Note from Author:
*****Hey guys, me again. Just my routine apology for not updating sooner.
Thank you so so much to all of you who have been loyally following this story and patiently waiting for the update. It means so much to me!
Every now and then all it takes is a bit of a kick up the backside to get me to update so… Here it is !
There's lots and lots more to come so please stay tuned! And enjoy!******
"Hurry up you sluggish idiots!" Anna called behind her. She was quite a distance ahead of the boys, Jeanne was nearly at her. Ren grunted and began to run faster, Lyserg soon following suit. Anna turned to face the two large pillars ahead, seeing the giant powerful Spirit of Fire in the distance. Once the boys caught up, seven golden spirits in the form of birds emerged to greet them.
"This again!" Ren yelled with a hint of desperation in his voice. Desperate to get through, desperate to beat HoroHoro to a pulp, desperate to defeat Hao, desperate to be over with this whole mess.
He did Oversoul, leaping up in the air and slashing at the bird with incinerating fury. He knew this would not work, but he couldn't help the direction his anger took.
"Ren!" Chocolove called. "Cut that out! That wont get us anywhere remember?"
"I – Don't – Care!" The Chinese shaman yelled. The golden bird sent him flying back to the earth painfully.
"Let us through!" Jeanne called. "We have no intentions of – "
"Show me your soul!"
"What?" This took Jeanne aback; she had never come here before.
"They say that," Lyserg explained. Then he called out, "We just want our friend back!"
"Show us."
Ren got up, clutching his Kwan-Dao. "I will not … be stopped by … these … stupid … birds!" he yelled. Ryu also began to attack, though with far less power than his companion.
"Ryu, stop!" Jeanne exclaimed in desperation. He did so, out of breath rather than by her request.
"But …" he panted. "Master Yoh …"
"We'll get to him Ryu, I know it!" Manta encouraged. "Don't worry!"
Anna ran up to the pillars, fuming, not caring if she was thrown back by the creatures guarding the area where Hao, and probably HoroHoro was.
"Go back!" the spirits bellowed, but she continued to run. They attacked her simultaneously, knocking her over and forcing her to skid a few meters away. She got up once more. "Shut up!" She screamed. Weakly, she ran again. "I don't care what you say! I'm not leaving! I'm not going to give up!" She stumbled, and once more was knocked over.
"Anna, stop!" Jeanne said, running up to help her off the ground.
"No! I don't care if it means dying! I want my Yoh back!"
Everyone was shocked to hear her say this. "Anna…?"
"Shut up! I want my Yoh back and I'm not leaving until that happens!"
She once more dashed her way to the birds. "Go on! Attack!" she taunted. When they just hovered there and let her run past, she stopped. In a deeper, and nearly silent voice, she whispered, "Thank you … for letting me pass. I'll do anything to get my Yoh back. I'll… I'll…" then she screamed, "I'll kill Hao myself if I have to!" and continued on her way.
"This Anna … is even scarier than before." Manta said, running after her. Jeanne quickly did the same, followed by Lyserg and Ren. Chocolove hurried on too, Ryu taking his time trying to catch his still depleted breath. The spirits let each of them pass without saying a word, and as they did so each one faded.
"Hao!" screamed Anna, finding HoroHoro on his knees, staring at the Spirit of Fire in the further background. "HoroHoro you idiot!" she yelled running up behind him. His face was filled with emotion, his eyes white, with droplets of tears forming on either side. His mouth was curved into a grin looking but also fearful smile. It was odd actually; his face was filled with extremely noticeable fright and terror. Yet the smile showed some sort of certainty. What was Hao about to do anyway? "Get on your feet you moron! Now that you have seen for yourself, help us stop him!" She demanded, the others running up behind them as well.
"Hao…" whispered HoroHoro, the tears spilling down his face. Opacho quivered stood against a wall-like pillar on the platform. She stared up at the red spirit and cradled in her arms, her precious friendship necklace.
"Hao-Sama…" she muttered sweetly. She shut her eyes tight, like she was praying in her mind.
Please be okay. Please be okay Hao-Sama.
Hao was stood confidently, his spirit hovering only meters from the Great Spirits. He was stood still, he could enter whenever he wished. But he didn't. His face looked annoyed, but his eyes looked afraid. He sighed slowly and sadly, closing his eyes for a moment and turning around. To only see his young friend Opacho stood staring back at him. He could see faintly, the dangling broken chain swinging from her fingers. Hao sighed again.
"Opacho…" he said to himself. He closed his eyes again turning around and stretching his fingers out in front of him. The Spirit of Fire imitated his move, reaching its hand to the Great Spirits. The tips of its fingers touched the important source in front of it, and a bright light shone from the inside. Hao left his fingers out reached, allowing the blue water to flow over his spirit's fingers. He closed his eyes once again, and dropped his hand back down to his side. Hao slowly bent down backwards and sat down on his spirit, his knees bent in front of him and he lent back on his arms. He sighed again.
"Look at this place! It's beautiful!" came a happy voice. Hao opened his eyes, to see the most beautiful scenery around him. He slowly lifted his hands in front of his face: he was back in his own body once again! He was sat on juicy green grass, daisies growing all around. Above him were a clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds and a beaming hot sun shining brightly above. Around in the further background, was large well grown trees, leaves and blooming pink flowers bouncing in the wind from the branches. Hao blinked and looked around again, to see the wonderful flowing spring, swimming with multi-colour fish. Birds flew and sang in the air, wild rabbits jumping and nuzzling the grass and deer roamed on the gorgeous fields. Hao got to his feet and laughed happily. When he turned around, his twin brother was running around laughing, staring at the sky. Birds we're flying beside him, butterflies flew into the air from the grass as he disturbed them. He began to spin on the spot, laughing continuously. He fell backwards onto the grass dizzy, giggling. "I love it here!" he yelled pleased. Hao slowly and uncertainly walked towards him.
