"So all along, you had just been using me?"
"………"
"Now that you have nearly killed my brother, are you happy? Are you???" Her voice rose.
The boy turned his back on her. "Your brother will suffice as a warning to the Asakuras…that the Tao family is ready to take back what really belongs to us."
"Yeeeeow!!!!"
Pirika's train of thoughts was interrupted by Horo Horo's scream of pure, unadulterated agony, courtesy of Tamao.
"You're worse than that crazy hair-styled guy!" snapped Horo as he blew on his wound that Tamao pressed too hard with a swab of cotton. "If you're going to kill me, say so just so I can prepare my coffin!"
"Funny, getting scared of an alcohol when the wounds you got from your battle is enough to render you invalid all your life!" snapped the maid back. "Are you crazy? You should have retreated if you can't handle him!"
" I can handle him!" Horo crossed his arms. "I just gave the boy some fighting chance…you know, some lenient advantage…but then, he seized his chance and boom!"
"Yeah right," muttered Tamao, rolling her eyes.
"Once I get healed, I'll find that boy. We'll have a rematch, and this time, I won't be so compassionate."
"What if it's the other way around? What if it is he who won't get too compassionate?" asked Tamao.
"Are you saying that I'm going to lose to him? Me, the proud Ainu tribesboy Horo Horo? Kami-sama's gift to the land to spread giggly happiness among admiring girls…" He looked at her, rubbing his jaw. "Are you one of them?"
"Dream on." She pressed her hands together. "My heart is for Master Yoh only."
"He's got a fiancée."
"I know. Ms. Anna, however, is too strict. Master Yoh will get tired of her sooner or later."
"I doubt it," said Horo seriously. "There are girls everywhere and around Master Yoh, but Kyouyama Anna is all of them, in her own kickass way. Master Yoh would not get tired of her presence."
Tamao looked down, eyes shaking. This made the boy rub his head. "Don't look so down," said Horo slowly. "You'll find your man…someday."
"When is that 'someday'?"
He shrugged. "I don't know…maybe tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. Or the days that follow. Perhaps next year, or in your next life. We can't say for sure."
"I can't wait that long!" cried Tamao. "I want a boyfriend already!" She surveyed Horo critically. "Think you fit that bill?"
He choked, then doubled over, laughing.
"I'm serious!!!" she wailed before she could think of what she did.
This made Horo laugh harder.
This annoyed Tamao. "Shut up, or I'll make Ponchi call Ms. Anna to get you started on her post-training exercises!" yelled the maid. The Ainu warrior immediately settled down.
"You don't believe me?" She stood up determinedly. "I'll make you fall in love with me before Master Yoh gets back here."
"Ooh, you really think you can pull that off?" asked Horo, grinning at her under his narrowed eyes. "Let me tell you my records on girls before. Ninety nine percent of it is blemish free. They all lust over me, but they can't touch me."
"Then allow me to be the one percent who doesn't like you." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "But I'm telling you…I'll still make you fall in love with me." She wasn't thinking of the consequences of what she was saying anymore. All she had in mind was to make the boy eat dust. "You won't stop thinking of me, and you'll keep on dreaming of me, and you'll start seeing me everywhere…"
Horo cupped his chin with his one hand, eyeing her indulgently. "OK, call. You have a week to do that."
Pirika looked on, sighing. Already in their teens, but the two still act like toddlers. She looked out at the window again and remembered the steely glint in the eyes of Ren Tao.
She clenched her fists. You'll pay for hurting my brother…and for betraying me.
"A love potion?" Kino's eyebrows shot up.
Tamao nodded. "Y-You must help me, Madam. I-I need such concoction badly. P-Please help me make one."
Kino sighed. "I am an itako, not a medicine woman. I do not know any more about potions than you do, I'm afraid."
"You don't know anyone else who can help me?" the girl asked desperately.
The old woman started to think. "Wait…I remember that my old friend knew how to make potions and charms and herbal medicines."
The lass' eyes lit up. "Where can I find her?"
"In the cemetery. She's dead."
Her eyes fell.
"But she had a student…"
Tamao looked beggingly at Anna as the latter sipped her green tea delicately.
"A love potion?" Her bored eyes looked at the pink-haired girl inquiringly. "Are you planning to use it on my Yoh?"
