"Who… who is Anna…?"
Mikihisa gave a small sigh as if relieved Hao didn't remember.
"She… is a very kind young lady who will help you."
"Will she, now?" came a familiar voice from behind them, and they both froze; Mikihisa, because, of course, the worst irony in the world was happening at that moment, and Hao, because he could just FEEL the power, the hate… and yet the burning passion behind him, emanating from this woman. They gazed back in turn.
Anna stood in the large door, her arms crossed, hair tied back under her bandana, and one leg propped against the wooden frame. She looked at them sharply, mainly at Hao for crying before her. She hated anyone who cried… but why was it that Hao was sensing no hate, as he should…? He knew she presented hate like this, but why not with him also? A small memory flashed through his mind from her then; she had loved him the day he had learned she was to be the Shaman King's bride. And he had said HE would become it just for this reason, maybe even throwing the current idea away…
No. this wasn't right. What other "dream"? And would he, now knowing it had obviously been quite farfetched, honestly just drop it? Maybe this was what she had wished. She wished him to kiss her… wished him to forget his dream…
Anna sharpened her glare even further, now aware Hao could understand what had happened before she could get a chance to do what Mikihisa wanted her to do. What… she wanted to do.
"W…what am I doing again…?" Hao's knees shook beneath him. He had been placed on some strange platform… and now Anna was kneeling before him. Mikihisa stood shortly away, in case anything should go wrong.
"Shhh… just be silent, Hao." Anna murmured, her hands clenched tightly in some spiritual formation. Though her hands appeared to be stable, and only tight for the reason of concentration, in truth, she was hiding her anxiousness to continue. To revive Hao. To be with him again, whether he be the same or not. She wanted his embrace once more.
He jolted, sensing this and struggled absently against her will. The will of love he could not prevent.
"hey!!" he shouted feverishly,
"you're a fiancée to Yoh, not me!! Keep it that way—"
He stopped, and Anna's 'concentration' was broken.
"We make haste now, " She began in her false coldness she used to hide her true emotion.
"If you gain the Reishi completely before I can do my job, you will… never live again and…"
He figured it would come. Angry tears welled in the girl's eyes.
"And… Yoh can never have a brother again –" She attempted to evade quickly, but Hao, of course getting past her lie with the Reishi, interrupted her just as swiftly.
"Anna!!" he cried, in that smooth, casual tone now returning fast as it should. Should not.
"You know just as well as I do, that isn't how you or Yoh feels about it… so just… tell me the REAL reason…"
Mikihisa glanced up abruptly then.
"No. we don't have that kind of time anymore. Do it NOW, Anna. It's an order." Against his arms, he clenched his fist till the knuckles turned white under the strain.
Still hesitant, Anna nodded, and faced the altar in front of her where he stood, bound in a spiritual straightjacket. She regained he pose of before, clasped her trembling hands together, bit her lip… and the surrounding area began to glow.
He felt warm… nearly the same warmth there had been when Obake had become one with him for those moments… or was this something more…? He knew it must be. He felt a tightness within his chest, and he drew a small shaky breath, feeling its warmth also, as he released it. He had not been able to feel it this real for so long… all senses seemed the same…
A light pulling against his paws, and he was once again, tied to the earth. Right? He gazed up through the warm blurriness, and found only one person standing there. He had his back turned… and he wasn't Mikihisa.
Mikihisa doesn't wear a cloak. He doesn't look like him… doesn't have hair to his mid-back… No. it was something MUCH more than that.
Hao no longer had Yoh, a so-called 'twin' to deal with. Now he had another.