Chapter Text
Enter The "Alt" Universe
"Fractured Duality"
Alternative Universe Intro
(1)
“This place is kinda creepy now.”
“It always was.”
“Yeah, but, it’s so… quiet.”
“I like the quiet.” pleasantly sighed Hao.
Yoh turned and smiled at his big brother walking directly by his side through the empty streets of the Patch Village, who was also looking back at him intensely with a kind yet pained expression on his face.
“What?” laughed Yoh. “What are you looking at?”
“Just… you.” softly replied Hao. “I thought I would never…”
Yoh sighed deeply, he raised his hand and reassuringly and gently rubbed Hao’s back before wrapping his arm around him and squeezing him briefly as the pair continued to stride almost in sync side-by-side.
“I told you, Nii-chan. You’re never going to lose me.”
Hao winced slightly at those words as he recalled that he had, in fact, lost his little brother three times over in just a matter of days.
“About that.” muttered Hao. “The Shaman Fight.”
“Yeah, I guess our dream is over now, huh?” sadly replied Yoh.
“It was never really our dream to begin with, and you know that.” replied Hao, he looked towards the ground as a hint of shame flickered across his expression. Yoh stopped walking for a moment, he couldn’t hide the confusion on his face. The elder Asakura brother stopped in his tracks too, but failed to immediately turn around to face his twin.
“What? Of course it was.” quietly protested Yoh.
“No, Yoh. It was selfish. I should never have put such a burden on your shoulders. I realise that now.” firmly replied Hao, now turning around and locking his gaze upon Yoh as the same feeling of relief washed over him just like it did every time he laid eyes on his little brother.
“We were a team. We were doing this together.” candidly continued Yoh, not shaken by Hao’s sudden change of attitude.
“But at what cost, Yoh?” argued Hao. “You sacrificed everything - you gave up your childhood - your future - your entire life for this. And for what? To be all alone and wait for me for the next half a millennium? You have no friends. No potential future family. You have no one.”
“I have you.”
Hao froze. He watched as the face that perfectly mirrored his own moulded into the same kind reassuring expression he was so used to.
Yoh tentatively approached his worried sibling and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders, locking his determined eyes upon him. Hao gazed back sadly at his younger twin.
“We have a long, long time to figure out what the hell we do next. But what ever that is… we’re going to do it together. Okay?” said Yoh firmly and reassuringly, before smiling his signature toothy smile at his big brother. He then instantly wrapped his arms tightly around Hao’s neck and shoulders - Hao gripped him in a desperate tight hold in response.
After a happy peaceful moment of shared blissful silence, Hao turned his head slightly more towards Yoh’s ear,
“If it’s any consolation, you would have been a really great King.” softly said Hao, the smile on his face could be heard in his voice.
“Of course I would. I had a good teacher.”
(2)
“You’d think Thallim would have kept this place more organised. Nothing makes any sense in here - ow!” exclaimed Hao as a small unstable pot from the shelving unit above him wobbled over and landed on top of his head.
Hao begrudgingly continued to search the units for supplies and food, quietly muttering to himself under his breath about the state of the kitchen as more crashing noises echoed out into the darkened seated area of the Patch café.
“Need a hand?” called Yoh, leaning back in his seat to try and catch a glimpse of the one rummaging around in the backroom through the serving window hatch.
“No - I got it!” replied the annoyed voice of his twin.
Yoh smiled, before slouching in his seat and resting his head on his hand and gazing out at the view outside from his window booth. He sighed deeply as he gazed up at the vast sky-less landscaped ceiling that cocooned the village. After a few moments of quiet reflection and contemplation, his server and company arrived at the table. Hao placed a plate of bread rolls down on the table in front of him as well as two cups of hot black coffee.
“There wasn’t much.” sadly said Hao as he sat down opposite his twin. “And I know how much you don’t like coffee, but it was either that or just plain water.”
“It’s okay.” softly sighed Yoh. “And I’m not really all that hungry, anyway.”
“It’s a long journey back home.” insisted Hao. “You need to eat.”
“If we even have a home to go back to.” sighed Yoh, now locking his worried eyes with his twin’s.
Hao sighed sadly too, sharing in the same concerned sentiment.
“I know.” muttered Hao. “I’m worried about them, too.”
A short silence grew between them.
“But, it’s amazing that all of this is still here.” said Yoh, his eyes scanning the café scenery around them. “There’s always a chance, right?”
