Friend and Foe
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King
Invitation Part 1
My son,
Do forgive me if this was the only time that I have called upon you for such as request. I hope that you are in good health at least one of us is. I often pray to the gods that you and you brother would be away from harm.
I know I was never really a mother to you for I was never given much choice when he took you away from us. Hid not the advices of the elders said to you, you are free to live your life as you see fit. I am glad that you no longer have any intentions to destroy the world maybe with that set aside there would be reconciliation for our family at last.
For this I come to my request, come and stay with us, it would only be two weeks. Bring your friends if you like? I guarantee you that no one will harm you; if they harm a single hair in your head they shall answer to me and not you. Grant me this request, my son.
The Shaman Fight is over surely the people who wanted to kill you have moved on with their lives by now. I hope with this visit I can get close to you; there is still a lot that I wish to say but no time to do it. I hope you will be here on the 20th of December. I long to see the day that I will finally see you, my son but for now I must say goodbye.
Your Mother
Asakura Manor, New York, USA
Reading and rereading the letter's content once more, a smirk spread through the young man's face. The letter was given to him earlier by his own father. Ironically he could sense his father's dislike on him but could also feel the overwhelming love of his mother through her letter.
Maybe the dislike was triggered by what he did to his face a long time ago. But surely he would have forgiven him by now?
Basking in the beautiful morning rays of the sun somewhere upstate of New York, the young man turned to look to the east, where he reminiscences where he was born. It has been ten years since he did not step on his native soil, but just being reincarnated in a place like that does hold any meaning to where he stood.
As the years passed the young man soon relinquished his dream to destroy mankind, yet in his process to this forsaken road he encountered various interesting people on the way. Though at first he regretted his defeat and should have in killed his brother even before the Shaman Fight began it slowly died down.
The pain of it all was no longer there and even if a lot of people thought that it was best that he be lost in place, no longer interfering with their lives. It seemed it was not in his place nor was it his style to just vanish. Maybe that must be the reason why he fled to New York with his followers.
Funny but he never envisioned himself becoming who he was now.
One of the richest and also one of the most famous people in the city that new sleeps. A chuckle left his lips as he never dreamed of becoming a very important person. Who would have known that if he was outcast by certain people he was welcome by others as well?
It was only in New York that he got the recognition that has eluded him for so long. And they said that New York had no heart? He always did believe that if you smile at the world; the world will smile at you back but if you cry at the world; the world will leave you.
Defeat is merely a stepping stone, and look at where he is now. Like Yoh he also had his followers that grew to become his family.
Family, funny but as a human you become very sentimental with the things you have. And though he, who just wanted to become King, did not become one, he soon realized a king was still not a god? To his enemies like the X Laws; they described him as a destroyer, an abomination of mankind but to the people that knew him now, he was not only their savior but also their friend and benefactor.
Some things never change as some things never do, maybe for the best or for the worst; nobody really knows but the person who lived it. As for our young man; Lady Luck must have taken fancy on him, for he never did suffer for all this time. He already had everything he needed.
He no longer wanted to become a Shaman King.
Yoh his other half already accomplish that for him, besides there is always 500 years for that. For the moment, his concern is more on his Corporation and his followers. If he dies he must leave a legacy for his followers to remember him. A cult maybe to his enemies; but for him; an insurance.
A sigh left his mouth when his sight returned to the letter he left at the table. Will he accept or will he decline? To the people that he left behind like his brother and his friends; he was still a monster that should be killed. But he could never let his mother suffer like that? Maybe if he took some of his friends in this escapade the trip would be bearable?
Setting his sight at his surroundings; the birds were already awake chirping to meet the day. The autumn leaves rustled their leaves awaiting the winter days and the colors of red and gold mixed with a gush of winter chill wavering around. If he stayed a little more; he might soon catch his death. The smirk turned into a smile as he envisioned himself dying of a cold.
'Master?'
The smile grew into a bigger one when a knock on the door with a certain graceful stride embodied a beautiful creature before him. This woman who was once a cute but icy girl became a beautiful lady as the years gone by. Even Hao noticed the change in her but even if they were at the same age he felt no romantic attachments around her.
To him this lady was merely his ward and being one of his ward means that no harm shall ever come to her. Love to him was always associated with care, affection and fidelity but the love that meant passionate feeling, intense desire and sexual attraction was no where to be seen. 'What is it Marion?'
'The documents you needed have arrived.'
'Thank you, Marion place them on my desk. I will handle them later.'
'Yes sir,' after speaking to her master she gestured a certain courtesy before placing the documents on his mahogany desk that was located at the other room. When she got back to the terrace where he was. Silence ensued once again.
Marion realized that there was something on her master's mind but did not wish to disturb him so when she was about to leave her master again spoke, 'Oh Marion, tell Kanna and the others that we are going on a trip in the holidays okay?'
'A trip, a vacation, there must be something wrong. Master Hao never leaves the country if not for business?' The young lady thought of possible answers that puzzled her mind of what he meant on the trip.
Now as confident as she was when she was still a little girl a long time ago she asked the first thing on her mind. 'Master, please be not offended on my insolence but may I please know where we're going? I'm assuming the others would also like to know where you're taking us.'
'A fine question my dear, do not be afraid to speak your mind. I made up my mind, we are going to Japan for the holidays. Tell them to pack their things.'
'What about the others, master. They are outside of the country right now?"
'Call them back if their contract allows them to if not I give them my blessing to spend the holidays where they want to spend it. Alright?'
'Yes, master,' eying her Lord with scrutiny even after she left his chambers. Something was up, she knew something was up especially after the intruder arrived to deliver his letter. With that in mind she had to be ready for anything.
'Something's telling me this would be a very, very long trip.'