Heys! Thanks to all my reviewers! And thanks to Valinor's Twilight for pointing out my mistake. I've corrected it! Haha snow-angel-anna has also updated, so check it out! Haha here's chapter 13!

Chapter 13- Hope

As soon as the bell rang, Lyn grabbed Heartblade and stood up, walking towards the class doors. "Hey Lyn…aren't you going to the movies with us? We're supposed to meet Hao and the rest at the front gate, remember?" Kaede asked Lyn, wondering if Lyn had forgotten.

"Umm…something came up…You guys go ahead without me…I've got something on…" Lyn muttered apologetically before dashing out of the class. Kaede stared at her disappearing back in bewilderment. Just the day before, she had been so excited about the movie they were going to watch.

"Where's Lyn going in such a hurry? I thought we were all going to catch a movie?" Ren asked, walking towards Kaede, keeping a light grip on Kwan Dao. Kaede shrugged, still bewildered by Lyn's behaviour, then turned to Ren. "Does that mean you're not joining us either?"

"Of course I am…that Lyn isn't coming doesn't change anything! I'm not some lovesick dolt." Ren sputtered in denial, although his face was lightly flushed.

"Well, I thought you would be worried about her or something. But since you're still joining us, lets go meet Hao and the rest now…" Kaede said, walking out of class. Ren hesitated for a second before following. It's not that I'm not worried…

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Lyn breathed heavily, Heartblade clanking in its scabbard as she ran towards her destination. She had heard a group of girls talking about a young man with blonde hair who had been shouting and threatening to beat up two elderly women who had apparently been unable to provide him with information that he wanted.

Blonde hair, with a bad temper. Lyn vaguely remembered someone similar amongst his companions, or rather, followers. She might be overly suspicious, but it was better to be sure. And if she was right, she could guess where their hideout was. Of course, it might be a trap, but it wasn't like she had any choice.

Just because her parents were dead didn't mean she would give up on her mission. Nothing she did would ever bring them back, so she might as well devote her effort to saving other innocent lives. She would fight him, even though he was her brother.

My brother died the day he killed our parents,

For that was the day he turned his back on his own family.

If he could murder his own parents in cold blood,

Then all hope is lost

So I must treat him as a stranger,

And treat my brother as dead.

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Ren shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He just couldn't shake off that ominous feeling that had nagged at him since Lyn had run off alone.

"Hey! Stop moving around down there!" One of the audience called from the back. Ren slumped down into his seat, muttering curses.

"What's been eating you, dude? You've been really distracted since we got in…is the movie too gory for you?" Horo Horo whispered worriedly from the seat to his right.

Ren shrugged, feigning nonchalance. Lyn can take care of herself…right? Ren desperately tried to convince himself that nothing was wrong.

I should never have let her go off on her own…

"I'm getting out of here…" Ren muttered, gripping Kwan Dao tightly. "Wha-?" Horo Horo stared as Ren squeezed his way out the row of seats, his mouth gaping.

When Ren exited the cinema, he took a deep breath and looked around. He realised that he had absolutely no idea where Lyn had gone.

But he couldn't bring himself to go back into the cinema and watch the movie as if nothing had happened. If there was even the slightest chance of finding Lyn, he would take it.

Then, Ren did something which he had never done before. He closed his eyes, and let his heart lead his legs.

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"What's a kid like you doing around here anyway?" The man sneered, examining Lyn from head to toe. "Just get out of my way…I need to see Shinn…" Lyn growled, trying to walk past them.

"Who the heck are you to address Master Shinn so rudely?" The man growled, pushing her back forcefully.

"Get out of my way right now, or you will pay…" Lyn threatened, drawing Heartblade from its scabbard. "Oh? The kitten has claws?" The man mocked Lyn, snickering.

"People like you…who only know how to depend on another for power. People like you make me sick!" Lyn shouted, charging towards the man, sword at the ready.

"For insulting Master Shinn, you will pay dearly!" The man shouted, calling his guardian spirit out and performing an oversoul.

Lyn barely faltered as a huge serpent appeared in front of her. It was a muddy brown in colour, and had a gleam in its eye to match its Master's, and as it swept its tail towards her, it hissed dangerously.

Lyn did not allow herself to falter, but she didn't perform an oversoul. She would need all her strength against her brother's closest followers once she broke into their hideout, and that meant that she could not afford to waste it on someone as weak as the man standing before her.

