Acceptance
Summary: Hao finds himself back in Funbari a year after he left. Yoh decides it's time he let Hao join him and the others in their peaceful Shamanic lives, but will Hao accept that?
Genre: General/Angst
Written By: Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion
Disclaimer/Notes: Staring at a watch and hoping won't change it. I don't own Shaman King. Only 1 chapter after this... I think.
Acceptance
Hao slowly opened his eyes, and for a minute, was confused. He was in some kind of bed. Was he having the dream again, one he hadn't had for a few months? One that used to torture him, every single day?
Then Hao remembered he was in his brother's inn. He shook his head, and thought for a few moments. Soon, he would probably be asked to have breakfast. However… Unlike last night, the prospect of cooked food was very tempting… And meat…
He heard a knock at the door.
"Hao-san, c-come down for breakfast please…" stammered a quiet voice. Hao recognized it, even though it had been years since he had heard it speak to him.
"Hai, Tamao-chan…" replied Hao, standing up and straightening his cloak as he heard scurrying feet outside his door. He slid the door open, closed it, and walked past the other rooms and down to breakfast.
Hao remembered the dream he used to have. First, it was as if he was living with these fools, and they had gone crazy, seemed like they were on drugs. Then he "woke up" in a world he ruled, with Macchi as his queen. Frankly, if he had realized he loved Macchi a bit earlier… Well, she could have been brought back to life. But unless he found her spirit, and went back to the graveyard he buried her and the other Hanagumi at, he couldn't have Yoh bring her back to life. And of course, if she had passed on, there was no hope anyway.
Hao slid the door to the kitchen open, thankful the only ones there were Anna, Tamao, Pirika, Ryu, and Ren. Yoh, Manta, and Horo Horo were watching Saturday morning cartoons.
"Hello…" said Hao. Anna looked up, and Pirika went over to watch the cartoons. Ryu grinned and stood up. As Hao sat down, Ryu came back and handed him a plate and a glass of orange juice.
"Breakfast my friend!" exclaimed Ryu with a grin. Hao felt a small smile grow on his lips, though he was unsure why.
"Thank you." replied Hao. He slowly began eating the eggs, quietly and without a word. After a swallow, he spoke. "It's very good. Thank you."
Ryu grinned again, and went back to his breakfast, and Ren simply finished his milk and departed to his room. Hao grasped the glass of orange juice. It was smooth and cool. He tilted it to his mouth and took a nice long gulp. Delicious…
"Listen, Hao." Said Anna quietly. "Yoh and I talked about it last night… And we'd like you to stay here, with us."
"Is that so…?" muttered Hao, the sweetness of having orange juice slowly going away.
"Yes. You can stay in the room you stayed in last night, or select another." Said Anna slowly.
"And so you assume I plan to stay?" growled Hao angrily. Anna blinked.
"Well, you don't have anywhere else, do you?" asked Anna. Hao glared at her.
"Thank you for breakfast." Hao said to Tamao and Ryu, who looked at him questioningly. "But my stay in Funbari is now over. I plan to be out of here in the next hour."
With that, Hao stood up and went to get his things. He came back, waved, and left. Anna barely had time to register any of this for a few minutes, before running out after him, with Yoh, Amidamaru, Zenki, and Kouki in hot pursuit.
Well? What do you think folks? Ryu was a nice guy, ne?
Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion
