Hi people! Here's the update…If you guys were confused about the first thing I put here it will be revealed…a bit of it at least…

Disclaimer: If I owned Shaman King I wouldn't be here now would I?

Legend:

Blah -narration

"Blah" -talking

'Blah' – ghost talking

/Blah/ -thinking

Blah -Aridas talking/ flashback/emphasis on words

(Blah) –some parts/Author's notes during story

Chapter 2: Remembering the Past

"Hmm…this plan is good…why didn't you tell me earlier?" a tall man asked.

"Sorry, my king, it had to be kept secret until it was time to reveal it. Forgive me if this has angered you," another man replied.

"It is fine, my friend. Now if you excuse me, I must return to my place," the man said as he left in a flash. The other man sighed heavily and turned to another man.

"Doctor, did you send them to the ikkou?" he asked.

"Indeed we have, isn't that right, Mr. Bunny?" the doctor said, holding up a toy bunny up to the man. "Yes, doctor, we indeed sent them to the ikkou." the doctor 'played out' the toy's voice. The man looked irritable because of this.

"Did you find my spirit, doctor?" he asked coldly.

"Yes, we found it, but the spirit is in the hands of another," the doctor replied.

"Whoever that is, human, youkai, or shaman, destroy the filth immediately and take the spirit from it," the man said, his voice filled with venom.

"Well, that would be difficult, very difficult indeed," the doctor said, looking at a monitor where a few people were fighting against a huge amount of demons.

"And why would it be difficult, doctor?" the man questioned, looking more irritable than ever. The doctor looked back at the man.

"Take a look here, then," the doctor said simply, pointing at the monitor. The man walked to the monitor and looked at it. His eyes widened as he quickly broke the screen with his fist which was now covered with blood.

"Do you want that bandaged?" the doctor asked the man. The panted hard, his anger rising and his eyes covered by his hair. After a few moments his looked up at the doctor smiling.

"Iie, I can take care of this, but thank you," the man said as he walked to another room, his hand glowing. His hand stopped glowing when he stopped at the door.

"And doctor, please send the prince and company to them. I need that spirit back," he said as he entered the door. The moment the man left, the doctor sighed heavily.

"Che…that's the third one he broke this week…" the doctor mumbled as he turned to a woman who came in.

"What happened here, doctor?" she asked the doctor.

"Doctor, please order another set," the doctor said.

"He broke another one?" she asked.

"Yes, now hurry and get another one ordered," the doctor replied as the woman left the room, the doctor also leaving in the process.

Stop looking at me and start fighting unless you want to die, Aridas said as the rest faced the demons.

"Shinkuu-Buttagiri!"

"Chuuka Zenmai!"

"Nipopo Punch!"

"Flying Dragon Flash Spiral!"

"Nine-Headed Dragon Flash!"

The two shikigami rushed forward as the fireball descended quickly.

"Dark Terra Force!"

Soon the place was covered in smoke. Once the smoke cleared, they saw that every demon was wiped out. After a few moments they quickly disintegrated with their ghosts and then looked at Aridas. Ren, on the other hand, went straight to the point and pointed his kwandao at Aridas' head.

"Explain yourself, Asakura!" Ren said. Ianna then slapped Ren to the ground.

"The only one asking the questions here will be me and only me, you Chinese baka!" she yelled and then pointed a shuriken at Aridas' head.

"Now explain yourself, Asakura! Why do you have an enemy ghost in your hands?" she questioned.

Uhh…do you remember when we fell in that cave and you felt a strong power? Aridas reminded her. She glared at Aridas for a while before putting the shuriken down. Aridas sighed for a while when Ianna suddenly put the shuriken back at Aridas' head.

"You better learn how to control him because if I see him going back to him I will kill you," she warned him as she put the shuriken in her pocket and turned around walking west, Anna walking beside her. Both of them stopped and then looked at the rest.

"What are you waiting for? We still have to continue west!" the both said. The rest groaned as they followed suit.

"Why do we have to walk we could just use our giant oversouls and get to the next town, you know," Horohoro said.

"Do you remember what happened when we tried doing that Horohoro?" Yoh asked.

FLASHBACK

"Ha…" Hao fell down to the ground. The boys except for Draikiel and Ren followed suit of Hao.

Ianna-dono, how far is the next town? Aridas asked.

"Hmm…about five hours from now." she replied simply. The boys on the ground groaned.

"So far…" Horohoro whined.

"Must we continue on walking?" Yoh asked. Then Horohoro got up.

"Wait, I just got an idea!" he exclaimed.

