Disclaimer: Again the same. Don't own Shaman King or any of its characters. Only the ones I create for this fic. They belong to Takei Hiroyuki.
A/N: I'm glad there also so many people who like this fic, you help to keep the creative juices flowing. And I'm very sorry for my lateness to update. This chapter is what many people have been waiting for…Hao's gonna wake up! As you can see, I'm now replying to the reviews. I also have an image of SOF's hitodama (Spirit Ball Mode) in my DA account; the link is on my profile. Also I have changed my page breaks in this and the earlier chapters since it seems that doesn't accept the other ones. Also I want to thank everyone who had reviewed and put on alert this story. Sorry, I'm monopolizing the talk. Now onto the story!
This is for thoughts
This is for spirits talking
Redemption
Chapter 2 – Awakening of the Demon Boy
Inside the plane
Jeanne D' Arc, a.k.a. Iron Maiden Jeanne, was sitting by a window in the X-Laws' plane and looking at the clouds as it flew towards France, pondering about what had happened in the last few hours.
First of all: She found Opacho and asked her to come with them.
Second on list: While she was on her way to the plane, she received a message from the GS.
Though that could
be considered a great honor, the message in itself was strange and disturbing in a manner of speaking.
It was about helping someone. Of course, being who she was, she wished to help that person with all her heart, but when she found him, she became hesitant about it.
It was because the one she needed to help was her arch-foe, the devil-incarnate, Asakura Hao.
And at last, but not less important: She had agreed to help him and took him with her to France, which was the reason of why he was in another seat in the plane and SOF's hitodama was still above him (for some reason, she was the only one who could see him). He was still unconscious, which was no wonder if she took in matter the severity of his wounds after the defeat he had received by the hands of his otouto and still with the pained look and the caked-up blood in his face and torso, but she kindly (even if Marco said he didn't deserve her kindness) put a blanket on him. She didn't have the required equipment to treat him. Maybe she could have asked Faust VIII at the moment, but he had already left with Yoh and the others.
She was a bit uncomfortable with the decision she had taken, but by some reason, she felt it was the right thing to do. A part of her wished she had left Hao and another felt like she couldn't have done that. Jeanne was very confused.
"Confusion leads to nothing" She thought, but even if she repeated that to herself; she still had doubts. Taking a glance to Opacho, who was soundly asleep in the seat next to her, she pulled a blanket over her body and began to doze off, to be received in dreamland.
Jeanne's Dream
Jeanne was walking through a field of many flowers, clad in her dress. Carnations, lilies and roses. Her favorite flowers. She was very happy.
"This is paradise…" She said "So peaceful."
She then let herself fall in the bed of flowers, smell the sweet fragrance and enjoy the landscape, but then she felt something out of place.
Heat…an unnatural heat was sweeping around the place. She rose to try to find the source of it and when she did, she was nonetheless shocked.
A few meters away from her was Asakura Hao, surrounded by a ring of flames, wondering why was he there and why the flames didn't spread everywhere. Oddly it seemed as if they were trapping him.
Gathering her wits, she headed to where he was to confront him; finally she arrived and stood in front of the fire wall.
"Asakura, what are you doing here?" She said with a steely voice only to receive no answer, he only seemed to stare blankly at space, his long bangs covering his eyes.
Jeanne didn't understand why he was like that and tripped with a rock, falling in the flames; but somehow they didn't burn her, instead they felt mysteriously cold.
"How is this possible?" Jeanne thought "Why didn't I get burnt?
Jeanne got up and looked at Hao only to see something that left her thunderstruck.
Hao was crying, but the strangest thing was what he was crying.
Blood. He was crying tears of blood.
She was taken aback by this and her eyes were wide open as saucers. Why was he crying tears of blood? She had once heard that crying tears of blood meant that the person had a terrible and deep sorrow within him or herself and they didn't show it to anyone, also said to be seen by someone with a pure heart who could empathize with that sorrow. What kind of sorrow could be dwelling in the depths of Hao's soul? Did this mean that she could empathize with it? And the most important question…why her?
Any musings she had were interrupted by Hao who looked at her and she stiffened when she finally saw his eyes. They weren't full of the usual smugness and a hint of insanity, but filled with an unending sorrow. As she saw that, he uttered something that shook her to the core.
"Why…Why did it have to be like that…?" Hao uttered and then disappeared in a burst of flames that reached her, but again she wasn't burning. She didn't feel even a bit of heat; only a chilling coldness, that flowed with an unfathomable emptiness which tugged and bit at her soul.
"So…cold…" Jeanne said as she began to shiver non-stop only to wake up afterwards.
