Yes I know I've got this annoying habit of updating every 2 months but I'm trying to break out of that! Thanks every one for al those if not wonderful then Thought provoking reviews.

I'm gonna dedicated this chapter to Mrs. Asakura Hao for being the first reviewer and also .. the name of the chapter is… Hao…

Disclaimer: I just said Disclaimer need I say more??

With out further ado here it is…..

Chapter 2: Hao

The boy walkedthrough the dirt ridden streets not really noticing where his feet took him, his mind on the events of the last few hours were replaying in his head.

He had been at the championships that morning when he'd felt eyes on him, looking around he saw no one but then it wasn't uncommon to be stared at after all he was the only boy with hair as long as they were.

Hao had been having too much fun in his job of pick pocketing to notice anyone else but apparently a few burly men had seen his rather generous stealing and decided to do something about it. He had been caught and cornered in the wood by these men when she had come. Hao knew he was well capable of disposing of such men, but she had not let him.

Marching forward she dismissed the men, turning her attention to Hao.

"Who are you?" she had asked and Hao had replied smoothly "I could have taken 'em my self Jeanne-chan" and with that he had left the confused princess in the woods.

He chuckled to himself remembering the look on her face, but then frowned realizing where he was. Somehow his wandering feet had led him to the village grave yard. He dismissed the thoughts and instead thought bitterly of the princess again, how great the royal family must think it self holed up in iron castle? Only coming down to the filth of the village when necessary.

She hadn't been so before. He thought back to a memorable day in the woods when he had come across the young girl she had seemed harmless if not a little spoiled but the two developed a great friendship after their brief first meeting. After that every chance each got they played together. Jeanne after escaping from her lessons and Hao ... Well when he felt like it. They were inseparable, spending long hours in the woods but then when she was ten and he eleven , Jeanne's father had sent her away to cousins in the mountains of Babylon. After five years Hao hardly expected her to remember him. She was a princess and he despite being her "very best special extra best friend" was just a forgotten memory.

'And now?' He thought with a shrug 'she doesn't even remember me let alone remember her promise.'

He was pulled out of his musing by the dampness he felt at his knees. As if jolted awake from a dream he realized he was kneeling at a grave.

Hao A. That was his name or what he knew of it. The grave he was currently at read "Keiko A." he didn't know what the A stood for nor did he wish to know that was until today.

"Hello mother and how are you today?" he asked the cold grave. It wasn't supposed to be a grave his mother should have been cremated but this being a Christian country it had been hard especially without money. Hao remembered coming here when he had been barely two or three ,his mother earning what little she could healing and working but then when he was seven she had died of a disease that had killed many in the villages. Hao had lived on his own since then.

"I guess I should go now mother?" he asked hoping she would reply but he knew like all the other times since he was eight she would not look back at him. He turned to go ,glancing up at the ever darkening sky when a chill like ice sliding down his back made him stop in his tracks.

There was that feeling of being watched again but this time it wasn't human. Hao remembered this happening only once before, on a bitterly cold night eight years ago, when he had received a spirit. Slowly he turned around and saw what he knew would be there. Keiko, his mother stood or rather floated before him. She seemed thoughtful as Hao stared at her. Then smiling a sad smile as only a dead person can she sighed "No don't go just yet"

Hao stared still, with almost a blank look on his face having tried always to talk with her he just couldn't believe she was talking back!

"No need to stare like that!" she reprimanded, but he could see she was only joking because with a swish of her long black hair and a smile she added " you look like you've seen a ghost!"

She was right what Hao was now ogling at was Keiko the ghost of his mother staring back at him with the same eyes. Her transparent face twisted in to a smile and she continued "so-"

"Where have you been? I always called you, you never replied!" Hao cut in. She patiently replied "You remember dear I told you I couldn't see you much!"

FLASHBACK

A small boy sat in the rain, beside a grave ,cold , hungry and feverish. His stomach growled in hunger and he tried to retch but nothing came out as there was nothing in his stomach.

After a while the rain slowed to a drizzle and then completely stopped. Hao was still sitting when his mother came.

At first he could only see the air shimmer and then there she was Keiko Asakura, standing in front of him. He only stared for a while before standing up and asking "its really you?"

Keiko smiled and nodded. Hao's face wore an elated smile and he rushed forward trying to hug her but his arms just passed through his mothers form. His smile faltered and he stepped back.

"Mother?" his voice quivered.

"Don't worry Hao. It's me." His mother replied moving forward but their was no sound as she stepped on the ground. "I'm .. I'm a ghost Hao dear and I can't always be here for you."

Hao's lip trembled as he realized his mother was now a ghost from her stories. But before he could ask any more she started talking.

"I can here to give you some thing that can take care of you or help you to live."

Then from behind Keiko a small red head poked out. Hao saw a small creature with the same shimmering outline as his mother. It was completely red with white marking all over, its emerald eyes looked at Hao's shyly. It was roughly the same size as Hao. Keiko gave it a encouraging push and it floated nearer to an incredulous Hao.

"this is The spirit of Fire" Keiko said "he will be your spirit ally and with him you can d a lot but now I have to go" and she started to retreat.

"Wait mother when can I see you again?" Hao cried holding the SOF's hand and rushing forward.

"I'm sorry Hao dear not a lot but I'll come and see you occasionally and I promise I will explain everything to you later, with that as if blown away by the wind she melted away in wisps of smoke and Hao was left looking at the sky and clutching at the only thing that felt real.

-------

Hao awoke to find himself in the very orphanage he had runaway form, he opened his eyes and looked around their was that annoying girls Opacho staring unblinkingly at him.

"How'd I get here?" he asked groggily.

"the red thing brought you" she replied, pointing to the SOF sitting also staring at Hao in a corner. Through out the day Hao realized that only a select few could see SOF and also how to conceal his Spirit if necessary.

ENDFLASHBACK

"Is it later now?" The 16 year old asked his mother.

"Yes Hao It's later now" replied his mother.

Yes yess evil cliffhanger but I like my evill cliff hanger like the last one! Heehee

Now Review review review my pretties!!!! Heeheeheee also the rating is going higher so watch out……