Name: Souls
Author: Rain
Disclaimer: SK and Pokémon belong to their owners…
Claimer: THE LEGEND IS MINE! And Sora, Yuro, Peter and the others %)
Note: Dedicated to Zero-Nightmare and all of the HJ fans outta there…
Long ago, there was a legend in some country…
A legend of souls and soul mates…
A legend that was a truth…
Ack. She had it in her, to be so horribly helpful. It was in her holy blood, she wasn't able to dodge that. But there was her problem.
Jeanne used to fear dogs and cats. The big ones, the little ones, all were too much to bear for the girl who had lived in streets, where they were predators.
But this time, she couldn't let this one die. She had sent blood, and with further inspection, she had seen this animal. Was it a weird cat or dog?
She noticed it seemed to be badly injured. When she was nearer she could describe it… It was black and blue, and its eyes were of a dark shade of red. It had long ears. Her question returned to her mind. Some very very weird cat or dog?
No, she stated. Even the weirder ones weren't this odd.
- Are you okay?
The little animal turned around, growling, and shouted at her:
- Don't come near!
Jeanne stepped back as it snapped, growling.
- Shh, little one, I bid you no harm, don't be afraid. You're wounded, I can help you.
- Why would I care? I search my sis, no time for wounds or girls! Step back!
At this very moment, she noticed it was talking in her head. She knew some people, like Hao, could read minds, but that was different. They were talking together and she didn't hear his thoughts, she only listened to the words it wanted her to know.
- You lost someone? Your sister… I can help you, you know. Just let me heal you. You're badly injured.
- I SAID 'DIDN'T CARE!
- SILENCE!
The holy girl leaned forward and brushed her hand on the wounded back of the animal. He, even if he was astonished by her sudden outburst, bit her hard, but she didn't care. She healed his wounds, gently, and then her own.
- I can help you. If you stay alone, someone will kill you. What's your name?
It seemed a bit calmed by her acts and took a long breath before saying:
- 'am Yoru. I'm a Noctali, a Pokémon. And ya, wimp?
- W-Wimp? Ah, no, the name's Jeanne.
- Indeed, wimp.
She smiled a bit.
- Okay, you can't really walk injured like that; my fouryoku will heal you slowly to make sure you stay safe. You can climb on my shoulders if you want.
- Whatever!
And she returned to the X's basement, a now asleep Pokémon on her shoulders.
Rain on him.
Hao loved walking in the rain. The drops running on his skin and in his hair were calming.
But this day, he found something odd in the rain. A little rosy animal with big ears which inner was blue, a long weird and pink tail and a red pearl on the forehead.
He leaned down on the thing, intrigued.
- Oï. What are you?
The pink animal raised its head, opened two dark blue eyes and stared at him.
- My name is Sora. Who are you?
He started to speak… Then it hit him. It's voice echoed in his head, not because he had heard it… But because it was speaking to him. Telepathic animal? And there he thought he knew all about animals… Mother Nature was sure a strong force to deal with.
- I am Hao. But… You're no animal.
- Animal? No. I'm a Pokémon, a Mentali. Did you see my brother? His name is Yuro.
He took time to answer, not wanting to make the tiny Sora afraid or to let it go, cause he wanted to learn a bit from this new animal – well, it said it was not…
- I didn't, you were alone. Wanna go with me? We can search your brother.
It, or maybe it was a she, because it was clear she was a female and he didn't understand why humans thought of animals as objects, blinked, as if scanning him.
- You are a lonely one. Who are you searching?
It was his turn to blink. Did Sora see the background of people? Really someone to learn from. He smirked.
- Someone. Maybe.
- Okay.
The soft voice stopped as he took her in his arms, and the Mentali gently fell asleep.
Time to fight, thought the Iron Maiden.
X-I against a group of the Gandharas.
Jeanne was with Marco and Lyserg. She had left Yoru at the entrance of the ring, after noticing an odd thing. In fact, the others weren't able to see him, as if he was some strange specie of Spirit.
She knew that group. The Bouddhas had special abilities: they could make their enemy face their worst fear. Strong personalities.
Lyserg and Marco were strong, but she knew their fears, since she had the sames.
- I want to do this alone.
And because they were her friends, her angels, she didn't want them to have to do this.
Now she just had to fight three Haos at the same time.
