"Yoh-kun is breathing though. That's good." Manta said happily. HoroHoro continued to gaze out the windows, sighing heavily. "I miss Hao…"
"What? HoroHoro, you must be insane!" Manta cried. Opacho jumped up and put her little hand over Manta's mouth.
"Manta too loud! He wake Yoh-kun up!" Though Yoh was still on the bed, lying on his back peacefully.
"Maybe I am. But I think Yoh does too." Shrugged HoroHoro.
"He does? But Yoh-kun was killed by Hao!"
"So what?"
"You've lost your mind!"
"They're twins. Ever notice lately that Yoh won't do anything anyone says, but in our fight with the Great Spirits he did everything Hao told him to?"
"Hey … Yeah, you're right." Manta shoved Opacho's hand off his mouth as he said that.
"Yeah … I feel sorry for him. He's filled with way too much grief." HoroHoro looked at Yoh, finally closing the old window with difficulty.
Yoh stirred on his bed, dreaming. Everyone smiled at the happy look on Yoh's face and soon went to bed themselves.
In the morning Yoh awoke to find a glass of water and some toast on his bedside table. Next to which he found a note reading :
Yoh,
We have gone to try and find a map to help us find our way back onto the road. We decided to let you sleep in because you went through so much yesterday. Wait for us in the room, and do not go anywhere. We'll be back soon.
~Anna
Yoh smiled to himself as he took the glass of water and sipped it gratefully. "That's better … I'm feeling good today." He sighed, remembering the night's dream. "He said not to worry. He'll be okay. I just know it." Yoh grinned, an even larger grin that last time. He went into the small bathroom, looked at himself in the mirror and splashed water into his face.
It wasn't very refreshing …
So he decided to take a quick shower before his friends got back.
"He's right," Anna sighed. "There aren't any people here."
"Strange …" Ren sighed, walking into a corner store behind her. "They should have a map in here somewhere…" he groaned. Lyserg called them to the back of the store. "I found one!"
"Good," Ren said. He took a bottle of milk out of the refrigerator and then put money on the counter. Lyserg dropped his change on the counter too for the map, and they left without another word to each other.
They turned the corner back onto the path to the motel, they walked up the small hill coming towards it, as the building came to sight the first thing everyone noticed was Yoh stood at the window wiping his hair with a towel. He was leant over the pane, smiling and staring at the scenery around him. He didn't notice them as he was daydreaming.
"Yoh!" called Anna. Yoh wiped his face and then looked down the path to see them coming towards him.
"Oh hey Anna!" laughed Yoh waving. Anna smiled slightly, happy to see him pleased to see her. "Hey Anna! Is there any more toast? I would have got some myself but I didn't want to see what happened to me if I left the room!" he laughed playfully.
"Yoh! You're eating!" shouted Ren rather pleased, then sipping his milk blissfully.
"I'll get you some more right away Yoh!" smiled Anna. Yoh tilted his head on one side thinking about it and then shook his head.
"Nah!" said Yoh suddenly. "Forget the toast, the sooner we leave the sooner we get home!" Yoh looked back at the scenery and started daydreaming again. The others hurried along and approached the door of the motel just below where Yoh was. He was still looking at the hills and town in front of him, his eyes gleaming. Anna smiled up at him. "Hey can I come out of this room now?" said Yoh, not even diverting his gaze to her.
"Yeah. You can Yoh." She said to him entering the motel.
Once everyone was inside, they opened the door to their room, but Yoh wasn't inside.
"Yoh?" said Lyserg confused.
"Where did he go?!" exclaimed Ren shocked.
"I don't understand it…" muttered Anna. "He was just here a second-"
"Are you looking for me?!" came a sudden, loud and chirpy voice. Anna, Lyserg and Ren spun round their faces in shock, grasping their chests and their hair nearly standing on end.
"Don't ever do that again!" screamed Anna.
"Oh. Sorry Anna." Yoh tried to keep a strait face, but he started laughing hysterically. "You! You…you should have seen your faces!" he yelled in fits.
"Stop jumping out the window!" snapped Ren.
"Yeah you'll hurt yourself!" added Lyserg.
"Oh! Lighten up guys!" he laughed. Yoh took Anna by the wrists and spun her round on the spot, playing happily. He let go of her and jogged to the window leaning over the pane again. "It's such a beautiful day! We have to spend it out side!" he screamed to the out doors, even though there was no one around to hear him, except his shocked, but also pleased three friends who were stood behind him. They looked at one another, and shrugged.
