Hao Asakura

Destination

his-waxen-wings:

imthefuckingshamanking:

You’re being ridiculous. Seing more than there is in reality.

/Hao walked around, moving from side to side, sending small bits of fire around, making everything burn slowly. His capricious eyes looked at him, fixed in his pupils. His tongue was sticking out into a wicked smile and walked closer to the older man./

This event. I received no notice of this.

There weren’t any Patch Officiants close to the inn to know what they were wanting from this, so I had to be here, without breaking the rules and doing those stupid challenges.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

/The shaman made the fire increase twice its size as his expression became angrier each second. He was restraining himself a lot, just for the pleasure of seeing the other man get angrier too./

I couldn’t do this, or anything at all, because of those rules. 

Now that I know how foolish this was, I have no other choice but to destroy the place where I had to be locked for so long.

You know, I’m not the kind to be in the same place for more than two weeks.

Hao, Hao, Hao…

Faust shook his head & closed his eyes again, crossing his arms over his chest.  Hao stepped closer but the doctor didn’t move, instead tilting his head down.  If he’d opened his eyes the other shaman’s face would have been directly in his line of vision.

You never had to come here, you know.  You didn’t have to stay.  You could’ve broken any rule you wanted, done anything at all at any point in time…

He trailed off, his voice drifting with an almost dreamy quality.  Because it was funny, it was funny that Hao of all people had gone along with something he didn’t want to do, it was funny that he didn’t know what he was getting himself into it was funny because —

No, none of this mattered, this entire game was ludicrous, & that’s what’s frustrating, isn’t it, Hao?

Faust cracked open one eye, laughing a little through his nose as he met Hao’s furious gaze.

It’s infuriating to be toyed with.

Again.

It’s not a very good idea to try to understand what goes through my mind. Did you know that?

/He turned around and headed towards the girl who had been waiting for Hao’s orders. He stood up next to her and put his hands on his hips./

And what if it’s infuriating or not?

I was curious, yes. 

And now I’m angry, yes.

What will you do?

Will you stop me?

I want to see you try.

/He chuckled and summoned the Spirit of Fire to bring down the well and start destroying the walls of the entrance./

But don’t worry one bit. This building my fall down, but I will not let your precious Yoh die. After all….

…he’s mine now. I will enjoy having him under my control and make him suffer.

Destination

his-waxen-wings:

imthefuckingshamanking:

Hm?

/The shaman looked at the older man, a smile appeared on his face as the other one talked. Was he trying to convince him to stop burning the house down? Seriously? And even more, by talking to him? He stopped a snort as the man kept on talking. He stepped back twice to have a better view of the man./

You’re hilarious, dead man.

You really think I do this because I am taking Yoh with me. How cute.

/He looked at Marion smiling and signaled her to be on guard. Then he turned around to keep talking to the man. The fire becoming somewhat stronger than it was a second ago./

In fact, I know I won. It’s the end of the event and I will have my reward.

Now… I know you’re smart, tell me, Faust.

Would I have won if I had done this before the event ended?

Faust’s mouth twitched in indignation as Hao started talking, seeming to think the situation laughable.  There was a humor to the other shaman’s destruction, his intent his own amusement, the consequences effectively nonexistent.  Faust sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he unclenched his hands.  He hadn’t even realized how tightly his fingers had curled into his palms, not until his fists shuddered free from themselves.

The event was unimportant.  Frivolous.

He lifted his head slowly & met Hao’s gaze again.

Foolish, among other things.

He glanced at the growing fire out of the corner of his eye & continued talking, keeping his voice level.  He couldn’t fight Hao to get him to stop.  The best he could do was to try to talk him down, & he couldn’t keep up any certain hope that he could even do that.

But there’s something more satisfying in this action now that the stage is over.  Total warfare establishes the necessity of total victory.  & if you feel you can take that — which you do — of course you won’t accept any other finale.

Faust lifted one hand & gestured as he spoke, shrugging his shoulders a little.

You are winning & you have won.  The timing is inconsequential.

You’re being ridiculous. Seing more than there is in reality.

/Hao walked around, moving from side to side, sending small bits of fire around, making everything burn slowly. His capricious eyes looked at him, fixed in his pupils. His tongue was sticking out into a wicked smile and walked closer to the older man./

This event. I received no notice of this.

