The Cousin
Chapter Three: Mei Ling's Arrival
"Pilika!" Horo shouted, "I'm going to Ren's!"
"Whatever!" the blue-headed girl cried in reply from her bedroom, "Just don't be back too late!"
"Okay! See ya'!"
Horo stepped out into the autumn air with a huge grin on his face.
Ren had started to Mei Ling proof the house. Well... his stuff, anyways. Bringing the girl over was Jun's idea, so Ren thought it only fair that Jun's be the only stuff that got destroyed by the wrath of their cousin.
The next few minutes he spend covering his furniture in plastic, hiding the good food, and making other such devious preparations. Until... there was a knock at the door.
Ren practically jumped for out-of-character joy as he spotted a flash of blue hair through the front door window.
"Horohoro!" the purple-haired boy cried, slinging the door open, "Thank you for coming!"
"Wow," Horo replied, smiling slightly, "you've never been so happy to see me before."
Ren instantly began to feel heat rising up his collar and blossoming over his face from the tips of his ears.
"Sorry," Ren mumbled, trying to regain his composure, "I just need your help."
Snicker, snicker. "You need my help."
"Oh, shut up."
"YOU need MY help."
"Hmph!"
"You NEED my help."
Ren turned on his heel, face-to-face with the annoying bluenette, their faces inches apart, and Ren sporting a menacing glare and a low growl, "How many times must I tell you to SHUT UP, you incompetent dunderhead?!"
"A lot," the snowboarder replied casually, smirking and stalking off into the kitchen with an air of superiority about him.
"Kisama!"
At that, the Ainu turned to face the Chinese shaman, slowly, menacingly, and made his way back to the Tao. They stood face-to-face, harsh, glaring, fists clenched...
And Horo burst out laughing.
Ren dropped his guard and rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. Horo could be such an idiot at times.
"Okay, Ren," Horo said a few seconds later, still stifling giggles, "What do you need my help with?"
At that exact moment, a key turned in the front door lock, and the door slowly swung open.
"That," Ren pointed fearfully to two figures standing in the doorway. One was Jun, and the other...
Mei Ling Tao.