"What ever you say Yoh." Grinned Ren. Yoh turned round and sat on the windowsill looking back at them.
"Where did everyone else go?" he asked, still smiling.
"Oh, well HoroHoro and Chocolove took Opacho somewhere, I forget where they said they were going. Faust and Ryu went for a walk and Manta decided to go with them I think…" explained Anna.
"Why does everyone get to go out side except me?" sulked Yoh.
"You weren't feeling too well Yoh, it was best you stayed here…" sighed Anna.
"You know! I'm sick to death of everyone thinking they know what's best for me!" shouted Yoh. He said this in such a way, it was difficult to tell whether he was joking or being serious, possibly both at the same time.
"Yoh I…" trailed off Anna, surprised by Yoh's change of attitude all of a sudden.
"And you say not to, well, I say do!" added Yoh, turning and jumping out the window. Lyserg, Ren and Anna ran to the window as fast as the possibly could to see him stood under it looking up at them, looking very annoyed.
"Yoh, you're taking this the wrong way…"
"Maybe I am Ren. But I want to go out side and go and see my other friends." Sniffed Yoh stroking under his nose with his index finger, he turned and began to walk away.
"Yoh!" shouted Anna. Yoh turned and looked back at the three of them, suddenly smiling happily again.
"I'll go and see what the others have got up to. And then bring them back so we can head home, okay?" he smiled, now reaching out of ear shot, so there wasn't any point in replying. All three of them sighed at one another.
"Well…he seems happier…" sighed Lyserg.
"His emotions and moods are like a huge rollercoaster ride. I can't keep up with him!" spat Anna.
"Don't worry Anna, he'll be back later safe and sound you'll see. He isn't as stupid as he looks you know. Anyway, he's bound to run into one of the others, they'll look after him." Said Ren, finishing his milk bottle off and then turning and walking back into the room. Followed by Lyserg. Once Yoh had turned out of sight, Anna then disappeared from the window, as well.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
"Urgh! Opacho not like it here!" grumbled Opacho kneeling over a pile of dust bunnies and other un-named objects lay in a pile on the ground. "It dirty and horrible!" she added.
"Leave those dust bunnies alone, you have no idea where they have been. They could have been eating moldy grass for all you know!" smirked Chocolove then laughing at his own joke. He blinked at Opacho when she was staring blankly back at him.
"Huh?" she muttered turning her head on one side.
"Don't worry Opacho, no one understands him most of the time." Sighed HoroHoro, gently kicking a floorboard lay over the top of a step. It crumbled into dust. "It makes me wonder how this place is even still standing." Said HoroHoro looking around and then looking up above him. "I'm worried the ceiling is going to fall in on us. This place seriously had a bad fire…"
"The roof! The roof! The roof is on fire!" sang Chocolove then laughing, but no one found it funny. HoroHoro had tilted his head in the direction Chocolove was stood, looking at him through the top of his eyes, his eyebrows raised as if saying 'Chocolove…shut up!'
"What is this Horo-kun?" sweetly called Opacho standing. She was holding in her hand a square object. She blew on it, dust flying on all directions. HoroHoro walked up behind her, gently slipping it out of her little hands. Chocolove approached the two of them. HoroHoro kneeled as though for Opacho to see it. Chocolove stood over them.
"What is it HoroHoro?" asked Chocolove.
"I've not got a clue." Sighed HoroHoro. He turned it over and noticed a flap on the other side. He peered at it closely. "Hey I think this is a picture frame." HoroHoro turned it on it's front again. "I…I can't quite make out what the picture is though. Maybe it was an empty picture frame."
"Doubt it. Why would it be in the front lobby of a mansion with no picture in it?" said Chocolove.
"True." Said HoroHoro still eyeing the glass on the frame.
"Maybe we should take it out side in the light?" came another voice. Chocolove and HoroHoro fell backwards from shock, very surprised. Chocolove fell on his back and nearly fell through the fragile floorboards.
"Good god!" yelled Chocolove when he hit the ground. "Yoh! You scared the life out of me!"
"Yeah! Me too! What are you doing here?" gasped HoroHoro trying to get his breath back. Opacho was giggling frantically pointing at Yoh.
"Yoh-Sama funny!" she squealed. HoroHoro and Chocolove looked at Yoh, to see him purposely making fun of the two of them, his hand on his hip and his other hand pointing and waving up and down. He had crossed his eyes and was gabbing his mouth up and down, even though no one was talking. He was making Opacho laugh on purpose. He stopped mimicking his two friends and smiled at Opacho. Opacho made a huge effort to smile the biggest smile she could come up with back at him. Chocolove and HoroHoro becoming impatient. The two of them got up dusting themselves off. Chocolove looked the most embarrassed because Yoh was funny without really trying. HoroHoro sniffed.
