Hey guys…I'm back with another chapter! Sorry for taking so long…the holidays were spent in a lot of places and…I was just lazy (hence the name (wink). I'll try to keep off the killing and not make them too much or anything but this is an OOC story…Enjoy if you can…

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King. Neither do you.

Chapter Five: Ally (A/N: The name says it all, doesn't it?)

Ren sat in a chair that was in front of the TV, chugging down his third bottle of milk. He looked at the window where he saw the moon surrounded by the stars, the new "Shaman Channel," a channel for shamans only, making its third news report.

'This is Shaman Reporter at nine o' clock. Recently, our shaman king, Yoh Asakura…' Ren's attention was caught by the name of his friend and turned up the volume, Bason appearing in spirit ball mode.

'…was charged guilty for trying to kill Silva, one of the ten Patch guardians. He was supposed to be executed for doing so but when the shaman Magister entered Patch village he saw the corpses of dead shamans. There seemed to be a survivor of this massacre. It was Magister's child, who told him what had happened and who had done all this. The child told him that this was the work of Yoh Asakura, who escaped the prison and is now on the run. But because of this bloodbath there will be no more Shaman fights to determine who the Shaman king is. Since this maniacal killer is on the run may all of the shamans please be careful and be cautious on where they are going. This is Mari Juana (A/N: Excuse the name, it was hard enough to think of one) signing-' at that time Ren turned the TV off and went to his room. He could not believe that his friend would kill anyone, let alone a whole village. He put his coat on and took the Houraiken and left the premises to go to Yoh wherever he was.

A week after the report of the killing, Yoh came back to Funbari and quickly headed for the graveyard. He opened and slammed the skeleton door, dropping the bag. Soon, a swarm of black rats scattered around the floor, taking the bag into the darkness. Seconds later small, bright and colorful flames surrounded Yoh in the room, entering him. Red eyes much familiar to Yoh stared at him from the darkness.

"You know, I haven't seen you in your real form," Yoh said, catching the bag that was suddenly thrown to him.

Why should I?

"Well, I want to see who I'm 'working' for," he replied. Ramius thought for a while.

…Very well, Asssakura. I will show you my true form…only when you have finished my work, he decided. Yoh nodded, slinging his bag over his shoulder, heading for the door.

Perhapsss you should get an ally, Ramius suggested. Yoh turned his head to the darkness, his obsidian eyes staring into the red eyes.

"Why should I?" he used the same words Ramius said. Ramius chuckled darkly.

Ssso far, you've killed a village of shamansss at leassst equal to five hundred and get back here in half a month. Face it, Asssakura; you NEED help if you want your love fassster, he replied. Yoh quickly headed out the door, bumping into someone.

"Sorry about that, I…" he started.

"Yoh? That is you, right?" a familiar voice asked. Yoh looked up and saw Ren, who looked down at him. Ren smirked and extended a hand to Yoh. Yoh held onto his hand and got up.

"Is it true what they say in the news, Yoh?" Ren asked, leaning on the wall of an alley.

"What do you mean, Ren?" Yoh quickly made a choice to either let Ren live and help him and then finish him off when he didn't need him, or kill him right here and give his heart to Ramius.

"I mean, did you kill all the shamans of Patch village?" Ren said clearly. Yoh gulped before nodding. Ren's face held no surprise.

"Why did you do it?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, why did you kill them, the shamans of Patch village? Clearly there would be a reason for you to do such a thing," Ren repeated, clenching the Houraiken hard.

"Well…" he started.

"Do you know now that you've killed them all, there will be no more shaman tournaments to determine who the shaman king is?" Ren interrupted, putting a bit of pressure on Yoh.

"Err…"

"And no more tournaments to determine this means the destruction of Earth! Do you want that to happen?"

"No, but…"

"But what?" Ren asked angrily. Yoh looked away.

"..I did this because I wanted to bring Anna to life…I can't live without her…"

"But Yoh…you can't bring people back from the dead…" Ren sighed. Yoh looked back at Ren.

"I can't, but the Overlord of Death can," he said. Ren looked at Yoh quizzically.

"Overlord of Death?" Ren thought this over.

"Yoh…can you show me to this…Overlord of Death?" Yoh nodded and headed to the graveyard again, stopping beside the skeleton door. He opened it, nodding towards the darkness inside. Ren headed toward it before Bason appeared in front of the door.

"Bocchama, I sense something evil here. I don't think you should go in there…" he warned.

"Move aside, Bason." Ren said firmly.

"But Bocchama…"

"I said move aside, Bason, or I will place you in here." He repeated, holding up a mortuary tablet. Bason stayed where he was.

"…I'm sorry, Bason, but you leave me no choice." Ren forcefully put Bason in the mortuary tablet and headed inside, Yoh heading in as well. As Yoh entered after Ren did, the red eyes appeared.

Back ssso sssoon…Ah, I sssee, you brought me an ally…Tao Ren, correct? Ren was emotionless on the outside but on the inside he was quite surprised that he knew his name. Ren simply nodded as the red eyes directed toward Yoh.

I would appreciate it if you waited…outssside. Yoh nodded, walking outside.

After what seemed like hours to Yoh, Ren came out, blood trickling down his right shoulder where Ramius placed his mark.

"I need to do something for Ramius first. He asks you to go back inside now." Ren said. Yoh nodded, going inside.

He ssseemsss to want power, my dear friend. Ramius said, chuckling.

"He wanted Amidamaru the first time we met," Yoh said, remembering that time.

What do you plan to do now? Ramius asked.

"I plan to wait until he comes back. When we narrow down to just a few…" He trailed off. Ramius waited patiently for him to finish.

"I'll finish him and Hao." He finished, looking at the door.

Author's Notes: Going back and forth here in this chapter…R&R please!

-LazyShamaness