Lyn jumped over the serpent's tail as it swept towards her, and continued dashing towards the man. She ran behind him and hit his head with the butt of her sword.

The man slumped to the ground in a faint, and the serpent shimmered for awhile before disappearing. Lyn sheathed Heartblade back into its scabbard and walked entered the dark building, the darkness swallowing her.

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"Well…look who has come to visit…" The blonde haired young man said, smiling smugly. "Don't act as if you weren't expecting me, Yuudai…this was a trap you built specially for me. Where the hell is that bastard Shinn?" Lyn growled, feeling her patience draining with every passing second.

"My…such harsh words for your darling brother. He would be hurt." Yuudai said, jumping down lightly from the stack of boxes he had been sitting on. "Cut the crap…where the hell is he?" Lyn shouted, putting a hand on Heartblade's hilt, ready to draw it at any moment.

"Looks like you are serious this time…don't you consider him your brother anymore?" Yuudai asked, smirking.

"My brother died the day he killed our parents! Now, all that's left is Shinn, my enemy! I have to end his life before he kills anymore innocent people!" Lyn said determinedly, gripping Heartblade so hard the engravings on the hilt dug into her hand.

"Unfortunately, Shinn is unavailable at the moment. But don't worry, he makes house calls. He'll probably drop by to visit you one day…And he will be sure to deliver death to some of those buddies of yours…" Yuudai said, a wicked grin on his face.

Lyn drew her sword with slightly unsteady hands. "You…had better not lay a hand on my friends! If so much as a hair on their head is harmed…I swear I will…"

"You will do what?" Before Lyn could finish her threat, she felt a cold voice cut in from behind. She saw Yuudai bow his head in respect and she knew who it was before she even turned her head.

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Ren ran with his eyes closed, then stopped when he felt a presence in front of him. His grip on Kwan Dao tightened and when he opened his eyes, he saw a large 2-storey building before him. Was Lyn in the building? Ren looked around, and noticed a man lying on the floor, knocked out.

Ren decided to trust his heart and he ran into the building, praying that Lyn was in there, safe and sound.

He ran along the hallways, all senses on the alert, and paused when he heard the sounds of fighting. He ran towards the sounds and entered the room where the sounds originated from, only to emerge to a intense battle between Lyn and her brother.

Lyn was struggling to keep up with her brother, while he wasn't even breaking a sweat. He wasn't even bothering to block or dodge some of her attacks, and yet, where Lyn's oversoul hit him, he was left unscathed.

Lyn was panting from both the exertion and the numerous injuries she had sustained. Blood was flowing freely from most of them, weakening Lyn considerably.

Then, Ren noticed another man standing and watching the battle with a smile. The man ran a hand through his short blonde hair, and whistled when he noticed Ren. "Shinn…You might want to end that soon…I see an opponent you are even more interested in…"

Shinn cast a glance and smirked when he saw Ren. He sent Lyn flying with a slash of his sword, and turned to Ren, grinning in anticipation.

"And I thought that I would have to look for you…to think you delivered yourself to me…you're digging your own grave…" Shinn smirked, and sheathed his sword.

Ren gritted his teeth and clenched his hand around Kwan Dao's handle. Shinn dared to mock him? Treat him as a small fry who could be defeated bare-handed? Well, he was going to make Shinn regret underestimating him.

Ren cast a glance at Lyn, who was just getting up from the floor. She attempted to run towards Ren and Shinn, but was stopped by the blonde man, who held a sword to her throat and forced her to stand there, watching helplessly.

That Shinn could do something like that to his own sister. To Lyn. Ren would not let him off. Ren readied himself for battle and went into his starting stance, spear at the ready

"Bason in Kwan Dao!"

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Lyn watched the scene before her in desperation. She struggled but to no avail. Yuudai had put down his sword long ago, but he had made a barrier to hold her in place using his furyoku.

Ren was using all the attacks in his arsenal against Shinn, but had been unable to land a single successful hit on him. Shinn was serious about wanting to harm Ren. Much as Lyn hated to admit it, Shinn had gone easy on her in their battle earlier.

Why he had gone easy on her, Lyn didn't know. Who could tell what he was thinking or why he did certain things these days?

Suddenly, Lyn noticed something slip from under his shirt. She squinted at it, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw what it was.