"Yoh?" he said blinking. Yoh didn't look like he had seen him or even heard him, he was sighing happily closing his eyes and dozing. "What is this place?" asked Hao gently when he had gotten closer to him.
"This is our soul." Said Yoh, his grin stretching ear to ear. "This is our home."
"It's…wonderful." Hao laughed quietly sitting beside him. Yoh opened his eyes and put his arms behind his head. "How did it get here?"
"You created it." Said Yoh looking at him. "This is your soul."
"But…it's not like it used to be…"
"Hey look at that!" laughed Yoh interrupting him pointing to the sky. "See that cloud there?" Hao looked up at a cloud above them. "See it? See it?"
"Yeah? What about it?" said Hao tilting his head to one side.
"It looks like a snow board! See! See!" Yoh waved his finger slowly, drawing the outline in the air.
"A…snowboard?"
"Hey and that one over there!" laughed Yoh pointing to another cloud. "That one looks like a necklace. Don't you see Hao? Look! Look!" Yoh waved his arm showing him which cloud he was talking about. Hao looked at it. And indeed, it looked exactly like a necklace. But the cloud was slowly departing and breaking up into little clouds. "Awh no! It's broken." Sighed Yoh.
"Opacho…HoroHoro…" sadly whispered Hao closing his eyes. Yoh suddenly jumped to his feet. "C'mon Hao! I wanna show you something!" Yoh laughed running away from him and then throwing himself down onto his knees looking at the ground. "Hurry up!" yelled Yoh waving his hand at him. "C'mon! C'mon!" Hao got up quickly and jogged over to him, kneeling down next to him. "Look…" Yoh was pointing to a small purple flower growing out the ground. It was glowing a beautiful white light. "Recognize it? Eh? Eh?"
"It's…that flower…" said Hao smiling slightly.
"And that is exactly the same one." Yoh looked up at Hao and smiled at him. "This is your beautiful soul."
"My … beautiful soul?" Hao asked, staring at the flower.
"Yeah!" Yoh exclaimed, getting up and running off again, laughing the whole time. "It's beautiful! I love it so much!"
"Yoh…" Hao approached his twin timidly.
"I told you, I'm not Yoh anymore!" he laughed, still skipping around playfully. Hao shook his head, annoyed. "Whatever… I need to ask you something, and don't you dare repeat what you said before!"
"Ha ha! Sure thing!"
"Okay… I want to know how you came back."
"Back?" Yoh asked, stopping for a bit, eyes wide with wonder. "What do you mean?"
"I saw you disappear. You were gone, and ready to become part of me. So … why are you here now?" Hao demanded. Yoh smiled and laughed.
"I thought it was obvious. I can't be gone if I am you! How could I? It's not possible!" he grabbed Hao by the arm and began to run off, Hao beginning to laugh too, despite the fact that he knew this was wrong.
"One! Don't you feel better knowing you're whole, Hao?"
"Yoh, shut up a second will you? I was actually enjoying this."
"You still can! You're whole now!"
"I'm … whole …"
"His Oversoul broke again!?" HoroHoro yelled, watching the huge demon fade. Hao began to plummet to the ground. "Hao-sama!" Opacho screamed. HoroHoro mounted his snowboard and rushed over to Hao. He made a bed of snow with Kororo, deep enough to catch Hao without hurting him. The snow soon melted, and HoroHoro stood over his unconscious friend. "Hao, wake up!" He noticed Hao's mouth was moving, and he leaned in closer to hear.
"Whole …?"
"Oh god, he needs help." HoroHoro began to run off, but Ren quickly whipped out his Kwan-Dao and pointed it in HoroHoro's face. "You're not going anywhere! Traitor!" Ren spat. HoroHoro did Oversoul again, ready to fight. "Get out of the way, Ren."
"And if I don't?"
"Get out of the way."
"No!"
"I warned you." HoroHoro was picked up by his spirit, and they leaped behind Ren, who quickly turned around and blocked his path once more with his giant Oversoul. "I won't let you pass!"
"Ren, I need to get help! He's dying over there –"
"Shut up!" Ren struck HoroHoro in the face; a deep cut bleeding heavily.
"Let – Me – Go!" He shouted, freezing Ren's feet directly to the ground. He grinned and began to leave when Lyserg stopped him. "Let him die, then!"
"I can't …"
"Don't you see HoroHoro? Are you blind?" shouted Lyserg, his giant Arched Spirit holding Kororo by the shoulders to stop him from going any further. "This is our chance!" HoroHoro understood exactly what Lyserg meant. His eyes suddenly widened and he turned around, only to see Chocolove and Ryu running quickly towards Hao, their weapons glowing brightly, ready to strike.
"No! Stop! You can't!" screamed HoroHoro.
"Hao-Sama!" shrieked Opacho. Hao's eyes flickered, and his focus wasn't clear. The purple and yellow glow coming quickly towards him made him blink harder, and he saw the pair of them running to him. He lifted his left hand slowly into the air.
"Sp…Sp…" he stuttered. He was still in deep thought and miles away in his new wonderful place. "Spirit…of…" He screwed his face up tightly. "Spirit of Fire…" he whispered. Abruptly the huge demon appeared, Chocolove and Ryu stopping in their tracks in fear. The red demon stood in front of Hao, guarding him. The two of them stepped back. HoroHoro blinked and turned around and stared at Lyserg's shocked face. HoroHoro then blinked and his face changed into a determined look.
"Out of my way!" he yelled, Kororo grabbing Lyserg's spirit by the shoulders and throwing him hard to the ground. He then made his way away from the area.
"No! You're not going anywhere!" screamed Anna.
"And what are you going to do about it?"
"HoroHoro…" muttered Anna. "How could you betray us like this…" She sighed to herself, knowing that she had no way of force to stop him.
Not far away…
"I don't understand this completely." said Faust, panting.
"What is there not to understand?" asked Silva.
