Disclaimer: O wo is me for I do not own Shaman King but one day I'll be so rich and powerful that everyone will bow down to me and Shaman King will be handed to me on a silver platter.

Rufus the review monster thanks all you beautiful people once again

Milly: Yes love is such a beautiful thing. isn't this just full of fluff!

Asavako: I hope he doesn't as well...we will see

Mikauzoran: I'll see what I can do about an invite thought I have a feeling they won't be inviting a whole lot of people! I'll have to make sure

Godoflight: I'm glad you like it that much...it has to stop sometime but don't worry. I have a whole other plot in mind that I might write as a sequel or just add on to this story!

Ginnitsune: Yeah boxing sounds like a great idea!

Andrea Nefisto: I feel your pain.. We can no longer have him to ourselves (sobs)

Tohru woke up first put on her boots and crawled out of the tent putting on the wrap that Hao had let her keep at the same time. She wandered over to the fire and opened up a bag to see what they had in the way of food. Finding a lot of eggs and some cheese, Tohru decided to make everyone cheese omelettes. She set up a smaller fire next to the main one on which to cook the eggs then she began to cook. As she was doing so almost everyone began to wake up and crawl out of their tents. She served each one of them in turn then served up some more as everyone seemed extremely hungry.

"Sooooo Tohru, tell me what exactly is happening between you and Hao eh?" Mari whispered in her ear as Tohru sat down to eat her own breakfast.

Tohru looked at her for moment, contemplating what to say to her in reply.

"Well I don't know how he feels but..." she paused then dropped her voice so it was almost inaudible, "I've fallen in love with him"

Mari stared at her. Then whispered Tohru's answer to Kanna and Matti when they asked what was going on.

"OH MY GOD THAT IS SO TOTALLY AWESOME!" Matti bellowed upon hearing the news.

Kanna smiled at her "Well girls it's not like we didn't know it would happen. I suppose if it's like that then your truly part of the group now and you can open the parcel we gave you the other day."

"Oh! I can open it now that's great!"

Tohru cleared up everyone's plates then made Hao's breakfast. She took it into the tent and sat down cross legged next to Hao. She glanced at the box Tiegan had given her, hidden by her bag then returned to watching him sleep. She contemplated whether to wake him or let him lie there a little while longer.

He opened one eye, looked at her and said "Are you gonna sit there all day or give me that omelette?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't sure whether to wake you up or not." Tohru looked down at her feet feeling slightly embarrassed to have been caught staring at him.

Hao sat up and took the plate out of her hands. Tohru got up to leave but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back down causing her to lose her balance and fall backwards on to his lap. Blushing, she crawled off quickly and resumed her position, sitting next to him.

"I need to talk to you." He said

After he had finished. He sat there and looked at her. His gaze Tohru nervous and she was suddenly very aware he was topless. A small spider crawling over her knee suddenly became extremely interesting. Hao finally broke the silence.

"I wish to fight you." He said.

"Have I done something," her eyes widened, "You don't want to kill me do you, Master Hao?"

"I'd never want that" Did I just say that out loud? Hao thought to himself.

"I need to know just how strong you are. I know that you are more powerful than the others here but I need to know just how much. I wouldn't fight you if I didn't think you could cope in case I harmed you but I know you more powerful than that." He said smiling at her.

"But I can't fight you now. I let Ellena go, she had to sort things out, Master Hao."

"She's one of the five elemental spirits isn't she?"

Tohru nodded in reply.

"Then you can communicate with her wherever she is. It's an ability common with all of them"

Tohru looked at him, absorbing this new information with wonder.

"Seeing as this will probably be your first time it will be a lot harder but it gets easier every time you do it. I'll help you. By the time you become experienced at this you'll be able to do it without a second thought"

Hao motioned for her to move closer as she did so he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her over so she was sitting in front of him with her back facing him. She let out a small yelp at the sudden movement and he chuckled.

"Now lie down and rest your head on my lap"

Once Tohru had done this he continued.

"Now close your eyes and focus on imagining her face"

Tohru closed her eyes and jumped slightly as Hao rested his hands on either side of her head to support it.

"Now once you've focused on her you'll feel her presence. Once you have that you can talk to her without even opening your mouth. Tell her we'll have fight a week today and don't worry because she'll be able to sense your exact location when it comes to the day"

Tohru focused until she could feel Ellena's presence then told her what she needed to know along with the details of what Tiegan had said to her. She left out her fever in case Ellena got worried. After their quick reunion Tohru severed the link and opened her eyes again. She looked up into his eyes.

"I'm really comfortable like this" she murmured, then clapped a hand over her mouth as she realised she had just said that out loud.

He smiled down at her as her face went red. He put one hand up to her forehead and brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.

"Then stay a little longer" he whispered to her.

Tohru closed her eyes again and smiled.

"After I have seen how powerful you are, I have to tell you some things about me. Things you have to know if you stay with the group." He whispered.

Tohru looked up at him again and frowned, sitting up. This was what Tiegan had talked about the other day. The things he would tell her could drive her away.

"Tell me now, why wait?"

"I will tell you when I wish to" he said.

"Someone's getting arrogant again." Tohru muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

"It's not arrogance when I control everything that happens within this group" he said smugly.

"You can't control everything"

"And how do you come to that conclusion?"

"Well you can't stop someone's emotions. You can't stop them getting angry or sad. You can't stop someone feeling hatred or love, or make them feel hatred or love"

"I suppose not. But then again when it come to hatred and love, anyone who hates me dies if they get in my way."

