To zaza98able, yeah! I watched the 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' before I started reading it. The moment I watched the movie, I knew I had to read it. It's magnificent!

Thank you all for reviewing; do read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of its characters.

Old Habits Die Hard

"Where's Hao?"

That was the first question that I heard the moment I stepped into the Inn from my morning laps.

"Hao? You mean... he's not here?" I asked curiously.

Anna shot me an are-you-really-that-dense look. "If he was, they wouldn't be asking that, Yoh."

I scratched my head in response. "What about Opacho?"

"He's still sleeping upstairs," Ren answered. He glanced over at me. "We woke up this morning only to find Hao gone."

Silence reigned as everyone stared at each other. The tension in the room increased tenfold as they contemplated about the unknown.

"You guys don't have to worry about anything," I murmured.

Their heads snapped up. Ren narrowed his eyes but otherwise kept quiet, urging me to continue.

"He's a guest here, right? He has the right to come and leave whenever he wants. Besides, you guys do know how he dislikes being indoors for too long. Maybe, just maybe, he went out for a morning stroll."

Amidamaru appeared beside me. "Yoh-dono. Last night, I was wandering around the house when I saw him. He was lying down on his back on the roof of the Inn."

Ryu frowned. "On the roof? Doing what?"

"Stargazing, I think," Amidamaru answered.

"Maybe he really doesn't like being indoors."

Horo Horo snorted. "I still don't like it. Hao staying here... He must have an underlying motive. And now, he disappeared. Who knows what he might be up to?"

"Don't think too much about it," Anna began emotionlessly. "That's not what I'm worried about. Hao might use this chance to obtain something that he wanted for a very long time." She flicked her gaze to me. "Though it is improbable, I suppose. Since he could have done it a long time ago."

"But -"

"In case you have forgotten, Hao has never been one to fight using underhanded means or anything that would cause him... dishonor, you could say. And you know the reason why," Anna continued, ignoring Horo Horo's protest.

"Because he's strong enough not to have the need to resort to such lowly methods?" Manta asked slowly.

Anna nodded slightly. "Correct. So you don't have to worry about Hao doing anything like that."

"Like what?"

I almost jumped. I swiveled around and exclaimed, "Hao!"

He arched an eyebrow curiously, his brown orbs searing themselves into mine for a brief second before turning away. I stared at him, unblinking. He wasn't wearing the poncho and red pants that he was prone to wearing, instead adorning the whit long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans that he was used to wearing outside. His right hand tucked itself into a pocket on his jeans while he slightly leaned against the door. His long veil of dark mahogany hair tumbled over his back freely.

"You don't have to be so suspicious, Horokue. I simply went for a morning stroll." Hao smiled angelically.

Horo Horo narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint forming in his eyes. "Don't call me that."

Hao ignored him. "Now, you haven't answered my question. Like what?"

No one answered, so I decided to speak up. "Why are you here, exactly?"

"Didn't I tell you already yesterday?"

I stared at him evenly. "Is that really the reason why?"

"Why, Yoh, I didn't know you distrusted me so much. To answer your question, yes, that is the reason why. Do you really think I want to be here? Having to hear your putrid thoughts every day?" He glanced at Faust dully, as if bored. "Your friends think too highly of you, Yoh. I wouldn't confine myself to such a place when I have a choice just for you."

"Your fiancée is correct, by the way. I am not one to use such lowly methods. So don't go around sneaking outside my room at night. It's unseemly. It's not like I'm a criminal."

Chocolove snorted. "A criminal? Does murdering people not make you one?"

Hao smiled in amusement. "In case you have forgotten, when you took part in the tournament, the rules state clearly that there is the major risk of losing your life. It's not exactly against the rules to take a person's life in this tournament, you know that? Besides, if it were, would not the Patch have stopped me?"

"They didn't because you were too strong. They wouldn't have been able to do anything about it," Ryu retorted.

"I don't even know why I'm bothering to explain. Isn't it obvious? Don't you already know how strongly the Patch adheres to the ancient laws of the Patch. They are not allowed to intervene no matter what happens until one team officially gives up, withdraws before the battle, or when a team wins. Even if they could not stop me, which they can't, they could have disqualified me, and that would deem me impossible to become Shaman King. So, you see, it's not against the rules to kill," he emphasized, his signature smirk spreading across his elegant features.

"Was it necessary to kill them? You could have just left them alive," I murmured.

I could have sworn Hao sighed. "Is this an interrogation? What's with all these questions? Fine, then. I'll enlighten you with my thoughts. They were getting in my way. They would stop at nothing to defeat me, some even using despicable methods. It's fine by me if they wish to become Shaman King to make the world a better place, to really want it; and to fight for it. But, those fools only wish to prove their strength and power," he paused and continued softly, "They were weak, Yoh. In this world, only the strong survives. I know firsthand how true that is."

I clenched my fists as anger started to course through me. "It still wasn't necessary, Hao."

"You're upset, Yoh. Don't you feel anything by that? (1) Hmph. Don't think that I like to kill. I'm simply used to it. I carry it out when I think necessary."

Horo Horo opened his mouth but stopped when something furry came into the room. The calm look on Hao's face remained impassive as he automatically picked the lump of fur up into his arms, his finger immediately stroking it. The fur was a dark orange colour, with light stripes placed randomly along its body.

"Meow," it purred.

The cat looked up at me and I nearly gasped. My eyes widened in shock.

"Matamune?"

Author's Note:

(1) That was Yoh's thoughts spoken aloud by Hao.

Thank you to all of you whom reviewed. I know this chapter is rather boring. I finished writing this chapter a long time ago but, by some unknown reason, the file was deleted after my computer crashed. And it was so much longer than this. I did want to write from the beginning, where Yoh wakes up to go for training. Basically, this chapter is not even half of the intended chapter. I only put in what's important.

I would have waited to rewrite it fully before updating, but I'll be busy for the next few days. So, I hope this will make up for the long wait.

Please REVIEW! You don't know how much that would mean for me. Even a one word review could make me happy and inspire me to write as soon as possible!