Well, here it is. The final chapter. Oh there's an epilogue too you have to read to finish up. And the author's notes! Please read them too. Thank you for coming this far with this story. I can't believe I made past 10 reviews! I couldn't believe it, thank you everyone. I thought having an original character would really hamper this but I'm really happy you guys read this far anyway.

Well, as I said, this is the end. Please review. I'd really like to know what you thought of this story. Yay, it's finished! Now, notes for this chapter, perhaps this is the chapter that would most annoy me if I was a reader, it's the shortest one. How could I end it so shortly? Well, you knew it was coming I guess so that made it better, and if you join it with the epilogue it is longer.

Hao's girl, you are right Hao is dark and flamy. This could be a good thing. I'm really not sure if he is a good guy though, I think he could be if he wanted too but his views are a little too…destructive to be a good guy. Homicide (is that the word) isn't really a good guy thing. Black Hikari, thanks for reading! Emily, you got an account, yay! Does Hao care for a human? You'll have to read and find out. Lady Girl, yes I feel for Mai too!

Thanks again to Leslie/Alteng for reading and beta-ing my story. I owe a lot to you. Please enjoy the last chapter and remember to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King

Mai moved slowly and quietly, careful not to nudge Ryu below her with her foot as she crept over him and to step over the rest of the sleeping bodies as she left as quietly as she could. Dawn was approaching, the sky was pink in the east and Mai pulled her coat close as a breeze swooped in off the desert. Stepping onto the path that lead out of town she looked back to the boys in the clearing. They were still and quiet. Even the snoring had stopped. If one hadn't known better they could have been bodies.

"Thanks guys" she whispered with a smile

She turned and walked off down the road that went out of town. The town was deathly quiet, everyone was asleep and the only sound she could hear was the sound of her own footsteps echoing off the pavement and surrounding buildings. Mai looked at the sky again and felt glad she had run into those boys. New friends were always blessing and it was turning into a beautiful day.

Although, the phrase was 'red sky in the morning, Shepard's warning', wasn't it? She brushed the thought away and continued her walk. It didn't take Mai long to reach the edge of town and she crouched down on the road for a moment. Looking out into the desert to where it dipped down over the horizon, she felt the weight of new supplies in her bag and took a deep breath. Her senses were humming now she was out of the city. A feeling of apprehension had settled in her stomach and she paused.

This was it, she could feel it. There something was different about today.

Fingers brushed Mai's forehead. She sucked her breath in and placed her hands over her face. A familiar sensation…Mai closed her eyes and whispered, "Amidamaru if that was you please touch my ear"

She felt a little silly when she cold have just imagined it but it was only a fraction of time before she felt something pull her earlobe. She grinned at the amount of effort he was making to contact her. Why was he following her though, that was the question?

"Is Yoh with you? Tug once for yes"

It pulled again. Mai sighed and looked over her shoulder carefully. If he was there he was nowhere to be seen. She bit her lip in indecision and looked out towards the desert again, feeling a warm gust of wind signalling the coming heat. She rubbed her ear absently. Why was he following her? Surely he got the message from her 'secret' departure that she didn't want to see them. Not 'didn't want' but really she couldn't stay any longer. Why didn't he just call out to her?

"Tell him, whatever happens, he can't come out" Mai muttered grimly, "He can't show himself" she added quietly "If nothing happens…then…nothing happens"

She felt nothing in reply. Mai wondered if Amidamaru had left her and tugged on her backpack strings and stepped off into the desert. Her stomach twisted uncertainly and Mai dug her nails into her palms as she walked.

Yes, today was the day.

It had been three days since the X-Laws had arrived and left. Hao had set no firm date for his departure and things had continued in the same routine as before: wake up, set up breakfast as Hao had his bath, while he was eating Mai had her bath, clear table and room for day…it went steadily in rhythm. In between these discernable events Hao often sat on the veranda and, now the air was seemingly clear completely between them, talked at length about nothing in particular. If he felt the weather needed commenting on, he spent twenty minutes describing his favourite cloud formation.

