Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. If I do, there will be lots of (and by lots, I mean A LOT) mansex between Hao and Yoh.

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Death, Hao mused, never changed. After experiencing it several times and lived to tell the tale, Hao must have been well-adjusted to the needles-skin-piercing feeling, but in fact he did not. A pain was a pain, and for someone who used to be the cause rather than the victim, the feeling was... uncomfortable. Save one time when Anna stole his shinigami, he had been bleeding but it was bearable, but this-

This was not okay. It had never been that way, as long as Hao could remember.

Hao shifted and made himself comfortable-and presentable. At least he should look like what a leader should be when his followers found his body. His dead body.

"Don't whine. I need-I want to do this," Hao said to his spirit, but his words came with a slur. Of course, his soul was half-out of his body.

Contrary to the popular believe that quick death did exist, death would always be slow. It was soul that mattered. There was no quick, merciful death. Hao was an expert on this and he knew what he was saying.

And he was floating.

There was a chain between his corpse's liver and his liver. It looked like an ordinary metal chain, but it served as a link provided to lost souls who were not supposed to die yet. If they were smart enough to follow the link, they could go home and live.

However, Hao was not a lost soul. He had his own purposes and he never intended to come back.

Hao nodded to Spirit of Fire who solemnly grasped the end of his chain. With a tug, Hao was flying, or teleporting, or bending the time and place-no words could describe the moment-and he landed in front of The Gate. Enma still looked the same. And man, he did not seem to be pleased.

"Manipulating death again, ay?" the God of Hell frowned. Hao sent him a spontaneous Hao-smile. "You won that competition-what's the name, Shaman Fight? Now what's the problem this time?"

The mustached God then went grumbling about how foolish humans trying to be Gods and using souls for granted.

"But I am God," Hao said, his lips still curled to a sadistic grin. "I am God. Do you recall our last fight? Perhaps you, of all Gods, should know very well about this fact."

Fortunately for Enma, his skin was green, or he might very well blushed.

"Just get in," Enma barked. "And wear some clothes!"

Hao gave an amused smirk. He thought of himself clothed-and he was clothed in his usual glorious outfit in the next second.

Now all he had to do was wait.

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Hao was surprised to find Matamune just standing there with his pipe, not really looking at him and was totally at ease. He expected at least a snarl or some kind of hostility—no, he didn't even expect to meet Matamune at all.

"You're not planning on coming back to have a title," Matamune said, sounded wiser than the last time Hao had met him. "And when you do, you will not aim for that title. You even will not have any intention to be Shaman at all-so I am out of reason to banish your soul."

The smoke coming out from the cat's pipe was a perfect circle. Hao found himself invisibly relaxed-although he was far stronger than his old cat-and the small ball of fire on his palm disappeared.

"How long is it since I died?" Hao asked, trying to read Matamune's face.

"Oh my," Matamune gasped with a mock sympathy. "If you did not devour every single soul in sight, you might know what's happening on earth."

"I will bring him back with me next time," the black-haired Shaman said, ignoring Matamune's offending tone. "I need to manipulate two births-I need more furyoku."

Somehow Hao was not smiling anymore and Matamune still held his serene facade. Hao was sure he got that from him.

"You seem to be sure that he would be willing to engage in your plan,"

"Of course he wouldn't. Knowing Yoh, he would be too lazy to have another life."

Matamune raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"After you were gone, Yoh-sama actually had a good life, you know," the cat filled him in. "They had a kid-a quite striking combination of Yoh-sama and Anna-and their onsen was a success-"

"What's the point? I do not wish to know his life with that girl," Hao cut, his voice took a sharper note. "I want to know where he is now."

"Guess, Hao," Matamune made a playful noise.

"Heaven?" Hao guessed half-heartedly, tired. It had been too long since the last time he had such intelligent conversation. When Matamune didn't answer and his mouth formed an angled 3, Hao cheered with a heavy sarcasm. "What a surprise."

Matamune sent him a look and Hao stared back, feeling ridiculously like a child even though he was twenty years older than the cat.

"Sure he is. Yoh-sama is a nice man,"

"How did Yoh die?"

"I do not remember," Matamune replied. "Though I'm sure Anna was involved in that somehow."

Of course that girl was the death of him. Hao had always been predicting that.

"Anyway, he's happy, and completely oblivious to your plan. What are you going to do?"

"I will just drag him out of his paradise," Hao replied off-handedly. "How long is it actually since I died? A hundred year?"

"Throw another century."

"Two hundred years?" Hao asked, blinking.

"Two hundred and twenty two, actually. Quite a number, isn't it?" Matamune blew his pipe. "If you don't even know whether he's alive or not, how would you tell if it was time to drag him from his grave?"

Hao shrugged. "Until I found Heaven's gate. I figure that since I cannot spot it, I'm just not strong enough."

