The Elemental Shaman (part thirteen) A Personality Revealed

Rose woke to the sight of Horohoro hovering over her. She slowly sat up rubbing her head trying to figure out what was going on.

“Where am I? What happened to the fight?” She muttered almost incoherently.

Horohoro let out a sigh of relief. “You’re still at the Starlit Gardens. You were knocked unconscious by Leika’s attack. You’ve been out like a light for almost fifteen minutes now.”

“How’s Leika?”

“She’s out cold too. I’ve been checking on both of you since the fight ended. You know I didn’t think either of you were going to wake up after that attack.”

“She hits hard. Sorry I was so pitiful.” Rose said laughing lightly. “So who won?”

“Neither of you. Or both of you. It was a tie.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Yea, it happened to Yoh during the last Shaman Fight. And he made it passed the prelims. So you should have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m glad to see you care so much for your friends, Horo.” Leika had finally stirred from her slumber and had made her way over to Horohoro and Rose. She was frustrated by both the outcome of the fight and Horohoro’s actions.

“L-Leika! You’re awake! Uh! You probably shouldn’t move too much, you’re covered in blood. You’ll re-open those shoulder wounds.”

“Oh so now you care about me?” She asked in distaste. “Why don’t you ask your girlfriend how she is? Maybe you should tend to her wounds!” She turned away and started off in the other direction.

Horohoro stood up and started after her, much to Rose’s encouragement. “Leika wait!” He caught up to her with ease because of her current lack of strength. He grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her. “Leika please...”

“What happened to us? What happened to you?” She asked him, her voice shaky. “We were the best of friends when we were kids. We were the best of friends until you left to train for the previous shaman fight. We took care of each other. You protected me. We promised each other that we would always be there for one another. And then you left. You never came back home. Why? I entered this fight in hopes of finding you. And now that I have I feel like everything I’ve done was in vain. Why don’t you, can’t you feel the same way as I do?” Her shoulders shook as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Horohoro gave her a sympathetic look. He turned her around by her wrist and pulled her into his chest, holding her close.

“Leika...I’m so sorry. I never knew that you felt that way. I really didn’t mean to abandon you. I just did some growing up. Pirka and I lived on our own after the fight and never had any second thoughts on coming home. We just wanted to stay away. Not because we didn’t want to see you or anyone else, we were just happier living out of Hokkaido. I’m sorry Leika...”

Rose remained where she was, sitting on the ground. She was too far away to hear what they were saying to each other, but it was none of her business either way. She knew they needed this moment to themselves.

“How sentimental. This pitiful sight makes me sick.”

Rose’s eyes widened. She jumped up from the ground and spun around, almost losing her footing. “What do you think you’re doing here, Ren?”

He smirked and placed a hand on his hip. “Nothing really. I just had a fight with a pathetic shaman. Poor thing didn’t stand a chance.”

Rose couldn’t help but scoff at what he said. “If he didn’t stand a chance than how did he end up hurting you?” She pointed to his left arm where blood was dripping down.

“Oh this? It’s not my blood. It’s his.” He sneered.

Rose backed off a little as her anger started to rise. “You make me sick.”

“Whatever gets the job done.” He said cockily. “Anyway, I just thought I’d pop in and see how your fights have been going. But to see your pitiful display now, why it almost seems like all the time I spent with you was in vain. I knew I shouldn’t have wasted my time with you. You’re nothing but a pathetic excuse for a shaman. And without me you would have been nothing. Pity though, I guess even my help wasn’t enough to make you strong–”

Rose couldn’t take the insults any more. She brought her hand across his face, striking him hard.

“I am not a pathetic excuse for a shaman. I may not be the strongest but I’m not the weakest either. At least I don’t use people for my own personal gain. At least I have a reason to fight and I’m not just fighting to prove how much stronger I am than others. I don’t take away life for the adrenaline rush. If we compare strength by the path we choose to walk than I am the stronger one!”

Ren tried to hide the anger that was brewing inside of him but the crease on his forehead gave him away. “Oh so now you’re the martyr when it comes to fighting for what is right and follow the good, golden path. You’re just making up excuses so you can justify all the pain that you’ve unintentionally caused others.”

“That’s not true! I know I’ve caused a lot of pain and suffering for reasons that I don’t even know yet, but I’m trying to recount for all of that. I refuse to kill anyone for my own gain; I refuse to take away anyone else’s life. I will never stoop so low.” Rose retaliated.

“Excuses, excuses, excuses.”

“You’re no better than the man who’s after me!”

This struck a sour note. Ren no longer tried to suppress his anger. “Excuse me?” He said coldly.