Though Yoh had a smile on his face as he fell back into his usual positive outlook, there remained a hint of concern in his voice.
“Yeah.” sighed Hao, smiling. “I’m sure it’ll all work out.”
Yoh raised an eye brow, smiling slightly. “You always make fun of me for saying that.”
Hao laughed a bit.
“I know, but - I guess I believe in it more now than ever.” Hao lifted his coffee cup and took a sip of his hot beverage. Yoh copied him, but pulled an exaggerated disgusted face at the taste.
“So bitter!” whined Yoh.
“You’re such a child.” laughed Hao.
After an extended shared moment of peace as the pair just enjoyed each other’s company, the twins found themselves simultaneously considering their strange other-worldly circumstances. Questions without answers swirled silently between them, and Hao’s mind fell back on the face of someone who looked identical to the one sitting opposite him. And almost as though the pair shared a strange psyche tele-pathetical connection, Yoh couldn’t stop himself asking,
“Tell me more about this “other Yoh”.”
Hao closed his eyes briefly and smiled softly.
“You would have really really liked him.” sighed Hao, there was a slight hint of sadness in his voice. “He was just like you in so many ways…” Hao trailed off as he opened his eyes. “But,”
Yoh blinked, he leaned forward slightly, desperate to hear more.
“He had found happiness without his own brother in his life. And I can’t help but feel…” Hao hesitated, looking slightly away from Yoh’s gaze, “…guilty.”
“Guilty?” repeated Yoh.
“He had a future, friends, so many people who loved him.” Hao continued. “It was an eye opener for me of the life I have held you back from. All these years, by my side, fighting for a cause that wasn’t even yours.”
“Hao. Not this again.” sighed Yoh, he reached forward and patted the back of Hao’s hand gently. “What was the alternative?” Yoh leaned his head down across the table to try and meet Hao’s gaze, he had a knowing smile on his face.
“What?” Hao sat up and blinked, meeting Yoh’s reassuring eyes once again.
“Well? What was the alternative?” repeated Yoh. “Where were you in that world?”
Hao froze for a moment, then his eyes narrowed. There was a short pause as he slowly absorbed the words.
“Still feel guilty?” quietly said Yoh, eventually. He watched as a relieved smile began to spread across his big brother’s face.
“You always know exactly what to say.” replied Hao, smiling. “I think I’ve missed that about you most of all.”
(3)
Hao craned his head back as he finished off the remainder of his drink before placing the cup back on the table. He sighed pleasantly as he smiled at his twin who seemed to have locked his happy expression upon him. It took a few seconds for Hao to realise that Yoh wasn’t moving an inch - and his eyes seemed frozen.
“Yoh?” muttered Hao. He stood up slightly from his seat to examine him. Yoh wasn’t breathing, blinking or moving. Not even a hair on his head moved as Hao’s breath disturbed the air around him.
“Yoh!”
Hao’s heart sank in his chest as he felt that all too familiar deep sense of loss return. He gently placed one hand on the side of Yoh’s face as he looked into his brother’s eyes. Hao’s breathing began to shallow as Yoh’s pupils looked straight through him.
“Don’t panic. He’s fine. It’s not like he’s really alive, anyway.”
Hao stood up and spun around at the sound of a very familiar voice. The breath in his lungs instantly escaped him.
“It’s…” breathed Hao, “It’s you.”
“To make this easier, you will refer to me only as “your majesty”.” demanded The Shaman King with a slight smirk.
Hao blinked. His eyes scanned the King standing before him from head to toe. The Shaman King was draped in a gorgeous glowing red floral robe, and Hao noted the small odd detail that he was missing an earring.
“You did it.” breathed Hao. “You’re…”
“You seem surprised.” chuckled the King.
“What happened to Yoh?!” demanded Hao, he stood up straight and locked his intense glare upon the King.
“Which one?” laughed the King, looking towards the frozen one sitting at the table beside Hao.
“Both of them!” snapped Hao, angrily.
“Woah woah, calm down. There’s no need for all this negative energy.” laughed the King. He approached an empty adjacent table and sat down, gesturing to the empty seat directly opposite. Hao sighed angrily and hesitantly approached the table and sat down opposite his royal visitor. Hao glanced over at his frozen twin’s face at the table next to him.
“Why are you here? What do you want with us?” demanded Hao as he looked back at the King.
