Authoress' Notes: I'd say something like "Here's the long awaited Chapter 28" or something, buuuuuttt... Yeeeeeah... Oh well~ Enjoy!
Three Steps Forward, One Step Back
"I Choose You, Anna."
A wide grin spread across HoroHoro's face as he lightly elbowed Sango to get her attention. Once she turned her violet eyes away from Kagome's pouting face, HoroHoro looked at the back of the Tao heir walking ahead of the group in a huff. "How long do you think he can keep that act up?" The blue-haired teen asked his crush in amusement.
Sango looked at Ren's back then back at Kagome, who was sulking in her own way. HoroHoro blushed at the sound of his crush's giggle, even though it wasn't directed at him. "Probably about a half-hour, at the most," she surmised.
"I'll give him five minutes," HoroHoro challenged with a cheeky grin that made Sango stifle another laugh. 'Score!' He cheered inwardly at the small progress he made. 'Take that, Ryu!' He mentally shouted at his rival, who was currently too preoccupied with his Shaman Fight to witness this small victory.
Kagome blinked and snapped from her introspection as Pirika suddenly glomped her from behind. Due to her intense training with Sesshomaru, Sango, and Ren, the priestess was able to continue walking even with the younger teen attached to her back like a koala, albeit at a slower pace. "Kagome-nee-chan, you should go talk to him!" Pirika suggested with a bright smile on her face. "I don't blame him for being upset! You promised not to distract them!" She told the raven-haired girl in a chastising tone.
Kagome then blinked as all eyes turned to her.
"Oh," She smiled sheepishly, scratching a pink cheek. "You guys don't have to worry," she assured. "I think I really screwed up this time, so I was trying to think of the best way to apologize." The priestess' confession was a relief to the rest of the teens, especially Jun.
The eldest of the three Taos placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze as she gently suggested, "Well, you could start with a simple apology."
"You're right!" Kagome nodded, her face reflecting her resolve to make amends with Ren. "I'll start out simple and go from there!" She smiled at Jun before calling out to the scion stubbornly walking ahead of everyone else. "Reeeeeeeeeeen! Slow down!"
It didn't take long for Kagome's quickened strides to pass Ren's entirely. She cupped her hands behind her as she walked backward, facing her grumpy friend. Something within the priestess trusted Ren to be her eyes and prevent her from walking into danger. "Sooooo," Kagome began in a coy voice that made Ren narrow his eyes suspiciously. "You're mad?"
"I'm mad," The golden-eyed shaman responded simply, arms crossed over his chest to emphasize that he was indeed upset.
"And you're mad at me?" Kagome questioned.
Easily, Ren bluntly replied, "I'm mad at you."
He tried to maintain his facade as he watched Kagome shrink guiltily. Truthfully, he wasn't actually angry at the priestess, even with her interference. He was more frustrated at himself, humiliated that he was so easily distracted by her words. Her face. Her. Even now, the memory of Kagome's voice boldly exclaiming that she loved his cousin and himself made his heart beat a bit faster.
"Well, I have the perfect way to make it up to you~!" Ren stopped dead in tracks and prepared himself for the worst when Kagome suddenly beamed brighter than ever. "It's—!" He instinctively held his hand out as Kagome lunged for him. "—Hug time! Ack!" The girl squeaked when her face smashed into Ren's open palm.
Ren openly smirked in amusement as Kagome quickly recovered from his rejection. She nursed her nose, glaring at him with slightly teary eyes. Once she confirmed that her nose was not injured, Kagome was quick to get in Ren's face with her hands on her hips, "What's the big idea, Mister?! Trying to sabotage me before my Shaman Fight?!"
Ren rolled his eyes at the accusation and calmly replied, "If something like that sabotaged you, then you stood no chance in the first place."
"Are those two going to be okay?" Pirika asked as she rubbed her neck. The remainder of the group passed the bickering duo easily as they stopped walking to squabble with one another.
Sango laughed lightly when she turned her head to watch. She saw the small smile dancing at Ren's lips as he easily deflected the playful slaps and punches that the priestess threw his way. "Yeeeeeah, I'm sure they'll be fine."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"A pretty thing like you shouldn't be fighting to be Shaman King, you should let me fight in your place." The moment those words left Koga's mouth, Sango's first reaction was to reach for her younger cousin.
"—or not," Sango muttered as she had to restrain her relative from lunging at the young man who wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and pulled her close to his side. "Ren...!" She clenched her teeth as she struggled to hold the seething teen back. "She can handle herself. You need to calm down!"
"I'll be calm as soon as I skewer this creep...!" Ren insisted, his golden eyes never leaving the cocky face of the shaman attempting to woo the girl that he was supposed to be fighting. The Tao heir didn't even notice how unimpressed and unamused Kagome looked at her supposed adversary's flirtatiousness. He was too busy feeling overcome by the burning in his belly. His eyes narrowed when the young man's blue eyes shifted over to him. 'This bastard!' Ren inwardly shouted.
Kagome slinked away, her cheeks a bit pink as she fixed him with a displeased frown, raising a hand up as she firmly rejected him. "Koga-kun, I appreciate the offer, but I don't need anyone to fight for me," The priestess didn't notice how her eyes briefly peered at Ren's reddening face. "and even if I did..." Her voice trailed off thoughtfully as her eyes softened at the memory of Ren's voice back then.
["I'll fight in your place! So just put your faith in me!"]
It was a tiny, timid voice, but something inside her pointed out, 'I already have someone who I can rely on.' Kagome's cheeks burned at the random thought that was so out of place in this situation. But the feeling was fleeting, as her thoughts were disturbed by Koga's voice.
"Jeez," Koga chuckled as he shrugged off the rejection with a grin, "We just met. I didn't think you'd take what I said so seriously." The shaman ignored the incredulous and suspicious stares shot his way from the bystanders.
'Riiiiiiight, he's trying so hard to save face,' Many of them thought in perfect unison, sweatdropping at the display of pride. Part of HoroHoro felt bad for the guy.
"Alright," Koga began cracking his knuckles. "Shall we get started, Kagome?"
Ren's eye twitched at Koga's intimate use of her first name with the lack of honorific.
Kagome ignored it, however. Bangs blew across her forehead as a gust of wind swept through the restricted, run-down factory grounds. The twin chignon and fighting gear that Sango made for her was certainly coming in handy as the appearance of Koga's guardian spirit troubled the air around them.