Then her Alapaga statue appeared behind the last one and closed on him. Blood spread itself and some fell on the face of the Iron Maiden.
Then she backed to Marco and Lyserg, not wanting to hear the speaker's comment.
Jeanne felt eyes on her. Lifting her head, she saw the smirk of her greatest enemy, Hao Asakura. A fourth one. The real one. So much more powerful. He silently clapped at her, as if he was acclaiming her. She frowned. What did he meant by that?
Marco noticed – of course, it was Marco, he always noticed – and frowned too, before loading his gun.
- Jeanne-sama?
- Marco, this is not worth, she began, her voice filled with calm, and you fully know that. The barrier's still up. I… Won't return to the Iron Maiden just now, is it okay?
The sweet tone of the Iron Maiden caught the blond-haired man off guard, and he stared at her for seconds before slightly bowing.
- O-Of course, Jeanne-sama.
Jeanne stared at the pyromaniac with death in her eyes, then turned around, despising. The X-I exited the ring slowly and their leader took Yoru, which was practically running around her and Marco, on her shoulders.
- Amazing, said the black Pokemon in her head. I thought you were a wimp, but 'was wrong all the way.
- Thank you.
Her inner-voice was less sure, he noticed, than her outer-voice had been to Marco.
- Why did he do that? Usually I'm lucky if Monsieur Hao Asakura even just acknowledge my presence!
- Stop shouting, y' wimp, growled the black and blue Noctali. Maybe you impressed him?
- Impressed? Impossible! Hao Asakura's not impressed, never. He toys with me!
- So. And what naw?
- … What what?
The Pokemon laughed at her, happily watching her growing frustration, and then resumed his position, explaining himself.
- What do ya want to do with the fact 'he toys with you?
- Touchy.
- Argh, stop that! That's so–! In seconds I'll be banging my very head on this tree!
- Good idea, I'd love to watch.
Another voice. Owner obvious.
She gasped and turned around, discovering Hao, his arms crossed, landing on the ground. The shadow of Spirit of Fire disappeared in the wind. But the most awful thing was he was smirking. Ah, he enjoyed it all, this damned bas–!
- Y'know, if I couldn't hear all your thoughts I wouldn't believe even you swear. Naughty girl ~!
- ACK! … What do you want?
- That wasn't my idea at first, but a good one indeed since I saw you when you're not the Iron Maiden ~ Let's say…
He uncrossed his arms and raised one to search something – someone in the back of his poncho. Then, he showed a purple animal which was really looking like Yuro.
- When I saw the other was with you, I had to follow. If I hadn't, Sora here would have been really sad…
- SORA!
The mental scream caused Jeanne to wince. Yoru ran to his sister and took her from the devil's grasp.
Hao merely grinned and Jeanne frowned.
They backed away and ran to the shadow of the trees, hiding from the shamans' view. The two Pokemon began to play, as if trying to test the other, to verify that they were still the same.
- Okay, now they're together. You can leave.
- What if I don't want to?
- Why would you want not to?
His grin grew bigger. She didn't like that.
- I say it a last time. What do you want, Hao?
The brown-haired boy posed, as if he was thinking about his answer. When he found it, he smiled. Grinned.
- Well… I want you. Maybe. Yeah, that's the thing, smiled the devil with a cocky attitude.
- M-Me?
She backed a bit, slightly afraid.
- Why would you…
- Why do you always want to know the reasons? I thought I was a madman. Madmen don't have reasons.
He made his way to her, and she stilled, not wanting to show her fear even more.
- Stop this, Hao.
- Why?
- Now you're the one who's asking.
- Yeah, that's right, maybe. But you're not a madman. All of the mad girls I know – and I know some of them – aren't half as cute as you are, Maiden-chan.
And he learned forward, kissing her full on the lips.
Then the smirking devil disappeared, along with Sora, in a burst of flames, leaving a poor angel on her knees, frightened, astonished, and somewhat… Awfully happy.
- Hoshigumi VS Giant Flower Team! Whoa, if they had fight the Hana team it would have been really fun! … 'Kay, I'll shut up now. FIGHT!
Rackist and Opachô stepped back, as always, and their master smiled darkly at the innocent and unknown group.
- Didn't run away? Brave of you. Or do you just want to commit suicide? You don't even have the pretext of having a beautiful leader to force you, ya know.
