Next chapter of the story! I don't own Shaman King. Hope you like it!


"You better not peek!" Jeanne hiss at Ren who held his hands up in defense.

"Alright, already! Just go or we're be late!"

Jeanne glared at him one last time before she closed the bathroom door.

Ren sigh and flop on her bed. Yes, there was only one bed in the room and Ren had lost the bet to get it. So he had to sleep on the floor although he didn't mind much because somehow, Jeanne had managed to find a bunch of comfortable sheets and blankets to fit the hard ground for him.

This morning, the girl had gone back to what she use to be. Ren frown as she thought of how strange she had acted after seeing that tapestry. That queen had looked just like Jeanne with the flowing, wavy silver hair and the flashing ruby red eyes.

"What are you doing?" Jeanne lean over the bed and flop herself next to him with her chin on her hands as she look at him with curious eyes.

"Nothing, you nut. Let's go." Ren ruffles her hair and she pouted.

She glared at him. "Idiot!" she stuck her tongue at him and smooth down her hair as the two got off the bed.


It wasn't long before they came upon the breakfast room which was crowed as everybody came to eat before starting their morning activities.

Every girl was wearing a flourish gown with an elegant design. Every boy was wearing a fresh tunic and some even had a cape thrown over!

Jeanne was dress in a beautiful lavender gown with a design of shimmering white dots twinkling from time to time. The gown was short sleeve with white cuffs at the ends. At her neck was a beautiful amethyst and she wore simple light purple flats at her feet. Her silver hair was loose and wavy with a jewel butterfly hairpin rested in the curls.

Ren wore a dashing gold tunic with dark black pants. His spiky black hair was still the same as ever since he had refused to comb it, saying that it was perfectly fine. The patten of his tunic was of a red dragon blasting it's fires. He had smooth black shoes and a black belt that glowed gold at edges. His golden eyes showed annoyance as he tugged on one of his sleeves.

Jeanne look back at him and smirks at his expression. "Aww, don't you like it Renny?"

Ren scowls at her. "Keep it up, French Girl." He wouldn't admit it, but Jeanne looked beautiful in her princess wear. But then again, he wouldn't say it.

The two soon came upon their table which of course, was filled with the morning quarrels. Yep! It was the same as always!

"I told you to stay on your side!" Anna yelled at Yoh, her hands up in the air. She was in a beautiful sakura pink gown with soft, flowering sakura blossoms for a design. The straps were a thin dark pink colored so Anna had decided to throw on a snow white scarf around her neck. Her short brown hair was curled slightly at the tips and was showered by glittering pearls. She wore a gorgeous ruby necklace at her throat and on her feet were black flats with a soft swirl of pink.

"How could I?! You took up more than half of the room!" Yoh shot back, slamming his hands on the table causing it to shake. He was in an orange tunic with dark brown pants. Like Ren, he had decided to keep his hair the way it was; along with his orange headphones. He wore black shoes and his tunic had a sword-like design in brown.

"Look, idiot! I'm not going to say this again! Shut up with those speakers of yours!" Pilika shouted at Hao. She was in a pale blue dress with frosty white snowflakes fluttered into. The dress had white spaghetti straps with a dark blue lining and a white slash around her waist. She wore baby blue flats with a snowflake on top of each and her long blue hair was wavy down her back. She had a white headband with a single snowflake pulling back a few of her curls.

He glared at her. "They weren't that loud! You must be deaf!" He had on a red tunic with black pants. His hair was the same and like his brother, he had his usual red headphones on. He wore black boots and his tunic was in a design of a scythe.

"Gods, you are so messed up! How can I live with a guy who can't put his things away?!" Tamao screams at Horohoro. She was in a pale evergreen dress that held the perfect design of leaves floating down. She had on a short light green coat with white ruffles at the end thrown over her shoulders. At her feet were brown flats with a single leaf on top of each and she wore a bracelet with leaf charms at her wrist. Her soft pink hair was curled so that it crowed around the edges of her face. She wore a green flower in her curls.

He shot her a look. "It's only a little bit untidy! You don't need to be so worked up about it!" Horohoro was in an icy blue tunic with dark blue pants. He wore black shoes and his hair was the usual with it's white headband holding his hair up.

Ren and Jeanne looked at each other for a second before both started laughing. The others turn to see what was up, their faces filled with confusion.

"What's so funny?" Anna demands.

The two finally stopped and gave their friends easy grins. "You guys had it harder than we do!"

"What do you mean?" Yoh narrows his eyes. The two refused to say anything afterward.


Before long, breakfast was brought to them and everybody settled down. They quickly took their seats and began to dig into the delicious food brought upon them.

Everything was in royal setting. The silverware, the table, the cups, the cloth, the food in their china dishes, and even the napkins! The room was like a large chamber for eating; filled with servants rushing about to serve.

It seems only Jeanne, Anna, Pilika, and Tamao knew how to use the silverware properly to which they seem very confused about for they had never ate like this before.

The boys watch the girl next to them carefully. It was as if they had fallen into than trance again! As soon as the girl picked up the right silverware, she seem to be confused for a second at why she had chosen this one instead of another.

