lalala-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 1: Voices
As it turned out, Sakura was a year older than Chihiro, making her eleven (or almost twelve, since Chihiro was practically eleven herself). However, the difference in age didn't stop the two from becoming fast friends. Kero was always wary of Chihiro, but he had declared that the 'magic' in her hair was either dormant or not planning to do any harm.
Chihiro herself found that any enchantments, or things to do with spirits, had kept away from her as time went on. In fact, she found her life to be, simply put, boring. Nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary happened in her life. None of the things she had read about in fantasy books, or experienced herself, came into being. Chihiro even took out the little pink shoes she had almost lost so many years ago, and tried all sorts of odd little chants and intonations to open a door into the Spirit World. She spent hours on the weekends searching for the funny little statue on the path, and the old abandoned amusement park. At night she looked out her window for dragons in the sky. But nothing. She found absolutely nothing. Chihiro couldn't find the way back.
Still, that doesn't mean to say she hated her life. After Tomoyo got back from London, and Yukito from his travels, Sakura instantly invited them over to meet Chihiro. The whole group hit it off, except for Syaoran. He was wary of Chihiro and kept to himself anytime they were all together.
In her own grade, Chihiro made a few friends, and even racked herself up a few admirers. Unfortunately, she had no interests in boyfriends, only in boy friends. Her grades were good, and she got allowance for all of the chores she did at home. In fact, her parents relied on Chihiro to do the chores-it was hard enough for them to do such difficult work when they were so busy and out all of the time. To Chihiro, these tasks were menial. After scrubbing the slime off of a giant tub, helping the Susuwatari carry heavy coal to a giant boiler, and scaling the side of Aburaya to get to Haku, washing the dishes and making the bed seemed pointless to ignore.
And then, doubt struck. What if the whole escapade in the Spirit World was the affect of too much boredom? What if she dreamed Aburaya? And worst of all: what if she had dreamed up Haku? The thought was too much to bear.
But Chihiro had one comfort and piece of proof to show for.
- - -
"I still think that hair band is a threat! No matter how stupid it seems, Kero could be right! Remember what you thought about Ms. Mitsuki? You thought she was nice and had nothing to do with the Clow Cards, but as it turned out, she had a part to play."
"But she's only a kid Syaoran."
"I see nothing wrong with a hair tie either. Sakura's right, she's just a kid. We'll just keep an eye out for any odd happenings."
Sakura leaned against the window on the bus. She often thought of the conversation from long ago, a few days after the big party to introduce Chihiro to all of her friends. Syaoran had been suspicious, but Tomoyo had taken to Chihiro right away.
An unexpected bump jerked Sakura out of her thoughts and mashed her head against the seat in front of her.
"Unfff!" she grunted, rubbing her hands over her forehead.
A pair of violet eyes peered at her in concern over the top of the seat. "Sakura, are you okay? You've been spacing again." Tomoyo chuckled. "Even after all of these years, you're still a klutz!"
Sakura feigned offense. "Well it doesn't take four years to rid a person of their klutziness!" She paused, suddenly feeling nostalgic. Had it only been four years? More, actually. She had been a friend with Tomoyo since forever, in her mind. She had known Chihiro for only four years. In all of that time the young gangly 'kid' had turned into a worthy young woman of fourteen. Chihiro's style, however, had remained basically the same. Jeans, t-shirt, ponytail (and much to Kero's dislike, she still wore the 'dangerous hair tie'), although a disgruntled Tomoyo had tried to talk her into new hip fashions-and costumes.
Sakura, on the other hand, had grown her hair to shoulder length but kept bangs. Other than that, she had changed little. Tomoyo hardly wore her long, gray-black hair down anymore; it was usually up in a bun or in braids. And Syaoran, well.he was still as cute as ever!
Tomoyo recognized Sakura's look. "I can tell you're thinking of him, Sakura. How are things with Syaoran, anyway?"
"The same as ever, I guess." Sakura sighed, "But he's still wary of Chihiro. Said he wanted to do another scouting around her house tonight."
Tomoyo grinned. "His one fault."
- - -
Chihiro sat in bed, looking out the window at the night sky.
"Will we meet again sometime?"
"I'm sure we will."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go, and don't look back."