"And what of love?"

"I intend to have found someone to become my Shaman Queen by the time we reach Dobi Village."

"So you haven't found anyone yet then" Tohru asked slightly disappointed by his last remark.

"That remains to be seen."

"TOHRU" someone called from outside the tent. Tohru shot up.

"Mari. Is that you?"

"Yeah. Can we come in? Have you opened it yet?" She asked excitedly.

"No. I'm just about too."

Tohru looked at Hao, silently asking him with her eyes if it was OK for them to come in. He nodded and shifted so the girls would have room to pile in. Tohru opened the flap and beckoned them in. As they piled in they all glanced at Hao then turned their attention back to Tohru. Tohru picked up her bag and began to rummage through it to find the parcel they had given her.

"Hey what's in this?" Kanna asked reaching for the lid of the box Tohru was trying to hide.

"NO!" She shrieked, snatching it out of the way just in time." No one sees it until I'm ready"

"Oh. Okay then." Kanna said looking at the others

When Tohru had finally found the parcel the other three girls leaned closer in anticipation. Hao was intrigued by what they wanted to give her as well. But he hung back and watched Tohru's smiling face as she began to unwrap it. Tohru pulled out three things from inside. The first was a large piece of light blue cloth covered in large white stars. She looked at it in interest.

"You can where it like as a head scarf bandana type thing or as a normal scarf round your neck."

"I love it but why all the stars?"

"Stars are kinda like a status symbol when you're with our group."

Hao smirked at their latest buys for Tohru.

"Oh well it's really awesome...What else do we have here?"

Tohru pulled out a pair of gloves that were identical to Hao's but in navy blue instead of black.

"See I have some too" Kanna said holding out her hand "And obviously it has stars as well"

Tohru smiled and put them on, admiring them as she did so. Then she put the scarf on her head using it like a bandanna. She hugged all the girls and said her thank you's then they left saying they had to sort out their hair (they were really just trying to give Tohru and Hao alone time)

1 week later...

"Tohru wake up." He whispered in her ear gently shaking her.

Tohru murmured and looked up at him.

"We're meant to start our fight in half an hour. Opatcho brought you some food" he said handing it too her.

"I'm so sorry Master Hao. I don't know how I managed to oversleep. I even set the alarm on my watch and everything." She rambled as she tried to brush her hair at the same time as eating.

"Don't worry. I was the one who switched off your alarm. You looked like you needed more sleep."

"Oh well thank you then." Tohru said smiling.

She stepped out into the sunlight and quickly slipped on her boots. They had left the mountains three day ago and were back in the desert. Hao followed her out.

"Here put this on" he said handing her the wrap he had let her keep.

"But it's sweltering"

"This will keep you cool; it will also stop you from getting a tan. Your pale skin suits you." He smiled at her.

"Oh OK" she said taking it from him. She paused then stepped close to him and whispered in his ear, "But don't think I'll go easy on you because of this."

Her words sent a shiver down his spine and he smirked then leaned right into her. He gazed in her eyes for a moment then rested his hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear so close she could feel his breath tickling her neck,

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

They walked 100 metres away from the camp in the hopes it would be far enough away that they wouldn't cause any damage. Tohru stood facing Hao with 20 metres between them. Tohru closed her eyes and told Ellena it was time. Ellena appeared next to her accompanied by a tower of water that disappeared instantly as Ellena turned and hugged Tohru. Hao shouted over to them.

"It's time to begin this"

As soon as he said this the spirit of fire appeared behind him and he jumped up to stand on its shoulder. Tohru looked on in wonder then an idea struck her.

"Ellena do you remember my father talked of me reaching the point where I could use a much more inconspicuous medium? He said that once I had reached a certain point we could use the water in the air. We could try that I mean it would mean we had a lot more flexibility in the moves and attacks we used."

"OK let's try it. I think you're ready."

Tohru pushed back the wrap so it all fell behind her shoulders. She took her chain form around her waist and threw it towards the rest of the group so it wouldn't burden her through the fight. This earned murmurs of concern from people who were worried about what she was going to do without it.

Tohru glanced at Ellena and nodded. Having received her cue she crossed her arms across her chest and closed her eyes. Small twisters of water twisted and snaked their way around Ellena until she was engulfed. Suddenly more twisters shot out, expanding and twisting into shape. Ellena now stood 40 feet tall, she had large blue wings similar to a hawk tucked in at the back and was brandishing a kyoketsu shoge (A kyoketsu shoge is like the end of a spear with a barb attached to a chain)

Tohru jumped up onto Ellena's hand, then up to her shoulder with surprising ability.

"I see you're using the Water in the air as you're medium but that won't do you any good" Hao called with a smirk on her face.

Instead of replying Tohru used the telecommunication Hao had taught her to tell Ellena to launch her attack. Ellena swung the kyoketsu shoge around her head then launched it at Hao himself.

The spirit of fire easily dodged and countered by grabbing the chain and pulling it but the chain dissolved into water and reformed, wrapped around Spirit of fire's of wrist. Then Ellena spun the chain more, allowing it to wrap around the Spirit of Fire. The fight continued for more than an hour with both opponents seemingly evenly matched. Hao was shocked at how powerful she was but he saw from the look on her face that she was almost out of Furiyoku.

Ooooo a bad attempt at a cliff-hanger... I think you'll like the next chapter (smirks evilly)