"The Ainu-baka just got an idea? Am I dreaming?" Ren asked himself.

"But it's true!" Horohoro said.

/He said it's true? What sick world is this/ Ren thought to himself, his face having a frantic expression.

"Okay, what brilliant plan do you have now? The last plan you thought of we almost risked our asses trying to get out of that cult…" Draikiel asked.

"But they forced us to do that!" Horohoro yelled.

"Right…" Draikiel mumbled as Horohoro glared at him but stopped soon after.

"Why don't we use our giant oversouls to get to the next town?" Horohoro suggested. Yoh, Hao and Aridas got up.

"Hey that's the greatest idea you had so far Horohoro!" Hao said.

A few minutes later…

"That was the worst idea you had so far Horohoro! We almost got killed trying that! Oww…" Hao said shivering uncontrollably as Ianna took out an arrow from Hao's shoulder and then healed it. Unfortunately when they tried doing their giant oversouls a giant group of arrows with fire, electricity and ice fell from the sky. Even if they tried fending them off more would keep coming. The only ones who didn't get bombarded with them were the two girls.

"I knew we shouldn't have done what that Ainu-baka said! Hurry up and carve me out, woman!" Ren said as Anna scratched the ice off of Ren's body with a nail file.

"I'm trying my best here so shut up or I'll leave you this way!" Anna snapped as Ren shut up immediately.

END FLASHBACK

"Oh yeah…" Horohoro mumbled.

Well at least we learned a very valuable lesson that day, Aridas said.

"And what lesson was that, Aridas, never listen to what the Ainu-baka says?" Ren questioned.

"Guys…" Draikiel said.

Ehh…no, Ren, it was never use – Aridas began.

"Okay, okay, I get it, just stop rubbing it in, okay?" Horohoro yelled.

"Guys…" Draikiel repeated.

"We'll stop rubbing it in when you stop making stupid suggestions," Anna said.

"Or when you stop being ugly," Ianna added.

"Now that's just mean!" Horohoro said.

"GUYS!" Draikiel barked. The rest looked at Draikiel.

"If you haven't noticed, all our hiding in a barrel, fighting demons, talking about the past and teasing the baka has chipped the day to sunset and that means we have to camp out," Draikiel growled. Yoh, Horohoro, Ren and Hao groaned.

"Camp out? That means we have to look for water sources…" Hao said.

"And we have to make camp…" Yoh added.

"And we have to look for our food," Horohoro added.

"That means no Chinese food…" Ren mumbled.

"I fear something wrong is bound to happen," Jiroushin said to Kanzeon Bosatsu.

"Why is that, Jiroushin?" she questioned.

"I sense betrayal in the Asakura-ikkou. Draikiel seems to be a candidate," Jiroushin replied.

"Well, there's nothing we can do, Jiroushin. Besides, things aren't what they seem. It could be someone else besides our furry friend and in my opinion, anyone there could be a candidate," the goddess said.

"But Kanzeon-" Jiroushin began.

"Ne, Jiroushin, let's just watch now, shall we?" Kanzeon Bosatsu said. Jiroushin just sighed as he looked down at earth.

After an hour and a half they found water sources, food and a good place to camp for the night. Aridas, though, stayed up and looked at the stars on a small boulder near a stream which was not far from where the camping grounds were. Moments later Shruikan appeared beside him.

'What's wrong, my lord?' Shruikan asked Aridas.

Sigh, Shruikan, do you remember?

'Remember what, my lord?'

Five hundred years ago, Shruikan, when this world was still young, Aridas said.

'Yes, my lord. During that time, we were all close allies.' Shruikan said.

Those days were some of the good days... Aridas sighed.

'Yes, but those days are now a memory,' Shruikan said. Then silence devoured the place.

Shruikan, why did you decide to join forces against your…previous master? Aridas asked, breaking the silence.

'…I have seen the error of my ways and I wish to revert him back to the days of five hundred years ago,' Shruikan replied.

Oh, yes, during that time he was a kind soul…but then evil corrupted his heart and his soul… Aridas said, smiling sadly. Silence covered the place again.

'…Be careful, my lord,' Shruikan said.

Did you foresee something again? Aridas asked.

'Yes, and even if I told you to be careful what I see will happen later in the future,' Shruikan replied sadly.

Well, you are the war god of destiny, aren't you? Aridas reminded him.

'Yes, but I just wish I didn't have this power…I have judged, trialed and witnessed too many deaths, and most of them were very unpleasant,' he said.

…I just wish that we can revert him because if we can't then he will get to us, Aridas sighed.

