Previously, on "The Romancers"...

A new face and form to the once-dreaded X-Laws, once executors, now preservers. A ceremony –so far so good– and then a tiny slip causes a ceremony to go awry... okay, perhaps 'awry' is too heavy a word and overkill for the situation at hand. But, if we look at Marco... err, don't look at him. He looks ready to kill.

Now, the lawfully wedded bridegroom –err, I mean, the protagonists have to deal with that teeny tiny lapse of concentration. Plus Marco's wrath, of course... ^_^

The Romancers

Set One: Shaman King

By: Sheo Darren

Iron Maiden and Dowser Knight

Chapter Three

Dates and Braids and Thoughts

Lyserg was still highly embarrassed, even after they had finished the turning-over ceremony and gone back to the hotel. Inside his mind, a thousand ways of apologizing to Jeanne for his silly error were born and died in the space of a moment's time. He had rejected each one of them as silly, preposterous or stuffy. Besides, Marco looked overtly dangerous, and the lion aroused is not one you'd want to face at once.

As if he did not have enough trouble already. Vincent Ganger was of the loudly vocal opinion –addressed to any stranger in the vicinity– that the newest leader of the X-Laws was one fine James Bond. The implication was a tad disturbing: Though he admired Sean Connery and Roger Moore a lot, Lyserg did not think of himself as "Mr. Kiss-Kiss Bang-Bang".

Why would anyone –especially he himself– want to try the "Bond, James Bond" trick with Jeanne? They would have to get through Marco first.

If so, Lyserg wished them the best of luck.

Speak of the devil –or X-Laws– who was barging into his room but Marco himself? The former leader of the X-Laws was more composed now, but he was still one unhappy little chap. Lyserg prepared for a vitriolic sermon –or worse, an attack on his physical being.

Marco did neither of that. Instead, he just stomped over to where the young dowser was seated on his bed, gnashed his teeth for a few seconds, tried to clear his throat, and then burst out: "How long have the two of you been together?"

It was all Lyserg could do not to burst out laughing. "What? I'm afraid I don't understand what you're saying, Marco."

"How long has Mistress Jeanne had a relationship with you?" Poor Marco looked like he was at the end of his wits; he had never suspected a thing like this could happen while he was still alive and watching over the Iron Maiden. "Tell me the truth! I want to know when you started going out with each other!"

"You mean a… a romantic relationship?"

The man's head bobbed up and down –rather ferociously, too.

Lyserg badly wanted to sigh or moan or express dismay. On the other hand, maybe what he really wanted to do was laugh.

"Marco, there is nothing going on between Jeanne-sama and me. We are just friends; good friends, yes, but only friends. That's all."

"No dates?"

"No."

"No dinners alone?"

"None."

"You never had–" Marco choked on the words and outcome he feared the most.

Lyserg had a feeling he knew what was meant. He did not want to agitate Marco (the man was bad enough when calm; how more if pissed off?). Besides, he would never every try that with Jeanne, because she wouldn't let it…

...And Lyserg wouldn't allow himself.

No. He loved her too much for that.

"No. Nothing has ever happened between the two of us. Jeanne-sama would never allow it; for my part, I will not do it."

The relief that sprung upon Marco's face was his expected reaction. "You don't know how much I was worried."

"On the contrary, I feel I do know you were badly worried."

"We never had this discussion," he said sternly. "Understand?"

Lyserg nodded obediently, though to himself he wondered if Maestro had been psychically eavesdropping on the dialogue. "It's off the record."

"That was interesting," a new voice offered.

A testament to his able-bodied fitness, Marco spun around in record time, his gun in hand and finger already on the trigger. In marked contrast, Lyserg fell off his bed and flat on his face in front of Rune Minor.

The black-clad X-Laws gave them a cool look. "Impressive. Your reaction time has not slowed a bit, Marco."

"And it never will." The steely shine of Marco's gun barrel gestured menacingly at Rune. "What are you doing here?"

"On the other hand," Rune continued, ignoring him and focusing instead on Lyserg, still sprawled on the floor, "You're still as inept and foolish as ever, last scion of the Diethyls."

