little talk- FINALLY UPDATED!

i hate essays. i hate papers. I'm tired, and I've been sick lately because of the cold weather.

haha, I've noticed that this isn't a true POV for not using first person...

sorry for 'continuing' too late. thank-you for the reviews (even though they basically said "continue!") I haven't had much time to go on the internet, only for homework since i'm so busy. if anything, I'm pretty sure I can do updates in the summer. I'll try

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KEY

Italics are Tamao's thoughts

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Moving In

Chapter 12

Still, 18th of May, Monday. I'm getting ready for the soccer game...not that there really is anything to be ready for.

As for Hao, he's in the backyard running around. Wait. Let me correct myself, he's exercising without an Anna. He looks funny with his hair in a ponytail, I've never seen him like this before even at practices. He seems to be fine, with his usual light-self, always a deceiving smile.

"Anna-san! I'm leaving for the game." he smiled, and stood proudly in his uniform.

"Then beat it!" she responded with her usual cold remarks.

"Eh, Annaaaa, I'm gonna go, too." Yoh's childish voice rang out into the courtyard.

"You're staying here, you don't even care about games like that."

His fell from being caught, and sulked away.

I don't really know what to wear to a game. I not the kind a person into the "school spirit" and such. I'm sure that this will be the only game I'll be attending. I don't really know why I'm even bothering to attend it though.

"Tamao, are you coming?" I hear his voice from the stairs below. I quickly put on a black t-shirt, and a light, baggy pair of khakis. Weird thing is that it's still morning. I don't think that the game will start until the afternoon.

"Tamaaao! I'm leaving!" Hao called out teasingly, waiting for the pounding steps of feet running down the stairs. She came down, of course. "Stop it..." Tamao nearly had to heave herself to look at him.

"Tamao, are you coming?" "Tamaaao! I'm leaving!" Hao called out teasingly, waiting for the pounding steps of feet running down the stairs. She came down, of course. "Stop it..." Tamao nearly had to heave herself to look at him.

"Of course," he smiled. "Come on now, I don't want to be running late to the game." Like a gentleman, he outstretched his hand. Hesitantly, Tamao took it, and went down the last few steps down the stairs having her other hand hold on to the wooden railing.

Going towards the rural area of the city, tall buildings diminished behind them as they reached a dirt road surrounded by uncut grass. "Ah, Hao-san, do you really know where we're going?" Tamao asked warily.

"Of course I do! A short cut to this one place, and then the school's soccer field." Hao took out a crumpled piece of paper out of his soccer jacket. "See this? NeKo ShOp. That's where Ruki wants us to meet."

Ruki...I remember her.

"See here?" Hao pointed to the back side of the paper, "it's a map she drew. Though...not very accurate...is there such a thing called 'NeKo ShOp' anyway? Is it a girl's store with stationary, or something?." he stopped walking after a few blocks, and took a break, leaning on a metal lamppost.

"I'm sorry Hao-san, I don't know many shops around here. Anna usually sends Yoh, or Manta to get everything." Tamao shyly tugged her hair that hung above her shoulders.

"Oh well, it's okay," Hao breathed, looking up at the brown sign that was dangling, just barely hanging on to the building facade. "C'mon. I think we'll be okay even if we don't meet Ruki anyway, I don't know why she asked me."

"You know her?"

"Yes, I do. Such a brat." Tamao looked at Hao, astounded by what he said, but he continued anyway, "She's a nuisance, always trying to talk to me, asking me about people namely Haru. Always asking, making sure that something isn't going on between the two of you. I wish that I could just send her to an eternal sleep with my powers but then I still respect the King. But is there?"

Tamao' shoulders jumped as she jerked her head towards him. Meeting her were Hao's intensely dark eyes, contrary to Yoh's calm ones.

"Haru invited me to a party. I sort of though that he needed a date, so I agreed."

"How come I wasn't invited?"

"Well, it's not a school social party or anything."

"A private invitation?"

"...Yes," heat began to rise up on her cheeks, and ears.

"Embarrassing?" Hao asked, stressing out the very word.

"It's not like I-I like him that much, or anything. I mean it's just" Tamao hastily spoke, and stammered.

"Don't worry about it," Hao burst into laughter at her bashfulness, "because I know who you really like...it's Yoh. Isn't it?" he smiled mischievously, amused by the shades of red that could appear on her face.

"Let's get back to the subject. It's a private party, so it must be formal, yes?"

Tamao vigorously nodded.

"Ah...suppose that Anna wouldn't let you wear her black dress, yes? I mean, she wears it all the time. Or maybe she has multiple quantities of them. Maybe you'd know, Tamao, you're the one who has always done the laundry."

"Yes, she has many."

