kicks at her. Her usual cool demeanor was now contorted into a troubled, worried expression with each side-step and duck she took.

Jun suddenly lost her footing after ducking beneath a waist-length kick. Bailong took advantage and swung his nunchuck towards her skull. She shut her eyes and braced herself for death...

But it did not come.

She opened her eyes and gasped at the sight of Yoh standing protectively in front of her. The nunchuck's chain was wrapped around the length of his sword.

"Why you—!" Bailong growled as he glared down at the shaman.

"Li Bailong, tell me... How does taking revenge feel? Is it fun?" Yoh questioned. "The fact is, even if you did get revenge for what the Tao family did to you, you will never get back the things you lost... You will still be dead," he told Bailong.

"What the hell do you know?!" The kyonshi thundered as he yanked on his nunchuck. The sheer force effortlessly splinted the wooden sword in two. Yoh grunted and narrowed his eyes. He dug his heels into the ground. He was forced to use his broken weapon to defend against Bailong's new onslaught.

"It's too late now," Amidamaru stated. "At this point, Bailong is too blinded by fury to listen to reason."

"Tao Jun!" Yoh called back to the young woman, who remained helplessly on the ground. "You're his Dàoshì, isn't there any way to stop him?!"

Jun could only stare at the ground. The shame of defeat was too heavy for her to lift her head. "No... It's impossible to stop Bailong now…" Her voice was weak and hopeless. "There's no one in the world that's strong enough to defeat him. And he won't listen to me anymore..."

[ SLAP! ]

Jun's cheek was reddened and stung with the second slap that she received today. She turned hurt, pitiful eyes up to Anna, who was previously content with being a spectator. "I don't want to hear that from you of all people," Anna chided while narrowing her eyes and gazing down at the older girl. "He's your main spirit, take responsibility." She commanded. "Now think, there must be someone stronger than Li Bailong."

"No, there's no one that's—!" Jun's eyes widened as a thought struck her.

"So there is someone," Anna surmised from her reaction.

"If I remember correctly," Jun began. "Bailong had a master who he could never defeat... Shamon."

"That's right!" Manta piped in excitedly. "Back in his earlier days of learning kung fu, Bailong was trained by Shamon!" He explained. "And although Shamon was only his kung fu teacher, Bailong treated and respected Shamon like he was a teacher of life itself! The only fighter who Bailong could never defeat—Mighty Kung Fu Master, Shamon!"

"Heh, it doesn't even matter," Jun murmured glumly. "Shamon died a long time ago..."

"That is where I come in," Anna countered as she took hold of the blue beads around her neck. "Anytime, anywhere, no matter where it is, I can recall a spirit. That is who I am—" Anna pulled the beads off and held them out from her body. "Spiritual medium, Kyoyama Anna!"

"Spiritual... medium...?" Jun could not believe what she was hearing. She could only watch as Anna began her ritual by shaking her beads and reciting her spell.

"I fondle it once, for the seed of the father." Anna chanted. She shook the beads again. "I fondle it twice, for the seed of the mother." Another shake. "I fondle thrice, for the hometown... Mirror, descend upon my body."

The medium closed her eyes and held the beads in the air, "If this voice is heard in the other world, stand up! If the sounds of these beads are heard, come out now!" Her eyes snapped open, glowing a brilliant white light. She was now in her trance state.

Manta cheered and Ryu was in awe at the swirl of red spiritual energy that surrounded Anna. "Yoh!" Anna called to her fiance. The shaman and itako simultaneously leaped into the air. Yoh released Amidamaru from their merge in preparation. Anna commanded, " Shamon's soul! Come on out! Fusion of the Spiritual Medium!" She then whacked her beads against Yoh's back," Get inside!"

The duo then landed.

Everyone could immediately sense a change in Yoh after he landed...

The young shaman had achieved Hyoi Gattai with Shamon…

Yoh was hunched over.

He slowly rose with shaky knees.

He placed a hand behind his ear and inquired in a confused, senile manner, "Say what?"

The spectators anime fell.

"He's an ordinary old man!" Ryu exclaimed.

"Even so, Bailong will not be able to defeat him," Amidamaru stated.

Everyone watched in amazement as Yoh effortlessly dodged and evaded Bailong's attacks. Shamon could easily predict Bailong's movements. He sprung into the air to avoid a powerful kick. The force of his leg crashed through the bricks of a building and ended up stuck within the pile of rubble.

Yoh then landed gracefully on top of Bailong's trapped leg. Within his body, Shamon pointed out, "Your moves are flawed because you're blinded by rage." Bailong's eyes widened when he realized who he was facing. "Didn't I teach you that the most important lesson a martial artist must learn is to calm themselves?!"

Not even his master's chastising could quell Bailong's fury. The kyonshi growled in response and yanked his leg from its prison. Yoh backflipped away but the battle was far from over. Bailong shadowed the movement and launched a barrage of punches at Yoh; his fists flew by in blurs. With Shamon's technique, Yoh's smaller hands easily blocked Bailong's strikes. Finally, Yoh sprung back and cupped his hands into the shape of an orb.

Ryu was in shock when the shaman unleashed an energy blast at Bailong. The kyonshi was sent crashing face-fist into the cold cement.

"That was move comes from Daodan Do!" Manta exclaimed while wearing a wide grin and excited, shaking fists. "Shamon's Shadow Fist!"

Amidamaru, who had been in awe of Bailong's strength and achievements was nothing short of astonished. Despite not knowing much about martial arts, even his eyes could plainly see the astronomical differences between the fighters' abilities. "Bailong is being treated as if he were a mere child."

As Yoh slowly approached the fallen warrior, Shamon came forth and spoke to his student, "Fury clouds one's heart. Abandon your rage, Bailong."

