(A Sinner's Manipulating Love)

So Beautiful, So Cruel…

Disclaimer: I don't own SK except for my two characters. This is my first Shaman King fan fic so don't be too hasty on me, kay! Enjoy the delight I thought out of curiosity for Hao's (Zeke's) sake. I can't say I'm new to Shaman King, but I just now realized that I'm suddenly interested in Hao, so forgive me if things are a bit off. I'm just now paying more attention to Hao and his followers so bare with me. The story won't be very disappointing though if you stay with it. But just to warn you, I'm not using their Japanese names. This will take place during the tournament and all!

Rating

PG13

For Some Violence and Romance

Full Summary: A new member has joined Zeke's team of followers, but she's unique aside from the rest. In exact ways she has witnessed similar events with humans like the 1,000 year old Asakura himself, but is a kinder soul who is quizzical about his way of creating peace. She's wielded the ability to read souls, and is afraid of what she sees in Zeke, and is afraid she is confusedly falling for someone with the kind mask showing the worst kind of evil. Her feelings for a certain sinner may force her to do what she knows is wrong, and force her to want to help him in every way possible. And yet…she is torn down the middle when it comes to him. Or is this Zeke's way of manipulating love to only keep her for the sake of her incredible power? Or maybe there is another side to the devil's heart. Perhaps one can find real affection in one cold sinner's heart, and perhaps one can find real pain in one cold sinner's manipulating love?

The path was muddy and unclear. I could feel the earth sink with every step I took. Roaming between the tree's watch was pointless. The trees wouldn't guide me, they were tricksters and liars, leading me down endless roads that had nothing to do with being right or wrong. I just wanted to find a small river nearby and take my break.

A few minutes ago I had won my victory over a shaman team named, "The Xing Brothers."

My lips formed into a distant line of unhappiness.

It was disappointing how weak and impure so called, "shamans" could be. And they had the right to under estimate me and Makinami (mah-key-nah-me), call me a puny little girl. Insult me to go play with my "dollies." After that match they made sure never to open their mouths in my presence again. I can't stand those who are cruel and deceitful.

Me, however, I had two of my own teammates. But they abandoned me…just like everyone else. They wanted to get rid of me. They are the reason I am captivated in this misguided maze.

During the journey in the shaman tournament I heard of a powerful group called, "Hoshigumi" and a few other teams, said to be a united group. Many shamans I overheard chanting in fear of the name and some even considering to their comrades they'd want to join.

The more I walked along a deceiving path the more I thought about the sadness that filled my heart. I heard this group was seeking an opportunity to strip the world of all humans and just leave it bare with shamans. A kingdom of strong shamans only. How selfish….

I stopped my blabbering notions when I heard the rushing water nearby. I widened my eyes and dashed through the prickly bushes to be standing in front of the flowing river. The river led out of the tree's blocking path and towards the setting sun.

Finally a small smile curved on my happy face.

After those few minutes of refreshment, I sat on the riverbank and stared out into the rippling waves of fresh water. The little fish from the stream jumped frantically in midair. My eyes saddened as I brought my knees to my chest. My aquamarine hair strands fell to the side of my face where my one sided low ponytail rested on one of my shoulders.

I didn't understand it. Why would anyone want to destroy our world of humans and only allow shamans? I don't approve of humanity's ways myself; they were evil to me and called me an outcast or a monster. But I should know better. There will never be a peaceful world. And yet, mostly the humans are the ones destroying this world…

A large screech pitched through my ears.

I looked up to see Makinami perched on a tree branch. Her stern brown orbs stared into my ocean blue ones. I sighed lightly as she chirped sharply, and stared up at the sky. "I know, Makinami. I feel it too."

Makinami was my guardian ghost, the rare white bald eagle of the southern legend. She was my best and only friend.

Earlier we had been sensing the earth's rabid movements, as if it is scared of something. From the sense of it, it had something to do with the spirit of fire.

…Wait, the great fire spirit?