He laughed. "But you're probably a little small for it, yes? How about we go find you one."

Bright pink eyes stared back at him.

"Don't tell me, you've never been shopping?"

"Not that much," she lowered her head, "I'm usually too busy to care, or anything. And I actually like school uniforms."

"Guess that's too bad. I was hoping that you could take me around. Ever since I've moved in to live with you, Yoh, Anna, and whoever comes by, I haven't been anywhere. Sort of stuck in a cage."

"You mean to say, Anna doesn't let you go anywhere?" Tamao asked with an unintended fear in her voice. For what other reason would he not be allowed to walk as a free man?

"Don't you think it's obvious?" Hao questioned her with a smug smile creeping on his face. They stood there, waiting for the walking light to turn green at the intersection, as many people do. Tamao stood there for what felt like ages with the Asakura by her side. The one who has waited too many years just to reach his ultimate dream. As usual, wearing a mask of a serene smile, staring out into the world which he promised to destroy.

The light changed to a disfigured, walking, green person.

"You know it, everybody does." He whispered into her ear as they walked diagonally across the intersection, "You, Yoh, Anna, Trey, Ren, Ryu, and I'm sure the little guy knows it too, Morty?"

Tamao nodded.

"He's a funny little thing."

A thing.

"By the way," Hao continued, "I saw Lyserg today. Do you remember him?"

"A guy with green hair, emerald eyes?"

"You like? I hope that he'll be paying his respects to my brother soon. I'd love to see him. Especially in that outfit." Hao pointed at an embroidered, jade-colored dress in a display window, "A little expensive, n'est-ce pas? I would buy it as a joke, but no."

His eyes shifted to the rose colored dress next to it, a deep, dark red, like blood. "I like that one." he said, indicating it with a toss of his head. He looked down at the price tag, "Too bad I didn't make it to be Shaman King. If I won, my once-loyal followers would do anything I asked. Could really use some money off of Kanna right now..."

"Um, it's alright. It's not like I'll be an important figure there, or anything! I have a dress!" Tamao thrashed her open hands forming a barrier between her, and Hao, out of embarrassment.

"You know, Tamao, I actually can think of someone who'd help at a time like this." he spoke with a sly smile, "Get you cell phone out."

Ring. Ring.

The girl held the book steady in her hand. She wore traditional clothing, modernized in black with longer slits showing off her legs, and a sleeveless top.

Ring. Ring.

"Hello?" she answered the phone, carrying a slight accent with her.

"Hello, Jun Tao? This is Tamao," a nervous voice came through the speaker.

"Why Tamao, how've you been? Is Yoh fine?"

"Yoh...is fine. I called to ask a favor... would you like to go shopping? I'm at the Plaza Mall."

Jun's face lit up, "Of course! Though I can't really buy much since I have to wear traditional clothing...but of course, anything for the Shaman King."

"But I" Tamao was cut off with a clicking sound in her phone from Jun.

"So, it's done?" Hao asked from behind, since it was she who turned away.

"Are you sure this is alright?" she was about to stutter.

"Relax, she'll think of a way we can do her a favor. By the way, is she going to bring that Lee-Pai Wong of hers?"

"I don't know..."

...And like magic, Jun appears with Lee.

Plaza Mall is an insanely huge mall with the large, expensive stores to the East side, and smaller, less expensive stores to the West side. While all the convenient stores, stationary shops, bookstores and restaurants were more towards the center of it all. Tamao, and Hao stood on a corner, on the West side, both not being much of shoppers themselves, and much less spendthrifts.

"Tamaaaoo!" a light, cheery voice called from down the sidewalk, "over here!"

There was, of course, no need to indicate one's self with a giant, living zombie nearby. Lee-Pai Wong stood tall with his douji outfit, and weaponry, and his odd colored skin tone which attracted the eyes of many passersby. Tamao was able to reach her at ease with Hao following behind her.

"So, Tamao, what're you looking for? A dress, maybe? I've never seen you in a dress."

"Yeah, Hao, and I were looking for a dress, and needed your help..." Tamao watched Jun's face display a very slight sign of disgust. Why fear the enigmatically malevolent shaman who isn't king?

"Here, it's almost lunch time, why don't we all get something to eat? I really like the sushi in this one Japanese restaurant there." Jun suggested.

"Japanese sounds fine to me." Hao smiled sinisterly at Jun.

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(once again) can anyone tell me: who on earth is 'Mary Sue'? (if you really want some kind of reward, or something, since I do know that I ask a lot of questions, then make the reward within reason) :)

argh! i didn't intend to have this story to go on for so long. i already have an ending in mind :). just need to get there.

I love Hao's voice on FoxBox-Shaman King