Seductive Lies
Shadows: Ow...my head hurts...All that sugar...I got on a sugar high, and wrote an interesting little one-shot whilst I was at it...Now I think it's time for lunch, (it's 12.05 pm over here in England!)
Kitty: Shadows, and I, do not own Shaman King. It belongs to a much worshipped man called, uh, what's his name again?
Shadows: I dunno, I'll find it out on Itsumo later. Anyway, lets get on with the ficcie! I have some more flashbacks to deal with- and a lunch to eat... Wait a minute! What's this :growls at D: drive: What do you mean, you won't let me see the video! Gah, there's this pop-up (in German.) that blocks me from seeing the video! I can't read it! I was never good enough for German anyway... Damn thing... :glares at D: drive:
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Azalee: Who's your dealer? Who is dealing you this hyper-sugar that gives you mega highs? Don't worry, I repeat myself to hell...And if anyone hasn't gather my little love triangle yet, please raise your hand...
Black Hikari: Congratulations, you worked out the love triangle. I'll, consider your request...Will put it by the drawing board... My chapter titles rarely make sense, they're just there to sound pretty...
Anonymous: Hmm, yep, things are getting more confusing... I actually read that quote in a fic once, felt like copying it. I dunno, it seems to make sense to me...However, good point, I don't think he's a crocodile...
DragonStorm85: I never used to do author notes...Someone got critical in a review on one of my other stories once, and I've never really done it since...Glad you found my mild attempts at humour amusing!
Garnet-chan: Heh, heh, welcome aboard...Your soul is now mine... Uh :gulp: I mean, thanks for the support!
KimBob: Well now, Yoh has to find his brother first, he's feeling a tad unwell... However, I promise you some soon, I have to work on a few odd other pairings elsewhere first...
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Kitty: Who else thinks Hao is too damn fucking sexy for his own good! With that, I'm going for a nap... :falls asleep: On...with...the...ficcie... :snores:
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Chapter 4 – Love To Hate You
Yoh wasn't really sure what he was doing, or why. All he knew was that he had to get to wherever he was going, and he didn't quite know where that was...
Ignoring the dull throbbing ache that was spreading through his head, Yoh could help but clutch at his stomach, as the familiar churning of sickness tumbled around with his every step. Dizziness spun in front of his eyes, giving him temporarily double vision. Despite this, he knew that there wasn't long, and then this would all go away...
A sudden growling lurch in the pit of his stomach caused Yoh to stop for a few minutes, and hurl up dinner into the bushes. Wiping his mouth, Yoh moaned in pain, and continued on his journey up the hill. The pain was getting worse, and Yoh felt more ill with every second that passed. He hoped desperately that he could last long enough to find his brother- the one person who could make this all go away.
It was crazy. Madness even. But it was the only option Yoh had, and he had no choice but to take it. Either that, or end up in the hospital with some incurable illness.
The cool night sky above spun around him again, and it was a little too much. Crashing into the trunk of a nearby tree, Yoh closed his eyes, witlessly wishing that everything would just go away. He sunk downwards, his back to the tree, the churning getting worse and worse...
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The cool water splashed over Anna's face, gradually awakening her from the slumber she'd fallen into. Eyes opening, everything blurred into double-vision for a few minutes, before she registered with the bitter, yet still concerned face of Hao.
"Better?" He asked coldly, despite the little edge of caring that lined his voice.
"My head still hurts...but generally okay..." She realised she was lying on the cool grass, Hao knelt beside her. With her head finally aching less, Anna regained her attitude, and she unwisely decided to insult the shaman.
"What do you care anyway?" She asked, mirroring his bitter tone.
"I'd shut up if I were you. " Hao turned away, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Unless you want your head to hurt twice as much as it did last time. I'm your master, and you will obey me."
"Yes...Master..." Having realised how close she was to getting smacked round the head again, Anna's tone became meek again, as she lowered her head in slight pain, wincing as she did.
"Head still hurt?" Hao's tone was more playful, and she gritted her teeth as she answered.
"Yes. Besides, Yoh will be here soon, and you can continue with the next stage of your plan..." Anna kept it low and slightly formal, as if she was addressing a monarch or some kind of royalty. And in Hao's case, he probably was.
"And you're going to help me...Yoh will obviously want to help me- if he's currently ill, and if you're chained up to a tree and about to be murdered..." A mock smile accompanied a sing-song voice, and Anna nearly puked.
"Come to think of it, Yoh wasn't looking well when I last saw him...As if he was feeling unwell..."
"Exactly. Well that's only because I'm too damn sexy for my own good, and he simply can't resist me..." Hao laughed at his own joke, dark laughter echoing up into the night sky.
Anna simply bit her bottom lip, lowering her gaze. Unable to help herself, she began to cry again, salty droplets falling into the cool blades of grass.
"Are you crying again? Does it hurt?" The itako was surprised at the sudden change in mood, Hao actually sounded really concerned. Not realising that he'd dropped down behind her, Anna was shocked to be drawn into a hug.
"Not quite..." Anna dropped her head, even more tears falling down to splash and bounce off the gentle green leaves.
"Hao?"
"Hmm?"
"Why does it have to be this way between us? You're off romancing your brother, why do you want me as well?"
