Shaman King Fan Fiction ❯ A Gift of Love ❯ Shattered Dreams ( Chapter 31 )

A friend of mine who doesn't read/watch Shaman King reads this (as she does with all my fics, because she just rocks that hard), and she finally got past chapter one (hey, school is a biatch, what can I say?) and read chapter two as I worked on a computer next to her. She started asking all these questions about Ren, then finally asked to see what he looked like (I totally forgot she'd never seen him). Then she asked why he was so mad at chibi-Pin-Mei for pointing out his emblem, so I basically talked her ear off for about ten minutes about why he was so angry and how much he hated his dad, and stuff like that. Then she thought Bason was his teacher. So I had to go around finding pictures and stuff to make sure she understood. I actually enjoy explaining things to people (Within reason. Don't ask me a stupid question that no one knows the answer to, then I just get annoyed), so if any part of the story confuses you, feel free to ask in a review or a PM. I'd rather explain things than have you go on reading with a sense of “WTF?”

 

I ended my explanation of Ren by saying “Did I mention that he is totally awesome at math?” “Yes, Jezzy, you did. Five times.” “182,621 nights equals 500 years- including leap years.” “Yes, you told me.” “Well, Ren told me.”

 

I finished rewatching the anime last night. I feel so empty inside…

 

I seriously need to put up some sketches for this fic. Because Ren needs some super uber cool new clothes. And Pin-Mei just needs to be seen at all.

 

Notes: The last scene is a flashback to when they are back in the House of Tao. They're laying in bed before they fall asleep.

 

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A Gift of Love - Chapter Thirty-One: Shattered Dreams

 

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Yoh took a step back and studied his friend. Then he grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

 

“Ren, snap out of it!”

 

Ren blinked, then shook his head a few times, touching his forehead.

 

“Ren, what happened?”

 

He stared into nowhere for a few moments before answering. “I just spaced out, that's all.”

 

Yoh looked at him doubtfully. “You said Pin-Mei's name, and she's not here, so there must be something going on--,”

 

“Don't remind me that she's not here!” he yelled. Then he came to his senses and looked at the ground in shame. Yoh gave him a sympathetic look.

 

“Ren, I want to help, but I need to know what's going on.”

 

Ren slowly nodded, his eyes not leaving the floor. They cleaned up the mess he had created, then made their way back to the dining room and sat around the table. This time, Ren sat between Yoh and HoroHoro. After a little prodding from Yoh, Ren began to recount what had happened.

 

“Pin-Mei is gone.”

 

Sounds of disbelief sounded from around the table (Anna stayed emotionless). HoroHoro was the first to speak.

 

“Dude, what happened? You two break up or something?”

 

Ren kept staring at the table. “Yes…No…I don't know. I was sleeping when it happened.”

 

“Well, what happened before then?” Yoh asked.

 

Ren sighed. “After we arrived home, our parents announced that they were going to have a party to announce our engagement. Pin-Mei was scared that her grandmother, Fan Suo would show up, and didn't want to have it. I promised her that I wouldn't let anything bad happen.

 

“But Suo did show up. I have no idea how she even knew about it. But we got into a big confrontation with her. She berated Pin-Mei, and even slapped her, right in front of me. I didn't protect her. I couldn't.

 

“Suo uses words to control people make them think what she wants them to. She tried to convince Pin-Mei that I didn't love her; that I only wanted her so I could control her. She ran away, and when I went to follow her, Suo told me that she was going to take Pin-Mei home that night, no matter what I did. I ignored her and finally found Pin-Mei at the beach near my house. I promised her that even if she was taken far away from me, that I'd always come and find her. Then…”

 

He clenched his pants in his fists, which rested on his knees.

 

Yoh looked at him, concerned. “Then what?”

 

“I…I told her to go wait near my room while I went to command that Suo be thrown out…but Kai, Pin-Mei's older brother, he put a curse on me. I don't remember happened next, but my mother told me later…” He trailed off and fell silent.

 

“…What happened?”

 

Ren hid his pained eyes from his peers.

 

“Under that curse…I tried to rape Pin-Mei.”

 

“WHAT?”

 

They stared at him. He didn't move or react.

 

“Ran said that when she, my father, and Pin-Mei's father got to my room after hearing Pin-Mei scream, I was on top of her, pinning her to the mattress. The dress robes that she had worn that night had been ripped wide open, her body was exposed to me. If Jun hadn't come in with Pailong when she did, I would have…”

 

Immature as ever, HoroHoro couldn't help giggling. “Are you SURE you don't remember anything about that?”

 

Ren snapped. He stood up and grabbed him, lifting him into the air with both hands and grasping the front of his shirt. His yellow eyes glared at him in rage.

 

“You think this is funny?” he growled at the Ainu. “You think I WANTED that?”

 

“I-I was just kidding!”

 

He pulled the lifted boy's face close to his. “Do I LOOK like I'm in a funny mood?”

 

Horo shook his head furiously. Yoh grabbed Ren from behind.

 

“Ren, just let go of him! You'll strangle him!”

 

The young heir stared at the boy for a few more moments, allowing him to gag a little more.

 

“Don't you ever make a `joke' like that EVER again,” he warned.

 

Horo nodded and Ren dropped him to the floor. He sat back down and went on, as if the last two minutes hadn't happened.

 

“She was crying. Even though I was still held by the curse, Ran claims that I was crying too. Pin-Mei told everyone that I didn't want to do such a vile thing to her, and the fact that I was crying was proof.

 

“Suo did this so she would have an excuse to break the engagement. Who would allow their son to marry someone he raped? It was all so she could take Pin-Mei away from me. I was told that she refused to leave until she had En's word that I would not get any punishment of any kind.”