"Sesshomaru," Kagome whispered as her spirit made his presence known. The noble demon nodded his readiness. "Into—Tenseiga!"
"Ookamimaru!" Simultaneously, the priestess' opponent called to his wolve demon spirit while slapping the bronze ankle brace on his right leg. "Into the Bangle!"
Koga's voice dipped into a lower pitch, an almost primal one as he got on all fours like a wild animal, "Ready or not—" Pirika grimaced at how feral the once dashing and handsome Koga suddenly became. Her brother, on the other hand, watched the match with great interest; this would be his first time watching a Shaman Fight that involved two demonic spirits.
Kagome's expression remained neutral as her fingers glided over the hilt of the Tenseiga. There certainly was the curiosity of how effective it would be in a Shaman Fight. 'Not that one,' Sesshomaru told her from within.
The priestess smiled as she took hold of the hilt of the katana that she borrowed from the Tao's training room. 'I know, I know~' She sighed inwardly, reassuring him, 'I wasn't really going to use it.'
"Here I COME!" Koga shouted as he launched himself at Kagome. The winds of his spirit propelled him forward, leaving behind a blur of colors that even shocked the Taos. Before they could even blink, Koga was within striking distance of Kagome.
"I can't look!" Pirika whimpered as she covered her eyes.
[CLANK!]
Pirika parted her fingers that covered her face to take a peek at the action. "Eh?" Her eyes widened as her hands fell. In that millisecond, Kagome had unsheathed her sword and held it in front of her face to block Koga's punch.
"What?" Koga's blue eyes widened for a moment before glaring down into Kagome's calm pools. The girl seemed to have transformed into a completely different person after merging with her guardian spirit. Her small frame that appeared so frail and unsuitable for battle did not budge from the force that he put into his attack. Koga huffed, feeling amused at the development. 'This won't be as easy as I thought,' He thought as he jumped back to avoid the single-handed swing from Kagome's katana.
"That spirit of yours..." Koga remarked from a few meters away. "He's quite powerful, isn't he?" He asked rhetorically. "How'd a pretty little lady like you get your hands on such a monster?"
"Monster?" Kagome's eyes narrowed at the word. "You call my partner a 'monster'...?"
For a moment, Kagome was sent to a version of her old self from over a year ago. For a moment, she found herself sitting in her old seat, her head bowed and shoulders quietly shaking as not even her burning tears could erase the cruelty scribbled across her desk.
"Freak." "Witch." "Go die." "Think you're better than us?" "All hail the 'priestess'!" "Teach me your tricks, oh great wizard." "You're so creepy and weird." "Such trash." and... "Real monsters are wanna-be pretty girls in disguise. Gross."
'Kagome, ignore it,' Sesshomaru's voice urged. Despite the clear power advantage they had over Koga and his spirit, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the Oversoul with Kagome. He could feel her losing touch with the present as memories of her past consumed her mind. He could feel the despair that she had locked away emerging. They were like air bubbles escaping the deepest, darkest crevices of the sea.
"Kagome-chan's in trouble," HoroHoro whispered as he observed the battle.
"Huh?" Pirika blinked as she sent a confused look at her brother while they watched from a chain-link fence. "What do you mean? That guy hasn't been able to hit her yet! She's been blocking all of his attacks!" She looked back at the battle that was taking place on the other side of the fence to confirm what she was seeing. Once again, Kagome effortlessly raised her sword and blocked Koga's roundhouse kick.
"Your stupid brother is right," Ren cut in, ignoring the indignant glare and protest from the other shaman. It was definitely a problem if someone as slow as HoroHoro noticed it. Kagome's movements were becoming increasingly unlike how they were supposed to be. Once merged Sesshomaru, the priestess' movement became his: as fluid and graceful as a stream but as mighty and roaring as a tsunami. The girl's current speed was sluggish and half-hearted, but just enough to thwart Koga's relentless melee assault.
'Monster...' Kagome thought, her eyes glossed over. Her body moved by Sesshomaru's will alone as her misty eyes only magnified the words written in bold, black marker. 'All I wanted to do was help my friends...'
'Calm yourself,' Sesshomaru warned. 'Focus. You're using up too much Furyoku.'
The demon lord frowned to himself as he forced Kagome to sidestep Koga's lunge, twisting around to slash at his shoulder. Forcing a human body, let alone a priestess' body, to move on his own will was a task that not even a powerful demon lord like Sesshomaru could keep up indefinitely. Kagome's soul and open-heart was his tie to her body, but her mind was becoming more and more clouded by pain that she thought that she had let go of.
"Kagome-nee-chan!/Kagome-chan!" Pirika, Jun, and Sango called out to the girl after a swift kick from Koga finally broke through the steel of Kagome's katana and snapped the blade in two. The priestess winced, her eyes snapping shut before several metallic shards could fly into them.
"Heh!" Koga smirked in that moment where time seemed to slow down.
Ren's eyes widened, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach. He almost doubled over from nausea when Koga landed a brutal uppercut on the priestess. Her neck snapped back, blood spewing from her mouth as she bit her tongue. The sight of Kagome's small body crashing back onto the cement was too much to bear.
Sango and HoroHoro's eyes met. They moved in perfect unison. Ren growled and snarled at the two who dared to hold him back. "Let me go! I'll kill the bastard!"
Jun's eyes widened in horror at those words. "R-Ren..." She raised a hand to her chest. "You wouldn't..." she whispered in a voice too small for anyone to hear.
"You can't interfere!" HoroHoro warned him. 'Shit, he's strong,' he grunted as the scion managed to raise his arm and grab hold of his kwandao. "She'll be disqualified!"
'Very strong,' Sango thought in agreement, as though she could hear HoroHoro's thoughts. It was taking all her strength to hold Ren back. "I know how you feel, but—Eh?!" Her eyes widened as she felt heat seep into her skin. A shock of energy startled both Sango and HoroHoro into releasing their hold on the enraged shaman.
"You talk big for such a little girl," Koga chuckled as he easily picked Kagome up by her collar. His cool expression did not show the guilt he felt when the girl coughed up blood. He must have looked like a sick man for not batting an eye from the droplets of blood that splattered on his face. "Maybe that spirit is too much for you to handle, eh?" He asked curiously as he held her up and studied her face: distorted with pain with eyes shut and teeth clenched.