"You should be resting!" he said sounding astonished. "You should have stayed in bed."
"Why stay in bed when I could be here having an adventure with you guys?" smiled Yoh. He was walking out the front door carrying the frame with him. HoroHoro blinked and looked at his empty hands, he didn't even notice Yoh had taken it from him!
"Hey Yoh wait up!" called HoroHoro jogging after him. Opacho and Chocolove following quickly. Yoh was stood outside, turning the frame on it's back and on it's front again. The glass was still a brown colour, the picture was impossible to make out. He opened the frame and slipped a small photograph out of it.
"It is very faint, the heat must have caused it." Sighed Yoh holding it up to the sun, to see if he could see it better. "It…it looks like…" Yoh sighed shaking his head. "I can't tell."
"Here let me have a look at it." Said HoroHoro carefully taking the photo from him. He stared at it with one hand over his mouth and chin, thinking very hard about it. "Hmmm…I wonder what these two lines here could be?" he said pointing to two vertical lines from the top of the photo to the middle of the page and then stopping. Opacho began to pull down on HoroHoro's shorts.
"Opacho want to see. Opacho want to help." She said looking hopeful.
"Sorry Opacho but you're too little to understand…" soothed HoroHoro. Opacho's bottom lip started to quiver.
"Oh give the girl the photo!" persuaded Yoh nudging him. HoroHoro sighed, handing Opacho the picture. She stuck her tongue out on one side of her tiny mouth thinking.
"Opacho think this is swing!" she proudly exclaimed jumping up and down, showing how certain she was. She pointed to the two lines HoroHoro was talking about. "See? Swing? Some one sat on it too!" HoroHoro took the photo back from her, with the thought of a swing in his mind, the photo did seem to take form of a child sat on a swing.
"Hey yeah she's right! See Yoh?" HoroHoro moved the photo closer to him but Yoh laughed and pushed his arm away.
"It's okay I've seen it already." He smiled. "Well spotted Opacho!" Opacho's eyes gleamed happily as she was praised.
"Then…is that a tree? That the swing is attached to?" pointed out Chocolove, peering over HoroHoro's shoulder.
"Gee everyone is observant today!" he snapped.
"Oh don't worry HoroHoro!" smiled Yoh. "You erm…spotted the two 'lines'…" Chocolove and Opacho giggled at Yoh's supposedly serious face that was meant to make fun of HoroHoro. Yoh was nodding his head slightly at him too, really winding him up. HoroHoro sniffed, determined to prove himself useful. HoroHoro shut one of his eyes and placed one of his hands on his head, thinking really hard.
"Okay…that's a swing…and that's a tree…" he muttered. Yoh nodded again but more this time forcing Chocolove and Opacho to brake out into fits. HoroHoro grunted and then said, "The girl!"
"What girl?" asked Chocolove.
"Opacho?" asked Opacho.
"You mean the girl from the tree?" asked Yoh.
"Yeah her!" smiled HoroHoro, sure he was onto something.
"You mean Jasmine?" said Yoh. HoroHoro blinked at him.
"I thought she didn't have a name." HoroHoro mentioned.
"Oh that's what her Dad called her." Nodded Yoh. HoroHoro still blinked at him.
"Yoh? Are you serious?" he asked.
"What about?"
"Her Dad calling her Jasmine."
"Well…yeah that's what he called her last night…" HoroHoro and Chocolove looked at one another, confused yet worried at the same time. Opacho was still curious about the frame. "So do you think that possibly, the tree that Jasmine was sat in, could possibly be the tree in this picture?" asked Yoh.
"Possibly…" said Chocolove.
"But I don't remember a swing being there, or any rope…." Added HoroHoro.
"No me neither." Sighed Yoh. "But it's worth a try. Hey you never know! Going there again just might solve the last part of the mystery!" Laughed Yoh now walking away from them, towards the bench and tree again.
"What mystery, exactly, are you taking about?" asked HoroHoro.
"Oh don't act like you don't know. Or else you wouldn't have been in there in the first place, would you?" smiled Yoh continuing towards his destination. Opacho, Chocolove and HoroHoro following quickly behind.
HoroHoro was beginning to get suspicious of Yoh. "What's he on about now?" He asked himself, Chocolove overhearing. Opacho ignored him, she was giggling to herself about how funny Yoh was. "Maybe he saw something we didn't … or the girl told him something we don't know about?" Chocolove suggested.
