Disclaimer: As always and forever, Shaman King doesn�t belong to me.
Author's Notes: MI really really really don�t know why I wrote this. This is a one-shot and is written in Manta�s POV. I guess it�s mostly review and such� though I do stress that there is a SPOILER� so if you haven�t watched past episode 60 and don�t want to be spoiled, I suggest you not to read this fic.
Warnings: Slight OOC, spoilers -- As stated above.
Manta Case File #1: Yoh & Anna
My name is Oyamada Manta, 14 years old. I go to Shinra Secondary School, a private school in Tokyo that greatly stresses in the success and proficiency in both physical and mental strength and power. In other words, if you don�t excel in both academics and sports --- you�re in trouble.
Despite my height of 80cm, I do pretty darn well in sports. You may not believe that, and I don�t blame you� sometimes I can�t believe it either. I may not be the best in sports, but when it comes to knowledge, I know it all!
My father forces me to study constantly everyday, so that I may one day inherit all he has. You think that living in a rich family has its perks, but believe me� I�d give anything to have a free will again. A couple of months ago, my family insisted that I go to America, so I can learn and prepare to go to university over there later on.
I guess I should begin describing or at least partly describe my well-mannered (I suppose� you could call them that) family. My young sister, Mannoko is 5 years old. Regardless of age, don�t underestimate her! With her laptop by her side always, she can research and investigate any person in the city or even country! She�s the kind of sister who will just manipulate and blackmail you the second she has the opportunity to.
My mother� I *think* she wants the best for me. But she doesn�t understand! She sees everyone as a lower class than us. Who are we to judge? It�s not their fault that they can do things that we can. People have valid reasons!! Their hand could be handicapped or suffer from disabilities� but she doesn�t care.
My father� a wealthy man who often is away around the world, not bothering to phone or send anything to us� He is constantly busy and never has time for anything. As stated above, he wants to work hard so I can inherit the business when he retires.
Because of him� that�s what brought me to the world of shamans.
Asakura Yoh� that is the name of my best friend. He is a shaman. �A person who binds this world and the next�... as he defines it� Unlike me� he has a dream� to be the Shaman King and live an easy life. He is a completely carefree, lazy, lax, unreasonable daydreamer who loves to listen to music and just relax with nature. But he is also a kind person with a good heart. He always puts the well-being of others before himself, and even though it may mean losing his life, he�ll still do it.
Assuming you know about the journeys I have been in with Yoh and our friends, I won�t go too much in detail about what a shaman is and all that. That isn�t the purpose of this story. What is the purpose of this story? You�ll find out soon enough.
Yoh-kun�s main spirit is Amidamaru, a 600-year-old samurai who was known as a demon because he killed so many. So people say. If you actually met him, you would know that that rumor is nothing but a lie. He is a kind spirit, who is loyal to Yoh-kun. He doesn�t like fighting, but will fight when necessary.
Now the second main character of the story besides, Yoh-kun� which� is his fianc�e� Kyouyama Anna�-san. Eeeek! Her glares will scare the living daylights out of you, her slaps will hurt beyond what you think is pain and... if you say anything bad� and she catches you (which she well, by the way� she has keen ears which can probably hear from a mile away)� it�s safe to say that your funeral is coming up very soon. By the way, I�m describing her, you�d think that she�s evil or something. But she isn�t. In fact, she really cares for Yoh-kun� and it�s evident too.
Which brings us� finally� to the story! How Anna-san and Yoh-kun became� more� well� acting more like their relation to each other, being engaged and all. I�m sure all of you have at least wondered once, how did they become so close? How? Why? When? Where?
I don�t know all the answers� but I think I know enough to answer most of the questions.
During the Shaman Fight, Anna-san was persistently training Yoh-kun, so that he could become the Shaman King. Boy, I wouldn�t want to be in his shoes� his training looked quite� painful, even from afar. But little did I know, Anna-san was training him for another reason� other then being the Shaman King. This reason soon became clear to me during our final battle with Hao. (Yoh-kun�s older brother� in short, wanted a world inhabited by only shamans)
When we thought Yoh-kun had almost lost his life to his brother, Anna-san was the one affected the most. You could see it in her eyes. The usually calm, cool, stoic, reserved Anna-san was� well� she wasn�t crying physically� but from her eyes, you knew she was crying in her heart. She had lost hope� And that�s when I knew� Anna-san was training Yoh-kun so he could� survive. So that he could� come back to us� to her. In a way you could say that she was training him out of love.
