Miraculous Taboo
A fanfic by Setsumi-san
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King in any way, shape, or form. I do not, never have, and never will intend to make any money off of this fanfic. The anime and manga belongs to the great Hiroyuki Takei, and if I knew him I'd be licking the dirt off his freaking shoes if he wanted me to.
Important Writer's Note: You can use any characters I've made up in stories or fan art if you like as long as you give me credit. Thanks!
Here's something you haven't seen since August of oh-seven…
The 4th Wall
"Hey Setsumi, get your head up off of the desk. We've got a fanfic to start," Horohoro says.
"Nooo," I whine drowsily, "I don't wanna write anything now! I lost enough sleep writing articles for the school paper!"
"Oh, no you don't! The people have a right to be entertained…and the right to settle for your crapstorms when there's nothing else to do."
"Ha ha. My sides are splitting, Horohoro. Anyway, on with the fanfic."
"I want a child, Pyron," Jun told her boyfriend.
He leaned forward curiously in the old leather armchair and tried to decipher her expression in the eerie candlelight. Was this it? Was this the life-changing secret she had dragged him all the way out to her favorite winter home alone to reveal? Why had she bothered to put a protective charm on the door (so ghosts couldn't eavesdrop) for this?
"What's the matter? I don't care if you adopt a child. If you're afraid I'll begrudge it something, then let me alleviate that right now," he said warmly.
"No, you don't understand," she said.
"Well then why did you whisk me away and act so se-Oh. Oh… there's someone else, isn't there?"
"No, please listen," she replied firmly.
"It's okay if there is, really," he lied.
"I want your child," she finally explained.
There was a thunderclap of silence and the befuddled kyonshi just stared at her. Were Jun's insanity genes finally emerging at twenty-six? The Taos weren't exactly the sanest people, but she'd always managed to keep her head screwed on straight. Either she'd just lost it or was playing a sick joke.
"What?" he finally whispered.
"I'm not crazy. It is possible," she said.
"This isn't funny, Jun," he said sternly.
"I'm not trying to put a smile on your face. I want your child, but do you?"
"My goodness, you actually believe this."
"There is no "believe" to it. I know exactly what we'd need to do and where we'd need to go to make this happen, but I'd need your consent first."
Pyron was stunned speechless and felt a moral weight crushing his shoulders. He never dreamed the idea of parenthood would progress any further than the past hypothetical speculations or jokes. The couple had agreed it would be a dream come true, but believed the goal was about as attainable as a trip to Mars. He was a walking corpse, for goodness' sakes! Yet despite all that parental instinct had been strengthening in them every day (although the kyonshi hadn't acknowledged it as much as his girlfriend before now.)
Wait, why the hell am I interested in this? he sharply asked himself.
If Jun was telling the truth, then her suggestion crossed countless boundaries. They would be playing God! Fate made it clear that he was done being fruitful and she would have to adopt or find another man if she wanted to start. Moreover, he'd already left two children behind.
Behind…completely helpless… Oh Nathan…Ying-Ying…what are you doing now? he thought sadly.
Did his son still love dinosaurs? Had his daughter still cried for her daddy's protection from thunderstorms after his death? He adored Jun, but his ex-wife Melissa had bore him the greatest treasures on the planet. Of course, he neither blamed the dao-shi for it nor wanted to father another baby simply to replace the previous two. No, if he and Jun created a child it would be because of pure love.
No, no, no! I can't believe I'm considering this! the White Dragon thought.
He asked his beloved how long she had been thinking about motherhood as calmly as possible.
"Too long," she chuckled weakly.
"Why don't you just go to a fertility clinic if you want to naturally experience motherhood?" he questioned.
"I was going to until I learned it was possible to have yours from an old friend. I love you and want no one else's. However, I won't pressure you if you refuse."
"Let me ask you this: how would your family feel?"
"My family wouldn't need to know. I'm a grown woman."
"First of all, they'd find out sooner or later. Furthermore, any family has a right to know about a new addition."
He had to bite his tongue to keep from adding "even yours."
"I don't know, but it would be their loss if they disapproved and everybody else's. Listen, I know that our child would have a lot to endure if it inherited shamanic powers or if people learned about its parentage. I'm not so naïve as to believe the world would be so open-minded or that motherhood in general would be easy. Nevertheless, I know I'm ready to sacrifice anything and everything for a child's well-being," she firmly declared, "All I need is a yes or no, Pyron."
Her words rang in his head: I'm not so naïve…anything and everything.
He wasn't naïve enough to think that a child could make it on love alone either. The world was an evil and judgmental place. "Hell" could not even begin to describe the prejudice and danger a little boy or girl would hypothetically go through. Yet… the joy of parenthood would be worth tenfold of the problems. It would be wonderful to witness all those milestones: first steps, first bike ride, graduation, and maybe even a first oversoul or daodan-do match. Also, if it inherited Jun's smile or pine green hair… Well, would there ever be a more gorgeous human being?
"Pyron?" she questioned
He looked her dead in the eye and said, "I have three words to say: how and when?"
Yeah, I actually wrote it. (feigns shock) Oh noes!11! I know it's a touchy subject and it does kind of give me the jibblies, but the concept's too interesting to ignore.
Okay, the truth is I wanna see Pyron in protective daddy mode. That's gotta be the cutest thing ever. Anyway, compliments and constructive criticism are welcomed.