It was a necklace with a dark blue stone on it. The stone was surrounded by a harsh dark glow which seemed to have a life of its own. That he was still wearing the necklace…maybe there was still a chance he could be stopped without fighting him…

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Ren jumped backwards to dodge an attack from Shinn. None of his attacks had even left a scratch on Shinn. Ren was getting ready for another attack when Shinn rushed towards him and knocked Kwan Dao out of his hands, then slashed with his sword, sending Ren flying back.

Ren kept his mouth shut, resisting the urge to gasp in pain when his body slammed against the wall. He sunk to the ground and felt his head spinning, his vision blurred. He blinked in an attempt to focus his eyes, and saw Shinn walking towards him menacingly.

Ren looked around for Kwan Dao, but it was beyond his reach. Ren drew Thunder sword from his belt and lengthened it to its full length.

"Bason in Thunder sword!

Ren jumped away from Shinn, and raised Thunder sword above his head before bringing it down with a shout. "Sea of Blades!"

Ren smirked when hundreds of swords, spears, tridents and halberds shot out from the ground. It was impossible that this attack had missed. This was his ultimate attack, and it had been strengthened when he had become Shaman King and gained the strength of the Great Spirits.

Ren's eyes widened in horror as the blades disappeared and he saw Shinn standing at the centre of where the attack had been, unscathed.

"Oh Lyn…I forgot to mention…I have another new ability, that is, immunity to oversoul attacks." Shinn said, grinning wickedly at the looks of shock on both Lyn's and Ren's faces.

Shinn yawned, bored. "Well, I will let the two of you off today, since I'm in a good mood. Besides, you two are good entertainment when I'm bored…" He said, smirking.

"Oh and I trust you don't need another lesson in your dreams? If I feel you need another reminder, I will be much harsher on the punishment you get this time around." Shinn said, looking at Lyn with a sneer before walking out of the room, throwing a roll of bandages behind him.

Yuudai gave them an evil grin. "You should never have pitted yourself against Shinn…" He told Lyn with a laugh before running after Shinn.

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Lyn dropped to her knees with a gasp when the barrier around her was suddenly released. She towards Ren weakly, her body wracked with pain from her many injuries. But she couldn't care less. She grabbed the roll of bandages and sat cross-legged next to Ren.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Ren asked when Lyn leaned towards him, bandage in hand. "Your head is bleeding…" She murmured, wrapping the bandage around his head gently. Ren took her hand by the wrist just as she was tying the finishing knot.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, his golden eyes flooded with concern. She shook her head sadly. "No. my wounds don't hurt at all…"

Ren shook his head, pulling Lyn towards his chest. "I meant your heart…it must hurt, having to fight your own brother like that…" He said, stroking her hair gently.

"I'm fine…" Lyn replied, pushing him away half-heartedly. She stood on unsteady legs and smiled weakly at him. "Well, let's go…"

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The moment they got back to the En Inn, Lyn ran up the stairs to her room, leaving Ren to face Yoh and the rest on his own.

"What the hell happened?" Hao asked, looking at him concernedly. Ren shrugged and was about to walk away without giving them an answer, but when he saw the look the were giving him, he sat down with a sigh.

"Lyn went to find her brother, and there was a fight…" Before Ren could continue, he was interrupted by Kaede. "Brother? Lyn never told me she had a brother…" Yoh nodded in agreement. "I think you've lost us, Ren…"

Ren growled impatiently. He had forgotten that they were unaware of Lyn's brother. "The one who killed Lyn's parents…was her brother…"

Kaede gasped, and Yoh, Horo Horo and Hao stared at him in shock. Even Anna's eyes had widened slightly. "That sucks…" Yoh whispered.

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Lyn closed the door behind her and dashed towards her backpack. She hadn't unpacked her belongings she had taken from her house back in Kyoto, but she was positive it was inside her bag.

She dug through all her items until she found what she was looking for. It was a necklace, similar to the one Shinn had been wearing except it was light blue in colour, so light that it was nearly colourless, and it was surrounded by a soft gold glow instead of the harsh dark one.

The two necklaces had been given to Shinn and herself from their parents on her fifth Christmas. The two stones would pull towards each other when they were close together, and their parents had told them that the stones would signify the closeness Shinn and herself shared as siblings.

The fact that he was still wearing his necklace, meant that there was still hope for him.

Hope…