"I don't know...For once..." Hao avoided her gaze for a few seconds, then looked down at the tear stained desperation on her face, and couldn't help but draw her closer, resting her head gently on his chest. She didn't say anything, just whimpered slightly, allowing her eyes to close as she relaxed against him.
Hao didn't quite understand this- which was extremely rare coming from a guy who'd lived three times. Choosing not to listen to the complaints his common sense was making at him, the shaman simply sighed, momentarily forgetting his little brother, and focusing instead on the young woman in his arms. For a bitch who could rule a group of wannabes, and still train them to win a shaman fight, he had to admit that she was rather a unique person. She was strong at times, and at others, ever so vulnerable. That was, after all, what made one human.
Human. Such a simple word, and yet the pain that came from it. Humans were filthy, dirty creatures, who destroyed the planet that had given them life. What right did anyone have in that? Anna was an itako, yes, but she was also, human.
And at times, Hao had questioned his own human attributes. He had born of humans, all three times, and he still didn't understand them.
Did that mean he didn't understand himself?
Never. And this wasn't a soap opera where life was a bitch, and people had problems that would never occur in sequence in real life.
This was reality. Life that wasn't a soap opera. It was, just plain living. People tried to get along, and some turned to crime and tried to make a name for themselves.
Life really was a bitch at times.
Hao sighed, and looked down at the now sleeping Anna, who was cuddled into his chest, one arm on his shoulder, the other curled around his back. She looked different when she was asleep. So, innocent.
Then again- didn't everyone?
With a satisfied grunt, Hao snuggled into the itako embraced against him, confused thoughts and questions running through his head.
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"Ren?"
"Mmm?"
"What's that?"
"Your much painful death if you don't get off me."
"But..."
"Get off."
With a sniff of discontent, Horo Horo rolled off the Chinese- and his spear which had appeared out of nowhere, and looked up at the sounds of voices and running down the corridors. He snuck a look at the other, who was busy digging in a drawer, clearly looking for something that wasn't underwear. The Aniu looked questioningly at him, head slightly to one side.
"What?" Ren suddenly asked, throwing a glance at the other, one eyebrow raised in question.
"Nothing...nothing...Just wondering what you were looking for..." Horo turned away, pretending he was listening to the sounds outside the door.
"This- if you're really curious." The ice shaman looked back to see that Ren was holding up a small chain, on which was a little pendant. The pendant was a of a yin-yang symbol, backed with little patterns of gold around it. Horo darted back across the bed to take a closer look, his closeness seeming to unnerve Ren a little.
"A...pendant?" Horo's head went to the side again, as he looked puzzled. The Chinese shaman couldn't help but smile, Horo looked rather cute with the expression on his face.
"I figured it might help us find Yoh, at the very least. He might know where Anna is. "
"How come?" A small pout crossed Ren's face as he noted that the look was gone from Horo's features, as he leant forward to examine the pendant again. Ren smiled again before answering, a faint blush crossing his cheeks.
"Uh...Yoh...gave this to me once...A little while back, I think it was to say thank you for something..." Horo picked up on his embarrassment at once, although he said nothing. It was pretty obvious to see, and Horo bit his lower lip in slightly envy as he realised.
Ren had a crush on Yoh. The blush on his face, the way he held the pendant, it was so clear, so evident.
And Horo Horo resented it. Although he repeatedly told himself that it was pointless, that Ren would never feel the same way, he still couldn't stop the waves of jealousy. Eventually, he shook his head, and put it to the back of his mind. If Ren detected his own feelings...would that ever be a disaster.
"Come on. We'd better go get some breakfast, and you can tell the others your idea. By the way, how exactly were you planning on that helping us?" Horo gave Ren that questioning look again, complete with the head movement, which earned him a broad smile, and a blush.
"What?"
"Nothing...It's just your expression...It looks rather amusing, in a 'Horo' sort of way..." The smile gave way to a slight grin, and Horo temporarily forgot his resentment as he admired the other's look.
"Actually, Yoh showed me a little catch on this, " Ren pointed this out, looking rather taken aback as Horo pushed his head under his chin, in his attempt to look, " he told me to only open it in a desperate situation. And I'd say this is rather desperate."
"Well then, it might be time to open it? Oh come on, I'm hungry." Horo pulled back, standing up. Ren looked rather dazed, he had been rather comfortable after a while in close contact with Horo. Finally shaking his head, the Chinese stood up with him, pocketing the pendant as he followed him out.
Either way, it was going to be an interesting breakfast.
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Shadows: Short, but I gotta put a few short ones in. Like my character development? Hao is falling in love with Anna, and Horo Horo is jealous... (Lazy bastard, just because you can't get him...)
Kitty: Hmm...On the title, it refers to the 'love/hate' relationships between Horo and Ren, and Hao and Anna. I think Yoh is feeling a little poorly..
Shadows: Don't worry, his medicine is on the way in the next chapter... Are Hao and Anna going to snog? Will Ren's pendant help them find Yoh? Will Yoh lead them to Anna? Will Hao and Anna finally stop messing around and snog? Will Shadows finally get the computer to play the video and figure out what the German says!
Tune in next time for the next thrilling chapter! (Well actually, it's not THAT thrilling...)