Bailong pushed himself to his feet, but did not turn to face his master. Even with the man who he admired so much here, Bailong could not let go. Pain and raging thoughts buzzed inside his mind like angry hornets,"Why shouldn't I be angry?! I… My life was taken away and I've lost everything…!"

"You have not lost everything..." Shamon explained calmly. "When you have nothing left, you feel nothing, not even anger," he told him. "Yet you feel a raging fury. Why? Because your devotion to the completion of Daodan remains in your heart." Bailong was as still as stone as Shamon spoke. "However, is this fury-fueled technique the Daodan you seek?" the old man asked.

His words struck a chord within the kyonshi.

"Shut up!" Bailong roared as he gripped and drew his nunchucks. He could see nothing but red as he spun around and continued attacking Yoh. The brunette's hands were cupped behind his back as his smooth movements eluded each strike.

"I might as well be fighting a child!" Shamon admonished, frustrated and disappointed. He of all people knew more than anyone that Bailong was capable of so much more. Instead of seeing reason, his student seemed spurred into attacking more sporadically, more frantically, as impatient as a toddler and as unrefined as a newbie.

"If your face remains a mirror of your feelings, anyone can read your attacks," Shamon continued to chide his student in hopes of breaking through to him, "If you don't calm yourself, your future will truly be unreachable." The spirit hummed from within Yoh; Bailong's persistent assault proved that he had to interfere more than he wanted to. "How foolish…" Shamon sighed inwardly.

Suddenly, Yoh's face hardened as Shamon made up his mind. "If you cannot calm yourself, I will have to calm your heart for you!" The Master called through Yoh. He drew his hands back to his waist. His fingers curled into circular shapes as golden energy gathered between his hands. "Shadow Fist Succession Technique." His fists thrusted forward and shot the energy at Bailong. "Shou Jyu Ken!"

Impaired by his enraged state, the kyonshi was unable to read his Master's movements and was not prepared to dodge the attack. The beam smacked him straight in the chest.

'This will be my final lesson to you…' Shamon thought as he watched his student fall flat on his back. Sensing the intense aura of rage dissipated, Shamon left Yoh's body and allowed the young shaman to collapse to his butt.

A glow was emitted from the seal that bound Bailong to Jun. A moment later, the glow and seal faded away entirely. Manta breathed a sigh of relief when Bailong's true spirit was released from where the seal once was and emerged from his defeated flesh.

This Bailong seemed much more human than the vicious version that tore up the area. He was shocked to see Shamon again after so long, "Ma-Master!"

"Yoooo!" Shamon greeted cheerfully with a grin and slight wave.

"Please forgive me!" Bailong begged with a slight bow and lowered head. "Because of my lack of control, you had to come all this way…!" He was regretful and ashamed to be seen by his master in the state that he was in.

Shamon turned and looked over his shoulder at Yoh who was lying out on the ground from exhaustion. "It's all thanks to that boy and his friends..." the old master replied. "He fought to save you and everyone's dreams." He smiled. "And it's all because your Daodan was not created to save yourself, but to help others. That is what makes the image of you live on everyone's hearts... You should be grateful."

Yoh pulled himself into an upright position and met Bailong's gaze.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence between the shaman and kyonshi.

Yoh then gave Bailong his signature grin. Bailong was both taken aback and relieved at the gesture of goodwill. With a sigh, he returned it with a smile of his own. It was something he had not done in a long time. Being released from Jun's control, being able to think for himself, being able to smile freely—although he was dead, it felt like he just breathed fresh air for the first time.

Meanwhile, Jun, who finally stood up after Bailong was finally defeated, slowly turned to walk away. However, the crunch of sandals on pebble and Anna's sharp, accusatory voice stopped her, "Are you just going to abandon Bailong and leave?"

"Maybe, I was wrong," was Jun's response. "Even though he was my main spirit, I didn't know a thing about Bailong." Jun looked up at the night sky and admitted, "I don't even know right from wrong anymore, but I'll say this much... I was completely defeated." Jun turned a wistful but gentle smile to Anna, "He's a wonderful person… Asakura Yoh-kun, that is," she clarified.

"Of course he is," Anna boasted simply. "He is my fiance after all."

Jun closed her eyes and chuckled a bit. "That's a relief to me," she admitted. "But if I were you, I wouldn't be so sure of myself," the older teen added. She looked in the direction of the young priestess resting in Ryu's arms. Anna followed her line of sight and narrowed her eyes. "Kagome-chan and Yoh-kun... They seem to have a special sort of bond between them… He fights for her and she protects him... Their friendship could turn into something more."

"Tch," Anna crossed her arms. "I didn't take you for the type to spew nonsense."

Jun smiled knowingly; she could tell that her words got under the itako's skin. "I'm just saying, Kagome-chan may end up as a rival for Yoh-kun's affections," the Dàoshì teased further. "But I guess you shouldn't worry too much, Yoh-kun will also have a rival for Kagome-chan as well~" With that said, Jun turned her back once again.

"More importantly, I don't have the right to keep Bailong..." Jun muttered to herself. "So my only choice is—." Just as she was about to take her first step, a voice called to her.

"Wait, please!" it was Bailong's voice.

Jun was frozen for a moment, wondering if her ears were deceiving her.

Bailong took the opportunity to address his master one last time. "Master, I cannot rest in peace just yet. I have to keep pursuing my dreams, even if I have to do it as a kyonshi." He bowed his head respectfully, a gesture that Shamon accepted with a low hum and a smile. Seeing that his pupil was finally freed, Shamon disappeared and returned to his afterlife.

With matters settled, Bailong ran to Jun. Her eyes widened when the man suddenly kneeled before her, head bowed.