I quickly stood up and clutched the tiny extensive spear in my fabric holder. I scanned the land in urgency. I couldn't see anything. Maybe my instinct was wrong? My eyes drifted off to the sun setting slowly over the rocky edges. Finally warmth swept through me…a feeling of safety.

I raised my arm up in the air for a perching posture. My huge guardian ghost, almost bigger than me, took flight into the high winds. Makinami's spiritual form landed one foot of sharp talons on my wrist and flapped her heavy wings twice before folding them into her body and landing correctly. She shuffled her wings and cried out a longer screech that was heard throughout the mountains.

But I could still sense a lurking power near us.

(END OF P.O.V.)

In the shadows a man watched, standing motionlessly with watchful eyes. A smirk curved on his face half covered by his long brunette bangs which were now the color of auburn due to the golden sun, making him appeal mischievous.

His mysterious dark brown eyes looked her up slowly. She was a girl of exotics. Her eyes and hair were a dead aquamarine, with the type of eyes that seemed as if the sea had dulled because of its emptiness. Her straight hair rested on the side of her shoulder tied in a low and loose pink tie. The long hair trailed down her shoulder, her torso, her stomach and touched to her leg and stopped a few feet above her toes. Her outfit was a white pleated tube top and simple tribal-like skirt with a green band tied around the waist. A golden wrist band wrapped around her left arm. Besides her features, the stranger was observing her furyoku level.

He had seen her before, many times. He had been watching her to learn more about her strength before the time came. She was no stranger to him. The more he watched her, the more intrigued he became of her. She was stronger than his other followers.

By the river, the young girl sat on a boulder and leaned over the sparkling waters to see the visible fish and plants beneath. The shimmers of light reflecting on the waters reflected against the marine irises of her. She cuffed her hands together to take a small puddle of river water in her hands and splashed it onto her face. The girl happily shook it off with a soft giggle. She smiled lightly until the white eagle on her shoulder lifted its feathers and threatened something behind her. A reflection in the water appeared next to her. She flinched in shock.

A long browned haired boy with chocolate brown eyes gazed at her. He wore a long white poncho to hide his chest and arms away. He had a pair of maroon baggy pants with a starred red belt traveling down them and intricate gloves. He wore two round earrings with engraved stars. His chin was half covered by the white slit turtle neck. His smile was calm.

The girl spun around to face him and wielded a large point spear with engraved markings. A green band was tied around it, and its point was a sparkling unbreakable crystal made peak with two other peaks sticking out of its side. The shaman girl positioned her spear one inch away from his nose.

The stranger stared into the eyes of the dazzling shaman and moved the crystal javelin out of his view with a finger. "I've seen your battles." His voice was slightly harmonizing, but at the same time mischievously uncomforting and a bit immoral. "You're quite the skilled shaman."

She furrowed her eyebrows, Makinami raising her large wings in a threatening posture. "What do you want?"

"It's nothing I want. It's something I need." His eyes narrowed while he wore a thin smirk. "I need strong shaman like you to help me with something."

"Help with what?"

"Destroying the world of humans and rebuilt the new age of the kingdom of shamans. It's always nice to have new followers."

She pulled her spear back to her side. "So you're the Hoshigumi team everyone's been talking about. You're one of those impure shamans that are trying to destroy human life, aren't you?"

The mysterious stranger didn't change his expression. He took another step closer. "And so I am. But I need more strong shamans to join me. So I'm offering you a request to either join me or be against me."

The spear in her hands retracted its point and its end into its middle section and became a smaller weapon. She put it back in the fabric holder and looked at him sideways. "I am nothing like you, why would you want to accept me?"

The boy sat down on the boulder next to the riverbank and stared at the dancing waters. "You're wrong. You are exactly like me." He had a soft tenderness gleaming in his eyes, or so thought. "I've been keeping my eye on you for some time and you're just what I'm looking for. Your furyoku level is near surpassing my greatest opponent, and I want you to fight by my side when the time comes. You share my beliefs, my same pain I went through. The humans abandoned you when you were just a little girl, didn't they?"

