Thanks for all the reviews thusfar. This chapter's going to be a bit darker, and hopefully, better. Since they're playing an April Fools joke on Manta, Yoh and Amidamaru will be OOC for the first part of this chapter, but that's to be expected.

Ok, on with the story!

Chapter 2

A knocking came to the door of the inn, causing Yoh to snap to attention.

"Manta's here. You know the plan, Amidamaru? Are you sure you're ready?"

"I still disapprove, Lord Yoh, but I am ready to do your bidding."

With the samurai's response, Yoh walked over and opened the door to look down at Manta.

"Oh, it's you, Manta. Come on in, I guess."

Manta, glad to be among friends again, came in and sat down next to Amidamaru.

"So, guys, what did you have planned today?" Manta asked with unusual enthusiasm. He was just so glad to be away from his father that his happiness got the best of him.

Yoh's mouth turned into a evil snicker.

"Why do you care, you stupid runt? It's not like you're coming with us. Right, Amidamaru?"

"Of course we wouldn't let a tiny weakling like Peasant Manta come along, he would just slow us down." the samurai added, with a hint of reluctance that was unnoticed by anyone else.

Manta, at this point, didn't believe what he heard, thinking he must have some kind of hearing problem from his father's beating. Very nervously, he asked:

"What did you say?"

Amidamaru responded:

"You heard us, weakling boy. Go find some real friends."

And then, switching to a sarcastic tone, Yoh added:

"Oh, that's right, he can't. No one cares about him enough to notice he exists."

Manta, at this point, was struggling to keep tears from surfacing.

"Wh-wh-what are you guys saying? What's the matter with you?!"

Yoh responded.

"We finally realized just how much we don't need you. I don't understand how such a worthless person even has sixth sense. Go away, Manta."

"B-b-but..."

Amidamaru yelled at Manta:

"Don't talk back to a lord, peasant!"

Yoh finished his assault.

"We don't want to see you anymore, Manta. We hate you!"

Amidamaru added:

"Goodbye...WEAKLING."

These last words struck a memory in Manta's mind. It was the same tone of voice his father had used the night before. The pain...the terrible pain...Manta's head reeled at this newest information...if he had no friends...and no one cared about him...then his father was right, wasn't he?

::If I'm worthless, is life worth living?::

This self-inflection had caused Manta to zone out. Yoh and Amidamaru yelled at him, snapping him out of his trance.

"Aren't you leaving yet?!"

Manta couldn't stand listening to his ex-friends prove that his father was right...he had to get away.

"I can't take this anymore!" Manta screamed.

With that, he rushed out of the apartment, tears streaming down his face, trying as best he could to push his tiny body as fast as it could go. He knew of only one place he could go that might help him. He ran towards the cemetary on the other side of town, the small one that Yoh didn't know about.

Meanwhile, back in the inn...

"Oh yeah, we freaked the hell out of him!"

Yoh was jubilant, but Amidamaru was concerned.

"I don't think that was a good idea, Lord Yoh. He seemed very saddened."

"Aww, Manta's just like that. Let's give him an hour to mope, then we'll go take him out for ice cream. I'll even let him choose a movie to rent!"

Amidamaru still looked sad.

"Something doesn't feel right about this, Lord Yoh."

"You're just a worrywart."

//Cemetary across town//

Manta sat on his mother's grave, racked with sobs, lost in his thoughts.

His sobs became louder in the silent cemetary. Yoh didn't know about this cemetary, and thus hadn't been able to find Manta. Time had passed: it was sunset.

::Mom...Dad...my classmates.Anna...Yoh...even Amidamaru! They all hate me!::

Manta momentarily stopped sobbing as something in his pocket was preventing him from sitting comfortably. He pulled out a bottle.

::Painkillers from the first aid kit...I must have accidentally put them in my pocket this morning...::

Out loud, he said:

"It's too bad painkillers can't stop my pain now..."

Manta's brain began to think.

::Or can they?::

The tears stopped flowing as he looked at the bottle's warning label more closely. One sentence in particular caught his eye. 'Overdosing may result in coma or death.'

Manta's sobs quieted as his brain went into motion. He suddenly became very solemn.

::No one wants me around. My life is hell. I have nothing to live for.::

Manta popped open the top of the bottle.

::Maybe the afterlife will be better...::

With this thought, Manta brought the bottle of pills to his mouth and poured them in, swallowing the entire bottle in three swallows.

::Now all I do is wait for death to take me...::

The sun faded from the sky at the same rate that Manta's strength left his body. As he finally lost consciousness, he whispered.

"I-I'm sorry I was such...a failure...forgive me...Yoh..."

With that, the eyes of Manta Oyamada closed for the last time, lying on his mother's grave.

To be continued...

Up next, Yoh's reactions. Until then, R+R!