She hadn't imagined it after all.

She was witnessing this with her very own eyes and it still felt surreal.

"Tao Jun... I vow to never give into my fury again," Bailong promised. He then lifted his head and looked into her eyes, "So... Will you make me into a kyonshi and allow me to stay by your side?"

Jun was shocked at Bailong's request.

After all the horrible things that her family had done to him...

...and after all the atrocities that she made him commit—!

...he still trusted her to make him into a kyonshi again…?

He was swearing loyalty to her…?

Jun had to hold back tears. She sighed softly before smiling tenderly down at the spirit. "Alright," she agreed readily. "But this time...without the charm," she vowed in return. Bailong nodded and stood up straight.

The spirit then looked over to Yoh and the others and waved, "Goodbye, Asakura Yoh! May we meet again someday!"

Yoh grinned and waved goodbye to the pairi," See ya around, Jun, Bailong! Good luck!"

"Give my apologies and thanks to Higurashi Kagome-sama as well when she awakens!" Bailong called out before he and Jun disappeared into the darkness of an alley.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

It was Saturday night and the night after the showdown with Tao Jun and Li Bailong... Kagome sighed as she lowered herself into the hot spring. She deeply regretted falling unconscious in the midst of the battle. Not only was it humiliating, but she had missed the entire ending—! 'If I was as strong and talented as her, I would have been able to help Yoh-kun more…' A wave of melancholy washed over Kagome as the image of a familiar face flashed in her mind. It had been years since she had seen that face: the face that was almost identical to her own. 'Where are you when I need you, big si—?'

Kagome shook that thought from her mind. Now was not the time to dwell on things out of her control. She had to focus on becoming stronger to avoid experiencing this type of embarrassment again! She was a thirteen-year-old priestess and creating a small barrier exhausted all of her energy!

In the wee hours of the morning, she awoke to Manta's and Yoh's faces peering down at her worriedly. Needless to say, she was shocked to find that neither she nor Yoh were covered in any scratches or bruises, let alone broken bones. Apparently even Manta's black eye was miraculously healed somewhere between him arriving with the wooden sword and arriving back at the Asakura residence. It was a strange phenomenon but no one vocalized an explanation of the mysterious healing.

After the trio reassured each other that they were all alright, a sight that was annoying for Anna to watch and too sappy for Sesshomaru to listen to, Yoh and Manta excitedly retold Kagome of the events that she missed. While she was grateful that the ordeal resolved with a sweet, happy ending, Kagome still wanted to meet the true Bailong: another regret created from her own weakness and lack of skill. She sighed softly and grumbled, "That'll probably never happen now."

"They say talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity," Anna said nonchalantly as she entered the spring area. Her footsteps slapped across the rocky surfaces as she approached the water.

"Actually, I've heard that it's a sign of higher intellect~" Kagome countered with a smile.

"There's an expectation to every rule," The itako rebutted simply.

The priestess' eye twitched as she grumbled, "Eh—I wonder if rude is her default setting?"

Anna walked half of the spring's perimeter and climbed inside on the opposite end of Kagome. She closed her eyes and sunk into the depths to enjoy the soothing warmth. She was ready for some peace and quiet. But the girl across from her did not seem to know what that meant.

"Anna-san, I heard you helped Yoh-kun after all~" Kagome beamed at Anna with an attempt to strike up a friendly conversation with her. All things considered, she still wanted to get to know Anna more so they could find some sort of mutual understanding. 'Who am I kidding…? I just can't stand the thought of someone hating me the way Anna-san seems to,' she admitted to herself. The priestess had gotten her fill of tension and conflict...

"Yeah, what about it?" Anna asked simply without opening her eyes.

Kagome sweatdropped and smiled sheepishly, 'Looks like I'll have to do the heavy work in this conversation…' She followed up with, "Well, I'm just wondering...why?"

"Because…" Anna sighed, exasperated. "Yoh had almost reached his limit with the Hyoi Gattai and at the time, Bailong was out of control and had to be stopped immediately."

"I see," Kagome noted with a blink. "So that means..." The priestess raised a finger and surmised, "Despite what you say and do, you really do care and worry about Yoh-kun~" She smiled towards the end of her statement.

Anna did not respond, she only looked down at the steaming water for a moment. She seemed to be mulling something over. But the itako did not get lost in thought, as she suddenly looked Kagome in the eye and stated, "Speaking of which, Higurashi. I forgot to tell you."

Kagome paled on the inside, 'Eh—that doesn't seem like Anna-san at all…! Don't tell me that she hasn't reached her insult quota of the day…!' Anna deadpanned as she watched the priestess' facial expression sour into panic. Kagome's hands rose from the water to grip at her hair and ruffle it in frustration, 'Or worst, she just remembered a chore that she wanted to give me…!'

"You didn't do too bad," Anna suddenly said, sparing the priestess from her internal dread.

Kagome released her hair and straightened up.

She blinked…

Her brain began registering the words it just heard.

Just moments before, Kagome had been feeling blue about her underachievement in last night's battle. But Anna's words of praise brightened her mood. The priestess was practically glowing, as she never thought that she would live to see the day when Anna complimented her of all people. "You—you were referring to my performance last night, right…?" She inquired with a tinge of disbelief in her voice.

Anna almost rolled her eyes, "What else would I be referring to?"

Ignoring the itako's usual sassiness, Kagome closed her eyes and smiled proudly. She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded in agreement, "Well it's about time you acknowledged me, Anna-san~"

'Anna-san... This is proof of just how caring you are, even though you show it an odd way,' Kagome thought inwardly. 'I think... Anna-san likes me more because, for once, I protected Yoh-kun... It's like I proved myself to her... Not that that was my intention back then though.'

