Summary: They are more than twins; they are two halves of one soul. So when Hao's life finally slipped away, so does Yoh's. After 500 years, they are reborn as twins again, but what are the circumstances this time? Why are the Asakuras after Yoh's life?

Please do not disregard my spelling and grammar mistakes; I want to correct them since I've seen some with bad grammar mistakes and the sentence end up meaning another thing. I don't want to confuse my readers. If I got any important information wrong, please inform me of that as well; that includes the Japanese.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot line, though I wished I own Shaman King.


To the Reviewers:

sweetsorrowthroughEternity: Yes, we wouldn't want to give anything away now, do we? We'll see how it turns out.

simmie: Uh...to tell you the truth, I don't even think Anna'll be in there. I mean, I'm not sure if she even looked at the Chou Senji Ryakketsu for any reason other than to tame the shikigamis. Therefore, she didn't learn Taizanfukun no Sai. Do you want Anna to be in? Cuz if you do, I'll try, and I mean try, to put her in.

dark red shadows: Thanks! XD (Simple review with simply reply)

l2uly: I like you. You're one of those nice reviewers that would review every chapter even if it was long since posted. -glomps- To tell the truth, I like Hao's lackeys too, especially Mari since she's so cool. But in my fics, I just never find the right place to put them. I did consider to do it in both of my fics, but then they don't fit into the plot, so I had to change it. As for killing Yoh, well, not everyone, but I guess it is sad if his family wants to kill him for that reason.

Elemental Storm: Yep, wrong guess, but it was a good one! I mean, that might actually develope into another plot by itself if I hadn't already have a plot. Here's the answer to your second guess! I guess Ren will be a little protective, but he'll still be himself, I hope. I tend to change a character's personality without intending to sometimes...XD

Leuv: Well, so many people died and came back. As for Anna, I would say that all she learned from Chou Senji Ryakketsu is the part she needs to know. I don't think she read the whole thing, since otherwise she'd be able to do all the other cool things, instead of just summoning Zenki and Kouki, and the manga shows no indication that she can.

Kaoru Gal is too lazy to sign: Er...great name! XD. Well, here they are to see Renny poo! Yes, Yoh is adorable, and I plan to make him very...immature in this story. Just wait for it! (You can take your time in your writing as long as you update those good stories!) And to reply to your review for my one-shot Reaching since you were too lazy to sign: MY ONE-SHOTS ARE NO WHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS YOURS...XD. Okay, got that out of my system. Anyways, thanks for that review.

Me XD: Yes, bowdown to the cuteness! -gets wacked by reviewers- Anyways, I made the concept a bit weird but this is fanfiction and you know...my imagination runs everywhere. You were quiet close, if you combine two of them together and twist it enough. Here's the answer(and they get repeated throughout the fic too)! Thanks for reviewing like you promised.

Crazy Hyper Active Kitsune: I'm so happy you love my story so much! Your absolute optimism gave me delight. Here's an update! (Yes now everyone hates their father; wait till you see what he does in the end.)

ArrowOfHikaru: Thank you! You too, for reviewing...XD. Actually, all my reviewers are awesome.

realdarkangel: Wow, thank you for the great compliment. Yep, Yoh is very cute, but he doesn't remember, the poor thing.

Thank you, all my reviewers. I'm so happy that so many people like this story! -sob- I shall glomp you all! -glomps-


Blah blah - narration

"Blah blah" - dialogue/monologue

Blah blah - thoughts

Italics in terms of "blah blah blah" - emphasis

'Blah blah' - thoughts in dreams

Narrations in italics - means it's a dream.

Blah blah - emphasis in a dream

Withheld Determination

Chapter Three: A Trustworthy Friend

Nine-year-old Tao Ren lays on one of the rocks surrounding the Tao's estate, having just finished his training for the day. His Chinese spirit Bason waits faithfully beside his master.

After a while, the boy went inside the house to take a shower. A green-haired girl wearing traditional Chinese robe is inside, making dinner.

"How's training today, Ren?" Jun asks her brother. That question has become a daily thing between the two.

Ren sighed. "As good as always, Nee-san." He walked through the empty house. Ever since their parents died of accident since he was seven and his sister was twelve, the two had taken care of each other. Their family still has a lot of power, as they are powerful shamans themselves. They have, however, dismissed all the servants; they just don't need them.

"Just don't overexert yourself, okay?" the Dao Shi quietly said. A daily advice.

"I won't." he went in the showers.

I can't believe how much my current sister looked like Jun from before. She doesn't remember, as she didn't experience the Chou Senji Ryakketsu, so I guess it's just a coincidence.

"Bason." He quietly commanded. The faithful spirit came out. "Hai, Bocchama?"

He turned to the Chinese ghost. "Pailong said that Jun doesn't remember a thing right?"

"Hai, he also said that this Jun-sama is not the same as the former Jun-sama." Bason answered. "But their similarity is very shocking."

Ren got out of the shower and dressed himself. "It is amazing that she also chose the preserved body of Pailong as her mochirei, and decided not to use the seals."

He went down to the dining room, where his sister had prepared the food and is waiting patiently at the table. Just as they are about to start, however, they were surprised by the ringing of the bell.