She stared at him with wide eyes. "How did you know?"

He rested his short lashes on his cheeks. "Let's just say you're very legible. What do you say, child? Join me?"

The young girl turned her eyes on the flowing waters. "Tell me this. Why do you want to destroy humans? What right does that have just because they didn't accept to you…or even me? I've forgiven them. Why can't you if you hate them so much? You're causing pain and cruelty to everyone."

The stranger looked at her from the side with his long brown hair slightly swaying its ends. "You haven't forgiven anyone. What they did and what they do is unforgivable. I'm not causing pain and cruelty to the world. I'm saving the world from more destruction. With the humans gone, the world will finally become a peaceful place. They don't belong here." His voice suddenly became disgusted. "They are weak and confused beings that have no purpose or reason here. They drag this world down…and with them gone, it will become renewed and stronger."

The girl's ocean cool eyes went blank for a short second. She calmed herself down and thought about the words. "…Peaceful…?" that's what she wanted for all her life. "…If the humans are destroyed…the world will be peaceful you say?"

He stood up to face her. "Exactly. So I'm giving you a choice to live or die."

There was no doubt about it that she wanted peace in the world. But killing human life? Is that the only way?

"It is." He told her out loud, like he was reading her thoughts.

She stared at him in little shock. He can read my mind?

What the stranger said was partly true, about humans being the annihilation of the world. She'd seen their destruction and evil before. All her life she had never come along a kind human before. It was a fact…she hadn't completely forgiven humans for opening up her weak side. But she had tried her best not to go against them, it was for peace. And also…for the first time, this stranger was accepting her into their world…

The girl's aquamarine orbs stared deeply in the handsome stranger's extremely dark brown ones. For some reason, she felt uncomfortable to do so. Her eyes had to fall down to the dirt, as interesting as that was. "…Is it really true humans are deceiving and evil…? There's no such thing as a good human?"

He slowly walked up to her and folded his fingers under her chin to make her look back into his eyes.

The girl felt so insignificant compared to him just because he was so close.

"All humans are deceiving and evil; they fear what is different or what they don't understand. They have no reason to be here, they are worthless. This is my last time asking, only because I don't want to waste such a good shaman." He withdrew his hand from her chin and began to speak coldly. "Will you join me or perish with them?"

She gazed into his stern brown orbs for what seemed eternity. She was lost in them. She then saw the impatience growing within his eyes and bowed her head as her shameful answer.

The boy's expression turned into a dismayed frown. "How sad." He said unsympathetically while he got ready to call upon the connection of his great spirit. "You'll just have to be destroyed then, won't you?" He told under his breath. A sinister smile appeared on his face.

This wasn't different. Everyone wanted to destroy her, but this time for some reason the girl just felt the urge to call out, "W-Wait!"

His sinister smile faded before his great spirit appeared.

"…I…" she swallowed a lump in her throat. "I…accept…"

At first he seemed merely surprised, but closed his eyes for some reason in relief. "Good." He smiled widely at her with his eyes shut upwardly showing great happiness. "It would be a shame to harm such a lovely girl anyway." His smile had turned into charming kindness and decency.

Her cheeks flushed lightly at his warm words and smile. She frowned and looked down to avoid his kindness. At first he wants to kill me, but now he says I'm a looker…what's he trying to do to me? Come on Laliya, don't be fazed.

"Laliya. What an enchanting name." he read her again. "You have a strong guardian ghost by your side, a spiritual legend of many tribes." he noticed the heating blush on her face. He just silently chuckled at her.

Laliya couldn't help but shyly smile back at him, even if this smile was against her will. "You never told me your name."

"You can call me Zeke." He turned his back to her. "Now follow me."

LALIYA'S P.O.V.

I cautiously walked near him. I could feel the heat still lingering on my cheeks. It was just an idiotic compliment. But I was actually going to be accepted in something…in something…

Zeke's head was cocked only a little as he softened his eyes with a tiny smile plastered on his calm face. It wasn't anything loving, just satisfaction. He led me up along the river. I just realized the sky was already night blue.

