Disclaimer: Hiroyuki Takei and Hiromu Arakawa, yo.
WARNINGS! Angst, torture, character death, yaoi, twincest, slight Anna-bashing.
A/N: Like I said in the summary, I crossed it over with Fullmetal Alchemist just to make it interesting because it's one of my new favorites. And I changed some things around...'cause I could and 'cause it's necessary to make the story work. I changed the way the FMA people are related and such...automailers still have automail though, it's also vital to the story...
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It was a nice spring morning in wherever-the-hell-city-they-lived. The sun was shining brightly, and the birds were chirping- everywhere except for the perimeter of the old Funbari Inn whereas Anna's bitchy aura has scared them away. Yoh had his friends Manta, Horohoro, and Ren over, while Anna sat in another room because she doesn't have any friends. Ren and Horohoro were bickering over nothing important because that's all they ever do, Yoh was drinking a melon soda because that's all he ever does, and Manta was knitting something because he's just gay like that. Now that the scene has been set, we switch into serious mode.
"Hey Yoh," Manta said suddenly, trying to tune out the bickering, "isn't it your birthday soon?"
Hearing this the other two shut up as Yoh grinned and replied, "Yeah. Tomorrow, actually."
Ren and Horohoro looked at each other. The Ainu said, "Serious, man? Then let's have a party!"
Manta nodded, "Yeah, and presents. What do you want the most, Yoh?"
Yoh's grin disappeared and there was a crash in the other room as Anna dropped something. It got eerily quiet.
"...Yoh?"
"It doesn't matter," Yoh said quickly, then added, "It'd never happen..."
"Never happen? What does that mean?" Horohoro asked.
"Nothing," Yoh told him, "...I'll be right back," he got to his feet and went upstairs. More noise was heard in the other room as Anna started cleaning up whatever mess she made, and Manta had an idea.
"Hey, Anna?" Manta stood in the doorway watching her gather pieces of a broken cup. She tensed visibly when he addressed her, "Do you know what Yoh wants for his birthday?"
She stood up but didn't turn to face him, "Yes, I do. And he's right, it'd never happen. Because it's against the law," she turned then, walked right past him and up the stairs to join Yoh.
Manta stared after her, mouth gaping, "Against the law?"
"What Yoh wants is illegal? What could that be?"
"I don't know, but I don't like the way they're acting so mysterious..." Manta flicked his gaze to Ren and Horohoro, "I think we should find out."
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"Yoh," Anna said sharply, closing the door behind her, "You shouldn't have said that."
His eyes never left the window, "I know."
"They'll start asking questions now. You know you're forbidden to-"
"I KNOW!" He shouted, and spun on her so fast she was taken aback. Yoh looked at the ground then out the window again, "...I'm sorry."
She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head, but said nothing more and left the room as quietly as she'd come.
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Meanwhile on the other side of town...
"Edo, have you seen Hao?" Paninya asked the blonde.
Edward was sitting on the floor, busy working on something that Paninya wasn't even going to try to guess what it was. He kept working as he said, "Can't say that I have...damnit!"
"What'd you do? Break a finger, lose an eye..."
He turned to glare at her, "Very funny. Why do you want to see Hao anyway?"
"Nothing really," she leaned against the doorframe and started absently picking at the lint on her shirt, "just wanted to ask him something."
Ed stopped working and looked up at her, "Oh? Like what...?" Cheesy grin.
"Idiot. It's Hao birthday tomorrow, did you know that? He's been nice enough to take us in, I thought I'd get him something..."
He blinked, "No I didn't know that. What're you gonna get him?"
"I don't know. That's why I wanted to ask him! God, you're dense."
That earned her another grin. "Well, tell me when you find something. And be sure to write my name on it."
"Heh. Like hell I will, mooch."
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Later that day, Yoh came out of his room and was walking around town with the three who refused to leave until they found out what was so "illegal" about what Yoh wanted for his birthday. For the most part they'd been trying to ask around it and figure it out for themselves, paste together their own solution with what little bits and pieces they could wring out of him. But so far that plan had produced zero results. So...
Yoh was at a soda machine (addict, anyone?) while the others were huddled together a little ways from him.
"So what do we do?"
"I think we should just ask him bluntly. He wouldn't lie to us."
"No, if he doesn't want to talk about it, I don't want to push it."
"Yeah but-"
"Hey, guys?" Yoh called. They all glanced up from their huddle formation, "Yeah?"
"Um...soda?"
"No."
"Okay...I'm leaving now..."
"Oh! We'll go with you!"
Yoh knows something is going on but it too nice- or stupid- to say so, and the others are getting fed up with silence. Suddenly Horohoro steps in front of Yoh and blurts, "What is it you want for your birthday because Anna said it was illegal and we were just-"
"Illegal?"
Manta tugged on his shirt to get his attention while Ren dragged Horohoro off to tell him how stupid he is. "Anna said it would never happen because it was against the law."
Yoh smiled very slightly, "Oh, that. She means it's against A law, not THE law."
Ren and Horo looked up, "A law?"
Yoh leaned against a nearby fence underneath a nice shady tree and sighed, "I guess I'm not going to get away without telling you guys, am I?"
All nod.
"Anna would kill me if she found out."
"So? We won't tell her!"
Yoh slid to the ground and the others seated themselves around him, "Well, you see, I have a...brother."
Blink blink. "Really?"
"And I haven't seen him for almost five years...I really miss him..."
"That's what you want for you're birthday? To see him again?"
Ren scoffed, "What's so 'against a law' about that?"
"It's sort of a family law, a rule..." he continued, "They said he was a bad influence on me, and that I should focus on training to be Shaman King..."
Manta asked, "Is he much older than you?"
He shook his head, "No, he's not older than me."
"How much influence can a younger sibling have on you?"
"He's not younger than me either."
"EH?"
"Oh!" Manta said as it suddenly dawned on him, "A twin?"
Nod, "Yeah."
"Yoh has a twin?" Horohoro demanded, surprised.
Ren crossed his arms over his chest angrily, "It's wrong to separate siblings, especially for no good reason, and twins are inseparable- it's just plain cruel."
"Don't worry, Yoh! We'll help you find him!"
Yoh's eyes widened, "But you don't understand-"
"HEEEY! You shouldn't sit in the middle of the...Hao?" A dark-skinned girl stood hovering over them, her brown eyes surprised and questioning, "When did you...get a haircut?"
Yoh stared at her speechless a moment, "...Hao...?" he jumped up, "You know him?"
"Know him...? Oh, hey! Are you Yoh?"
He nodded vigorously, "Yes I am! How is he? Is he well?"
The girl shifted the weight of the bag she was holding to her other hand, "Yeah, I guess he's okay."
"Paninya!" Behind her stood an annoyed and slightly worried looking boy with long blonde hair, "What's keeping you?"
Paninya glanced back and grinned, flashing him a "V" sign, "I just found Hao's birthday present."
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A/N: How...was that? Weird? Did anyone enjoy it? Very mysterious and confusing and sure to piss off some people but it will get better! I have it ALL planned out! NOW...who shall die first...mwahaha...
By the way! The eventual killing and other such torture is not the point of this story! It's just how I get my kicks... ;p
