Shaman King Fan Fiction ❯ A Gift of Love ❯ Muge (No Obstacles) ( Chapter 43 )

I apologize that I confused some of you with the rituals (although some of you probably don't realize you're confused). The ritual that Ren is performing is not a revival ritual like Suo's is. As Suo (correctly) stated in the last chapter, Ren doesn't know how to perform one. Thus, his promise to “beat it out of her”.

 

The coins Kai threw were what broke Ren's fingers, not his falling on top of them (that just made it worse). I chose coins because I needed a projectile that would break his fingers, but not slice them off. In a wikipedia article about shurikens, it was mentioned that shurikens and things like that stemmed back to early China with the “art” of coin throwing. Throwing coins is an art? Whatever.

 

If you didn't catch on to Kai's comment on Rong's use of the liquid in the vial to heal herself, the women of the Wei family almost always wear bracers and greaves on their lower arms and legs, hiding and protecting small vials of medicines, potions and other substances to aid them. Vials are also kept in a flap under their armored shirts. This is so that even after being injured, they can either heal the wound or at least numb the pain so that they can keep fighting and protecting the female they are designated to. This is also how Rong saved herself after Kai took Pin-Mei and left.

 

A fellow anime fan at school asked if I was going to make this into a doujinshi. I was contemplating it. It would take so long to finish, plus use up so much paper that I don't know that I'd be up to it. I mean, yes, I would love to be able to do that. Except my drawings of Ren never come out the way I want them to. If I did, it would probably only be for my own enjoyment. Plus, I can't milk this story out for all it's worth. You guys have other things to do with your lives, ne? Still, it would give me the opportunity to change things that I did wrong (like the whole London trip -sweatdrops-). Ah well, I'll think about it. Are doujinshis even supposed to be this effing long?

 

I totally love how I'm listening to happy songs like “Spicy Marmalade” while writing chapters like these.

 

Ren: My fingers are broken! Jezzy do something!!

Jezzy: VANISH INTO THE NIGHT! Conspicuous MARMALADE!!!

Ren: That's really NOT HELPING!!

 

Put it this way: At least I wasn't listening to “Date Rape” while writing chapter 24 -cringes-

 

Is it just me, or does it seem like Pin-Mei died a long time ago?

 

My problem with Rong is that I keep thinking of a character from my original fiction/anime novel when I'm thinking of her - and that person has long hair. It's not even red. -sighs- oh, Jezzy… where has your mind gone?

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

A Gift of Love - Chapter Forty-Three: Muge (No Obstacles)

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

From behind the wall of light, Rong stared at her master.

 

“Wha…what?”

 

Ren looked down at his fingers again. “I can't even pull them apart, let alone form the final seal. There's nothing I can do…The ritual's useless now…”

 

He lowered his head in shame. Rong did the same, then looked slightly excited. She opened her left bracer and scanned the vials. Not finding the one she needed, she quickly checked her right one, then opened the front flap of her shirt, revealing even more healing substances. She finally chose one, and then looked back to Ren.

 

“Lord Ren, I have something that will help this situation.” She went to cross the wall and run to him. He looked up at her, and then suddenly looked alarmed.

 

“No, Rong! Don't! Don't come over here! Stay back!”

 

It was too late. Rong screamed as the light began burning her skin.

 

“Rong! Just go back! I'll figure something out!”

 

But she just bit her lip and clenched her fists, and then practically crawled over to him. She opened the vial and poured it on his hands. He tensed.

 

“I'm losing the feeling in my hands.”

 

“It's okay. This is numbing your fingers and dulling the pain.” She winced under her own sores and then put her hands on his fingers. “The potion may not have taken effect yet, but we obviously don't have time. It will take full effect soon. But for now, Milord, brace yourself. I apologize for any pain I cause you.”

 

Ren nodded and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. Rong gave him a remorseful look, then took his middle fingers and snapped them back into place. He gritted his teeth as he held in screams of pain. It was almost too much. It was so painful that he almost felt sick. Even his pride was beginning to slip. He wanted to tell her to stop, but knew he couldn't.

 

This wasn't about him. This was about revenge. There was no room for selfishness at this point. He had to bear the pain for now. He had to avenge her. But the pain…

 

Suddenly, there was a soft, warm sensation around his neck and back. He stopped, momentarily ignoring the pain. But as he heard another crack, he grunted as he once again tried to keep his cries inside.

