Author's Note: Thank you for waiting! :) I've been really busy the past few days (and feeling rather lazy) that I wasn't able to edit this chapter. Oh well... hope it works out for you. :)


~o0o~

She drank a shot of tequila before telling her trusted friend and confidant, of the major blunder she has committed.

"You did what, Anna?" He stopped wiping the countertop and stared at her adamantly.
"I just told you. You know I hate repeating myself."
"Well, pardon me dear Anna." He started, as he takes the bottle away from her. "I had to confirm that you just dabbled into something you could barely understand and control, because I believe I've explained this to you a million times, that it's going to have severe repercussions." He paused. "I had to ask again because, at the back of my mind, I know you wouldn't do such a thing. But...here we are." He rolled his eyes, which made her more upset.

"What do I do?"
"Lucky for you, it is irreversible."
"How does that make me lucky?" Anna smacks her friend on the arm with an annoyed look on her face.
"It's just my way of saying that you're totally screwed." He shrugged.

Anna sighed. He's supposed to be reliable on things like this.

"There has to be something that could fix it."
"Why, of course there is!"
"Are you being sarcastic again, Faust?" She crossed her arms, arched her brows and threw vicious glares his way.
"Hate to break it to you girl, but I always have been and always will be sarcastic. If you haven't noticed yet, maybe we should spend more quality time together. Anyway, they must desire to go back to their respective lives."
"That's a piece of cake. I can convince this guy to go back."
"Ah,ah,ah, you're not listening sweetie. I said 'they' - that's plural, as far as I'm concerned. This means, that both has to want to go back. In short, you were the one who put the icing on that piece of cake." He grinned widely.
"What?"

Faust clicked his tongue "Dear Anna, it's not entirely your fault. They must have thought of living another life at the same time you did that stupid incantation."

"How am I supposed to convince the other one?"
"I guess you better start researching. You know what, you're so vindictive sometimes, that you forget to actually think things through thoroughly." He pauses for a second, "Wow, tongue twister eh? Never mind the redundancy. Anyway, you should get movin'. Oh, and out of curiosity, who's the lucky bastard?"
"Asakura."
"An Asakura?! Ho-ho-ho! Congratulations, you just dug up your own grave."
"Shut up, useless."
"Ouch. Well, all I can say is, you're a genius, my friend. Proud of ya." He winks at her.

Anna walks out.

"Don't worry! I'll be there at your funeral!" He added.

I got her all worked up this time. Don't get me wrong, I really love my ever spiteful gal pal Anna. She's about to learn a very valuable lesson, the hard way.


~o0o~

Yoh woke up with a tiny lump on his temple.

"Ouch." He winced as he nursed the bruise.
"I can't believe you passed out."

He looks away and answers back with "It's not every day I meet people who see ghosts and, feel an overwhelming presence."
"Truth is, there's a good chance for you to be a shaman. Let's not dwell on that, though. Don't you have some place to be?"

He thinks for a moment and replied, "Oh, shoot! I forgot."

xxx-

Yoh went to the city and entered the hotel. He was prevented from taking the elevator to the penthouse.

"Wait, I own this place." He insisted.
"Sorry, sir. We're gonna have to ask you to leave."
"What? Last time I checked, I'm still the CEO. Are you new here?"

"Hey, what's the commotion all about?"

Everyone focused their attention to Manta, the current owner.

"Oh, hey Yoh. What are you doing in the city?" He gave a nod to the hotel staff. "It's alright, he's my friend."
"Well, if it isn't Oyamada Manta." Yoh greeted. Manta gets confused. "It's actually an honor to have you as a guest in our hotel."
"Hahaha. Yoh, are you drunk or something?" He fought back with a grin. "You know what, why don't I get you a room..." Manta started to walk and Yoh followed suit. "Did you guys fight? You and Anna?"
"What are you talking about?" Yoh then gets the chance to look at the signage at the reception desk; it was far from the usual Asakura clan emblem. So he goes out again and checks the street signs and without a doubt, he's on the correct location.

They couldn't have bought the Asakura clan's share in one lousy day... unless I messed up really bad. But that's close to impossible - very unlikely that grandfather would just sit back and let the company he spent all his life to build, just go to waste. Something's very, very wrong.

"Yoh, are you okay?"
"I-uh..." He hails a cab and heads back to Funbari.
"I wonder what's wrong?" Manta just shrugged and regarded it as one of those crazy days.


~o0o~

He stood at the door of that coffee shop again, completely oblivious of the humiliation he went through just this morning. He sat down at the same spot and flashed his infamous grin.

"Thanks for meeting me on such short notice." She stood up and shook his hands.
"Anna, I'll be wherever you need me to be." It was sappy to say the least, but this guy doesn't seem to mind. This made her blush.
"Sorry about the taser thing..." She started.
"Don't worry about it. So, would you mind explaining it to me again? I didn't quite get you when we were conversing over the phone."
"I did this." She admitted. "The reason you're here is because of me."

All he gave her is a blank stare.