"Or … what if Yoh's been hearing voices?"
HoroHoro turned to look at Chocolove as if he were insane for even thinking that. However, it made sense to him. "Opacho," he began. "Have you been hearing voices?"
"Once Opacho heard a voice from nowhere!" She said, not understanding how important this was.
"When was this?"
"Yesterday. Opacho heard someone tell her that everything will be okay. Opacho doesn't understand. But she knows it okay!" She laughed. HoroHoro shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Opacho didn't think it was important."
"Oh, well."
"HoroHoro why did you ask her that? Are you mad?" Chocolove asked. HoroHoro smiled.
"No, I just think you might be right. Actually, I …" Just then Yoh cut HoroHoro off when he got to the tree.
"Okay. Here we go."
"Yoh, what are we doing here…?"
"Anna, look I can see them. They're at that tree again. And … Yoh's got something in his hand!" Lyserg called. Anna shrugged. "So what? As long as we can see him…"
"Hmm. Well I don't understand why that's so important to you, Anna." Ren sneered, lying down on the bed with his eyes closed.
"I … I just don't want him to run off again!" She snapped, blushing. "I've been worried that he will. I can't help it, he's acting so strangely …"
"It can't be helped. After all, it's to be expected."
"What do you mean, Ren?" Anna asked. Lyserg decided he would explain.
"It's simple, isn't it? Yoh was having a fit before because Hao didn't come back with us. Now he's running off chasing strange dreams and urges to go somewhere. Don't you see a connection?"
"No, not really Lyserg," Anna sighed. "I'm not Sherlock Holmes."
"Well …"
"He means," Ren interrupted, "Yoh misses Hao. A lot."
"Well, of course." Anna said. "I already knew that. They're twin brothers and have saved each other's life more than once."
"Are you sticking up for him?" Lyserg asked, anger and annoyance flaring up in his voice. Anna shook her head.
"No. I'm only saying that it's natural to miss your family if they're gone …" She sighed, looking out the window longfully. "Yoh's really all I have to be honest …"
"I'm sorry," Lyserg said, sitting down. "I know how you feel…" He looked at the pink fairy beside him, looking at him tenderly as if she were about to start crying. "I only have Morphin to remind me of my parents."
Ren shook his head, feeling sorry for the two in front of him. He hadn't really lost anyone near him… but …
You killed so many …
Ren shook his head violently, running into the small washroom and slamming the door. He made hideous gagging noises; simply being reminded of that conversation with Hao made him sick to his stomach. "Ren?" Lyserg went and knocked on the door. "You okay in there?'
"Y – yeah…"
"You sure?"
"Yes …"
"Okay."
Yoh placed the photo by the base of the tree. "Okay …" He sighed, turning to face the three of his friends. "What were you saying about me hearing voices?"
HoroHoro lifted his hand to the back of his head looking kind of embarrassed.
"Well…erm…I have a few things going on in my mind that's all. I'm just worried about ya Yoh so erm, yeah that's all it is. I think different things, like going through them in my head. Haven't actually come to a conclusion…" he opened his eyes a looked at Yoh hoping he was buying what he was going on about. "But you know, I'm just worried."
"Yeah tell me about it." Sighed Yoh turning now to look at the photo. HoroHoro didn't quite understand. Chocolove shrugged.
"So hey Yoh what exactly are you expecting to see here?" asked Chocolove looking at him. Yoh walked and sat on the bench and smiled at the scenery in front of him.
"I don't know. But, I know that if I keep my mind open, something will show me what I need to see." He said this so casually, as if it didn't sound weird at all. HoroHoro and Chocolove looked at one another with worried looks on their faces. Opacho sat down in front of the tree, staring up and its bare branches.
"Opacho not like this tree." She said. "Opacho think it look scary."
"It feels scary too. Don't you agree HoroHoro? Chocolove?" said Yoh now throwing a look in their direction that looked so emotionless it made the two of them feel cold.
"You're the scary one…Yoh…" whispered HoroHoro. Yoh hadn't heard him, but Chocolove did so he nudged him, agreeing with him. HoroHoro sighed and then walked over to sit next to Yoh.
"Well!" he blurted stretching his arms. "We might as well get comfy. This might take awhile…"
"No. No it's already being shown to me." Said Yoh, still his facial expression never changed.
"What…what are you talking about?" HoroHoro looked at Yoh, his face filled with shock. "What do you mean?"