“You heard me. You and him are two in the same. You torture and kill people for your own selfish gain. You’re no different from him –”

Ren brought the back of his hand across Rose’s face as hard as he could. Rose yelped in pain and spun around, collapsing on her knees. She held her hand against her swelling cheek and stared Ren in the eyes with a look that said “I hate you”.

“Look at you, talking like you’re all high and mighty when you’re the one who doesn’t know anything. You only think of yourself and how you feel in the overall scheme of things. You truly are a pathetic excuse of a shaman, no a person. I was wrong about you. Everything I assumed about you was wrong. I don’t care what happens to you. That man can find you and do whatever he wishes to you. Just don’t expect me to come to your aid.” With that he stormed off.

“I wouldn’t want your help anyway!” She called after him, in her attempt the get the last word.

Horohoro and Leika had only caught the tail end of what happened, but they could tell by the look on Rose’s face and the swelling of her cheek that something had played out for the worst.

“Rose are you okay? What happened?” Horohoro asked concerned.

“Nothing. It’s none of your business...”

Leika and Horohoro exchanged glances; they didn’t need words to indicate what to do next.

“I’d better get going Horo. I have to heal up so I can get training for my next fight. I won’t lose and I will see you in the next round.” She turned her attention to Rose. “You don’t lose either. I want another shot at you in the next round. I know you don’t share the same relationship I do with Horo, but I can’t take that risk. I will prove my worth to him. That I swear.” Leika gave a half bow before scurrying off away from Horo and Rose.

Once she was out of sight, Horohoro offered his hand to Rose. “Here, let me help you up.”

“No.” She said sternly. “I don’t need your help.” She scrambled to her feet, stumbling a little as she went. She started limping off towards the direction for home. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Horohoro walked slowly next to her, ready to help her at any moment necessary. “Hey Rose, what happened between you and Ren?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Obviously something happened. I don’t remember you getting hit in the face by Leika in the fight so that mark must be from him.”

Rose clenched her fists in a ball at her sides. “I thought you said he was different? I thought you said that even though he was a jackass on the outside, he was different on the inside? All I see in him is a murdering ass who doesn’t care about anyone else but himself!”

Horohoro gave her a half stunned look. “He’s not like that; you’ve got it all wrong.”

“So now you’re on his side? That’s just great.” Rose said defensively.

“Rose I’m not on anyone’s side, I just think you need to get all of the facts before you go jumping to conclusions like that.”

“Just drop it. I don’t want to talk about it any more.” Rose sulked the rest of the way home, neither of them saying a single word to the other.

Rose remained in her room for the rest of the night rethinking everything that had happened that day. She felt frustrated and betrayed. First it was Ren that was against her and now Horohoro was taking his side. She didn’t know who to trust any more. She wished things would just return to normal again.

Aquamarine appeared at Rose’s side. “We had a good fight today my Lady Rose.” She said trying to change the subject.

“We tied, how is that good?” She said, clearly in an aggravated mood.

“Well we didn’t lose. So I’d say that’s pretty good. And how on earth did you figure out how to use fire in our fight? I didn’t think it was possible.”

“Simple. I just wrote our clans character for fire on the back of the charm and that was all it took to bring out the charm’s power.”

“Why that’s brilliant. How ever did you think of that?”

“Mar, do you mind? You’re being a real pest right now...”

Aquamarine gave her a defeated look. “I’m sorry My Lady Rose. I didn’t realize I was bothering you. I’ll leave you alone now.” She faded into her memorial tablet that Rose kept next to her bed, leaving Rose alone in her room gripe.

The announcement of Rose’s next fight didn’t come for another few days after her fight with Leika. She would be fighting in a large cemetery against a man by the name of Varian in three weeks time. Rose spent the remainder of those three weeks training on her own. She didn’t talk to Horohoro hardly or the others for that matter. She just kept to herself to try and clear her head, but nothing seemed to work. She hardly ate anything with the rest of the household so Ryu took it upon himself to bring her a plate of food while the others ate together.

It wasn’t until a few nights before Rose’s fight did Ryu decide to bring it up to everyone. It was after he brought dinner up to her room and had settled down to eat his own food.

“I’m a little concerned about Rose up there. She hasn’t come down from her room since her second fight, and when she does she just sort of ignores us and goes off to train somewhere. I’m really starting to worry. I haven’t seen her this secluded since the day she first arrived here. Something must have happened during her fight.”

“Actually, it was after.” Horohoro said. This remarked caused everyone to turn their attention to him.

“Brother, what do you mean?”

“Yes Horohoro, please share.”