She sighed. After four years, Haku still hadn't come back. She often dreamt of him, and Rin, Kamajii, No-Face, Granny and everyone else. But most of all Haku. Chihiro looked at the stars in the sky, hoping to see a silver- white dragon with a green mane. Of course, she didn't. That was the story of her life.
As she turned over to switch off the lamp, Chihiro felt a weird sense of déjà vu. A shiver ran up her spine. 'Something's going to happen, isn't it?' Chihiro lay down and took the purple hair tie out of her hair. 'I sure hope it does.' She closed her eyes and fell asleep, with the hair band clutched fast in her fingers.
~~~
"Where am I? Hello? Anyone here?" Chihiro looked around her. She was standing on. nothing! She couldn't see where she was. Everything was pitch black. A warm breeze blew on her chilled arms and legs. Chihiro noticed she was still wearing her pajama pants and her 'I love Chocolate' t-shirt.
"I'm not supposed to be wearing pajamas! It's a dream." She thought out loud.
"Are you so sure?"
"AH! Who was that?" Chihiro looked around wildly for the source of the voice. It seemed to echo around her.
"Everyone and no-one. Who are YOU?" The voice was soothing yet rough, old but young, sweet and at the same time, bitter.
Chihiro shivered. The breeze was cooler, and suddenly smelled like some kind of flower. Maybe Irises or Daisies. "M-my name i-is--" She was cut off suddenly by the voice.
"I already know who you are. And I know where you have been. And you will go there again, my child." She (Chihiro could tell it was a girl, in fact, maybe even a young girl) smiled, although how Chihiro knew that the person or thing was smiling was a mystery. She had, in a way, sensed it.
"Where?"
"You know where!"
Suddenly images flashed by. Images of her beloved Spirit World. "Am I really going back? Oh, please, please be right!" Chihiro pleaded to herself. How much she wanted to return!
The voice ignored her. "They will all disappear. All of them. The two, they will accompany you. You have been forewarned. I will see you again, Chihiro."
"Wait! Wait! What are you talking about? And how-"
~~~
"--how do you know my name?" Chihiro found herself standing in front of her window, the window that faced where the old path had been. The path to the Spirit World.
She shook herself to rid her body of the weird feeling, that feeling of déjà vu. All of a sudden she remembered the dream. The dream! She was going back! Or was she? Maybe it was just a silly dream. But it had been so real! 'I can't have imagined it! It has to be true, it has to!' Chihiro stared at the trees rustling in the wind. 'No, it wasn't a dream. It wasn't! I WILL go back, I WILL!'
- - -
"Sakura! Wake up Sakura! You have to get up!"
"Uhhhnmmmawwwwhhhhhnnnnn." Sakura rolled over in her sleep, yawning. She had a reputation for sleeping through anything. Then again, not everything.
"Sakura, just get up!" Syaoran pulled out his sword. "Thunder!"
CRASH! BANG!
"AHHH!" That did the trick. Sakura jumped around five feet off of her bed. "Syaoran! What are you doing here? I thought you were out 'patrolling' Chihiro's house!" Suddenly she blushed. Syaoran was here! In her room! And she was only sporting shorts and a tank top. Obviously, he noticed too (and reddened considerably).
"Well, I was. But then I caught a really weird sense. Not magic," he said, seeing Sakura's look, "something else. I came here to get you, and you're not going to believe this, but you brother and father are gone!"
"WHAT?"
"Gone. Straight out of their beds, without a mark." Syaoran's eyes were grave.
Sakura impulsively grabbed the remote and flicked on her TV. What she saw was the strangest thing ever. On the news channel the desks were set up, the coffee, everything. But the people were gone. She flipped through the channels. Every one was the same; regular shows going on, just without people in them. Sakura repressed a violent shudder. What was going on?
She ran downstairs to her brother's room, hardly noticing the time-12:06 AM. "Touya! TOUYA! Where are you?" Sakura began sobbing as she ran. She turned around to see Syaoran. "Syaoran, what's happening?" She buried her head in his chest, crying.
"Sakura, calm down. We can probably fix this. You just have to calm yourself, like when we were in the cave with the Erase Card." Syaoran comforted her. Many times he'd had to get her going again, to get her to capture a card before it wreaked more havoc. This was just another one of those times, although Syaoran's senses told him it wasn't a Clow card, or anything remotely like it.
