---Chapter II---

Journey to another time and dimension

If a great wave should fall
It would fall upon us all
And between the sand and stone
Could you make it on your own

(Lyrics from the song "Wherever you will go" from "The Calling")

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You will be leaving this world and leave behind all your friends. Even if you recover the thing you lost, it may be even more painful than you ever will feel. Despite that, do you still what to go?

"Yes"

You leave me no choice… I will let you go there. But remember, you can only regain your memory, but… the thing that you lost, although it will be so near you, will not belong to you. Yours is already gone and will never come back.

"I just want to know what happened. This is my memory. No one should make me forget something unless it is of my own will."

There, you will meet new people, as well as people who bares the same face as those you know. They are not the same people. They are not the ones you know. Beware…

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Hao passes through the portal and crosses different star-like mini portal. Some of them shine more than others.

He has the choice, the choice to choose which portal to go through. Different portals mean different worlds. He can go anywhere he wants… But there will only be one place that he wishes to be: the one that has the 'thing' he seeks for.

As he thought about that, a portal, far away from where he is, shines so much that even he doesn't know what it is. He goes there, and…

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Hao didn't pack much: few clothes, some food and money. He didn't even say goodbye to his friends. However, Yoh seems to know that Hao will go to a place far away and stops him in the midway.

"Are you going away from me?"

"Yes."

"It will be the first time that we will be separated."

"I know."

"Daijoubu."

"Yeah. I will be back soon."

When Hao enters to the portal that the Great Spirit creates for him to cross dimensions, something blocks him from going. It is not a barrier. It is not a wall. It is… a spirit?

Hao hears some whispering from the Great Spirit, and Hao is no longer being blocked. Without hesitating, he enters to another time and dimension.

The voice that replies to the Great Spirit's whispering is somehow familiar to him…

Has he heard of it before?

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"Spirit of Time, you are not allowed to intervene with what it is to happen. This is his choice, and his alone. 'She' will not allow you to do so. If it is his will to search for her, then you will have no power against it. Now, go away from the portal."

I knew that this day will come… but I have never thought that it will come this soon… This is all I can do for you, Elwynneria… I now leave Hao's fate in his own hands… Farewell…

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Further away, in a distant time and space…

Somewhere else in the world……

Another dimension………

BANG!

Hao crashes onto the ground. Of course, if he gets hurt, he will not be Hao. He lands safely on the ground. It is his bag that makes that sound.

His dramatic entrance shocks everybody. No one was moving. They all look pale white, and he could have sworn that they are so scared that they are about to die.

They are all trembling. Does his appearance so surprising that they even forget how to breathe?

"Hum…"

It only takes that little voice he makes to shock everybody else to death. They are even more paler than before (if possible). Some people actually faint.

A little kid, too frightened, drops the ball which he holds…

That little sound once more takes the breath out of those people. The mother of that boy takes him to Hao and knees in front of him.

"Please, oh mighty Shaman King, take only his life and spare the rest of the family!"

"What?"

"Take my life too! Just spare my husband and my two years old daughter!"

"Why would I…"

"What causes this commotion?"

"My Lady!"

The person whom they refer as "my lady" is a 16 years old girl with long silky pink hair. She stares at those people as if they are inferior with her purple eyes. Her face… He must have seen her before!

"I do not tolerate such commotion."

"My Lady… My son has sinned! I am merely begging so the high and mighty Shaman King will forgive his sin and takes only his life."

"There is no forgiveness. Guards, take her away."

"My Lady! Have mercy! Don't kill…"

"I never kill. I just want you out of the world forever."

Some guards appear and take her away.

"Wait!" Hao shouts. "Why are you disposing her?"

Once again, people all look at his with a weird expression. Did… Did Hao sama just ask 'why' she has to die?

As fast as the wind, a bow and arrow appear and ready to shoot at Hao.

"Who are you? You are not Hao sama."

"I am Hao."

"Liar!!! Hao sama… Hao sama is no longer like that! I will kill you!"

"I thought that you say that you don't kill."

"Not if you pretend to be Hao sama!"

"I am the one and only Asakura Hao. I don't need to pretend to be myself."

"Hao sama… Hao sama will not say that he is an Asakura! Prepare to die."

Her arrow missed. Hao is quick enough to dodge her attack. She shoots other arrows, and they are missed too.

Then, a strong current of wind blows at them, and Hao disappears.

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You are not being careful…

Hao hears a voice saying to him. He looks around and sees a 13 years old girl standing behind him.

You shouldn't be wandering around dressing like this.

"Why? I am just being myself. Or are you saying that I am not Hao?"

I don't know. I only know that you are not the same Hao sama that I know.

"How is the Hao that you know?"

Evil and cruel.

"That is not possible. The other I from another dimension cannot be evil."

Another dimension?

"Yeah. I came here to search for something."

What for?

"I don't know."

Maybe I can help. I am a seer.

"You?"

Yes, just like my sister is.

"Sister?"

The girl you just saw.

"She is your sister?"

Yes.

It is then Hao turns around to see her face. She looks very similar to Elwynn… but only smaller and younger… Why does this face remind him of something even more than the face of the girl he just met?

"Have I ever seen you before?"

Not that I remember of.

"Then why do I seem to know you but can't remember?"

I do not know. We will let my seer power to see that.

That little girl hands him a cloth to cover himself.

Just be careful. Do not reveal your face to anyone.

"I am Hao, there is nothing to hide about it."

True, but others will not think like that. You don't want to draw more attention that you already have, do you?

"Maybe. I am my own master, no one can tell me what to do."

Maybe you and the Hao sama that I know have one thing in common.

"What is that?"

Your arrogance.

"Arrogance? How dare you compare him, an unworthy insect, to me?"

That little girl and Hao turn to the owner of the voice… It is Hao… Not the Hao from the world we know, but the Hao from this dimension…