"Oh boy, I'm sure you are strong enough," Matamune eyed Hao warily, taking the shape of fire that blanketed Hao. Its tongue danced angrily across his skin, and Matamune wondered how Hao failed to notice this.

"You will not find the gate, Hao."

It was said with an air of finality that Hao believed it right away, his hand stopped playing with a pebble he was grasping.

"Excuse me?" Hao asked, smiling but his brows met.

"You just cannot change the rule-the gate would not be found by those who do not deserve it. There is no God of Heaven that you can fight and beat so he would let you in (Hao was sure Enma was sneezing somewhere), the gate is its own creature. It was only visible for some people."

The clarification left a dread feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Well... that... changes things," Hao replied, his gears turning to find a way out of this.

The pipe was still on Matamune's mouth, but there was no smoke coming out of the end.

"What are you thinking?" the cat asked, eyes slanted.

"Oh well," Hao found himself smiling again. "I will reincarnate and claim my title once more,"

Matamune began to hate the sound of this. There was that flash on Hao's eyes again, the flash that glinted every time his old master mentioned humans and their destruction.

"I will fulfill my purpose-" Matamune's eyes had grown wide but he wasn't shocked, "-and this news will reach Yoh's ears. I am ninety nine percent sure that my nice Yoh would follow my step to reincarnate and try to stop me once more."

Matamune stood rigid, frozen in place.

"Goodbye, old pet," Hao bid, shrugging imaginary dust. When he was about to turn, Matamune stopped him.

"Who said I would not help you?"

"...in human destruction?" Hao asked. "Enlighten me, Matamune."

Matamune's eyes clenched shut.

"I can see the gate," the cat began. "I can trick Yoh somehow to the reincarnation torii, or drag him forcefully. Then you can do whatever you need-want-to do."

"Well, well, I thought you care for your master?"

Matamune's voice was hoarse. "I do. But Yoh-sama would not be happy if humans ceased from earth on his behalf-it's not, but I know he will blame himself-and he would prefer to follow your former plan, whatever that is, as long as others are not hurt."

Hao hummed in reply. Matamune opened his olive-shaped eyes and glared for the first time.

"And you will do well to make him happy on the next life,"

"There's more to it, isn't it?" Hao said. "You won't give Yoh up this easy."

The cat was still for a second, contemplating his reply. "I think," Matamune started. "-you deserve another chance in the pursuit of happiness. You, of all people, should have another chance to love and be loved. Yoh-" he took a higher tone, "is easy to be loved... and easier he is to love. I think he will have a... good life with you."

"A touching speech, Matamune," Hao said in a bored tone.

"Are you still in denial?" the cat snapped.

"No, I love Yoh," Hao answered, almost obsessively that Matamune felt his fur stood, "I'm suspicious that you already put this into a lot of thought before. Am I a puppet in your string, Matamune?"

The answer was no and they both knew it. Hao was a God. No one controlled him.

"What are you waiting for? Get to work, Matamune. I will wait for you in the torii."

Hao was about to make a dramatic exit, but Matamune made him pause.

"He will not remember, Hao," Matamune uttered gently, almost in pity. "When Yoh grow up-he will not be Yoh that you know before."

"He might not remember," Hao replied scathingly. "But I will. And Yoh will be too lazy to change his personality-I will make sure of that."

The sky suddenly shifted to a darker black.

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Hao was alive again, breathing a handful of his first air, and he coughed. It was too much for his little lungs and he felt some sticky substance on his throat. The smell of blood and vagina was high in the atmosphere, and he continued to cough.

"Is he breathing?" a worried voice asked, and Hao was lifted on the air upside down. Someone hit him on his back and his eyes flew open. The light was too much and it hurt, so he sobbed. His body only knew how to cry to show discomfort, even though his brain did not.

"He is," a doctor said after putting an index finger in front of his nose and feeling his chest.

A nurse wounded him with a soft towel. Hao tried to move from the maternal embrace to look for Yoh-he had to know whether he had succeeded or not!-but he failed miserably. He tried to grit his teeth but there was only a funny feeling on his gum instead. Damn this baby body.

And then there was a weak cry.

His heart sped up to hear "A healthy boy!" and eyes wide open to the side to catch a glance of Yoh. His wish was granted and a baby came into his view in another embrace, still crying faintly.

"A twin," someone said with a sigh.

Hao wiggled his tiny fingers.

Perfect.

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AN/: Ehm. It's been three years since I read Shaman King manga and I'm sorry if I got a few facts wrong. Two weeks ago I curiously checked fanfiction for Hao x Yoh and was ecstatic to find some! This might have a sequel (making it two-shots), so put an alert if you like. However, I will leave it that way for a moment.

Questions, feedback, criticisms are welcome. Happy New Year everybody, this will be my very first New Year in United States (I'm not a native)!

P.S.: Unbeta-ed. Need a beta for this story. Anyone?