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Prompt: Scontro
Word count: 6000
Rating: sfw
Fandom: Shaman King
Note: reincarnated!OC, Childhood Arc. Rework di una fiction di anni fa, a cui spero un giorno di dare la dignità che merita. (fiction postata, nella sua prima stesura, su ff.net sotto lo stesso titolo e con la stessa protagonista)
Time flew by, between the training focused on spiritual energy control and the theoretical lessons about the history of the Asakura clan. It seemingly appeared like a good idea, to explain to the young and obstinate girl the reason why they had to kill a newborn to prevent the end of the world.
But was it, really? Not much.
Karura defended her point of view repeatedly, sounding more and more fierce and convinced by the second, to the point that the head of the family himself questioned himself on a certain matter. Should he allow his nephew to be present at the time of the birth? Should he let her present, considering she was not in the “right mindset” to live such an experience at a such a young age?
Yes, a voice answered, she is an Asakura, so it's a duty to carry out her Fate.
Yohmei, in the dim light of the room he shared with his wife, closed his eyes with a serious, pained expression. That's right, he said to himself, want it or not they were all destined to pay the price of their ancestry. That was what he was taught, thus that was what he taught his daughter and son-in-law before their marriage, before Mikihisa became part of the family.
Tradition and destiny were the most important things. He had always been sure about that. Nonetheless, his belief began to waver when he saw the stern expression of the little heiress. Both Kino and Keiko told him that, sometimes, Karura's eyes held that veil of maturity so out of place in a child of her age.
He speculated once, that probably her soul was older than her body: the possibility that she was reincarnated and somehow held the memories of her first life existed. But that was not the real matter, even if it was the case.
What if she was on Hao's side in her past life?
What if she knew he would reincarnate in his original family and planned to help him out?
He didn't talk about those thought of his with his family, but he was sure similar thoughts had invaded their minds too. The old Asakura didn't know how to make sure that wasn't the case, because if it was, and if accidentally something went wrong during the... execution (he refused to use the word murder), they'd lose all their hope for the future.
*
«Karura, do you know why I called you here?»
The child stopped looking around – they were in the old sanctuary of the family she never visited before – and focused her attention of the man. Something told her that the situation was particularly serious for her.
She shook her head in all honesty. «No, Grandpa. Why are we in this place? You said it was off limits for me.»
«I've come to a conclusion, regarding the matter we talked about lately. And I have to ask you, if you're an enemy or an ally at this point.»
The man remained silent for a moment. Then, he called forth his guardian spirits: a dozen of little impish ghosts appeared, possessing the small stones on the ground.
Karura immediately tensed up and the action didn't go unnoticed.
«You voiced your opinion about Hao's reincarnation many times already and are very protective of him, something I- no, we all can't understand. Why are you so tenacious? Can't you see that the world is going to perish if he becomes the Shaman King?»
The little girl blinked repeatedly, frozen in place at the umpteenth attack against her ideas. It wouldn't be different from the usual, wasn't it for the spirits ready to launch themselves against her at any moment. She kept silent, looking down and trying to buy time to seriously think about what to do.
Unfortunately, Yohmei wasn't going to let her have her way.
«Answer me, Karura. Who are you going to side with?»
«... this is so nerve wrecking. Why can't you just leave us alone...?»
The little girl mumbled to herself, making those words barely audible. The old man only knitted his brows together a little, but didn't speak up. Karura took a few breaths and continued with a louder, steadier voice.
«I don't plan to become anyone's enemy, that's for sure. I don't plan to kill anyone, not my family, nor strangers. And... the world's safety? Please, don't begin lecturing me again on that. As it is right now, the world is already approaching the end spontaneously.»
Yohmei was still and silent, evaluating the child's words, way of talking, posture – everything that could tell if she was lying or not. It didn't seem so. He hadn't the time to ask, as the child continued her talk.
