Mikau: Hello! I'm up later than I should be to update this. I really should get to bed…Oh well!
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King.
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Fixed Auditions
I got up early and took a hot shower. I went over the song I was planning on using for the audition as the pounding water drowned out my voice. No matter how many times I went over it I was still nervous. I was an anxious person by nature, and all of the coaching in the world from my sister and all the practicing I had done couldn't subdue my nerves.
Hoshi had told me over a thousand times, "Thorn, God you're such a worry-wart. You'll be fine." That had helped a little, but my confidence in her words had been shaken when the day before auditions my sister had unexpectedly demanded that I stay away from her. She had yelled and screamed and had a huge hissy fit, locking herself in her room and refusing to come out.
I felt awful. What had I done to make my own sister hate me so, so that she didn't even care to see my face? Valerie and my father had tried to comfort me, but it did little good. Now when the morning of auditions came around, I was up early, showered, dressed, and ready to go to school. My sister was up as well, just as early.
I bumped into her in the hall on the way down to the kitchen. I lowered my gaze and stared at my feet, stepping out of her way to let her go down the stairs first.
She looked me over suspiciously. Hoshi reached out with one hand. I thought she was going to slap me, but she wordlessly straightened the red tie on my uniform and smoothed the wrinkles in my crisp, white shirt. She rolled the waistband of my skirt once to make it shorter, stepped back, and examined her work. My sister's lips pursed in dissatisfaction. She undid the top button of my shirt to show more skin. I looked up at her scandalized. I opened my mouth to protest, but she shushed me with a warning, "Quiet."
I nodded and closed my mouth. My gaze returned to the floor.
"Look up." I obeyed the order and looked her in the eyes. The bright azure orbs proved to be a bit too much for me to handle, so I compensated, opting to look just to the side of her head instead of meeting her gaze straight on.
Hoshi played with a few strands of my dull brown hair. I had dried and brushed it after I showered, but I had left it down, not bothering to tie it back or do anything to keep it out of my face.
My sister removed two ponytail holders from her hair. She had two: one plain one for function, and the other to hid the plain one for fashion. The fashionable one that she wore that day, I had never seen before. It was a small red band with tiny sparkling diamonds somehow woven into the material. In miniscule stitches the object detailed a scene of angels. I could just barely make out the design with my 20/20 vision. I couldn't imagine how someone had made that detailed pattern on such a small trinket like a hair tie. Hoshi turned me around and put my chest-length hair up in a high, waterfall-like ponytail using the functional hair tie. The fashionable one with the angel scene, she put back in her own hair.
She looked me over one last time before deciding she was completely satisfied with my appearance. "Come on, let's get you some breakfast." She pulled me down the stairs and into the kitchen. Valerie and Hao were already up and eating breakfast when we got there. They looked up as Hoshi handed me an apple, a cup of yogurt, and a cup of milk. I sat down at the table while she put bread in the toaster.
Valerie looked at me curiously and slowly took the spoon out of her mouth, wrapping her tongue around it and licking with a suggestive glance in my father's direction.
Hao threw a death glare across the table at Valerie. "Oh stop it, children are present."
"I'm not doing anything." She whined innocently, but winked playfully back at him.
It wasn't hard to guess that they had been trying to seduce each other with suggestive gestures and looks before Hoshi and I had arrived. I rolled my eyes.
Hoshi set a plate of toast down in front of me. "Thorn, eat up. Valerie and Hao, no sex at the table."
"I have no interest in sleeping with that, thank you." Hao pretended to look offended.
Valerie smiled and returned to her yogurt. "Well you seem to have no problem sleeping with any other woman in Japan. And I do mean any other Talk about low standards."
"Bite me." Hao returned the same sickly sweet smile and bit into his apple.
"You want me; admit it." The silver-haired vixen returned the volley.
Hoshi seated herself across the table from me and intervened before Val and Hao had a major falling out. "Will the two of you stop acting like hormone-driven teenagers and just sleep together already? Your picky little cat fights are annoying."
"Not my fault she doesn't put out." Hao muttered.
"Oh shut up." Valerie licked at her spoon again.
"Stop it!" Hao gripped the edge of the table tightly.
"What?" She licked the spoon again, slowly pulling it out of her mouth. "This?"
"Yes that." Hao sulked. He stood and walked toward the door. "I'm going to go get drunk."
The clouds opened up and it started raining a flood from the sky. Valerie smirked evilly at my father. "Try driving in that."