"Well I have a few questions. One, how did Hao come back? And two, why did they all came so early to the Patch Village?" asked Faust, tripping slightly and then trying to keep up.
"I'm not really sure how Hao came back, but what I do know is he tricked them all in thinking he was Yoh, and they needed to come here to stop Hao from taking the Great Spirits. For some reason, he revealed himself early and now he is trying to take the Great Spirits anyway." replied Silva running a bit faster.
"And HoroHoro?"
"Don't ask."
"So, you want me to be around to help if anyone gets injured? Is that correct?" The two of them arrived at the Ilvirakan Pillars.
"Yes that is right." They both looked in the further distance to see the large red spirit towering over the land. Silva sighed. "He's already begun."
"But I see no fighting."
"Hmm… me neither."
"Show us your soul." Boomed the large voice, two golden birds appearing.
"We've been here before." said Faust.
"Yes. And you remember what to do, right?"
"Of course." replied Faust.
"We have come to aid our friends in their great battle!" called Silva.
"I am here to give help to those who need it! I am a doctor!" shouted Faust.
"Show us your soul." Repeated the voice.
"Hao is going to try to harm you again!" reminded Silva.
"We are here, to help you!" called Faust.
"Show us your soul." said the voice.
"What? Why isn't it working." sighed Faust.
"I don't know…"
"I love it here! It's much better than that other place!" smiled Yoh twirling around.
"Yoh, stop for a moment. We need to talk." sighed Hao shaking his brother off him.
"Don't you remember? I'm not Yoh anymore!" laughed Yoh.
"That is exactly what I want to talk about. You are your own person." Hao said this is a very steady pace. He repeated again. "You. Are. Yoh. Asakura."
"I. Am. Hao. Asakura. I. Am. Hao!" yelled Yoh then laughing at his own imitated voice of his twin.
"Look! Listen to me!" screamed Hao grabbing Yoh by the shoulders, Yoh's face remained happy and not the least bit afraid. "You are my twin brother Yoh!"
"No I'm not…"
"Yes you are! You aren't me you are Yoh!"
Suddenly, Yoh's expression changed. "Why do you always have to spoil everything!" cried Yoh stepping back away from Hao shaking his hands off his shoulders. "Why are you always mean to me? Why? I like it here! I want to stay here! Why do you always want to take everything away from me!" Yoh started to run away from Hao, tears beginning to spill from his eyes.
"Yoh wait please!" called Hao chasing him.
"I'm not Yoh! I am Hao! Why won't you accept that!" shouted Yoh, his voice strained and agonized. "You can't escape that fact Hao!"
"Listen to me!" screamed Hao thrusting his hands forwards throwing a huge fiery red ball at his brother knocking him to the floor. Hao ran to him and pulled him to his feet and begun to shake him violently. "You are Yoh! You are Yoh! You are my brother! You can't escape that either!" Hao yelled, shouting the words at his twin's face. Trying to get through to him. Yoh's expression changed to horror and sadness.
"Why…why…" he whispered, Hao threw Yoh to the ground below them and Yoh landed on his knees. "Why do you always take everything away from me?" he whimpered. He lay forward, beginning to cry heavily. Hao found it hard to look at him. For Yoh had just made it clear that it was his fault he was so un-happy.
"Yoh…I…"
"Why! You take away my friends. You take away my life. And when I finally come to terms with what is happening, and start enjoying myself, you want to take that away too! Why?! Why?!" screamed Yoh into the ground.
"Yoh…"
"I told you!" Yoh looked up at him. "I'm not Yoh!"
"Yoh, is this your way of telling me that … you hate me?" Hao asked, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder gently, tears almost flowing from his own eyes. Yoh opened his mouth to speak, looking up at Hao painfully.
"I'm …" but Hao put his finger over Yoh's mouth, silencing him. "Don't tell me you're not Yoh. I know you are, simple as that. I'm giving you a chance to have your old life back, with your friends. I should never have come into your life, and for that … I am sorry." He whispered. Yoh blinked, still crying lightly. He put his hand to his heart and winced in pain.
"It … hurts …" he muttered.
"Yoh, I don't want you to …"
"Hao."
"What is it?"
"I am Hao."
"No, you're not! You're not Hao! You are Yoh! Yoh Asakura!"
"How can I be?"
"What do you mean?" Hao asked, staring into his twin's expressionless eyes. Yoh was staring intently at Hao, as if right through him. "I am inside you … I'm part of your soul now. Part of you… so what if I used to be Yoh Asakura? So what if I was my own person before? I'm not now, simple as that. I've realized that there's nothing I can do. I live with facing my destiny."
"Stop it! Just stop! I can't take it!" Hao cried, getting up and running off, away from Yoh.
"If only I could…" winced Hao.
HoroHoro stopped when he noticed Faust and Silva before the pillars. "Faust!" he cried. "Help!" he jumped off of Kororo and ran to Faust.
"HoroHoro!" Silva snapped. "What are you doing here?"
Ignoring Silva, Faust asked, "Who needs help?"
"Hao! Come on, you have to help him, something's not right –"
Silva shoved HoroHoro back, glaring at him. "Don't, Faust. He's trying to get the Great Spirits, like last time."
"I have to." Faust said, walking forward to help HoroHoro up. "Just because I do doesn't mean I am on his side. I'm doing this as a doctor, one to help any who are in need. And after all… Yoh's in there too."
"Thanks, Faust! I owe you one," HoroHoro cheered, running through the pillars again. Faust walked through as well, but Silva hung back. "I'm only going to make sure Anna and the others do not get hurt," he told the bird. It let him pass too.
"Where is he?" Faust asked. HoroHoro was dealing with Ren and Lyserg trying to keep him off, but he pointed beyond the Spirit of Fire, on the ground to where Hao lay on the snow. Faust looked at him in horror. "He's bleeding; the snow is all red."
"Good!" Anna cried. "Let him bleed!"
