#...Thoughts...#

"...Speech..."

Hao Third Person Limited

Over the week nothing out of the ordinary had happened, although no one at school dared to bother Yoh, Hao, or anyone that even seemed to have a relationship of any type with them. Hao found that as much as he hated it going to school did help in adding knowledge in certain things. The world was changing whether for the good or for the bad most people could not decide. Hao learned that not all humans were as idiotic and selfish as he previously believed, although most still were.

On the weekend that Faust and his wife were to return from their trip, Kira told Hao to go by some groceries while Yoh was cleaning the house. For once Hao did not argue with her, for he was slightly startled at her command. This was the first time that he would be doing chores without Yoh or anyone else, and he was not about to let this moment pass. Not that he was going to try and escape, after all that would do him no good, he didn't have the Spirit of Fire with him and one of the many spirits that Kira seemed to have followed him where ever he went. So Hao slipped on his shoes and left for the store.

Ren Third Person Limited

#Really, what is wrong with my sister. If she wants to give things to Yoh them she should do it herself instead of getting me to do it.# Tao Ren was grumbling to himself as he walked towards Yoh's house carrying a large bag filled with more items, both foods and souvenirs, for Yoh and Anna. Normally he would be complaining to Bason his ghost, but after they had entered the city Amidamaru and Mosuke had somehow found them and dragged Bason off hastily. That had been a first for the young shaman, usually Amidamaru and Mosuke waited for Ren to get to the house even when the occasionally bumped into each other around the city. #Amidamaru and Mosuke were acting very peculiar today. It was almost as if they wanted to keep Bason away from me.# Losing himself in his thoughts Ren walked in the general vicinity of Yoh's household not paying any attention to his surroundings when he suddenly sensed something, more like someone that felt familiar pass by him quickly. Ren momentarily stopped to look around and thought he saw wisps of brown hair turn the corner that led near towards the Asakura household. Hoping that it wasn't whom he thought it was Ren rushed around the corner just in time to clearly see Hao turn another corner indicating that he truly was heading towards the Asakura residence.

"HAO!!" Ren shouted as he rushed towards Hao, bag forgotten on the ground and spear in hand.

Third Person Unlimited

"HAO!!" was the first thing Hao heard before he barely dodged a spear heading his way as he turned around. #Ren# he thought as he saw his attacker, before he dodged another attack.

"What are you doing here! You're supposed to be dead." Ren said to Hao as he continued to attack him.

"I don't believe that's any of your business, Ren. Now if you don't mind could you stop attacking me long enough for me to get home, I'm kind of press for time." Replied Hao calmly, still dodging Ren's advances.

"None of my business, you could've destroyed mankind, the world even and you say I shouldn't know if you're planning any now." Yelled Ren as he added more anger into his swings.

"Well I'm not planning anything now so I suggest you to stop, before I do something drastic." Hao threatened.

"Like I'd really believe that you wouldn't try anything, anyway I can take anything you have to throw at me." Said Ren menacingly.

"Not like I didn't try to warn you." Said Hao.

Grabbing a pipe along side of the wall Hao blocked Ren's blow. Engaging in a meaningless fight Hao blocked every one of Ren's moves as Ren in return blocked all of Hao's. Seeing an opening where he could strike Ren, Hao advanced towards Ren fiercely, when...

"HAO!!" Yelled Kira as she turned the corner with Yoh behind her.

Stopping his assault on Ren momentarily to see who called him (even though he knew it was Kira.) Ren took advantage of the distraction and brought his spear across towards Hao. Being distracted Hao could not entirely evade Ren's attack and got his upper arm cut, not deeply enough so as to be fatal but deep enough to lose a substantial amount of blood.

Just as Ren was about to take another blow at Hao, his attack was blocked. Ren's eyes widen as he looked at Hao's protector.

"Y-Yoh. What are you doing?" He stuttered.

"Ren, ano...Hao. Well you see he isn't bad anymore, well mostly anyway." Yoh said with and exasperated face. #Here we go again.#

"What?"

"Do you think it could wait until we get to my house first? Anna's waiting on the groceries and you did kind of cut Hao pretty badly."

Ren just numbly nodded, and went to grab his bag from before, although he was still eyeing Hao suspiciously. Absent-mindedly Ren wondered who the girl with Hao was, after all she stopped him from attacking Ren.

"Can I not leave you alone for a minute without you trying to rip someone's throat out." Said Kira as she picked up the groceries.

Hao looked at her with annoyance then replied, "Not my fault. He attacked me first. And I did give him a warning."

"You could've just continued blocking, you knew I would arrive soon enough, after all you are under my care." Countered Kira.

"Oh well, what's done is done nothing we can do about it now." Said Hao clutching his bleeding arm in slight pain.

Kira put down the bags of food and walked towards Hao. Silently she slipped off his shirt.

"W-what are you doing?" Hao said, voice faltering.

"Just hold on a second." Was all Kira said before undoing the ribbon around her hair, letting her hair loose in the wind. Gingerly, Kira raised Hao's arm and tied her ribbon around Hao's wound. All the while Hao, Ren, and Yoh were looking at Kira stunned and frozen.

"There that should stop the bleeding for now. We'll clean your wound up better when we get home. I suppose I could mend this shirt later." Said Kira as she let go of Hao's arm and reached for the bags.

Numbly the three boys followed her in a stunned silence. #...#Ren was completely speechless in both mind and voice as to what he witness. #Kira was so careful with Hao's injury just then. Perhaps she is kinder that she seems.# thought Yoh. Yet, in Hao's mind resided the only thoughts that confused him to no end. #Why am I feeling so flustered? ...Something about this seems so familiar to me. As if a similar situation had occurred before, but I don't recall anything like this happening to me. I've always been alone with no one to care for me like this.#

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A.N. Thanks to anyone that read this far. I know I waited for forever to post this but i had no real inspiration for this chapter.

i just want to thank Silver Katsuyami, 'cause she was my inspiration with this chap. and thanks to all the rest of the reviewers too.

i promise to update the next chapter soon, just that i don't have time right now, 'cause i have school in a couple of hours. (yawn)

please review, the more i get the sooner i update.

-misu