«This said, it's not like I'd be happy if everyone who is not a shaman or doesn't possess some shamanic abilities died because of the new Shaman King. I'd like to be friends with non-shamans too and... I don't really think that having shamanic abilities elevates us above other humans, morally, but let's be real. Normal people would look at those who can see ghosts as if they're crazy, some would even treat us like heretics or freaks. It happened in the past, it happens in the present and will happen in the future. Actually, it will happen more and more often as the civilization progresses.»
«You're saying you're not hostile towards us but neither towards Hao, that you don't mind normal humans but that you fear they'll discriminate us?» the old man asked, summarizing. «Your words can mean everything and anything. I must ask once again, Karura. Are you an enemy?»
«I'm not!» the girl spat out angrily.
She had enough of it: hours of attempts at explaining her point of view and every time they were back to zero? Annoying.
With a loud snort, the child went on. «Maybe my long talk confused you a bit, so... let me explain in an easier way. I'm not going to kill Hao, I'm not going to let you tie me to your view and sure as hell I'm not going to let you all brainwash Yoh, to force him kill his twin. I want them to live as nicely as it's possible, both alive and well. You can call me a dreamer, not pragmatic and whatever you want, but I will not step back from my opinion.»
To be sure, Karura didn't know where all that courage came from, but she had it in her nonetheless. It was as if it took control of every action of her body and mind.
«This is the last time I tell you that. If it's enough of a reason to see me as an enemy and thus kill me, then you're not different from the monsters you all want to stop.»
The silence that followed such a vibrant speech felt almost numbing. The girl had her hands balled into fists and, despite everything she said, she was slightly trembling: with the adrenaline slowly vanishing from her body, together with irritation and anger (feelings she bottled up day after day, until that moment), she realized the weight of the situation she was in.
She might die. Again. This time by the hands of her grandfather. Only because she had a brain under her skull and her own ideas, which were different from her family's.
That's so fucked up, was her first thought. Couldn't I be reborn in a shoujo manga instead? immediately followed, just before a long scream to herself.
Yohmei took a deep breath and looked down.
«You're... really something, child. So calm at times, yet so fierce at others. But your intentions are not evil, this I'm sure of.» He then dissipated the shikigami, much to the girl's surprise and relief. «And I'm also sure of another thing. From the way you speak and behave, I can tell you're not at your first life, isn't it right?»
Yes, that was quite unexpected. Maybe she hadn't been cautious enough, in four years, she thought. Or... maybe it was not such a big deal: cases of reincarnated people were probably more frequent than not, in that world. So, one less lie might help her keeping her stress level a little lower.
So, she answered truthfully. «... I'm not, sir.»
«Were you one of Hao's acquaintances?»
«I wasn't. My life was... very calm and normal before. No spirits, no training, no strange aurae I can see everyday... You'd call it the epitome of boredom.» she let out a small, dry laugh. «I was one of the time-wasting humans, who struggled to find what they wanted to do in their life. Nothing more, nothing less.»
Karura felt a little strange, speaking so easily of her old life: four years might be a long time to elaborate a death and a rebirth to herself, but to tell it to others? Strange, strange and even more strange; her body didn't feel right, as if nervousness was tearing her apart.
«I don't... really want to talk about it. I'd like to ask you not to pry further.»
«You're not really dangerous to us, or you wouldn't have told me about your condition knowing that I'd be suspicious, right?» he asked. For the first time in those last months, when he saw the honest glint in his granddaughter's eyes while she nodded, Yohmei felt the weight on his shoulders lighten a little. He sighed. «The problem is still the same though. We can't allow Hao to act freely.»
«Then you'll kill both of them?»
«... As an Asakura, I have to.» the old man hesitated before giving out his answer.
For a moment, Karura looked at him with pity, then with a strong sentiment. «Maybe as an Asakura you can't choose, but as a human you can actually do something.»
And she was adamant in proving that to him and everyone else.
*
Despite that exchange of words, nothing really changed. Life continued as it had been before, with the elders training the young heiress in shamanic disciplines and the parents worrying and thinking about when that fated, cursed night would come.