Hao returned the evil smirk. "Who needs to drive? I can just poof over to my house. I'm sure Mari and Macchi have missed me, and they aren't prude like you. They're not afraid to have a little fun with a man every once in awhile."
The silver-haired woman rose to her feet and advance upon my father. They stood staring each other down, mere inches apart. "You wouldn't."
"I would." Tension built as they stared at each other. "So…do you want to go catch a movie?"
Valerie snapped her fingers and the rain stopped. "Sure!" She grabbed a jacket and they were off on their spur-of-the-moment date.
I shook my head at their bizarreness. "Those two…"
My sister smiled as she chuckled to herself. "I wonder if they were like that when they were married?"
"They were married!" I looked startled at this turn of events. "When was this? Before or after Ivy?"
Hoshi looked puzzled, but just for a second. "Uh…" she looked up and to the left. She was fishing in her head for a lie to regurgitate for me. "I meant mom and dad. When mom and dad were married were they as in love as Val and Hao are?" She looked uncomfortably down at her plate of toast and pears.
"I don't think Ivy ever really loved him. Not like Valerie does….They're going to get married. I can tell. Even though they fight all the time; it just proves how in love they are." I picked up a piece of bread and buttered it.
"Sometimes I wonder if you hear yourself when you talk." Hoshi bit into her own piece of toast.
"Why do you say that?" I stopped in mid swipe with my butter knife.
"You're spouting nonsense. Val is leaving soon; they're not going to get married. She's only staying a few more months." I sat in stunned silence as my sister went on to explain that Valerie and Hao were having so many fights because he wanted to sleep with her before she left, but she didn't see the point in having a one night stand with him. I nodded an accepted the facts.
"Don't let it get you down Thorn. You have the audition today, and that guy you like is sure to be there. What was his name again? Lian? Come on, smile for me. It's not like Val and Hao's relationship means everything. They're enjoying her last months here, so…you should just be happy for them and the time they have left. Look, now I'm the one spouting bloody nonsense." She rolled her eyes and cleared away the dishes that Hao and Valerie had left behind.
I nodded and faked a smile for her sake. "Yeah, Lian will be there so I get to see him tonight. Hey, do you think he's coming for the big costume party on Friday in honor of Hao and Yoh's birthday? Practically the whole town is invited, so he should be there."
"Oh he'll be there all right. In costume and ready to party. Anna already sent out the invites, and I saw him on the list." My sister smirked in the way that she did when her schemes and plots were going according to plan.
"Hoshi, why do I feel you're using me again? You always do this to me." I moped.
"I'm not using you." She feinted being offended.
"You are. You're plotting something again, and you're using me as one of the pawns on your chess board." I finished my breakfast and got ready to go to school.
"You have no proof that I'm plotting something. I'm simply happy that you finally fell in love with the right guy." Her words made me give pause.
"Do you really think he's the right guy? I mean, the guy." I looked to my older sister for advice.
She nodded. "He's the one all right. I'm not using you; I'm simply manipulating the directions you take. It's all for you anyway, so I don't understand why you're so upset. Just remember everything I do is in order to secure your future with the right guy. I'm always looking out for you, little sister." She winked happily and looked me over one last time before seeing me to the door. "Have fun at school."
"Aren't you coming? You're auditioning too, and you have school." I stared blandly at her, confused.
"I'm skipping first and second period. I have to take care of some things, and I'll only be missing Religion and Science." She practically pushed me out the door. "I'll see you at auditions after school."
"But you love Science!" I called back as the door closed in my face. My sister was acting weird…weirder than usual.
I quickly shut the door in Thorn's face. "I have more important things to deal with than Science right now….You can come out Lucifer."
The Devil became visible with my invitation. "Skipping Religion class to hang out with the devil? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Hoshi, you're such a bad girl."
"Shut it." I glared as he sat down at the kitchen table.
"So, how'd you sleep last night? Dream about me?" He smiled fondly and I had to turn away from him so he wouldn't see my blush. Whether voluntarily or not, I had had a dream about him and what might have happened if my parents hadn't walked in on us when they did.
"We didn't sleep together, so you have no right to ask me that like we did." I composed myself, turned, and glared at him, setting down an extra plate of toast in front of him.
"Yeah, yeah, but you still make me breakfast…" He thanked me and happily ate. "I think someone wishes her parents hadn't interrupted."
That merited a bullet to the brain, but I settled with decking him instead. I balled my fist and nailed him in the jaw, knocking him to the floor.
He looked up at me in shock, lightly holding his cheek, and I caught a random thought as it flew through his mind. "You wouldn't know what love was if it socked you one."