I have to admit, I simply hated the night. The night was a constant reminder of the day I was abandoned and abused by humans for being different, for being a shaman. They called me evil or a monster, daughter of the devil for possessing such natural powers of a shaman that I wanted to use to help them. I was born an outcast. The only thing that kept watch over me was the spirit of the southern legend, my only friend…

It was a short trip, though. I walked behind Zeke as far as necessary. Even if he seemed charming and kind, I could vividly see another side to him and I didn't want to get on that side.

Two red eyes peered from a hollow hole in a lone tree. Black feathers turned into wings. The animal took flight and swooped down on me, grasping my strands of hair in its talons. I gasped inwardly and clutched Zeke's arm for protection. I had buried my face in his cloak for more safety…and safe I felt. I opened my eyes to see he had stopped walking.

When I regained common sense I quickly let go and bowed in apology. "I'm…I'm sorry, Zeke. Forgive me for my weakness."

Weakness was a sin. There was no room for weakness in this world. And my guess is that Zeke didn't accept shamans who carried weakness in their hearts. This is the first time someone has accepted me, so I will intolerant the weakness in my heart.

He glanced back at me and began walking again. "That's alright. But from now on you are advised to respectfully address me as Master Zeke."

I nodded loyally. "Yes, Master Zeke."

It only took a few minutes to arrive at a large rocky cliff where some other shamans awaited. I stared at one shaman who wore a well designed poncho and a blue band around his forehead. I could see one of his spirits, an eagle and his other spirit seemed to be a scorpion. Makinami screeched twice in a call to the spirit bird. The boy shaman's extremely dark green eyes crossed over to me and met my light ocean ones.

I flinched and diverted my attention, glancing at one shaman stringing a banjo elegantly and giving off accurate notes. I took a step and watched him play with dazzling eyes. "That's wonderful…"

Zeke stood in front of me and the loyal followers, making the banjo shaman stop in mid play.

"Ah, Master Zeke, I see you found a dasmel in distress on your absence." The banjo player greeted kindly with a strange accent.

Did I really look so weak?

Zeke just spoke as if ignoring him. "This is our newest member, Laliya. You'll except her as one of us now, understand?"

Some bowed, some only replied the same or differently. "Yes, Master Zeke."

I just stared blankly at all the shaman's faces. Some were females, most were men. Suddenly I felt Zeke's presence leave me as he walked off to the edge of the cliff. I held out my hand, wanting him to come back, but drew it back to my side. I looked up to see a few shamans glaring at me with unwanted expressions, mostly the blue, orange and blonde haired females. I looked back down in feeling like an exile again. That's all I ever was. Zeke would probably be the only one who would accept my existence in this group.

A little hand tugged on my white skirt. I looked down to see a small brown skinned little girl, big brown eyes and a little afro. She wore an orange garment over her little body and an orange band. "What's your name?"

I smiled at her. "Laliya."

"Laliya, huh? That's an enchanting name."

My eyes drifted off to Zeke who was staring out over the edge as if watching or searching for someone. "…Yes...that's what Zeke, said…"

I dismissed the light words and bent down to see eye to eye with the small child. "What's your name little one?"

"I'm Opacho, the most loyal to Master Zeke. Might I remind you it'll take awhile before the others warm up to you. But I'll be by your side so you won't be alone." The word 'alone' struck me poor, but I tried my best not to show it. I tried my best not to show the lonely abyss I was slipping into.

"Thank you Opacho." I was just about to rise up until Opacho tugged on me again.

"Oooh, you know what, Laliya?"

"What?"

"Your eyes are pretty! I think Master Zeke would agree."

These eyes of mine? They're the eyes of a corpse, a storm without strength or rage, and she calls them fascinating?

My cheeks turned a little red at her last comment. "Master…Zeke?" My eyes slowly darted over to Master Zeke as I put a hand to my chest. I got a closer view, enough to see his brown eyes gleaming against the night stars.

I frowned slightly and shadowed my eyes with my bangs.

