Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

A/N: You must have finished the manga before continuing. May contain spoilers. You've been warned =p

Chapter 7

Team Funbari Onsen vs. Ice men

Ren just left the arena when he saw Yoh's oversoul. Once the fight has officially started, Rue commented from behind, "Whew – just in time." She grinned at Manta, Horohoro and Chocolove who were obviously surprised she was there.

"Since when were you back there?" Manta asked.

"I just arrived. Glad I wasn't late, though."

Faust was in the middle of his battle, Rue noticed that Horohoro's mood has shifted; he looked troubled after that encounter with the Ice Men, "You seemed to have calmed down Horohoro." Probably because he can relate to them at some degree.

"What? I didn't notice." He said, looking confused at her comment.

"Not a bad choice Anna. A necromancer with a very high furyoku; I wonder how you managed to get him on the team."

"Tch! How do you appease stubborn people? Give them what they want, and you get their loyalty."

As if on cue, Faust had explained his story on how he came to be in Yoh's team.

That's Anna for you Rue thought she surely thinks about the future as if it were that certain. She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous, she on the other hand, couldn't even think about what to do after the shaman fight has finished. There were still too many things to think about other than that.

"That guy went straight for Yoh!" Manta shouted, which broke Rue out of her thoughts. Yoh!

The first thing she saw was a frozen Ryu in front of Yoh. Manta and the others shouted in worry, but what surprised her was Yoh's reaction. He was shocked to see Ryu there, but not worried at all. Amazingly Ryu was able to melt the ice with his burning passion, but Rue fixed her gaze at Yoh. Look at him, still being so calm and worry-free even inside the battlefield, between fights and enormous levels of furyoku. Rue always felt serene looking at Yoh being carefree; it eases her worries.

She didn't know when exactly, but seeing Ryu's loyalty to Yoh made her feelings towards Yoh clearer for her. I must have mistaken it for love. What a fool. My affection for him is very much like Ryu, or Manta, or his other friends – with absolute faith, with care, but never romantic. I get it now. I've depended on him and he never failed to give support, even without doing anything, just being him. I can't believe that made me confused of my feelings. I feel like I've freed myself. I can fully support him now.

When Ryu called out his new oversoul, Horohoro commented that Ren was right; the winner was obvious.

"You've just realized, idiot?" Ren said from behind.

"Wha – Ren! I thought you've left already."

"He's been there for a while." Rue answered Horohoro grinning, without tearing her eyes from the fight.

"Heh, I was just leaving. I needed to tell our trainer that we'll be starting another round of training now."

"Don't be such a party pooper, Ren. I'm still enjoying the show." Rue said as she raised a brow at him.

"I'm not! And you know how this would end." he answered, quite irritated.

"Yeah – I still want to know what happens before that."

"Sigh. After this match, then." Ren said, giving up. He left the group again.

"Ren really puzzles me." Chocolove said.

"He's just frustrated, let him be." Rue said waving him off.

She was concentrated in Yoh's fight when she heard a rather loud slap. He saw Horohoro's cheek bright red as Manta spoke. Hehe Anna looks like she's in a good mood, she thought.

Anna was now explaining how Yoh deflected the enemies' attacks. It was his gentle furyoku, which Rue thought to suit him real well. "Easier said than done." Rue butted in.

"As long as there is a hint of fear, his furyoku will go head on with the IceMen's." Anna continued.

"That's why only Yoh could pull it off." Rue muttered.

"That's why Yoh's so cool."

I'm so thankful I knew someone like him.

After the fight…

"I finished cleaning up, you damn bastards! Horohoro, Chocolove, let's go now! Bring Ren something to eat!" Rue shouted. They proceeded to a patch restaurant together with team Ice Men.

"Wait, where are we going?" Chocolove asked.

"To start training. Didn't you hear Ren? He said after the match. But we decided to eat first, so he's probably pissed off so much that you just might not be able to survive today."

"What a pain." I wanted to talk more with the Ice Men. Horohoro thought sadly.

"Oh, Horohoro, stay and get us something to eat for later, too. I'll be taking Chocolove with me."

With that she dragged the latter away. "No, help me!"

"Thanks, Rue." He said silently as he scratched the back of his head.

"Where the hell were you!? I've been waiting for a long time! Don't tell me you've been slacking off again!" Ren shouted at Chocolove.

"Ren I'm sorry, but why am I the only one being shouted at?" he looked at Rue, then shuddered. He looked at Ren with eyes of understanding.

"Where's Horohoro, anyway? That bastard's running off again." He said.

"I told him to prepare us food for later; he'll be late." Rue was the one to answer.

Ren could not contain his anger any longer, "What the hell's wrong with you guys?"

Rue sharply turned her head and raised her brow at him, "You dare raise your voice at me?"

Ren hesitated but stood his ground.

Rue broke the staredown to look at Chocolove, "Get Horohoro, now!"

He ran quickly to avoid getting in the clash.

With a frustrated sigh, Rue said, "Heh – you're lucky I'm in a good mood, ungrateful brat."

Ren stomped towards her. But Bason was the first to speak, "Forgive us, Lady Rue, Master Ren just got mixed up with Hao, that's why he's in such foul mood."

"Shut up, Bason!"

"So you've been recruited, weren't you?"

"What do you care, I didn't accept it anyway."

"Damn that Hao."

"He was terrifying."

"I know." She pats his back and says, "Although I tell you that I know Yoh's gonna win, I'll still help you get stronger to the best of my abilities." And then grinned at him.

"You're in such a good mood, it's almost creepy."

Smack!

She hits his head. "That's not very nice!"