The Asakuras would (try to be) prepared for it, not paying much attention to the youngest's ideas about it. Karura didn't know if it was an act of kindness of sorts, or pity because she seemed to have chosen the easier path.
«If they really knew they wouldn't say that, daughter of man.»
The child opened her eyes, interrupting the meditation session she was in.
The forest around the Asakura estate was her favourite spot to do that, because it was always very calm and relaxing to her. And even if something or someone approached her, she would know in no time... with only one exception: spirit of nature seemed to be able to simply “pop in” in her area of perception, without making themselves noticed while entering that same area.
Of course, the closer they got and the easier was for the shaman to sense them, but it took her a lot more of concentration to spot them if they wanted to stay hidden.
The older they where, the more difficult it was to sense them.
But the stronger they were in terms of furyoku, the easier they were to pinpoint.
The sylphs were spirits of nature similar, in form, to fairies, floating in the sky or among the trees like their own element: the wind itself. As free spirits, they were rather playful and reckless and hated to be bored or stay still. Karura met them some time before, during one of her spiritual training sessions: she spoke to them and some of the little spirits seemed to have taken a liking to her, by the way they kept visiting her place.
«Here again to play?» the child asked, stretching the before crossed legs, with a small smile on her lips. «I'm training today, I can't join you guys. Kino and Yohmei will give me an earful if don't complete this exercise.»
A choir of complaints left the little spirits. «Owww, come on! You said it the last time too!»
«Because you came here while I was training the last time too.»
One of the sylphs got closer to her, bumping her small hand against the shaman's nose. «But you promised to play! We remember very well, you promised.»
Karura sighed, seeing no way out of this: she indeed give her word to the wind fairies to play with them “the next time they met each other” - she did just to be able to end her meditation session, but never thought they'd take it at heart like that. So, the child stood up and patted off the dust on her short kimono and sport shorts.
«You win, what do you want to do?»
The little spirits squeaked in delight and began flying all over the little girl, making her smile. Some even hung on her clothes or her hair, like that was the most comfortable spot in the world.
«Can we have some of it first? Pretty please? It feels so refreshing!» one of them asked and the shaman instantly knew what it referred to. In no time, Karura closed her eyes again and let her furyoku leak out from her spirit, around her body, just as if it wanted to envelope the little fairies in a hug.
It was not certain why, but the sylphs seemed to like the feeling of “bathing” in her aura. It was not a big deal to her, so she let them be.
«I don't really understand why you like it so much sometimes, but whatever.» the girl mumbled to herself, not noticing the deep gaze of the spirits that hung onto her.
Slowly after, she was pulled into a game of tag that lasted the whole afternoon, until late, wearing the young shaman out with all the running and the laughter. It was so peaceful in its own way... until, suddenly, Yohmei called his nephew with an almost panicked voice and hurried her back home.
Keiko had gone into labor already.
*
The air was terribly tense in the residence, she could feel it.
When Karura arrived in the private room where Keiko laid on a futon, her face twisted in pain and covered in sweat, everybody looked so tired that she almost didn't recognized the usual members of her family. Now clad in a clean kimono, with her hair still a bit wet after the bath she took not long before, she made her way to Kino, who sat on a cushion beside her daughter.
«How is Mom?»
«The labor pain has passed, she's finally able to sleep.»
The child nodded slightly before taking place at woman's side, taking her hand in a physical attempt to comfort her, taking the cloth on her forehead and dipping it in the fresh water in a nearby bowl. Wringing it out with both hands, she proceeded to gently rub it on her mother's skin, slowly and carefully, as if she feared to harm her with that simple gesture. She repeatedly did so until the little droplets were all wiped away.
«It's a pity that this is where she has to give birth, even though we've already given her the drugs to make it easier. And, well... above that, killing a baby is a sin.» Yohmei began speaking with a sad, serious and sorrowful voice, clenching his hands into fists. «It can't be helped. That man isn't someone you can enforce rules with. If we let that man live, all the barriers we placed in front of his strength will be of no use.»