Yoh could see a tall man stood next to him in front of the tree. He looked happy and was laughing. A swing suddenly swung back into Yoh's sight, and Jasmine was sat upon it laughing too. Her hair was blowing in the wind as she flew backwards and forwards on the swing. Her father was happily pushing her. She was wearing a beautiful dress, that was blue and white hemmed with yellow beads. Her hair was pinned at either side with blue hairclips, and the loose hair moved over her shoulders like silk in the breeze. A young woman, looked to be in her mid twenties, was now sat next to Yoh on the bench. She was watching them, smiling. Yoh smiled too.
"She must be Jasmine's mother." Whispered Yoh. HoroHoro and Chocolove blinked at one another. They couldn't see anything. All they could see was a bare tree.
"Yoh? Are you seeing things?" asked HoroHoro.
"Yes." Said Yoh quietly. "I am."
"We need to get you back to the motel…"
"No point." Interrupted Yoh. "We're leaving."
"What? Why didn't you say something?" yelled HoroHoro amazed.
"Because…I'm not finished here yet…" muttered Yoh. Chocolove sat next to HoroHoro, watching them both closely. Not saying a word. The images before Yoh faded away, and then Yoh sighed. "Maybe that's why she was in the tree. Because this place is filled with her good memories and past…"
"Dude, you're really scaring me…" HoroHoro said, backing up frightened. Yoh laughed. "Why?" He turned to HoroHoro with a hysterical look in his eyes; he wasn't well at all. HoroHoro stared at his friend, shocked. Chocolove looked at Yoh's eyes, then at HoroHoro's. "Yoh …" he muttered. "Are you feeling okay?"
Yoh laughed in a creepy, un-humourous way. "Heh … I … I'm not sure …" he replied. In fact, his skin was pale and his legs were scraped and bruised all over. Opacho shivered.
"Yoh-sama scaring Opacho. Yoh-sama not okay?" She asked tentatively, backing up behind HoroHoro and grabbing his leg. Yoh shook his head.
"Don't worry Opacho … I'm fine …" He tried to reassure her, though he wasn't sure if it was really true. "I'm thirsty…" Yoh said. HoroHoro nodded, noticing that his friend had come back down to earth.
"Okay. Let's go get something. I'm hungry, too."
"You're always hungry!" Yoh answered, laughing. The other three also laughed. Chocolove nudged him in the ribs. "Is the old Yoh back?" he asked. Yoh smiled and looked ahead of him.
I don't know… Yoh thought. Can he ever come back?
"Well," Chocolove admitted after a few minutes. "To tell the truth, we have to cook ourselves."
"Aw, dude! How come?" HoroHoro complained. Chocolove shrugged. "Well, for one thing there are – "
"No people here, right?" Yoh blurted out suddenly, making everyone flinch in shock. "Well, yeah." Chocolove said. "How did you know?"
"Not important!' Yoh laughed. "Not important."
HoroHoro and Chocolove exchanged worried glances.
"Hey!"
Up ahead Lyserg was running toward them, waving. "Where have you been?" he called. HoroHoro laughed. "Where else dude? Around this place!"
Lyserg laughed too, but then looked at HoroHoro and Chocolove as if he were worried about something. Shaking his head, HoroHoro decided to ask. "What's wrong?"
"Guys, where's Yoh?"
"Yoh? He was here a second ago …" HoroHoro put his hand to the back of his head. "Not again!"
"Lyserg!"
"Waah!" Lyserg jumped back in surprise; Yoh had come up behind him unexpectedly. "Were you looking for me?"
"Uh … yeah, I was!" Lyserg answered, still in shock. He wiped down his front to try and get rid of the embarrassment, but it remained. "Ren's not well. He's been gagging and I think he spit up a little… I couldn't tell; the door was locked."
"Typical Ren," Yoh sighed. "Can't stand to show any weakness around us…"
"Right. Well, I just thought I'd tell you. Come back to the motel when you're ready and see if you can help." And with that, Lyserg ran off to go and find Ryu and Faust.
"Ren? Sick?" HoroHoro wondered out loud. "Wonder what happened … spoiled milk?"
"I don't know," Chocolove said. "Let's go see. We can eat later."
"Aww, but dude, I'm starving …"
"He's right." Yoh agreed. "Let's go see Ren…"
"Okay, fine." The whole way back to the motel, HoroHoro pouted, while Yoh struggled with questions of his own.
"You know, you really have changed…""What…?"
"Yeah… You no longer want to kill everyone."