Mai found his voice soothing, even though she tuned out the words as she did her chores, and just listened to the tones as they rose and fell. It was relaxing. She even found that if she was listening to him talk she was agreeing with what he said. Mai discovered herself smiling and nodding at his points more and more often. He was much more intelligent than one would have guessed and Mai wondered how he knew so much at such a young age. One might have though he had lived a dozen lives before this one.

Mai found herself looking forward to one task in particular: combing through his hair with that beautiful comb. She had always enjoyed playing with hair but hadn't often got the chance by having no brothers or sisters, but this was different. When she moved the comb carefully through Hao's long hair and listened to him talk on that peaceful veranda, the world seemed still to listen to his voice. She felt happy to smell the scent of soap fresh on his skin and to enjoy his presence. He filled the room with his character.

When did this happen? She wondered to herself as she worked. When had he stopped being a monster? The sunset warmed the wood beneath them, Hao hung his legs over the drop of the veranda and Mai sat cross-legged behind him. His hair was damp between her palms but was quickly drying at the ends, the hair fading from dark, wet black to light brown at the ends. Hao was silent for a moment, thinking.

Mai finished her task and placed the comb on the wooden floor, perfectly still. She didn't want to break the peaceful atmosphere too soon. It appeared however Hao had finished his thoughts as he slid around to sit crossed legged in front of her, the ends of his hair were long enough to still be within her grasp even though he had turned completely. Mai blinked as he stared right into her face, his forehead creased in a frown as he studied her acutely. He looked perplexed and Mai wondered what the matter was. His intensity was unnerving.

Hao pulled his hair away from her hands and grabbed them both within one of his palms and quickly with his other palm pushed her over by her shoulder on to the floor of the veranda, his frown in place and his grip, though it looked weak, vice-like. He leaned above her, his hair tickling her skin as it fell forward.

He was silent a minute and Mai was too shocked to say anything. Hao's frown deepened, "Now when did that happen?" he muttered and he picked up his wooden comb and tapped his chin thoughtfully before standing up and stretching, letting Mai's hands go as he strode across the room to put the comb away silently.

She rubbed them vaguely and sat up quickly, feeling out of breath, and brushing herself down. Unsure what had just happened. She placed her palms on her face, what had he seen in her eyes? She blinked experimentally, not quite sure that he hadn't done anything and caught her breath. Hao kept his back to her for a while, stood at his bag.

"Are you upset?" Mai ventured quietly, unsure to why he was acting in such a manner

"My dear little thorn" he turned on her, arms folded, his frown deepening "Did you know I can see into the future?"

Mai stared.

Hao sat down heavily at the table. "And you have sealed your fate down to one of two choices" he continued and waved his hand, "Death, of course, is in both paths"

"What?" Mai stood up "What do you mean?"

Hao rose an eyebrow. "You've really blown it for yourself, you know, even though I told you there was no place for you in my world you had to go and attach yourself to it anyway" he said contemptuously "Humans are so selfish"

"What?" Mai felt her stomach twist, she couldn't take it in, her head whirled with the words 'death' and 'sealed'. Her future was decided?

He no longer looked contemptuous, his features softened and he looked grim "It's probably best I'm leaving tomorrow" he stretched a small smile on his face, though Mai thought it looked tight "My dear maid, death awaits us all, it's no use worrying about it. Won't you fix my dinner?"

Mai blinked "You're leaving? Tomorrow?" she gasped "So soon?"

"Yes, the tournament is about to begin and I'm heading West to the desert" Hao replied, placing an arm on the table "Now where's dinner?"

"But" she had so much she wanted to ask

"Dinner" Hao said firmly and his eyes flashed upwards at her "Now"

"Yes sir" Mai bowed stiffly and left, her head whirling. She had to stop halfway to the kitchen to think about what she was doing. What had just happened? Mai rubbed her face and pinched her arm, half expecting to wake up, before continuing on her task.