Karura sent a meaningful look his way, but went ignored.
«Even if we were to abort the baby that will be born, it would only end up that he would be born in another body. But, if we were able to kill him here and now, even if he was able to reincarnate in another life, he will not be around in time for the shaman fight.»
«Are you even sure about that, Grandpa? If he's only half the great onmyouji you always speak about, he'll be able to participate in this tournament even if he has to be in an infant's body.» Karura, once again, countered quietly, still holding her mother's hand in her tiny little ones.
And, once again, Yohmei deeply thought about the possibility: he was by no means a naive man, therefore knew that the objection could become reality. «That's true, but... we have to do what we can do, Karura.»
«Although there is no greater pain for a mother to endure, this is the fate of an Asakura. It will be born tonight. Up until this day, you've done well not running away, Keiko, Mikihisa.»
The four years old rolled her eyes and snorted loudly, clearly showing her disappointment. Since the day of the talk with Yohmei, Karura found it useless to keep holding back while voicing her thoughts: they hadn't tried to get her killed yet, so she took it as a good sign to test how much “freedom” she still got.
It was not much, really, but it seemed that as long as she behaved there would be no problems.
While stroking absentmindedly her mother's hand with her thumbs in an comforting way, the reincarnated child thought processed Kino's words.
As Joey, she hadn't been through the pleasure of motherhood yet and the most similar emotion to motherly-love was that she had for her cats at home, so she was positive that she didn't know what it meant for a mother to lose her child, or children in their case.
No, Karura might have sounded hypocritical if she said that out loud, but Keiko didn't deserve that fate. The child still hated the fact that, as a mother, she gave up her sons so easily, even if it had been because of the menace of Hao's reincarnation. But, on the other hand, she had experienced the affectionate gestures of both her present parents before.
She saw how happy they were when the news of the second pregnancy was out.
Despite everything, they didn't deserved that kind of fate.
“It's not even completely their fault”, she thought sadly. “If they knew what he went through, if only they saw the boy other than the 'monster' created by hatred and loneliness, then maybe they'd try to understand him a bit more...”
«It's about time, I think. I really have to thank you two. This decision must have been painful for you.»
«Ah, I don't really mind, father. But it must be more painful for Keiko than for me... even so, she said “since I was young, I have been raised being told about Asakura Hao”, that it doesn't matter what happens to her, but Hao must not be allowed to live again.»
Mikihisa's voice stopped for a moment, his eyes glued to the small figure of his first daughter, who was still frowning for those words. He pitied her, really, for naively thinking that Asakura Hao was someone that you could talk into pursuing peace rather than massacre.
«There is no place to run away from this destiny, standing up to it is the only way.»
«... I honestly wanted to run away.» the old family head revealed with a serious, sorrowful face. «But despite that I am part of the Asakura.»
*
«What are you humans doing, child?»
Karura almost jumped out of her skin when the sudden, yet familiar, voice hit her ears over the muffled screams of the woman she called mother.
The time came of course and Keiko was going to give birth to Hao in a few moments now. While Kino helped her in the process, the other three occupants of the room kept their distance: Yohmei prepared the leaves to use as mediums for his Kooni, Mikihisa stood still where he was seated, while Karura had taken place a meter of two beside him.
Everybody was so concentrated on the childbirth than no one noticed the whispers the child gave as response.
«Riku, I don't mean to sound rude but- what the hell are you doing here?»
The sylph who spoke among her companions looked at the human with a frown. «We sensed some dangerous energy in your house, so we came to check.» Her eyes went back to the mother on the white futon. «She's the source. Or, if I must be precise, something inside her.»
«It's someone, not something, to begin with.» Karura corrected, seething. «Do you remember Asakura Hao, right? He's going to be reborn.»
The little group of spirits squealed in surprised, while the one named Riku simply inhaled sharply. «I... understand now. They're going to kill him, just as they did in the past.»