The Iron Maiden gulped. Was it directed to her?
They didn't answer.
- As you like, smirked the evil Asakura.
His unusual speed destabilized them and, before they could even begin to react, one of them was laying on the ground, dead.
- Ack!
- Peter, calm down. You're ready?
- More than ever.
The two last challengers crushed their hands together and a giant flower appeared between the two groups.
Then the flower changed into something else… Like… The shadow of a woman and her son. A tall woman with long and shining blond hair, who wore a beautiful kimono, a tiny black-haired kid with features like Hao's, and spirits all over them.
This attack was strong, thought Jeanne, who had studied this group. If someone looked at the picture, they changed into his most precious memories, and you were throw into them… Until you died by the stop of your heart. So this was Hao's memories… He was with no doubt the little kid. Who was the woman? His mother? Not the one from this time, or the previous. The real one?
Hao merely frowned, floating in mid-air, his spirit growling behind him.
- Interesting, but memories are memories. Eat them, ordered simply the master of the Gobosei.
And Spirit of Fire just did as he was ordered.
Hao often acted before thinking. The calm he had in his previous had gone in Yoh, or that was what he thought.
Whatever it was, he had not think before kissing the Iron Maiden. The brown-eyed boy was thinking about it right now, and that saved him from the Giant Flower's illusions.
Good thing. He watched the two twins being eaten by his spirit, and smirked. Some blood was on him, as on her in the previous fight. Similar killers…
As soon as the barrier was of, Hao locked his eyes on the Iron Maiden, who was in her coffin, as always. After a smirk, an idea popped in his mind, and his smirk grew bigger.
He opened one of his fists and a torrent of flames attacked the X. The young Maiden reacted immediately, exiting her jail of iron and blocking his attack with an arm raised, hand open. Her angels didn't react, astonished. Hao never tried anything like that before.
She whispered, knowing full well he could hear her and vice versa:
- You're not allowed to do this.
- I do whatever I want. And you know you can't – or dare I say you don't want to – stop me very long.
She narrowed her eyes.
- Marco, Lyserg, go with the others. I've something to do right now and right here.
- But, Jeanne-sama!
Her arm still raised, she stared at him, furious.
- Do as I command! You think you can handle him? Okay, let him burn you! I don't want that. So obey!
Her outburst made the tall Italian worry about her current state. His Jeanne-sama was always calm, and when she wasn't, she had a big problem. It was surely exhausting, all the things she had been into lately… He bowed and took the others away, letting her alone to face Hao.
- Now if you want to fight, I'm ready.
- Don't worry, Iron Girl. When I'll fight, you'll know it.
And with that the attack stopped, its owner gone.
After all of this crap, she still had to be herself. The Iron Maiden.
Suffer to be strong.
The water was now in her throat, destroying her every thought with hot white pain. The little girl tried to open her prison, to close her lungs, in vain. She screamed silently as she drowned, unable to die, unable to save herself.
Torture of the Iron Maiden…
Jeanne was so tired. She didn't know why now, but that was now the pain of being the holy maiden surrounded her, destroying her, burning her even more than the fire of Hao.
She had tried, before, to call Marco, a lot of times, but he couldn't hear her, not with the walls of iron and the meters of water between them. The blondie was convinced she could manage to create her own way with the suffering. At first it had been right. But not anymore.
She had to wait, screaming silently, scratching the walls of her jail with her very nails, impaling herself even deeper onto the spikes. She had to wait. Wait until he chose to lift her to the ground.
Then, after what seemed like a thousand years of screams and blood and pain, she felt the Iron Maiden being moved. When Marco's voice was able to reach her ears, she smiled weakly.
- Take me in the forest, Marco.
Surprised, he merely nodded, and took her where she wanted. Lyserg, Yoru and Meene insisted to follow.
- You can leave, Marco. I want to be by myself, she said.
The tall Italian bowed and left, draining Lyserg and Meene with him. Whatever his leader was doing had to be doing alone apparently, and even if he cared a lot for his Jeanne-sama, Marco knew when she didn't want someone to stay.
Once she was sure the blondie had left, the tortured albinos pushed the door of the torture instrument with force and fell on the ground, breathing heavily. Shamash began to heal her wounds as she leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath.
- What's happening?
