"I'm leaving in a while," Yoh said. "Yeah, don't worry about me. Huh? Well, you sounded worried to me... Yeah, OK.Bye, Ren."

He put down the phone.

"Hey, Horo," he said. "Keep an eye on the place for me, will you?"

"No prob'."

"I'd better go soon," Yoh said, picking up his bag. "Take care of her, guys."

"Don't worry about Anna-san," Manta said. "Just concentrate on getting to your grandparents' place."

"Yeah. See you."

He stopped. Wait...I feel something…

Frowning, he opened the door.

The frown deepened. His bag dropped. It made sense. It made sense

It made sense

"Hao."

"Hullo, Otouto."

CONFIDENCE

Anna was sitting down, deep in thought. Was it possible?

Was it possible….

She swallowed.

Was it possible that he was that powerful?

Anna didn't know whether to be angry, or scared, or upset…

Whatever the feeling, she had to think. And fast.

Her mind wandered swiftly through her memories. What had Madame Kino said about it…?

She stood up suddenly. She needed to find the—

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Anna mentally cursed. Why did he have to appear now…?

"Miss me?" Hao asked, looking at her fondly.

"…No."

"Of course you did," he said, cheerfully. "Now, I've got something interesting to tell you."

"…Something to tell me…?"

"I visited my brother today," he said. His smile was unkind. "And he finally realized what the cause of your… disappearance was."

"Don't give me that," she suddenly snapped. "I know what you've done, and how you've brought me here."

"Oh?" his smile grew wider. "Go on…"

"You captured my consciousness," she said numbly. "It's an old type of skill. Very old. You entered my dream state and brought it here—"(wherever here was) "—but my body is still back there. This isn't a real place, is it?"

She wasn't really asking.

"If that's true…" Hao asked tactfully. "Then why do you feel me…when I touch you?"

She froze as his hand found hers. His hand was warm, but all it did was make her feel very cold.

"That's what is so powerful about it," she said, pulling her hand away. "You kidnapped my consciousness and my senses. If you hurt me—" she looked at him hard. "—Then I will suffer those wounds when I get back."

"If you get back," he corrected, but he was smiling. He then grabbed both her wrists. She winced in pain, but she suppressed it. He looked sickeningly delighted. "I knew it! You are fit to be Shaman Queen."

He laughed. Anna's fists clenched tighter.

"I will get back. Either you release me, or I will get out myself. Or, Yoh will come for me."

"Ahhh, are those the options? I'm sorry, Anna. But none of that will work, you see."

She looked at him. He was doing it again. Toying with her.

"The first option is for me to release you. But that would defeat the purpose of me having you come here in the first place."

He let go of her wrists now, but they still felt the pain.

"I didn't come here," she snarled. "You brought me here."

He ignored her as if she was a sulking child. "The second option. You escaping. I do not doubt your strength, Anna, but I have confidence in mine. This—" he gestured the doorless room, which was something formed by his furyouko. An entire room. Anna grit her teeth and grudgingly admitted that he was very powerful. "—should be proof enough."

He used up all that furyouko for her, she suddenly realized. That in itself confused her, but she waved it off.

"The final option. You still believe that Yoh will manage to rescue you from my 'evil clutches'. I don't want to get your hopes up, but I suppose it's time I tell you why you are seeing me again too soon right not." He paused. "Not that I didn't welcome the opportunity," he added kindly.

She hmphed.

"Well, Otouto was very angry, you know. My dear brother doesn't like it when any of those friends he has running around get involved. So, unnecessary as it was, he challenged me."

"What?"

Yoh, you fool…

"Oh, I don't doubt his potential. He's a good boy. But he lets his pathetic friendship get in the way sometimes." Hao stopped and looked up. "Although…now that I think about it, you're worth it, aren't you Anna?"

"What?" she said again.

"Well, here's the happy part. The winner of our little duel is you, lovely itako. I mentioned that I would check with you first. Because, you see, if he loses, you belong to me. Body and all."

"What?" she said, yet again, this time not quite in an interrogative mode.

"Oh, I know, that's why I said I would check first," Hao patted her head. "I'm afraid that he isn't taking 'no' for an answer though. So we fight tomorrow."

"He'll win," Anna said, not quite out of the blue. She stared at him, because she believed what she said.

"Will he?" Hao yawned. "I should go. Now remember, Anna, no itako tricks, all right? You are mine once I come back to you here. In fact, you are mine now. But let's pretend I'm trying to win something. It's more fun that way. Actually, when you think about it, it's as if I'm winning your body now, right?"

He disappeared.

Anna folded her hands on her lap. No itako tricks?

Yeah, right.

"Hullo, Otouto," Hao said.

Yoh clasped his sword with quivering rage. "Where's Anna?"

"Calm yourself, Yoh-dono," Amidamaru said urgently. "It's the only way we'll save Anna-dono."

He took several breaths, an act that amused Hao.

"She's fine, don't worry. Ready?"

Horo-Horo, Manta, Ryu, and Ren stood there, some with weapons in their hands. Horo and Ryu felt it necessary to insult the fire shaman, while Manta concentrated on praying that Yoh would do well. Ren was doing his best not to jump in and fight alongside Yoh, but he was very tempted to do so.

"This just involves me, and him," Yoh had said. "And I'm going to have to do this if I want to save Anna."