Back to the plane
Jeanne almost fell from her seat, still shivering, remembering that dream. Had it actually been a dream? Somehow, she didn't believe it was one; it had been too vivid. She could still remember Hao's gaze, drilling holes in her soul, his tears of blood; she still could feel that arctic coldness spreading to her whole body, even if she was covered with a blanket. She dared to glance at him, only to find that he was still blissfully unconscious with SOF still above him and Opacho was still asleep curled in a ball.
"What was that? Could possibly had it been…a vision?" She asked herself in her thoughts "Why did I see that? What does it mean?"
She was too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice someone was getting close to her, only to react when a hand placed itself in her left shoulder, it was Marco's.
"Jeanne-sama, we're going to land in a few minutes…" He stopped when he saw she was shivering "Are you okay, Maiden-sama?"
Jeanne, with a great effort, controlled her shivering and said "Don't worry, Marco. I was just a bit cold. I better wake Opacho up. Please, prepare everything."
"Hai, Jeanne-sama" He said bowing and then left, leaving Jeanne to wake Opacho.
After a few shakes, Opacho woke up.
"What's the matter, Jeanne-sama?" The small child inquired.
"It's nothing, Opacho" Jeanne said gently. "We almost arrived, so I had to wake you up."
"Hai, Jeanne-sama" She and Jeanne rose from their seats and Opacho tugged at her dress. "What is it, little one?"
"Please don't forget Hao-sama, Jeanne-sama." Opacho pointed with one of her small fingers towards Hao.
Jeanne looked at him and for a moment she saw again that sorrowful visage of him again and then strode towards him, noticing that he hadn't even make a move in the whole flight. When she got in front of him, she couldn't shake off that image of her head and then noticed that Spirit of Fire was staring at her and she wondered why. Her mind was wandering until she heard the captain's announcement that they have landed. Shortly after this, Marco appeared and Jeanne proceeded to ask.
"Marco, can you pick up Hao?" She asked in a leveled voice.
"As you wish, Jeanne-sama" He said as Jeanne noticed the hesitation as he picked him up.
After everything was ready, the four of them (five when you count SOF, but only Jeanne can see him) left the plane and went to a white car that was expecting them.
The driver opened the door for them and once they entered, Jeanne spoke to the driver.
"Please take us to the monastery as soon as possible." Jeanne asked politely and then pointed to Hao. "He needs treatment."
The driver nodded and stepped on it. Jeanne leaned on her seat as she saw the buildings and the people zooming away as they went to the monastery. Her home, since she had been a little girl, even before the Shaman Fight and even before being the Iron Maiden. Now she was going there, taking with her the one she saw as the ultimate evil. What was she going to tell everyone in there about Hao? Would they look down on her? She would have to find out once they got there. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that they already arrived.
"Maiden-sama, we have arrived." Marco said as he got out and opened the door for her.
She got out along with Opacho but then asked Marco to pick up Hao, and he did, albeit reluctantly. She went to the door, knocked it and then braced herself.
A few seconds after she knocked, the door opened and a bit pale kind-looking man, who had short brown hair with some white streaks due to age; which was combed backwards. He appeared to be 5'9 with blue colored eyes and faint traces of a beard and giving the impression of being on his late forties came out of it, wearing the traditional priest's outfit.
"Welcome to Archangel Michael's Monastery, what do you need…" The man said warmly, only to stop when he saw who the visitors were "Little Miss? Marco-san?"
"Indeed we are, Father Pierre." Jeanne said in her sweet voice and then pointed at Hao's limp form. "And one of us needs treatment."
When Father Pierre saw Hao, he gasped, not because of who he was, but because of the gravity of his wounds and hurriedly asked them to bring him in, which Marco did, again apathetically. After they entered, a group of nuns led them to a room where they could treat Hao's wounds, letting the two men outside as they worked (Opacho went in there too since she's kinda afraid of Marco, Jeanne wanted to help and SOF; well, only Jeanne noticed him as he followed Hao)
Outside the Room
Father Pierre and Marco where waiting for an announcement of sorts of the nuns who where inside the room and so, they began to make a conversation.
"So, Marco-san…" Father Pierre started.
"What is it, Father?" Marco answered while leaning on the wall.
"If it's pertinent asking…" He said and then cleared his throat "What happened to the others?"
Marco scowled at the question but answered anyway.
"They are dead." Marco growled out and Father Pierre gasped. "Killed by that demon Asakura Hao."
"My apologies for asking that, Marco-san." Father Pierre said while bowing his head. "If I may ask, what about that Hao?"
