Disclaimer: Running out of disclaimer ideas...but I still don't own SK!!!
Author's Notes: The first part of this chapter is based off Pink Star's "CCS Roadtrip" tale. I didn't use everything that was in there, but it's the same kind of idea. The second part is just freaky...
~***~ A Dream Come True?
Chapter Seventeen ~***~
It took us a while to figure out the seating arrangement in the van. But we finally did- -I was up front with Hao, Anna was sitting between Horo and Ren in the very back, and Yoh had the seat behind me all to himself. I didn't exactly know why, but we'd both developed a weird sense of knowing what the other was thinking. Maybe it was because Hao's personality was still lying in wait.
Anyway, Hao slipped into the driver's seat and buckled his seatbelt. "Everybody ready? Let's go!"
We were perfectly silent for a while until Horo piped up. "I want some doughnuts!"
"Come on! We had breakfast at the airport!"
"I'm sure even Yoh is hungry!"
"I said NO!!"
"Actually, I AM a little hungry..."
So we pulled into a Dunkin Doughnuts and ordered six glazed. Then Yoh started in.
"What about Amidamaru?"
"Yoh, he's a ghost! He can't even pick it up!"
"So?! It's the thought that counts!"
"Okay, make that seven glazed doughnuts."
Soon we were on the road again, munching our doughnuts. Then Anna had to make a request. "Can we turn on the radio?"
"I guess so. What do you want?"
"Pop!"
"Rock!"
"Classical!"
"Hip-hop!"
"Bob!"
I turned around and stared at Yoh. "Sorry. We don't have any of his songs in America."
"Darn..."
"Why don't we let Mira-chan pick?"
"Thanks!"
I turned it to my favorite radio station. "Hey! They've got Evanescence playing!"
Suddenly I heard humming. I turned around to see Yoh with his headphones securely on, humming along to his own music. So much for the radio...
"Look!" Horo shouted. "Hitch hikers!"
I followed his gaze to see two scruffy-looking men thumbing it. "Forget it."
"Why not? We should help them!"
"The answer is NO!!"
"But why?"
I whirled around to glare at him. "Do you really want to invite two possible axe murderers into our van?!"
He paled and let the subject drop.
I snuggled into my cloak and drifted into sleep.
~***~
I guess in sleep was the only way Hao could communicate with me telepathically. Though I had most of his powers he still retained a few. He was trying to keep me from going into the dream state.
'Hang on, Mira. Don't go all the way into sleep. Every time you do that my personality gets stronger. Light sleep is okay, but don't let yourself go deep.'
'But why hasn't my personality started taking you over?'
'My personality is a lot stronger than yours. It will be at least a year before your personality takes me over. Just hang on- -I'll get us to your town as fast as I can.'
Then I felt it. Hao's personality was trying to drag me down into the depths of my mind so it could absorb my soul. This was it- -this was the end of me.
'Hao!' I screamed out with my mind. 'Help me!'
"I'm right here," said a voice at my left ear.
A pair of strong arms looped around me and I fell into the dream state. I realized that I was myself again, but sitting in a forest that I used to play in with my friends when I was little. Hao- -his personality, anyway- -was hugging me tight around the waist.
I summoned all my mental strength. Over the years I've learned to will myself awake whenever a nightmare occurs. It was worth a try...
Hao held me even tighter. "Why do you fight against me? Hasn't this been a dream of yours? To know my secrets, know my feelings inside and out?"
I fought against him, this time freeing myself. "I didn't know you were so crazy! Sure, I don't blame you for being the way you are, but still!"
He made one of his infamous happy faces. (^__^) "You're the first person to say that. So you don't see me as a demon?"
"No. You're a victim of circumstances, that's all."
To my surprise he stood and took my hand in his, gently kissing it. "You know... If you were a shaman, I think I could love you."
Random Kenshin reference here...
O.O() "Oro??!!"
SWAP!!!
I woke up with my face tingling. Anna stood over me with her hand raised. "There. I told you I could wake her up."
"Why, you- -!!"
I lunged at her only to be held back by Yoh and Ren. "I'll teach you to slap me, you heartless she-demon!!"
"Never mind that," said Hao. "We're at your house. And blame Horo for distracting me. We need to switch back NOW."
I winced as I felt the cold sweep through my body again. "Well, do it already! I'm not complaining!"
Hao suddenly leaned over, cupped my face in his hands and started KISSING me!! I tried to fight against him but I felt the same dizzying feeling that I had when we first switched. I guess I blacked out for a while, but when I woke up I was back in my own body!
Then Hao (back in his body) looped his arms around my neck and started smooching again!! I finally managed to slam my foot into his face. "That's ENOUGH, you little pervert! Jeez!!"
