Author's Note: Hey, I'm trying to post this as soon as possible to make up for the previous delay. I considered having Mari and Hao almost kiss in the last chapter, but decided not to. Whoo. Yoh and company arrive this chapter, but won't make an actual appearance until next chapter.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING!

This is a Mari chapter. And I've been considering making Mari make a friend in Lilirara's village, and possibly pairing that person with Ren. What do you think?

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own.

Damn.

"It is?" Mari asked. Sensing other people was rare? And the way Hao was looking at her was making her very nervous. His eyes were a bit too...predatory...

"Yes. Very few vampires have that ability," he laughed shortly. "Mari, this could help make up for your motion sickness."

"It could?" Mari was getting confused.

"Yes, it could. And with your biokinesis-"

"What? What biokinesis? Hao, you're confusing Mari!"

Hao blinked. His expression turned slightly uneasy, as if he said something he shouldn't have. "Well, Mari, one of your unique abilities is biokinesis- the ability to mentally alter one's biology. That's how you got rid of your sunburn."

Nodding, Mari said "That makes sense. Mari wished she didn't have a sunburn, and the next day she didn't."

"Yeah. If you practiced, you could definitely do more than that."

Mari was shocked. Hao was complimenting her.

"And since that's so rare- it's never shown up before- no one will be able to mock you for not being able to use super-speed."

Mari sank to her knees. That day seemed to be one surprise after another. She had two new unique abilities, both of which Hao said were rare, Hao was complimenting her, and his eyes still made her nervous-

Picking up a random book, she flipped through the pages. Stopping on a random page, she started reading.

-and shortly before the first vampire was born, legend states that several witches came together and said "One day, we will be forgotten. Forgotten, but not gone. No, we will always be there, watching from the shadows, controlling and aiding who we please. These beings who are soon to be born, these vampires, they will exist in our shadow-

Hao jumped as Mari slammed a book shut. He glanced at the title (Legends of Before Time- before vampires existed) and glanced at the girl. She was paler than normal, and shaking.

"Mari? What's wrong?" She was a valuable asset to his clan, no way was he going to ignore her health for the sake of pride.

"Just...Just everything is hitting Mari quickly. Mari is...shocked."

"Can you walk?" he asked, genuinely concerned. He couldn't let her get hurt, she was too rare.

Mari tried stand, wobbled, and slipped forward onto Hao. Catching her, Hao vaguely noted it looked like they were hugging, and casually remarked, "Well, Mari, you seem to fall everytime you see me. Not-so-subtle hints?"

He heard Mari snarl, and picked her up bridal-style. "I'll take you back to your room. I need you to rest, then tomorrow- or whenever you're feeling better- we can start your training."

Wait, Yoh and his clan were arriving tomorrow. No matter.

"We?" Mari's voice was barely comprehendable.

"Yes, we. I'll give Macchi and Kanna a break and train you myself."

Mari nodded, leaning into Hao's chest. Hao could have sworn he was blushing, except he didn't blush. He really hoped no one stumbled into his path right now...he'd be forced to kill them (because it would embarass him or because he liked this moment of alone time with Mari?).

Thankfully, he made it to the room Mari shared with the other two without running into anyone. It was still decorated with the flowers he had helped her carry up. He set her on her bed, and took the doll (Chuck, was it?) from her arms and set it on the nightstand. Tucking her in, he said "Sleep tight" and (on impulse) pecked her forehead.

There was a buzzing. A small, annoying, there-but-not-there buzzing. And it was right in Mari's ear.

"Shut up, Macchi," Mari mumbled.

The buzzing continued. Snarling, Mari sat up, and froze. No one was there. Now that she was awake, she realized the buzzing was coming from below. Closing her eyes, she pictured the castle, like she did when she was looking for Hao, and 'saw' that everyone except her was on the first floor. Along with over ten more people.

Probably that Yoh-sama and his clan. Mari pushed the blankets off of her and stood up. Dressing quickly (in her traditional black dress, with her hair in pigtails) she walked towards the door and froze.

Chuck. Spinning quickly, she paused. There was a white sheet of paper taped on the doll. How could I have missed that?

Grabbing the sheet, she read quietly,

"'Mari, today Yoh-sama (Hao-sama's twin brother- they do look alike) and his clan are arriving. Stay upstairs (on the eighth floor) until me or Kanna comes and gets you. Macchi.' Macchi doesn't have very good grammar..."

Sighing, Mari sank onto her bed. What was she going to do? She could always practice her abilities, but that wasn't too appealing. She could read one of Kanna's books. Grabbing one off the bookshelf (a recent addition), she began reading. It was incredibly boring, and before she finished the first chapter, Mari drifted off.

It was dark. Mari stood alone, cringing as the shadows around her seemed to reach for her.

"Very good, Mari," a young woman's voice said. Mari gasped.

"Mama?" Her voiced echoed, throwing her voice back at her. She winced at the sheer desperation she heard.

"Haha, she's very talented, isn't she?" This time, it was a man's voice.

"Papa!" Ignoring the echoes, she called again. "Mama! Papa! I'm here, Mari's right here!" Stretching her arms out, Mari stepped forward, searching.

"Get rid of her. She's a menace, a danger. If you keep her, she'll kill you," a cold, cruel voice said. Mari froze.

"No..." The shadows reached...

"What's this? A lost little girl? Where's your parents?"

"No..." ...and grabbed her.

"They left you behind?"

"No..." They grew...

"Would you like to be our little girl?"

"No..." ...and wrapped around her.

"How dare you! Stop that at once!"

"No...please." They seemed to mock her, moving slowly. Fingers of ice moved from them, into Mari.

"Stupid brat! Devil's child!"

"No, please, stop," The shadows covered her. The cold was unbearable.

"I wish we never found you!"

"STOP!"

Mari's eyes snapped open. Not that dream. Looking up, she whimpered.

The entire room was covered in ice. Icicles hung from the ceiling, and everything glimmered.

Surprisingly, she wasn't cold. In fact, she was rather warm. And strangely, the area around her wasn't frozen. The book she had been reading was missing, but there was some black dust where it had been (could the book had been burned? with what?).

Pulling her legs to her body, Mari curled into the fetal position, and shook. That was how Macchi found her, three hours later.