“You’re asking a lot of questions and behaving very badly for someone that should be glad to see me.” smirked the King.
“Why would I be glad to see you? The last time I saw you - you were trying to kill my friend.”
The King paused.
“Hm. Your head is even more empty than I realised.” he muttered, raising an eye brow.
“What?”
“You haven’t told him - have you? You haven’t told him what the two of you really are.”
Hao paused, he slowly looked back towards Yoh. That usual feeling of relief did not wash over him this time when he laid eyes on him. Instead, a deep sickening feeling of guilt rooted itself within the pit of his stomach.
“What good would telling him do? He’s already lost so much. Why take more away from him?” sadly said Hao, he did not look at the King as he spoke.
There was a short pause. The King sighed. He clicked his fingers and a cup of coffee appeared in his hand.
“It has come to our attention that you believe there’s a world beyond this place.” began the King.
“Our?” quietly repeated Hao, blinking as he looked back at his identical counterpart.
“You’re lucky you’re even here at all.” continued the King, taking a sip of his beverage.
Hao momentarily froze as he realised what the King’s words meant.
“You did this?” whispered Hao, eventually. He could not hide the astonishment on his face.
“Why would there be anything else? You wanted your perfect fake “happily ever after”. Well, this was it. Surely that’s better than nothing?”
“You think this is “happily ever after”?” sarcastically laughed Hao. “Of course you do. For a moment there - I forgot who I was talking to.”
The King raised his coffee cup to his lips again as he locked his overly confident eyes upon his illusion sitting across from him.
“You’ve imprisoned us here.” seethed Hao, his expression bleak.
“Yes, though that wasn’t my intention - my better half did point that out to me. That is why I am here.” smiled the King as he placed his cup down on the table in front of him.
Hao blinked at the King’s words again. His eyes were then drawn to the singular earring he was wearing. An amused smile began to spread across his face.
“He did it.” softly said Hao, smiling. “He saved you.”
“Took you a little longer than I expected for you to catch on.” chuckled the King.
The identical pair shared a mirrored peaceful exchange. After a moment, they both simultaneously looked towards the frozen shaman sitting at the table next to them.
“He deserves more than this, your majesty.” pleaded Hao. “You got your second chance, and I got mine. What about his?”
“Hao, he doesn’t exist.” sadly replied the King.
“He exists to me!!” angrily snapped Hao as he jumped to his feet, knocking his seat backwards to the ground as he did so. He shot a deathly glare at the King. The Shaman King raised both his hands in a mocking surrender.
“Alright! I haven’t even got to the best part yet.” loudly said the King with an amused smile. Hao remained standing, his hardened glare did not waver as he waited for the King to continue.
“I created this world exactly how you remembered it, exactly how you lived it. You never knew the world outside of this place, and your memories, though vast and complex, have many gaps and imperfections. Your Yoh is even more saturated than you are - as he existed only in your fabricated mind.” explained the King.
Hao looked back towards Yoh as the King went on. He sighed deeply and sadly.
“If I expand this world to reflect a more “true” version of reality - I cannot promise it will be perfect. I cannot guarantee your happiness, or his.”
“There’s no such thing as a perfect world.” muttered Hao, he kept his eyes upon his twin as he spoke. “Though I suppose you know that now.”
The King paused for a moment. Then he smiled.
“Indeed.” nodded the King.
Hao looked back at the King. He had a fire in his expression as he placed both his hands on the table and leaned in towards The Shaman King, locking his determined gaze upon him.
“I don’t want a “perfect” Yoh or a “perfect” world. I just want my brother to have a chance of a real life. Or at least, the closest thing he can have to that. I will do anything, your majesty. Even if it means taking me out of the equation.”
“There you go again, with all that annoying “selflessness” and “kindness” crap.” laughed the King. Hao raised an eyebrow at the King’s words, confused. “I’m already one step ahead of you.”
The Shaman King got to his feet. He had a glint in his eye as he calmly walked around the table so he was standing more in front of his illusion.
“Tell me, who was your Spirit Ally?” asked the Shaman King.
Hao blinked, unsure where this was going.
“Matamune. But you know that already.” muttered Hao.
“Now tell me, how exactly would you form an oversoul with him?”
“I…” Hao opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. He suddenly realised he could not recall in detail the last time he used an oversoul.
“Exactly. This demonstrates my point. Matamune was never actually yours. He just planted those ideas in your head, and the fabric of your illusionary make up did the rest.”
