Mikau: Hey everybody! Been awhile! I think I'm going to update every weekend from now on, so that's when you can look for a new chapter. I'm pretty good about updating, so no big worries there. It's late, so let's just do this so I can sleep. 1:14 in the AM people; see how much I love you people!

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, and Tippy-chan owns the ocs. No further questions, Your Honor. Kara is broke, and doesn't own anything at all except the snazzy chapter names and my yellow polka-dot bikini. (I seriously do have one, black with yellow polka dots.)

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Blood-Splattered Grief

I knew I was being carried somewhere, but I didn't bother to open my eyes. Whoever was carrying me was strong, and they held me close to their body. They made me feel warm and safe, so I slept on.

Abruptly my desire to sleep left me completely as I felt myself being lowered. My eyes snapped open and were met by those beautiful chocolate brown ones I had come to adore.

Hao looked startled at my sudden regaining of consciousness for a moment but quickly apologized, "I'm sorry Asuka. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't leave me." I managed to breathe.

He starred down at me, puzzled. "W-what?" He asked.

Even I was a bit startled at what I had said, but I sheepishly restated my request. "Please, don't leave me. Not yet. I really don't want to be alone right now."

"O-okay. Is there something troubling you?" Hao raised an eyebrow at me.

'Tell him!' My mind screamed at me. "Well…" I started. The little voice in my head started to do a victory dance. 'Yes!'

"No." I sighed. I could just see the little voice in my head fall over anime style. 'You idiot! Out with it!'

"I don't believe you." Hao smirked as he leaned in closer to me and his arms encircled my waist; trapping my wrists in one of his hands, he slowly applied more and more of his weight on top of me.

"Hao what are you doing!" I squeaked.

"This!" he replied as he started to tickle me to death.

"Stop! Stop!" I begged.

"Not until you tell me what's the matter!"

"Okay! Okay! I give; I give!" The tickling stopped and then we realized the position we were in. Hao quickly jumped off of me and the bed with a whispered 'sorry'.

"It's okay." I blushed, but managed to sneak a peek at Hao's bright red face. "You know how I told you about my father?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Well he too is a Shaman. He has these strange powers that let him enter people's dreams and physically harm them as punishment. I don't really want to sleep because…" I paused to look at him. "I'm afraid he'll hurt me again."

Silent tears fell down my cheeks as I starred out the window at the darkening sky. He laid his hand on my shoulder and gently soothed me. I leaned up against him and was about to fall asleep again when a thought came to me. "Why do the others hate you? You seem so friendly and caring to me. How can they hate someone so kind?"

I could feel Hao wince slightly at my question.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude. You don't have to tell me anything personal like that." I tried to smooth over my mistake.

"No," he reassured, "You were bound to find out eventually. I think it's better if I tell you myself. Look, I'm fourteen years old right?"

"Yes?" I answered, not sure where he was going with this.

"Wrong. I've been reincarnated several times, making me thousands of years old. I know it may seem impossible, but I'm telling the truth." He tried his best to convince me of his honesty.

"Why were you reincarnated? Why did you keep coming back?" I questioned.

"For the past few Shaman Tournaments I've been trying to win so I could purge the world of humans—don't worry, I've changed." He added hastily when he saw the look on my face. "I never succeeded in becoming Shaman King because an Asakura had always defeated me, but this time the Asakura was my own twin brother Yoh. He really changed my view of the world, and I came to live with him and his friends."

"So they're all scared of you still? Afraid that you haven't changed your mind about humans?" I tried to understand.

He smirked at me, but his eyes revealed how he truly felt: hurt, sad, and alone. "No, they would never fear me. They hate me and disapprove of me and what I did in the past."

"What did you do?" I pried.

"Murder."

"Nooo!" I said in disbelief.

"Hundreds at a time. I massacred them, slaughtered them and their families. Thousands of innocent bystanders killed. Killed for my dream. I wanted to save the world from corrupt humans, but the way I went about it was wrong. And in the end, I was the one who ended up being the corrupted one. I was wrong."

We sat in silence for a minute. I contemplating what had just been said to me, and Hao letting me come to my own conclusions about him, giving me my own due time.

"Now you see why they hate and distrust me. I bet you do too. I have changed though. I won't kill senselessly anymore; not ever again." The way he looked at me, his eyes, they begged my forgiveness. They seemed desperate to hear me say it was okay, and I didn't think any less of him for his bloody past, but I was too shocked to say anything.

"It's okay…you can say it, 'I hate you Hao; you're a horrible person.' I don't care. It's true anyway." He smiled mocking himself as he hung his head in shame.

"I don't hate you." I suddenly found my voice back in my throat where it belongs.

He looked up at me like I had grown extra body parts. "What!"

I managed to keep eye contact and speak my reply again. "I don't hate you, Hao; I could never hate you. It's not your fault. You were confused, you thought what you were doing was right, and they all have no right to condemn you for it. If it helps you any, I don't condemn you."

"Thank you so much, Asuka." He whispered as he pulled me into his strong embrace. I hugged back, and we stayed like that, in pure bliss.

But all good things have to end, and he eventually pulled away saying, "Goodnight, and um…ti amo, il mio angelo dolce."

"Goodnight, but what did you say after that?" I puzzled.

"Hmm? Oh, that?" Hao blushed a little as he turned toward the door. "Just a little Italian. Never mind; I'll see you in the morning."

"If you say so…" My last thoughts before I fell asleep were of Hao and what his words had meant. His tone had been a fond one…a little more than friendly. I decided not to fret over those words, so instead I slowly drifted off to sleep. My slumber was not peaceful, however, as I started to have the most frightful dream.

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Mikau: Well, that was it. Hope you liked it. I thought it was cute. For all you people who don't speak Italian, look up the meaning of 'ti amo, il mio angelo dolce.' If you must know what it means. I'm too tired to tell you myself.

To Tippy-chan: ¡Muchas gracias, Tippy! Your kind words mean much to me. I'm glad you liked the chapter! Thank you again for letting me do this!

To Asavako: Thank you! Isn't Hao the greatest! I love him to death! Jumps on top of Hao.

To Jenn: Thanks for reading! I'm glad you liked it! I didn't have to work as hard to come up with this chapter, so I'm taking that as a good sign that I'm getting more into the characters.

To Shamanbabe: Isn't Hao sooooo sweeeeeeeeeet! Pinches Hao's cheeks I love his cuteness and shyishness! Sooo cuuuuute! I think I'm going to update on weekends. That will work better for this fic.

To cutie1789: Thanks for the review! Sorry that my response is short tonight; it's very late. I'm glad you think American turned out well. I was afraid to take it at first because I thought I wouldn't be able to do a good enough job with Tippy's story. Thanks for the support!

To longbca: Yay! I'm glad you like Tippy's and my fic! I was worried I wouldn't do a good job taking over for her, but the reviewers seem happy, so I guess my work is fine. Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you like it!

PLEASE REVIEW! Goodnight people, I'm almost falling asleep as I type; better update now before it's too late!