Title: Possession
Author: Ah Hael
Genre: General, little angsty, eventual romance
Rating: M
Pairings: Hao x Lyserg, Yoh x Anna, Horo + Ren
Warnings: Violence (murder, abuse and rape)
Spoilers: Takes place a decade after series end
Summary: Hao is long gone and Lyserg has moved on with his life. A shaman of all people should know life doesn't end at death.
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. I checked, definitely not mine.
Notes: I truly don't know what possessed me to write a Shaman King fic. I have enough trouble with the ones I already have unfinished. It's just foolishness on my part to start a new one.
Possession – Chapter 2
I tried to ignore the ill feeling that had stayed since looking at the scene of that fire but it lingered for days.
No matter how hard I delved into my studies I couldn't shake it and it kept growing stronger. I'd dream about the names on the list I gave Benny; about their deaths. I could see them taunting whoever was trying to coerce them. Saying that he or she wasn't Hao and they never would be only to die screaming.
When I saw Benny waiting on my doorstep a few days later I almost threw up. I knew what he was going to tell me.
The night before I'd dreamt of Kanna. She'd grown up just as I thought she would a frail, brittle, bitter woman. Maybe that was why she'd joined Hao to escape that future. Either way I remembered her surprise at seeing her visitor.
"What? You think you're Hao now? You think you could even compare to his power?" she asked with a zealous glint in her eye.
Her guest said nothing.
"I once stood next to the most powerful being on this earth! I had his power running through me! Do you really think a runt like you compares?"
A gloved hand reached out and grasped her by the throat. "Look closer." they commanded in a voice I didn't recognize.
She glared defiantly at them for a moment then her eyes started to widen. "Hao?" she asked tentatively.
I couldn't see her attacker's face but I could see her reaction to them (him I guessed).
"Hao! I'm sorry I didn't know" her apologies were cut off by the sickening crunch of her neck being broken.
I had thrashed so badly that I'd fallen off the bed and woke up face down on my bedroom floor.
I looked at Benny waiting for him to tell me what I already knew.
"Five of the twelve names you gave me have all died under suspicious circumstances recently." He looked at me with that appraising look of his "But something tells me you already knew that."
"I've been having dreams Benny. About the names I gave you. I think Hao may have found a way to come back."
"How?" he asked then he thought about it. "Oh, right. One of those things again."
"I'm going to call that guy I mentioned in Japan and see if he has any advice." God I hope Yoh could clear this up.
Benny seemed to accept this at face value and left me staring at my telephone as if it were a coiled snake prepared to strike.
After a dozen or so tries of picking up and putting down the handset I finally picked it up and dialed the numbers that I'd never quite fully forgotten.
I heard someone pick up and a flat feminine "Moshi Moshi." Come through.
"Hello Anna." I greeted in my rather rusty Japanese.
"Who is this?" she sighed with impatience. Dammit why did it have to be Anna answering the phone? I sucked up my courage and answered her.
"It's Lyserg." Then I added "I need to talk to Yoh. It's important."
"Yoh's busy right now. I'll let him know you called."
"But it's important!" I yelled in to the phone but she'd already hung up on me. Damn her!
I proceeded to call Anna a few colorful names and tried to call back. This time I got the machine and stated the same thing I did before.
Damn that sourpuss bitch. Hao was coming back and she was guarding the one person who could stop him like a jealous lover. Although why anyone wanted that bitter old hag as a lover was beyond me.
What? I am not jealous of Anna! I may have been attracted to Yoh in the past, but that isn't important right now!
I spent the whole day on edge waiting for something to happen. Either Yoh to call or whoever was playing Hao to walk in and challenge me.
Morphine had picked up on my mood and stayed close to me in case I needed her. At one point I caught her looking at me with those sad eyes of hers and I felt bad.
"I'm sorry old friend. I guess I'm not very good company lately. Thanks for always staying by me. Come on, let's order in." I suggested noticing it was already dark out.
I almost fainted when Tony from the grocery store delivered my food. "Second job?" I tried to ask companionably.
He gave me a sheepish smile. Damn he was hot. "I'm just helping out a friend of my parents for a while."
"Oh. Well, thank you." I said taking the bag from him and paying him. I left a little bit larger tip than I normally would. I felt like an awkward teenager trying to talk to his first crush. Figuring that it would be better to quit before I made an idiot of myself I made to close the door but then he spoke up.
"So this is where you live. It's nice."
"Uh" drawing a blank. Think stupid! Say something! "Yes I inherited what was left of it when my parents died. It took a while to rebuild but I'm comfortable with it now."
He looked uncomfortable having brought up the topic of my parents. "Oh I'm sorry to hear about that." He stated with that auto response everyone has when they stumble upon the topic of family death.
I would have said something to reassure him but I felt a cold prickle between my shoulder blades. I had to get rid of him quickly.
"Well I better get going. Enjoy your dinner." He said he turning and leaving.
No sooner was the door closed then I dropped the food on the counter and ran into the living room.
I spun in a circle trying to see where he was. But saw nothing. "Hao! Where are you Hao! I know you're here! Show yourself!"
I waited for a few seconds until I heard a light sarcastic laugh that I would never forget.
"I don't know what you see in that man. He's nothing but a weak powerless human." Hao said snidely.
I didn't bother answering. Instead I took off searching the house for him pendulum at the ready.
"Every morning you prance in front of him like some ridiculous little schoolgirl hoping that he'll notice you." He taunted.
I grit my teeth ignoring the bastard. Cutting a person down and making them feel inferior was one of Hao's specialties. But I wasn't a child anymore. I refused to let him get to me.
I ran up the stairs and did a quick check of the rooms there trying to pinpoint the source of his voice.
"Would you really let something like that weakling touch you?" He asked.
There! My bedroom! I dashed in only to find it empty. I walked in to the middle and spun around again trying to see where he went. I turned and looked into a face I'd hope I'd never see again.
"Well I just can't allow that." He finished glaring at me with a face that looked just the same as it did the day he died. Worse, it was staring at me from where my reflection should be in the mirror.
"After all this body is now mine." My Hao reflection stated firmly.
TBC