Faust sighed. "I should have known this would happen. Anna, don't interfere. This is my job as a doctor."
"But, he killed –"
"Yes, and I understand that! Now please, give me some time."
Faust pushed past the lot of them, approaching quickly to where Hao was lay. The Spirit of Fire sensed the safety in Faust's intentions, and allowed him to pass. HoroHoro attempted to follow, but the Spirit of Fire took a swing for him, HoroHoro swiftly jumping back.
"I want to help!" shouted HoroHoro annoyed at the huge spirit. Faust turned around and looked at HoroHoro.
"Don't try to cause trouble HoroHoro! Stay there and let me handle this!" called Faust. HoroHoro sighed and decided to do as he was told. Ren ran up behind HoroHoro trying to grab hold of him for his actions against him earlier. HoroHoro pushed Ren back away from him, and they both began to frantically shout and whine at one another, as usual. Faust sighed and checked Hao over. "Hao? Can you hear me? Hao?" asked Faust talking very clearly and loudly. He knelt on the ground in the blood stained ice around him. "Hao? Can you hear me?" he said again. Hao's face looked timid and weak, his eyes partly open. He was breathing very slowly and briefly. "Hao?" Faust took of hold of Hao's left hand and squeezed it gently. "Can you squeeze my hand, if you can hear me?" Hao lay still, but after a few seconds, managed a small squeeze on Faust's hand. "Oh good. Hao, don't worry. Everything is going to be okay." Hao's mouth moved slowly, and his eyes opened more slightly. Faust moved his head closer to his to hear what he was trying to say.
"Y…Yoh…" he whispered in a very quiet and forced voice.
"Hao, it's Faust." said Faust. Hao could see his face, but it was a blur to him. Hao was struggling to free himself from the place he found himself in before. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to face what he had done again. But, what he was seeing, and hearing, could only add up to one thing. This man was trying to help him. This person was trying to save his life. "Hao can you move any part of your body?" asked Faust. Hao strained the look on his face, and the fingers on his right hand twitched, and his hand slowly but steadily rose into the air. Hao's mouth moved again, but no sound at all came out. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Almost like he was about to give up. "Hao? No. Don't give up, Hao, you can get through this." Quickly stated Faust, shaking his hand. Hao ran through his thoughts once more.
People really are willing to give me a second chance.
Yoh can come back; it's up to me to try.
HoroHoro…
Opacho…
I can't give up on them…
They won't give up on me…
I know what I need to do.
I'm sorry Yoh.
I'm so…
"Sorry…" muttered Hao, his eyes opening wider. Faust smiled at him.
"Hao? Can you see me?"
"I'm so sorry…" he said again. Hao turned his raised hand over on its side, his palm facing the sky. Hao closed his eyes again. "Spirit of Fire…" he said in a quiet voice, but louder that a whisper. Faust's face changed to sudden shock. "Take them…now…" The Spirit of Fire stood strong and suddenly turned around and began to fly closer to the Great Spirits. Every eye in the area on it.
"What the hell is it doing now!" screamed Chocolove.
"It's gonna try to take the Great Spirits!" shouted Lyserg. Faust looked up to see the demon fly over him.
"Hao!" shouted Faust looking back down at him. Hao had managed to fully regain consciousness now. He shook his head vigorously, focusing on the task at hand. He weakly sat himself up.
"Dude, no!" HoroHoro screamed. He ran over to Hao quickly, "What do you think you're doing!"
Hao smiled and laughed, though with almost no energy. Quietly he hissed to his friend, "HoroHoro… I need the Great Spirits… to get Yoh… back... Play along, okay?" he grinned. HoroHoro blinked, and then sighed as a wave of relief washed over him. His friend was back. Faust looked on with a quizzical look. HoroHoro focused on the task at hand, raising his fist, about to throw an actor's punch at Hao. Hao took his queue and blocked the hit before it came too close.
"HoroHoro… you're a fool." Hao said. Working hard, HoroHoro kept a laugh down.
"How could you?!" He cried. "I thought we were friends! But you were just using me weren't you!"
"Of course I was. You don't really think I'd try and bring back my twin when he's given me so much power?"
"Yes, I did!" he screamed. "I thought you were a better person than that!"
Hao rolled his eyes and whispered, "Not so harsh. This is kind of hurting."
"Sorry, dude…"
"Emerge, Spirit of Fire!" Hao yelled, and sure enough the golden spirit came out of the waterfall, horrible screeching and moaning sounds following it. Hao laughed. "See? Are you even going to try and oppose me now? You don't have a chance without Yoh!"
Anna fell to her knees. "See what you've done HoroHoro?" she yelled to him.
"How is this my fault?"
"You helped him enter the village!"
"What?!"
"Don't be stupid! This is all your fault!" she cried. Ren came up and took a slash at HoroHoro.
"Ren-kun!" Faust held his hand out to stop Ren from doing any more damage. "I have to ask you to stop; I'm trying to heal them." Hao laughed even more. "Don't be a fool. I don't need any help." He fought to stand up, still bleeding heavily. "Now that I have the Great Spirits, I can finally do this… At last." He sighed. He put his hand over his chest, eyes closed. "Yoh…"
"No, stop him!" Anna yelled. Everyone but HoroHoro began to charge to him, but HoroHoro quickly made a shield of ice. "Go on Hao!" he cried. "Now!"
Hao opened his eyes. "But… he's so happy where he is…"
HoroHoro glanced behind him.
"C'mon man hurry up! They're really putting up a fight to get through here!" he yelled wincing.
"I'm not happy…where he is…not even you, Yoh, can stop me…"
"HoroHoro! When I get my hands on you, you're going to wish you'd never been born!" screamed Ren, slashing the ice with all his might. HoroHoro turned again.
