Disclaimer: Shaman King is by Hiroyuki Takei.
Think, Ren, THINK! Tao Ren paced around his room in circles.
What can I do to help that bastard?
It's not really your style to be thinking for others.
I didn't think so too, but I just can't seem to ignore his situation!
Sympathy?
I...I-I don't know! Damnit, THINK!
Or is it love?
What? What the fuck are you talking about?
...
C'mon, say that again!
...
Right. Since the distraction's gone, let's get to business. Err...
He scratched his head. He couldn't think of anything; he'd never tried helping others before. He'd always thought for himself. This new concept of 'caring about others' was unfamiliar to him, and he didn't know how to deal with it.
"Ren? I know this sounds tediously boring for you, but I thought I'd ask you anyway: do you want a Christmas dinner for tonight?" Tao Jun's voice traveled to his ears from the kitchen.
He hesitated. And then, his anxiety was dissolved. He broke into a smile, not his usual ambitious and complacent smirk, but a genuine smile. Why not? But let's not stop at dinner.
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"How many times do I repeat myself? I am not suffering from amnesia!" Horo Horo said as he followed his sister down the streets.
Staring straight ahead, Pilika sighed. "Whatever. Hurry up, oniichan. We need to catch that train so we'll get there in time."
"To where?"
His sister raised an eyebrow. "Hokkaido, of course."
Horo Horo stopped in his footsteps. "I'm not going," he said firmly.
She glared at him. "And why not?"
"We don't have any business there. Plus, we're out of cash."
Pilika immediately drew out a bagful of coins. "This should be enough to find Mom and Dad."
"What're you talking about? We don't have--" A familiar scene flashed through his mind. A photo, of him, his sister, and two adults. Where'd these two come from? I don't recognize them...arghhh. He dropped to his knees and held his head; a piercing pain was circulating in his brain. Several scenes flashed past. Information overflow... He croaked inside his mind.
"Oniichan? Oniichan? Are you all right? Oniichan!" Frightened and frantic, Pilika shook her brother. "What happened?"
A minute later, the pain finally subsided. And he remembered.
He turned to Pilika. "What happened after we called Mom and Dad?"
Suddenly, her eyes were filled with tears and she spluttered, "T-They left for England. It's Christmas t-today, you know."
They were not orphans. They had parents, but they had abandoned them this Christmas. Where were they to go? "And you still want to go to Hokkaido?"
She shook her head miserably, and shrugged. "What are we to do then? Tao Ren kicked us--"
At the mention of the name, Horo Horo felt his spirits rise. There was still hope for them; Ren might even let them sleep in the basement!
This time, he grabbed her hand. "Let's go."
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"I still can't believe you actually want a Christmas party! This is such a surprise, Ren." Jun remarked, bending over as she finished the topping of the cake.
"Shut up, I suddenly felt like it. Got a problem with that?" He said with a slight blush, which he quickly shook away. He watched the clock anxiously. Will they come? They might have gone to Hokkaido...or even England.
"How many plates?"
"Plates?" He paused. They weren't coming..."I suppose two would--"
DING DONG.
"I lied; make it four."
"Sure," Jun said absently as she gathered up the number of dishes and eating utensils necessary. "Whom have you invited?"
No answer. She looked up; he was gone. In such a hurry to answer the door, isn't he?
"Coming, coming," Ren said loudly as he unlocked the door and opened it. As expected, Horo Horo and Pilika were standing there, looking at the ground, embarassed.
"What are you two doing here?" He asked, attempting a skeptical expression.
Horo Horo shifted his feet. "Umm, we thought we'd come here to, er, beg you to let us stay here for one more night," he lifted his face. "Just one more night...please?"
Feeling his heart melt, Ren looked away. Then, attemping a sigh, he answered, "Fine, fine. Come on in--"
Suddenly, with outreached hands, Horo Horo pounced onto him, and losing balance, they both fell. "What the hell?" He snarled, lying on his back. He struggled to get back up but Horo Horo stayed. Then, realizing that Horo Horo was hugging him, Ren blushed a crimson red. "Get off me..." He muttered, but enjoying the sensation.
"Thank you! Thanks a bunch, Ren. We pretty much owe you our lives, don't we?" Horo Horo squeezed harder. "Oh, I think I love you!"
Ren, turning even redder, hurriedly feigned a shocked splutter. What the fuck is he saying? "Ack, g-get off me," he managed to cough out.
"Oniiiiichan! Can you get off Ren? You're suffocating him," Pilika said with her hands on her hips, though she could not resist a grin.
"I am?" Horo Horo stared down at Ren. He blushed too, and quickly jumped up. "Oh! Sorry about that. I, uh," His eyes scanned around, trying to avoid Ren's eyes. "I need to use the bathroom." He said, running off in a random direction.
Ren sighed. "Wrong direction, idiot." He pointed in the opposite way. "And hurry up, we're having a Christmas dinner."
Horo Horo's eyes lighted up. "We are? ALLLL RIGHTTTT!" Then he sprinted off, humming happily to himself.
Pilika slapped her hand over her head. "He recovers pretty fast, doesn't he?" She said, shaking her head.
Folding his arms, Ren gave no reply. Silently, he agreed. But that was one quality he liked about Horo Horo.
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END
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YES. A FINISHED WORK. I CAN DO THIS. I don't think I'll be starting any fics anytime soon. All current Shaman King fics completed...I think?