"Yoh, what are you …"
"I don't see a lust for blood in your eyes anymore."
"Yoh …"
"It's incredible."
"I…"
"Why can I remember these things…?" Yoh whispered absent-mindedly. Luckily his friends hadn't heard him. "I don't even know what happened… just that Hao was talking to Ren and upset him…"
Could this be all my fault?
They reached the motel again and walked up to the room. Chocolove and HoroHoro stayed quiet all the way there, Yoh walked in the room to see Anna sat on the end of her bed staring back at him. "Where is he?" asked Yoh looking at Anna. She nodded her head towards the washroom.
"In there. He hasn't come out." Sighed Anna. Chocolove and HoroHoro walked into the room still looking confused and worried. Yoh stood in front of the door knocking on a few times.
"Ren?" he called. He waited, no answer. "Hey Ren?" he called again.
"G – Go away." Grunted Ren from inside.
"Ren? Do you really think I would do that? I'm your friend." Replied Yoh.
"That's exactly what he said…"
"Pardon?" asked Yoh.
"Just…Just go away – " He made another loud terrible noise followed by a spitting sound. Yoh sighed.
"This time, Ren, it really is Yoh." Muttered Yoh his head lowered slightly his eyes closed. Ren gasped understanding what he meant. Chocolove and Anna gasped too. HoroHoro just watched Yoh. HoroHoro crossed his arms looking concerned while he was leaning against the wall. After a short silence, the door opened slightly and then didn't move another inch. Ren had opened it to let Yoh come in. Yoh stepped inside and closed the door behind him, leaving the others bewildered.
"Ren…" sighed Yoh. Ren was sat on the ground next to the toilet, he had his arm resting on the bowl; there wasn't even a toilet seat. The room was really dusty and disgusting. Spider webs were hanging in the corners of the room. Ren was resting his head on his arm, one leg bent and one stretched out. He coughed again making another awful noise.
"Something…is wrong Yoh…" he managed to spit out. Yoh sat crossed legged next to him.
"Ren there isn't a living soul in this town. That milk you had must have been decades old."
"What are you talking about…?" Ren coughed again now lifting his head. "There must be someone here…" he paused a second, Yoh allowed him to think about it for a moment.
"You can't remember seeing anyone…can you?" asked Yoh.
"How could I be so foolish as to consume something so old." Admitted Ren now lowering his head again.
"As soon as Faust, Ryu and Manta get back we're going strait home. Faust will have something to help with your stomach." Ren gulped again forcing himself not to vomit again.
"It's…It's not just…the milk…" Ren looked up again now tears forming in his eyes. "I…can't escape some…thoughts…"
"You think about things you don't want to think about when you're not well. You have bad dreams and see things." Yoh blinked and thought for a moment, then shrugged. "You'll feel better when we get home don't worry."
"Thank you, Yoh …" Ren said, panting. He turned away and began to gag some more. Yoh nodded and took his cue to leave, closing the door behind him.
"How is he Yoh?" Lyserg asked. Yoh shook his head.
"Pretty bad." He answered. "I think he must have had some old milk."
"Oh, I knew it! I warned him not to drink it!" Lyserg smacked his forehead.
"No you didn't!" Ren called weakly from the washroom.
"Well I was going to!" Lyserg retorted.
"Quiet both of you!" Anna yelled. She was staring intently at Yoh. He noticed this and blushed a bit. Without meaning to, he her asked quite rudely,
"What are you staring at?" Immediately he regretted saying that. "Sorry, Anna…" He said, head hanging. "I know you're worried about me…"
She just glared at him, and he walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, don't look at me like that."
"Go."
"What?"
"I said, Go."
"But why, Anna?!" Yoh took a step back, stunned.
"Go find Faust and Ryu!" She yelled, slapping him in the face. He nodded and quickly ran out of the room. HoroHoro sniggered.
"Anna, was that really necessary?"
"I don't know, you tell me!" She screamed, slapping him too.
"Sorry, Anna …"
As Yoh stepped outside of the old Motel once more, a horrible sight awaited him.
The whole town was on fire.
"Oh my god!" Yoh screamed. "What's going …"
He looked up towards the mansion that used to be Jasmine's home. It was also on fire.
"Jasmine!" He yelled. He saw other people fleeing their homes, but all he could really focus on was the burning mansion. He began to run to it, through the fire, through the smoke, through the heat …
Something was wrong.
Why wasn't there any heat?
Yoh put his foot in the midst of the flames.
No burn marks.
He put his hands in, too.
No pain.
