Don't own any of them, wish I did, making no money off this. Enjoy – and remember, reviews always welcome! You may find it of help to understand my take on the Yoh-Hao situation if you read my other story, O Brother, Where Art Thou? (a one-shot)
For anyone reading who hasn't yet reviewed, please do drop me a line! Your reviews and comments keep me going, and sometimes even create plot points – the more of them I get, the faster the updates come, so there's an incentive right there! –NF.
Chapter 4 – The Son And The Heir
I am the son
And the heir…
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does…
See, I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone….
- How Soon Is Now, The Smiths
"Ah," was the reply from her husband, Asakura Yohmei. They had unsealed the hidden compound of Asakura Hao to gain access to his knowledge in order to defeat his transmigrated self, and it was now time to reseal it until its secrets were required once again. In say, another five hundred years. The onmyoji pushed himself to his feet slowly. He was still spry despite his advancing age, but he could feel a weariness in his bones that seemed to increase a little more each day. At least he had managed to see his duty through, he thought tiredly. He could now leave Mikihisa and Keiko to see to the Asakura legacy with a clear conscience. And Yoh, of course. The thought of his grandson brought a melancholic look to the old man's face. Keiko had once accused her father of seeing the boy as nothing more than a tool to do what needed to be done for the family pride. He had to admit that there was a grain of truth to that, as much as it stung his conscience. Still, the boy had borne up well and succeeded, so no harm done, eh? And it wasn't entirely true…he was fond of the cheerful child in his own way.
"I will do it now. It will take me a full day," he said formally.
Kino nodded. "A good dinner will be waiting for you when you get back. Don't be late." He could hear the affection beneath the curt tones. Yes, his parents had chosen well when they picked Kino to be his bride. And now her protégé was the Bride of the Asakuras, and she would do the family proud, he knew. He just hoped Yoh could see the wisdom in the choice. Young people these days were so much more impatient and obsessed with nebulous concepts like "Love" or "Romance," instead of things like "Honour", "Courage", or "Loyalty." As long as there was trust and understanding, affection – and yes, even love – would bloom in time. At least, it had for him. He hoped the same would be true for Yoh. But even if not, he was the heir of the Asakuras and would no doubt do his duty.
His purification rituals performed, Yohmei headed slowly for the compound. His father and grandfather had impressed upon him the sacredness of his duties when they had shown him the seals affixed to the gates that guarded their family's deepest secret, and even now as he approached, he felt a shiver go down his spine. The building loomed up ahead, cold, forbidding and…lit? His brow wrinkled in confusion. No one would dare to come down here without his permission, not even Mikihisa. A fleeting hint of incense wafted past, and his lips pursed angrily. The doors were ajar, and he could see a brazier glowing iron red from whence the fumes were rising, but the main room appeared empty. An intruder then? Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, the old shaman summoned his shikigamis and sent three of them floating silently into the room. For a moment, nothing moved. And then the three shikigamis squeaked in dismay and vanished, the dry leaves he had been using as mediums fluttering to the floor. A quiet laugh rang out from the shadows.
"Really, grandfather…if you had wanted to come in, you could have just asked."
Yohmei started. That voice had been familiar. "Yoh?"
"In a manner of speaking." The figure of his grandson stepped gracefully off the dais that dominated the back of the room and came forward into the light, revealing that he had shed his usual garb for a simple set of red-and-white robes. His hair had grown longer and spilled over his shoulders, glinting redly in the firelight, though the orange pair of headphones that topped it off had not. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, smiling. "Did you want something?"
Yohmei glared at the youth, feeling simultaneously relieved that it had not been an intruder after all, and irritated at his grandson's idiotic behavior. Reflexively, the old man began to scold. "What sort of stupid game is this, Yoh? This is hardly the behaviour we expect from the heir to the Asakura family, and this is not a place to fool around in! And what do you mean, 'In a manner of speaking?' Why did you not tell us you were coming to Izumo? Is Anna with you?"
The object of his annoyance waited patiently for the old man to finish ranting, his smile never wavering. Yohmei frowned. "And wipe that silly smile off your face." He knew he was losing his temper, but this place tended to make him nervous, and he hated feeling like he was not in control. He looked at his grandson standing there quietly, arms folded neatly in the wide robes of this sleeves. There was something strangely familiar about his stance, thought Yohmei dazedly, and then his eyes widened as a cold thought struck him. "Wait…how did you know about this place? We never…did Anna tell you?"
