The Reason

Tori: Another chapter posted! Well, I must thank everyone for their input in the tiny survey; it really helped me figure out what to do…though not to say I went with the ones with the most votes. I thank you for the awesome opinions to everyone, they really matter to me. I hope you continue to enjoy this story! Once again I am sorry to have taken so long, but at least the size of this one makes up for the massive delay…I hope.

"Memory and talking in present"

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The next morning something interesting happened. Manta met them like always and walked to school with them like always, but then asked a favor.

"I want to stay with you," his face serious, "I know that I can be of help there, and it would be easier if I was living with you. I may not be able to participate in the eradication of the Asakuras, but I want to support you in any that can help you achieve your goal. What do you say?"

The twins blinked at each other, and then Yoh grinned, "Of course you can move in, as long you are able to help with chores and such. Though I want you to train with us. You never know when basic fighting skills are needed, especially with us,"

So with a new addition to the household, everything was back to normal again. The three boys would get up early in the morning to exercise, while the girls prepared breakfast. Opacho would go with the boys to give them water and make sure none of them pass out. While the adults got ready to go on to their various jobs. Everyone gradually fell into a pattern of sorts.

That is until on evening Manta was late to come home from cram school. The first thing that Yoh found out about his short friend is that he was very punctual. Never had Manta been late for a dinner or even to school. So when he was two hours late, the twins began to get worried.

When Yoh felt a chill run up his spine, he felt something had happened to his shorter friend. He walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water (1) to calm he nerves. Thinking that it was just a feeling Yoh shrugged it off and began to take a sip out of the glass.

"Yoh-Dono! I believe something has happened to Manta-Dono! I felt the same thing you did!"

Amidamaru popped right in front of Yoh, scaring him causing the water he just drank to be spit out. He looked at the samurai for a moment then felt his heart sink.

"Something did happen to Manta. This is the first time I have this kind of feel-"

+++++++++++++ Yoh ran through the forest as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. Not too long ago, he was sitting down to eat, when he felt a stab in his heart not unlike having a needle shoved straight through it. It was then that he knew something had happened to his aniki.

Excusing himself from the table, he made for the bathroom, and climbed out the window. Making sure no one saw him, he ran for where he instinctively knew his aniki was.

Coming to a clearing, he saw that the Asakuras were surrounding a small boy. Running up, Yoh went to his brother.

"Aniki! I knew I would find you! Why didn't you ask for my help? I would have been here in an instant," the last part was barely above a whisper, but Hao heard it.

"I just didn't want to see you get hurt anymore. I knew I could handle them; they just used underhanded tactics and attacked me from behind. How did you know something was wrong?" the older twin asked, but had a feeling he knew the answer already.

"I felt it. I don't know how, but I knew that you were in danger. I had to come and help you," Yoh latched onto his arm and glared at the men surrounding them.

"People who can see spirits are connected in some way… more so since we are twins and both the same soul. Don't forget this power, I am sure it will come in handy some day," Hao got up to look at the group of men surrounding them, and grinned. +++++++

The younger twin shook his head, then turned his attention to his Aniki who had walked in some time during his remembering. He walked over to his Otouto, seeing that the boy's eyes had cleared.

"I felt it as well…" he turned his head to see other occupants in the house had woken up and was standing together looking at each other with worried looks on their faces, "And by the looks of it, they did too,"

"If… If that is true, we need to find Manta immediately-"

Maniacal laughter was heard outside. Everyone's attention focused on it.

"There's no need for that," Opacho opened the door to show Ryu standing outside with his gang, looking ready to riot, "Because, I have already invited myself here,"

Yoh's eyes widened as he saw Ryu standing there with a bound and gagged Manta slung squirming over his shoulder. Without hesitation Yoh ran outside, only to skid to a halt.

"Don't come any closer. Move and your house will turn to ashes," ignoring his friend's protests, Ryu continued on, "I have come to seek revenge on Amidamaru!"

Everyone blinked at the outburst. In the background Mari could be heard giggling, with Matilda. Amidamaru turned to Yoh.

"Is he still angry that I cut his hair?" the samurai asked.

All the shamans present began to laugh. Hao looked directly at the ghost.

"He doesn't know that you exist. I think maybe Ryu is possessed be a spirit," looking at Ryu he said, "Why don't you show us who you really are?"

Ryu snorted, "Do you know who I am? You were right though, I possessed this body when he was angry and disturbed, because I the great bandit Tokageroh want to kill Amidamaru with these hands of mine!"

Opacho clung to Yoh and Hao, "Opacho thinks he is ugly," both silently nodding in agreement.

"Do you know him, Amidamaru?" Yoh asked.

"I don't remember anyone like him," he replied bluntly.

"How could you forget?! I was the leader of a band of bandits that you killed six hundred years ago!" the ghost replied angrily.

"I killed a lot of people when I was alive. I am sorry, I don't remember you," Amidamaru bowed his head in apology.

"You really don't remember me? No matter, I still have this boy as a hostage!" the man screamed while holding the package he brought with him to Manta's throat.

Yoh felt a familiar blood boiling feeling come back to him, "I don't even know who you are. Why did you possess Bokuto no Ryu and kidnap Manta?" he could feel his voice getting a quiet deadly twinge to it.

"He he, I just needed a body, so that I can kill you when you combine with Amidamaru,"

"Kill…?"

Amidamaru began walking forward, his blood boiling, "Stop this, I know you hate me, but threatening a hostage will accomplish nothing. Even if you tried to kill him I will kill you before that happens,"

"You would kill this body that I have possessed?" the bandit asked incredulously.

"I don't need to kill to end this," he replied coolly, "Draw your weapon and lets get started,"

"Try it and see what happens," the man said cockily.