He was a little reluctant at first, but then realized it was probably for the best. “Well...after the fight she ran into Ren and you guys know about the falling out they had that led to Rose’s staying here again. Well this encounter didn’t go any better than the day she was kicked out of his apartment. I didn’t hear all of it, but it ended with Rose getting backhanded by Ren and her shouting about how he was a murdering, self-centered jerk. And when I tried to defend him, she shot me down and hasn’t really talked to me since. I don’t know what’s going on in her head...”

“Well that doesn’t sound good, though I do see where she’s coming from. Still she doesn’t know anything about short pants. Shoot she doesn’t really know much about us either, now that I think about it.” Ryu said, trying to defend Rose, only to end up talking in circles.

“I know. But she can’t seem to be reasoned with. I’ve tried talking to her but she refuses to listen. I really screwed up the chances of explaining things to her when I tried to defend Ren. But honestly I didn’t think she would react like this. But I guess it isn’t to be expected, she has gone through a lot. Still...”

“Well then why doesn’t someone just flat out talk to her. Not about the exact details, just talk.” This was the first time Yoh had said something regarding the matter and seemed to be the only one who made any sense. Horohoro and Ryu exchanged looks before turning their attention back to Yoh.

“Well chief, why don’t you be the one to talk to her?”

“Yea! That’s a great idea! Rose has a thing against me now because of what I said about Ren, and she’s not too found of Ryu either since he hit on her when she was depressed.”

“How was I supposed to know what was going on, sheesh!” Ryu crossed his arms and puffed out in false irritation.

Ignoring Ryu completely, Horohoro continued to talk. “Yoh you’re the perfect candidate.”

Yoh smiled casually and agreed. “But I think I’ll wait until the day of her fight. I have a feeling something big is going to happen then.” He laughed lightly as the others glanced between one another.

Anna shook her head and removed herself from the table. “You boys are a bunch of idiots. End of discussion...”

The day of Rose’s fight arrived soon enough. She had been training nonstop since her previous fight, readying herself for anything that came her way. In a way it was Ren who had motivated her to work so hard, but it was negative reinforcement because she was making herself stronger to prove her worth to him, which ended up being the exact same thing she had accused him of doing. She was blinded by her hate for Ren. Inside she knew she didn’t really hate him, but she was so infuriated by him that she couldn’t see anything passed that current impression. She sighed angrily and gathered her things for her fight.

This time around she didn’t wear any part of the costume Jun had made her. Instead she wore a white tanktop, a pair of loose fitted jeans, and her combat boots.

I’ve fought in this before, I don’t see a problem with it now… She thought as she changed out of her sweats. She didn’t bother tying her hair back and as far as weapons were concerned, she wore the key on her neck and nothing else.

As she adjusted her belt, she heard someone approach her in her room.

“So, your last fight is today huh?” It was Yoh.

Roses paid no heed to him and continued to get ready. Her answers were short and casual. “Yup. In an hour or so.”

“Where at?”

“Mata Cemetery in West Tokyo.”

“Mata Cemetery huh? You know Ren and I fought our final match of the prelims there. Pretty ironic.”

Rose stopped what she was doing and turned her full attention to Yoh. “Did you say you and Ren fought?”

Yoh nodded coolly. “Well actually we fought quite a lot. But that is where we had our official one-on-one fight.”

“How did it turn out?” Rose asked, obviously intrigued.

“It ended in a draw. But it was a nail biter until the very end. It could have gone either way. You know,” Yoh started as he shifted from one side of the door to the other, “that fight is what changed Ren’s whole perspective on life.”

Rose scoffed at that remark. “What? It made him go from hating only certain people to hating everyone? Turned him into a cold blooded killer?”

“He’s not what you think he is, Rose. Ren’s not a killer.”

Rose looked at Yoh like she couldn’t believe those words were coming out of his mouth.

“It’s true that he used to kill people. He used to hate and despise every human being that walked the earth. He wanted nothing more than to rid this world of everyone. But then he met me, and he began to question everything he had been taught his whole life. He was confused and soon became ridden with guilt. He vowed never to kill another human being from that day forward. And instead of wanting to rid the world of humans, he wanted to rid the world of hatred. To this day he has remained true to his vow.”

This hit Rose in a way she never expected. Something inside of her sank, making her feel lower than she ever had before. She didn’t know what to say, but the look on her face showed genuine shame and foolishness.

“You know he only acts that way to keep up his reputation. He is very headstrong, but he has a good heart.”

Rose stood there trying to digest everything that was said to her. She fidgeted uneasily for a moment before pushing her way slowly pass Yoh and out the door. “I...I have to go. My fight starts soon...”

Yoh watched calmly as she walked by, smiling soothingly as she went. “And so it begins.”

“You have a twisted sense of justice Yoh. I think Anna is finally rubbing off on you.” A voice called from behind Yoh.