The boys shared knowing looks. They had talked about this and it seems that the girls came into the trance when they each saw something of a young queen looking like them.

Horohoro said that Pilika wasn't a princess or at least, he didn't think so.

It was really strange.


Later that day, they had to take riding classes into the forest near the west side of the castle. About half of the class or so were gathered around Melody at the base of the forest. The brown haired woman was busy giving away the right horse to every couple.

She handed Ren and Jeanne a cream colored horse with a golden brown mane braided with beads. The horse was named Porridge, which suited the horse just fine. She was quite strong and kind as she waited for the two to get on.

Ren smirks as he sees Jeanne trying to get on the horse.

She turns and scowls at him. "When are you going to be useful for once, idiot?"

Ren shrugs and with a gentle push, he placed Jeanne on Porridge's back. He then climbs on behind her and took the reins.

He could feel the slightest of shakes from the silver haired girl. Ren studied her look of courage that masked the look of fear and the slight tremble of her pale pink lips. After a bit, he spoke up. "Have you ever rode a horse before?"

"No." Jeanne admit softly.

Ren sighs. "Then lean on my chest so you don't fall off and let me do the riding. Just enjoy the view."

Jeanne obey what he had asked and Ren found no issue to complain. She place her hands on her lap and lean into his chest. Her head rested peacefully on his shoulder as her eyes wonder.


It wasn't long before they had started off into the forest with Melody in the lead and another member of the castle behind them. The man was a bit older than Melody with silver hair and violet eyes. He was lean and tall, like a proud leader of the pack with a sense of mischief.

The forest provided many shade from the hot sun with its' many trees that shot up everywhere. A few forest creatures appear at their trail every now and then before going back to their business. Many wildflowers grew among the edge of their trail so it was quite a colorful road indeed. They saw small birds making their nests high up in the trees. Holes in the trees and the ground provided shelter and a food hiding place for the animals.

Jeanne closed her eyes as she breath in the fresh air. She could smell the forest greenery and peace. A small smile came upon her lips at the peacefulness of the forest, how no one would dare disturb it. Jeanne soon sense somebody was watching her and she open her eyes.

Ren's golden eyes stared back at her ruby red ones. A sudden blush came upon her cheeks as she realize that she had been off to her own place for a while now. You couldn't blame her, it was really peaceful!

"What?" she said defensively. Ren gave a small chuckled.

"Nothing. Just never seen you so relax before."

She shot him a shrug. "Can you blame me? It's really peaceful out here."

Ren nodded. "Yeah. It really is."

Jeanne was a little shock that he had actually agreed with her that she almost fell off Porridge! Ren, however, was able to keep her in line as he wrap one arm around her and pulls her back.

"You really are clumsy, you know that?" Ren smirks as Jeanne huffs and settled back into her position.

"Whatever."


Jeanne didn't know, but soon she fell asleep! Ren gives a small sigh as he discovered that the girl had drifted off into slumber. His lips curve into a small smile as he watch the peaceful girl in his arms.

She was way better asleep than awake. But then, that was because she would yell at him when she thinks he was doing something wrong.

"Ren..." Jeanne mumbled softly in her sleep. Ren raised an eyebrow at his name. The next words that came out of her mouth really surprised him.

"H-Help me..." Jeanne's brow crease with worry as her lips trembled. "I'm not a witch!"

Ren was suddenly starting to panic. First she went into a trance that he couldn't break, now she was in a nightmare that he didn't know what was going on!

His grip on the girl tighten. Just what is gong on here? She had never acted this way before so why now? Ever since they had arrived at the castle, she was getting more weirder every day.

The slightest of movements from a rustle in one of the bushes came to his attention as fast as a razor. He jerk so quickly to the rustle that Jeanne started to stir before opening her eyes softly.

"Ren? What's going on?" Jeanne asked once she noticed the look of alert on her rival's face.

"There's something I want to check out." Ren led Porridge in the direction of the rustle. Jeanne held on to his arms tightly, her face pale.

It wasn't long before they came upon a clearing in the forest. Ren looked around first before he gently took Jeanne's now white hands off of him and jump off Porridge's back.

He walked around the clearing, his golden eyes in alert. Something had been there. And that something wasn't a happy thing. He narrow his eyes at the faint smell of rotten meat and the crushed grass around them.

At last, when he finally decided whatever had been in the clearing was no longer there, he walked back to Jeanne who was scared of fright. He quickly climbs on Porridge and Jeanne lean on his chest once again.

"What happened?" Jeanne mutters.

"Nothing." he answers simply. "Just something I wanted to check out."

"You're weird."

"Whatever."

They trail back to the group before anyone could notice they were missing.


The rest of the ride was normal; Ren didn't notice anything out of the ordinary and Jeanne had started to relax. They didn't tell anyone about their little, ah, trip. No, not yet.


"He's on to us, my wonderfulness. What shall we do?" A grumpy voice rang out towards a figure in the shadow as a wolf in the night said.

"Let us not be hasty. When the time is ripe, it won't matter." A silky voice like a snake's hiss answered. "It won't matter at all."


Yeah, I know. I'm holding back on the whole 'Nightmare' thingie but I'll get to it sooner or later. Don't worry. Review!