I looked down at him unblinking. Where had that thought come from? His mind was peculiarly empty of thoughts except that one. Our eyes met and I had to look away. My heart hurt and butterflies ran rampant in my stomach. I pushed all other thoughts aside and told myself I was nervous about the auditions. I didn't want to consider any alternative reasons.
My breaking the eye contact seemed to break the immobility spell cast on him, and Lucifer got back to his feet and returned to his breakfast. "Uh…so…how did you know I was here? Ivy, Hao, and Thorn didn't seem to notice me."
"I could sense you. Ivy and Hao were too preoccupied with each other, and Thorn is too naïve to sense such potent things as pure evil." I started washing dishes just to keep myself busy, but still be able to monitor him, keeping watch out of the corner of my eye.
'Do you really think I'm pure evil Hoshi?' It was soft, but I could hear a small part of his thoughts. He sounded hurt, but when he spoke out loud he was fine. Cheerful even. "Thorn's innocent and naïve like Ivy was when she was younger…"
I nodded at his statement. "Yes. She's still such a little girl."
"I don't know what I see in Thorn. I really do prefer more mature women." I swear he glanced up at me.
I jerked my head slightly in his direction. "Oh really? You're still just a kid yourself. You have no experience with 'women'. Yet the little boy still prefers women over little girls." I couldn't resist the chance to tease him.
"I have a little experience…with Ivy. And then a little with you too." He looked me over, not quite checking me out, but definitely making evaluations.
"So I'm a woman by your standards?" I didn't know where this conversation was going, but I let it continue, curious of what he would say.
"You're obviously not a girl. You're definitely more somber than a normal girl your age. You know what you're doing with men, and you're not the least bit naïve. You know exactly how the world works, and you know how to get by in it. You don't harbor girlish fantasies of men either." He smiled softly at me, not knowing how wrong he was.
'What do you know about my fantasies? How do you know that I'm not having one right now about you?' "You really know nothing about me." I looked solemnly at him for a moment before turning back to the dishes I had been neglecting.
"Because you won't let me get to know you. You have a problem with opening up to people because you don't know who you really are. You have too many different personalities and lives for each one that you're losing sight of who Hoshi truly is." I stared stupidly as he quickly unraveled the very thread of who I was and observed it, commenting with full knowledge of the situation that it would have taken a normal person years to pick up.
"Don't look so shocked." He smiled again at me. "I wanted to be a psychiatrist or psychologist, one of the two I could never keep them straight and I studied both. I went to a really great college and studied for a few years under the pseudonym 'Lucifer Richardson'. Then my brother forced this job on me…my dream kind of died there…I could have helped a lot of people…Oh well. I guess torturing the souls of the damned isn't so bad, but I'm just not any good at it. I don't enjoy my job either…."
I stared at him, but saw only myself. I had wanted to be a doctor. His stupid brother killed that dream for me. 'I could have helped a lot of people…' I closed my eyes and tried to shut out the pain. "What are you doing here Lucifer." Not a question, but a demand: 'tell me now'.
"Hmm?" He had been rambling and hadn't quite heard. "What do you mean 'what am I doing here?'?" Maybe I was wrong and he had heard me… "You wanted me to come. I felt it." I was about to question him, but he anticipated the question and answered it anyway. "Remember when we sealed the deal with your blood?" My fingers absently traced his mark on my lip. "And you're aware of the spell I have on you so that you can't talk about our deal with anyone? Well, when I was taking your blood I injected some of my own life force into you. We're sort of connected." He smiled sheepishly. "I felt that you wanted to speak with me. I assumed it was about today."
He was quiet and waited for me to explain. "Yes…well…no. Not about today…." I sat down and handed him a cup of coffee. I sipped my own cup nervously, not sure if I could trust him with what I had in mind. I was more scared than I had ever been before, but somehow I felt that it would be okay and he wouldn't turn on me. "I might have another job for you."
He looked at me like I was crazy. "You want to make another deal with me? Isn't one enough?"
"Just add it to my tab." I rolled my eyes at his blabbering. "This is an integral part of my plan, and I need to ask someone who I trust completely…"
He stared wide-eyed at me, mouth slightly open. 'She…trusts me?'
"Unfortunately, I don't have anyone like that, so I have to ask this of you."
His face fell slightly. 'Oh. Fine then use me as your backup plan. See if I care.'
I informed him of my plans and his mouth dropped to the floor. He really did think I was crazy. "HOSHI! You're asking me to do something illegal!"
