Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

Here is the third story you have been waiting for, but don't expect a quick update unlike the first story i have no other chapters waiting in advance, so you'll just have to wait...sorry... - -"

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She drifted among those who were lost, when she felt it was her turn. Her time was now. She screamed as she felt herself pulled into the hole, "NO!" She reached out blindly with a curling tendril glimmering blue and red and screamed again as she felt her whole being torn into two.

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"Honestly Ren, calm down." Yoh patted Ren on the shoulder.

"But…but…" Ren stammered, Manta rolled his eyes, for the fifteenth time during the month, Ren began to worry about his engagement. "But what happens…"

/Here we go again/ Dragon sighed, Phoenix cuffed him soundly on the head with her wing.

'Again…' Manta thought.

'But what happens if she doesn't want to anymore? What if she changes her mind?'
/But what happens if she doesn't want to anymore? What if she changes her mind/
"But what happens if she doesn't want to anymore? What if she changes her mind?"

Ren groaned, not knowing that Manta and Dragon repeated the exact same sentence. Yoh smiled, "That's okay, you know if she does change her mind then you wouldn't have to worry anymore."

He was rewarded with a kwan doi angled at his throat and a glare from the golden eyed twenty year old –worrywart- man. Manta sighed, 'I wonder how long this is going to last…'

/Honestly, they are grown men, and they still act like they were seventeen like before/ Dragon commented. Phoenix gave up, it was simply no use trying to shut the reptile up while he was at it.

"Where is Kita anyway?" Yoh asked. Manta scratched his head, "I think she went shopping with Hao." Manta instantly regretted saying that.

"WHAT!"

"I'm home!"

Ren sprang to his feet and ran to the doorway.

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Kita blinked as she suddenly found herself engulfed in a bone-crushing hug. "Uh…Ren?" She could feel the heat of his glare burning a trail towards the ex-evil shaman. "Ren," she sighed, "Please stop glaring at Hao and please let go of me before I drop this extremely heavy bag onto our feet." Hao smirked back at Ren, earning the fourth glare for the day. Manta actually counted; it was almost an everyday exercise:

One for saying good morning to Kita

One for breakfast

One for Lunch

One for doing anything with Kita, even just offering to help clean the place

Two for Dinner

One for saying goodnight to Kita

It was almost like a timetable that Ren and Hao had planned. Apparently, Ren never did really forgive Hao if it wasn't shown clearly enough. Although Yoh never figured it out, "You should be more nicer to each other, we are all brothers." He grinned widely, Ren send a look and sighed resignedly. "See? We can get alo-.." Yoh got a punch in the face as Ren stormed off. Kita leaned towards Manta, "You know for a moment, I thought they were actually going to behave as civilized men." Manta grinned. Kita followed the path of which Ren took, "I think this is my part where I go and reassure him, you think you can get this to the kitchen? Dragon and Phoenix can help."

Instantly the said creatures appeared, Dragon picked up one of the bigger bags with Phoenix holding the handle. Leaving Manta with the smaller one and Hao with the bigger one. 'Hao no bullying either like last time.' He heard Kita ordered. (1) Manta watched in puzzlement as Hao swooped to take the bigger bag and walk towards the kitchen, last time Hao snatched the smallest bag and ran off leaving Manta with a bag the same size as himself.

"What are you standing here for?"

Manta smiled, "Well I was just thinking how strange it was for Hao-.." He turned and yelped. Anna stared down at him. "What?"

"N-nothing." He stammered. Anna smiled, "Good, I need you to sweep and wipe the floors for me and ask Ryu and Yoh to help you clean the onsen." She walked off to her room.

"WHAT AGAIN!"

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Kita rolled her eyes as she spotted her golden-eyed lover sitting on the roof. "What's wrong with you, love?" she asked, placing herself right next to him. Ren trembled, his eyebrows furrowing. "Ren?"

"I just don't understand HOW ANY OF YOU CAN FORGIVE THAT MAN!" he shouted jealously.

"Well life must go on." Kita replied staring up at the clouds. Ren stared at her, "Life? Life? That man has taken hundreds of lives and you say life must go on?" Kita sighed. This wasn't the first time. "Ren, everyone makes mistakes even if they were over many many years…"

Ren scoffed, "Like you would know anything."

It was like being slapped in the face. Kita stared back, hurt, did Ren forget she spent the first four years of her teenage life with Hao? She lowered her eyes; "I lived with him for four years. I didn't hate him all the time."

Ren was lost for words, "I-I…"

"Kita, we need your help here please!" Manta cried. Kita stood up wordlessly and climbed through the window and trotted down to the kitchen.

Ren could only watch her.

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Like or despise? Constructive Reviews are welcomeds, flames are used for chicken wings

(1) You should read the final chapter of Once Before or even better the whole thing XD but that would be too much to ask, if you want to understand, or if you still don't understand how she does that, email me and I'll explain to you.