Yoh-kun regained consciousness (thank goodness) and you could see Anna-san smiling! (not a big one� but it counts for something)
I don�t know what inspired me to write this story� but it�s an interesting relationship to look at. Because a few months after the final battle, you could see Anna-san�s expressions� changing. Bit by bit. Like� instead of all those years of withdrawing herself in loneliness, she was slowly opening up� to Yoh-kun. To everyone. It� was an amazing change. Of course, she still retained her normal habits� like her Legendary Left, which is still as painful as ever. I didn�t have to get hit by it to see that her slap remained completely the same, if not even more pain inducing. (Two words: Horo Horo)
Well, if she changed completely� that just wouldn�t be Anna-san. A part of me is glad she didn�t completely change� I mean, without her punishments, Yoh-kun would lazier than ever (not that his condition grew better) and with Horo Horo frequently popping in and out of the onsen� I think it�s good to have a strict person around� even if it does mean a limit to the partying. (In ways, it�s even more fun� ehehe.)
Maybe the shock of almost losing Yoh-kun had somehow told her to� cherish every moment with him? Maybe the fight helped her realize that� well� you know the old saying, �You don�t know you have it, until you lose it� or something along those lines. Or maybe she�s scared of losing him again? Maybe she wants to show Yoh-kun how she feels about him before it�s too late? Ahh! Too many maybes� All I can say is� Anna-san really loves Yoh-kun.
Last week, when I walked home with Yoh-kun, he seemed really quiet. I mean� when I tried talking to him, it seemed like he was thinking of something� or some-ONE. His answers were all the same, �Ah.. sou ka.�
When I asked him what was on his mind, he simply said, ��just...nothing really.� Then later, he turns to me, �Manta� what if I told you� that I think I love� someone?�
Obviously, he meant, �I think I love� Anna.� Of course, he didn�t have to spell out her name for me to know. And � I was right. �So you think you love Anna-san?� I replied with a smile.
He stopped walking for a sec and looked at me. Then he stared at the ground, at his feet. ��A-ah..�
�What took you so long to find out?�
�I don�t know� it�s just this nagging feeling� in my heart. Every time I see her� I.. well.. my heart stops� it�s just� strange I guess. I used to think that my heart stopped in fear� but� recently.. I know for sure� it�s isn�t.�
�Well� I�m happy that you finally found out. You should tell her��
�But what if she doesn�t feel the same way I do?� he bit his fingernails, a look of fear and shock crossed his face.
�I have a feeling� she does.�
�Really?�
�Well, I don�t know for sure� but if she doesn�t feel the same way, then I don�t know what she was thinking when she held your body close to hers when we all though you almost died.�
��She did that?�
�She almost cried� Yoh-kun.�
His face wrinkled in serious thought� Which was completely� new and unexpected. I could tell that this was just one of few few few few FEW things, Yoh-kun actually cared enough to think about.
We walked in silence the rest of the way. I had to go home and get ready for cram school so we split up a while later.
Yoh-kun� I think he loved Anna-san before� he probably just didn�t think about it, or maybe his hormones haven�t activated yet. You can tell. Sometimes when we�re in the onsen� there are these� times when he doesn�t seem to be paying attention. (Well, he never pays attention� really� it�s just that these times, it�s more obvious than the sky being blue) And all of those times he looks into house, like he�s expecting to see someone.
And once again, more obviously� you know he�s thinking about Anna-san.
When he trains sometimes� it sorta looks like he�s ENJOYING it. He�s not complaining, he�s not commenting, he�s just� doing it. I�d think he�s insane� maybe he was�
But I�m sure all of us know that� people do crazy things� when they�re in LOVE.
You�d think something would have happened by now between those two. I mean, they�re engaged� for one. But they live in the same place! Their rooms are RIGHT beside each other�s!! You�d also think that something would have sparked up� I mean� everything is set up� everything is good to go.