Kagome did not respond.
Even with her eyes closed, all she could see was her old classroom; empty and cold, and her old desk, dirty and vandalized.
Koga scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward about the situation. He had never fought a girl before. He was feeling more and more guilty for causing one so much pain. It seemed that not only did he hit her hard, but he also triggered some sort of mental trauma judging from the chaotic way her spirit was fluctuating. "Guess I should just end this, huh?" He asked the unresponsive girl. "Sorry, Kagome..." He whispered as he gathered his furyoku into one tight fist.
Sesshomaru cursed.
If there was one thing that becoming Kagome's partner had taught him, it was that having a body of his own was irksome. In the priestess' current state, they both were prisoners in a lump of flesh.
Meanwhile, in Kagome's mind, she continued to sit there, all alone at that desk that everyone despised. "Yuka-chan… Eri-chan… Ayumi-chan…"
Her tears fell onto white-knuckled fists as she glared down into her lap. She never got the closure that she needed. She did nothing but run away from her problems. She never got to tell her old friends, or anyone, that they were wrong about her. She was no monster, nor was she a freak. She was not the only person in the world with abilities like these. And her abilities were not evil, not unless she used them that way.
"I'm not…" Kagome whispered to deaf ears. There was no one in the room to hear her protests, to hear the truth. "I'm not a monster…" She only wanted to use her powers to help people. Helping people was the purpose of her powers, right? As a priestess, it was her job to relay the messages of the gods and deliver humans from darkness.
And yet… here she was… caught up in her own darkness.
Wasn't there something important she was supposed to be doing right now?
What was it again?
Just as Kagome lifted her eyes from her lap to reread the words scribbled on her desk, she gasped. That cursed desk with its damned words suddenly went flying across the room and disappeared in the void of darkness just beyond the walls. Her eyes watered over. She knew who this person had to have been: the one person who had been on her side through all of the torment. "Sorry, Ban—" The name on her lips died when her blue eyes met angry golden ones. "R-Ren…? What are you…?"
The Tao heir glared down at her. He crossed his arms as he usually did when something was getting on his nerves. "That should be my question," He huffed as he gave her a critical, disappointed stare. "What the hell are you doing?" He questioned her harshly. He tapped his foot impatiently as he loomed over her with a haughty scowl. "Aren't you supposed to be showing me that you can take care of yourself?! Aren't you supposed to prove that you're strong enough to win on your own?!"
Kagome immediately raised an arm to wipe away her tears. "I know, but… he said… they said…" Her gaze lowered to the spot where her desk used to stand, the spot where it used to taunt her and remind her of what people thought of her. She wanted to look at that desk and read those words again, but… she could not. The sole figure that remained in front of her was her friend.
"Who the hell cares what those idiots said?" Ren scoffed, jamming a thumb to his chest. "If anyone gives you crap, they'll have to answer to me." Kagome raised her head, tears falling from her eyes as the walls of the classroom crumbled and the darkness lifted into bright, clear sky.
Kagome whimpered, trying to hold back her tears as the forms of all of her friends appeared beside Ren. "Kagome-chan, there's no way that someone as wonderful as you can be a monster," Sango told her with a smile. "You're the wonderful angel who healed my heart."
Jun nodded in agreement as she added, "You brought a light like no other into our lives."
Manta stepped forward and placed a hand on her knee. "If it weren't for you and Yoh-kun, I would have lived my entire life blind to the beautiful world around me."
Kagome blinked when the Usui siblings both wrapped their arms around her. HoroHoro rubbed his cheek against the top of her head and whispered, "You're the kindest person that I know, no doubt about it. Anyone who says otherwise can go to hell."
"Onii-chan is right," Pirika added as she gave Kagome's shoulder a squeeze. "You welcomed me into your group so openly. I really feel like I belong with you!"
Then there was Ryu, who placed a hand on her head and ruffled it, "And your beauty is not just skin deep. You forgave and befriended an idiot like me who hurt you and your friends so easily."
Anna refused to look at her but huffily stated, "You're not bad, dobe. So stop being stupid and feeling like you are."
Bankotsu stepped forward and grinned sunnily at her, "Like I said, I'm on your side, and I always will be."
Finally, the small crowd of teens parted, and Asakura Yoh came sauntering through them, looking the same way that he did on the day they first met. His school uniform was sloppily put together, his eyes closed and a peaceful smile on his face.
Kagome felt her breath catch when Yoh stopped directly in front of her and squatted down. "Kagome…" The way that he spoke her name was so gentle and sweet. It was like Kagome's very own secret love song. "It'll be alright now," He told her reassuringly, resting his hand on the fist clenched in her lap. "Everyone here, we're all your friends now." Kagome nodded and hiccupped a bit. "And most importantly…" Yoh smiled warmly, "Tears don't suit you."
Kagome's eyes shot open as she snapped back to reality.
'Welcome back,' Sesshomaru greeted her as they raised her hand as one and caught Koga's fist before it connected with her face. 'If we lost to this weakling, I would have abandoned you.'
'Yeah, right~!' Kagome laughed a bit at that thought, unaware of how the grin that followed her sudden recovery unnerved Koga to his very core. 'I'm using it,' The priestess told her partner.
'Very well,' Sesshomaru conceded. He could not deny the newfound confidence that shone within his partner. No longer was she only curious about Tenseiga's power. He felt her belief in her ability to control it. That steady resolve was enough to sway his mind.
'What. The. HELL?!' Koga thought when Kagome suddenly regained her footing without relinquishing her hold on his fist. Sango's eyes lit up at her best friend's next move. The girl, who was considerably smaller than Koga, grabbed his other hand and bent over so that her bottom was against his hip. 'How. The. HELL?!' His eyes widened as he was suddenly lifted off the ground and thrown down as Kagome pulled on his arm and flipped him onto his back. "A-Argh!" The ground knocked the wind from his lungs on impact.
"She did it!" Pirika cheered as she excitedly grabbed Jun's hands and began jumping up and down. Both girls shared warm smiles with each other, glad that Kagome snapped from her stupor.
HoroHoro was a bit confused about what happened within these past few seconds. One moment, they were holding Ren back from potential murder, then Ren had broken free in the next and shocked them all by shouting at Kagome instead of slicing through the fence and running to her side. The older Usui looked at Ren's face and was relieved to see that he was no longer on the verge of a rampage.
