Horo Horo was sitting with Yoh in his pool. He had been spending a lot of time with Yoh in the past week. Jessica had not said anything since Kacia had revealed her loyalty to Hao. She did how ever tag along with Ren where ever he went. Horo Horo understood that she only did this because Ren didn't speak either and could rely on him not to talk to her. Ren had also been effected by Kacia's actions. Horo Horo's suspicions about how he felt towards her had been confirmed. Horo Horo would have normally teased him about this but now he didn't have the heart. He, like Jessica had not spoken a word and if asked a question would merely nod or shake his head or ignore the question entirely.

Yoh had hoped that Ren would have at least started to speak again during the week but his hope had been in vein. He enjoyed Ren's company, even when he was sneering at him or gloating about something or other. But it was getting harder and harder watching Ren sinking deeper and deeper into himself. His skin looked paler than usual and his eyes were lifeless.

One day Anna approached Ren and said. "Ren, you really need to snap out of this. Kacia is gone. You need to get over it." Yoh, Horo Horo and Ryu were watching this through a doorway, unseen by Ren or Anna. Ren looked at Anna briefly and then his gaze dropped. "Ren!" Anna shouted. "You are being stupid." Ren still did not respond. "This is so weak." Anna said, trying a new tactic. "You will be lost in the tournement. Yoh will become shaman king so easily now." This triggered a response, but it was not the one Anna has been expecting. Ren looked up at her and To Anna horror, she noticed Ren's eyes were unusually watery. He brushed past her before he would break down entirely. He did not emerge from his room for the rest of the day.

Ren was by a river, gazing into his own reflection and in deep thought. "Ren?" said a voice. He regognised this voice though he had not heard it in sometime. He turned to see Jessica. "Ren, I know it is hard, but you need snap out of it." Ren blinked at her. " I wanted to shut everyone out too, but last night I spoke to Horo Horo for the first time in ages. I told him how I felt about Kacia deserting us and now…I feel free. It is like a huge weight has been lifted off me."

"I…" Ren said. His voice was slightly sctratchy from its lack of use. "I don't know what to say."

"Did you like her?"

"No. I think I loved her." There was an awkward pause. "No," Ren corrected. "I do love her. I still do. I have never admitted that up until now."

"Why did you not tell anyone?"

"I think everyone thinks I am incapable of loving. When I was brought up…there wasn't much love…and so now people think I can't."

"Everyone can. It is just harder for some people to find it." Jessica comforted. Ren smiled bitterly.

"I wish I couldn't. Then I would not be going though all that I am now."

"Come on. Lets go back to the others and see what they are doing. I am sure everything will sort itself out."

---

"Where is Horo Horo?" Ren said. This was the first thing he had said when he got back. Everyone looked surprised but were also pleased.

"He has his first battle today." Yoh explained. Yoh and Ren had already had their first shaman fights. Yoh had found it very easy. Ren however had been very distracted but has won all the same.

"Who is he fighting?" Ren asked. Yoh, Pirika and Jessica shared an awkward look. "We do not know them. We offered to go with him but he didn't want us to."

"Hmmm." Ren sighed. He found everyone's company a lot more bearable since his talk with Jessica, though he felt he didn't need to reveal why he had silenced himself. He knew that everyone had worked out why for themselves.

---

Horo Horo arrived back home a few hours later. He had a deep scratch down the side of his arm, but was beaming broadly. While Pirika bandaged his arm, he gave a step by step account of his fight, not leaving a single detail out, though perhaps exaggerating his own moves a little too much to be entirety believed.

"So, Ren I hear you are talking again!" he said with a mischievous grin.

"You heard correctly." Ren said. Horo Horo laughed.

"I am glad to hear it. Seriously, you were creeping me out slightly. You were like a zombie." Horo Horo said. Pirika pulled his ear with mutters of "You are so insensitive."

"No it is ok." Ren said.

"So," Horo Horo said brushing off his sister, "What are your plans for Kacia and Hao?"

"Horo Horo! You can not ask him that!" Jessica gasped.

"I," Ren said determinedly, "Will let the events unfold as they wish. I know I will see her again. For better or for worse, I do not care, but I know I will see her."

"And what about Hao?"

"Lets just say I would not like to be in his position when we come face to face."

"Ah," Ryu breathed. "Now that is the Ren I recognise."

"What you mean moody and has a bad attitude?" Horo Horo asked before having his ear pulled again. Ryu laughed.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"That was so funny I forgot to laugh." Ren sneered.

"But I think Ren I right though." Ryu said. "I do not think I would like to be in Hao position right now."

(A/N) Thanks for reading this. hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R. Will update soon.