That�s a part I don�t even know how to tell you. Maybe they secretly do it at night? Away from all human eyes? Hey.. anything is possible. And I mean it.
Just when I was going to ask about� why things haven�t� quite� �started� between the two� I see them together� at lunch (this was today, by the way) holding each other!
Anna-san was resting on Yoh-kun�s chest and her arms were, well-- wrapped around his chest� that�s right, her hands were nowhere near or in a slapping position or movement. Yoh-kun was resting his arm around her waist. If that didn�t shock me out of what I was supposed to study tonight, I didn�t know what did.
I couldn�t tilt my head to face the path I was supposed to be heading down. It�s like they were hypnotizing me� I just couldn�t stop staring. (which I knew was rude)
These were my friends� who� were too scared to move in on one another for about� a year and there they were���� moving in now.
I�ll end up blind if I look at them any longer. I really will. I thought my heart had enough shocking moments for the day when� another� shocking thing happened.
They� k-ki-k-ki-k-kis-kis-k-ki-kis-ki-ki-k-kis-ki-k-kis-ki-kissed!!
I mean� I thought Anna-san was� going to just tell him a secret and whisper in his ear or.. maybe stand up (in which that case, I�d run like there was no tomorrow in the other direction)
But� her face was� inching closer towards Yoh-kun�s and� they� did it. I grew a little red watching them there� I mean if Anna-san were to catch me� I don�t think one funeral would be enough. I might� have to plan for two! Maybe three! Wait a minute� if I�m dead� I can�t even plan! I ran and hid near the bushes, a little further away from them and scurried my way back to school.
I had a hard time focusing back in class. To be honest, I was a little hurt that they tried to hide it away from me. But I guess they didn�t know how to break it. I don�t even know what to say to them after school. Do I pretend I never saw it? Do I confront him? Do nothing? Maybe I should just say I have a major test for cram school and� just go home and think about this a little more. Wait a minute� why am I being like this? I should be happy that they finally are together. Whatever this feeling that�s there, it�s not worth it. I want to see Yoh-kun happy and I�m glad that he is. Maybe I�ll wish them congratulations. Hehehehehehe.
Yeah.. I�ll do that.
BIIIIIIIIIING
There�s the bell and almost instantly, I was off my feet. I really do have a test for cram school. Nothing I can�t pass� it�s probably an old review the teacher liked throwing at us every now and then.
�Manta!�
I froze, �Yoh-kun...�
�Are you busy tonight? Anna and I would love to have you over.�
��.Maybe some other time�. I�d hate to ruin your time with Anna-san,� I mumbled.
�What?�
�Sorry, I can�t. I have a test in cram school that I can�t afford to miss.�
�Aww.. that�s too bad.�
Was it really? I don�t want to imagine� what they�ll do without me. Hehe.
�Maybe some other time,� I smiled.
Yoh-kun nodded, �Do you want us to walk you to the station?�
I watched as Anna-san walked towards us, slowly slipping her arm around his. I couldn�t tell if her face wanted me to accept the invitation or not. Sticking to safe side, I shook my head and told them it was all right.
Yoh-kun made a sad face but smiled, �I guess we�ll see you tomorrow then.�
�Mm hmm. Bye.�
�Ja ne!�
�Bye.�
I watched as my two friends leave hand in hand, gazing in each other�s eyes. If I would have gone along with them, there�s no doubt that I would have killed myself before Anna-san would have.
I�m happy that they finally got together. They deserve happiness in their lives. I know Yoh-kun didn�t have a great childhood, and by the way Anna-san had acted when I first met her� she didn�t have a nice one either. I guess� they�re perfect for each other� two lonely people� coming together.
I should tease Yoh-kun about when the wedding is coming� hehe. Well that wraps it up for this story. Although, I don�t know much about Yoh-kun or Anna-san� I know that their grandparents must have been psychic.. setting them together.
Maybe I should answer one final question: Why did I write this story?
Because� Yoh-kun and Anna-san are my two first REAL friends� and I want to see them happy, together.
OWARI
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