'Oh...' HoroHoro cracked a grin when he noticed that despite his impatient body language, Ren was now smirking. 'He's proud.'
"Koga-kun, I'm the one who should be sorry," Kagome whispered as she drew Tenseiga from its sheath. Koga paled when the spirit within him began to howl and cower in fear of the blade that emitted some sort of strange, ethereal aura. "You broke my other sword, you see," She told him casually as she held the otherworldly blade overhead with both her hands.
Koga grunted and shut his eyes as the tip of Tenseiga came bearing down towards him.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh could not remember the last time that he was truly alone with Anna like this. For the first time in a long while, the Asakura residence was completely empty with the exception of him and his fiancée. As much as he wanted to scope out how the Tao cousins stacked up against each other, it was important that he took this opportunity to speak with Anna about something that had been plaguing his mind for a couple of weeks now. It was a conversation that he had silently been dreading in his waking hours, as his sleep was plagued with visions of a Yoh and Kagome he did not know.
He had always wanted to live his life as carefree and easily as possible. And going through the motions of contentment with a closed and heavy heart was so unlike him. This person who hid true feelings and cowered away from confrontation was not the person he wanted to be. The way Anna sat on her instep across the table from him with a steel gaze reflected the cold reality of the situation. His face most likely betrayed the severity of the topic matter when he asked to speak to her in private while the others were away.
So here they were. Sitting directly across the small table from each other. Anna's face was as solid and withdrawn as it had been when they had first met years ago. However, unlike before, she held her head up high and locked eyes with him. The betrothed couple already knew the subject matter of this conversation the moment that Yoh had singled her out. And the itako did not need her lost mind-reading ability to know what was on her fiancé's mind.
The knowledge did not make living in this reality any easier.
Knowing her intended fell in love with someone else only made living that much more painful. Behind that strong expression and those critical eyes was an emotion that almost made Yoh shrink away. The part of Anna that felt like life was becoming less and less worth living.
"Do you remember what I told you that day?" Anna's voice suddenly cut through the brief silence that dragged on for an eternity. Flickers of emotion in Yoh's brown eyes told her that he still remembered the days of their first encounter as vividly as she did. How could he not? Back then, both of them had shared many firsts together: first friends, first love, first time being moved by another human being. "I said that I'd wait patiently for you to fulfill your promise to me," Anna recalled as if it was just yesterday. "And that if you betrayed me, I'd probably never forgive you."
Yoh lowered his head ever-so-slightly. Anna's words placed the weight of mountains on his chest. Back then, those words only made him smile. They were easily dismissible, because back then, it felt like it was just the two of them against the world. Or rather, they were both so rejected and made lonely by the world that it felt like there would be no room for anyone else. Yoh himself was not fond of humans. Human nature was responsible for so many atrocities and injustices in the world: the degradation of the Earth, and the ostracization of innocent souls that did not fit the mold of society.
Back then, Yoh truly did not think there would ever be room for any other in his heart.
And yet, there was more to loving just his family and being affianced.
From Manta to Kagome to Ryu to the Usui siblings and even the Tao family, Yoh only began truly living his best life now. His smiles became wider each day that he made a new friend that broadened his horizons. Every time someone new yet still so precious made their way into his life, his heart subsequently grew larger and larger.
And Higurashi Kagome… was someone special who managed to place herself in a spot that was supposed to be reserved for another: for Anna, his promised girl.
Yoh's despondent eyes rose to look at Anna, whose iron gaze never left his face. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her.
'But...' He thought to himself, 'There is no path that does not end in hurting her.' This was what he believed after mulling over his quandary time and time again. "Anna…" He whispered, his voice low and hesitant. "I…" Anna's eyes narrowed as she anticipated the words before they left his mouth. "I'm sorry."
"For?" The itako pressed sharply, demanding a follow-up. Despite the questioning inflection, her voice was frozen solid with accusation and hostility.
Yoh winced at the tone of her voice, but he deserved it, he knew that much. He would actually prefer that she resorted to her usual violence or direct harsh words over this. He wanted to be punished. But the Anna sitting across from him knew this was beyond punishment. She knew that punishment would not remedy their pain or solve this plight. This was the only way: confrontation, attacking the problem at the root.
The brunette's lips twitched. He fought the urge to purse them together. Yoh wanted to look strong, as it was the least that he could do for Anna's sake. He knew that if he broke down right then and there, she would be plagued with a guilt that she did not deserve. "I'm in love with Kagome," he replied as bluntly as possible. "I fell in love with her, some time ago."
Finally.
He said it.
Anna's clenched fists loosened in her lap. "I know that," She told him just as bluntly. "It took you a while to realize it, huh?" She whispered as she leaned back to stare at the ceiling.
Yoh's eyes widened as his head shot up.
"Don't act so surprised," Anna sighed in exasperation. For a moment, she closed her eyes and meditated. She took in all the information that had been given to her.
Honestly, she did not know which was more painful: Yoh avoiding the topic because he was too weak to handle the confrontation, or Yoh finally having the conviction to tell her that he was in love with someone else. 'I can't be a fool...' She told herself. 'Both realities are equally as painful, because both realities mean that Yoh is no longer mine.'
Anna's cool treatment of the situation told Yoh all that he needed to know. The girl in front of him knew what was going on around her, but she wasn't truly coping, not yet. Her mind processed the reality of the situation, and it built a protective wall around her heart. A dam that held back the raging flood of pain. "I'm sorry—"
"Stop apologizing," Anna suddenly spat venomously. "What the hell are apologies going to do? Do you think apologies will fix this?" Her fingers curled into fists again as she sprung to her feet. Yoh did not coward or slink away as the blonde girl stomped around the table to glare directly down at him.
Anna's dark eyes narrowed even further as she leaned down to grab a fistful of the fighting uniform that she handmade for him. "Asakura Yoh," she hissed out. It both hurt and angered her when his brown eyes rose to meet hers: soft and guilt-ridden versus hard and resentful. "You promised to make me into Asakura Anna, the Shaman King's First Lady," she reminded him of the promise that neither had forgotten. "You promised to change the world for me, make life easier for me!"
The wall around Anna's heart began to crack as she raved. Yoh's eyes widened as the fury on Anna's face took on its true form: fear and torment. He allowed the blonde to angrily shake him by his collar with her right hand as her left raised high into the air.
