Miraculous Taboo
A fanfic by Setsumi-san
Chapter Six: The Assassin Emerges
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"Wait a minute, what did you just say to me?" an astonished Ren asked his sister.
"If you have a beef about this, please take it up with me, " Jun said politely but confidently, "It pains me that you cannot be happy. Why don't you see nieces instead of disasters? I won' t beg you to change your mind because I know you better that that…but I just want to know the answer to that."
For the first time since he knew about the pregnancy Ren Tao was speechless. His face twisted into frustration and a feeling that he now realized was gut-wrenching anxiety. He didn't really hate those girls. In fact, he wanted nothing more then for his sister to have a happy family. But how could she this way?
From day one they had endured abuse, persecution, humiliation, and supernatural forces. People didn't accept shamans, and loners like the Taos were especially easy targets. He was still haunted by memories like being held face down in the playground's sandbox, being shot by villagers, demonic encounters, and bloody Shaman Fights. It just wouldn't be fair to his nieces.
"Never mind," he said.
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A few minutes later the pregnant woman was in her study writing an apology letter to Yoh and Anna and eating orange slices. She sighed in frustration. Why were the right words so hard to find?
" 'Forgive me for the mess. I'll pay for everything.' No, that sounds like I'm just making it a financial matter. 'A thousand pardons. We're utterly ashamed of ourselves for ruining your party.' No…that's too melodramatic," she murmured.
Her thought process was interrupted by a peculiar hccck sound from above. She curiously arched an eyebrow. Was that scratching or ripping?
"One of them must be taking out their stress on an innocent newspaper upstairs," Jun mused drolly, "Now where was I? Oh yes: 'A thous-'"
Hccck! It was louder this time.
" 'A thous-'"
HCCCK!!
The shaman exhaled sharply, angrily bit an orange slice, and promptly yelped in pain. She instantly scolded herself for not eating more carefully. Now that she was in her second trimester her gums were as tender as strawberries. The dao-shi sighed again and got some Orajel from her bathroom. Bliss instantly wafted out. Some slight bleeding left a metallic aftertaste and salty smell, but she paid no attention to it.
Before she could exit, she slipped on a large puddle in the doorway. She gasped and waited to slam into bone hard wood, but landed in a net of two arms instead. It was Pyron.
"At your service, m'lady," he said charmingly.
She blushed and asked, "Did you hear me gasp?"
"Gasp? Why no, I just happened to be here when I came to see what was behind that increasingly loud scratching. What happened?" he said.
"You mean that wasn't you or Ren?"
"No."
Before the conversation could continue, she realized that the salty bloody smell had not gone away. She swallowed a boulder of nervousness and looked down. It couldn't be…
Jun had slipped in a puddle of blood…and it was not from tender gums. A large rat with its mouth still open from squeaking in agony had been killed in the bathroom.
"We're not alone," Jun said ominously.
"I know. Stand back," he coolly ordered.
Once again the noise increased, and whatever was behind it was about to burst through the ceiling. It crackled and slowly crumbled away like brittle human bones.
CRACK-A-BLAM!! Suddenly, half a dozen monstrous tiger kyonshi exploded out! Slobber dripped from their fangs and their dagger-like claws glowed wickedly under the chandelier. Roaring thunderously, they leapt at the couple with the speed of an F-14!
"RUN!" he screamed, shielding her.
She tore down the hall. Three of them mauled him at once, and he used all of his strength to punch one in the stomach and roll away. It grunted and ripped some drapes down in an attempt to swipe him. Slash! Thud!
"REN! (huff, huff, huff) REN, HELP!! " Jun screamed.
Just then, the dao-shi heard her boyfriend groan. She whirled around and gasped sharply. Two tiger kyonshi had managed to pin him down!
"Pyron!" she shouted.
Whump! Suddenly, one leapt in front of her! Oh shit, now she couldn't escape!
The priestess flinched and thought, We're done for!
It roared and raised its claws… only to be demolished from behind by a familiar kwan-dao.
"Ren!" she breathed.
Ren slashed Pyron's captors into dust and shouted, "En must have figured this out somehow! I'll hold them off! You take my sister away in the jet!"
The zombie slung her over his shoulder and fled more swiftly than Mercury. The remaining beasts circled around Ren and simultaneously charged. Thwack! One was slammed into the wall!
"Arrrggh!" Ren screamed as his midriff got swiped.
He wobbled and failed miserably at a counterattack. With a blood-curdling roar, the last tiger butted him into the wall and knocked him out.
"Ren!" his sister cried.
"It's too dangerous to go back!" the kyonshi shouted.
"No! REN! REEENNN!!"
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