Hao swallowed nervously, he felt vulnerable and exposed as the King unraveled more of his hidden truths.
“So if we are going to fill in those gaps properly, you will need a Spirit.” smiled the King.
The Shaman King raised both his hands and a small floating golden orb appeared between his palms. It gently floated towards Hao.
Hao lifted both of his hands as the dancing little orb came towards him. It then playfully swirled all around him and then disappeared within his chest. Hao inhaled deeply as it did so, and suddenly a tidal wave of new memories overwhelmed his mind.
“There.” nodded the King. “That should do the trick.”
“Wow,” breathed Hao. “It’s…”
“Incredible, I know.“ laughed the King. “It will enable you to use all of your properly acquired knowledge and abilities, as well as your illusionary ones.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” whispered Hao, completely taken aback by the King’s generosity.
“You also won’t be seeing Matamune again. He has a more important job to do now in the world where he came from.”
Hao remained stunned into silence for a moment by the King’s words.
“And as for your Yoh,” continued the King as he looked over fondly at his younger brother’s identical counterpart. “His destined Spirit Ally awaits him in the world where you will be going.”
“Amidamaru.” whispered Hao with a slight smile.
“Of course.” replied the King.
“Thank you. Thank you Hao - I mean, your majesty.” laughed Hao.
“I’m certain the rest will sort itself out,” went on the King. “Your world never knew a Shaman Fight, but as long as you both stay true to yourselves, and stay together - you will find your own way. At least, that was what my brother told me to say to you.”
“Will I remember you? Will I remember what you have both done for us?” asked Hao, smiling a bit.
“No, you won’t remember this encounter. But you will retain the knowledge you require to go forth and make the most of what you have been given.”
Hao smiled softly and nodded at the King.
“Mercifulness looks good on you, your majesty.” quietly laughed Hao.
“I wonder where I got that from.” jokingly replied the King.
(4)
Hao made his way back to his brother’s table and sat down opposite him. He gazed at his twin’s frozen smiling face for a moment before glancing back at the King.
“Hao, for what it’s worth - I hope you’re just as happy in your world as I am in mine.” sighed Hao, before he bowed his head respectfully at the Shaman King.
The King hesitated for a moment, but then he smiled.
“Heh. It’s a little more complicated than that, but, I am doing my best to find joy, where I can.” replied the King.
“Good.” smiled Hao, “I guess that means that Yoh was right, after all.”
The King’s expression flickered but then he smiled again, realising what his illusion’s words meant.
“”It will all work out.”” the Duality identical duo echoed simultaneously.
The Shaman King waved his hand and he disappeared from sight. In the same moment he vanished, the scenery all around the twins began to instantly transform and a warm light instantly began to swell the space. The plain white café walls became a wash of new fine decor, the tables and chairs around them became adorned in tablewear and cutlery, the café counter behind them became populated with produce and the floor beneath them was draped in a lush red carpet. Visions of people began to manifest within the cramped space around them at each table. A long queue of eager customers appeared that snaked from the counter and out of the open café door and onto the busy Funbari street outside. Cars and bicycles whizzed passed the windows - and after a moment, noise suddenly erupted all around as the scene became animated and alive.
Hao blinked with amazement as he examined his brother in front of him. He noted how his headphones were now in their rightful place on his head, and he was wearing a white plain t shirt under an unzipped orange hoody that adorned a large leaf on one side. Yoh picked up the can of cola from the table in front of him and happily gulped it down without a care in the world.
Hao glanced down at his own attire. He was no longer wearing the red matching tracksuit that he had borrowed from his true self, and instead was wearing a black bomber jacket that was zipped half way over a white shirt. He lifted his hand to the back of his head and realised his long mane was now tied back in a long pony tail.
Yoh let out an exaggerated sigh as he finished his carbonated drink and he beamed a delighted smile at Hao.
“Ah - that’s better! I was so thirsty!” giggled Yoh.
After a moment, Yoh opened his eyes and met the glistening eyes and relieved expression of his big brother in front of him. Yoh blinked.
“What?” Yoh muttered, smiling a bit. “What are you looking at?”
“Just… you.” breathed Hao with a relieved smile.
A café server passing the twin’s table stopped for a moment to pick up the chair that was on the floor and tucked it back in its rightful place at the empty table next to them, they then picked up the empty coffee cup from the table and walked away.
End of Intro