Little Futura

It has been a while since I have not tortured myself inside that horrible sarcophagus, has it not Shamash? I ask my spirit while relaxing within the onsen that was set up for me. The little spirit nods sitting upon the rock with its attention upon a book of magic or rules.

I am very glad to know Shamash does all it can do to help me. We have won our first match together. The X-Laws celebrate merrily elsewhere. It was not a difficult battle. Only a mild form of entertainment. It's fun to celebrate though.

A light knock on the door breaks Shamash's concentration. It throws a fit and shoves the book into the water although it disappears as a sort of spirit material. What it was mad about, does not concern me too much.

"Come in." I answer. The light steps tell me it is the young X-Law, Lyserg Diethyl.

"I am sorry if I disturbed you, Lady Jeanne." He bows nervously.

"It is quite alright." I nod and smile. "Do sit down." Shamash now takes the book and rips pages out of the book with its teeth. "Shamash is a little upset."

"A little?" he stares in disbelief.

"Why do you not celebrate with the X-Laws?" my question. "It sounds like they are having a wonderful time."

"Of course they are!" Lyserg claps. "But...I don't know them too well. And I suppose they are a lot older than me." Am I now a little backup because of our ages? He takes a glance at me and feels the intimidation in my eyes. "No, it is not what you think! It is just..."

"I agree. It is nice to talk to people of your age once in a while." The boy can be so adorable sometimes. I feel like I am conversing with a younger brother I never had. "What is it you would like to talk about?"

"Oh!" Lyserg nods. A serious expression falls on his eyes. Maybe we can engage in a friendly debate. "I was wondering, if you do not mind me asking, do you believe in everything you say? Justice? Carrying the world's burden?" He does not look at me. I stare at my reflection which remains clouded by the foam of the bath.

"What else is there that I can fight for?" I inquire. "Surely as a saint to represent people, I must come humble. I was forced to be humble. I was stripped humble from birth. You turn on the television, you pick up the newspaper, you look in the streets. You do not need to know of the kinds of atrocities that plague our world from day to day, and the laws that fail to protect humanity. Some of Man believes they can outgrow these laws just because they believe laws cannot keep up with our time. People like Hao Asakura." His eyes flares with one I have seen before. Murder.

It is what took my family. Seeing those sort of eyes again make me stop and watch what the boy will do next.

A strong, determined boy, a boy determined for murder. Like the murder that took all I had away. They had received what was coming to them. They deserve it. However, it does not change the fact that they have successfully orphaned me.

Wretched demons of Hao.

"That is enough now." I say. "If we both are fighting against Hao Asakura, we are on the same side, are we not?" A benevolent smile to wipe away the anger. I have created such an aura to do such work. I never thought it can be so useful in this terrible moment.

"Yes, yes, of course, my Lady." He says. For some reason, Shamash glares at Lyserg who winced at the little lizard and began barking and growling like a dog.

"Eh!" Lyserg jumps up backing away from the little spirit. "I didn't mean to look! I'm sorry!" he runs off. Oh my. I guess I didn't expect the last minutes of the conversations to turn out like this... He storms out of the room with a petrified look on his face. I look down in the water. There was nothing he could have seen. Right?

"What were you doing in there, Lyserg? You do know that Lady Jeanne was in there? Right?" That can only be Marco. It is not Lyserg's fault this time. Sometimes that Marco can be so critical of the little boy. I have no idea what the matter is. "She is currently bathing. Did you know that when you bathe, you wear nothing?"

"She allowed me to go in!"

"Did she ask you to?"

"Marco." I say to end the quarrel. An immediate silence bestows upon them. I can only smile at the influence I hold over them. "I asked for Lyserg to see me." Marco does not say anything and goes away.

I suppose my time of repose is over. Shamash has now ripped the hardcover of the book into four with bite marks on what is left of the book spine. The pages were scattered in the pool, the rocks, and everywhere imaginable.

"Please get me a towel, Shamash." The spirit flows quietly towards a pile of towels and carries three over. As I take it to wrap myself in the most informal way of draping the cloth over my shoulders, someone bursts through the doors from where Lyserg and Marco are.

"Jeanne!" That voice. It sounds so vaguely familiar. I see his face and almost faint believing it was Hao here to assassinate me while I am defenseless and bear no clothes. It is only Yoh. Such a nice, kind-hearted boy. I even wonder how those two can be siblings.

"Vile demon!" Marco summons his angel to attack Yoh but I hold my hand for him to stop. "Lady Jeanne, I will KILL him if he dares to attack you in ANY sort of way!" he says pointing his gun towards Yoh's temple.

"Is there something of the matter, Yoh?" I ask. He nods and takes several deep breaths entirely ignoring the fact I only have a towel to clothe me.

"A friend of mine is gravely hurt." He says. That is all he has to say. I smile and nod. Even if he does not wish to join the X-Laws, he has time to think the decision over. Healing his good friend could have him come closer to us.

"You do not have a bad soul." I say. "This time I shall. I hope you can reconsider my offer of you joining the X-Laws."

"Thank you, Jeanne!" Yoh claps in relief. "I have much to be in debt of!"

"When should I help your friend?"

"Would now be alright? She's in a terrible state." The urgency and the pain etched on his face explains the gravity of the situation. I can only interpret so much more.

"We better be going." I say at last as the oversoul takes form underneath the large towel.