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Double chapter update day! XD Woot

-Anii

Chapter 21: "We cannot tear out a single page of our life, but we can throw the whole book in the fire."
― George Sand, Mauprat

I stared up into the glacier blue eyes of the Grim Reaper. He grinned down madly at me, his eyes wide with delight. "How sad Kaonashi would be if you were to leave her."

"I'm going to starve myself anyways!" I squeaked (I had meant to shout it but this creature inspired such fear in me that nothing could make me speak above a whisper.)

"You forget," He leaned towards me, "I am Death."

Crap.

"Starve yourself all you want, it will do you no good if I do not take your soul. Your body will grow thinner and thinner, weaker and weaker until you finally give in and do as Kaonashi asks."

He stepped closer and I gasped loudly. He took a step back, slightly startled. A smile broke out on his face, "Fear smells so delicious." Then he bent towards me. His cold finger slipped around the chain of my necklace and lifted it up until the silver dragon was pulled free from the collar of my shirt.

"Please don't take it from me." I whimpered, trying desperately to lean as far away from the Grim Reaper as I could.

His wide eyes twinkled as his mouth contorted into a disgusting evil grin. "What's this? Keeping secrets are we, little girl?"

His other hand reached out towards my neck. It's so difficult to explain how a person's body can revolt against its mind. My mind was paralyzed with fear but my body was desperate to protect my last link to Haku. My fist slammed into the Reaper's nose and my body jerked away from his. The chain, still caught on his finger, broke apart from the force and my necklace clattered to the floor. I flung myself on to the groun just as the Grim Reaper made a move for the dragon. I used my entire body to protect the small silver dragon, clutching it between both of my hands and pressing it tightly to my chest as I curled into a ball.

The Grim Reaper grabbed a fistful of my hair and effortlessly lifted my upper body from the floor. I gasped with pain and clenched my teeth together. He held out his hand, "Give it to me."

"Kill me." I hissed.

No emotion was present on his face but still he insisted, "Don't play games, give me the charm."

"I wont!" I cried out in pain as he yanked my head back farther.

"Angeu! Release her!" Kaonashi rushed to my side as the Reaper's fingers freed themselves from my hair and I crashed to the floor.

My little attack had taken up so much energy that I already didn't have. Still clinging to Haku's dragon, I slipped into unconsciousness.

••••••••

Fog swayed slowly all around me. Am I dreaming?

The fog cleared and I found myself standing in Yubaba's office at the bath house. In fact, I stood next to the old bath house Madam, who was sitting behind her desk, scribbling on some papers before her. My gaze tore away from Yubaba's crinkled face and found Haku; my heart split in two. He paced the room, his body trembling. Violet crescents rested under his green eyes. His mood had gone from frantic to completely and entirely freaking out.

"Stop pacing, Haku! You're making me seasick." Yubaba grumbled.

Haku stomped up to the desk and slammed both of his palms down on the desk, "Why can't we find her!?"

Yubaba's eyes narrowed, "She's hidden by the First and no doubt that damned Reaper is helping keep her from us as well."

"We have to do something-!"

"Enough! You want to do something!? Fine, go search endlessly some more!" Yubaba stood and glared at Haku, "But if you'd shut up and listen to me I think I might have a plan."

Haku blinked and stepped back slightly, "A plan?"

"Yes." Yuaba's enormous head jerked up and she silenced Haku with a wave of her hand, "Shush! I sense something. We mustn't speak of this here, someone's listening."

••••••••

I heard soft humming.

Someone is singing? I moaned softly as I cracked open my eyes. Life flowed from my head down to my toes, waking every muscle in my body. I nuzzled my face deep into the soft pillow my head rested on. Who was it?

My vision cleared and the fog surrounding my mind dissipated. Kaonashi's masked face hovered above me. I squeaked with fright and her fingers went to her mask, "You're finally awake."

I sat up slowly and whispered dangerously, "You were listening to my dreams weren't you?"

She smirked but did not answer my question. Instead she asked, "Did he hurt you?"

"Hurt me?" My memory returned and my spine went ramrod straight. The Grim Reaper was nowhere to be seen. Then my eyes wandered to where my head had been placed, which just happened to be Kaonashi's lap. "No, he didn't." I answered softly.

She pushed my hair away from my face, "Good."

I gasped and jerked my head back and forth as I searched the nearby area fervently. "The dragon! Where is it!? Did you take it!? Give it back, please!"

