Disclaimer: *arguing with HT* But why can't I have Hao-kun?? You killed him off!!
HT: Because I'm still making references, that's why! Besides, SK is mine!! You want copyrights? Go draw your own manga!
GS: Phooey. Oh, well. I'll just drool all over yours.
HT: HEY!!!
Author's Notes: Heh... I AM drawing my own manga! I'm only doing the character profiles & stuff right now, tho... Anyway, after this chapter things REALLY start to get weird. You'll know why at the end!
~***~
A Dream Come True?
Chapter Twelve
~***~
Hours later Yoh and I still hadn't found any of the others. But we had found two more werewolves, a Western dragon, and a vampire. By this time, even Amidamaru was nervous.
We turned down a hall that had one door at the far end. As we approached it I looked warily at Yoh. "It's your turn. Open it."
"Hey, I opened the last two. YOU open it."
I swallowed hard and shakily held out my hand to the doorknob. As I opened it a clawed foot shot out and kicked me in the chest, knocking me backward. "That...hurt," I gasped as I sat up again
A big lump of a demon had forced its way out of the hall beyond the door. It looked like a typical Japanese oni- -really big, really red and REALLY ugly. Yoh had already integrated with Amidamaru and was fighting it.
"Well, THIS sucks," I muttered as I got to my feet. "Soul of Fire!"
'Here, Lord Hao.'
I scrunched my eyes tight. If my theory that integration was painful came true, this adventure of mine would really be a drag. But Yoh needed my help.
"INTEGRATE!!!"
Nothing happened.
My eyes popped open. The Soul of Fire was still standing to my right. 'Is something wrong, Lord Hao?'
"AUUUUUGGHHHH!!!" I shouted. "DAMMIT!!! What's the point of being in this body if I can't even integrate with a spirit?!"
"Well think of something else!" Yoh shouted. "I need some help over here!"
I gritted my teeth and ran over to where the oni was. "If it's one thing my physEd. Teacher ever praised me on, it's my short distance speed!"
"WHOA!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
I shirked off my cloak so the oni wouldn't grab me that way. Then I began yelling at the oni- -a la Yuu Watase.
"Hey you!! You call yourself a demon? You're nothing but a momma's boy, you big LOSER!!!"
Okay, maybe it wasn't the most intelligent thing in the world to scream at a demon. The big guy turned and glared at me, then raised his club. "Puny mortal, I'll squash you."
'Now I REALLY wish I was back home,' I thought.
Thankfully Yoh lunged at the big guy before he could pulverize me. He actually got a few good cuts in with his sword before the demon grabbed him and threw him into me. We both flew back and landed about fifty feet away.
"Get offa me," I choked out. Every muscle in my body felt bruised.
"Sorry," Yoh replied sheepishly. "Wasn't exactly my fault."
He stood and then helped me up. The oni was still at the end of the hallway with a smug look on his face. "You shamans are so much worse than humans. You actually think you can fight and defeat my kind with your silly ghosts and spells. If it weren't for you we demons would rule this world."
At his words an icy stab of pain went right through my heart. I winced and grabbed Yoh's shoulder for balance. I could feel it- -Hao's personality was enraged by the oni's words and wanted to teach him a lesson. I could feel tiny little icicles moving through my body.
Hao was taking over.
But I wouldn't give up without a fight. 'Stop it. You're not me, and I'm not you.'
'How dare he compare me to a human!' I heard Hao's voice resound in my head. 'I am a shaman. More specifically, an onmyouji. I have the Soul of Fire and the Tchou-senjiryaketsu. I am invincible!'
'Yeah, right,' I scoffed. 'That's why you've been defeated twice before.'
His tone turned to a low growl. 'That's because they betrayed me. All of them- -my family and Matamune.'
I cried out as both the cold and the pain grew inside me. I was shivering uncontrollably. Only then did I understand how strong Hao's madness really is...
Yoh was shouting something at me, but I couldn't make it out. He lay me down on the stone floor and I felt the heavy vibrations as the oni began advancing toward us. Yoh put his hand on my chest and I guess he felt the intense cold there, because he jerked his hand back.
'But they'll understand someday,' the voice went on. 'They all will. And then...they will finally acknowledge me as the Shaman King.'
Then something snapped. In one moment it felt like I'd been frozen and stabbed. The memories I'd had of my real life faded. Right then, it felt like I had always been Asakura Hao and I always would be.
My eyes opened. Yoh was already fighting the oni. 'How fun. Now I'll get to prove to this fool why accusing shamans of being lower than humans is a mistake. One that he won't be making again.'
I stood and walked calmly past Yoh and the oni. I picked up my cloak and pulled it back over my shoulders. Then I decided to get the oni's attention.
"Oni are sorry excuses for demons!"
He turned and glared at me. "You'll pay for that."
I smirked and raised my hand. "We'll see about that. Soul of Fire- -INTEGRATE!!!"