There weren’t any Patch Officiants close to the inn to know what they were wanting from this, so I had to be here, without breaking the rules and doing those stupid challenges.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

/The shaman made the fire increase twice its size as his expression became angrier each second. He was restraining himself a lot, just for the pleasure of seeing the other man get angrier too./

I couldn’t do this, or anything at all, because of those rules. 

Now that I know how foolish this was, I have no other choice but to destroy the place where I had to be locked for so long.

You know, I’m not the kind to be in the same place for more than two weeks.

Destination

his-waxen-wings:

imthefuckingshamanking:

cross-fire-nightmare:

Marion silently engraved their objective within her memory, following the direction of Hao’s gaze as they stopped in front of the building. Hugging Chuck tight to her chest, she gave her master the faintest of smiles. Fire-starting was far from the girl’s specialty, however, who didn’t enjoy a good blaze every now and then? Particularly now, it would be all the sweeter when the fuel would be the enemy they so despised.

“Mari… Mari believes Lord Hao should do as he pleases with it. It is time to collect on a debt, is it not?” she said, in her usual muted tone.

That certainly would be an uplifting time, relishing in the screams of her lord’s foes. Too long had passed since she had been at her proper place by Hao’s side, and this would certainly be a fine way to set events in motion.

You’re right.

And right now, what would please me the most is to see this building in fire.

/Hao lifted his hand up to the sky and some flames started framing the roof of the Inn. Igniting in a very pleasing way, the crack of the wood, before covered in snow, started taking a nice red color./

I need you to just sit and watch.

But be prepared for when they come out.

/Suddenly, the well in the left of the building caught fire. The snow stopped falling in the whole area that covered the building and the yard. Hao stepped back twice, admiring how everything started taking a nice orange hue. With a playful finger, he directed the flames in funny shapes over the door and the walls./

You know what is the most amusing part?

Wood burns faster than any other element.

Faust had gone to sit on the porch, not wanting to be inside that house, not now, not on what was sure to be the last night.  The event was over, Hao had won, & there was nothing to prevent him from taking another prize, the one he’d already been promised.  Yoh’s departure had been postponed by the sudden message from the Patch, & he’d tried to keep it from his mind during the extra time they were given, refusing to directly address the problem that he couldn’t solve, that Yoh couldn’t let him try to fix.  What was the point in worrying when there was nothing to be done?  Faust snorted & leaned back on his hands, shaking his head.  He wasn’t sure where that reassurance was coming from anymore.  He couldn’t be sure that it wouldn’t just stop.

I suppose if this is it…

His body gave a sudden jolt & his head cranked back instinctively at the sight of a sudden brightness curling over the roof.  Faust leapt to his feet, his eyes snapping to the well at the splintering sound it made as it, too, caught on fire.

Hao!

His eyes narrowed & he set off sprinting for the front of the house, tracing the direction the flames had crawled over the roof.  He rounded the corner of the house, forcing himself to a halt as Hao & Marion both came into view.  Faust put up both hands in front of him & eyed Marion warily before quickly switching his gaze to her master.  He addressed Hao, his voice low, breaking smoothly over the crackling of the flames.

You’ve already won.  You know that.  You don’t need me to tell you.

He glanced at the house, swallowing once before looking back to the boy.

I know you want Yoh, & I know you’re going to take him.  Nothing’s going to stop you from that, but that’s the point — the house isn’t in your way, & neither are the people inside.  Yoh’s going to go with you of his own free will, whenever you want him to.

Faust’s voice fell even farther, just barely audible over the sounds of the fire.

He wouldn’t break his word, not to you, not to anyone.

His hands finally fell to his sides & he took in a deep breath, despite the smoke that had begun to fill the air.

You don’t want him fixated on this the entire time you’re gone, do you?  There are better things to fill his mind, to fill yours.

He exhaled carefully, looking Hao right in the eye.

Don’t leave this way.

Hm?

/The shaman looked at the older man, a smile appeared on his face as the other one talked. Was he trying to convince him to stop burning the house down? Seriously? And even more, by talking to him? He stopped a snort as the man kept on talking. He stepped back twice to have a better view of the man./

You’re hilarious, dead man.