Karura blinked a few times. «You mean... five hundred years ago?»
«I'm referring to five centuries even before that. It happened right here, in this land.» the wind spirit elaborated shortly after. «We sylphs are spirit of nature, therefore live a really long life. The first time he established his school and residence, we already were here, “infesting” the area. Instead of eliminating us, he just asked to not interfere with his family... in exchange, he promised we'd be free to roam inside his barriers and feast on his furyoku whenever we wanted. My sisters and I lived peacefully in this area for a very long time, so we saw the first time he got killed by his own family and students.»
Karura was beyond shocked at that point: one thing was knowing that her little, ethereal friends were very old, another that they knew Hao, that the Asakura residence was the place he died the first time and that the sylphs could give testimony to the fact.
That was too much information all at once, she could feel her head spinning already.
Before the child could think carefully about it, a new voice echoed in the room. An infant's cry, who laid in the arms of his supposed grandmother. Kino was fast to put him on a cushion laid out before the set of leaves Yohmei prepared before.
As the older man began to chant what sounded like a mantra, Karura felt her panic spike and soar beyond the atmosphere. Riku didn't help when she suddenly asked her: «So, what are you going to do now?»
What, indeed, could she do? A shaman apprentice, without a spirit companion nor the experience in fighting and a very bad performance rate under stress... The little girl rolled her hands into fists, tightening around her kimono's sleeves.
She saw the Kooni rise from the tatami mat and followed them with her eyes. The instant before of the attack, Mikihisa materialized at her side, as if he wanted to shield her if something – anything – went wrong.
In that moment, she saw it: the glimpse of hesitation in Yohmei's eyes, that caused the fall of their murderous plan.
An orange spark lighted in mid air, anticipating the appearance of the smaller form of the Spirit of Fire. The family head's shikigamis were disrupted and the man himself got hit shortly after by a reversed spell that caused him various wounds on his head.
As the irony smell of blood hit her nose, Karura felt awfully sick. She gave in to the instinct to curl a bit on herself, trembling. Still, she managed to whisper an answer to her friend, finally.
«I just... only-... want everyone to be safe...!»
The sylph seemed to smile lightly. «That is something we can do together. Do you trust us, Karura?»
Seeing the hope and the sudden determination in the youngest's eyes as soon as her head snapped in their direction was enough of a response.
Just as Mikihisa shielded Yohmei with his body from the Spirit of Fire's attack, a boisterous blow of wind erupted in the room, creating a dense air stream that deviated successfully the elemental punch directed on the man's head.
The shocked face of her father in that moment was something Karura wouldn't forget soon, she'd say later that night. Her concentration at the moment was into trying to maintain the “barrier” created by the sylphs around the two men.
Keyword: trying.
“It's alright, Ru. Both Keiko and Kino are not in danger. Hao wouldn't risk to harm his other half”, she tried to reassure herself, holding her hands out before her. Despite her determination, however, her furyoku was unstable due to her erratic mental state at the moment. She wasn't really surprised when the stream weakened slowly, before dissolving shortly after like a bubble touched by a child.
The image of Mikihisa summoning his two spirits was the last thing she saw before collapsing on the ground, losing focus and consciousness bit by bit. Apparently, synchronizing with spirits was tougher than it seemed, especially for the first time.
Still, in her mind, she managed to hear Hao's voice talking about reincarnation and Yoh's future at his side. She closed her eyes, missing the interested gaze that the newborn sent her way before he disappeared in a bright sea of flames.
*
«You did good for a first timer, child.»
When Karura “woke up”, she found herself once again in The Plains. It had been a bit since her last visit and the place didn't seem too different that time. Nothing new had apparently appeared, therefore the reincarnated girl just ran up to the older woman and gave her a bear-tight-hug.
«Asano, I missed you so much! First, the Asakuras are all scary and tense, then the little ones wanted to play while I was meditating again, then everything went downhill and Hao attacked Yohmei and Mikihisa, then I didn't know what to do and-- do you think he hates me now? Would Hao hate me because I defended them...? I want to cry right now, I'm not ready for all this stress!»