Later into the night, the followers had gotten sluggish and lazy and begged Master Zeke to give it up for today's torture on a character named, "Yoh." Apparently they had been keeping watch over this person, the members had been told to taunt or separate Yoh's friends. Sadly enough, it seemed I was there only to tag along. I didn't intervene in anything, and no one explained to me what this "interest" was about. I was an outcast…as always. And this shall be the only word I have come to understand. Master Zeke didn't seem to take much notice of me like the way he did when he offered me this membership.

My fellow members had called it a day and went off into their own directions in their teams, or stayed here.

Master Zeke and Opacho sat next to the huge campfire created by our master. So he did own the Spirit of fire. He was able to create it with his own hands, control it at his will and it fascinated me.

I slowly got up from my cold spot isolated from everyone and walked over to the two. I hesitated on where I was going to sit. Next to Zeke? Or next to Opacho?

I sat down on the rocky edges next to Opacho who greeted me with a kind smile. "Hi, Laliya!" she suddenly smiled at Master Zeke. "Master Zeke! Her eyes are pretty, aren't they?"

He didn't say anything after awhile. I looked up at him, seeing him directly staring at me. "Yes." he smiled. "Very."

Opacho turned her face to me and laughed. "I told you Master Zeke would agree."

I giggled at her cheerful ways. What a sweet child. She ran over to Master Zeke and sat next him. He turned his smile on her in cheerful bliss. From the looks of it, they were close.

I was there sitting across from Master Zeke and Opacho on the other side of the red flames. There was a moment of silence.

"Master Zeke…Who is Yoh?" I asked out of curiosity.

A long pause…

"Yoh Asakura is my greatest opponent and obstacle towards becoming Shaman King. I've failed in persuading him to join us, so what we can do for the time being is separate him and his friends and delude them to be against one another. They drag him down. It'll make things easier with his friends out of the way. In the end, Yoh will have no choice but to join me."

"Doesn't Yoh share our same beliefs?"

That's when he turned on the charm. A harmless and friendly smile filled his face. "Yoh doesn't believe the vile human race should have a future of extinction for the good of our world."

"Is he that ignorant?"

"Many of them are."

Our eyes locked for a long moment. His glimmered against flickering flames like a fiery soul. My blue-green ones were instantly absorbed within the fire in his eyes. But I could easily sense more the great spirit of fire; I could sense the spark of sadness inflamed by hatred within him. I could see the anger in his heart, the rage in his soul. He was like me, except I turned my heart into sorrow and isolation; he turned his into hatred and destruction. If anyone got in his way, or didn't share his beliefs…they would be destroyed, tortured in powerful flames. I sensed that was his way of things. It was in my natural ability to read souls, and maybe his to read minds.

My eyes suddenly saddened and I looked down into my lap. I was feeling sorry for him. He is a tortured soul blinded by hatred, I am a tortured soul blinded by sorrow. Oh Zeke…It was best I kept my thoughts to myself. He could hear me…

I didn't want to stay here any longer. I held my elbows and stood up to stand on the edge of the mountain cliff. The moon was bright white in soft blue. Just a wide lake was surrounded by the cliffs and rocky mountains into an edgy circle of blue sparkling water. The moonlight danced on the surface of it in beauty. I even felt a little smile come upon my face. I suddenly felt the brushing of fabric against my shoulder and turned my attention to see Master Zeke standing next to me. I don't know why, but his presence weakened me somehow…

His eyes weren't looking at the view, but rather farther off. His dipped chocolate brown hair was wavering through the winds in peace. I sat on the cold rock ground while he stood.

"You haven't been fitting in lately, have you, Laliya?" he notified.

I didn't say anything to him. Is he really going to be the only person who will actually talk to me besides Opacho? Why am I alone all the time?

Master Zeke sat down right next to me, one knee raised to support a relaxed arm. His eyes were staring at me, making me fidget uncomfortably.

"You're not alone." He said sweetly to me, startling me.