The Tao siblings looked at each others for a moment and Ren stood up. "I'll get it. It might be trouble; we hardly get visitors. Stay here, nee-san." He went to the door.

When Ren opened the huge double doors, he was surprised to find that a downpour had started while he was in the shower. He was even more surprised by their sudden visitors.

"Hao!" Ren took out his Kwan Dao, as he was met with the image of the pyromaniac, soaked wet from top to bottom, holding a sleeping Yoh bridal style. The younger boy is leaning his head against his brother's chest, his breaths shallow.

"So you do remember," Hao said, striding into the living room casually. "I'm not here to fight." He said, noting the raised Kwan Dao. "I need shelter and protection. Yoh's sick, from the rain, I suppose, and our family's after us." He softened his arrogant tone. "I need help."

Ren lowered his Kwan Dao. It wasn't everyday that the 'Great Asakura Hao' personally asks for help from his former enemy. It was not an I-need-help-with-my-plan help, but an I-need-help-with-my-life help. He closed the door silently.

"Just sit near the fireplace. I'll go get some towels." He half commanded. Hao silently went and set Yoh down by the fireplace. He himself sat down beside his twin. "Thank you, Tao." He muttered silently, just barely loud enough for Ren to hear.

Hearing the once cocky Asakura utter a 'thank you' would have made Ren feel smug, but now's not the time as he went back to the dining room. "Who was it?" His sister asked.

"Just some friends. You go ahead and eat without me. I need to get them some towels. It was raining pretty hard outside." He heads toward the door.

Jun eyed him curiously. "How'd you make friends when you've never stepped out of the Tao territory?" she asked, picking up her chopsticks.

Ren sighed. "It's a long story that I don't have time to explain right now. They're brothers and one of them is sick." He went out to go upstairs where their towel cabinet is.

A few moments later, Hao is safely dry and in the dining room, having introduced himself to Jun after putting Yoh in one of the guest rooms that Ren directed him to. As much as he is unwilling, he is wearing one of Ren's spare yukatas, the lime green one that the younger Tao refuses to touch. The Chinese shaman had then asked Hao to join dinner with them, which he gladly accepted, not having eaten since two days ago, when they ran away from the Asakura house.

"Now would you explain to me why your family's after you?" he asked after the older shaman had eaten a few bit of the food. Hao looked up curiously with his chopsticks still in his mouth. Jun however, slapped her hands on the table and stood up, causing both boys to turn to her. "Nee-san?"

"First of all," Jun slowly said, a vein popping on her head, "I think it would be reasonable for you to explain why you're acquainted with him?" she points to Hao.

So the rest of dinner was spent with the two explaining about the past, Chou Senji Ryakketsu, the Shaman Tournament five hundred years ago, and a bunch of what-not's about the reincarnation thing. Hao ate while Ren talked and vice-versa.

It was amusing to look at Jun's expression go from shocked to disbelieving to amazed and all over again. Hao would've laughed if it was not so rude (especially to the family that took them in), and Ren would've laughed if he was not so prideful about his cool image.

"Wait, wait, wait," she paused them, and both went back to eating, listening to the Dao Shi. "So you're saying that, Ren, you are actually five hundred years older than I am?"

Ren nodded, the noodle in his mouth bouncing up and down. "Id woud beeh foh undled and nnnti fif thuliz buh teh borri ith uungr."

"Huh?" Jun and Hao voiced in unison. Ren swallowed the mouthful of noodle. "It would've been four hundred and ninety-five soul-wise but the body is younger."

Jun sighed. "That's not the point. All this mumble-jumble and you expect me to believe that?"

Hao smiled. "How else could we have known each other?"

The girl thought a moment. "Pen…pal?" she hesitated.

Ren shrugged. "Believe what you will, as long as you accept the fact that we know each other." He turned to Hao, "and you used to be evil." He pointed with his chopsticks.

Hao smiled innocently, or at least half-innocently. "Having my life with a family that didn't want to kill me and a little brother has changed me."

Ren nodded mockingly. "Uh-huh, yeah, and why do they want to kill you now?" He asked wanting the answer that he didn't receive before.

"I am so sure that you think I'm the cause of it and that I dragged Yoh down." Hao muttered.

The Chinese boy crossed his arms. "Well no duh, Yoh's too good to be a danger to anyone, and too nice to make anyone want to kill him."

"And too slow to grasp the basics of shamanism before our father, a.k.a. the head of the Asakura family, ran out of patience with him." Hao added sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" Ren asked, not sure what the last statement is implying.

"Well," Hao sat back in his chair, having finished eating, "apparently, our parents gave birth to us so that they can have heirs to the Asakura family. However, Yoh couldn't grasp the basics of the shamanism, being inexperienced, and otou-san thought that he was a disgrace to the family, so was going to kill him to save face."

Ren's eyes widened at this, and he leaned forward in his chair. "His father wanted to kill him?" His father had act against him before, but that was after he decided to rebel, and even then the older Tao only wanted to punish him, not kill him.

"That is one twisted family." Jun commented.