Anna gave Kagome a blank stare and grumbled, "Don't get carried away, Kagome." The spiritual medium brought the thoughtful priestess back into reality with those words.

Kagome gasped sharply. 'Did she just...? Smile!? Okay, it was a bit on the smirkish side, but that definitely counts as a smile for Anna-san!'

"What's with the goofy grin?" Anna scrunched up her face at the look Kagome gave her.

"You called me Kagome for the first time~" The priestess nearly sang.

"No, I didn't," Anna retorted.

Kagome twitched at her sudden change in demeanor, "You did too!"

"You're mistaken."

"I am not! Say it again!"

"I never said it in the first place."

"Just admit it!"

"Shut it."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The next morning, Anna allowed Yoh and Kagome a day off of training, but not without declaring that the next round of training would be tougher. Kagome paled at the thought, but Yoh gave her a wide grin. He reassured her not to worry about the future training and all that mattered was today. It was peaceful and nice on this warm, sunny Sunday morn—.

[ Knock! Knock! Knock! ]

Anna, Kagome, and Yoh had been lazing around the kotatsu, watching television. Kagome and Yoh looked at each other in unison when they heard the knock, but Anna's eyes remained fixed on the bright screen.

Manta called from the hallway, "I'm too busy waxing to get the door!" That got him off the hook. As he zoomed by, he noted the trio in their leisure and bristled, 'Why the hell am I the only cleaning anyway?!'

"Get the door, dobe," Anna said without bothering to take her eyes off of her program.

Kagome got to her feet with a small huff, "It was Kagome last night."

"It never was Kagome," Anna denied.

Kagome sighed and then walked out of the room and towards the doorway. "Who is it?" she asked as she slid the traditional Japanese door open. She looked up and screamed in horror at the sight of—.

"R-Ryu?!" She squeaked while shrinking away.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"Please! Let me be your student!" Ryu requested of Yoh as he got down on all fours and bowed before the young shaman.

"I-I still don't know what he's doing here!" Kagome exclaimed as she inched towards the nearest exit.

Manta scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile, "I guess we forgot to mention that Ryu helped us out the other night."

"How could you leave out such an important detail?!" Kagome cried out. Her eye twitched when no one responded. They were too focused on Ryu.

Yoh blinked and asked, pointing a single finger at his body, "Are you asking me?"

Ryu looked up at Yoh and inquired, "Who else would I be asking?! Please! I want to become a shaman too!"

Manta anime fell. Ryu was the second person who spontaneously decided that they wanted to become a shaman after watching Yoh fight.

One of Ryu's followers whispered to Manta and Kagome from the sidelines, "Ryu-san was very touched by Yoh-san's fight."

Another follower looked at his fellow gang members and asked with an exasperated sigh, "This is gonna be another long story, won't it?" The others all nodded in a knowing consensus as Ryu began narrating his tale.

"There's no room in housing or society for me..." Ryu stated solemnly. "My only happiness is riding my bike with my friends. But even then, I need money for gasoline," He added with downcast eyes. "The world is a pretty harsh place..."

Yoh and Anna exchanged looks. Yoh looked at Anna, searching for her approval, and Anna not looking quite convinced yet. "Whenever I'm on my bike, I think to myself... Where did I come from? Where am I going? I ride like a madman on the never-ending highways. I believe that if I keep riding, I'll have to end up somewhere." Ryu gave the inhabitants of the Asakura mansion and Manta a melancholy, pitiful smile. "What I'm trying to say is... I have the heart of a traveler with nowhere to go. That is all." Then he took a long sip of the hospitality tea that Kagome brewed.

Everyone just stared at him.

"Okay, what the hell are you trying to say?!" Manta questioned, verbalizing the question that everyone wanted to know. His gang members would follow him to the ends of the earth, but even they could not follow his train of thought.

Ryu was back on his hands and knees. "Master!" Ryu groveled. Yoh smiled meekly. "During your fight, I saw a real man, one that I aspire to be like! So becoming a shaman is the only true path to manhood for me!" he exclaimed. "Please…!" he lowered his head to the floor. "Allow me to become your student! I beg of you!"

"What a difficult request to ask of someone younger than yourself," Manta pointed out, Kagome nodded in agreement.

Yoh scratched his cheek and smiled sheepishly. "I... don't know what to say."

"Please, convince your husband, Gorgeous Mistress of the Hotspring!" Ryu even groveled to Anna.

The itako was easily taken by the title. Her expression became thoughtful, almost scheming, as she smirked a bit. She stroked her chin as she imagined herself in the future, "A beautiful, young Mistress of a hotspring… I like the sound of that…"

'Why do I not like the look on her face right now…?' Kagome wondered to herself.

"Okay," Anna conceded. Everyone looked up at Anna in surprise. Her smirk widened subtly as she added, "but only if you pass the test."

"T-Test?!" Kagome squeaked, feeling horror for Ryu's sake. 'He has no clue what's in store for him! The poor guy!'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"It's done, Anna-sama!" Ryu announced with much vigor. He was pumped and desperate to prove himself.

Kagome, Manta, Yoh, and Anna filed into the dining room. The trio of friends was in visible awe of that sight before them. Ryu had spread a small feast across the table for them. 'How does cooking test if he's worthy of being Yoh-kun's disciple?!' the priestess questioned inwardly with a twitching eye. 'Eh—! And they're just going along with it!' Kagome almost fell over when Yoh and Manta immediately took their seats right next to each other at the table. They were too excited and ready to eat to question what was going on. Anna sat down more graciously and calmly.

Kagome's eye twitched again as she groaned inwardly, 'Are we...are we bad people…?'

