A/N: I realized just how much time has passed from 2002 to now and realized of the drastic change in my writing. Well hopefully it's for the better. Enjoy.

Little Futura

The first thing mothers would always compliment were the large, brown eyes I had. It always irritated me the way they would gaze into them as lifeless objects and would awe at the shade of acorn. In retaliation, I did everything I could to wipe the innocent, lifeless look away. Optical illusions, they call it, and the two marks of orange paintings stain my face.

I look calm, tired, and wise. Mothers don't say I have pretty eyes anymore.

A girl lies against the wall. Her bright hair stands out allowing me to spot her easily. A disturbed and peaceful face come together. She was as I believed. Fragile. A piece of an exquisitely made glass formed by the most intricate and complex exterior that takes months of labor to make, only to have a child crush it in mere seconds.

The legends have served their purpose. Predicting the future is a hoax, a silly trick, or a stroke of luck.

"Who are you?"

I can feel a hint of embarrassment stroll from inside. No one has ever seen me stand like a gloating fan. However, I smile. Such a fragile being should not be given the advantage of the situation.

Her voice had opened the door to her soul. It was in a tragic state that I could wish to offer a word of sympathy. What is this? She means nothing to me. I am a Patch. An advisor and a referee. I do not carry any bias.

How rude of me to laugh in front of her. An objective referee. No, no, those Shamans' dreams will be crushed here.

"I am of the Patch. I did not mean to suddenly laugh."

"Suspicious." She only says.

"Pretty good for a novice?" I ask. "Or was that a stroke of luck? Or maybe your instincts?" Hao was right. She is good. "Oh, I have been far too rude. My name is Nichrom. I am a Patch observer where I study the contestants and therefore present the favorites."

"It...it's biased?" she stutters. A wide look of surprise.

"Pardon?" Must I say it again? "It's hilarious, really. To see Shamans tear at each other like animals. Blind and confused of what they are here for. Truly amazed, really." A pause. "Joking. I'm only joking. If I were to give you such valuable information, I wouldn't be now, would I?"

"No...no you wouldn't." she sighs. That gesture surprised me for some reason.

"You are Tamamura?" I ask. She nods politely but would not look at me. "I...was told to wait here. They won't come back for me though..."

"Oh? They forgot about you..." I think. "...again?" That must have struck a chord. A hand flies to her eyes to wipe away a tear. "No surprise. After all, legends and tales serve their purpose to defame those like you." How fun it is to talk like an arrogant bastard. Nothing in life ceases to amaze me. "The valuable student is an itako and the lowlife student is a little, weak girl who can predict the future.

"What are you saying? I cannot predict anything." She shakes her head. "There's no point. No point." A horrible self-esteem. This is too easy to manipulate her. Something had destroyed her long ago and her pitiful expressions are the result of it.

"I will never become anything greater than a novice. No matter how much effort flows, it will never leave. Never." Her eyes meet mine. "How does one deal with no one remembering you? I care about Anna, I care about Yoh, but I...I..."

Hearing her was waiting for a hose to run water. It seems all privileged Shamans here complain of a wretched past that they shouldn't deserve. It bores me to death just waiting to here all of them. Imagine if Goldva wanted to issue interviews among the contestants.

"I am merely suppose to monitor the area for a while. I guess my work is done." I sigh dramatically and take my great departure.

"Wait." She says. Bingo. "Are you going back to the Shaman Fight?"

"Where else would I be going to?"

"May I...follow...if it's not too much of a bother, of course!" Tamao insists. Trying to play the calmer, the more mature adolescent, I nod. "Thank you."

She follows me away from the building towards the outskirts of the holy Patch city, an island distantly remote from the Japanese isles. The way she closed her eyes for a moment, felt like a trance that had her caught in time. For a young girl, she seemed to want to learn so much about such a wicked world.

"What is your opinion of the famed itako." I break the warm silence.

"She's beautiful, wonderful, and so strong. I could only dream to be like her." She smiles faintly. "What better reason for anyone to love her? She is my role model because...there's nothing I have that I can compare with her..."

"I guess science does not solve humanity's problems after all." A smile dances. "What do you think of Yoh and his fiancée being together. I think it's a wonderful match. No one could ask for a better pair than these two."

"I...don't care. I don't. As long as Yoh is happy and Anna is happy, then...then it doesn't matter. It won't matter. Whatever happens won't matter."

"Oh? Just like that? Without a fight?" it is taking nearly every muscle in my body to break into laughter. "Or do you know what I am going to say next?"

"No, no." she shook her head. "It's nothing." She apologizes.

"What about Hao?" I ask. "A scandalous situation we have in our hands here." Her eyes flicker with familiarity. "I assume you've met him already? You must be special."

"No, he...he was only meeting with Anna. I was just there to watch." She shakes her head. "Yes."

"Yes, the world revolves around Anna, does it not?" Any longer, I could burst with laughter. I fail to hold it in as she stares at me in bewilderment. "It's so obvious. You and your pitiful display of respect for this itako fiancée when it is so clear, so clear you are jealous of her."

"No! I-I just envy her." She insists. "What would you know?"

"Jealousy is a demon. Hate spawns from jealousy too."

"I would never hate someone." Tamao stands firmly.

"Who could believe that?" my tone drips in sarcasm. "It's only human you would hate someone. Right? Animals as they say we are. Born with animal instincts. Hatred, selfishness, manipulating, lying. All human, yet they say our hearts are good. This is too funny."

"Go. Go away." She waves her hand.

"I did not plan on staying any longer anyway." My real work here is done. My real departure arrives. Along my path, crosses the mighty Hao Asakura.

"Funny. She's entertaining." I say before he shrugs and smiles in return.

"Thank you, Nichrom." He says before he goes the way I came from. Whatever happens to her is none of my business. She is no tournament contestant. None of my business with these Shamanic affairs.