Chapter 24

" so...How did you come here?" Yoh asked sitting on one of the swings.

" Just kinda woke up in the city..." Hao smirked.

" Yea right!" Yoh snorted.

" for some reason...I believe him..." Manta frowned looking into his eyes.

" He's Hao...how could you...??" Yoh looked at Manta with concern.

" I just do..." He said licking a ice cream cone sitting on a see saw. " I think I want to go home...you guys keep talking I'll be ok by myself.." Manta sighed and walked off.

" See look you made him mad..." Hao taunted.

" stop or I'll never trust you..." Yoh frowned.

"Oh?" Hao smirked at him.

" Lets go back...I'll have faust ask you more questions..." Yoh frowned

" Fine..." Hao said cracking his neck. His thoughts became dark.

Manta's eyes squeezed shut as he had opened the door only to find Faust and Ryu cuddles together under a blanket ontop of the pool table. He cringed. Aware of this Faust quickly jumped up putting on his boxers and pants. He quickly motioned a sleepy ryu to do the same.

"Uhhh.....Manta....its ok to come in now..." Faust called out feeling ashamed

"o....o...ok..." Manta squeeked. He walked in slowly.

" Ehh.... Manta want me to cook something for you? you hungry..???" Ryu insisted blushing.

" er...sure sure!!!" Manta replied nervously

Suddenly the door swung open Hao barging in with Yoh closely behind.

" Looks like I'll be cooking for more than one..." Ryu grinned washing his hands.

" Welcome home boys..." Faust smiled.

" Boys?" Yoh frowned. "how could you be so freindly with him!!!" He shouted a bit.

" I'll talk with you about it later Yoh.." Faust frowned.

" ok I'm sorry..." Yoh sighed.

"It's fine..." Faust smiled " want some dinner Hao?"

" Er...fine.." Hao sat at the table eyeing Manta. Yoh frowned.

Manta sat uncomfortably in his chair Hao's eyes boring into him. "I need a drink..." Hao walked off.

" Ok.." Faust said turning around from helping Ryu cook.

Manta whined. " I gotta pee" He stood up and ran to the bathroom. He ran into the girls room suspecting Hao would be in the opposite direction. but to his luck Hao was washing his face in the girls room. He turned the faucet and looked down at Manta.

" Hello there..." he smiled softly.

" ehh...Hi..." Manta looked at him trying his best to trust. Hao kneeled down and pulled him into his arms.

" Hao...Hao...Hao-chan...." Manta squeeked squirming.

" Hao chan? so cute of you to call me such a thing...." Hao smiled turning him around to face him. Manta blushed.

" Yoh can I talk to you?" Faust sat at the table directly across from him.

" It's about Hao isn't it?" Yoh sneered.

" yes" Faust looked at him seriously.

" I really don't trust him.." Yoh frowned.

" Well thats because you only see the Hao you fought against..." Faust looked at him.

" Well how else could I see him?" Yoh sighed lazily

" I...honestly don't think this is the same Hao we're dealing with..."

" Not the same? what?" He looked at him very confused

" I think...maybe when you came back to life...I think maybe another Hao/Yoh was born..."

"What?" Yoh looked up.

" I think maybe part of your soul created a new Hao...one thats maybe more like you but with the old Hao's memories" Faust noted.

" How?"

" I don't know...but this Hao..doesn't he appear a little younger looking than you?"

" Oh geez I dunno...if what your saying is true... then is the real hao dead? and does that meant I have a triplet now? It's all so confusing..." Yoh stood up " I gotta pee too now..." he sighed.

" Geesh with his attitude lately you'd think some of Hao rubbed off on him...." Ryu huffed.

Yoh walked into the bathroom with his suprise Hao sat there cuddling Manta on his lap

" What the!?? Get your hands off of him Hao!!!" Yoh yelled

" What?" Hao smirked caressing a very nervous looking Manta's cheek " I think your friend is......yummy..." He smiled.

" Well too bad I'm the only one who gets a taste of him!" Yoh yelled. Manta hung his head in humiliation.

"Oh? Shame Shame...." Hao let go of Manta allowing him to run to Yoh. " Have fun..." he said bitterly walking out.

" You ok Manta? you arn't hurt are you?" Yoh looked him up and down.

" No...I'm ok...just was a lil scared..." Manta cuddled him. " I still don't think he's bad Yoh..."

" You give him way too many chances Manta..." Yoh frowned " I don't like him...."

" Please Yoh...he isn't bad...." manta sighed wishing someone would understand.