"Sit, Higurashi. How can we start if you're standing?" Anna narrowed her eyes at the girl. Swallowing her guilt and reservations, Kagome sighed and took a seat across from Manta, next to the itako.

Yoh, Kagome, and Manta watched as Anna's eyes shifted from one dish to another, deciding on which to try out first. Once her gaze settled for a small pot of yosenabe in front of her, Anna used her chopsticks to pluck a single piece of meat from the hot pot and plopped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes as she slowly chewed, judging every aspect of Ryu's cooking from flavor to texture.

Ryu stared at Anna with shining, anticipating eyes as Kagome, Yoh, and Manta worried about Anna's assessment.

"Alright, you pass," Anna announced before she continued to dine on the meal Ryu prepared for her. "You can start work immediately," she added while filling her bowl with yosenabe.

Ryu then began to cheer excitedly. " Banzai! Banzai!" he exclaimed over and over again while throwing his hands into the air animatedly.

"His cooking is preferable all three of you combined," Anna stated bluntly.

Yoh and Manta chuckled nervously, trying to hide their relief. 'Anna-san, you're so shameless…' Kagome sighed before looking at the array of dishes before her. She froze when a familiar, tantalizing scent wafted into her nostrils. Her eyes lit up as she recognized the aroma of her favorite dish! 'I guess even I can be a little shameless when you push the right buttons~' She beamed as she began filling her bowl with oden.

The priestess's blissful smile made Manta, Ryu, Yoh, and Amidamaru gush inwardly. 'S-So cute…!' They thought simultaneously.

A half-hour later, Ryu was in the kitchen, cleaning spills and washing cooking utensils as they finished the meal. "I feel kind of bad for him, he's totally clueless," Manta admitted.

"Don't," said Anna. "With him as our new addition, you've moved up on the social pyramid of this house."

Kagome anime fell but straightened up immediately, "There's a social pyramid here?!"

"Of course," Anna replied. "From the apex to the bottom, it used to be me, Yoh, Higurashi, then shortbread. Now it's me, Yoh, Higurashi, shortbread, and that guy over there," Anna announced.

"Don't mind me, Anna-dono, but where are we on this social pyramid?" Amidamaru asked curiously as he and Sesshomaru appeared next to their partners.

Anna stated easily, "With the addition of you two, from top to bottom the pyramid is me, Sesshomaru, Amidamaru, Yoh, Higurashi, shortbread, and that guy over there."

"I'm middle class in this pyramid?!" Yoh exclaimed as his jaw dropped in disbelief.

"That's not as bad as being lower class!" Kagome piped in as Manta nodded in agreement.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"This is your training schedule," Anna informed Ryu as she handed him a sheet of paper with his handwritten training regimen on it. "Follow it closely and accordingly," she added.

Ryu looked down at the sheet and quickly skimmed through its contents. He nodded his approval with a determined smile, "I'll do it. I'll train my hardest to become a strong shaman."

Anna smiled and placed her hand on Ryu's shoulder, which made the older teen tense as his heart skipped a beat. "That's the spirit," she said encouragingly. With their verbal agreement in order, the itako walked away, leaving Kagome, Manta, and Ryu in the male hot spring area.

Kagome took the opportunity to job over to Ryu. She leaned in close, making him stiffen even more, as she grabbed an edge of the paper. "Let me take a look at that—Eh!" Kagome froze on the spot. She read aloud, "Have breakfast ready at 7:30. The rest of the morning is spent cleaning and washing. Have lunch ready by 12 noon. Break time is from 1 to 2. After that, wash the bathrooms and springs."

One of Ryu's followers that hung around to assist Ryu bristled as he cried, "What part of that regimen is shaman training?!"

"That Anna girl is so devious!" another piped up. "She's taking advantage of Ryu-san!"

The first follower timidly approached his leader, who was currently mopping the walk area of the men's bath, "H-Hey, Ryu-san…"

"Quiet down!" Ryu grunted as he tried to focus on mopping in the pattern that Anna designated on his regimen. "I'm too busy training to talk right now."

"But this isn't training, it's just cleaning a bath," the second follower with a plump, round belly and shiny bald head pointed out, his voice ladened with worry.

"You guys just don't understand," Ryu rebutted confidently as he continued cleaning. "This is fantastic training!"

"Ryu-san..." Kagome sweatdropped while scratching her cheek. "I hate to tell you but—."

"I don't want to hear any more about it," The former gang leader commanded stubbornly. "You guys don't understand that techniques aren't taught to students by their Masters, but rather, students must steal the moves," Ryu explained confidently. "I'll steal some moves when the time comes," he reassured them as he proceeded to sanitize the bathing area.

Ryu then looked sharply at Kagome as she stopped bending over and wiped sweat from her forehead. She placed her hands on her hips, wearing a content smile as she gazed upon her handiwork. "But what I don't understand is why a girl is cleaning the men's bath."

Kagome's smile then turned uneasy when Ryu cupped her hands. The action caused both of their cleaning tools to drop to the ground. "Kagome-sama, a fair maiden such as yourself should not demean yourself with a peasant's work."

"Heh heh," Kagome blushed a bit while sweat dropping. She was flattered but was unsure about how to respond, "Well, I really don't mind. It's not like it's being used right now…"

Ryu released one of her hands and placed his free hand over his heart as he stated valiantly," That's beside the point! Such a lovely girl shouldn't be forced to do menial labor!"

"Eh, I used to take care of my home and a shrine all of the time so I'm used to—"

"I assure you that I can handle both workloads!" Ryu insisted. "You go and rest inside!"

One of Ryu's followers cupped a hand over Kagome's ear and whispered, "Just let him have his way. To him, this is one of the methods of becoming a true man."