Marco grumbled for a moment before yanking his left hand and pointing towards the door the nuns, Jeanne and Opacho (also SOF, but he can't see him) had entered and then said.
"The boy that 'we' brought…" Father Pierre quickly noticed the bitter tone in his voice when he said 'we', but didn't say anything; patiently waiting for the rest "…that boy is Asakura Hao."
Father Pierre was somehow shocked by hearing this, but also he was curious of why was he in here.
"If he's the Hao that Little Miss Jeanne and all of you have been…hunting…" He said, trying to find a word for their deeds. "…then why did you bring him here?"
Marco was stunned by the question, because he actually didn't know why he was in there, so he replied honestly.
"I'm not sure why Jeanne-sama has brought that devil in here…" He alleged. "I know that the Holy Maiden had her reasons to bring him here, but…I still feel uneasy about it, actually 'uneasy' is an understatement."
Father Pierre thought asking her later, but as for now, he trusted her…
"Marco-san." He spoke towards the X-Law. "I wouldn't worry about that now, after all, I have always placed my trust in Little Miss Jeanne."
"B…But, aren't you worried of what that…" Marco said stuttering due the Father's lack of care in the situation. "…demon can do in here? Jeanne-sama doesn't even have her guardian spirit anymore!"
"Really? How come?" Father Pierre hadn't lost his cool, something that Marco was losing right now.
"Because his spirit, Spirit of Fire, devoured it!" Yelled Marco very loudly, only to be silenced by a nun who came out of the room and asked him to not be so loud, which he did, although embarrassed "That's why I don't know what's going to happen…if he wakes up…"
Putting a hand on Marco's shoulder to reassure him, Father Pierre said "When the time comes, we will find about it, until then…would you want something to eat? I believe the flight was long and I'd ask Little Miss Jeanne now, but she's helping in there, so…I'll ask her later" He finished with a smile.
Marco sighed, trying to calm himself down. Sometimes Father Pierre was too optimistic for his own good. Finally he accepted and they went to the Dinning Room, leaving Jeanne and the nuns.
Inside the Room (This happens simultaneously as the chat between Father Pierre and Marco)
As soon as everyone entered, they began to work. By first, they put Hao on a bed, after that they went to gather some water, bowls, soap, cloths, antiseptic, bandages and other assorted items that were in the room (Which I forgot to mention is the infirmary)
When they gathered all the necessary stuff, it was time to start. They started by mixing the water in a bucket with soap and drenched the cloths in it. They started scrubbing off the caked up blood his face and chest, dried him and then applied antiseptic, but in all of this, he didn't move an inch.
"Wow, how deep is his sleep?" One of the younger nuns asked.
"Why do you ask that, Marie?" Another said.
"You know that people tend to wince with this stuff, even if they are out cold. Just look, Stephanie." She then proceeded to start poking him with her right index finger all over his face. "This is funny!"
"Please stop." Jeanne's voice was heard. "That is disrespectful."
While she thought of that behavior as disrespectful, she had the fear that Hao might wake up and burn them and she didn't want that to happen to them, since they were her older sister figures, even if they didn't behave properly at times, one more than the other. More so, since SOF was in there too.
"Come on, little sis, don't be a killjoy." Marie said while she kept poking Hao's face.
"Marie, she's right, you know." Stephanie said with a small frown and then whispered to her. "Do you want to get caught again?"
Her answer was a glare.
"Killjoy." She muttered as she stopped and they continued their labor. "You better help me out later with the chores…they always dump them on me."
"Don't I always?" She said and winked at Marie. "After all we're best friends, right?"
She just grinned and nodded. Jeanne was grateful she had stopped. Suddenly, shouts could be heard outside the door, so one of the older nuns went to see what it was about; after she came back, she was donning a small frown.
"Excuse me Sister Sarah, may I ask what's wrong?" Jeanne asked and the nun smiled.
"As polite as always, little one." She complimented Jeanne. "You see, Marco-san was being too loud, so I asked him he could lower his voice."
Jeanne shook her head a bit and then she felt a tug in her dress, the cause being Opacho.
"Jeanne-sama." She said in her little voice. "Is H…"
"He will, don't worry, Opacho." Jeanne interrupted Opacho before she could say Hao's name.
Marie chose this moment to become aware of Opacho.
"Who's the little cutie, Jeanne?" Marie knelt down to Opacho who ran and hid behind Jeanne's legs. "What's the matter?"
"Opacho's shy around most people." Jeanne elaborated. "The exceptions would be me and…him."
"If I may ask, how do you know him?" Stephanie asked.