"No, no! I don't want you to actually do anything to her. It's just sort of a set up, so you'll make it look like you are, but you really won't. I've got it all worked out; I just need you to help me out with this." I looked up at him with pleading eyes.
He looked at me like he was considering, but then instead of a yes or no answer, he said, "How do you know I won't actually do anything? I am the devil after all."
'Okay, leap of faith time…' "You know, you keep saying that, but I just don't believe that you're really all that bad. I guess I trust you more than I like to admit. What do you say? Do we have another deal?" I stood and cleared the rest of the dishes from the table.
He stood as well and helped take the dishes over to the sink. He set down the plates and smiled. "Is your father going to be home anytime soon?"
"No. Why do you a—mm!" His lips gently took mine and his arms held me like I was made of glass. I melted into him and gladly joined in the kiss. Lucifer's lips messaged mine tenderly and I nearly died of pleasure. I moaned softly as he pulled away and smiled. "Don't you need my blood?" I made up any excuse to have his lips back on mine. I was desperate.
"You're right. I almost forgot." He grinned wickedly and licked my neck expertly like a vampire ready to feast. I griped his shoulders and closed my eyes as he bit the side of my neck hard several times. I knew it would leave a mark for sure, but he didn't draw any blood. "You know, I think I would prefer some more of the blood from your lips. You don't mind, do you?"
"No, go ahead." He was teasing me, but in truth I didn't care. He was the only man that made me feel something when he kissed me. I didn't care that he was the devil. I made up my mind then that my body was his to do as he wished with, but I wouldn't give him my heart. No man would ever be able to win that. The only time I had given my heart to someone, they had broken it, and I had sworn never to fall in love again. Damien had been my one and only love, and no one would ever be able to make me love again. Let him have my body; it was only a tool anyway. Other men used it constantly, so why should this one be any different?
He quickly reopened the wound on my lip and lapped up more of my blood. Just as he had before, he licked the cut and it healed. He backed away awkwardly and smiled. "Uh, hey, you wouldn't have happened to have found a hair tie in your room this morning, did you?"
I was slightly disappointed when his hands left my body. "No, why?" I lied.
"Oh. No reason." Just then I noticed that instead of having his hair up in a ponytail like he usually did, he had left it hanging down. It came all the way down to the middle of his back; it wasn't quite as long as my father's waist-length hair though. "It was sort of a gift, and I…well I'd really like it back if you find it."
"Here." I pulled it out of my hair and offered it to him. "It fell out when you left in such a hurry last night."
He took it and smiled, looking relieved like he had regained some precious treasure. "Thank you. I thought I'd lost it for good."
"Who gave it to you?" I ran my fingers through my own waist-length hair, trying to tame it.
"My mother. She's up in Heaven, and I'm not going to be seeing her again." He admired the little trinket.
"What's your mother doing in Heaven?" I asked quizzically.
He looked mildly offended, but explained it to me anyway. "I wasn't always the Devil, you know. I was an angel once, and I lived in Heaven with the others. She gave it to me before they threw me out. I still remember the way she looked at me…like she knew I didn't do it…like she still loved me even if everyone told her I had done some pretty terrible things and she had no proof that I was innocent." Lucifer smiled again as some of the diamonds in the band caught light and sparkled.
"Just like how my dad still loves me even though I'm…the way I am…" I smiled sadly and watched the light refract off the diamonds.
He offered it back to me. "You should have it, as a gift."
"Lucifer…I can't…" I tried to refuse, but he snapped his fingers and I found I could no longer move my body. "What the…?"
He smirked and pulled my hair up in a high ponytail like I had had it before. "When we made our latest deal, you didn't put me on any restrictions like you did the first time. I decided it might be fun to be able to control you whenever I have need." The menacing smile turn to a soft one. "Good luck with auditions. And don't lose that hair band. It's very important to me." He stole a quick kiss on my cheek and disappeared.
I decided then and there that he was no different than any other man. He could have my body if he wanted, but I would never give him my heart. If I ever did give my heart to him I might not be able to get it back. He was just too wonderful, and I couldn't bear it if he broke my heart too. It was safer not to admit being hopelessly in love with him. I told myself it was just lust, but, truly, how long can one lie to oneself?
Truly, auditions weren't as bad as I had thought they would be. You went in, filled out some papers, sang a part of a song, read from some of the script, and then they taught you a dance and you had to do that for them. It wasn't too complicated, and they just wanted to see what all you could do. The directors were nice and they smiled and were supportive. It wasn't the hell that had been plaguing my nightmares for countless nights beforehand.