Author's Notes: The first part of this chapter is based off Pink Star's "CCS Roadtrip" tale. I didn't use everything that was in there, but it's the same kind of idea. The second part is just freaky...
~***~ A Dream Come True?
Chapter Seventeen ~***~
It took us a while to figure out the seating arrangement in the van. But we finally did- -I was up front with Hao, Anna was sitting between Horo and Ren in the very back, and Yoh had the seat behind me all to himself. I didn't exactly know why, but we'd both developed a weird sense of knowing what the other was thinking. Maybe it was because Hao's personality was still lying in wait.
Anyway, Hao slipped into the driver's seat and buckled his seatbelt. "Everybody ready? Let's go!"
We were perfectly silent for a while until Horo piped up. "I want some doughnuts!"
"Come on! We had breakfast at the airport!"
"I'm sure even Yoh is hungry!"
"I said NO!!"
"Actually, I AM a little hungry..."
So we pulled into a Dunkin Doughnuts and ordered six glazed. Then Yoh started in.
"What about Amidamaru?"
"Yoh, he's a ghost! He can't even pick it up!"
"So?! It's the thought that counts!"
"Okay, make that seven glazed doughnuts."
Soon we were on the road again, munching our doughnuts. Then Anna had to make a request. "Can we turn on the radio?"
"I guess so. What do you want?"
"Pop!"
"Rock!"
"Classical!"
"Hip-hop!"
"Bob!"
I turned around and stared at Yoh. "Sorry. We don't have any of his songs in America."
"Darn..."
"Why don't we let Mira-chan pick?"
"Thanks!"
I turned it to my favorite radio station. "Hey! They've got Evanescence playing!"
Suddenly I heard humming. I turned around to see Yoh with his headphones securely on, humming along to his own music. So much for the radio...
"Look!" Horo shouted. "Hitch hikers!"
I followed his gaze to see two scruffy-looking men thumbing it. "Forget it."
"Why not? We should help them!"
"The answer is NO!!"
"But why?"
I whirled around to glare at him. "Do you really want to invite two possible axe murderers into our van?!"
He paled and let the subject drop.
I snuggled into my cloak and drifted into sleep.
~***~
I guess in sleep was the only way Hao could communicate with me telepathically. Though I had most of his powers he still retained a few. He was trying to keep me from going into the dream state.
'Hang on, Mira. Don't go all the way into sleep. Every time you do that my personality gets stronger. Light sleep is okay, but don't let yourself go deep.'
'But why hasn't my personality started taking you over?'
'My personality is a lot stronger than yours. It will be at least a year before your personality takes me over. Just hang on- -I'll get us to your town as fast as I can.'
Then I felt it. Hao's personality was trying to drag me down into the depths of my mind so it could absorb my soul. This was it- -this was the end of me.
'Hao!' I screamed out with my mind. 'Help me!'
"I'm right here," said a voice at my left ear.
A pair of strong arms looped around me and I fell into the dream state. I realized that I was myself again, but sitting in a forest that I used to play in with my friends when I was little. Hao- -his personality, anyway- -was hugging me tight around the waist.
I summoned all my mental strength. Over the years I've learned to will myself awake whenever a nightmare occurs. It was worth a try...
Hao held me even tighter. "Why do you fight against me? Hasn't this been a dream of yours? To know my secrets, know my feelings inside and out?"
I fought against him, this time freeing myself. "I didn't know you were so crazy! Sure, I don't blame you for being the way you are, but still!"
He made one of his infamous happy faces. (^__^) "You're the first person to say that. So you don't see me as a demon?"
"No. You're a victim of circumstances, that's all."
To my surprise he stood and took my hand in his, gently kissing it. "You know... If you were a shaman, I think I could love you."
Random Kenshin reference here...
O.O() "Oro??!!"
SWAP!!!
I woke up with my face tingling. Anna stood over me with her hand raised. "There. I told you I could wake her up."
"Why, you- -!!"
I lunged at her only to be held back by Yoh and Ren. "I'll teach you to slap me, you heartless she-demon!!"
"Never mind that," said Hao. "We're at your house. And blame Horo for distracting me. We need to switch back NOW."
I winced as I felt the cold sweep through my body again. "Well, do it already! I'm not complaining!"
Hao suddenly leaned over, cupped my face in his hands and started KISSING me!! I tried to fight against him but I felt the same dizzying feeling that I had when we first switched. I guess I blacked out for a while, but when I woke up I was back in my own body!
Then Hao (back in his body) looped his arms around my neck and started smooching again!! I finally managed to slam my foot into his face. "That's ENOUGH, you little pervert! Jeez!!"