"Oh, I get it." He muttered. "I'm being shown what happened that night…"
Ahead of him he saw a familiar man. He was running in the opposite direction of the mansion.
"Hey!" Yoh called as he recognized the man. "You're her father!" Blinking, he realized what this meant, and felt a wave of hatred towards this man, something unfamiliar to him. "You killed her…" he whispered to himself. He knew the man couldn't hear him. Suddenly the man stopped. Yoh looked to see what was wrong. A wall of flame was ahead of the man…
"You killed that girl." A familiar voice sounded from the flames. Yoh's eyes widened.
"Hao?"
His twin came out of the fire. The man fell to his knees. "Who are you?" he asked Hao. "How can you walk through the flames like that?"
"I created these flames…" Hao said, smiling and looking out at the hellish scenery he had made. "You killed your daughter… The only reason I'm here right now…" he trailed off, seeing the fearful look on the man's face.
"What are you going to do now?" weakly cried the man.
Hao knelt down to whisper in the man's ear. "You're about to die. Are you happy with yourself?" The man closed his eyes. He whispered to himself, "I have seen the devil …"
Hao laughed insanely, and threw the man to the ground.
"No, stop it!" Yoh cried, falling to his knees. "Don't!"
"Don't what Yoh-kun?" Faust reached down and lifted Yoh to his feet. "You were screaming!"
"Faust … Ryu …" Yoh panted, shaking his head. "It's nothing … never mind … I came to find you. We're going back home as soon as you come back to the room."
"Okay, Master Yoh. Let's go."
Yoh was panting heavily his eyes filled with shock. Faust and Ryu looked at one another and then back at Yoh.
"Yoh-kun are you going to be all right?" asked Faust his voice lowered.
"Huh?" blinked Yoh looking at him. "Yeah, yeah don't worry I'm fine." He smiled turning away now walking back to the motel. "C'mon Anna's waiting."
Sat at the foot of the motel's door was Opacho and Manta. Opacho smiled up at Yoh when he walked past her.
"Are Yoh-Sama's friends and Yoh-Sama leaving soon?" she asked.
"Yeah you stay there with Manta we'll be out soon." He replied entering the building, Faust following him. Manta turned to Opacho.
"I still say I'm taller." He sniffed.
"Opacho taller!" shrieked Opacho.
"No! You're only taller because of your big poofy hair!" Manta retorted.
"Counts!" muttered Opacho sticking her tongue out at him. Manta crossed his arms pouting. He muttered under his breath…
"I'm taller…"
"Hey! Do not worry little ones you shall both grow soon no?" smiled Ryu leaning against the wall of the door.
"It's not fair Ryu! I'm thirteen and she's five and she's just as tall as me – "
"Opacho taller!" added Opacho.
"What ever!" yelled Manta. Opacho giggled.
"She's only a child Manta." Smiled Ryu patting her on the head.
"It's not fair." He sniffed.
"Come now, being short isn't so bad is it?" asked Ryu.
"You're so tall how would you know?" asked Manta now looking up at him.
"Exactly. Being tall isn't all great as it seems to be." Said Ryu blinking down at the two of them and smiling at them in a friendly manner.
"It's not?" asked Manta.
"Well when ever I want to buy a new hog it's hard to find one that appreciates such long legs." Laughed Ryu. "You on the other hand have no problems fitting in my bike side kart eh?"
"I suppose not…" sighed Manta.
"See? Being small is also a good thing."
"But I still don't see how I can be the same size as a five year old!" snapped Manta.
"Opacho taller!" shrieked Opacho.
"Shut up!" shouted Manta. Opacho giggled again.
"Opacho go find Yoh-Sama and Horo-kun." She smiled getting up and running off into the building. Manta sighed still annoyed.
"You'll grow." Smiled Ryu. "Don't worry about that."
"I know it's just…" he trailed off. "Never mind."
"I see even though you don't get on, you found no problems with talking with her eh?"
"She used to be a follower of…him…"
"She still is, Manta."
"Then why is she with us!" shouted Manta.
"Because where else is she going to go hey?" replied Ryu laughing slightly. "Plus she's fun to have around. Master Yoh really likes her and so does HoroHoro." Ryu paused and looked at Manta. He wasn't looking at him but could see Ryu watching him. Manta's eyes moved and he looked at Ryu.
"What you looking at me like that for?" he muttered.
"You like her too. Don't you?" giggled Ryu. Manta shot up onto his feet.