Jeanne seemed to ponder her question.
"I met him at the shaman fight…" Jeanne said a half-truth. "I couldn't leave him there."
"A saint as always, my dear child." Sister Sara said and none noticed the small pained expression in her face. "Would you by any chance, know his name?"
Jeanne was in a precarious situation. She could say his name, but that would raise many questions since everyone in here knew about the x-Laws and their mortal enemy, who was still blissfully out cold. The question of their reactions again popped in her mind and it disturbed her; thankfully, her years in the Iron Maiden had helped her to hide her feelings and pain from others. After some meditation, she came up with an idea.
"His name is Zeke." She liedand gave a look to Opacho to play along. "That's what he told me."
"I see." She said and they finished their job.
"Jeanne-sama, can Opacho stay here?" She asked. "Opacho wants to stay with him."
Everyone knew that Jeanne had a soft spot for children, so she wouldn't say no, more so her, knowing Opacho's bond with Hao.
"Yes, you can." She said with a smile and Opacho mimicked her.
Leaving Hao who now was in a new set of clothes and clean to sleep, Jeanne left to the Monastery's garden, after all, it was a place where she could think things clearly.
In the Garden
This place had always been special to Jeanne since she was a child no older than Opacho, it was full of flowers, specifically her favorite ones. This place also helped her to relax and sort out her thoughts. She took a seat in the stone bench in the center, thinking she was alone, she didn't feel someone else sitting on the bench.
"Hello, Little Miss." Jeanne heard and jumped in shock, but relaxed when she realized it was Father Pierre.
"My apologies, Father Pierre." Jeanne said, catching her breath. "You caught me off-guard."
"Is there something bothering you?" He asked. He already knew what it was, but he wanted her to tell him herself.
"No…nothing at all." Jeanne tried to lie, though it was kinda difficult.
"Oh well." Father Pierre said. "But you know that whatever it may be, you know you can trust in me."
He got up and started to leave.
"I know you do, but…" Jeanne thought. "Will you trust me with the truth?"
He had given no more than five steps when Jeanne called out to him.
"Father Pierre!" She called to him. "Please wait a moment."
As soon as he heard her voice, he stopped in his tracks.
"I…" Jeanne uttered. "You're right, there's something bothering me."
"Care to elaborate, Little Miss?" He spoke. She seemed to struggle with what she was going to say.
"Do you remember the boy we brought?" She asked her uncle figure. "And about Asakura Hao?"
"What about them?" He already knew, but he figured she needed to take that out of her system.
"It's because…the boy we brought here…" Tears began to well up in her eyes. "…he is Asakura Hao."
Then she started crying, the garden always had the effect to make her loose the iron hold on her emotions and set them free; although it didn't help now. She lifted her face to look at him. Would he be disappointed? Would be condemn her actions? But to her surprise, he seemed serene.
"I already knew, Little Miss." He confessed. "Marco-san told me and he had quite an outburst."
To say she was startled by his attitude, it'd be an understatement. She started to cry again.
"Then why?" She said between sobs. "Why did you make me…say it…"
He let out a heavy sigh.
"Little Jeanne." He said. "I could see that this was eating you up, even if you chose to bear the suffering when you entered the Iron Maiden; there's a limit to what you must endure. And bottling this up wouldn't have helped at all."
Wiping her tears and looking at him with a steely but at the same time doubtful glance, she prepared to ask what was on her mind.
"Are you disappointed in me?" Jeanne asked with dread.
"Why do you ask that?" Father Pierre inquired.
"Because I asked Marco to bring him here." Jeanne whispered loudly enough to be heard. "The one who has caused all this evil and yet…"
She was interrupted when he raised his hand.
"I'm not disappointed in you for bringing him; it shows you can give kindness even to a wicked soul." He chuckled a bit. "Due this reaction, I can see why you were so reluctant to speak about this."
"But…" Jeanne was still shocked her uncle figure didn't think less of her. "He's a wicked monster…"
"One isn't born as a monster." Pierre elaborated. "Certain factors may turn someone into a monster, but that is the choice of the person."
"What do you mean by that, Father?" Jeanne asked, pondering the words he had given to her.
"Just remember these words, Little Miss." He spoke. "I have all my life."
She knew what he was talking about and it was a sensitive topic.
"Well, I hope this has helped you, my little Jeanne." He then smiled at her. "Remember no matter what happens about Hao or as you called him, Zeke, you have my unconditional trust."
He wiped the tears that escaped from her eyes and got up from the bench.
"Thank you, Father." She thanked him.