Sakura sighed, and leaned against the wall. 'Calm down girl.' She told herself. 'Think, think.' Sakura shouted out loud, "I've got it! Kero should know!" She bolted upstairs thinking of how Kero would know what to do; he could fix it!
When she got to her room (Syaoran close behind), she opened the drawer where Kero slept. It was empty. "Kero!! Kero come out! This isn't funny!" she cried out despairingly. Sakura whirled around. "Where is he?" she looked at Syaoran. She could tell they were thinking the same thing. What could be strong enough to make the Guardian Beast disappear? It was all too much.
Out of the deep silence a crash resounded around the still houses, startling the two. Syaoran looked up, alarmed. "But everyone disappeared.?" He stopped as he saw who was running out of the house next door. Sakura and Syaoran gasped simultaneously. "CHIHIRO!"
They took no time in following her, with the exception of Sakura, who had to put on a sweatshirt, sneakers, and bring her cards, just in case.
- - -
The moonlight glinted off of the pearly white scales on the dragon. The dragon flew high over the Spirit World, half asleep. He had been flying in calm peace for a few hours, as he had often done.after.after she left.
Suddenly he felt a presence. His eyes snapped open; almond shaped eyes the color of the green ocean. "Who's there?" He stopped his flight and hovered in his spot. Whoever it was, they couldn't hide because the night sky was cloudless.
"That is of no matter." A voice snapped out at him, coming from nowhere, and at the same time, everywhere.
His eyes narrowed. "Answer my question!"
The voice chuckled. "Temper, temper, my young spirit. You must control it. I am no enemy. Merely.a messenger, of sorts." The voice sounded pleased with itself, and he suddenly felt that whomever he was talking with was a being greater than him.
"And why should I trust you? For all I know, you could be an enemy." He laid his challenge down.
"Hm. Because I am here to give you a warning, one that you may find of good bearing, but a warning nonetheless. Three humans are approaching the Spirit World. She is among them. Two of them have power. They will need food. You must go to the River. You will find them there." The voice seemed devoid of emotion, like it was just doing this because it knew it was supposed to happen.
"Her.? Surely you don't me--" he was cut off suddenly.
"You have been forewarned. Go now... Kohaku."
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 1: Voices
As it turned out, Sakura was a year older than Chihiro, making her eleven (or almost twelve, since Chihiro was practically eleven herself). However, the difference in age didn't stop the two from becoming fast friends. Kero was always wary of Chihiro, but he had declared that the 'magic' in her hair was either dormant or not planning to do any harm.
Chihiro herself found that any enchantments, or things to do with spirits, had kept away from her as time went on. In fact, she found her life to be, simply put, boring. Nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary happened in her life. None of the things she had read about in fantasy books, or experienced herself, came into being. Chihiro even took out the little pink shoes she had almost lost so many years ago, and tried all sorts of odd little chants and intonations to open a door into the Spirit World. She spent hours on the weekends searching for the funny little statue on the path, and the old abandoned amusement park. At night she looked out her window for dragons in the sky. But nothing. She found absolutely nothing. Chihiro couldn't find the way back.
Still, that doesn't mean to say she hated her life. After Tomoyo got back from London, and Yukito from his travels, Sakura instantly invited them over to meet Chihiro. The whole group hit it off, except for Syaoran. He was wary of Chihiro and kept to himself anytime they were all together.
In her own grade, Chihiro made a few friends, and even racked herself up a few admirers. Unfortunately, she had no interests in boyfriends, only in boy friends. Her grades were good, and she got allowance for all of the chores she did at home. In fact, her parents relied on Chihiro to do the chores-it was hard enough for them to do such difficult work when they were so busy and out all of the time. To Chihiro, these tasks were menial. After scrubbing the slime off of a giant tub, helping the Susuwatari carry heavy coal to a giant boiler, and scaling the side of Aburaya to get to Haku, washing the dishes and making the bed seemed pointless to ignore.
And then, doubt struck. What if the whole escapade in the Spirit World was the affect of too much boredom? What if she dreamed Aburaya? And worst of all: what if she had dreamed up Haku? The thought was too much to bear.
But Chihiro had one comfort and piece of proof to show for.
- - -
"I still think that hair band is a threat! No matter how stupid it seems, Kero could be right! Remember what you thought about Ms. Mitsuki? You thought she was nice and had nothing to do with the Clow Cards, but as it turned out, she had a part to play."