The youth made a small sound of amusement. "Really, grandfather…don't you think I would know the way to my own study?"
"Hao!" Yohmei gasped, aghast. The room seemed to be spinning and the smell of the incense was sickly sweet in his nostrils as he wavered dizzily. He felt himself falling even as he tried to summon his shikigamis in a futile attempt at attack. And then to his complete surprise, he felt a strong pair of arms catch him gently and lower him to the floor carefully. The face of his grandson – if it really was his grandson – hovered over him blurrily.
"Choushi ha dou desu ka?" came the concerned inquiry. "You really shouldn't over-exert yourself, grandfather, you're not getting any younger, you know."
Yohmei pushed himself up determinedly, shoving the younger shaman aside. "You can't win, Hao! What have you done with Yoh?" He brought his hands together in a defensive gesture, willing his shikigamis into existence. They hovered like a bright blue curtain behind him, awaiting an order to attack.
The teenager sat back on his heels. "Grandfather, I am Yoh." He laughed ruefully. "I guess I can't blame you for being confused…I have changed a little. I have to say though, I'm really glad Otoo-san is tall! It would be a little depressing to take after you and grandmother…no offense. But it would be awful to be shorter than Anna."
"That's not the point!" gritted Yohmei through clenched teeth.
"Oh, my bad. What is the point?"
"Fuzakeru nai yo!" snarled the old shaman. A part of his mind noted with satisfaction that the youth winced at hearing language like that coming from his grandfather. Maybe this really was Yoh after all? Or at least some part of him?
"Yes. grandfather, I really am Yoh," sighed the teenager in response to Yohmei's thought. "And if you'll put away your shikigamis, I'll explain everything to you." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "I could destroy them, you know, but I'm giving you a choice. Stay and listen, or leave and never return to my house. I'm hoping you choose the former."
"Mind your own business when it comes to my thoughts, and this is my house," retorted Yohmei, but he let his guardians go. "At least your grandmother will be happy that you're finally using your reishi ability properly."
"Oh, you have no idea," said Yoh tiredly as he got to his feet. "Forget reishi ability, did you know being an empath really sucks? I have no idea how I've dealt with it for this long." Ignoring his grandfather's startled look, Yoh spun around with a swish of his robes and walked back to the raised platform at the back of the room. He seated himself gracefully under the thousand-year-old painting that hung on the wall, assuming a lotus position that could not but draw attention to the striking similarities between him and the subject of the painting. "Please make yourself comfortable, grandfather, this could take a while."
Yohmei grunted, but settled himself onto a cushion near the brazier, edging his seat a little closer. He had to admit that the warmth it emitted was a welcome respite to his joints from the chill that seemed to prevail in the room. He looked up to find his grandson staring at him with a slight frown. Yoh pursed his lips slightly, then raised a hand and sketched a few quick but deliberate motions in the air. Almost immediately, the temperature in the room went up noticeably. "Is that better, grandfather?"
He could only nod, speechless at this casual display of power. Yoh smiled happily, the brilliant smile that never failed to warm the hearts of those who saw it. "Now I remember why I insisted on orienting my study this way; it makes elemental control that much easier. It's going to take some getting used to again, everything feels so off-balance at the moment."
"Enough with the double-talk! Who are you?" Yohmei was incredibly confused at this point. A visceral hatred for the creature he had been taught to loathe was warring within him with the affection he did have for his grandson, even if he couldn't – or wouldn't – show it.
The smile faded. "Well, that's a difficult question. Let's start with the simpler ones. No, Anna is not with me, she's back in Tokyo. I told her I was just going to visit and spend time with you this weekend since I hadn't seen you since the Shaman Fight. As for why I didn't tell you…if I had told you, you would have asked why, and I didn't want to have to lie to you. And I didn't want to risk you panicking and sealing my study before I got here. Not that it would have stopped me from entering, but it would have been inconvenient, and I don't see why things should be made more difficult than they are, do you?"
"What do you want here?"
A shrug. "My space, that's all. A place to work undisturbed for a bit. It helps to trigger my memories." Yoh's dark eyes took on a faraway look. "I really like this place, you know – did you know it was specially commissioned? I designed everything. Even the seals over the windows help to block out unwanted thoughts. It gives…gave me a place I could come and let my guard down and just be."
Yohmei snorted. "Oh, please. This is where Hao…you…plotted evil deeds. It's an accursed place."