Kagome nodded with compliance, despite her mixed feelings. She then smiled appreciatively for Ryu's sake. "Thank you so much, Ryu-san~ I appreciate your kind consideration." Her smile alone was enough to make Ryu blushed and mop even more furiously. 'Ehhhh—does this count as taking advantage of Ryu-san again…?' She wondered as she made her way towards the inner house.

Manta's eye twitched when he saw Ryu and his followers' bid Kagome 'goodbye'. They wore large, goofy grins as hearts surrounded them.

'Kagome-chan ditched me and all of her chores!' He shouted on the inside. 'And they're endorsing it!'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Later that day Ryu, his followers, and Manta were peering around the corner at Kagome and Yoh. The pair were sitting side by side, legs crossed Indian style with their eyes closed with peaceful looks on their faces.

"What are they doing?" one of the gang members asked curiously.

"They're obviously meditating to find their inner peace," Ryu replied matter-of-factly.

Manta nodded to himself and crossed his arms, "It's true that shamans need to have peace of mind in order for them to achieve perfect synergy with their spirits."

"See?! I knew it!" Ryu exclaimed at the confirmation.

"But in Yoh-kun's case..." Manta continued but then trailed off.

They watched as Kagome opened her eyes and looked over at Yoh and tapped him on the shoulder, "Yoh-kun, it's been about an hour, we should start sparring now." Kagome blinked and then shook Yoh's shoulders. "Hey, Yoh-kun!" she tried to stir him. "Yoh-kun!"

"Amazing," Ryu whispered breathlessly. "Master Yoh is in such a deep meditative state that not even being physically shaken can rouse him!" He marveled aloud.

That was when Yoh slowly peeked one eye open and grinned at Kagome. He yawned and stretched after the girl released him, "Ah, Kagome-chan. Sorry, I dozed off for a bit." He gave an easy-going chuckle.

Everyone fell over at this. Kagome's cheeks filled with air as she pouted. The priestess pincered a lump of Yoh's cheek between her fingers and pulled on his face. "Yoh-kun... You mean while I was meditating all this time, you were sleeping?!"

"Aha! Sorry, sorry, sorry, Kagome-chan! But it was so peaceful and quiet that I couldn't help it!" His arms flailed about as the priestess punished him with cheek-pinching.

Kagome huffed but released his skin nonetheless. She crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm definitely telling Anna-san about this!"

"No way! It's not that big 'a deal, is it?!" Yoh panicked. "Kagome-chan, I'll do anything! Just please don't tell Anna!"

The priestess smiled deviously. "Anything…~?" Yoh noticed the look in her eye, but deeply groveled with his forehead against the floor. He knew that he would prefer bribing Kagome over whatever Anna would inflict upon him.

"And how do you explain that, Ryu-san?" one of his followers asked skeptically as they proceeded to watch Kagome lay down the terms of her silence. The priestess demanded that for the next week, she received half of his desserts and he took on a chore of her choice.

"Simple," Ryu replied easily. "Master Yoh is only pretending to be a complete moron by day, but by night, the true training begins."

'Ryu's so good natured,' Manta thought while smiling at his words. 'I guess you can't judge a book by its cover.'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Ryu was being worked to the bone, although he did not see it that way. He was even looking forward to cooking supper after the long day of training he received. This had been his routine for only a few days and he already fell into the groove of things.

Ryu's jaw dropped when Kagome entered the kitchen wearing a yellow apron over her clothes, matching slippers, and a bandana over her loose hair. He could not help but find the girl cute in whatever she wore!

"K-Kagome-sama, what are you doing? It's my job to prepare the meals!" He insisted when Kagome grabbed a chopping board and began working on some Chinese cabbage.

Kagome briefly ceased her chopping and smiled brightly at Ryu, "I know, but you've been working so hard for these past few days. And besides, you always help me out with my chores. This is the least I could~!" she reasoned. The girl then proceeded with chopping the cabbage. "We're making sukiyaki tonight, right?"

"Y-Yeah," Ryu nodded. He wanted to protest about having the girl help him with his training. But she seemed so sweet and earnest that he did not have it in him to deny her. "Okay, you prepare the vegetables and I'll start on the broth."

"Alright!" Kagome chirped cheerfully. Thus, the duo began collaborating on this night's dinner. They tackled each task systematically and without stepping on each other's toes, much like busy bees. Kagome snuck a peek at Ryu from over her shoulder, and could not help but feel warm on the inside. It felt they were forming a ragtag family of some sorts. Between training with Yoh, banter with Anna, working with Ryu, the Asakura residence truly felt like home. The topping on the cake was how often Manta stayed over nowadays; he borderline lived with them too.

Suddenly, something occurred to Kagome, prompting her to call her colleague, "Say, Ryu-san..."

"Yeah?" he asked while placing a pot of boiling water on the stovetop. He then began to search the cupboards for the soy sauce and sugar.

"How long do you think you'll be staying here?" Kagome asked curiously. "I mean—how long do you plan to erm... study under Yoh-kun?"

"As long as I need to before I become my own man and a great shaman," Ryu answered with a forlorn smile. He added the soy sauce and sugar to the water and allowed the mixture to slowly simmer for a moment. He then looked at Kagome and asked a question of his own, "And what about you? What exactly are you going here?"

Kagome paused for a moment to mull over the inquiry. "Truthfully..." she admitted with a small smile that Ryu could not read. "I'm not quite sure yet. Sesshomaru is my main spirit, but I'm not sure where things are going with him."

"Eh—? That cold spirit with the gold eyes that give me the chills whenever he's around?!" Ryu asked in disbelief.

