Juntine's Final Hour
Les Shaman Miserables
Juntine was lying on a hospital bed, and she was fading fast. The blow had caused some internal bleeding.
Juntine smiled. Her hallucinations were growing frequent. "Annette, it's turned so cold. Annette, it's past your bedtime. You've played the day away, and soon it will be night."
"Come to me, Annette," Juntine whispered faintly. "The light is fading. Don't you see the evening star appearing? Come to me, and rest against my shoulder…" Juntine coughed, and then looked at her hand. She was coughing up blood. The blow was worse than she had thought. "How fast the minutes fly away and every minute colder…"
"Hurry near," Juntine breathed, "another day is dying. Don't you hear, the winter wind is crying? There's a darkness, that comes without a warning – but I will sing you lullabies and wake you in the morning."
Jean Paijean burst into the hospital room. He saw the pallid Juntine, and ran to her bedside.
"Oh, Juntine, our time is running out," he cried. "But Juntine, I swear this on my life…"
"Look, M'sieur, where all the children play!" Juntine cooed with a smile, obviously hallucinating again.
"Be at peace," Paijean sighed with a heavy heart, "be at peace evermore."
"My Annette…" Juntine whispered. She was breathing slower and heavier.
"Shall live in my protection," Paijean assured Juntine.
"Take her now," Juntine told him.
"Your child will want for nothing."
"Good M'sieur," Juntine murmured, "you come from God in Heaven."
"And none shall ever harm Annette as long as I am living," Paijean vowed.
"Take my hand," Juntine said softly, "the night grows ever colder."
Paijean held her bloodstained hand and felt a tear form in his eye. "Then I will keep you warm."
"Take my child. I give her to your keeping," Juntine stated. Her face was growing paler by the second. She was close to death.
"Take shelter from the storm…"
"For God's sake," Juntine ordered. "Please stay till I am sleeping. And tell Annette I love her, and I'll see her when I wake!"
Juntine gave Paijean one last grin, then her eyes closed and her chest stopped moving. Juntine had died. Paijean held back a sob when the door opened slowly. Paijean didn't see anyone enter.
"Paijean, at last, we see each other plain."
Paijean turned to see Lyvert, waiting for him. "Monsieur le Mayor… you wear a different chain."
"Before you say another word, Lyvert," Paijean yelled. "Before you chain me up like a slave again – Listen to me! There is something I must do! This woman leaves behind a suffering child. There is none but me who can intercede; in Mercy's name, three days are all I need. Then I'll return, I pledge my word. Then I'll return…"
Lyvert stared at Paijean incredulously. "You must think me mad! I've hunted you across the years! A man like you can never change… a man such as you."
Paijean and Lyvert began to argue.
"Believe of me what you will!" Paijean declared.
"Men like me can never change," Lyvert pointed out.
"There is a duty that I'm sworn to do!"
"Men like you can never change."
"You know nothing of my life."
"No, 24601 –"
"All I did was steal some bread!"
"My duty's to the law – you have no rights."
"You know nothing of the world!"
"Come with me 24601."
"You would sooner see me dead!"
"Now the wheel has turned around," Lyvert said vindictively.
"But not before I see this justice done!" Paijean yelled, looking at the dead body of Juntine.
"Jean Paijean is nothing now!"
"I am warning you, Lyvert –"
"Dare you talk to me of crime?"
"I'm a stronger man by far."
"And the price you had to pay?"
"There is power in me yet!"
"Every man is born in sin."
"My race is not yet run."
"Every man must choose his way."
"I am warning you Lyvert!"
"You know nothing of Lyvert," Lyvert told Paijean.
"There is nothing I wouldn't dare."
"I was born inside a jail!"
"If I have to kill you here…"
"I was born with scum like you!"
"I'll do what must be done!" Paijean cried.
"I am from the gutter too!" Lyvert pronounced.
Paijean noticed a chair in the corner, by Juntine's bed. He broke off a leg of the chair, and threatened Lyvert with it. Lyvert scooted back just a bit.
"And this I swear to you tonight," Paijean said to Juntine's lifeless remains.
"There is no place for you to hide," Lyvert threatened, walking closer to the manic Paijean.
"Your child will live within my care," Paijean swore.
"Wherever you may hide away…" Lyvert started.
"And I will raise her to the light," Paijean promised.
"I swear to you, I will be there!" Paijean and Lyvert yelled at the same time. Paijean saw that Lyvert had grown very close, and as he reached for a gun, Paijean thrust the chair leg onto his head. Lyvert was out cold.
Paijean made his escape, glancing at Juntine one last time.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Shaman King or Les Miserables.
A/N: Next chapter… Anna SINGS! Actually, her voice is very lovely. And then we introduce… Mme. Thernardier… I eagerly await the pots to be thrown through my window…
Sorry about the late update. It was Christmas, K?
Character Notes: Okay, this song is what really made me pick Lyserg to be Javert. Because of the line 'I am from the gutter too', which reminded me of Lyserg's parent's death at the hands of Hao, which pretty much made him become 'scum like you (Paijean).'
And no REN IS NOT MME THERNARDIER! GOD PEOPLE...
(And for no reason, Satine glomps Ren.)
Ren: It's the middle of the afternoon --!