"That's nice to hear from you, Miss Rune." He tried to pick himself up from his clumsy sprawl, but he was managing a smile. "Now can you help me get up?"

Her look took on a shadow of warmth. Rune grasped the free hand of the new leader of the X-Laws and helped him up on his feet.

"Very nice joke you sprung on me earlier." One of his knees was numb but Lyserg decided to ignore it. "I didn't know you knew how to make one."

"Humor: The best medicine."

"You still haven't answered my question." It was Marco, growling menacingly. His gun barrel had never wavered from Rune. It was a fact that the two did not even try to pretend a truce as teammates but openly hated each other. Marco had been the first one to give battle to Rune when the X-Laws first encountered the fallen Shaman, and the latter had been very happy to retaliate. If it weren't for Lyserg and Jeanne's mediating presences, they would have attacked each other right now, even if they were supposed to be allies.

Neither had the look on Rune's face changed one bit. She has nerves of steel, Lyserg decided; if Marco was in that kind of mood and pointing a gun at me right now, I would probably be very nervous.

"The Iron Maiden wishes the audience of the scion of the Diethyls. She requests that it be accomplished as soon as possible."

"Is that so?" The corner of Marco's mouth twitched just slightly. That meant he was annoyed. And you didn't want him annoyed. Not ever.

Lyserg decided that he should defuse the situation. "It's all right, Marco. Jeanne-sama wouldn't call for me if it wasn't important."

"And why did Mistress Jeanne decide to choose you as her messenger?" he shot at his object of detestation (Rune, not Lyserg; though a source of concern when it came to the issue of the Iron Maiden's affections, the latter did have a few good points to balance himself out.)

That barely restrained snarl didn't even bat one of her eyebrows, though Lyserg had promptly cringed. "Ganger is on the rooftop scanning the area with her petty toys. Malloy is on the entrance; Maestro is somewhere in the vicinity. As for that girl–" the faint hint of a smile presented itself upon Rune's pale but fair face– "She's fixing the Iron Maiden's hair."

"Oh," Lyserg said. By 'girl' Rune meant Millie, who was still a child at heart and mind.

"SHE'S WHAT?"

"Janne-sama, what do you think?"

Seeing the new look in the mirror offered her, the gray-haired girl in question blushed slightly. "I think it's nice, Millie-kun." Jeanne touched one of her new braids, which she found pleasant. "In fact, I like it a lot."

"Honto nee?" Millie broke into a big grin. "Oka-chan and onee-chan taught me that! I'm so happy to know you love it!"

"Yes, indeed."

The door to the room nearly burst from its hinges, so violent was it kicked open. The loud sound made Millie jump and Jeanne turn in alarm.

The cacophony of reactions was interesting to observe.

Jeanne: "What is wrong, Marco?"

Marco: "Mistress Jeanne! Your hair! What did that twit do to your hair?"

Lyserg: "Marco, there's nothing wrong with her hair; Jeanne-sama looks very nice– err, I mean–"

Rune: "Idiot."

Millie: "Gomennasai, Sir Marco! I'm sorry; I didn't really mean to–"

Marco: "Silence, girl! Do you have any idea who she is? She's the Iron Maiden! You can't do this to her! This is sacrilege, blasphemous!"

Lyserg: "Uh, Marco, calm down! I'm sure Millie didn't mean it!"

Marco: "And you! You're another pain in my neck, boy!"

Rune: "Fools."

Jeanne did not like where the argument was heading, so she sternly intervened. "Marco!"

That firm command did the trick; he promptly began apologizing. "Forgive me, Mistress Jeanne! I let myself get carried away."

"You usually do," Rune commented dryly.

Marco gave her a vile glare.

"Excellent, Rune. I see you've brought Lyserg here, as I requested." The Iron Maiden was composing herself, but the flush on her cheeks just would not go away. Maybe a certain dowser's presence was the reason.

Lyserg was affected, too. Whatever it was Millie had been doing with her hair, Jeanne was breathtaking. Half of her blue-gray mane was tied up in delicately cute braids, making her seem younger than her thirteen years. What was left undone was in a slight state of unbound disarray but actually looked great, giving Jeanne an aura of barely restrained… wildness so unlike her, a touch Lyserg felt aroused about. The contrast was not to be missed.