Yoh knew what this posture meant: a true Legendary Left, one that he would embrace. He would endure as many as it took. He would do anything to alleviate Anna of the pain that he was causing her. It was the least that he could do.
[PLOP!]
The Asakura's brown eyes widened as Anna's left hand began to tremble, as if it were too heavy to hold in place. Her tears were as heavy as beads of lead as they pelted Yoh's face. The girl who loomed over him maintained her glare but her lower lip quivered as her resolve crumbled. "An… na…" Was all that Yoh could manage as he openly gaped at the prize of his betrayal: the shattered face of a girl he still loved, but was not in love with.
Even without the fluttering in his stomach or the racing of his heart, Yoh still loved Anna more than she would ever know. She was his very first friend. She had rescued him from his loneliness just as much as he did for her. She allowed herself to be vulnerable and cared enough for him to push him away. Yoh grunted and narrowed his eyes. If he could glare at himself, he would. He cursed himself and his greedy, weak heart. Without a word, the brunette stretched out his arms.
Anna's eyes widened at the feeling of Yoh's arms snaking around her back and pulling her down until she was kneeling, her face buried into his chest. "Yoh…" She whispered as her hands wrapped around him and held onto him for dear life, as if it would be the last time. "You're such an idiot."
"I know," Yoh acknowledged with a nod. One of his hands rose to stroke the back of Anna's head, his fingers combing through her sandy hair soothingly. "I'm an idiot, and complete filth."
He hoped that Anna would agree with his self-degradation.
"You are a lot of things," Anna remarked. "But filth is not one of them. I would have never accepted your promise in the first place if that were the case," She responded adamantly as she pulled away from the embrace. "Now," she whispered while shooting an intense gaze up at Yoh. It almost made him release his grip around her tiny frame. "You have to be honest with me, and yourself."
Just as Yoh thought that he had made it through the thickest, foggiest neck of the woods, Anna's fearful howl off in the distance told him otherwise. Their eyes met once again: hers firm and his wavering. "You have to choose," She told him. "Higurashi Kagome, or me," She pressed on, as if she needed to clarify what she meant.
It sickened Anna to see how Yoh's cheeks burn at the mention of Kagome's name. His reaction gave his answer away before his mouth could utter the truth or a lie. For a moment, his lips parted slightly, but just as quickly as they opened, they shut again. His eyes averted from hers as he contemplated his response.
As if the itako could read his mind again, Anna spoke up, "And before you try to claim that your feelings are one-sided…" Her jaw clenched at her next statement, "…they are not. Kagome is in love with you as well."
"W-Wha—?" Yoh's jaw dropped open as his heart skipped a beat. It was painful, but exhilarating. "She—? What?" The brunette's mouth continued to open and close like a beached fish gasping for air.
Anna deflated and removed her arms from Yoh's person. She did not know what she had hoped to gain from this encounter. She did not want an apology. She did not want Yoh to grovel and beg for forgiveness. What did she want?
The warmth that lit up Yoh's eyes—it was reserved for Higurashi Kagome.
This time—it was Anna's turn. Her heart skipped a beat, looking at that tender expression on her fiancé's face. It was a reflex that he could not fight. He just learned that the object of his desires wanted him just as much. 'Why…?' Anna wondered as her hand rose to clutch at her aching chest. 'This man just broke my heart, but I still…' Without realizing it, the itako leaned forward and closed the distance between their bodies.
Yoh's eyes widened as Anna's lip landed on his. But his body was frozen on the spot, unable to move or reciprocate the action. His eyes did not even close. He could only stare as tears began streaming down Anna's cheeks once again.
'I still love him.'
With that thought, Anna felt something stir up inside of her. One that she had not felt in so long. Yoh gasped as they parted, the temperature in the entire house dropping drastically, so drastically that Yoh shivered as his breath condensed in front of his face. Swirly-tailed orbs of light began phasing through the walls and floors. "These are…?!" He recognized what was happening.
"Yoh-dono!" Amidamaru suddenly called out to him as he appeared before the couple. "This congregation of negative spirits—something seems to be drawing them here!" The samurai spirit looked down at Anna's face and saw the hollow look in her eyes. "Could it be that…?" He trailed off. Yoh had told him of this event when they were getting to know each other: the formation of an oni through a culmination of festering negativity.
"There's no time to talk!" Yoh told his spirit. He looked down into Anna's eyes and paled when he saw nothing there. Her mind had drifted to some far-off place where his voice alone could not reach her. He wanted to tell her to run to safety while he and Amidamaru disposed of the demon that was about to be born, but…
"Damn it…" He whispered. It was all his fault. He reached for his sword that was never too far recently. "Amidamaru, in Harusame!"
The samurai spirit complied with a low grunt as he entered the blade. His young master stood up as he glared at the mass of spirits that began to grow taller and taller. "Sorry to drag you into this, Amidamaru," Yoh apologized to his spirit as he smiled nervously at the situation.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome's sharp inhale caused Koga to slowly crack an eye open, only to find that the glowing tip of Tenseiga's blade was hovering a few millimeters away from his face. "What?" He grunted in frustration. "Why don't you finish me off, huh!?" He barked at her, feeling humiliated that such a small girl caused him to recoil and flinch away from her blade. It was only when Koga glared up at the girl that he realized that she was no longer looking at him, her eyes were fixed at something else off in the distance.
"What the hell is that?!" HoroHoro shouted he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of a hideous, behemoth of a spirit that suddenly stood up in the distance. "It's… humongous…" Everyone marveled at its terrifying size, even from their distance.
This spirit was unlike anything they had seen before. It stood as a biped like a gigantic human. Its limbs bulging muscles not covered in skin, so it was almost sickening to witness, with tendons, and other flesh stretching. The creature's torso did not match its limbs: its belly was a sweaty, greasy mass of fat. The most off-putting part of this creature's appearance was how its humanoid body melded into nightmare fuel starting at its neck. The part of the neck attached to the shoulders was in perfect proportion, but that soon changed as one of its eyes ventured up towards its head. The neck became thinner, like the end of an ice cream cone until it was met with a skeletal dragon-like head.
"That's… an oni…" Kagome said more to herself than anyone else, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had heard of such creatures from her grandmother Kaede, but never before had she set her eyes on one. 'This creature… it's giving off such a dark aura, but…' Her eyes softened at the feelings that washed over her. 'I can tell… the source of this darkness is… loneliness.'