Hao didn't speak for the rest of the night and Mai didn't start a conversation. They sat in silence. Mai was nervous and Hao just seemed tired, he sat slumped across the low table, his head on his arms. He was waiting for the moment to travel, he had nothing to do until the moment he set out on his journey. He was simply waiting now. He was like a statue, unmoving. Mai wasn't even sure she could see him breathing until she saw him blink every so often and realised he must be. He looked out over the dark garden and didn't leave his silent vigil until he moved to lie on the futon to rest.

Night came swiftly and Mai set out the futons as they took turns to use the bath as always, a grim finality hanging over the air. Mai found she felt sick with nerves though particularly over what she didn't know. Hao telling her that her fate was sealed? That she would die? That Hao was leaving? There was so much. She didn't know what he saw in her eyes but Mai decided it wasn't good. Even as she turned out the light and slid the screens closed she thought over and over about it, and drew no conclusions.

She lay in bed hearing to the breeze rustle the plants outside and the noises of the house die away. Like the first night she had slept in that room sleep refused to come and after what seemed like an age Mai sat up in bed silently and padded around the table to kneel at the edge of the futon. In the dull light that the moon forced through the screens she could see Hao's eyes were shut, but whether he was asleep was something Mai could never be sure of. He looked so young.

Carefully she lay down on the tatami next to him and rested her head on her arm, facing his sleeping form, unsurprised that she could only be bold when he was asleep. Mai waited with bated breath and when he didn't stir and was so close Mai could hear his breathing she found it was deep, steady and regular. She relaxed.

"Why did you have to come here?" she whispered, "Why do you have to leave?" bravely and gently Mai reached out brushed a strand of hair off his face, brushing his skin with her fingertips "What am I supposed to do now?" she muttered

He didn't stir and Mai closed her eyes and sighed. It was more comfortable on this side of the room, she decided, as she fell away from consciousness and into a deep sleep. If she could have felt she would have felt the arm pull her close and under the small blanket of the futon. If she could have heard she would have heard the words "Stupid little thorn" whispered into her ear through the silence as she was embraced against warm skin.

But Mai drifted through dreams and slept on through.

She didn't know what woke her but she sat up suddenly in the middle of the futon and gasped as her eyes tried to adjust to the bright sun streaming in through the open screen doors. Mai scrambled up and rushed to the veranda, her heart beating fast and looked around hurriedly. The garden was empty. She spun to look at the room; the futons were there but there was no sign that anyone was staying in the room anymore, the dust coloured bag was gone and the only items left were her own belongings.

He was gone, just like he had said he would be.

Mai slumped to her knees and stared out into the dawn sun, the sky pink, clouds high above weightlessly floating. She lay down on the cool wood and closed her eyes. She had missed him. At that moment Mai felt whatever he had discovered within her acutely wrench almost unbearably. She clutched at her heart and wept. Mai knew what he had seen there and it hurt.

Rolling on to her side she saw a sheet of white under the low table, the paper glowing a faint pink from the sun's light. Choking on a sob slightly she crawled over the tatami's and drew it out from the table's depths. She read it through once and then one more time before lying it on the table top and looking back over the garden. Mai brushed a hair away from her face.

Mai wiped her eyes, standing up she hugged her arms around herself "Until that day then…"

To the west her gut was telling her to go and Mai felt no uncertainty in the nature of her fate. Even if death was the only thing that waited there.

"After all, a thorn can't be removed so easily"

Mai took a short glance behind her and saw no one, she turned fully to gaze back at the city, trying to discern any figure watching her but Yoh had hidden expertly and she wouldn't have been able to tell if Amidamaru was in the open anyway. She hoped he had taken her words to heart. The day was lightening and Mai drew a piece of paper out of her pocket, folded and crumpled many times over, as if it had been read a hundred times and held it between her palms, feeling the smoothness beneath her fingertips before turning to walk back on the road.

Mai stopped.