You really think I do this because I am taking Yoh with me. How cute.

/He looked at Marion smiling and signaled her to be on guard. Then he turned around to keep talking to the man. The fire becoming somewhat stronger than it was a second ago./

In fact, I know I won. It’s the end of the event and I will have my reward.

Now… I know you’re smart, tell me, Faust.

Would I have won if I had done this before the event ended?

Destination

cross-fire-nightmare:

imthefuckingshamanking:

We’re here to claim Yoh.

He owes me something, and he’s been really lucky of this stupid event, because if it hadn’t happened, I’d have taken him with me.

/Hao stopped in front of the  big building with a bitter expression. The snow still avoiding touching him and a trail of melted snow marking their path./

But before that…

This building… I have been here for 4 weeks, and it’s been comepletely unpleasant. Not to mention the idiots whom I had to deal with.

What do you think we should do to it?

Marion silently engraved their objective within her memory, following the direction of Hao’s gaze as they stopped in front of the building. Hugging Chuck tight to her chest, she gave her master the faintest of smiles. Fire-starting was far from the girl’s specialty, however, who didn’t enjoy a good blaze every now and then? Particularly now, it would be all the sweeter when the fuel would be the enemy they so despised.

“Mari… Mari believes Lord Hao should do as he pleases with it. It is time to collect on a debt, is it not?” she said, in her usual muted tone.

That certainly would be an uplifting time, relishing in the screams of her lord’s foes. Too long had passed since she had been at her proper place by Hao’s side, and this would certainly be a fine way to set events in motion.

You’re right.

And right now, what would please me the most is to see this building in fire.

/Hao lifted his hand up to the sky and some flames started framing the roof of the Inn. Igniting in a very pleasing way, the crack of the wood, before covered in snow, started taking a nice red color./

I need you to just sit and watch.

But be prepared for when they come out.

/Suddenly, the well in the left of the building caught fire. The snow stopped falling in the whole area that covered the building and the yard. Hao stepped back twice, admiring how everything started taking a nice orange hue. With a playful finger, he directed the flames in funny shapes over the door and the walls./

You know what is the most amusing part?

Wood burns faster than any other element.

Destination

cross-fire-nightmare:

imthefuckingshamanking:

/The shaman raised a hand and the Spirit of Fire beamed a ray of fire towards the gate. The snow around it melted in less than a second. Hao smirked as he heard a sound like a crack, after some seconds of attacking the lock on the gate. They had done it quickly and he was very happy about that, could it be she had been training during his absence? He wouldn’t complain anyway./

We’re done.

/The gates of the Inn opened with a heavy screech, and he could see, for the first time in about 4 weeks, the surroundings of the building. Once they were open, he turned around and asked her to follow him with a sign of his hand./

We’re going to claim my prize.

Hearing the wail of the gate’s failure she lowered her arm, allowing Chuck to dangle by her side. Beneath her cold exterior, a current of heated excitement ran through Marion, warming her more fervently than her cloak ever could. She pushed her hood back, allowing the pigtails to stream behind her as she answered Hao’s beckoning.

In any case, her master’s guess had been spot on. Her time left to her own devices had yielded fruit, as she had stolen away from her team mates numerous times to hone her craft in privacy. Every moment that human filth crawled the face of this earth, condemning that which they couldn’t understand, was a moment too much for Mari’s tastes. The sooner the end goal could be reached, the better.

At the very least, she anticipated an entertaining challenge ahead.

We’re here to claim Yoh.

He owes me something, and he’s been really lucky of this stupid event, because if it hadn’t happened, I’d have taken him with me.

/Hao stopped in front of the  big building with a bitter expression. The snow still avoiding touching him and a trail of melted snow marking their path./

But before that…

This building… I have been here for 4 weeks, and it’s been comepletely unpleasant. Not to mention the idiots whom I had to deal with.

What do you think we should do to it?

Destination

cross-fire-nightmare:

imthefuckingshamanking:

/Upon receiving her message, he smiled wide. There was no one in the room, so he felt at ease to put on his poncho and get out of the house. The Patch had not taken the protection to prevent people from entering or exiting the Inn, but it was no problem at all for him to force the doors open./

Let’s have some fun then.

