Mai: Yay I'm finally updating this. I was stuck for so long on this chapter. Switching back and forth from the two separate storylines in this fic is getting a little harder. I'm probably going to have to bring them together soon. Anyway I'm sorry I don't update that often but my plot bunny simply doesn't visit Shaman King that much anymore. I've got some other great fics that I've been working on but haven't posted yet. I'll probably post those soon so Naruto and Yu Yu Hakusho fans get excited. I'm also playing with ideas for Avatar and Bleach but nothing definite yet. Ok on with the show I hope you enjoy this new chapter!
Disclaimer: If I owned Shaman King 4Kids would've never been able to look at it so much as get they're hands on it and give the characters accents that don't make any sense. Since they did get their hands on Shaman King I bet you can all tell that I don't own it (although I did like the theme song they made).
Chapter 13: A New Game
For the last thousand years or so I have tried to execute many plans. Most of them haven't worked out so well. In fact the two biggest ones both lead to my deaths.
After such a depressing streak of failure it was nice to have one potentially life risking plan go well; my seduction of Terra.
Well it wasn't like she was throwing herself at me and declaring her undying love or anything like that but she hadn't tried to kill me in over a week. And that was most definitely a good sign.
She also seemed to be avoiding me. Every time I got close to be alone with her she'd make a sudden excuse to leave. She also avoided eye contact and her face seemed a bit redder.
I wasn't an expert on women or anything but I was pretty sure that meant that she liked me and that she was confused about liking me. Now it was time to make my move and win once and for all.
I decided to wait until she had sent that jang-si of hers off on some errand. (I think it had something to do with Peyote owing her money. Poor guy.) This way if I did something wrong I wouldn't be immediately hunted down and killed.
She was sitting by herself at the edge of the campsite. As I approached I noticed she was reading something that looked like a letter in English. I didn't get a good look at it because a second later she realized I was behind her and quickly stuffed it out of sight. Probably wouldn't have made much of a difference my English was extremely rusty after 500 years of not using it.
"Whatcha doin'?" I asked her curiously. I even threw in a big friendly smile in the hopes her guard my lower just a little bit. It was killing me to act friendly towards her but then again the alternative was far more deadly.
"None of your business," she snapped angrily. This time however she didn't sound quite so scary as before. It was almost as if she just didn't care about me prying into her personal life anymore.
"Mind if I sit here?" I said not bothering to wait for a response before taking a seat on the ground next to her. "So Terra, that's not a Japanese name. Where're you from?"
She remained silent for a minute before saying, "America. Massachusetts near Boston. But you probably already knew that. Which begs the question why do you suddenly care?"
"True I do know quite a bit more about you then I let on. It's just that lately since we've stopped trying to kill each other every five seconds I've developed a fascination with you. Beneath all that anger and dark make up there might just be a beautiful girl who I'd like to get to know," I told her sincerely. Girls usually love that kind of stuff.
She looked down trying to hide the blush that was spreading across her face. Needless to say she was not doing a very good job of hiding her growing attraction to me. I smirked she was as good as mine at this point.
The funny part was I was actually starting to think that being with her wouldn't be so bad. She was actually quite pretty despite the dark clothing and make up she seemed to love so much and she was a good kisser. When she wasn't trying to kill me I actually found myself enjoying her company.
"And how many girls have been stupid enough to fall for that line?" she asked desperately trying to regain some control in this situation.
"I'm insulted that you think I'd give you a recycled line. When I come up with lines like that I make sure that each girl gets something original," I said in a mocking half angry tone.
"You're so full of shit," she said laughing and giving me a playful little shove. (Yes she actually laughed!)
"Ah yes but that's why everyone loves me," I told her grinning.
"I wouldn't say that. I mean just look at all the people out there who are trying to kill you. Like the X-laws, and the Asakuras."
"Jealous all of them. They all just wish they were half as handsome, charming, and powerful as I am," I said losing my flirtatious edge a little bit. I hadn't expected her to bring up the people that wanted me dead or anything about the Shaman Fight at all. I just expected her to flirt back in her odd insulting way.
Terra stood up and looked down at me a slight smile forming on her face just barely detectable but there nonetheless. "You want to take a walk?" she asked.
"Sure," I replied stunned. She'd never asked me anything like that before. Usually if she wanted me to go somewhere with her she demanded it of me. Yet another sign of her growing feelings for me.
We walked around for about half an hour talking and teasing one another pleasantly. Terra seemed like a completely different person. I wondered if this was the real her that she showed people once they got to know her a little bit.
Eventually we came to a spot overlooking one of the canyons that we seemed to pass by so frequently now (and partial landmarks that were helping me find Patch Village. The more canyons you pass the closer you are). They were breathtaking. Such beautiful gifts from nature.
"Did you ever see any of these before you came here for the Shaman Fight?" I asked Terra casually as we stood admiring the view.
"No, we don't have these back where I live and we never went to right places for vacation. I'd seen pictures of them but they were no where near as wonderful as the real thing."
"They're kind of romantic," I commented glancing over at her to see her reaction. A tiny blush spread over her face despite her obvious efforts to suppress it. She quickly looked down at her feet in the hopes of hiding it but it was already too late.
"Yeah, I guess," she muttered not taking her eyes off the ground. I grinned I had her right where I wanted her.
I slid my hand under her chin and turned her face upwards. I looked right into her eyes and said, "I don't know about you but personally I like it when people look at me while they're talking to me."
Then I bent down and gently caressed her lips with my own. She immediately reacted passionately kissing me back and pulling me closer to her. I barely noticed as when turned around a little to a more comfortable position. She even let me slip my tongue into her mouth.
When I finally pulled away she was smiling at me. I almost blushed. But being the almighty Hao Asakura I could control such reactions a lot better than she could (or so I thought).
The in one swift movement she let go of me and pushed me back. As I tumbled back I realized that when we had moved she deliberately brought me to the edge of the cliff.
It took a second for the shock to wear off. Once it did I was able to teleport myself back up to the top of the cliff just in time.
I chose to pop up right behind her. Terra was calmly standing there as if she hadn't just pushed someone off a cliff.
"If you want to kill me you're going to have to try a lot harder," I told her. I expected her to be surprised that I was still alive.
Instead she slowly turned around and said, "I know. That was just to let you know that I cannot be controlled so easily."
"I should have known. You were too nice, too shy. Of course it was all a trick. I knew you couldn't be won over so easily like all other sane women would be. I apologize for my mistake. I shall try harder in the future."
"WHAT!?" she exclaimed a look of pure shock covering her face. "Are you crazy? Do you actually think you can make me fall for you?"
"Well it won't be easy but I like a challenge. I've made up my mind I'm going to win you over one way or another. I want you and I always get what I want," I told her before disappearing in a column of flames.
When I got back to camp I sat down in my tent and started to formulate a plan. It'd be hard and I could possibly get killed. But where was the fun without a little risk?