"Wants to kill him" Hao corrected the younger of the two before him but nodded. "Okaa-san kept thinking...muttering about it during breakfast. Anyways, I followed Yoh's aura and rescued him, and ran away with him, since if we had stayed, otou-san would look for other chances to kill Yoh. But since I escaped, they are left without an heir, so they must bring me back, and kill Yoh in the process."

The saffron eyes were thoughtful for a moment. "But if the famous Asakura family's heir is missing, wouldn't we know about it?"

The Asakura shook his head. "That's where you underestimate the Asakuras. They can bend around the truth and weave lies around the world to cover anything that might give their name even the smallest stain."

"Wait, back up," Ren held up his hands. "Are you telling me that Yoh has no remembrance of the past? I mean, that's why he can't do basic shamanism, right?"

Hao looked blankly at the younger Tao before nodding. "His soul was a fragment of mine, so all the memories went to my soul; but since your soul is a whole self since the beginning, you remember. I would think that that Faust, Ainu boy, Rio or Ryo or whatever, and that extra-boy-whose-name-I-don't-know would all still have their memories too."

"Sou ka…" Ren was thoughtful for a moment as he thought about the old companions. It doesn't feel like five hundred years had passed since they were all together.

Jun stood up. "Well, I wasn't following much of the conversation," she smiled, "but I'll get you some water and towel for you to bring up to your brother. Is that okay, Hao-kun?"

Hao smiled and stood up. "Hai, arigatou gozaimasu." He accepted the offer with gratitude. The older Asakura silently made his way upstairs, leaving the Tao siblings alone once again.

"So, what do you think?" The Dao Shi broke through Ren's train of thoughts. "Huh?" her otouto replied blankly.

The girl sighed heavily. "Well, we could let them stay here. On the other hand, if Hao-kun had been as evil as you described him earlier, he could have something planned, seeing as his brother is sick and all, and cannot justify anything he said."

Ren leaned back in his chair. "Well, if it was the old Hao, then he would be able to burn down the whole Asakura estate without fail. The fact that he's running away from them is proof that he is considerate of Yoh's wishes that no one gets killed. Also, if it was the old him, his pride wouldn't allow him to say 'please' or 'thank you' to someone like me, so I guess it's okay to trust him right now."

Jun nodded and smiled. "Then we'll let them stay awhile. This house gets pretty lonely sometimes with only the two of us…" Ren nodded and stood up, heading upstairs to check on the Asakura siblings.


Hao silently set down the pan of water and placed the wet cloth on Yoh's forehead. He sat down next to his slumbering brother, worry laced in his countenance.

Please be alright, Yoh. We just escaped them, just started to see this new world…

"Nii-chan?" Hao turned his attention to his younger sibling. "Yes, Yoh?"

"Where are we?" the younger shaman asked. Hao sighed.

"In the hands of a friend that one can trust." He smiled at his otouto.

Yoh smiled. "That's good. I wouldn't want nii-chan to get hurt while I'm sleeping…"

Hao smiled slightly at his younger brother's worry for him instead of his sick self.

"Nii-chan…" Yoh muttered from the bed, eyes fluttering open and close from the pain in his head. His tone is quieter as he extends one hand out of the thick blanket.

Hao grabbed Yoh's extended hand. "What's wrong, otouto?" he asked softly.

"Will we…ever see tou-chan and kaa-chan again?" Yoh asked softly.

The older shaman frowned. "Yoh…"

"I know," Yoh cuts in, "but all of the memories I have of tou-chan and kaa-chan are happy ones, except the last one with tou-chan…"

Hao's grip tightened. "I'm sorry, Yoh…"

Yoh smiled weakly. "It's not your fault, nii-chan. You saved me. I just don't know if I'll ever see tou-chan and kaa-chan ever again…"

The older shaman closed his eyes. "I don't either, Yoh, I don't either…" he softened his grasp on the younger brunette's hand and the hand went back under the blanket. "Just go back to sleep for now. You need rest." Yoh nodded and went back to his much needed sleep.

Yoh…I wish…that we never have to meet them again…Hao closed his eyes as he leaned back in his chair to rest himself.

Ouside, Ren's expression softened as he heard the conversation through the closed door. He had never heard the ambitious Asakura use such a gentle tone before. He felt sympathy for the two brothers. The Tao silently made his way back to his room. I can't very well doubt him right now…

To be continued…


A/N: Erm…I'm kind of having this writer's block here, so excuse me if the story sounded a bit random and weird when being read. I didn't beta it, nor did I spell check it, so inform me of random mistakes, please. But, urm, today's my Birthday! so...um...I'm updating XD.

I'm trying to think of a scene where I can squeeze every other characters aforementioned in chapter one into the plot. They'll all meet in the Shaman Tournament, that's for sure, but I'm thinking if I should let them meet separately first or let them meet Ren and the twins first. I might put Lyserg in, but he won't have the memories. I'll also put X-Laws in, and Lyserg will be part of them, I guess, if that's how it works, though I'm not that fond of the X-Laws. I'll see. My ideas change all the time, so no guarantees.

I would love reviews, anything. Even if you just drop by to say hi, I won't mind.