Author's Note: New chapter. Sorry for the wait...I'm reaching that point...you know, the one where its hard to write...or type. Don't worry, I WILL finish this story...sometime...like, uh... I WILL WORK HARD!

Disclaimer: Really, do I look like a Japanese male? No! I am an American female...I would love to own Shaman King...or at least the Shaman King boys.

The next morning when Hao went to see if Mari was ready to start training, he was surprised to see all three of the room's inhabitants sleeping. All the ice in the room had been melted (probably by Macchi. The girl loved playing with fire, even if she had little control) and there were puddles of water everywhere. Kanna was floating slightly above her bed, (being able to manipulate gravity must very useful, especially when one's bed looked very wet), and Macchi was curled up with Mari next to the bookshelf.

"Get up," he said, nudging Mari with his foot. She groaned and moved away from his foot. "Mari." He nudged her again. This time, she kicked out in his direction, muttering 'go away'. Hao frowned.

Drawing on his hydrokinetic ability, he moved some of the water from Kanna's bedspread, and made it hit Mari in the face. With a shriek, she sat up. Noting her wet face, and Hao standing nearby, she made the connection and glared at him. Quickly, though, it was replaced with her usual look of boredom.

"Hao..-sama," she added as an after thought . "Why is Hao-sama in Mari's room?"

"Because Hao-sama is supposed to begin Mari's training today," Hao said, mimicking her way of speaking. Mari blinked.

"Oh. Um, Hao-sama, Mari isn't feeling very well," she held her stomach. "Mari's stomach, uh, hurts."

Hao stared at her in amazment. Did she really think that half-assed excuse would work? "Mari-" he began, then stopped. This would undoubtedly lead to an argument and Mari's two roommates were still asleep. Even the all-mighty Hao wasn't brave enough to interupt the 'beauty sleep' of two female vampires. "Follow me."

When they were both in the hallway, Hao glared at Mari (something that would make most people cower, but she just looked at him). "Your stomach does not hurt."

"It does too! Mari's stomach hurts very much!" she protested.

"Look, I can read minds, and I know that your stomach does not hurt!"

Mari glared at him. "So?"

Hao blinked. Okay, she just agreed with something I said- something she rarely- actually, I don't think she's ever agreed with me.

"Maybe you don't feel good..." he muttered, placing his hand against Mari's forehead. Her face flushed and she smacked his hand away. Hao sighed. "Fine. You don't have to strat training today. But there's less then a week until Jeanne's clan arrives, and I want you to be able to use each of your abilities decently by then."

"Fine."

"Okay. Well, then, you have a free day. Enjoy it." With that, Hao headed back towards his study. When he arrived, he saw Opacho sitting in his chair.

"Opacho."

"Hello, Hao-sama."

"I supposed you're here for a reason?" Hao shifted slightly. He'd die before admiting it, but sometimes Opacho got a certain gleam in her eyes that made him feel very nervous. It was the gleam that appeared every April Fool's Day (which only Opacho, Macchi, and Nichrome celebrated) before she revealed that year's prank.

"What Anna-sama said last night. You know, about Mari? I was wondering if it was true."

"That is none of your business," Hao replied. "And it'd be wise if you didn't mention that to anyone."

Opacho smiled, nodded, then got up. As she brushed pass Hao, she said "But, just so you know, I agree with Anna-sama," then took off running.

Opacho didn't stop runing until she reached the first floor. Her shoulder shook with laughter and she gasped for breath. The look on Hao's face when she mentioned Mari was priceless.

"Opacho-san?"

Well, well, well. Speak of the devil.

Mari was a few feet away, staring at Opacho quizically.

"Is Opacho-san okay?"

"Yeah, Mari. I'm fine. Just thinking of something funny." She waved to Mari, and walked off laughing.

Everyone in this castle is crazy. Mari thought to herself. It was a good thing Hao agreed to let her have the day off- even if it meant she was going to have to spend even more time with him tomorrow. Not necessarily a bad-AH! SHUT UP MARI! She mentally scolded herself for almost thinking spending time with Hao was good- especially since the time he'd be spending with her would be dedicated to training her powers. Which Mari did not want to do.