"Don't get angry..." He started, "...but what are you trying to tell me?"
"I was pissed at you - well, the other you. He's an arrogant moron. I wanted to get back at him so badly."
"The other guy... a guy who looks like me?" He probed.
"Yeah."
"Hao?"
"No. Hao Asakura's long gone."
"Yeah, but he goofs around once in a while, trying to annoy you."
"Did he ever succeed?"
"Well-"
"Truth is, what you mentioned doesn't make sense to me. I'd like to clarify one thing: I'm not your wife - not in this reality"
"Ahhh." He replied. "I figured as much. In any case, what do I have to do to get back?"
"It's rather simple: you just have to want to go back,"
"Alright..."
"...your alternate should also do the same."
"How do I get him to do that?"
"I don't know."
"Hmm, okay."
"Huh?"
"I said okay."
"How could you be so calm?"
"I'm sure everything will work out in the end." He smiled again.
"That's... stupid." She said flatly.
"Y'know, my Anna said the same thing to me before...and in the same tone too! Wow, you could definitely trick me into thinking you're her- on second thought, you already did, except it's not on purpose..." His voice trailed off. "Don't worry, I'll help you figure it out."

xxx-

"So, you and I... I mean, her and you, were betrothed?"
"Yep. You were... I mean, Anna was handpicked by my grandmother. She's the best."
"You... love her?"
"More than anything."
"What a lucky girl."
"Enough about me. Let's talk about you."


~o0o~

Yoh went back to Funbari, stops at the door and ends face to face with Anna.

"You knew... didn't you?" He said.

Anna shrugged.

"Yeah. But I wanted you to see for yourself. You wouldn't have believed me."
"You could've saved me the trouble of making a fool out of myself. How did this happen?"
"Someone powerful enough could have done it. But he wouldn't do that to Yoh."
"Who wouldn't?"
"The Shaman King."

"..."

"His brother Hao, is the shaman king. He possesses the power of the great spirits... but he wouldn't do a petty thing such as this."
"You're calling this petty?"
"You bet. Hao always wanted a big party. Something extravagant... he's a diva like that. Anyway, chances are, your souls got switched. See, there are different realms that exists... parallel universes if you may, where people on one realm has an equivalent person on another realm. It could either be the exact opposite or somewhat the same but never exactly the same."
"Are you saying we're in big trouble with the 'grand' design of things?"
"Sort of. "
"Sort of?"
"That's the reason why it is called parallel universe... it will never meet. Though, if you think about it, the balance hasn't been tipped that much. But, if the other Yoh gets on the same plane - this reality, would automatically mean chaos."
"I'm having a hard time with this whole... supernatural stuff...Just tell me one thing: how do I go back?"
"You just have to will yourself to go back."
"Simple enough."
"...the other person should do the same."
"We have a problem then. How do I tell your Yoh?"
"You don't have to...I'm pretty sure he's already on it."
"How do you know?"
"I just know."

A minute ago, he was so focused and eager to go back to his old life until he realize the situation he's in, is an opportunity of a lifetime.

Would I really want to go back? Here, I have a clean slate. I can start all over again. No more nagging elders, no more meetings, no more expectations. And I also don't mind being the one married to Anna.

"What if...I stay here?"

Anna's taken by surprise by his sudden change of heart.

"You can't. This world is entirely different-"
"Exactly. I think it's a fair bargain... your Yoh will assume my identity. He's going to be rich and famous..."
"You can't stay here. Running away from your issues won't solve anything. You have to face it head on so that you can learn from your mistakes. And I really need my husband back." She insisted.
"I'll take care of you for him!"
"You don't understand... this is not how the way things work." Her once calm voice is now one note higher.
"Sorry Anna. I'm not going back there."

He walks out.

xxx-

"Does the offer still stand?" Yoh meets again with Manta.
"Of course. How long will you be staying?"
"A while."
"Aahh, must be a really big misunderstanding with the missus."
"You can say that."


~o0o~

"Anything?" Yoh asked politely.
"Nope. Why are you so anxious to speak with this guy?"
"I don't want to keep Anna waiting. Today's our anniversary...I think. She'd kill me if I don't make it on time." He pleaded.

Anna flipped the pages and patiently skimmed through the contents.

"Let's say I found the incantation and the other guy tells you, you're better off staying here? What will you do?"
"I won't stop trying to convince him. Everything will work out, you'll see."
"Why are you so optimistic?"
"Just being true to myself. Now can you please hurry up? I mean no disrespect but I'm on a tight schedule..."
"So am I."

Anna groans.

xxx-

The incantation she found required both Yoh-s to be at the same place. Hiroshi suggested that his boss would've gone to the same hotel, and would've asked for the penthouse.

Yoh stood in front of a large mirror as Anna read the spell. The mirror glimmered for about half a second, rendering the onlookers astounded.

"The resemblance is uncanny. So you're Yoh." The man on the other side of the mirror spoke as he wipes off shaving cream on his face.
"Amazing. Let's get to the point, Yoh number two."
"You couldn't come up with a better alias?"
"We need to switch back."
"I refuse."


A/N: There you have it folks. Thank the long weekend for this update. :)