Kagome nodded and continued, "Yeah, him... Anyway, he and Anna-san have some sort of deal going on between them. I used to have a house of my own a little ways from here but Sesshomaru had me pack up and move in here with Yoh-kun and Anna-san…" She stifled an embarrassed laugh. "I guess it's not so bad because my mother doesn't have to stress about me living alone anymore. And even better, I can spend all the time I want with Yoh-k—!" Kagome squeaked from inside her pursed lips as she slapped her hand over her mouth.

Ryu looked at Kagome with wide eyes and he asked, "You and Master Yoh... Do you have a special relationship?"

Kagome's blush deepened as she immediately turned back to the task at hand to hide her embarrassment. "I-It's not like that at all!" she protested weakly and unconvincingly. "Y-Yoh-kun is just my best friend! And before I moved in with him—I mean them, I hardly got to see him anymore because of Anna-san's training! A-A-And I'm just happy that that's changed now!"

"Hmm..." Ryu said thoughtfully while continuing at his task as well. "As far as I know, Master Yoh and Mistress Anna are engaged to be married. It would be problematic if Kagome-sama fell in love with him..." he mumbled to himself.

"What did you say?" Kagome asked curiously while peering over Ryu's shoulder.

"Nothing at all!" he grinned. "And what about you and Manta...?" he asked curiously.

"Manta-kun is my best friend too," Kagome said with a wide smile, misunderstanding the meaning of the question. "I'm honestly living any girl's dream by living with my best friends like this~" 'I hope days like this go on forever…'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

It was a warm, pleasant night when the trio went out for a late-night errand."Yoh-kun, Kagome-chan," Manta regarded his friends warmly. "Thanks for coming shopping with me this late!"

"No problem!" Yoh replied with a grin as they walked down the dark, deserted streets.

"Yeah, midnight shopping is so fun and exciting!" Kagome exclaimed with a smile of her own. "I feel like an adult being out so late with only my friends!"

"But you know, you two are going to get in trouble with Anna-san for using the change to buy snacks for yourselves!" Manta stated matter-of-factly.

Kagome and Yoh exchanged smiles. The brunette then Yoh explained nonchalantly "Nah, we'll be fine. You were in charge of the money so you're the one who's going to get in trouble."

Manta almost fell over. But instead, he righted himself with his hands balled up at his sides, "And I'm the only one without a snack?!" he screamed in frustration. He pointed from Kagome, who feigned an innocent smile, to Yoh, who grinned shamelessly, "You two are bad people!"

"Sorry, Manta-kun," Kagome's apology was not convincing as she was beaming. "Yoh-kun seduced me to the darkside so I couldn't help myself!"

Yoh smiled good-naturedly and pointed out, "You can't really blame it on me with the way you were ogling those dango."

"I was only glancing at them!" Kagome rebutted with a pout. "Everyone saw how you drooled over that popsicle!"

"Let's just say you're both evil gluttons," Manta suggested. The trio shared a hearty laugh that was cut short when they happened upon a figure in the middle of the road. It was a deformed humanoid shape with stones for eyes, a carrot nose, and a body made of soft frozen water.

"What on earth is a snowman doing here?" Kagome wondered aloud. It seemed like stranger and stranger things happened everyday since meeting Yoh and Manta. So it was difficult to freak over oddities like this one.

"I have no clue. It's summer right now," Manta replied as he walked up to the snowman and stuck his finger into its body. Like Kagome, he thought about how wacky life became these days. The blond boy withdrew his chilled finger and confirmed that the sculpture was not a mirage or hallucination.

"Hey, you guys," Yoh chimed as he squatted beside a crumpled figure slumped against a tree on the side of the road. "What's this thing?" He pointed at the silhouette.

On cue, the moonlight shifted and illuminated the shadows surrounding the figure.

"Eh!" Kagome and Manta shrieked in unison. "That's a person!" they chorused perfectly before they dashed to Yoh and the collapsed stranger.

"I wonder if he's dead or alive?! Maybe he's injured or dying right now?! Should we call an ambulance?!" Manta yelled while tugging at his hair in a panicked state.

"Calm down, Manta-kun," Kagome said as she knelt down in front of the fallen person. He was a boy around their age with spiky ice blue hair. He wore distinct beige clothes accentuated with blue and red patterns on them. "It looks like he's only unconscious..." she told them, "And there are no clear signs of injury. What do you think, Yoh-kun?" She looked to her friend for his opinion.

Yoh snickered and pointed at the boy's hair, "Hahaha, his hair is so messy, like an anime character!"

"That's not what you're supposed to do to someone who needs help!" Manta chastised as Kagome sweatdropped and remarked,

"You're one to talk."

"Now, now," Yoh laughed it off with a dismissive wave and replied, "I know just what to do." Yoh then wrapped a thin slice of beef around a fishing hook. The shaman had a determined grin as he stood back and extended his fishing line. The tantalizing meat dangled in front of the unconscious teen's face.

"What are you doing?! That beef is expensive!" Manta shrieked as he imagined how Anna would torment him for not delivering an item she requested. "And where the hell did you get a fishing rod from?!"

Meanwhile Kagome watched with interest as the boy's nose twitched. His nostrils flared. He sniffed the beef in front of his face. Kagome and Manta screamed and jumped back when the boy's teeth suddenly latched onto the beef. Yoh smirked, triumphantly, before he too jumped back. He yanked on the rod so hard that the boy was sent crashing into the snowman.

It was then that Manta noticed the snowboard that boy carried along with him. 'Who on Earth brings a snowboard to Tokyo in the middle of summer?! This guy is another weirdo!'

"Whew," Yoh breathed a sigh of relief. "What a tough opponent," He stated while placing a hand on his hip and using the other to wipe at his forehead. Kagome and Manta anime fell.