'We can revert him, my lord. I will help you in doing so, for I am now your guardian,' Shruikan said. Aridas looked at Shruikan.

You've changed. Are you sure you're not tricking me into a trap? Aridas questioned.

'Of course not! Betrayal is something I would never do! Even if I abandoned my previous master I did so because I thought he perished so I went into hiding in that cave where you found me.' Shruikan replied.

Good, because the last person I want to be killed by is Ianna because if you betray us I'm a spirit again, Aridas said as they both laughed. Silence covered the place once more.

Shruikan, what did he exactly want with Anna the last time? Aridas asked.

'That is a mystery yet to be solved. Even I did not know his intentions with Anna, only a guess of drawing Yoh to fight with him. Forgive me, my lord,' Shruikan replied bowing.

It's okay but maybe that guess might be connected to what's happening now. I don't even know why he wants to side with the king, Aridas said.

'Enough talk about this, my lord, you need rest for tomorrow. You leave early, am I right?' Shruikan asked.

Yes, you are right. I will go now so watch over the place with the rest, Aridas said standing up, jumping off the boulder and heading back to the camp. Shruikan sighed as he flew to the rest of the ghosts.

'So how did it go with your shaman?' Shruikan asked.

'Yoh-dono and I talked about the past,' Amidamaru replied.

'It is the same with bocchama (sp?) and I,' Bason said.

'Kuku!' Kororo agreed.

'I'd have to agree,' Solum said unpleasantly.

'Gladius agrees with Solum!' Gladius said happily. The Spirit of Fire nodded in agreement.

'How about you, Shruikan?' Amidamaru asked.

'It is the same as all of you.' Shruikan replied as they laughed.

'Well, we need to watch over, don't we?' Shruikan.

'But I don't understand why we have to,' Amidamaru said.

'We need to watch over because the demons could ambush the place, am I right, Shruikan?' Bason asked.

'Yes, Bason,' Shruikan replied simply.

'I get it! This way when we see them coming we can warn the others!' Amidamaru said. The trees and bushes rustled violently then stopped.

'Is now the time to warn them?' Amidamaru questioned. Then Okolo appeared.

'Quick, to your shamans now! Eight demons are going to the camp!' Okolo said.

'Only eight of them?' Bason asked.

'They're not the ordinary ones we fight, Bason! Now hurry!' Okolo said disappearing. The ghosts looked at each other as they flew out to the camp.

Draikiel walked back on a dirt road on the way to the camp. On his way he stopped as he saw Ianna, looking at a lake. He quietly walked to her but was quickly thrown over his back as a shuriken was pointed at him. He looked up to see Ianna, who was as surprised as he was. Ianna quickly put the shuriken in her pocket and faced the other way as Draikiel quickly got up.

"Next time, don't do that or you'll regret it," Ianna said.

"What are you doing up this late?" Draikiel asked.

"I could ask the same for you," Ianna replied.

"I couldn't sleep," Draikiel said quickly.

"Don't give me that excuse," Ianna said.

"Okay, I was talking to Gladius, happy now?" Draikiel said.

"I'm content," Ianna replied simply.

"So why are you up? And don't say that you just came here to watch the lake because you weren't here for long; I can smell it," Draikiel said.

Yoh sighed as he dipped a random stick onto the stream and traced numerous circles on the surface.

"What are you doing up this late?" a harsh voice asked, startling him a bit. Yoh smiled but did not turn around.

"I just talked to Amidamaru for a while Anna," he replied taking a smooth stone beside him and threw it at the stream, making the rock skip thrice before it dropped into the water. Anna was curious and plopped down beside Yoh.

"So what did you talk about? With Amidamaru, I mean," she asked.

"Just the past, that's all," Yoh simply replied.

"What about the past?" she asked. Yoh kept silent for a while as a silent breeze came by.

"…Are you dodging a question you've been waiting to ask me, Anna?" he asked her.

"What makes you think I'm dodging something?"

"Now that I'm blind, my other senses have sharpened, including the sense of emotions. Does that answer you question?" Yoh replied, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Hao stood on a cliff. After talking telepathically to the Spirit of Fire he felt somewhat refreshed. The wind passed by, rushing against his face and his poncho. Soon Hao sensed something watching him, his face still calm.

"Are you going to just watch me or are you going to come out?" Hao asked out loud.

"You're very clever, Asakura, even after all these years," said a voice in his mind.

"Get to the point already," Hao said quite irritated.

"What's the rush, Asakura?" the voice asked.

"For me, there is no rush for time is infinite for me," Hao replied. The voice chuckled a bit.

"Join me Asakura," the voice said.

"Why should I?" he asked.