At that moment Manta was able to get the tape off of his mouth, "Don't do it Amidamaru! That sword is-" Manta was silenced by Ryu slapping him with the package.

Yoh felt red prickling his vision, he got ready to attack. Then a hand descended onto his arm holding him back.

"You can't lose yourself again. It is hurting you more than helping," Hao said.

Just then Ryo and Zen [2] walked forward with their instruments in hand, "We shall purify this man's soul and send him to the other side," With that said, they began to play. Tokageroh felt a euphoric feeling come over him and he had the sudden desire to cross over. It felt wrong… he wanted revenge on Amidamaru, but now it seemed unimportant.

The younger twin put his hand on the guitar, stopping BoZ's performance.

"That is not how I want this solved," Dark eyes flashed, "I want him to learn that he is wrong,"

Manta looked up at Yoh, "You can't fight him, he has Harusame," looking at the man, "He stole it to kill Amidamaru with it,"

"That is correct! I knew from the beginning that I would not be able to beat Amidamaru alone, so I stole his precious sword. I knew he would never raise a weapon against it," the bandit said after recovering from the odd attack, "Using this sword is my revenge. Killing your new master, nothing is more shameful to you. This is how I work. As long as I have this borrowed body, sword, and hostage, there is nothing you can do,"

Yoh ground his teeth as he held his anger in check. He deduced that the only ways to get the spirit out of the body is to hurt Ryu, ignore Manta, or destroy Harusame. Even then, he would need an Itako to help remove the spirit from the body. If he fought against Tokageroh, he knew he would not be able to hold back and kill Ryu.

Tokageroh felt a chill run down his spine as he saw the boy slowly smile. That didn't seem good.

"Possess me," he said bluntly, "Take control of my body to do with what you will. I don't mind. Seek your revenge if you feel it is so important,"

The bandit laughed, "You think I am that stupid? Once I am out of this body, you are going to exorcise my soul. How can I get revenge that way?" placing the sword tip to Manta's throat he smirked, "I think I will kill this boy just for you suggesting that."

Placing his hand on his hip, the younger twin sighed, "You don't get it do you? You have already lost,"

"Wha-!" out of nowhere, Ryu's companions came and jumped on him, wrestling the sword out of his hand, while getting Manta to safety. A man in a beanie and a long jacket limped up leaning against a man with two 'B's tattooed to his stomach.

"We can't take this anymore. We can not see you turn into this kind of scum," limping over to Manta, he untied the little boy, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes," was all that Manta could manage. Looking at the people trying to hold back Ryu, and remembering the man letting him use his Bokuto, Manta knew now, that the only reason that the ghost was able to possess him, was because deep down, Ryu was a good person.

Manta felt touched, as he watched and listened to all of his gang members trying to get Ryu to remember times that he had saved them, and how he promised to find a 'Best place' for them. Then, all the people around him said the same thing.

"We're friends… aren't we?"

"Are you ready to give up yet Tokageroh? You lost because you don't have friends. Bokuto no Ryu has friends that are willing to back him up for anything. But you don't have friends. If you did have those friends, you would have been defeated by Amidamaru six hundred years ago,"

Tokageroh started laughing for all he was worth, "Give up? Why would I give up when I still have a hostage with me?" he took out a knife and held it to his throat, "I can still kill this man!"

Yoh's hands tightened into fists. He was trying for all he was worth to keep from getting angry, but this ghost just seemed out to piss him off. Well fine if reason couldn't get through to him, maybe out right hurting him wou-

"Calm down Otouto, I know what you are planning and that is not a good idea in your current condition,"

"Yeah?" he replied just a little too angrily, "Just what am I supposed to do? I am trying my hardest to save his soul, so that he may be able to leave this plane peacefully. Maybe I should just kill-"

"Stop! That is not who you are. You do not kill people that you care about! That is just what the Asakuras would do!" Hao found a certain irony in lecturing someone about not killing.

Tokageroh found that the people he was trying to threaten weren't even paying attention anymore. What was he trying so hard for? He felt he had been through so much and the man he swore vengeance on didn't even remember him in the long list of other murders he had done. He watched as the siblings bickered about what to do with him and realized it was all a waste. He lowered his knife and waited for the two boys to calm down.

"I know Aniki. It is just- did he lower the knife?" both boys focussed on the bandit.

"I give up. This vengeance is so tiresome, and for what? Amidamaru doesn't even remember me. I went through hell in living, and made a hell out of my death. So now what? Are you going to excorcise me and send my soul to hell?"

Yoh blinked...Then smile, "No, I am going to let you go. You have suffered so much already, why don't you try being our friend? I have offered it before, and I will always offer it to anyone that are not in league with the Asakura family,"

"What grudge do you have against them?"

"They brought a lot of trouble to my Aniki and I as we grew up, including trying to kill us multiple times. But that has nothing to do with this conversation. I want to help you to see there is more to liife this sorrow. Are you willing to try?"

Manta snorted but watched as Tokageroh released the oversoul and shook hands with Yoh. He may not like the ghost, but he wouldn't let his friend know for now. He would rather die then to see anything happen to him, and he would use all of his and his spirits power to protect the siblings from what evermay harm them. For now he was content to see everything was peaceful again.

A man in native american clothing got off a plane, "Soon I will test your powers, Asakura twins,"

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Tori: Ok I know I said a few days, but at least it wasn't more then a month. I updated! It is really long to boot. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope it doesn't suck either; I was fighting off the flu, writer's block, and a one hundred (not exaggerating) degree room, to type it... And listening to the 'Cell Block Tango' on repeat… But it is done. As always, the more reviews I get, the faster I update.

1: I know he was going to the bathroom in the manga, but I wanted to make it not seem so close to the storyline.