The older spirit quietly and patiently listened: the little girl, despite being reincarnated and definitely more mature than she looked like on the outside, still had her moments of weakness and breakdown. Fortunately, that only happened in The Plains, when they were alone. Asanoha, being the kind woman she was, let her express her worries and emotions freely, gently stroking her hair and caressing her back in a soothing manner.
The rant lasted a few minutes more after the initial outburst, consisting mainly in incoherent mumbling with the occasional scream of frustration. Karura still looked stressed after that, but a little better at least.
Asanoha was the first one to talk then, when she was sure that the child, whose arms were still tight around her waist, had finished her complaints. «So, from what I understand it seems like you found your guardian spirit. Or, well, spirits in your case.»
«... Huh?»
«I'm referring to the one you call Riku and her little sisters. They offered to help you out and you trusted them to do so, right?»
Karura lifted her head to look up, directly into the woman's caramel eyes, with a confused expression. The older one sighed, taking a step back – which Karura allowed – and then crouching in front of her.
«When a spirit offers help spontaneously to a shaman, it means that they respect him or her enough to allow themselves to be tuned into a weapon. You simply let them use your energy this time, trusting them to protect your family, and it was good. But if you strengthen your link with them, in the future they'll put their power in your hands and you will be the one to decide on how to use it. Do you understand what I mean?»
«I'm... kind of... yeah...» the child mumbled. She almost jumped out of her skin when Asanoha placed her own hands on her shoulder, snapping her from her dazed state, but she managed to smile a bit. «Riku and her sisters have been very nice to me in the past. I want to thank them for trusting me and my ideals, even if it's an utopia.»
A light laughter erupted from Asanoha's lips after that comment. «Oh dear, don't feel discouraged before trying. Do you need another slap to convince yourself?»
From the aura emitting from her figure, the woman was deadly serious.
Karura gulped down. «N-No, ma'am! I will carry out my duty and I won't let myself dwell in depressing thought! But t-thanks for your concern, though...»
The other just laughed again, delighted by such an honest reaction.
*
The sun was slowly raising from over the horizon, Karura hesitantly stepped in the shadows of a corridor after waking and getting up from bed. Step after step, supporting herself with a hand on the walls, she walked to the main hall of the residence, the one where she felt the presences of her blood relatives.
She didn't feel Hao, of course. But she felt five strong “flames”, dancing in place.
A smile instinctively took place on her face and she picked up her steps a bit, as much as her current state allowed. Her whole body felt sore and tired, she suspected that she exhausted her furyoku a little too fast for her body's liking.
When she finally arrived, the conversation between the two men had almost reached the end she faintly remembered. Only the last sentences arrived loud and clear to her ears.
«If in that moment father had lost his human side, then this baby wouldn't have survived like this.»
«Fate... Surely, if we think about it conversely, if this child is really as Hao said, his other half, then it can also mean that he has the same strength as Hao.»
Before the older man could continue, Karura opened the fusuma. She stood at the entrance, on hand leaning on the sliding door while the four adults turned their heads to her. Yohmei unconsciously tensed up a bit, after realizing that she must have heard what he just said: not because he feared her, not at all, just... he didn't want to argue that early in the morning. Not after such an intense night.
To his – and everyone's – surprise, however, the child stepped closer to her father and grabbed the man's haori with two fingers, lightly. Smiling, albeit tiredly.
«Shouldn't you think about getting better before strategizing, Grandpa?» she asked quietly. A short silence lingered, before she decided to speak again. «I'm... happy that everyone is alive. You had me worried last night and... I don't regret helping you, even if I didn't do much, but... you must know that I still haven't changed my idea. Still... I'll fight to protect everyone I hold dear, even if they don't share my ideas.»
Mikihisa didn't know why, but that first simple question lifted a weight from his chest.