/He headed towards the gate, the snow fall was somewhat strong, but it didn’t dare touch him once he got out of the Inn by the side hall. Smiling, he checked that no one was around for him to get to the door./

Thanks for coming.

Now I need you to force the door from the other side. Use all the furyoku you may need, if we do it strongly enough, we will break the lock.

I will force it from this side.

/He summoned the Spirit of Fire and gave the signal to Marion to do as he had said./

In one fell motion Marion stood back and pulled her cloak aside, baring Chuck at the obstacle. Artificial hair peeked out between dainty fingers, as the girl’s face became calm and composed in the wake of her previous excitement. The puppet raised it’s revolver, seemingly oversized for it’s small form, as the girl focused on the orders at hand.

“Yes, shall we begin, my Lord” she whispered, channeling her furyoku through her medium.

A hail of ethereal bullets pelted at the impediment, with the Doll-Master continuously pounding away with everything she had.

/The shaman raised a hand and the Spirit of Fire beamed a ray of fire towards the gate. The snow around it melted in less than a second. Hao smirked as he heard a sound like a crack, after some seconds of attacking the lock on the gate. They had done it quickly and he was very happy about that, could it be she had been training during his absence? He wouldn’t complain anyway./

We’re done.

/The gates of the Inn opened with a heavy screech, and he could see, for the first time in about 4 weeks, the surroundings of the building. Once they were open, he turned around and asked her to follow him with a sign of his hand./

We’re going to claim my prize.

Destination

cross-fire-nightmare:

Light footfalls sounded against the snow as a lone figure walked along the roadside. Foggy breath rhythmically escaped the fur trimmed hood of her cloak, a small smile concealed. Marion’s thoughts turned to the message that had sent a shiver down her spine.

“You will have fun,” was all he had needed to append to snatch her attention from her previously appointed task, and like a thief in the night she had stolen away from her comrades. Travel in the company of others was not particularly her cup of tea, and she was not interested in socializing off the battlefield. Only one thing dominated her mind right now. Such a simple, yet powerful statement it was. All that mattered now was that the summons were to be heeded.

She drew in a breath sharply, the sting of the winter air intensifying the knife-like smile across her face as she clutched Chuck to herself closely underneath the warmth of her outerwear. The chill of the gun against her forearm was always a nice reassurance during the calm before the storm. Warm fog trailed behind her as she exhaled and quickened her pace.

As her destination came into view Marion’s face took on it’s familiar, frigid expression. The lifeless doll she held in her arms was, by comparison, an infinitely more passionate being. But passion was not what was needed at this moment, she had been dispatched with a purpose. The message looped in her mind like an insane mantra.

With the distance closing she pulled out her oracle bell, the doll seemingly dangling off of it by the arm. Slowly and methodically she keyed her message to her master, in spite of knowing that by now surely he was aware of her arrival. Each step that crunched the snow underfoot brought her closer to the place she most desired to be.

Marion stepped up to the door, rapping against it lightly with her free hand.

/Upon receiving her message, he smiled wide. There was no one in the room, so he felt at ease to put on his poncho and get out of the house. The Patch had not taken the protection to prevent people from entering or exiting the Inn, but it was no problem at all for him to force the doors open./

Let’s have some fun then.

/He headed towards the gate, the snow fall was somewhat strong, but it didn’t dare touch him once he got out of the Inn by the side hall. Smiling, he checked that no one was around for him to get to the door./

Thanks for coming.

Now I need you to force the door from the other side. Use all the furyoku you may need, if we do it strongly enough, we will break the lock.

I will force it from this side.

/He summoned the Spirit of Fire and gave the signal to Marion to do as he had said./

“So it’s a fight… There’s just 6 of us, and all of them are weaker than me.”

/He laughed to himself as he ran around the house, as a morning exercise. He had received some messages from his followers about christmas, and that… well that was surely odd. He knew how they felt, but the devotion of some of his followers was genuine, which made him feel reassured about his objectives. Not as if he needed it, but it was a good feeling./

They are all a bunch of fools.

/After an hour of exercising, he sat next to the house, and checked his Oracle Bell again. He started playing with it, finding out how they worked to send messages to other contestans in the Tournament. Once he finally understood, he wrote something and sent it./

Perfect..

/He rested there for some minutes before heading to the onsen./