So Close, So Far
A collection of Pyron/Jun vignettes by JSF
Quotable quotes: "Don't touch Jun!"-Lee Pyron to his controlled sensei, Shaman King Ep. # 23
JSF: You might wanna grab a box of tissues folks. This chapter's a bit of a tear-jerker.
Jun: How so?
JSF: Let's just say this chapter is for anyone else who wondered about the picture of the woman and those two kids with Pyron in Shonen Jump #10.
Vignette #8: Bittersweet
A newspaper rustled in a pair of tense hands with dread. Two blue eyes looked at a certain article on page 16, section C. Beads of sweat poured down a smooth forehead. The hands slammed the newspaper down on the kitchen table and clutched a woman's chest in panic. Jun, the owner of all these body parts, did not like what she had just read.
She had picked up a newspaper for her kyonshi from the mail as she always did every week. Pyron never got to go out in public unless it was absolutely necessary (Could you imagine the stir people would cause upon seeing a dead celebrity walking down the streets?) so the least she could do for him was provide all the windows to the outside world possible. However, when he read this little article he would go insane. What was she going to do?
"Shit," she grumbled, "There's only one option. I'll have to throw it away. He'll never miss it and never know. I'll save him all the pain and he'll never, ever, ever know."
She'd spoken to soon. Lee Pyron had softly walked into the kitchen just as she finished her sentence. He smiled and nodded to her. Jun tried to do the same but ended up with a weak, artificial grin on her face. He looked a little concerned, but returned to normal when he noticed the paper.
He started off, "Thank you for getting it for me. I always enjoy reading thi-"
"You can't read this one!" she blurted out, placing an iron grip on the paper. Pyron took a step back in surprise and then composed himself.
"Why not?" he asked with a suspicious look. Jun shuffled toward the trash can with the paper still in her hand.
It will break your heart, she thought. What came out was, "Don't you dare question me."
He stared at her with a calm, neutral expression on his face for about five seconds and then snatched it away from her in one smooth motion. Jun protested loudly and tried to get it back from him. He heard her yell something about '16-C' and then saw it.
"It" wasn't a very big article, but the headline was larger than life. The words read: Daughter of Martial Arts Legend Weds.
"Ying-ying…" he breathed. How long had it been since he'd last seen his little girl?
"Pyron…I…" Jun began helplessly.
"Excuse me," her zombie whispered. He walked out of the kitchen and slammed the door behind him. Jun could hear him crying. She'd seen him cry when Yoh Asakura had fought them together, but she'd never heard him cry before. It was sort of a bwuuuhhh sound. The Chinese beauty clapped her hands over her ears.
"I don't hear it. I don't hear it. I don't hear it," she repeated over and over again. But if I didn't exist…he could be happy! When I was born he died! Dammit!! she thought. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks. An eternity seemed to pass before she felt a cold embrace around her body and an icy kiss on her cheek. It was Pyron.
"I'm terribly sorry. I'm fine now. It's just that…I do miss my son and my daughter. I still wonder about them," he murmured to her with a sad little smile.
"No…I'm sorry for being born. I hate myself for existing," Jun choked out between tears. Pyron gasped softly and stroked her.
"Tao Jun…" he whispered, and teared up all over again. She threw herself at him and they held each other tightly. Each was comforting and being comforted. Neither one spoke, but only wept on each other and thought of guilt and bittersweet memories.
JSF: I really don't think it would be appropriate to add a witty comment after this chapter so I'll just let you, dear reader, put in your two cents.