"Anytime, my dear." He smiled at her and both left the garden, with Father Pierre going to the chapel and Jeanne to check on Opacho and Hao.
In the room
Opacho was pacing everywhere with her small feet, waiting for her Hao-sama to wake up, she had been like this since Jeanne and everyone else left. So immersed was she that she didn't see Hao's right hand twitching until he let out a groan. It was this moments when she turned and realized Hao was waking up.
"Hngh." He uttered.
"Hao-sama!" Opacho almost flew due the speed she used to go and climb the bed where Hao was.
"O…Opacho?" He said as he opened his eyes.
"Hao-sama, you're awake!" She said with glee. "Opacho was so scared when she lost her Hao-sama!"
"Opacho, where are we?" He asked, he felt tired, even to use his Reishi. Opacho fidgeted at this.
"O…Opacho and hao-sama are in Jeanne-sama's home." Hao's eyes hardened at this. "She brought Hao-sama and Opacho after she found you wounded in the desert."
"The Iron maiden?" He asked to his diminutive companion. "That X-girl?"
Opacho nodded at this, which elicited a surprised look at this.
"Why would she bring me here?" He said. "After all, I killed most of her so-called angels."
"Opacho doesn't know very well, but she did." Opacho whimpered a it but stopped when she felt a hand on her head
"It doesn't matter, Opacho." His eyes travelled to hers and a small tinge was felt in his heart. Was it guilt? Why would he feel it? Then it hit him. He lost it completely and lashed out at her, the one he had raised and cared. Ironically, Yoh's final attack had made him snap out of it.
"I…I…" Hao tried to say, but it was easier said than done, he hadn't apologized to anyone in a long time.
"What is it, Hao-sama?" Opacho asked.
"To hell with it! I'll just say it!" He said in his head and then spoke to Opacho. "Sorry for yelling at you."
Opacho's face lit up.
"Opacho is glad her Hao-sama is back." She said, snuggling to him, careful of his wounds.
Hao let out an almost indiscernible smile at this. He then whipped his head to the right where the door was.
"I know you're there, Iron Maiden." He spoke.
"You're finally awake, Asakura." Jeanne said to her antithesis. "I'm just glad nobody else is here."
He read her thoughts and smirked inwardly at her fear.
"Why did you bring me here?" Hao questioned and noticed her troubled look.
"I don't know." She said, getting back her steely visage. "You've killed so many and yet…"
"Yet what, girl?" He questioned.
"And yet, I felt I couldn't leave you there." She spoke up with finality.
"Why couldn't you?" He asked in a mocking tone. What he didn't expect was her outburst.
"I just couldn't!" She yelled at him. "You've killed so many, you've sinned so much, even now I find hard to believe you raised Opacho!"
"Who told you that?" He tried to get up but he was too weak. He even tried to burn her, seeing that SOF was at his side, though visibly weakened, but to no avail, it seemed his powers had been weakened, not only his body.
"Opacho told me that." She glared at him. "Tell me, are her words true?"
"I don't have any reason to tell you anything." He coldly spat and noticed Opacho was moving. His tonme actually got softer. "What's the matter, Opacho?"
"Hao-sama, Jeanne-sama also took care of Opacho." The little African declared. "She even protected Opacho from Marco."
Hao seemed to think about the name for a moment and it clicked.
"The blondie?" Opacho nodded in response.
"That's true." Jeanne said, looking at Opacho. Hao seemed to ponder their words. He then let out a sigh.
"Whatever." He spoke. "But it's true, I did raise Opacho, like you say, I couldn't leave her there. Now leave, I want to rest."
Jeanne was going to retort about his lack of tact when she realized he had actually answered her question.
"Alright, I'll leave." She said and left the room, closing the door.
Hao tried to sleep, even if he had been unconscious for a long time. As he tried, the partings words of the Great spirits echoed n his mind.
"The one with the soul of light?" He thought. "Who could it be?"
Unknown to him, Jeanne was also musing in her own head, ironically it was about the words the Great Spirits gave to her.
"This is going to be more difficult than I thought." She spoke in her mind."Can he really be redeemed."
"I'll have to find out." Both shared the same thought, unaware of each other.
To be continued…
A/N: Well folks, here you have the second chapter, hope it's of your liking.
Hao: Why did she call me Zeke?
ZN: Well, she wasn't going to tell everyone in there your name, knowing your reputation.
Hao: But Zeke? I'm so gonna!
*I run away as Hao tries to burn me alive* Next chapter will bring more about Hao and Jeanne's lives in here, if Igetout alive of this!
Hao: Stay put!
ZN: Never! See you later, readers!