 

The warmth moved from his neck to his chest, as if it was reaching around his back. He looked down and thought he saw the extremely faint outline of a small pair of arms and hands. It was fainter than a regular spirit's. As if the soul was almost gone…

 

He looked up and across the room at the fire of Suo's ritual. His eyes widened.

 

Pin-Mei's soul had moved. Despite the restriction beads, her arms had moved to a position that made it look like she was hugging herself. The peaceful smile she had died with was still on her face.

 

Almost as if she had felt his gaze, she opened her eyes and looked straight at him. A shiver went down his spine. She gave him a bright closed-eye smile, and then opened them again. After giving him a nod, she assumed her position again.

 

The warmth left him, but not before he felt it on his cheek.

 

“I love you,” came a whispered voice.

 

He reached up a restored hand to touch it before it left. “I love you too.”

 

Rong looked at him quizzically. “What?”

 

He looked at the ground and smiled, despite himself. “Nothing…It's nothing.”

 

After giving him a sad look, she snapped the last of his fingers into place. “Okay, everything's back where it should be.

 

No, not yet, Ren thought. I have to get her soul back to her body. Only then will everything be back in its place.

 

He looked up at Rong as she stood up, pouring liquid on her arms and face. “Are you going back?”

 

“Of course I am. My job isn't finished yet.”

 

Ren stood up, cracking his knuckles. There wasn't any pain. She stared at him.

 

“That medicine suddenly kicked in huh? It's one of the strongest ones I have.”

 

He looked over at the fire again. “Yeah, something like that.”

 

Another stare. Rong motioned to go back through the wall, but was burned again.

 

“You were safe because you were with me,” Ren said. “But once you step outside this inner circle, the burning will be back in full force. Here.”

 

He offered her his hand. She studied it, then cautiously gave him hers.

 

“Hold on, and brace yourself.”

 

“What?”

 

He gripped her wrists tightly, and then spun in a circle. When he had gained enough speed, he let go, flinging her across the circle and to the ground outside. She tumbled to a stop, hoisted herself up and dusted herself off.

 

“Jerk!” she yelled despite herself. His mouth turned up slightly. She couldn't tell if it was a smirk or a smile.

 

He kneeled down and assumed to eighth position once again. He looked down at the characters. Some had vanished. He had to start the stage over again.

 

“Stage Eight! Power!”

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Suo smiled as she looked into the fire. Pin-Mei's soul was finally beginning to disappear. This meant that her ritual was almost finished. Kai had succeeded in derailing Ren in his out ritual, giving her enough time to get ahead. Once the soul disappeared, all she had to do was say the last of her incantations and Hua would rise again.

 

“Just a little longer…”

 

The fire flashed and she spread her arms.

 

“Hua…I give you these bodies to create your own, and this homely soul to fill that body. Use them to come back to us!”

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Ren formed a circle with his hands, his thumbs on top and his fingers on bottom, and his right hand overlapped his left up to his knuckles.

 

“Stage Nine! Absolute!”

 

The final circle of characters began to light up as Ren felt an adrenaline engulfing his body. When it was completed, the circle flashed and the Taijitu appeared again. He stood spread his arms apart.

 

“From the tiger to the horse; seventeen years of spirit and strength. The power to bring Mother Nature to her knees…The power to make the wilted flower bloom once more…The power to give the dead new breath…May I be the humble one to ask for your strength, your abilities, your body, until I am pierced through the heart. May I become a spirit at your command, only speaking to guide you in order to complete my mission. Lend me your power…my ancestor…

 

“Allow me to integrate with you!

 

TAO YI!!!

 

FIVE SWORD PENALTY!!!”

 

Almost immediately, a column of light covered him. He seemed to vanish.

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

“Hua, now is the time to exact your revenge on the one who took your life, to make hell of the lives of her loved ones. Join us now and fight!

 

Fan Hua! Rise! Rise and walk among the living to follow the Fan family's destiny!

 

RESURRECT!!”

 

The fire crackled and swirled. Feathers filled the air around it. Suo smirked.

 

“Good-bye forever, Xu Pin-Mei.”

 

Both rituals exploded.