"Don't push it, old man!" snapped Yoh, his amusedly tolerant mood vanishing in an instant. Little pinpricks of flame danced in the dark mirror of his gaze. "You know, what amazed me most about my family was their ability to believe the worst about me without even asking me about it. Considering it was my abilities that built this house, that gave them their comfortable lives and good reputations, you would think I might have been granted the benefit of the doubt, or at least a 'Hao, we hear you're crazy, would you like to talk about it?' But no, it was all 'Hao is going to ruin us!' and 'Hao must be stopped!' and 'Oh, the shame of the Asakuras! He isn't human!'" He took a deep breath. "I had a son. He was just five. Can you imagine what it must have been like for him to watch his father struck down by his own family? And then you lot loaded him up with the family guilt that's been passed down with a lot more enthusiasm than the family wealth, it looks like."
The incongruity of those words coming from his teenaged grandson would have struck Yohmei as hysterically funny at any other time. But not now. "So you are Hao."
"In a manner of speaking."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Yoh sighed. His rage seemed to have been spent in his outburst, and a strangely calm look settled again over his face. "I am who I am, grandfather. It was written in the stars the night I was born again. For all that I could control the when of my reincarnation, I neglected to consider the how.One soul…two bodies. The Great Spirit must have a sense of humour. One body received the bulk of the Furyoku, and memories, and an identity. The other…the other was seemingly normal. But unknown to even itself, it possessed one ability, an ability more powerful than any other because of its simplicity. The power to love wholeheartedly. An unstoppable force. One body had the power, the other the heart. Neither would ever be complete without the other."
The flames in the brazier leapt up, sending odd shadows scurrying around the walls. Yoh's eyes were large and liquid, seeming to see things beyond the veil separating the worlds of spirits and men. "When I…Yoh…fought Hao…when Hao took Yoh's soul, he was trying to become whole again. Lacking in empathy, he didn't…couldn't…understand that a soul cannot be rejoined by force, only by love…just as he didn't understand that you cannot force the Great Spirit to join with you…it must grant you that boon. The two halves of Hao's soul were unable to merge, and Yoh's half returned to his body. When he then defeated Hao…Hao's half tore free of his body and was drawn to the Great Spirit, there to wait until Yoh's half rejoined him. But neither of them counted on Yoh's heart." He sighed. "Yoh wanted to save his brother, so he reached out for Hao – and wrestled the spirits for the other half of his soul."
Yohmei's head was spinning. "So when you…Yoh…was unconscious…."
"Ah," came the soft agreement. "I almost lost myself. I was so close to letting go…it was a tremendous struggle, and the feeling of being one with the Great Spirit was so tantalizing. They had Hao, you see…I was there only because I chose to be…so I had to fight them for him."
"Why would you do that for someone who was trying to kill you and your friends?" asked Yohmei in confusion.
A dark chuckle. "So much for forgiveness, eh? Hao might have been crazy, but Yoh had heard his story. Yoh saw his…my…memories when he tried to take Yoh's soul. He empathized with his brother's pain and wanted to save him. Does that surprise you?"
"But Yoh won, eventually."
"Another thing to credit Yomi's hole with. I didn't lose myself. And then there was Amidamaru."
"Your guardian spirit?"
"He called me back," said Yoh simply. "I could feel him reaching out for me much as I had reached out for Hao. I just had to reach out my hand and take his. And here we are." Amidamaru chose this moment to materialize and hover over Yoh's shoulder in a show of solidarity, nodding in agreement.
Yohmei looked at his grandson in disbelief and awe. Yoh sat there serenely, much as Hao must have done a thousand years ago as he lectured disciples and apprentices in his study. His hand was lifted in a pose of instruction. "The half-souls that were two are now one." And then a sudden sheepish smile, "Or something like that, anyway."
"What do you intend to do then?" spluttered Yohmei finally. "You've won – you've gotten a body and the other half of your soul back. Yoh lost. Are you going to kill everyone and build your Shaman Kingdom now?"