Yuro was there, of course. The Pokemon seemed worried. So someone did care about her after all?
When she spoke, her voice was showing her suffering.
- Shamash… Can't protect me all the way. My… Body can't take it anymore…
Her hand, the one she raised against Hao, was now covered in blood and Shamash's efforts were in vain. Her wounds on this arm just wouldn't heal.
The Pokemon started to lick her injuries, to help her, but he was too slow. He sensed the blood in his mouth flowing down and when he stopped, his black face was tainted by a crimson red.
- Need… Help…
Shamash and Yoru looked at the girl. They were both useless, unable to stop her suffering. And then…
- Didn't I say it? You're not strong enough.
The albinos difficultly opened her eyes to see Hao land on the floor, Sora in his arms, the shadow of his spirit disappearing slowly behind. Jeanne tried to stand, but her body ached so… She lay there, broken doll, and asked to herself how long he would play with her before killing her.
- I don't want to hurt you.
Suddenly he was just a few inches away, on his knees, his face so close to her she could feel his hot breath and the heat radiating of his body.
Odd. She always thought he would be warm, because of his fire. And there he was.
Jeanne closed her eyes.
The brown-haired pyromaniac brushed his glowed hand on her arm and his fouryoku began to heal the scars, replacing her weak one.
Her crimson eyes shot open, staring at him with astonishment.
- What are you…
- Stop asking and rest. No harm will be done, I'll just heal you.
The young maiden wanted to argue, to call her friends, to stop him, to escape of his so strangely nice touch, but her exhausted body gave up and she was slowly but surely surrounded by black.
It was raining on them. Hard.
After Jeanne had woken up, she had stood and let the drops fall on her face. She was still like that, as if she was a statue.
They were silent. The two little animals had disappeared.
- There is an ancient story in some country… It says that when we are born, a small part of ourselves disappear. These fragments of our soul go on a journey to find our soul mates, and once it has found them it stays with… Waiting for us to come along.
- This is a nice legend, she whispered.
The albinos sounded unsure. Why did Hao heal her after all? Was it all just a trap? Why did he tell her a legend like that after all he had said?
- It's no legend, it's the truth. Even if those pieces of souls were rather strange…
- Jeanne, he said suddenly, I play with people's minds. A lot. And I enjoy every minute, every second of it, yeah. But I can't make my own soul play something I don't think.
Hao raised himself and leaned against the tree.
- Us…
- Us'll be dangerous, awful, bloody and risked. Your angels'll reject you. My comrades'll never totally accept you. Your angels hate me. My comrades won't support that. I know all of these truths, and that's why I'm not asking you to come along.
She turned to face him. Her bangs were messy and gray cause of the rain, her face was covered by water. She was… Oddly beautiful.
- You're not?
- I'm not.
- But…
- But?
- You said it. Us is fate.
Somewhere else.
Another story. Another people. Another ending…
- I don't want you to go.
- If I don't, our group will be eliminated.
Whispers, whispers of poor people. Poor angels. A couple that would be separated… One would die. The other would follow or live on.
Why did it have to be so hard?
- I can ask Larky or Pof to go for you…
- You can't trade their lives for mine, Marco. You know that.
- Then I'll go myself.
- You can't do that either. Someone has to look after Jeanne-sama and Lyserg-kun.
- I don't want to lose you. I already lost my wife and children because of him… I don't want you to go…
- I'll go no matter what. We'll make the way for Jeanne-sama and we chose that long ago.
- But…
- No buts. It's our fight.
- Meene…
The blond-haired man held the brunette tight, sensing her tears in his neck, wishing she didn't have to face their greatest enemy.
Not too far away, a little Voltali and his mate, a lovely Aquali, watched them.
They had been waiting very long for them to come along…
Rain: THANKS FOR READING! Especially to Zero-Nightmare-kun, who let me use a crossover Poke/SK. Oh, it seems I have interrupted something between two chess players...
Long: *moves slowly his queen (Mele)*
Beatrice: Wrong move my dear. *moves her horse (Kanon)*
Long: Trapped. *moves his king (Ryo) and ates her foul (Jessica)*
Beatrice: Or not. *moves a mere pawn*
Kyouya: Stupid non-humans. *takes a pawn of Long and ates the queen of Beatrice before using Kanon to do a chess mate*