She was faced with a white figure dyed red from dawn; the material looking as if blood had been poured down upon it. Marco held a gun in his right hand, lowered at his side but looked ready to use it. His face was patronising, a small smile gracing his perfect features but he was not beautiful. He looked cold and stony, his glasses hiding his eyes as they had when she had last seen him. His crew was nowhere to be seen and Marco stood at ease with his legs slightly apart.

"Fancy meeting you here, my lady" he swept an effortless bow and smirked, "Perhaps we are looking for the same person, you and I?"

Mai smoothed her features and prayed Yoh would follow her wishes "Perhaps" she replied "I'm flattered you remember me" her heart was pounding as the adrenaline rushed out. She clutched the paper between her fingers.

"I could hardly forget a servant of darkness" Marco said smoothly and raised his gun and asked with polite acidity. "Where's Hao Asakura? You must know we're looking for him?"

"I don't know" Mai whispered but he was sure he heard every word "But you won't find him"

Marco clicked the catch off his gun "Somehow I don't quite believe you. Forgive me, but I seem to remember you hiding him once before and now you may be repeating that action" he frowned, creasing his lovely features, "Now tell me where he is"

Mai began to walk forward, Marco was only a little way ahead and she passed him in a few meters, walking slowly and steadily. Her back to him she heard him spin on his heel with a grunt of annoyance. She clutched the paper to her chest and continued walking, her legs felt weak and shaky. She heard him growl angrily and the metal of the weapon creaked beneath his iron grip.

"You could have been redeemed by the light of our Lady" Marco said. "You could have been an agent for good instead of evil. Hao has corrupted you"

Mai stopped walking "No, he hasn't" she turned her head so he could hear her words clearly. "I was nothing to him"

"Then why follow him?" Marco spat

Mai clutched the paper even more tightly, she blinked, her eyes unexpectedly blurring, she said something inaudibly and Marco snapped. "What?" with impatience

"Because" Mai whispered, "I love him"

Whatever happened next, the world seemed muffled and when it cleared Mai could only hear thunder in her ears from a non-existent storm. A fired weapon, someone yelled but Mai wasn't sure if it was even her. The sky fell backwards and the ground came rushing up to meet her. The noise cleared and Mai rolled on to her back to see the red sky fading to blue.

Beautiful.

She raised the folded paper up to her eyes and focused on it; the paper was half scarlet, red ribbons spiralled off it and Mai found her fingers could no longer hold it, the paper dropped on to the floor and she saw her hand was a beautiful crimson. She coughed, her mouth was filled with copper and she spat it out but was unable to clear it. It tasted alright after a while so she stopped and let it run. Something hurt dimly, pounding in the back of her mind.

Was someone yelling for her? A distant voice, no more than a whisper. All she could see was the sky. A shadow fell from above and yelled in her ear. She focused her eyes on the object ahead.

Hao. He was right there. Mai tried to smile but coughed instead and moved her arm to reach up to him but it was too heavy and she gave up, everything seemed like it was too much effort and she felt so tired.

Was he worried? Had she worried him? Mai felt the need to reassure him that she was still his maid even though he had left her. A hand grabbed hers and she looked up at him as well as she could, trying to see through the greying areas of her vision.

"It's alright" she tried to say but it sounded wet and muffled

Mai smiled up at him and wanted him to understand all that she had ever felt towards him, to know she hadn't given him up to his enemy and that…he was…loved. Even though he was a murderer, even though he hurt her, had hurt many others, he was loved by at least one small person in this world. Even if that person was a worthless human at the end of it all.

But how could she ever say that?

She smiled and squeezed his hand even as someone yelled and cried at her angrily, hysterically. Hao never cried over a human and never would, she knew. So who was it? Mai couldn't think but wanted to reassure them. It was alright, she had known, she had known all along.

"It's alright" she whispered again

And the world fell away into nothing and all she saw was the pink sky melting into the most beautiful blue.

I guess I was just a selfish human. But still…I loved you.

The End