A uncharacteristic look of annoyance crossed Yoh/Hao's face. "You seem to be determined to misunderstand me, grandfather. I did not lose. This is Yoh's body, and this is Yoh's soul…which is also Hao's." A half-shrug. "I guess the Great Spirit realized that the only way to undo the darkness that had settled over Hao was to free him from it, if only for a while. So the half of his soul that was Yoh was able to live unencumbered by bitter memories and to remember the innocence that belongs to every new spirit. And when the time came, Yoh's heart was able to take all the darkness of Hao's and temper it. Hell, I can't even stay mad at you, and that's saying a lot! What is it I always say? 'Yoh is always Yoh?' That is, after all, the only thing I truly know how to be." He laughed suddenly, a carefree sound much like his father's, raising his voice to an unseen listener. "Saa…nantoka naru, ne Otoo-san?"
"Soka." A quiet voice from the doorway to the room. Mikihisa stood there, a tall figure in his bird-mask.
"Hello, father," said Yoh/Hao agreeably. "You've been listening there a while haven't you? Sorry I didn't ask you to come in earlier, but I was in the zone and didn't want to be disturbed. Have a seat now, if you like."
Yohmei struggled not to let his relief at the reinforcements show on his face. He knew he could count on Mikihisa to stay clear-headed and decide what was to be done. If anything could be done. The monk stepped over the threshold and cocked his head curiously at his son. "So. What now? Eh…and what would you prefer to be called?"
Yoh/Hao looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well…there is a part of me that is partial to Hao, it's worked for the last thousand years. But since Yoh survived, I guess he should get his day in the sun. Besides, it sort of amounts to the same thing anyway, doesn't it?"
Mikihisa smiled almost fondly at that. "You noticed."
"I am, after all, the greatest shaman ever to have lived," replied his son with mock huffiness. "Yoh is a root radical of the name Hao. Nice touch – or was it Okaa-san I should be thanking? Eh…and gomen nasai…I'm really sorry about the, um…the burns." He looked crestfallen. "It's sort of confusing because it wasn't me…and then again it was…." A frustrated look crossed his face, and all at once it wasn't Asakura Hao, transmigrated shaman who sat there, but Asakura Yoh, teenager, heir of the Asakura's…and son. "It's hard figuring myself out when my two halves have had such different experiences. Everything feels so different that it has to be relearned, even the way my body feels." He lifted a hand and turned it before him, studying it in fascination for a moment, before letting it drop back into his lap.
"I have faith in your ability to do so," replied his father. "I always have. You will do the right thing, Yoh, I am sure of it." The two looked at each other with an embarrassed mix of respect and amusement. They simultaneously raised their hands and scratched the backs of their respective heads, then laughed to see each mirroring the other.
Yohmei blanched. "Mikihisa – you're taking this far too lightly! Do you not understand what is at stake here? Asakura Hao has returned to the world and we have failed to stop him!"
"Eto…I think you are worrying unnecessarily. Yoh is Yoh. He's still my son," said Mikihisa with surprising firmness. "We…no, you placed a burden on him that he never asked for. And he dealt with it in the only way he knew how, because that's what he does. He chose to overwhelm his darkness with light rather than strike at it with hate. And I am proud of him, even though I have no right to be." He added meditatively, "I've been a bit of an absentee father. Had to keep track of my other little rascal, you know."
Yoh smirked. "I…that is, Hao…always could feel you following me about."
"You're both crazy and I wash my hands of this nonsense," barked Yohmei in exasperation.
"Fine," retorted Mikihisa. "Nobody asked you, anyway!"
"Fine!" growled Yohmei. "You go deal with this yourself, why don't you?"
"I will!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
The two men glared belligerently at each other, hands on hips. Amidamaru winced, anticipating a mini-Shaman Fight breaking out. "Yoh-dono – should we not intervene?"
Yoh sighed, half-amused. "No, on the rare occasions that Otoo-san was home when I was little, they used to fight like this all the time. Generally over the way grandfather was raising me. They're like Horohoro and Ren…it's how they express affection for each other."
"It is not!" snapped the two men simultaneously, glaring at the teenager. A chagrined expression spread over their faces as Yoh and Amidamaru raised skeptical eyebrows at them. They must have learned that expression from Anna, thought Mikihisa, it's not something Yoh normally does. Or Hao, for that matter.
"Whatever. Shall we go to dinner?" asked the boy as he unfolded himself from his seat. "Grandmother will not be kind if we're late."
Yohmei blanched. "What am I going to tell Kino!"
Oyamada Manta says:
So the secret is out! But Hao didn't exactly lack for allies – or enemies, what will happen if they find out Hao lives in in Yoh? What destiny approaches for the heir of the Asakuras and will he rise to meet it? Read on in Shaman King: Do You Believe In Destiny: Chapter 5: The Rising