Chio-sama: This story is brutal. This is what would've happened if the Chou Senji Ryakketsu had secretly affected Yoh more than the others, if Hao had secretly interfered during the training in the tome, and put his full influence on Yoh, and it worked…
Crystal: This sounds like it's going to end up Angst and Tragedy!
Chio-sama: I was thinking more along the lines of just upping it a rating when it reaches a more violent part.
Also, this takes place Mid and possibly Post Anime, depending on how many reviews I get. So, for your convenience….. SPOILER WARNING!
Disclaimer: No I don't own Shaman King, because if I did, it would have more blood and violence, and probably about six more seasons.
"Anna, do you think that they're going to be alright?" Manta asked worriedly. Yoh and the others had just entered the portal Anna had created. The portal that had taken them directly into the memories of Hao Asakura. They were training she had said, but entering Hao's Chou Senji Ryakketsu was nothing short of full on suspense. He couldn't just sit and wait any longer, he had to do something other than that for once.
Without waiting for her to answer, Manta turned around and sauntered quickly to a moderately sized crevice. He walked around the corner, out of sight and sat himself roughly down against the hard cliff wall. He silently turned on his laptop and began vigorously searching for more information on Patch Village. He wasn't going to let Yoh down this time.
"I'm not just gonna sit here and wait. I'm gonna do something to help Yoh-kun. I am!" he pleaded to himself, but it was then he noticed he wasn't alone.
"What can a pitiful human like yourself do to help Yoh?" Manta stared up at the large rock not far from him, startled to find Hao himself sitting in it. Manta was speechless.
"H…Ha…Hao…" he stuttered, his eyes widening as the realization that the most powerful and most dangerous shaman in the world was sitting in front of him, smiling malevolently. But he could say no more.
"You can do nothing. After Yoh finishes his training in the Chou Senji Ryakketsu, he will be with me. There is no alternative.." Hao said with a smile that could crack even the most hardcore shaman.
"Yoh-kun will never join you, Hao!" Manta screamed in retort. "He's my friend, and eh would never…"
"Your friend? Hehehehahahahahahahahaha! Yoh doesn't need anyone to call a friend other than me, especially a mere human like you. And the others, you may ask? Well, they are almost as pathetic as you!" Hao seemed pleased with his insults.
"Why would Yoh-kun join you, Hao? You kill and hurt others for your own selfish desires. Yoh-kun will never join you!" Manta yelled even louder.
"You would be surprised what my influence can do, Little-Manta. And you should not be so sure of yourself. They are back." And with that, he vanished. Manta quickly got up and ran back to the others, the portal glowing once more.
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Meanwhile, in the Hao's world of memories, the Chou Senji Ryakketsu, the boys had just seen Hao's incredible demonstrations of in-human strength and powers. They could all feel their souls changing, a new power coursing through them. But, none more than Yoh, a feeling other than power was overtaking him. He wasn't quite sure what it was. Then Hao was standing before him… all of them. All three of Hao's selves were standing around him, forming a pyramid that was an obvious prison.
But then Yoh realized something. This was from Hao's first life, the Chou Senji Ryakketsu, so why are all three of his incarnations here?
"Yoh," they said in unison. It sent chills up Yoh's spine. He looked from one to the other, but this only caused him to become more intimidated. "Come with me, Yoh." They held out theirs hands toward him. It hadn't been a request. But Yoh stood firm.
Suddenly, the three Hao's came together, leaving the newest Hao in their wake. With his hand still held out, beckoning Yoh to join him, he walked slowly toward said shaman and stopped less than three feet away.
"Take my hand, Yoh. We should be together. We belong together. Take my hand." Suddenly Yoh felt and almost irresistible urge to do just that, but he refused. He knew, somehow, this wasn't right. He knew deep down his friends weren't having this experience. Hao wanted him, and no one else. He couldn't give in.
Suddenly he was on his knees, a pain so intense, he was screaming without even knowing it. It wasn't physical, however. This pain was coming from his soul. It was his friends' voices. All of them saying horrible things about him… things he had heard before. Hao's voice interfered abruptly.
"I knew it, Yoh. I knew it along. You have it too, reishi. Deep down in your soul, you try to suppress it and stop it from taking over your emotions, but your resistance fails at times, doesn't it, Yoh. You hear things, the things they say about you that they believe you can't hear, but you still hear it anyway, don't you?" he paused, leaving Yoh to accept the truth painfully. Everything Hao had said was true, but how did he know? "It hurts you, but you try to push the pain away. That won't work, Yoh, because that is exactly what I did, and one day, I couldn't take it anymore"
Yoh was shocked. Was he really that much like Hao? Would he end up just like him in the end? The pain had now subsided. Yoh, on his knees, looked wearily up at Hao, his body numb and weak from the brutal mental and spiritual assault.
"Trust me, Yoh. I can help you like no one else can. Take my hand." Hao calmy relied to Yoh's pleading gaze. Slowly and unsurely, Yoh's hand went up to meet Hao's. He sat his palm to Hao's, a perfect fit. Hao smiled, surprisingly more benevolent than filled with malice like before.
"Hao…" Yoh said as he stood up slowly. But his body was too weak. He fell forward, his body coming gently to rest on that of the fire shaman. His tired head on Hao's shoulder. Hao's hands moved from their previous locations to embrace Yoh's body gently.
"Good boy, Yoh. You made the right decision, now let me take over for a little while. Now rest." And with that, everythin went black.
Chio-sama: I know it's not very intersting right now, but hey it's the first chapter! Please review!