"But she's only a kid Syaoran."
"I see nothing wrong with a hair tie either. Sakura's right, she's just a kid. We'll just keep an eye out for any odd happenings."
Sakura leaned against the window on the bus. She often thought of the conversation from long ago, a few days after the big party to introduce Chihiro to all of her friends. Syaoran had been suspicious, but Tomoyo had taken to Chihiro right away.
An unexpected bump jerked Sakura out of her thoughts and mashed her head against the seat in front of her.
"Unfff!" she grunted, rubbing her hands over her forehead.
A pair of violet eyes peered at her in concern over the top of the seat. "Sakura, are you okay? You've been spacing again." Tomoyo chuckled. "Even after all of these years, you're still a klutz!"
Sakura feigned offense. "Well it doesn't take four years to rid a person of their klutziness!" She paused, suddenly feeling nostalgic. Had it only been four years? More, actually. She had been a friend with Tomoyo since forever, in her mind. She had known Chihiro for only four years. In all of that time the young gangly 'kid' had turned into a worthy young woman of fourteen. Chihiro's style, however, had remained basically the same. Jeans, t-shirt, ponytail (and much to Kero's dislike, she still wore the 'dangerous hair tie'), although a disgruntled Tomoyo had tried to talk her into new hip fashions-and costumes.
Sakura, on the other hand, had grown her hair to shoulder length but kept bangs. Other than that, she had changed little. Tomoyo hardly wore her long, gray-black hair down anymore; it was usually up in a bun or in braids. And Syaoran, well.he was still as cute as ever!
Tomoyo recognized Sakura's look. "I can tell you're thinking of him, Sakura. How are things with Syaoran, anyway?"
"The same as ever, I guess." Sakura sighed, "But he's still wary of Chihiro. Said he wanted to do another scouting around her house tonight."
Tomoyo grinned. "His one fault."
- - -
Chihiro sat in bed, looking out the window at the night sky.
"Will we meet again sometime?"
"I'm sure we will."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go, and don't look back."
She sighed. After four years, Haku still hadn't come back. She often dreamt of him, and Rin, Kamajii, No-Face, Granny and everyone else. But most of all Haku. Chihiro looked at the stars in the sky, hoping to see a silver- white dragon with a green mane. Of course, she didn't. That was the story of her life.
As she turned over to switch off the lamp, Chihiro felt a weird sense of déjà vu. A shiver ran up her spine. 'Something's going to happen, isn't it?' Chihiro lay down and took the purple hair tie out of her hair. 'I sure hope it does.' She closed her eyes and fell asleep, with the hair band clutched fast in her fingers.
~~~
"Where am I? Hello? Anyone here?" Chihiro looked around her. She was standing on. nothing! She couldn't see where she was. Everything was pitch black. A warm breeze blew on her chilled arms and legs. Chihiro noticed she was still wearing her pajama pants and her 'I love Chocolate' t-shirt.
"I'm not supposed to be wearing pajamas! It's a dream." She thought out loud.
"Are you so sure?"
"AH! Who was that?" Chihiro looked around wildly for the source of the voice. It seemed to echo around her.
"Everyone and no-one. Who are YOU?" The voice was soothing yet rough, old but young, sweet and at the same time, bitter.
Chihiro shivered. The breeze was cooler, and suddenly smelled like some kind of flower. Maybe Irises or Daisies. "M-my name i-is--" She was cut off suddenly by the voice.
"I already know who you are. And I know where you have been. And you will go there again, my child." She (Chihiro could tell it was a girl, in fact, maybe even a young girl) smiled, although how Chihiro knew that the person or thing was smiling was a mystery. She had, in a way, sensed it.
"Where?"
"You know where!"
Suddenly images flashed by. Images of her beloved Spirit World. "Am I really going back? Oh, please, please be right!" Chihiro pleaded to herself. How much she wanted to return!
The voice ignored her. "They will all disappear. All of them. The two, they will accompany you. You have been forewarned. I will see you again, Chihiro."
"Wait! Wait! What are you talking about? And how-"
~~~
"--how do you know my name?" Chihiro found herself standing in front of her window, the window that faced where the old path had been. The path to the Spirit World.