 

He covered his face.

 

“But that's a punishment in itself. I would have rather been chained and tortured like my father wanted rather than live with the fact that even though I violated the very person I was supposed to protect with my life, she forgave me and made sure I'd be safe before she left.

 

“When she did leave, she left her clips, a rose ring I gave her, and her engagement ring in my hand. There was also a note. It told me to keep my promise to her, to go and find her, and bring her back.”

 

He slammed his fist on the table.

 

“I don't even know where the hell she is!” he yelled. “I don't know where she lives! My parents won't tell me, and there's no other way for me to find out!”

 

He replaced his fist with his elbow and put his forehead in his hand.

 

“I have no way of knowing if she's alright, if she's healthy, if she's happy or sad, if she's in pain…I don't even know if she's still alive! That feeling I got just now told me that something's happened to her…and I can't do a fucking thing about it!”

 

He lightly yanked his bangs. His face bore an exasperated expression. Yoh gently put his hand on his shoulder.

 

“Ren, I have no doubt in my mind that she's alive. If you really have a bond with her that lets you know if something's happened to her, don't you think you'd know if she died? Besides, her parents will take care of her, won't they?”

 

Ren was about to correct him and say that she only had a father, but he was too tired and apathetic to do so.

 

“Nan to ka naru. Everything will be all right. You'll find her.”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Bocchama…” The spirit sat in the corner next to Amidamaru.

 

“It's alright. I just hope that bitch Suo hasn't laid a hand on her…but that's just wishful thinking.”

 

“Bocchama!”

 

Ren was slightly annoyed. “What is it, Bas--,”

 

He stopped. That voice wasn't Bason's.

 

“Ren-Bocchama!” the voice came again.

 

Ren looked behind him. Ma Ying was floating in the doorway. Feelings of happiness, astonishment, guilt, and hope were flooding through him all at once.

 

“Who's that?” Manta asked pointing at her.

 

“It's Ma Ying- Pin-Mei's main spirit…” Ren replied slowly. He studied her. “What are you--?”

 

“Please save Lady Pin-Mei!” she suddenly cried.

 

“What…?”

 

“Mistress Suo and Master Kai are holding her captive!”

 

Yoh tried to calm her down. “Hold it, slow down. Maybe you should tell us what happened, from the beginning.”

 

She nodded. “Yes, I apologize.”

 

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then spoke.

 

“Lord Zhang was sending Lady Pin-Mei back to the House of Tao with her handmaids to protect her. An army of Kyonshii appeared, and the mistress decided to deal with them so they could move on without any more burdens.

 

“They were able to dispose of them, but then Master Kai appeared. He quickly took down all three of her guards, leaving only her. Using myself as an oversoul along with her mother's cherished sword, Minbouken, she attacked him, but was just no match. She was soon on the ground, bleeding profusely. Master Kai picked her up and took her back to the castle.”

 

She bowed her head. “Please forgive me, Ren-Bocchama, I was not able to protect her.”

 

Ren wasn't paying attention at that point. He was just staring into space with that same expression he'd had in the kitchen.

 

“She called out for you, Master Ren… I know that you are the only one who can save her.”

 

Ren's fist showed signs of bleeding. He had been clenching it so hard that his nails had dug into his palms. His body became heated with an anger he could barely control. He finally looked up at her.

 

“You'll show me where she is?”

 

“Y-Yes of course!” she cried, smiling with hope in her eyes.

 

He stood up. “Bason.”

 

“Hai, Bocchama!”

 

“We're going to make a stop at home, then we're going to save Pin-Mei.”

 

Yoh stood up behind him. “How can you be sure that this isn't a trap?”

 

Ren glared back at him. “At this point, I couldn't give a fuck if I wanted to. I'm going to save the thing that's caused me be so lonely for the past month. Trap or not. I'll kill whoever I have to at this point.”

 

“Ren…”

 

Ren turned back around and walked out. Yoh suddenly reached out to him.

 

“Ren, you promise you'll call us if you need help?”

 

Ren gripped the doorframe. “If it'll let me leave, then fine, I promise.”

 

He broke out into a sprint as he made his way to the airport to get on his jet. All he could see was Pin-Mei's face and everything they had done together.

 

That bastard…

 

He thought of how he had taught her to use the Kwan Dao.

 

I'll kill you for taking her away from me…

 

He thought of that brief moment he had seen her before being knocked out.

 

“I forgive you.”

 

He winced.

 

Once I get her back, I'll never let her out of my sight again.

 

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“Ren, what do you want most?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“What's one of the things you want most in the world. Like, if you could have anything.”

 

He hadn't given it much thought. “Well, I guess a giant refrigerator of milk would be great. No. Three of them. Perfect.” He smiled to himself thinking about it. She giggled. He looked at her. “What do you want?”

 

She blushed. “Promise you won't think I'm weird?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Umm…I really want twins.”

 

“Twin what?”

 

“Twins. Like…baby twins…I want a boy and a girl…I want the boy to be just like you…I even kinda want to give him your name…and um…stuff…” she trailed off, her face turning red. He looked into her eyes.

 

“That's the thing you want most?” She gave a shy nod. He smiled. “I can't promise twins…that's beyond my control. But if you want a couple little brats, then I suppose I can help with that.” He squeezed her. “But not now. I want to have you all to myself for a while.”

 

She smiled. “I can't wait until that day that I get to be yours.”

 

He brushed back her hair, giving a small smile.

 

`I don't her to have kids so quickly,' he thought. `…I'm afraid of losing her… like Zhang lost Hua…'