Hana, Ivory, and Hoshi auditioned too, and they all did a really good job. I even have to admit (grudgingly) that Akira did well too. I had to read a scene with him though. The drive-in scene of all scenes! It was almost unbearable having him hit on me even if we were just acting. I got to slap him though. I tried not to slap him too hard, but my hatred of him sort of took over and I smacked him a little harder than I should have. Somehow, I think Hoshi arranged for him to be partnered with me, though I can't imagine why. Just that morning hadn't she said that she was trying to set me up with Lian?
Speaking of Lian, I didn't see him at the auditions. I was disappointed to say the least. I had been looking forward to seeing him for days, and it looked like I would have to wait for the costume party to see him again. I made up my mind to email him when I got home later that night.
Hana drove everyone home since we were all staying at the En Inn until after the party from Friday night to Sunday night. The car was cramped and somehow I ended up sitting smashed up against Akira in the back seat. Again, I couldn't help but feel that Hoshi was setting me up.
Speaking of my sister, she seemed depressed. I tried to talk with her about it, but she waved me off saying it was nothing. I made the mistake of noticing a small cut on her bottom lip, and she nearly bit my head off for mentioning it. I gave up on talking to my sister and instead tried to have a civil conversation with Akira since I was almost sitting on his lap.
We talked about nothing of much consequence, so I really don't remember one of our only documented 'civil conversations'. I remember he complimented me on my voice though. That was the only thing really that stood out in the blur of our polite conversing. I really wanted to fight with him. He was so much fun to berate and attack; it made me feel alive. Normally I was a meek-ish, modest, conservative person, but he brought out the scorching flames and burning embers inside of me. I loved a good fight with him.
When we arrived home, I waved a quick hello to the people gathered for dinner in the dinning-room, but skipped dinner to run to my room and get online to chat with Lian. I plopped down on my bed and grabbed my laptop.
"Hey Lian! It's Hoshi. I just got back from auditions for Grease. I think I did pretty well, but I didn't see you there. I was really looking forward to seeing you."-TornByThorns
Within seconds an answer appeared: "Hey Hoshi, my darling. I've missed you. I just got home too. Well actually, I'm not staying at my house right now, I'm at a friend's, but let's not get into that. I was there the whole time too, so I can't imagine how our paths didn't cross. Oh well. I was looking forward to seeing you too. I've been waiting for months to see you in person without that mask of yours on. I can't wait until I finally get to see the face of the woman I've been dreaming about since the night we met." –ChineseShadowBoy33
I could feel a heated blush rising on my cheeks. He made me feel so dizzy and drunk and on top of the world at the same time. I positively loved him. I couldn't suppress a lovesick smile as I typed back: "Oh stop it! You're making me blush like crazy! You spoil me with your compliments and sweet words. I swear if you break my heart…" –TBT
He hastily replied. "You know I wouldn't. I couldn't. I love you too much. Hey, the Asakuras are having a huge three day party this weekend; are you going to be there?" –CSB33
I clutched my throw pillow to my chest. "Yes, definitely. Will I see you there?" –TBT
Someone from downstairs yelled "AKIRA! GET DOWN HERE AND EAT DINNER!" I tuned them out and waited for my Prince Charming's reply.
"Yeah. I'll be there. I have to go eat dinner. I'll see you this weekend. I love you." –ChineseShadowBoy33
I blinked remembering the voice calling for Akira. 'Weird.' "Okay. I love you too." –TornByThorns
"THORN, YOU TOO! DINNER!"
I raced out of my room and down the hall, accidentally bumping into Akira as he rounded a corner. We both ended up on the ground glaring at each other.
"Watch it Asakura! Sorry—Thorn." He openly mocked me. "I swear, you are the most annoying…"
"Oh shove it Tao. You're no better." I got to my feet and started walking away from him.
He sent empty threats down the hall after me. "One of these days I'm going to ring that scrawny little neck of yours."
"Oh, now I'm, like, so scared." I rolled my eyes and imitated my sister's fake accent.
"You cheeky little—"
"THORN! AKIRA! DINNER! NOW!" Our little fight had to be postponed. We raced down the steps and into the dinning room. I won.
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Mikau: Wow…I really wrote this chapter really fast…Maybe I'm getting back into my updating every day groove? Maybe just for over Christmas break, but don't count on it. Thank you all for the reviews!
Thanks To: HAO-Addictive, UntitledSorrow, isa18, MaiValentinefan, Touch of the Wind, Winged-Wolf01, kari tao(ren's little sister), LilacBreeze, MiStraLL, and Dannie.
PLEASE REVIEW!