"No I don't! How could you…I mean she's five and I'm- "
"Hey! Hey! Keep your hair on!" laughed Ryu pushing his shoulders down so he sat back down again. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean you like to have her around too. You just don't like to admit it. Am I right?" Ryu stared at him both his eyebrows raised. "Well?"
"She's…" trailed off Manta. "Really…fun…and sweet."
"See! You do like her."
"How can I not like her? She's like the sweetest little five year old I've ever met in my life!" announced Manta.
"Manta like Opacho?" sweetly asked Opacho. Manta turned around to see Yoh and Opacho stood in the doorway. Yoh was smiling and giggling while Opacho was stood with her little finger of her left hand in her mouth. Manta blushed fiercely.
"That's so nice Manta!" laughed Yoh. "Awh did you hear that Opacho? You've got a new friend!"
"Opacho like Manta too!" she giggled.
"I…uh…I…erm…" stuttered Manta.
"C'mon you guys. Let's go back to the room. Anna wants us all to talk about how we're going to get there." Smiled Yoh turning. Opacho stayed behind still smiling at Manta. Ryu followed Yoh and winked at Manta before going through the door. Manta got on his feet and laughed slightly. Opacho smiled at him and grabbed his sleeve with her free hand.
"Let's go Manta-kun!" she laughed pulling him into the building.
"Oh – Okay Opacho." stammered Manta entering the motel again. "Okay."
As they entered the room, Ren came out of the washroom. His face was pale and he didn't look very good. HoroHoro was still leaning against the wall, only now he was snoring lightly. Opacho giggled. "Horo-kun snore!" she pointed at him with her little hands playfully. He opened his eyes after a minute or so, smiling.
"Hey, you're back."
Lyserg nodded. "Good. Now, where did Anna get off to?"
"I'm right here you idiot!" She said. She was right behind him.
"Come on now Anna don't be like that to Lyserg – " Yoh began but Anna cut him off, punching him.
"You have no right to speak to me like that!"
Yoh put his hand to his cheek right over the spot where she had hit him. He just nodded, dumbstruck. Anna panted.
"Anna?" Faust began. "You said you wanted to speak with us all?"
"Yeah …" she said, calming down. "I did. How are we going to get home?"
"I took Jeanne to the airport." Faust suggested. "We could start there…"
"Don't you dare get smart with me!" Anna shouted. Faust shook his head.
"No Anna! I didn't mean to!"
"Good. You had better not."
With that, Faust kept quiet. Ren nodded. "He has a point though …"
"Idiot, don't you think I know that?" She asked, no hint of sympathy in her voice despite how Ren was feeling. "We're going there. I mean when are we leaving?"
"Today sounds good," Chocolove said. Ryu nodded.
"Yeah." Manta agreed, too. "This town gives me the creeps."
"Me too."
"Yeah."
Anna nodded. "Okay. And from there what will we do?"
Yoh began to lose track of the conversation. He walked over to look out the window. He caught sight of someone walking on the streets, hands behind their head. Yoh suddenly felt an urge to go to them. He could barely tell, but it looked like they were wearing a red and black shirt, opened down the middle in a style similar to Yoh's. They wore simple jeans and had their hair tied back. Yoh smirked. He began to climb out the window, but Anna quickly ran over and pulled him back. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Yoh laughed.
"Crap, I've been caught …" He muttered. "Uh, I was just, uh … well see?" He pointed out the window at the lonely person walking. "There's someone there. I want to talk to them and see who it is. That's all!"
"Oh?" Anna looked out the window to make sure Yoh wasn't just seeing things again.
He wasn't. There really was someone there.
"It looks like they're talking to themselves." She said. Yoh nodded.
"And they look sad …"
HoroHoro looked too. "There's something oddly familiar about that guy …"
"Guy?" Lyserg said. "Looks like a girl to me."
"No, look. A girl wouldn't have their shirt open like that, would she?" HoroHoro pointed. "Not unless she was a – "
"Filthy!" Anna grabbed Manta and threw him at HoroHoro, just like the old days when she did that all the time. "You – filthy – minded – pervert!"
Yoh looked away from the window to laugh at the old Anna emerging again. When he looked back, the person was gone.
"Hey, look, he's gone …" He muttered. Everyone looked.
He was gone.
"Oh well…" Lyserg said, and they all turned back to the conversation they were having before. Yoh did not, however, and looked back out the window. Somehow, he felt that he had missed something important … like he missed uncovering part of himself. How could that be though? And yet, HoroHoro was right. The person looked too familiar … it couldn't be just anyone.
Yoh must have known him, from somewhere …