No longer concerned with her opponent on the ground, Kagome looked over to her best friend as Sango called out to her, "Kagome-chan, it looks like that creature appeared somewhere around the Asakura's place!"
'That loneliness…' Kagome gasped as her skin crawled from the feeling of dread. 'The reason why it feels so familiar is…'
An image of Anna sneering and turning her back to walk off into a void appeared in Kagome's mind. Determination flickered in the priestess' blue eyes as she hastily sheathed the Tenseiga and sped towards her friends. The very thought of Anna slipping away to a place where no one could reach her was Kagome's motivation. 'This time, it's my turn. I have to be there for her.'
Koga blinked and sat up. He extended his arm towards her and protested, "Hey, wait! If you leave now, you forfeit the match! You have to finish me off!"
Kagome easily leaped over the high, chain-link fence and landed gracefully next to her friends. She offered Koga a small apologetic smile and stunned the shaman on the ground with her statement, "There's something more important to me than winning this fight." Even more stunning was how none of the girl's friends looked surprised at her decision. They nodded at each other with a silent understanding that Koga had only seen from his own crew.
"From the look on your face, I'm guessing you know what that creature is," Jun inferred solemnly as she looked at Kagome's grave expression.
Kagome nodded. "That's an oni, it's a mass of vengeful spirits that accumulate over time…" She explained, shaking her head as she tried to recall her lessons. "See how big it is? Its massiveness reflects the darkness of the person whose emotions summoned it. This one is no doubt exceptional, an oni among oni."
"So basically, you're saying that thing went from bad new to worst-case scenario?" HoroHoro scowled before he sighed aloud and shrugged his shoulders. "Guess we have no choice."
"Bad to worst is fine by me," Ren smirked. "We get to skip the annoying steps in between."
"Who exactly would have such a dark soul to summon such a massive oni though?" Jun wondered aloud as the teens took off in the direction of the Asakura residence, leaving Koga behind them without another glance or word. The forgotten shaman clenched his fist and punched the ground.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh leapt into the air to avoid being crushed like an insect as the oni's gigantic foot smashed into the Asakura residence, reducing the entire structure in a flattened formation of splintered wood and crumbled bricks. "Guess we're homeless," the shaman remarked casually.
Amidamaru shouted in panic, 'Yoh-dono, now isn't the time to be so carefree!' The samurai observed how the oni maliciously stomped the remaining foundation of the Asakura residence and rotated the ball of its foot from side to side like a person attempting to ensure that a squashed insect was truly dead. 'This spirit is quite malicious. What could it be after?'
Yoh looked down at Anna's unconscious face and his grin immediately wilted. 'Anna… I've got to hurry and defeat this thing before it's too late!'
The longer this abomination existed, the more it would feast on Anna's furyoku until she was used up completely. But was he to fight such a monstrosity while trying to keep Anna safe? The shaman winced when the oni continued its rampage by kicking its foot straight through a nearby house.
If its residents were not dead, it would take a miracle for them to not be in a critical condition.
"Hey, you!" Yoh suddenly shouted at the creature, successfully turning its attention away from the rows of innocent homes. The shaman landed on his feet a short distance away from where his home once stood. A shiver ran down his spine as the creature opened its mouth, revealing rows upon rows of razor-like teeth.
"Asakura Yoh…" Its voice boomed and crashed like thunder. "Betray. Alone. HATE!" The oni roared as it began to follow Yoh's path. The shaman's only plan at the moment was to lead the oni away from such a highly-populated area before trying to counterattack, if he even made it that far.
"Uwaaaaah!" Yoh screamed as he was sent flying from the impact of the oni's fist crashing into the ground where he stood a second earlier. 'Anna!' Was his only thought as he wrapped his body around her form protectively to cushion her from their inevitable fall. Harusame clattered and clanged as it skidded down the street and far out of reach. As soon as the dust cloud around them cleared, Yoh sat up and looked down at Anna's motionless form. Her shallow breathing made him breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
His widened when a massive shadow suddenly loomed over them. He looked over his shoulder to see the oni's foot positioned above them. "HATE! DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEE!"
At that moment, Yoh's life flashed before his very eyes. He knew that he was going to die. He saw everything from his early days of being apathetic towards spirits, to training with his grandfather, to being ignored in school, to meeting Anna… to seeing that hollowed, empty look in Kagome's eyes on the day when he first befriended her and Manta… to how those empty shells became the brilliant, warm eyes that he grew to adore.
'At least… I was able to make a difference in her life.' He closed his eyes for a moment and waited for the release of death.
But it never came.
Yoh opened his eyes again, then blinked as a relieved smile spread across his face.
Standing in front of him were Sango and HoroHoro. Both of them held back the oni's foot with their glowing boomerang and snowboard respectively. "Y-yo!" HoroHoro greeted through a forced toothy grin. "Looks like we made it just in time!"
Yoh sighed in relief and nodded. His shoulders slumped a bit as he placed a hand over his racing heart, "Yeah, thank goodness. I thought I was a goner…"
"Yoh-kun," Sango began without looking at the shaman she was protecting. "This oni's appearance… it has something to do with your relationship with Anna-san and Kagome-chan, correct?"
Yoh nodded and gave an affirmative grunt to the Tao when he remembered that she couldn't see him. He then scooped Anna up in his arms and replied, "Yeah… it's all my fault." Sango shook her head silently. She knew that now was not the time to play the blame game. All that mattered was that this creature was defeated before it could cause more destruction or drained Anna of the remainder of her energy. "Thank you," He thanked them as he dashed away from the immediate danger.
HoroHoro and Sango glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes. They nodded curtly before simultaneously veering off to either side to avoid being caught beneath the oni's foot. Sango patted a tense spot in her shoulder and sighed aloud when HoroHoro grinned while leaning against her other shoulder. "We make a pretty good team, don't we~?"
"Don't push your luck," Sango warned him while pinching the all too cozy arm that invaded her personal space. "Let's go!" She shouted as her aggressive fingers hastily clasped around HoroHoro's wrists and dragged him out of harm's way. 'It's fast!' Sango grunted in frustration as she was forced to dance around the oni's stomping feet.
"Hey!" HoroHoro called up to Kagome and Ren, who ran up on one of the oni's massive, muscular arms each. "Hurry up and take care of this thing, would ya?!"