The maid looked down. "N-No. T-This is for Horo Horo." Inwardly, she felt jealous of the person before her. Kyouyama Anna, who doesn't have an ounce of feelings for Asakura Yoh, had the privilege to brand him as hers.
"The blue-haired Ainu loudmouth? What is so fascinating about him?" she asked, a hint of curious amusement in her even voice.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
"Then why do you need a love potion?"
"Long story." Tamao bowed in front of the itako. "Please, have mercy, Ms. Anna! Please make me a love potion! I promise to do anything you want me to do."
"Get up."
"Huh?"
"You told me that you're going to do anything that I ask you to do, didn't you? Get up."
Tamao did as told.
"Go get the ingredients." Anna took a notepad and started to jot down the needed things.
"T-That's all?" She was anticipating the kind of things that Horo Horo and her master went through.
"Do you want more?"
"O-Of course not!" She hurriedly took the list from the itako and hurried out of the house happily. But not before hearing Anna's last warning.
"Love potions don't always do what they are supposed to do. Instead of bringing people together, they may break people apart, because love is not suppose to be trespassed by anyone or anything."
Tamao nodded and left.
Anna looked down at her tea. She couldn't help but feel that the advice was really meant for herself because she agreed on a binding commitment that was a mere manipulation by her dear old sensei.
Horo Horo rested his back against the door, in deep contemplation. He was walking in the hallway when he heard the conversation between the two girls.
So Tamao is going to use a love potion on me, huh?
Let's see if even that can help you.
Pirika finished packing the last of her clothes, then zipped her backpack. Kururu went to her, softly crying. She patted the spirit's hair. "Don't worry. I'll be back…as soon as I settle a score with that person. No one gets away with hurting my onii-chan!" She looked at the bed beside her – the unmade bed of her vintage lazy brother. Her eyes saddened. She went to it and fixed it. "Ill miss you, onii-chan, but I have to do this."
On its perfectly folded blanket, she left her farewell note, then she jumped out of the bedroom window.
Tamao had found the herbs, the honey, and the heart of a pig. Now all she needed to do was to pick up the last ingredient.
A piece of hair from Horo Horo's head.
She put her basket down on the kitchen then went to Ryu who was sweeping the yard dutifully. "Have you seen Horo Horo?"
Ryu turned around furiously. "How many times do I have to tell you not to disturb my special training under Ms. Anna-" He stopped when he saw the scared-looking Tamao. Instantly, he grinned. "Tamao-san! How are you? I thought you were Horo Horo."
"Um…fine?" she squeaked. Ryu sure was scary awhile ago!
"Um…are you doing anything tonight?" asked the man shyly. "How about if we go out on a date tonight, huh? Huh?"
Her face turned warm. "Y-You see…"
"Hey!"
Ryu perked up when he saw Anna standing outside, looking at him lethally. He immediately went back to work,
"Did I just see you stop from your work?" she snapped.
"N-No, Ms. Anna!"
"Good, then continue with your work!" She turned to Tamao. "Horo Horo's asleep in his room already, I think."
"Thanks, Ms. Anna!" Tamao hurried towards the bedrooms.
True to the itako's words, the Ainu boy was already fast asleep, snoring loudly even.
Tamao seized the chance to do what she was supposed to do. She carefully tiptoed into the side of the boy and knelt down. He was still asleep. Cautiously, she leaned down towards him, her trembling hand targeting his hair.
When he suddenly moved and moaned. "Pirika…zat yhou?" he said groggily. He suddenly pulled into his arms the shocked Tamao. "Go to sleep with me," he mumbled, hugging her tighter.
She resisted the urge to gasp, especially when he felt how strong and warm his arms were. She looked up and tried to move her free hand towards his hair, but his arms encircling her tiny waist crushed her closer to him.
"Stop moving and start sleeping," he grumbled, eyes still closed. "I want to sleep already."
Her face hit his chest, and within her, she felt electricity running up and down her spine. She had to get out of here! She wiggled out of his arms determinedly, but nothing happened.
No, something did.
Horo Horo opened his eyes.
Pirika looked at her map, then at the foot of the mountains. According to the map, the Tao residence was on top of the third cliff of the mountain. She gulped – she never liked heights.