Kaonashi pointed to my clenched fist. I unfurled my fingers and there, sitting in my palm, rested the silver dragon, the broken chain still hooked through the circle of the dragon's body. I let out a sigh of relief. Kaonashi laughed softly and took a deep breath from her kiseru. I looked away from her oddly loving face and muttered, "W-why were you wearing your mask?"

She blinked, stumped by the question. "Habit, I guess."

I coughed weakly, "Did the Elders make you wear that mask?"

"No. I chose to."

"Why?"

She shrugged, "I cannot honestly tell you. A lot of Spirit's used to wear masks, even Elders. I just never thought of not having a mask. Most Spirits don't now though." She bit down on the tip of her pipe and shrugged her shoulders.

"Then why do the No-Face wear them?" I asked, pulling my knees to my chest.

"You love questions. My kind do not have faces, so I supply one, simple as that. My name means 'No-Face', you know." she answered, her long, thin fingers brushing over her mask, which sat obediently at her side.

I gnawed on my lip, "What will it take to get you to call off all the No-Face Spirits?"

"Are you still stuck on that? First off, love, I do not control the No-Face. I'm stronger than they are so I can hurt them if they try to harm me or someone under my protection, but they follow their own orders, not mine. Second, I will not stop. I will become an Elder and proceed with my plans."

"What if I willingly staid with you?" I blurted out.

"What good would a bargain like that be? You cannot leave. Angeu will not let you die. Why do I need you to willingly stay?" Kaonashi retorted.

"Because even if I don't die the song in my heart can."

Her eyes narrowed, "Explain."

"I know a way to get rid of my memory of Haku. Without my condemned love for a Spirit, my heart won't sing the way you want it to." I bluffed.

She's going to know I'm lying! Crap! Straight face, Chihiro; keep a straight face!

Kaonashi eyed me suspiciously for several moments and I felt the room fill with suffocating tension. I swallowed hard as she sucked on her ancient pipe. Then her lips cracked in a malicious smirk, "Looks like, along with that sweet song, I'm going to have entertainment if I keep you around. I'll consider it. But for now, Goodnight my feisty replacement."

Kaonashi waved, grinning madly, before vanishing completely. I stared where she had been sitting for several moments before I threw myself on to the colored pillows spread throughout the room. I buried my face into the nearest pillow and tried to steady my breathing. My heart pounded loudly in my ears.

I lied to her, I thought. Such a stupid lie, too. Why would she give up freedom and power for some stupid song?

I took a deep breath and sat up slowly. I won't let her keep me here. I won't let her do what she wants with me. I unclenched my fist and revealed the dragon again. With a single finger, I lightly stroked the metal dragon and felt a smile touch upon my lips. I hid the dragon in my fist again and brought my fist to my lips. Haku. Haku, where are you? When will you find me?

"Chihiro."

A chill slid up my body with incredible speed and I whipped around to face the owner of the voice.

"Takamichi!" I gasped and stumbled to my feet, "Is that you!?"

Takamichi's figure appeared before me and his worried face cracked with relief. He grabbed both of my shoulders and I looked up at him questioningly.

"It's me. Chihiro, what were you trying to say before?" He crushed me to his chest and I could smell the incense from the temple on his clothing.

I blinked, "I-I. I can't tell. How are you able to touch me?"

Takamichi released me and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "I-" he coughed, "Never mind that. Why can't you tell where you are?"

"Takamichi, do you not understand how big the Spirit World is? Plus it's not like I've gotten my one phone call here. This isn't jail." No this was much much worse.

His image flickered but steadied, "Damn..."

He rubbed the back of his head and let out a deep heavy sigh, "Well has this "First" lady been keeping you safe? She hasn't hurt you right?"

My fingers automatically flew to the back of my head, "She hasn't."

"Do you know what she wants?"

A blush crept up my neck and spread throughout my cheeks, "Y-yes."

When I didn't explain further, Takamichi sighed again and asked, "Have you been good? You didn't do anything stupid right?"

I looked down at my feet.

"Oh dear god don't tell me you did something reckless." Takamichi moaned, face palming.

"I did." I waved my hand as he opened his mouth to speak, "Don't. Takamichi, I just need you to do something for me."

His face hardened, "What it is?"

My eyes shot up and I stared straight into Takamichi's eyes, "Ask Yubaba if there is a way for me to forget my past. Everything. I want to forget everything."

Thank you to everyone who has left a review! -Anii