'Yoh-kun...' Manta thought while twitching on the ground. 'You're a weirdo too.'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kagome's pinched smile twitched as she and her friends watched their guest consume excessive amounts of food. When Ryu first sat a bowl of miso soup in front of him, Kagome felt pity when the stranger looked at the soup as if it was the first time he had eaten in weeks. But now, it was an hour and thirteen dishes later, and he was still scarfing down portions. At this point, she was grateful that it was so late that Anna did not bother getting out of bed, even after they returned from her late-night errand.

A stack of empty plates and bowls were accumulating on the table as the eating machine continued sucking in food like a living black hole. 'This is going to be a looooong night,' the priestess thought to herself.

The boy leaned back and finally patted his plump belly with a big satisfied grin on his face, "Oh yeah! That hit the spot!" He was finally satiated. The blunette bowed his head with gratitude, "Thanks, you guys really saved me. I haven't eaten a thing recently."

"So, why were you lost anyway?" Yoh inquired from the other side of the dining table. The stranger sat on one side while Ryu, Manta, Kagome, and Yoh took up the opposite end.

The blue-haired boy sat up straight and began, "That's because..." He suddenly trailed off; his face scrunched up into an odd expression.

"Because...?" the other teens urged while leaning forward curiously.

[ Pfft. ]

"Oh God!" Kagome screamed as she, Ryu, and Manta scrambled toward the nearest window.

Manta cried out, "He farted!" They quickly raised the window and stuck their heads out to release their breaths. They inhaled and exhaled the fresh, night air before slumping and sighing in relief. They narrowly escaped with their li—.

"Where's Yoh-kun?" Manta asked suddenly. The survivors turned around and paled at the sight of Yoh passed out on the floor.

Kagome dramatically ran to his side, "Yoh-kun!" She kneeled down next to his body and pulled his head onto her lap. "Yoh-kun, don't leave me!" She screamed emotionally.

"He didn't escape fast enough," Ryu stated solemnly. His face became crestfallen as he remarked, "Master Yoh—you will be missed dearly…"

The stranger stood up and scratched the back of his head. His grinned bashly, "Oops, sorry 'bout that! Which way is your bathroom?"

"He's unaffected because it's his own stench," Manta remarked in a deadpanned voice. He then looked at Kagome, who was still cradling Yoh's head, and Ryu, who watched with teary eyes. "Eh—you guys know he's not really dead, don't you…?"

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Once Yoh regained consciousness, the quarter sat in a huddle as they waited for their guest to return from the bathroom.

"Master, Master, Master," Ryu whispered. "Don't you smell something about him?" he asked.

Yoh's eyes were still wide and twitchy, an aftereffect of inhaling the toxic fumes. "Yeah, I caught a glimpse of the spiritual realm for a second there..." Yoh paused for a moment then looked up at Ryu, asked, "You're talking about how badly his fart stunk, right?"

Ryu's head dropped for a moment, almost defeated. He then raised his head and clarified, "I mean he smells suspicious, right? What type of person travels on foot these days? And he's your age no less!"

"There's definitely something strange about him, but I don't know—. He's not a bad person," Yoh replied in his usual easygoing tone.

Kagome nodded in agreement with Yoh, "Yeah, I don't sense any ill intentions coming from him… In fact, I have a hunch about him." Her eyes glanced at the snowboard sitting in the corner.

"Still..." Ryu's eyes narrowed a bit. As a former gangster, he did not have it in him to trust people so easily.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" The stranger suddenly dashed out of the bathroom and into the dining room, pants down and with his more private parts bared.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kagome shrieked at the sight. Ryu then pulled her small body against his and covered her eyes with one hand.

"What's the problem?!" Manta asked urgently as he ran into the bathroom. The blond then sweatdropped when he saw the spirit of an old man poke his headd up inside of the toilet bowl.

"W-Who is that?!" the boy shouted while pointing a shaky finger at the spirit.

Manta explained with an embarrassed smile, "Well, that's Tamegoro-san, the head of the previous family that owned this place... He's harmless."

"See?" Yoh asked Ryu with a grin. "He's totally fine because he can see spirits too!"

Ryu looked down at the pale and stiffened Kagome in his arms and stated, "Okay, but I'm not too sure about this one though."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Once the commotion died down, the stranger sat on his instep on the opposite end of the table. "Sorry about the lack of formality before but—" he jabbed his thumb in the direction of his face while grinning. "My name's HoroHoro."

Yoh attempted to stifle a laugh but he could not contain it, "That's a funny name! When you add a dot to the character, it becomes BoroBoro!" Yoh pointed out. "That suits you so well!"

"That's a good one, Master!" Ryu piped in as he, Yoh, and Kagome laughed aloud at the observation.

HoroHoro's cheeks became pink at the joke and he stared as snickers and whispers of "Heh heh, sleazeball" filled the room.

"It's not nice to make fun of people!" Manta chastised them with a disapproving scowl.

The laughter then died, and Yoh and Kagome apologized in unison, "Sorry about that..."

"Anyway, I'm Yoh. Asakura Yoh."

"My name is Higurashi Kagome."

"Call me Ryu of the Wooden Sword!"

The introductions finished with Manta smiling pleasantly and stating, "And I'm Oyamada Manta!"

HoroHoro stared at Manta silent for a moment, taking in his appearance before glomping him, exclaiming, "Kororo! I wanted to see you! Where'd you go?! I was so lonely!" He gushed while rubbing his cheek against the other boy.

"What are you talking about?!" Manta yelled back. "I told you, my name is Manta!" He squirmed in HoroHoro's grasp. He extended his arm to his friends for help, but blanched when he saw them. Yoh looked amused while Kagome was blushing and probably fantasizing about something unspeakable.

Life in the Asakura residence was definitely going to become more lively.