Suddenly, a tall man materialized beside her. "You are Ms. Pirika, I presume?"
She blinked. "How did you know my name?"
"You are expected." With that, the man slapped her nape gently, and the next thing she knew, she was plunged into darkness.
In his dreamy state, Horo Horo thought he could make out the shocked face of Tamao, but he reminded himself that it was impossible for that to happen. He concluded that he was still dreaming.
And since it was all a dream, he could do anything.
Anything.
"Come here." He pulled her back into his arms and straddled her, on his face a lazy grin. "The cutest eyes I have ever seen…and the softest…" He leaned down towards her.
Tamao panicked when she realized what Horo was about to do. She immediately reached for his hair and plucked a strand out.
Kino and Anna blinked when they heard the scream of agony from Horo Horo's bedroom.
"Goodness! I wonder what happened!" exclaimed Kino, eyes wide.
Anna hid an amused smile. She knew that Tamao had succeeded in getting the last ingredient already.
"OUUCCCCH!!!!!" Horo Horo snapped out of his dreamy state. He held on his head, wailing.
Tamao looked down on her hand and noticed that along with the strand she plucked out, several more hair strands went along. She wouldn't be too surprised if Horo's hair roots were uprooted with her pull.
It was his fault! He scared me back there! I thought…I thought…"What's the big idea?" he demanded. "Tamao, what are you doing in my bedroom?" He took his blanket and hugged it to his chest, face contorted in horror. "A-Are you going to rape me? Because you are desperate to make me fall in love with you, you're going to use brute force on me? How could you, taking advantage of my vulnerability when I was sleeping?"
Now Tamao wanted to tear her hair out! "It's not that! It's…it's…" She then noticed a note on his pillow. "Hey wait, what's this?"
He looked at the note. "It was written in my sister's handwriting!" He quickly forgot about what just happened and proceeded to read the note nervously.
Pirika woke up, and the first thing she saw was the unfamiliar drapery of red silkscreen. She got up and noticed that her room looked strange. Everything was done in red and white, done in Chinese motif.
W-Where am I?"Good afternoon, Pirika."
She turned to the source of the voice and saw a tall young woman with green hair and quiet eyes. She was dressed in a Chinese outfit too, designed with panda and dragon in front.
"You are in one of the eighty guestrooms of the Tao mansion," explained the lady stranger. "I am Jun Tao. Welcome to my mansion."
She leaned back, cowering behind the large pillow.
"I won't hurt you," she said. "I will just ask you some questions."
Silence.
"You came for my brother, didn't you?"
"B-Brother?"
"You came for Ren Tao's life, didn't you?"
"What did the note say?" asked Tamao.
Horo slowly lifted his eyes up to meet hers. "She said…" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"What?" she asked nervously.
"…she 'll be out shopping downtown and would not be back for awhile!!!" Horo Horo cheered happily. "Yes!!! Yes!!!"
Tamao frowned. "You believe that it will take her days to go shopping?"
"My sister is a freak," he said as if it would explain everything.
"That must run in the family, eh?" she muttered.
"Pardon?"
"Nothing." She got up and out of the room when he called her again.
"What is it?" she asked, forehead creasing.
"I nearly forgot! I'm going to file a charge against you! Attempted rape!"
Tamao left the room, face burning as Ryu looked at her curiously.
"He hurt my onii-chan…" whispered Pirika.
"Are you aware that you are no match against someone as powerful as my brother?" asked Jun, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Y-Yes."
"And you still insist to push through with your plan?"
"Yes."
"Then let me help you." Jun stood up and offered her hand. "I will help you. I will train you."
Hao sat on the treetop, observing Anna from afar. Suddenly, a priest appeared beside him.
"I don't see the point in getting yourself all worked out about a girl," commented the newcomer.
"Well, she's not just any girl. She will be the bride of the Shaman King." Hao smiled. "Zinc, I think I found another reason why I should be the bearer of that title."
"What is so amazing about that mortal?"
He smiled some more. "Words can't say the things I find delightful about her."
"So what are you planning to do? She is your brother's fiancée."
"Then I guess it's time to assert my privileges as the older brother, don't you think so?"
tsuzuku
