Ren's gone missing.

I don't know where he went, or why he went, but he's been missing for a couple of days. We wouldn't usually worry, because, hell, we're talking about Ren here. His team mates Horohoro and Chocolove seem to think along the same lines as I do, so we hadn't done anything. But now, we're beginning to worry. It had been just pure luck that we hadn't any matches called by the Great Spirits. Because had their team been called for a match… forfeit? God I hope not…

Last time I saw Ren was exactly a week ago. I waved at him when I was doing my daily hell training, but he ignored me. He'd been acting a little strangely come to think of it. Last time we went to see their match against another team…hm, can't remember who the opposition was, but anyway we went to give them the support that they deserve, even then Ren was a bit edgy. Of course they thrashed the opposition, and when we went to congratulate them, well, Horohoro an Chocolove were ecstatic and didn't hide their triumph, but… Ren was different. He seemed preoccupied by something. I asked him what it was, but he just said "None of your business, I'm fine." Like he always does. I don't know who I was kidding, but I let it slide. I didn't make much of it at the time. I usually wouldn't, but because of Ren's disappearance I'm forced to recall and think about everything he said and did in those last few hours I saw him. Something's not right.

"Where the hell is he!?" I hear Horohoro yelling, breaking the uneasy silence. We had just had lunch and were sitting in some random café in the Pachi Village. No one's talked about it yet, but inside, we're all worried about Ren's disappearance. There's something really wrong about all of this. Finally Horohoro snapped. I think we're all pretty close to snapping as well.

"Calm down Horohoro-kun…" Manta tries to sooth Ren's teammate.
"Calm down in a situation like this? How can we! He's been gone for a whole bloody week without telling us anything! As much as I hate to say this, but something must have happened to him!"
"Yo Horohoro, we're talking about Renny boy here." Ryu interjects while biting into an impossibly large burger. " We all know he's more than capable of looking after himself. Not many people, even in the third round of the Shaman Fight, could whoop that little brat."
"Yeah, but then what else could have happened?" Horohoro snaps.
"Ah right then, who else could possibly shut that little brat…" Ryu began to retort, but then his jaw snapped shut. I think my heart skipped a beat.

There was complete silence in the café again. We all knew with Ryu's words then, as much as we didn't want to, that there was one being that could make any human disappear off the face of the planet in less than seconds. My heart beats faster. Cliché as it sounds, I think if it beat any louder, everyone in the Pachi Village could hear me.

"…Hao."

I murmur the name of the most hated Shaman in the course of human history.

My nemesis.

"Yoh?"

I stand up suddenly and head out of the café.

"Where do you think you're going?" Anna says in that cool voice of hers. It's not that she doesn't care about Ren, because it takes a hell of a lot to unnerve Anna. Besides, she doesn't get edgy over hypothetical situations. She doesn't panic until she sees the actual situation, and even then you can't call her version of panic, panic really. The question Anna throws at me would usually scare me enough to stop and want to cry, but this time I only pause slightly before answering.

"…I just remembered something." I could hear all of them internally snorting "bullshit". But I couldn't give a damn right at this moment.

I head out of the café, and away from the crowded built up areas of the Pachi Village. Another short sequence lightens up my memory. About ten days ago, we went to see one of Hao's matches. It was natural for me to go and see what my supposed twin brother could do. Family expects me, hell, the world expects me to be able to beat him. Hao. I think of my self as an optimist, but that one match cast a slight shadow over my usually sunny outlook. He was a monster. I didn't think it was possible for any single shaman to be so powerful. The match was over before it started. The opposition was burnt until there was nothing left, save their shadows imprinted on the ground. I couldn't understand, how he could be so powerful. And heartless.

He had smiled over his victory.
And then he'd looked at me, and gave me one of those cruel smiles.

And then…he had looked at Ren…

"What are you doing all the way out here little brother?" That voice. I stop still, but don't look up. I know without looking he's sitting in a tree a few meters to the left of me. I can feel his aura, oppressive and heavy surrounding the area. For the first time I notice that I've strayed from the main area of the Pachi village. Far, far away. Maybe too far.

"You don't happen to be looking for anything, are you?" I can hear the smile in his voice.
I shrug. "Well, actually I was looking for…"
"Ren?" The smile in his voice prods me. My brain shuts down for a couple of seconds. I couldn't help but turn to Hao instinctively.
"Don't look so stupid." Hao says in a disgusted voice. "You look so stupid it makes me sick. To think that my other can muster such a moronic face." I restrain a retort. Or is it that I can't think of anything to say back?
"Can't think of anything to say back?" he sniggers at me. I wonder if I'm that obvious.

"…Why do you know that I'm looking for Ren?" I manage to say. "Obviously." Hao smiles at me. That smile, that's so insincere. "One week since he's left you guys, surely you'd be worried by now."

"Wait, what do you mean he left us…" I feel my mind tensing for the impact to come. As much as I didn't want to hear it, I knew what was to come.

"He left you." Hao's smile, the coldest that I've ever seen. "He left you to come to me."

I grit my teeth. "That's not true. Ren would never betray us."

Hao throws his head back and laughs. Piercing and shrill, completely insane. My eardrums feel like they're about to burst. The trees also seem to shudder in the oppressed atmosphere, the wind wailing and moaning. Even nature seems to cower before him.

"Betray you? You, Yoh. You are the most pathetic counter anybody could ever have…" Hao says between hysterics, his hand covering his face. Shoulders convulsing. "Yoh, you are so naïve. Ren was bloody right to want to leave you all…forget about you all." I feel my hands clench. "Of course he'd never want to betray you, but Yoh, YOU betrayed HIM. That's what drove him to me."

A shudder struck down my spine.

"…How?" I whisper before I could stop myself.

Hao sits there looking smug. I feel sick looking at that face, a face I see only when I look in the mirror. But I'd never look at anyone like that. Ever.

"By not choosing, that's what."

With that, my nemesis disappeared, and I was left alone standing trying to comprehend the situation.

----------------------------------------------------

Hm, is it just me but this Yoh is very depressing? Not cool. And is it just me but he's pondering a lot about Hao? Nooooo… this shall all change, very soon. *tries to nod affirmatively*

Thanks to everyone who's commented…again, I wasn't expecting such a response. Great to know that people are enjoying it. :D

I wish more people screwed around with Hao x Ren (literally XD). Nah nah, let's see where all this shall head…

I just realised not much happened in this chapter... kind of like Yoh's POV. ...Things will actually happen in the next chapter, I promise. *smiles widely*