"Hao! Hurry…up…" HoroHoro's eyes directed to the bright light, suddenly beaming from under Hao's fingers spread across his chest. Great golden power emerged around him, and slowly Hao lifted off the ground. Everyone stopped fighting, and watched what was happening. Hao looked below him and smiled happily. The Spirit of Fire faded into a vivid glow, hovering above Hao. Everyone gasped at the stunning event happening before their eyes. The glow and Hao collided in the air and the light became hurtful just to look at. During this, Hao's wounds healed, as all of the power of the Great Spirits, willingly became his. Hao's good intention was about to unfold.
"Yoh…" smiled Hao stretching his arms out before him. "Come Yoh…Part from me…" The light slowly divided into two, and the floating orb in front of Hao, took the shape of a boy, and slowly lowered to the ground. The remaining light swallowed Hao and as it faded, Hao's original form had returned. The orb of light reached the floor and was lay down slowly, the light grew higher, and then quickly faded. Leaving, in it's place, Asakura Yoh.
"Yoh!" shrieked Anna, tears streaming from her eyes. She ran to his side, and took hold of both of his hands and put them to her face. "Yoh! Wake up!" she cried. Ren, Lyserg, Ryu, Chocolove, Jeanne, Manta and Silva gathered around him.
"Err…" muttered Yoh, opening his eyes. "A…Anna?" he whispered blinking.
"Oh Yoh!" she smiled. "My Yoh! Welcome back! I'm so pleased you're alive!"
"Hey? Are you crying?" smiled Yoh stroking her face gently. "Don't cry Anna."
"Oh Yoh…" Anna threw her arms around his neck, holding him to her. "Don't ever leave me again."
"It's okay Anna. Please don't cry." He whispered. "I'm here now…"
"Hao-Sama!" shrieked Opacho.
"W-what's going on?" muttered HoroHoro, his face filled with horror. Everyone looked up, to see Hao leaning over himself, coughing badly. His eyes seemed filled with pain, and he was thrown to the ground. He hit the floor hard, and skidded along the ground, and without stopping, fell over the side of the hanging cliff plummeting to the depths of the Great Spirit's waterfall. "Hao!" shouted HoroHoro. Following this tragic happening, the Golden Spirit of Fire appeared again, but this time it wasn't under control. It swung its arms around, and gave a loud high-pitched scream.
"What's happening?" asked Yoh. "Where are we?"
"Yoh! The Spirit of Fire is going crazy!" shouted Chocolove.
"Hao! Hao!" shouted HoroHoro staring down into the oblivion.
"Hao-Sama! Hao-Sama!" cried Opacho.
"Someone save him!" screamed HoroHoro.
"Hao?" muttered Yoh. "Where is he?"
"Leave him Yoh. He deserves to die after what he has done." said Anna bitterly, looking at HoroHoro and Opacho and then looking back at Yoh. Yoh glared at Anna, his eyes looking annoyed.
"No-one deserves to die…Anna…"
"Yoh, are you telling me that you're going to …"
"Yep that's right!" he said, getting up and dusting himself off. "I have to go help him!"
"But Yoh!" she protested. "He killed you!"
"Well, I can't live with myself knowing that I killed someone." Yoh said, running over to the side of the cliff. "Huh. Now what do I do? I don't have Amidamaru with me."
"Here!" HoroHoro yelled. "Borrow Kororo!"
"Uhm …" Yoh stuttered. "I don't know."
"Dude, Come on!"
"Amidamaru…?"
"Augh! Dude, that's it!" HoroHoro gained giant Oversoul on Kororo once more and swooped down to pick Yoh up. Once on top of HoroHoro's oversoul, Yoh was yelling in protest. "Hey, put me down!"
"Sorry, dude! You want save Hao, you will!" HoroHoro laughed jumping off Kororo and landing on the edge of the cliff.
"Hao!" Yoh called as he flew farther down. He caught sight of his twin, falling unconscious, head first into the abyss. "Hao!" he called once more. When Hao didn't respond, he told Kororo to catch him from underneath. She did so with amazing speed, then banked and soared up into the air, snatching Hao out of the air as she did so. Hao opened one eye slowly. "Yoh …?"
"Hao, are you okay?"
"What's happening?" he asked, a tone of exhaust in his voice.
"When you separated from me, you fell down over here." Yoh explained as they came up over the cliff. HoroHoro cheered. "All right!" he yelled. "Great job!"
"You okay now?" Yoh asked. Hao shook his head, to get rid of the confusion. "Y-yeah… but why did you help me?"
"Because you're my brother."
"Yoh … I'm sorry … I know you didn't want to..."
"I suppose," Yoh shrugged. Kororo put the two of them down on the ground gently.
"Thank you, both of you." Hao said to Yoh and HoroHoro. "I'm sorry I caused all this…"
"Quit feeling sorry for yourself!" HoroHoro joked. Suddenly Lyserg walked up to them. "Yoh … I'm glad you're back." Yoh eyed him suspiciously, looking from him to Hao. "Thanks," he managed to say. "I missed you." He turned to everyone else, smiling. "I missed all of you." He walked back to Anna, who slapped him in the face, knocking him to the ground. "What was that for!" he asked her.
"First of all, you were weak in letting Hao kill you. And second, you're avoiding a problem." she pointed up to the Spirit of Fire. Yoh's eyes widened. "What the hell?"
"Spirit of Fire!" Hao called. "Stop!" But the spirit continued to rampage, too powerful for Hao to control. "Hao!" Yoh cried. "Stop that thing!"
"I … I can't!" he replied desperately.
"Well, why not?"
"I don't know!"
"What are we going to do now?" Anna sighed.
"If only Amidamaru was here." sighed Yoh. "He'd know what to do."
"I can summon him if you wish." said Hao looking at Yoh intently.
"Yes if you will." smiled Yoh. Hao knelt on the ground placing both of his hands on the floor in front of him. A few seconds past, and Anna walked to Hao and smacked him on the face, Hao grasping his sore cheek with both hands.
"Hey what was that for!" he yelled.