"Because I can give it to you. Your dream of a shaman-only world, my friend," the voice replied.

"Your friend? In what way can you consider me as your friend? I befriend no one and never will," Hao said coldly.

"Then how about your brothers and their friends?" the voice asked.

"I am only following them, is that bad?" Hao said.

"Not at all, Asakura, not at all…" the voice replied. Hao raised an eyebrow.

"Are you trying to damage my brain with all these mysteries?" Hao asked.

"I have no intention of doing so," the voice replied. A harsh wind blew and then stopped. Hao, looking irritable, took a step at the edge of the cliff.

"Have my questions driven you insane already?" the voice asked mockingly.

"No, I just sense trouble," Hao replied.

"Well if you must leave please think about the choice I gave you and if you want to join stand still on the water's edge," the voice said.

"Hmph," Hao said took another step and fell down, the Spirit of Fire appearing in a burst of flames and catching Hao as he flew away from the place.

Soon harsh wind blew where Draikiel and Ianna and Yoh and Anna were, all sensing danger. They quickly glanced at each other and ran as fast as they could from where they were and back to the camp where large amounts of snoring were heard and Ren sleeping sitting up next to the fire, his kwandao between his arms. Yoh took a step as silently as possible when the next thing he…heard was a slight sign of a weapon being drawn to his face.

"Calm down, Ren, it's us," Yoh said calmly as Ren took a better look at the others and put his kwandao down.

"Sorry, I thought you four were some other youkai," Ren apologized. No sooner did he say that the ghosts flew to their respective masters.

'Yoh-dono, Yoh-dono, the youkai are coming!' Amidamaru shouted. Soon a yell was heard as Horohoro came out of the tent panting, the half of his right arm covered with solid ice.

"Looks like your ghost gave you quite an amusing wake-up call," Draikiel rasped, grinning wolfishly. Horohoro glared at him as he flicked the ice, making it break. Seconds later Aridas arrived and after another Hao landed on the ground silently.

"Nice entrance, pretty boy," Draikiel said as Hao glared at him then turning to the others.

"I don't think these are the other kind of youkai we faced before. That and I sense a familiar source of furyoku along with the youkai we sensed," Ianna said.

"I guess we should be on our guard for a while. For now, why don't we turn in?" Hao suggested.

"Yeah, I guess we could hit the haystack," Yoh said.

"But shouldn't we be on our guard? You said so yourself, Hao," Ren said.

"You can do whatever you want, spiky, but I'm turning in," Hao said entering his tent. Yoh slowly found his way to his tent soon after Hao entered his. Horohoro yawned and slowly went back to his tent, snoring as soon as he entered.

Well, I might as well turn in, Aridas said as he turned into a wolf, yawning. He looked at the other four lazily as he curled up near the fire and fell asleep.

"What now?" Ren asked.

"…You two can turn in now while spiky and I watch over," Draikiel said.

"Suit yourselves," they both chorused, entering their tent. Draikiel sat down.

"You can rest; I can stay up longer," Draikiel said.

"Why, so you can attack us while we slumber?" Ren asked.

"Very funny, spiky," Draikiel scoffed as Ren sat down as well.

"It's the full moon; shouldn't you go run to a cave before you slaughter us with your fangs and claws?" Ren asked, this time seriously.

"You need not worry about me, boy, I can handle myself pretty well, with and without the full moon," Draikiel said looking at the full moon intently.

"Should I tie you up with the rope in your pocket again?" Ren asked.

"No, let me go for once," Draikiel replied his eyes glued to the moon. Ren became a bit concerned.

"Are you really trying to kill us?"

"No…I just…I just need to let a bit of the wild side get to me again," he said, his voice becoming a bit deeper and raspier.

"Okay then but just in case," Ren said standing up and walking over to Draikiel grabbing something from his pocket. "I'll just tie you up," he continued, tying him to a tree and pulling on the ends hard.

"…Ren…" Draikiel growled.

"What?" he asked. Draikiel looked at him irritably.

"You put the wrong one. The damned thing's burning me," Draikiel growled irritably, smoke going up from Draikiel's arms.

"Oh, sorry," Ren apologized, realizing he used silver ropes instead of regular ropes. He quickly untied the silver ropes and tied Draikiel with two thick and long ropes evenly.

"Thanks," he grumbled.

'Whatever, so long as you don't go too far, or else," Ren said slumping back to his original place, starting to fall asleep. Draikiel grinned as he continued looking up at the full moon, slowly changing.

Author's notes: Well this was long…Uhh…I need to think something over…R&R please!

-LazyShamaness