"Tch." Ren refrained from yelling a rebuttal to HoroHoro. Instead, he took out his frustration on the oni. In one swift motion, he impaled the blade of his kwandao into the oni's left bicep. 'A spirit with a physical body?!' He growled from the cognitive dissonance that this situation was creating. With his weapon infused with furyoku, Ren sliced through the exposed muscle.
Only Kagome and Yoh were not surprised when the open gash in the oni's arm immediately regenerated. "Damn…" Yoh cursed from a safe distance away from the fight. "They can't defeat it that way…" He muttered as he tried to recall how he last defeated an oni years ago. The details were fuzzy, but he knew that oni were nothing to be trifled with, even for shamans. He gasped as a small hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. He looked over to see the smiling faces of Jun and Pirika.
"We'll take care of Anna-chan here," Jun told him with a warm smile as Bailong appeared behind her. The sentient corpse too smiled at him and nodded with a small grunt to confirm his mistress' words.
Pirika pulled Yoh to his feet and then gave him a slap on the back. "Get out there and help them!" She cheered him on with a smile that reminded him much of her older brother. The brunette looked between the three friendly faces and then down at his fiancée, before smiling and nodding his thanks to them.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Anna huffed and crossed her arms as she and her husband ascended the decaying staircase. "I swear to God, Yoh," She muttered beneath her breath grumpily. "If this woman does not live up to the standards that you've set, I'm going to slap you good," she threatened as her irritable expression darkened further. The last thing she wanted to do during her brief stay in Tokyo was to ooze sweat into her dress from climbing so many damn stairs.
"I promise that she won't disappoint~!" Yoh chuckled softly as they arrived at the top of the stairs. He was quick to grab his wife's hand and lead her past the sign that warned them not to enter the private property, leading her over all the obstacles that used to trip him up.
Anna's dark eyes narrowed more and more the deeper they traveled across the shrine grounds. She had sensed a great spiritual energy and an even greater sorrow the moment they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, but the presence became even more overwhelming the closer that Yoh led her to the well-house that he had told her so much about since he first began visiting the shrine. The air was thick with trapped energy. It was like treading through gelatin. It was almost sickening: this level of despair that bore down on the itako.
'So this is why he invited me here…' Anna noted as the sounds of grief assaulted her ears. She was not surprised that her husband would have a bleeding heart over this woman's plight…
The itako took in the unkempt appearance of the shrine and almost sighed. She, too, could not help but feel sorry for the woman who had caught her husband's attention. "Okay… I'll help."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Anna's eyes groggily opened. She almost regretted waking up from that strange dream. The waking world was spinning, and she had to resist the urge to vomit. "Anna-chan!" A familiar voice that the blonde could not quite place her finger on suddenly called her name.
"Thank goodness!" A higher-pitched voice sighed in relief as the swirling blur of colors began to slow down. Anna found herself looking up at the concerned face of Pirika, who cradled the itako's head in her lap. "Anna-san, I'm so glad that you're alright!" The younger girl smiled through happy tears.
The genuine relief on Pirika's and Jun's faces took Anna aback, but her face did not show it. Instead, Anna shot up and looked left and right. "Where's Yoh?!" She asked in a panicked voice that was unlike her normal cool demeanor.
"You just missed him a few minutes ago," Jun informed her in a calm voice. "Yoh-kun went to go help the others fight off that oni." Anna's eyes followed the daoshi's line of sight and gasped to discover that she was several blocks away from the battle.
"But don't worry!" Pirika smiled sweetly. "Kagome-nee-chan is super strong now! I'm sure that they can't lose to anything as long as she's there!" The oblivious girl missed how Anna's face hardened at the mention of Kagome's name.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
HoroHoro threw a teasing grin at Ren as the golden-eyed shaman landed next to him. "How does it feel to know that your girlfriend is way stronger than you?" He asked as Kagome swung Tenseiga and cut through the oni's left arm. Despite his words, the blue-haired teen was grateful to see the severed arm disintegrate like the other one that Kagome had cut off a minute ago.
"I don't know, you tell me," Ren spat back as he looked at Sango, who positioned her Hiraikotsu into a throwing position again. The older Tao flung her flaming boomerang at the oni and smirked when the creature screamed in agony as the weapon imbedded itself within its eye.
"So you admit that San-tan is my girlfriend?" HoroHoro asked with a grin as he followed his crush's example and launched a barrage of ice shards at the oni's other eye. After the oni quickly recovered from several blows dealt by the young shamans, they were quick to conclude that all they could do was distract the creature to make it easier for Kagome to take it down with her special sword.
'Now what? Go for the head?' Kagome asked Sesshomaru. Despite having learned of the existence of oni from her grandmother, she never learned how to defeat one in battle, especially one of this size and power. Even without the use of its arms, the oni was wreaking havoc by angrily stomping and kicking its leg about like a child throwing a tantrum.
'Hn,' Sesshomaru confirmed. With that clarification, the priestess bounded up the oni's leg at top speed with Tenseiga dragging behind her. It was thanks to Sesshomaru's inhuman speed that the priestess was able to keep her balance and momentum as the oni angrily stomped and tried to shake her off its body.
After springboarding off of the oni's jiggly belly, Kagome was suspended in front of the oni's face. Kagome scowled and narrowed her eyes in response to the furious serpentine eyes that went cross-eyed to glare at her. 'Finish it,' Sesshomaru instructed.
She held up Tenseiga. The blade pulsed in response to its two masters' wills.
However, there was a split second that made Kagome freeze.
The oni opened its mouth and growled out her name. "Kagome… Stole… Must… Die…"
'I… stole…?' Kagome thought to herself as the dragon suddenly leaned forward to close its gnarly maw around the priestess' tiny form. The last thing Kagome heard was the sound of Yoh's desperate cry as the oni's hot, moist breath washed over her.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Yoh…!" Anna's eyes widened as she watched Yoh slash through the oni's jaw in an attempt to rescue the priestess from her demise. "Yoh!" She jumped to her feet. Heartbreak or not, Yoh was the person who she loved more than anything else in the world. The itako grunted when her run was halted by a firm grip on her forearm. She turned an outraged glare onto Jun.