"The list is so long it would take me years to finishing explaining!" she screamed. "Get on your feet you know that this is my job!" Anna snapped. Hao jumped to his feet and gave Yoh a very strange look. Yoh chuckled. Anna sighed and then took off her beads, holding them to her side.
"I fondle it once, for the seed of the father." she said in a loud and clear voice. Her beads began to glow. "I fondle it twice, for the seed of the mother." She moved her beads swiftly to the side. I fondle it thrice for the hometown. Mirror, descend upon my body." She grasped her beads tightly and punched the air twice left to right. "If this voice is heard over in the other world, stand up. If the sound of these beads is heard, come out now!" she called, her eyes gleaming a blue glow. She lifted her beads high into the air. One by one, several glowing balls of fire appeared behind her. Followed by a larger one shaped like a person, a recognizable person in fact.
"It's working!" laughed Manta.
"Anna can do anything!" smiled Yoh.
"Amidamaru! Come forth!" screamed Anna. The fire grew into a larger blaze and then Anna blinked out of her hypnotic trance, leaving behind her Amidamaru. Floating there, looking very bewildered.
"Huh?" murmured Amidamaru.
"Hey! Amidamaru!" laughed Yoh. "Welcome back!"
"Yoh-dono? What is going on." He asked.
"There is no time to explain." said Hao looking at him.
"Ah! Yoh-dono! Hao is here!" said Amidamaru floating over to him as if to guard him. Yoh laughed.
"Yes I noticed." He said smiling. "We need to stop the Spirit of Fire. The Great Spirits are going berserk!" Amidamaru looked up at the Golden Spirit constantly attacking the air around it.
"If we don't do something, the Great Spirits may do something incredibly bad!" reminded Yoh.
"But what can we do?" asked Amidamaru.
"Well…I hoped you would have an idea." sighed Yoh and sweat drop rolling down his head.
"We could work together?" said Hao, in a voice that sounded like it wasn't actually directed at anyone. Yoh looked over at his twin, who was staring back at him.
"It's worth a try." said Yoh.
Hao smiled. "Okay. Sadly, I cannot help you by attacking directly. So I need you to listen to what I have to say, and act based loosely upon my advice, okay?"
"Sure thing." Yoh said, smiling.
"Okay. You'll need the help of your friends." Hao said, looking over his shoulder at them. "I still don't think they trust me…"
"Oh well, they'll have to." Yoh said grimly. Hao smiled.
"Good."
"What?" Lyserg yelled. "I can't take orders from him! He – "
"Lyserg, calm down!" Yoh said. "He's not giving us orders, its just advice!"
"No! I can't!"
"Do you want to die?!" Yoh snapped. "Look, I know you're not happy, but the Great Spirits will kill us unless we do something!" He looked behind him, catching a glimpse of Hao. He sighed. Why can't I be like that? Yoh thought. So full of confidence … Next to him I feel so weak…
"Yoh, snap out of it!" Ren said, putting his weapon to Yoh's neck.
"Huh? What?" He asked. Ren shook his head.
"You spaced out there."
"Sorry. Anyways, now what?"
Hao smiled. "Oversoul."
The group made their giant Oversouls. Except for Yoh, everyone went off to attack the Great Spirits. "What are you waiting for Yoh?" Hao asked. Yoh just stood there, not doing anything. "Yoh, don't space out on me okay?"
"No… I won't …" Yoh said quietly. "What do I do?"
"Attack of course. But stay focused, and pour all your furyoku into the tip of your weapon." Hao said. Yoh nodded.
"Okay." He did so, running off and attacking with his friends. "I wonder why he's acting so strangely…" Hao muttered. Anna came up behind him. "What do you mean?" she asked sternly. Hao looked over at her and muttered, "He's spaced out…"
"He's always spaced out."
"But now he's just not doing anything. He wouldn't move until I told him to…"
"That's because he just got out of an ordeal." she said. "You messed him up."
Hao shook his head, and saw Yoh get knocked back. "Yoh, get up and fight harder! Get on someone else's Oversoul maybe and attack from up there!"
"Thanks …" Yoh panted. He called up to HoroHoro to pick him up. He did so quickly, the two of them holding up quite well. Then Hao called up to him,
"Hold it in place, then let Yoh attack!" HoroHoro froze the Spirit of Fire's arms and Legs, Lyserg held them in place, Ryu wrapping his spirit around the neck, Ren ready to attack whenever possible.
"Anna…" whispered Hao. "Is Yoh … any different to you?"
Anna was staring at them all, her face looking worried. She didn't reply. Almost like Hao hadn't said anything to her at all. Hao stared at her for a few moments, and then turned his gaze to the group above him. Yoh swung his giant sword down towards the Spirit of Fire, it made impact, but no result was visible. Yoh lifted and hit harder, but the same outcome revealed. Nothing was working. The Spirit of Fire created blazes in both its hands, melting the ice. The unbalance of the grip changed quickly, and the Spirit of Fire managed to throw every one of the Oversouls to the ground. Everyone got to their feet quickly, gaining furyoku once more, and jumping back into action without a second thought. Yoh, on the other hand, stayed stood, gazing in Hao and Anna's direction. "Yoh…" muttered Hao stepping towards him.
"It isn't working." said Yoh. No tone in his voice.
"Try again." said Hao, pointing up to the Spirit of Fire. "Try as hard as you can."
"Try again…try as hard as you can…" repeated Yoh nodding his head. Hao tilted his head on one side. "Try again. Try again." Chanted Yoh running away from Hao and then jumping pushing off the ground with his sword, HoroHoro catching him and they charged the Golden Spirit again.
"Yoh?" wondered Hao scratching his head.
"Hao-Sama…" sweetly muttered Opacho, shifting along on her feet towards him. Hao blinked at her and smiled.
"Hey. How you doing?" laughed Hao bending down on the ground.