When she looked at him, his emotions leapt in joy. A longer look than usual made his thumping heart a viable contender to break the high jump world record. But when it was Marco's turn to stare at him, Lyserg carefully tucked away whatever enjoyment he found out of this situation and pretended to be very calm.

"All right, Marco." Jeanne was not displeased; she had just been caught unawares and was in a forgiving mood right now. "Apologize to Millie, and we'll put this matter behind us."

"But Maiden-sama!" Accompanied by a stare at Millie, who felt rightfully threatened and who therefore hid behind Lyserg, further embarrassing and endangering the latter in Marco's sights.

"Marco." The Iron Maiden did not get her name for nothing, and now she showed her steel. Her mouth was an immovable line. "Apologize to Millie-kun."

Trembling badly because it went against his personal dogma and convictions, Marco forced himself to mutter something beneath his breath.

"Pardon me?" That was Jeanne, since the poor Millie was too frightened to protest. "I didn't hear that, Marco."

"Sorry."

"Make it a better one."

"Sorry, Millie-kun." Sarcasm dripped from Marco's words, especially on the -kun part.

"Millie-kun?"

The ash blonde girl forced a hesitant grin. "Uh, it's okay?"

At last Jeanne smiled. "There. I guess you are forgiven, Marco."

"Go forth and sin no more, child," added Rune in a paternalistic voice.

"Do you mind?" Marco hissed. The latter coolly returned the envenomed stare.

Rune must run on ice water, Lyserg thought. And Marco would be Tabasco sauce. Or nitroglycerine.

"Well, then." Jeanne smoothed the few wrinkles on her gown. "If you may all leave me and Lyserg-kun here alone for a moment, then that would be all."

"WHAT?"

That was Marco again, establishing a personal record of gawking in unhappy astonishment for this day. "Mistress Jeanne, what do you mean; you and Lyserg here alone?"

She raised a curious eyebrow, her crimson eyes rather queer. "Is there anything wrong with my talking to Lyserg alone, Marco?"

Marco made strangling noises in his throat. "No, Jeanne-sama; nothing wrong at all."

Aside, Rune's smile grew slightly more pronounced. "Nothing at all, except you don't approve them being alone together?" All in all, this was not one of her rival's better days, and she was living the moment up.

Her archenemy shot her a glare that would have killed her a million times over. A hand strayed to his gun.

"Marco." For the first time that day, Jeanne's voice sounded impatient. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

The look on Marco's face made Lyserg wonder if he would throw caution and common sense to the wind and attack Rune. The new leader of the X-Laws hoped not.

His neutral look very much strained, Marco turned back to Jeanne, said he was leaving now, bowed solemnly, grabbed Millie by the nape of her uniform's collar as he passed by and virtually dragged the hapless girl out of the room. With a last glance at Lyserg, Rune followed them outside. The door closed slowly.

There was an immediate sound in the room that made him turn around. To Lyserg surprise, he found Jeanne chuckling.

"Poor Marco; I didn't really mean to do that to him, but I just couldn't help it. Wasn't he a funny sight, Lyserg-kun?"

And Lyserg, seeing the Iron Maiden he adored was an ordinary person, broke into a smile.

Sheo's Thoughts:

I will assume that there are Marco loyalists around reading this fan fiction. Yes, even however likely that impossibility is.

Marco is so strict and overbearing around Jeanne that I just couldn't help but slam him. He's a jerk who thinks he's so holy that we should all kneel down to him. So you understand why I just couldn't help but cut him down at the knees. With a halberd.

I hope you guys like my portrayals of Rune and Millie. I enjoyed myself having Rune do a Saitou Hajime and shoot Marco down with her intelligently sarcastic barbs. Also, Lyserg and Jeanne are so kawaii! Sorry if this chapter is long; I just loved writing it!

Chapter Four coming soon! Thank you for all my reviewers, especially to JSF (hello, very sorry and thank you very much!) I promise to keep up my good work on this story! Oh, and please read my Rayearth fan fiction too, A Day in the Life of Hikaru and Nova Shidou. Upgrading that soon, promise!