HT: Because I'm still making references, that's why! Besides, SK is mine!! You want copyrights? Go draw your own manga!
GS: Phooey. Oh, well. I'll just drool all over yours.
HT: HEY!!!
Author's Notes: Heh... I AM drawing my own manga! I'm only doing the character profiles & stuff right now, tho... Anyway, after this chapter things REALLY start to get weird. You'll know why at the end!
~***~
A Dream Come True?
Chapter Twelve
~***~
Hours later Yoh and I still hadn't found any of the others. But we had found two more werewolves, a Western dragon, and a vampire. By this time, even Amidamaru was nervous.
We turned down a hall that had one door at the far end. As we approached it I looked warily at Yoh. "It's your turn. Open it."
"Hey, I opened the last two. YOU open it."
I swallowed hard and shakily held out my hand to the doorknob. As I opened it a clawed foot shot out and kicked me in the chest, knocking me backward. "That...hurt," I gasped as I sat up again
A big lump of a demon had forced its way out of the hall beyond the door. It looked like a typical Japanese oni- -really big, really red and REALLY ugly. Yoh had already integrated with Amidamaru and was fighting it.
"Well, THIS sucks," I muttered as I got to my feet. "Soul of Fire!"
'Here, Lord Hao.'
I scrunched my eyes tight. If my theory that integration was painful came true, this adventure of mine would really be a drag. But Yoh needed my help.
"INTEGRATE!!!"
Nothing happened.
My eyes popped open. The Soul of Fire was still standing to my right. 'Is something wrong, Lord Hao?'
"AUUUUUGGHHHH!!!" I shouted. "DAMMIT!!! What's the point of being in this body if I can't even integrate with a spirit?!"
"Well think of something else!" Yoh shouted. "I need some help over here!"
I gritted my teeth and ran over to where the oni was. "If it's one thing my physEd. Teacher ever praised me on, it's my short distance speed!"
"WHOA!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
I shirked off my cloak so the oni wouldn't grab me that way. Then I began yelling at the oni- -a la Yuu Watase.
"Hey you!! You call yourself a demon? You're nothing but a momma's boy, you big LOSER!!!"
Okay, maybe it wasn't the most intelligent thing in the world to scream at a demon. The big guy turned and glared at me, then raised his club. "Puny mortal, I'll squash you."
'Now I REALLY wish I was back home,' I thought.
Thankfully Yoh lunged at the big guy before he could pulverize me. He actually got a few good cuts in with his sword before the demon grabbed him and threw him into me. We both flew back and landed about fifty feet away.
"Get offa me," I choked out. Every muscle in my body felt bruised.
"Sorry," Yoh replied sheepishly. "Wasn't exactly my fault."
He stood and then helped me up. The oni was still at the end of the hallway with a smug look on his face. "You shamans are so much worse than humans. You actually think you can fight and defeat my kind with your silly ghosts and spells. If it weren't for you we demons would rule this world."
At his words an icy stab of pain went right through my heart. I winced and grabbed Yoh's shoulder for balance. I could feel it- -Hao's personality was enraged by the oni's words and wanted to teach him a lesson. I could feel tiny little icicles moving through my body.
Hao was taking over.
But I wouldn't give up without a fight. 'Stop it. You're not me, and I'm not you.'
'How dare he compare me to a human!' I heard Hao's voice resound in my head. 'I am a shaman. More specifically, an onmyouji. I have the Soul of Fire and the Tchou-senjiryaketsu. I am invincible!'
'Yeah, right,' I scoffed. 'That's why you've been defeated twice before.'
His tone turned to a low growl. 'That's because they betrayed me. All of them- -my family and Matamune.'
I cried out as both the cold and the pain grew inside me. I was shivering uncontrollably. Only then did I understand how strong Hao's madness really is...
Yoh was shouting something at me, but I couldn't make it out. He lay me down on the stone floor and I felt the heavy vibrations as the oni began advancing toward us. Yoh put his hand on my chest and I guess he felt the intense cold there, because he jerked his hand back.
'But they'll understand someday,' the voice went on. 'They all will. And then...they will finally acknowledge me as the Shaman King.'
Then something snapped. In one moment it felt like I'd been frozen and stabbed. The memories I'd had of my real life faded. Right then, it felt like I had always been Asakura Hao and I always would be.
My eyes opened. Yoh was already fighting the oni. 'How fun. Now I'll get to prove to this fool why accusing shamans of being lower than humans is a mistake. One that he won't be making again.'
I stood and walked calmly past Yoh and the oni. I picked up my cloak and pulled it back over my shoulders. Then I decided to get the oni's attention.
"Oni are sorry excuses for demons!"
He turned and glared at me. "You'll pay for that."
I smirked and raised my hand. "We'll see about that. Soul of Fire- -INTEGRATE!!!"