"Hao-Sama okay?" she said gazing at the floor. Her face diverted to her hands, as she was carrying her most prized possession. Even though every so often apiece of it feel to the ground and she bent to pick them up. She sniffed wiping her face, smudging tears away.
"Hey, come here." He whispered smiling, lifting her up and cradling her. He stood up rocking her gently in his arms. She began to cry. "Don't cry Opacho." said Hao.
"Opacho missed Hao-Sama holding her." she whimpered.
"I'm sorry I ran off on you like that." said Hao still grinning at her. Opacho lifted her hand to his hair and caressed his face.
"Opacho forgive Hao-Sama. This is yours." Opacho held her hand to him, the broken necklace pieces scattered in her palm.
"I'll fix that I promise." sighed Hao taking it from her and stoking the parts with his thumb. The large piece with the special recognizable friendship symbols shone in the light. He smiled at her, carefully placing it in his right pocket. She smiled back at him. She tugged on his long hair. "Opacho happy Hao-Sama's hair is back." she giggled. Hao smiled.
"Me too."
The Spirit of Fire gave a loud roar and pushed the lot of them to the ground again. Yoh hit the ground hard and slid across the floor, stopping just a few feet away from Hao and Opacho. Hao gasped putting Opacho down and quickly jogging towards him. "Yoh! Are you alright?" Yoh groaned sitting up rubbing his head.
"Should I be alright?" muttered Yoh lifting his head to Hao. Hao stood over him, looking confused.
"Err…" murmured Hao. "Yoh? Are you okay?"
"Do you want me to be okay?" said Yoh, still no tone in his voice.
"Of course I do."
"Then I am okay." Yoh got to his feet. "I am trying as hard as I can Hao. It's not good enough."
"Come then Yoh. I'll fight with you." sighed Hao, taking Yoh by the shoulder. HoroHoro walked to them.
"Oh man. Nothing is working." groaned HoroHoro.
"Try again. This time, take me up there with you." Yoh and Hao walked towards the Spirit of Fire, HoroHoro following.
"Okay dude what ever you say." nodded HoroHoro generating his huge spirit. Kororo picked all three of them up, placing HoroHoro on her right shoulder. Yoh and Hao on her left.
"Right." said Hao determinedly. "Let's do this."
"What do we do, Hao?" Yoh asked, turning to his brother. Hao grinned. "Make your weapon smaller, Yoh. Then pour every ounce of your Furyoku into the tip. But hold back for a bit."
"Yes…" Yoh said, doing exactly what Hao told him to. "Make my weapon smaller … pour my furyoku into the tip…"
Hao eyed Yoh strangely, then shook his head. "HoroHoro, try to hold the Spirit of Fire in place again. All of you this time, just to be sure." He said. HoroHoro nodded, and called out to the others to hold the Spirit of Fire. Hao whispered to Yoh, "Yoh. I'm going to say something to it. Just attack it right in the center of its head when I tap your shoulder, okay?"
"Yeah…" Yoh mumbled, still trying to perfect his sword technique.
The boys quickly grabbed the Spirit, with increasing difficulty. Hao looked up to it, then slipped his hand into his pocket and clutched the pendant. "Thank you for giving me another chance… Opacho." Then he sighed and muttered something under his breath. Suddenly the Spirit of Fire stopped to listen to Hao. Everyone stared, wondering what he could possibly be saying to make the spirit calm down like that. Just as he was about to tap Yoh on the shoulder though, the spirit broke free of everyone's grip and took a swing at Hao. He fell off Kororo's shoulder, falling rapidly to the ground. Yoh looked down in horror, watching Hao fall helplessly once more.
"Yoh! Help!" he screamed. Immediately Yoh obeyed and caught him with HoroHoro's help. "Thanks… Yoh …"
"No problem. Don't worry about it; I'm here for you brother." Yoh said, grinning. Hao looked up into Yoh's eyes, appreciating his twin now more than ever.
"Hao! Give Yoh your Furyoku! All of it, now!"
"Anna?" Hao stared below him to see Anna yelling. "That's actually a good idea!" he called back. "You're not as useless as I thought! Only one thing – if I do that then all that power could destroy him!"
"Why, you - !"
"I couldn't hurt Yoh now. Not after all I've done to hurt him already…"
"Just do it! Now!" Anna screamed. Hao nodded, sighing heavily. He grabbed Yoh by the shoulder and turned him around. "Yoh, close your eyes."
"Ahh … " Yoh sighed, unsure about what he was doing. Nonetheless, he closed his eyes. Suddenly Hao's hand began to glow blue, and then faded. "Yoh, how do you feel …?" he asked, a little more weak than before.
"I feel… stronger."
"Good."
"Why? What did you do?" Yoh asked, eyes flying open. Hao chuckled a bit. "I just put some of my furyoku into you."
"Why?"
"To make you stronger. To help you destroy the Spirit of Fire."
"Thank you. Hao." Said Yoh, his eyes fixed on Hao's. They nodded at each other, and turned to face the Golden Spirit again.
"Let's go."
"Right." Agreed Yoh.
"HoroHoro! Now!" shouted Hao waving his hand towards the Spirit of Fire.
"Okay! Let's do it Kororo! Attack!" shouted HoroHoro, his Spirit intently rushing towards the Spirit of Fire. Ren, Ryu, Lyserg and Chocolove each had a firm grip on the Spirit; Yoh's attack was ready.
"Now Yoh! Aim for the head!" ordered Hao. Yoh pointed his sword at the Spirit. Kororo dipped towards it, throwing force down upon them. Yoh sliced forward, hitting the Spirit of Fire dead on, cracking the surface of its skull. The huge demon roared in pain, and everyone flew in all directions when it frantically swung its arms around attacking thin air.
"Well done Yoh! It's working!" laughed Hao.
"Yeah dude! Keep at it!" yelled HoroHoro in joy.
"Yoh! Attack harder!" screamed Anna. Yoh looked down at her, Hao doing the same.