Smack!

"And that's for raising your voice at me. Don't forget, I'm the one giving you all the trainings."

Ren just nursed his head, feeling a little better than earlier.

Hoshigumi vs. X-III

"Hey, you're taking too long. The matches are gonna start." Ren said as he entered Rue's room.

"Hai! I'll be there in a few minutes." Rue was talking to someone on the phone. She hanged up immediately after this.

"Oh Ren! Sorry – I can't go and watch today. I have things to do."

"What? They're having you do reckless things again?"

"Ren! Shut up, this is Yoh's family we're talking about."

"So what? Aren't you part of that, too?"

Rue sighed and went closer to Ren to put a hand on his shoulder, "Ren, please, not today, I'm feeling stressed out, right now."

"All the more reason not to do whatever they say, right?"

"Ren, you idiot! Gah! You're making my head hurt. I'm going now!" she said as she left.

"Ren, why isn't Rue here?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"You're still in a foul mood, aren't you?"

"Tch. She said she has to take care of some stuff."

"Alone?"

"I'm not her father, I don't need to look after her every time." Ren said darkly as he bumped his head onto Horohoro's.

"Did you guys fight?" Horohoro asked innocently.

"Whaaaat?! I don't know what you mean!" Ren shouted as he looked away.

The teams to fight were announced by then. Horohoro and Ren stopped fighting.

The fight hasn't been that long, but Meene has already fallen.

"Good thing she isn't here, though." Horohoro said as he remembered Rue hating killing.

"Hao's side is just too strong." Chocolove commented. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the cruelty before him.

When the match finished everyone went by the ocean to talk things over. After the last match's revelations, they had many things in mind to ask of Yoh. This was when Yoh decided his friends needed to learn the truth about Asakura Hao and him.

On the other side of the island, Rue and Miki were welcoming the new guest.

"Keiko-sama, have you had a nice trip?" Rue greeted the mentioned female. All three of them were currently in a car on the way to meet the Taos.

"It was fine. Rue, thank you for going with us today."

"From what Anna said, you've already met them. Maybe you can help us gain their cooperation." Miki told Rue.

"It's nothing, really. It's not like I have anything else to do. It's an honor to be of help to you."

"We're here." Miki announced.

"Ah! Nice to see you again." Rue greeted as the three of them walked in the café the Taos were in.

"Ah, you were with the children when they came to get Ren."

"Hai! I've brought Keiko-sama and Miki-sama, Yoh's parents. They wished to talk to you urgently."

With that Keiko started telling the truth about the connection of Hao and the Asakuras and to Yoh, especially. She also told everyone the future she foresaw wherein Hao wins the shaman fight.

Rue, not being informed beforehand, stood dumbfounded as Keiko and the Taos kept talking. Hao and Yoh…twins? She started piecing it together, how Hao knew her, of the Asakuras… Yoh. Does Yoh already know about this?! Of course he would, that's why he behaves differently these past few days. Wait, then… Anna? Darn, of course she would know. That's why they look so much alike. I thought I was only imagining it. Why not tell me, then? How long could he have known?

With all these thoughts, she lost track of the conversation happening inside the café. They're taking it surprisingly well. She thought as she tried to concentrate on the elder Taos.

But, she was fully distracted when Miki and Tao En started to fight. Keiko pulled her to the side as she whispered, "Let's not get in their way." Keiko smiled at Rue; the latter just nodded in response. What happened again? She wanted to ask, but decided it would be better not to.

After the conversation, Miki left hurriedly saying he'll meet with his new trainees. She looked hesitantly to Tao En trying to decide if he needs her help to heal him. Keiko, feeling her distress, grabbed her hand and told her he would be okay. Keiko, then, said she'll find an inn herself and that Rue should relax now. Rue immediately went back to the inn, after that, to find Yoh.

"Yoh!" Rue shouted as she saw him talking to his other teammates and Manta.

"Oh Rue! Where were you?" Yoh waved his hand to greet Rue.

"Rue! It's Yoh! He has awful news."

"I know already. I was just informed. Dammit, if you have known earlier, why didn't you tell me?"

"Rue, please calm down." Yoh answered as he came closer.

"Calm down! You're telling me to calm down?! How can I be calm knowing this?" she started shouting, dimly noting that the others have moved outside.

"Rue, I didn't want you getting involved in the family's mess."

"What? I'm still an Asakura, Yoh. I still deserve to know some things, right? I've done so much for this family, and this is how I'll know important stuff?" Rue was close to tears at this point.

"Rue, don't misunderstand."

"What's there to understand? You're not telling me shit!" Rue was panting from all the shouting.

"I just didn't want you to be burdened by the dark past of our family. I wanted you to be happier; you looked happy when you were with Ren and the others. So I thought it was better if you didn't know." Yoh said calmly as he approached her.

Speechless with his response, Rue just stared at his eyes, he was thinking about me, I should have known.

"Yoh~" Rue hugged Yoh tightly. "I can understand you doing it for me, but I don't like not knowing important stuff like this. I feel ashamed I didn't even notice you were carrying this entire load by yourself all this time."

"It's alright. I want to do something for you, this time."

Rue pushed Yoh out of her arms and looked at him seriously, "But this won't happen again, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Yoh tearfully answered as Rue released her tight grip on Yoh's shoulders.

"Yoh, we should be going." Anna interrupted.

"Ah yes." Yoh answered.

"Wait, what's happening?" the confused Rue looked alternately at Yoh and Anna.

"I'll explain on the way. Can you come with me, Rue?" Yoh said getting serious.

"Hai." She answered hesitantly. I'm having a bad feeling.