No, those words, and the tone they were said with, made him come to the conclusion he looked for so fervently: his daughter, despite acting a little off for his liking sometimes, did love them. She wouldn't forget, forgive nor justify what they tried to do, but she still cared for them.
He was a bit conflicted about this, but he wanted to believe her. That, and he was grateful that she, despite the risks, tried to protect them with her powers. It said much about the truthfulness of her claiming.
The man raised his eyes from the figure of his daughter and smiled a bit: from the look in Yohmei's and Keiko's eyes, they shared the same feeling as him.
«Speaking of which, Karura. Where did you learn to do that?» Kino suddenly asked, snapping everyone from the emotional atmosphere.
The child sat beside Mikihisa and Keiko, legs crossed irreverently and hands keeping the hems of her yukata down. «Uhh... I didn't? The sylphs used my furyoku, I didn't do anything other than make sure they had enough energy to keep up the barrier...?»
Silence filled the room, accompanying incredulous gazes directed to her.
«Even with a spirit’s help, you still managed to condense your furyoku enough to—pfff, ahahah! Karura, you really are something!»
The child didn't really expect such a reaction from Yohmei. She really doubted his mental state, for bursting out laughing, one hand on his head, like that. However, she didn't question him: there was a mystic peace in the room for the moment and she didn't want to snap it.
Smiling lightly, Karura stole a glance at the bundle of cloth that kept her little brother warm.
She was an older sister now. She had responsibility, she couldn't be egoistical anymore. In fourteen years or so, they'd begin a wonderful, possibly deadly adventure and she had to make sure that Yoh was more than ready, both physically (but the other Asakuras would take care of that) and mentally.
And that meant that someone, most likely her since she knew that nobody else would explain things to him before the beginning of the tournament, should give him all the bits of information he needed about that same tournament and its rules and about his family's history.
But to do this...
*
«Grandpa, let's make a deal.»
It was a common day, very usual and quiet and peaceful. Yohmei was enjoying the weather outside, supervising the little girl who was meditating under a tree nearby. He noticed numerous little spirits resting on her head, shoulders and legs while she sat on the ground, happily enjoying the spiritual energy that was leaking from her body.
It was not a new phenomena, but it still made him curious: many shamans attracted spirits, strong and weak altogether, however Karura should have been... a bit too green to manage them like she did. She was either a natural talent or a strange case, even among the Asakuras.
Every thoughts about the matter, however, was pushed aside when he elaborated her words.
«A deal?» he asked again, to make sure.
«Yes. I'll tell you everything about the next Shaman tournament and the future I know, so we can all have a kind of head start this time.»
«And in exchange?» His eyebrows knitted in concentration as he looked straight at the small figure. Karura reciprocated the feeling with an apparently calm exterior.
She took a small breath and talked again. «In exchange you will explain everything to Yoh since the beginning. You will tell him your opinion and I will do the same with mine, then he will choose what to do in the future.»
«Karura, that's--»
«I apologize for interrupting you, but I don't want to hear that speech again. I almost know it by memory. The only thing I'm asking you, the head of the Asakura family, is a yes or a no.»
«...»
«If you want time, you can have it all. Just know that I'll talk to him about it by the time he'll meet his fiancée. Oh, and know also that I'll join him during his stay in Tokyo, in the future. I won't let you leave a thirteen years old alone in a city he doesn't know.»
«You... Agh, fine. We'll do this your way, child.»
Karura didn’t expect Yohmei to give up this easily, but she thanked Fate nonetheless; probably the exhaustion from the night before was still taking its toll on him, but she wasn’t complaining. Surely, they'll try to convince Yoh into believing in their ideas, but she knew that Yoh wouldn't be a person that was easily swayed, not in such an important matter.
Karura only smiled and gave a brief hug to the older man. «I knew you were a wise man, Grandpa!»
«Umph, those empty compliments don't work anymore on me.»
«Liar! Your aura puffed up when I called you wise. Oh, it did again!»
«You little... Give me another ten laps around the estate, now!»
The child gasped, looking offended. «Meanie!»