"You're doing the best you can what more does she want?" muttered Hao.
"She doesn't tell me what to do anymore…" whispered Yoh. Hao heard him, not quite understanding.
"Yoh, let's try this again. Only this time try to boost just a bit more okay?"
"Yes Hao. Anything you say." Yoh said this while standing up determinedly staring blankly at the huge insane spirit. Hao shook his head slightly and then shrugged.
"Okay." sighed Hao. "Everyone! Try to grab it again!" he called. Each of the boys did so quickly, trying hard not to get hit when the demon swung its limbs around. One by one, they all gripped an arm or a leg and held it in place.
"Now!" shouted Hao. HoroHoro shot down from the sky forcing them forwards again. Yoh went to strike, but suddenly lost his balance. He stumbled slightly, Hao grabbing his shirt instantly. Sadly, as a result, Yoh's sword flew to the ground. Yoh watched it fall as it hit the earth hard and shattered into pieces.
"Oh no…" muttered HoroHoro. This event forced to Kororo swoop up into the air, she then hovered in place before drifting towards the ground. Everyone let go of the spirit, not sure what to do now. The Spirit began to try to attack Chocolove and Ryu who were on its left. The two of them dodging and waiting for further instruction.
"Yoh! You clumsy oaf!" shouted Anna.
"Oh Yoh. What am I going to do with you?" sighed Hao.
"I'm so sorry Hao. I'm so sorry…" Yoh's eyes filled with tears. Hao's eyes widened and he lifted his twin's chin to look at him, wiping the tears away with his other hand.
"Hey. No need for tears. It was an accident." smiled Hao.
"Okay I shall stop crying if you wish it." sniffed Yoh. Hao was beginning to think Yoh had suddenly become dedicated to his orders. And wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not.
"That sword is easily replaced." said Hao stepping back, and looking at his twin head to toe. "Hold your right hand out to the side of you." said Hao, Yoh quickly obeying lifting his arm into the air. "Concentrate really hard, focus all of your energy and all or your furyoku, and morph Amidamaru into a sword." said Hao calmly explaining. Yoh closed his eyes, concentrating hard. Soon enough, blue light and energy formed around his right shoulder and shot down to his fingers, leaving in his hand, a shiny brand new sword. "This should also make the attacks more powerful. It takes a lot of my furyoku to make this." Smiled Hao. Yoh opened his eyes and smiled broadly at what he had just done.
"Thank you Hao." Grinned Yoh.
"Okay. Let's try this again." said Hao. "Everyone! Back into positions!" he called, everyone doing so rapidly.
"Yoh-kun!" Manta called as he came up beside Kororo. "Oh, Hey Manta!" Yoh greeted. Below them, Anna rolled her eyes. "Yoh this is no time for niceties!" she yelled.
"But Anna, I haven't seen him for a really long time!" he complained. Hao closed his eyes, smiling. He decided to test if Yoh really was only listening to him. Opening his eyes, he told Yoh patiently, "Yoh, she's right. This isn't the time."
"I'm sorry, Hao." Muttered Yoh, turning away from Manta.
"So," Hao muttered under his breath, too quiet for anyone to hear, "He is only listening to me…"
"Now what?" Yoh asked. Hao sighed. He won't do anything unless I tell him to!
"I'll give you more Furyoku." He put his hand on Yoh's shoulder again, transferring more of his power into his twin. After he finished, he cried out in pain and fell to his knees.
"Hao! Are you okay dude?" HoroHoro asked. Hao looked up weakly. "Yeah … I'm good. Don't worry, I can handle this. I'm just weak right now… All my furyoku is gone."
"Hao …" Yoh's eyes were wide as he stared at Hao. Hao grinned. "Don't worry about me!" he said.
"Hurry up will you!" Ren yelled below them, holding the leg of Spirit of Fire. "It's getting harder to restrain him!"
"Sorry!" Hao called. "Just hold on a bit longer!"
Ren grunted, but continued to do his job. Yoh turned to Hao expectantly. "Okay Yoh. Now you have to hit it right through the head. It will work this time, I know it!"
"Thank you Hao … for everything." Yoh whispered, now turning to face the Spirit.
Jeanne turned to Anna down below them. "Do you think they'll stop it this time?" Anna asked. Jeanne smiled. "They have to. And they will." She replied. "You just have to believe…" she put her hands together, apparently she was praying.
"Now!" Hao yelled. HoroHoro told Kororo to get closer and throw some force at the Spirit of Fire's neck. As she did so, Yoh jumped off and shoved his sword through the Spirit's head. It roared in pain, and forced everyone back. As they hit the ground, suddenly a great light erupted from their foe and enveloped them. "What's going on?" Ryu yelled.
"This light, it's blinding me!" Lyserg chimed in.
Ren called out, "Then close your eyes!"
"Thank you... Thank you for helping us…"
"What was that?" Faust asked quickly. "Who said that?" Suddenly all the voices were cut off, and Yoh found himself standing in front of Hao. Light engulfed the area surrounding them.
"Hao … what's happening?" Yoh asked. No sound came out of his mouth, or Hao's when he replied. The light then swallowed both of them up, and Yoh suddenly was looking across a vast desert.
"What was that?" muttered Chocolove, standing up. Yoh kept silent, looking around at his other friends. HoroHoro was next to get up, followed by Anna, Manta, Silva, Jeanne, Ren, Lyserg, Faust, Ryu and finally Opacho. They looked at each other. "We're all here, safe." Jeanne said. Everyone smiled, except for Yoh. "Wait … something's missing." He said.
"Hao-sama gone!" Opacho cried. Yoh nodded. "He's not here …"
"Dude, do you think he…"
"He couldn't be…" Yoh said, cutting his friend off. Yoh looked around quickly, his eyes darting in all directions. He looked… lost, his expression panicked.
Anna approached him slowly. "Yoh… Let's go home."