She shook herself to rid her body of the weird feeling, that feeling of déjà vu. All of a sudden she remembered the dream. The dream! She was going back! Or was she? Maybe it was just a silly dream. But it had been so real! 'I can't have imagined it! It has to be true, it has to!' Chihiro stared at the trees rustling in the wind. 'No, it wasn't a dream. It wasn't! I WILL go back, I WILL!'
- - -
"Sakura! Wake up Sakura! You have to get up!"
"Uhhhnmmmawwwwhhhhhnnnnn." Sakura rolled over in her sleep, yawning. She had a reputation for sleeping through anything. Then again, not everything.
"Sakura, just get up!" Syaoran pulled out his sword. "Thunder!"
CRASH! BANG!
"AHHH!" That did the trick. Sakura jumped around five feet off of her bed. "Syaoran! What are you doing here? I thought you were out 'patrolling' Chihiro's house!" Suddenly she blushed. Syaoran was here! In her room! And she was only sporting shorts and a tank top. Obviously, he noticed too (and reddened considerably).
"Well, I was. But then I caught a really weird sense. Not magic," he said, seeing Sakura's look, "something else. I came here to get you, and you're not going to believe this, but you brother and father are gone!"
"WHAT?"
"Gone. Straight out of their beds, without a mark." Syaoran's eyes were grave.
Sakura impulsively grabbed the remote and flicked on her TV. What she saw was the strangest thing ever. On the news channel the desks were set up, the coffee, everything. But the people were gone. She flipped through the channels. Every one was the same; regular shows going on, just without people in them. Sakura repressed a violent shudder. What was going on?
She ran downstairs to her brother's room, hardly noticing the time-12:06 AM. "Touya! TOUYA! Where are you?" Sakura began sobbing as she ran. She turned around to see Syaoran. "Syaoran, what's happening?" She buried her head in his chest, crying.
"Sakura, calm down. We can probably fix this. You just have to calm yourself, like when we were in the cave with the Erase Card." Syaoran comforted her. Many times he'd had to get her going again, to get her to capture a card before it wreaked more havoc. This was just another one of those times, although Syaoran's senses told him it wasn't a Clow card, or anything remotely like it.
Sakura sighed, and leaned against the wall. 'Calm down girl.' She told herself. 'Think, think.' Sakura shouted out loud, "I've got it! Kero should know!" She bolted upstairs thinking of how Kero would know what to do; he could fix it!
When she got to her room (Syaoran close behind), she opened the drawer where Kero slept. It was empty. "Kero!! Kero come out! This isn't funny!" she cried out despairingly. Sakura whirled around. "Where is he?" she looked at Syaoran. She could tell they were thinking the same thing. What could be strong enough to make the Guardian Beast disappear? It was all too much.
Out of the deep silence a crash resounded around the still houses, startling the two. Syaoran looked up, alarmed. "But everyone disappeared.?" He stopped as he saw who was running out of the house next door. Sakura and Syaoran gasped simultaneously. "CHIHIRO!"
They took no time in following her, with the exception of Sakura, who had to put on a sweatshirt, sneakers, and bring her cards, just in case.
- - -
The moonlight glinted off of the pearly white scales on the dragon. The dragon flew high over the Spirit World, half asleep. He had been flying in calm peace for a few hours, as he had often done.after.after she left.
Suddenly he felt a presence. His eyes snapped open; almond shaped eyes the color of the green ocean. "Who's there?" He stopped his flight and hovered in his spot. Whoever it was, they couldn't hide because the night sky was cloudless.
"That is of no matter." A voice snapped out at him, coming from nowhere, and at the same time, everywhere.
His eyes narrowed. "Answer my question!"
The voice chuckled. "Temper, temper, my young spirit. You must control it. I am no enemy. Merely.a messenger, of sorts." The voice sounded pleased with itself, and he suddenly felt that whomever he was talking with was a being greater than him.
"And why should I trust you? For all I know, you could be an enemy." He laid his challenge down.
"Hm. Because I am here to give you a warning, one that you may find of good bearing, but a warning nonetheless. Three humans are approaching the Spirit World. She is among them. Two of them have power. They will need food. You must go to the River. You will find them there." The voice seemed devoid of emotion, like it was just doing this because it knew it was supposed to happen.
"Her.? Surely you don't me--" he was cut off suddenly.
"You have been forewarned. Go now... Kohaku."