Shaman King Fan Fiction ❯ Not Forever ❯ Not Forever ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King. : (

Author's Note: This is going to be the last part to the Vindicated trilogy. I hope the few people who actually read Vindicated enjoy it and I dedicate this story to Itako No Anna Asakura, who actually reviewed my two past Shaman King stories.

Not Forever

It was three in the morning and there was still no sign of Anna. I looked anywhere I could think of. I looked for her at Manta's house, Ren's temporary residency, the cemetery and even the school. I sighed barely keeping my eyes open as I traveled back home. I'll just have to try harder after a bit of rest.

When I arrived home I set my alarm clock to seven A.M., trying to ignore the wave of nostalgia coming over me. I never used to have to set the clock to wake me up since Anna would always kick me out of bed for morning training. I sigh, the good old days. Now I lie in bed fully clothed, going to sleep to try to restore my energy. Then a loud ringing could be heard. I open my bloodshot eyes and look towards the alarm clock only to see that it's five in the morning. I go back to sleep thinking that it was only my imagination playing tricks on my sleep deprived mind but the clock's incessant ringing wouldn't stop. Then a part of realized it was the phone. I scrambled towards it, sweat dropping all the way.

"Hello, this is Asakura Yoh," I mumble angrily to whoever it was on the other line.

"Yoh, don't take that tone with me," a strict familiar voice reprimands me.

"I'm sorry grandma but it's five in the morning."

"Don't you usually wake up this early to train?" I swore I could almost hear her frown.

"Yes I did but that was when Anna was here…," my throat suddenly feeling quite restricted.

She sighs, and then says "I know," her voice getting softer with each passing word, "and that's why I called. Anna's been here, in the Asakura estate the whole time."

"WHAT?!?! If she was there why didn't you tell me?" I was shocked I couldn't believe that Anna was there and she couldn't have told me sooner so I could fetch her home where she belongs.

"You have to understand that Anna is my student as well as your fiancée."

I sigh, she's got a point I'm not the only one that cares for Anna. "I know and I'll be right over to get her," I say with newfound determination.

"You'd better because I'm not about to have Anna lose her trust in me when she finds out that I was the one that gave away her location just so you can slack off in your obligations as her fiancé. She's actually dedicated unlike you," my grandmother's strict voice coming back. She then hung up with out another word exchanged between us.

I quickly hung up as well and began the long trek to Izumo. When I got there hours later, to my disbelief I saw Anna was standing by the gateway, arms crossed and a stoic expression upon her grim face.

"So what took you so long?" She says with a placid voice. God I miss the way she talks or the way she does anything for that matter.

Anyways I didn't answer her right away I just walked up to her with a sheepish smile permanently imprinted on my face and swept her into my arms in a tight embrace. I then carry her back into the house so we could discuss this rationally. Once we were properly seated I started to answer her question.

"I'm sorry I walked here, I didn't think to take the train." A nervous chuckle sprouted from my throat.

"Even so I trained you well enough. You should have been here over an hour ago, which was about two hours after Kino-sensei called you," you say in your usual monotonous voice.

"That's why I need you Anna, to prompt me to do my best." My voice turning desperate and pleading as I say my next words, "I can't do this without you. I can't keep competing to be shaman king when my main reason for competing isn't by my side."

"Yoh…," your eyes shake if only for a moment before steeling themselves with a seemingly unbreakable resolve. "You don't need me; I'm just a crutch…"

I suddenly interrupt you, "Anna what did I say before you left? I said I love you and I meant it. You said it too and I know you also meant it. Why can't we be together and go back to loving each other with so much passion and conviction that the others don't understand just how powerful our love really is?"

"We can't because it won't last. Nothing lasts forever. It only lasts for a brief moment in time and afterwards you'll tire of me."

I grab a hold of your hands and say with as much conviction as I could muster, "Then why don't we seize this brief opportunity for happiness. Why don't we live for the now instead of the forever? Why can't we stay like this in each other's company for as long as possible? Why can't we just be together?" I look down at our clasped hands and notice tears, the tears I didn't know I was shedding throughout my speech. After awhile other tears fell mixing with mine, so I looked up seeing you with a soft smile playing on your lips.

"Oh Yoh…if you're so sure then maybe we can do this. Even if it is only for awhile..." I silence you with a kiss because if I going to be with no matter how short or how long I will make the best of it.

~

Kissing Interval

~

"Oh yeah and Yoh if you interrupt me again I just might be the reason our relationship won't last forever."

"Oh Anna I know you don't mean it," I chuckle nervously as we walk hand in hand back to Funbari Inn, though half way there I ended up being the one doing all the walking. ^_^

Author's Note: Yippee I'm done!!! Sorry it took so long to update but I encountered a few problems when writing, for example not knowing what the hell to write. R&R