After walking for sometime, she found herself entering one of the 'smaller' libraries. Immediately she knew that someone else was in there. "Hello?" she called tentaively. "Who's here?"

When no one answered, she found herself thinking Ghost don't exist ghost don't exist, wait, if vampires exist, why can't ghosts exist oh no there's a ghost in here Mari doesn't like ghosts-

She was cut off by a small "Hello!" Peeking out from behind a library stack was a small, boyish face topped with messy dirty-blonde hair.

"Hello," she replied. "Who are you?"

He smiled. "I'm Manta! I'm the newest member of Yoh's clan. You must be Mari. It's nice to meet you!"

Mari blinked. She was now standing next to him, and he was shorter than she thought. In fact, he was very short. "Manta is very short."

Manta laughed. "I know. Everyone says that. But I can't help it! I was turned into a vampire when I was thirteen! Naturally I wouldn't look fifteen- which is how old I am."

Mari giggled. "Manta is very accepting of his shortness."

"Well, I can't change it, so why bother about it? So, Mari, what are your abilities?"

"Ah." she was surprised that Manta changed the subject so quickly- an art she never really mastered. It would be helpful in case anyone ever decided to ask about her family. "W-well, Mari has the typical telekinesis, and manipulating people, and also she can sense where people are and she has something called biokinesis and chro- cryokinesis."

"Ah! How interesting. You have a lot of powers. You must enjoy it."

Mari looked away. "Not really. Mari just wants to be normal. She didn't want to become a vampire- Hao forced her."

"Oh. That must be sad," Manta frowned. "Yoh didn't force me to become a vampire."

"He didn't?"

"No. See, ever since I was young, I've been very ill on and off. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. My parents didn't let me leave the house very often- almost never. But one day I snuck out. I was in town and after some time, I started to feel bad. I fainted, and the next thing I knew, I woke up and found out that Yoh had found me on the street. He let me stay with him and over the days, we became friends. Yoh told me about what he was, and that if I became a vampire, I would be healthier. Naturally, I didn't believe him at first, but when he proved it, you could say I jumped at the chance."

It was a pretty short and to the point story, Mari noted. Most likely, the small one (as she was now calling Manta in her mind) had left out most of the details, offering her the kiddie version. Even though she was obviously older than him.

"What is Manta's unique abilities," she asked, pushing the thought to the back of her mind.

"I remember everything I've ever learned or read. Ren and Horohoro say its useless, but Yoh, and even Anna, disagree."

"Anna? Anna-sama, Yoh's-" What was the word used?­- "mate?"

"Yeah, one and the same. She hits me a lot, but she always asks me to help her research." Manta smiled.

"Manta likes helping?"

"Of course! The clan is my family now, and everyone wants to help their family. Right?"

His family? Mari nodded absently.

"Well, I'm going to go now. It was nice meeting you."

Family? Mari mouthed the word. It left a bitter taste on her tongue. The whole time she had been here, she had only though of the clan as 'the clan'. Not as her family. Everyone wants to help their family? Yes, that was true. Briefly, Mari remembered a pigtailed little girl trying to fix something and getting punished for it. Yes, she had once wanted to help her family. But now she didn't have a family to try to help. She couldn't think of the clan (people she'd only known for a few months) as her family.

Mari barely knows them. They barely know Mari.

"Mari? Are you in there?"

Mari turned around. "Yes, Macchi, Mari is here."

Macchi ran towards her. "Mari, what are you doing here? I heard Hao-sama wanted to start your training today. Why aren't you-"

"Macchi? Are we- is the clan Mari's family?"

The oranged-haired girl stopped speaking. "What?"

"Is the clan Mari's family?"

"Uh, yeah? I mean, we aren't your siblings or cousins or anything, but yeah, we're your family."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know. We just are. Why do you ask?"

Mari smiled softly. "No real reason. Mari was just curious."

If they are Mari's family-

"Come one Mari! If I'm gonna be attuned to your schedule, you're gonna watch Halloween with me!"

-maybe it wasn't such a horrible thing, to be changed.

AN: It may seem like a filler (it mostly is) but there are some important things in here. Please forgive its suckiness! The next chapter will be better!