I gasped inwardly and turned my head to see his face looking off into the moonlight again. He read my mind again? So much for a thing called privacy and "personal" thoughts…

I heard a single chuckle in more of a, "hmph" within his throat. He could hear me…AGAIN.

My eyes suddenly came into an expression of sorrow. I looked down on the lake as a night breeze passed. "…I've always been alone…all my life, and even though I'm here, I still feel the memories of an exile. No human, no shaman, no one, has ever comforted or came in contact with me, because I'm the outsider. The only friend I really have is Makinami, no one else. Maybe….maybe I just don't belong here, Master Zeke…"

"You do belong here." He said almost to top my own words, but hastily.

My eyes stared at him from the side in confusion. I followed his darker orbs to be gazing up at the close and starry night blue sky. They twinkled brightly like diamonds in a dark blue sea.

His voice was turning into a warm softness that rang a little vibration of happiness through my heart. "You're not alone, Laliya. There's never a time when you are by yourself on the face of this earth. There's always someone. You can never be alone. Besides, you have me."

I looked at him again. He was smiling that enchanting, handsome smile. His finger brushed away a loose blue-green strand out of my face, and tucked it behind my ear. If I gazed long enough, I could see the glint sparkle within his orbs from the stars. He narrowed his eyes and closed in on me just enough.

I couldn't believe my heart was thumping like it was. No human related creature had ever been so kind or this close to me in a friendly way.

"Don't worry, you'll fit right in very soon. And very soon is to be the time you'll be given an assignment."

I became skeptical. "What kind of assignment?"

He chuckled silently with a more beautiful smile above his white turtle neck. "You'll see all in good time, Laliya. All in good time."

I felt a little strange once more. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion with a light blush dancing on my cheeks. Why did he make me blush all the time? I sense his evil doings, I know his other side even if I can't completely pin point who he is. There's something not right, and yet…

I just looked into my lap with a gentle look. I could feel lights of watery emotion shuddering against my aquamarine orbs. "Thank you…Zeke…," I smiled lightly. "…for accepting me…" Without really thinking it over, I had rested my head against his shoulder, feeling the soft cotton fabric of his garment against my skin. He was so incredibly warm, it felt soothing.

I finally realized whose warmth it was, and abruptly sat back up. He was staring at me expressionlessly. I glanced at him and back into my lap. I sighed silently and nervously smiled. "F-Forgive my actions again, Master. I just feel colder than most nights…well, actually every night is colder than before for me." Sadness and loneliness twinkled in my eyes.

I could feel Master Zeke's eyes on me. They slowly left me and drifted off to the lake in no emotion. "You should rest. You'll be in the front row seat tomorrow to see what Yoh Asakura is truly capable of, so you can cultivate his strength." Master Zeke stood up to leave me be. I knew there was something he was hiding…

I suddenly released a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding for so long. When he was here, I had been breathing little for a reason unknown. I stood up and turned my gaze on the tortured soul shaman. "Um, M-Master Zeke!" I yelled out of nervousness.

He stopped in his tracks, but all that faced me was the back of his brown head full of long hair.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the air. I held my arm to cuff the gold wrist band around my left arm. "…I'm…I'm sorry about what they did to you. You just wanted to help them, and they feared you didn't they? I…I know what it feels like…I'm sorry someone like you had to go through with it…"

"Don't be." came his cold reply, almost wicked and painful. "I don't need the sympathy of others to pledge their pity for me. What matters now, is that they are going to pay for what they've done once I become Shaman King." With that he continued walking.

I felt that warmth be replaced with sorrow. The loose strand he had tucked behind my ear fell in front of my eyes. I looked down somewhat smiling. I knew it was then I wanted to be close to him, yet I am afraid of him. So beautiful…so cruel…

I hope that was good! Everything's not revealed, well a lot isn't, and that's my intentions for right now. Zeke (crap I like Zeke better) or Hao, is still the biggest mystery to Laliya, I like to put in suspenseful mystery. This is my first, so don't flame me! And if you do decide to, I'll get the spirit of fire to flame you back! Thank you very much for reading! Until next time!