Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Shaman King characters or the original storyline.
While sitting at the passenger's seat, she glanced at Hao. She saw determination, but also playfulness in his eyes. Some things never did change. But she had to admit; there are some things that he did change. But she wasn't going to trust that. After all, we're talking about the mass murderer here, killing many innocent humans and causing havoc. And she wasn't going to let him win her trust just like that. The Iron Maiden is after all Hao's archrival, mortal enemies since the beginning of time. Good and evil can't be friends; they are exact opposites. But is he evil? Hao caught her crimson eye watching him, and for that, he gave a smirk.
"Keep your eyes on the road." Jeanne said quickly and took her eyes off of the center of her thoughts.
"You know, Jeanne-chan, you guys act really different." Pirika said as she observed from the back seat. Jeanne immediately got flustered.
"What do you mean?" She said quickly as she started squirming in her seat.
"Well, you guys don't fight like you guys used to. Mortal enemies remember?" Pirika pointed out.
"Well…that's because today's Yoh-kun's and Anna-chan's special day and I don't want to ruin it with an argument with him. It was any other day, it'll be different." Jeanne said flatly.
"But we've been all under the same roof for a month and you guys didn't go kill each other." Pirika said. Jeanne started to panic and Hao saw it.
"Pirika-chan, we've all changed during these four years. Right, Ren-kun?" Hao said as he smirked a playful smirk and looked at the rear-view mirror. Ren fumed but then looked at the lovely girl sitting beside him.
"For once I agree with you." He mumbled shamefully. Pirika smiled at him and then gave him a tight squeeze on the hand she was holding to show her fondness of change.
"And what kind of change would that be, Hao-kun?" Pirika asked, hinting of a different turn in emotions. Hao suddenly gripped the wheel tighter, but was subtly noticed.
"We're just all here for Yoh-kun's wedding, nothing else. We're simply indifferent towards each other, that's all." Jeanne stated tediously. Hao turned slightly grim after hearing all this, but expected it nonetheless. The car remained silent after that, unusually silent considering Hao the talkative mocking one. As the continued driving along the long countryside, Ren and Pirika slowly dozed off in the comfort and warmth of each other's arms. Jeanne remained typically calm and quiet. After another half hour of driving, Hao spotted the banquet hall and drove inside the parking lot, with many arriving guests already there.
"Okay, here we are." He said as he swiftly maneuvered the car to an empty space. He shut the engine and took out the keys.
"Here." He handed them to Jeanne and she took them.
"Wake up lovebirds." He called out to the backseat as he got out of the car. Jeanne realized the sudden decrease in the happy atmosphere but said nothing. Ren and Pirika slowly stirred and took their time out. While Hao shut his door, but didn't lock the doors so the two can get out. He simply walked off towards the banquet hall in a manner that just wasn't himself. And Jeanne noticed it, but didn't ask anything about it. She had expected him to wait for her, being the pest he is, but unexpectedly, he simply walked off, all alone and stressed-like. She walked after him with quizzical thoughts while the other two were just getting out of the car.
Inside, there stood many guests greeting one another as they waited to be let in. Hao chose an empty wall to stand by as he watched the crowds happily chatted, something that made him feel despicably awful. The doors opened and Yoh and Anna greeted the crowd with a wave. The guests made their way to the door and shook the hands of the newly weds.
"Thank you for coming." Anna said in a monotone, but nonetheless, her friends knew she was blissfully happy.
"Hi, welcome, welcome!" Yoh said in his laid back manner. Hao smiled at the newly weds and walked himself in. Jeanne caught Hao's weird loner manner and after exchanging hellos and handshakes with Yoh and Anna, she went after him. She saw him at the table already, sitting by himself, lost in his own thoughts, something you don't see daily. She took her seat next to him, but even that didn't catch his attention. 'What am I trying to do exactly? Why do I want his attention? Remember, he's a sinner, a murderer, and nothing, I mean nothing, will ever change that. Yet he has shown so much change this past month.' Jeanne asked herself in wonderment. Both awaited quietly as the others started joining the table. Ren and Pirika took their seats, then Lyserg and Milly.
"Hello, Jeanne-chan." Lyserg said as he took his seat. Jeanne smiled.
"Hello, Lyserg-kun, Milly-chan. How are you two doing?" Jeanne asked the month-old relationship.
"Absolutely lovely, Jeanne-chan." Milly replied happily as she took her seat. As the vast room all began to settle down.