Anna had not seen the older girl look so fierce and serious in quite a while. The blonde violently yanked her arm away from the dàoshì. "What's your problem, Tao?" She whispered harshly. "Don't stand in my way or I'll—"
"I'm not here to get in your way," Jun cut in quickly. Not even she had the patience to deal with the itako's temper and threats of violence. If push came to shove, she was more than willing to have Bailong defend her.
"Then what the hell is your problem?" Anna question as her glare intensified. "Don't piss me off. I'm already in a foul mood."
"Duly noted," Jun nodded towards the towering form of the oni that was attempting to use its mouth to reclaim Kagome's body from Yoh's protective grasp. "Your foul mood is the reason why this oni appeared, correct?"
"Why, you!" Anna's outburst was interrupted when Pirika planted her body in between the older teens. Her thin arms spread out protectively in front of Jun and her eyes glaring the itako down. "Pirika… you too, huh?" the medium whispered inaudibly.
Anna felt herself slipping back into the darkness.
Everyone was against her.
No one was on her side.
The mysterious existence known as Kagome forced its way into her life and stole everything from her: her home, her life, her Yoh, her future, her hopes, and all of her happiness.
Pirika's eyes then softened as she lowered her arms at the sight of Anna's body becoming smaller and smaller. The thin blonde wrapped her arms around herself, trying to simulate the embrace that she so desperately needed.
"Anna-san, friends shouldn't fight," Pirika suddenly told her. Anna slowly picked up her head at the younger girl's statement. Dark onyx met deep blue in silence. "We're all here to help you!" the small girl explained with eyes that pleaded with Anna's to believe her.
"Yeah, right," Anna released a bitter chuckle. "I'm sure that you all only came to stop the oni. None of you truly care about me…" She looked over and saw how Yoh acted as bait for the oni, who attempted to devour him whole. The sight of Kagome's glowing blade slicing through the neck was enough for Anna to look away.
The battle was over… for now.
"Especially Kagome…" The itako muttered. She turned her back on the battle, unable to stand seeing Yoh and Kagome together any longer. If she saw them, she was sure that the filthy feelings that she tried to keep at bay would summon another monster. "I'm sure that she's only here to play the hero."
Pirika gasped when she noticed that Kagome and the other shamans were approaching and were within earshot of their conversation. "No!" She protested while shaking her head negatively. "That's not true at all, Anna-san! It's not like that, I swear!"
"Don't worry about it, Pirika," Anna told her. "I know that they're right behind me," she informed the younger girl as she whipped around to glare at Kagome's surprised face. The innocent confusion in those blue eyes was almost enough to send the itako over the edge again. "I don't care what any of you think of me. I'll say it again if you want."
Through the dark haze of her pain and anger, Anna could not see the guilty look on Yoh's face, or the concerned one on Kagome's. All that she saw were apathetic expressions: faces without sympathy or care for the agony that gripped her chest and made it difficult to breathe. All that Anna could see was a reason for her to loathe the world and curse the fact that she was ever born.
"Anna…" the sound of her name on Yoh's breath did nothing to quell her pain. Anna's hand was quick to slap away the tanned one that reached out to her.
"Don't…" She whispered as she took a step back and lowered her head. Her sandy blonde bangs covered her eyes. The last thing she wanted now was for Yoh to see the state that he left her in and feel pity for her. She did not want his pity. The only thing that she wanted from him could not be offered wholeheartedly, so she no longer wanted it—not like this. "You all only came here to be heroes… not for me."
Kagome took a deep breath to calm her nerves, but she stepped forward. Her trained hand easily caught the defensive strike that Anna swung at her. "Anna-chan, that's not true at all," the priestess whispered to the itako. Her other hand then rose to catch Anna's left hand.
"Unhand me, Kagome," Anna hissed beneath her breath. "I despise you. You may have everyone else fooled, but I know what you real—!" The spiteful accusation ended in a soft gasp. Anna's eyes widened when Kagome swiftly released the firm hold on her hands in favor of wrapping her arms around her.
"Sorry…" The priestess whispered in Anna's ear. "I'm sorry for all the pain that I've caused you…" The embraced girl was frozen on the spot, her heart beating loudly in her reddened ears. "I'm sorry that we made you feel so lonely and afraid."
Anna's fingers curled into fists… then released again.
"If you think a stupid hug will fix this…" The anger in Anna's voice began to rise again, only for the flame to be extinguished by Kagome's hold on her tightening.
"I don't," The priestess replied quickly, wanting the itako to quiet down and listen. She wanted Anna to stop for a moment and truly feel what she felt. "I don't think that hug will fix everything…" Anna could have sworn that she could feel the comforting smile on Kagome's face.
"But it's a start," Yoh finished the statement as he wrapped his arms around Anna and embraced her from behind. He was truly grateful that she did not rebuff him this time. "You're not alone anymore…" the brunette stated, his voice more certain than it had been all day. "We're not alone anymore."
Anna wanted to huff and glare as the remainder of the group closed in on them. Pirika cooed and hugged the itako from her right side. Sango embraced her from her left. HoroHoro followed suit and wrapped his arms around Sango. Jun smiled and joined in on the group hug by wrapping her arms around Kagome. "Joining us, Renny?" She asked her younger brother.
Ren merely blushed and muttered a quick, "I'll pass, thanks."
He was content to watch the happy tears trail down Kagome's cheeks as she continued whispering to Anna, who had completely conceded to the warmth around her. "I didn't come just to be a hero, Anna-chan," the priestess told her in a voice that only the blonde girl could hear. "I came here to be your hero. I had to choose between making sure that I won my Shaman Fight or make sure that you were alright…"
Anna's eyes widened.
"…and the obvious choice was you," Kagome stated. "I choose you, Anna."
Anna could not believe it.
She could not believe that she ended up just as foolish as everyone else.
She would not admit it, but she was glad that she felt this foolishness, for it lifted the weight that had been crushing Anna's chest.
Anna could finally feel and understand what Yoh saw in Kagome.
Here in Kagome's arms, close to her soothing heartbeat…
It was a beautiful place.
Chapter 28:
Three Steps Forward, One Step Back
"I Choose You, Anna."
ENDS!
Authoress' Notes: Yeah, uh, sorry to anyone who was looking forward to Faust's debut! Sometimes I end up getting lost with the chapter pacing and one or two of the goals end up getting pushed back! And this will only be the beginning of the Anna / Yoh angs Forgive me but it has to be done.