Hey all! I wrote this chapter (it's a quickie) at last. Newayz, itz short
cos I have something planned (very interesting stuff comin up) and I wanted
it to hav its own chapter to itself. So I wrote this one, it's basically
just a 'pillow chappie' as I call it. But you don't hafta worry bout the
details, ehhe.
I put in some fluff (I think it was pathetic) im not good at fluff, so if neone has ideas or nething just review it n stuff!!!!
lalala-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ with italics- Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 6: Aftermath
Chihiro lay still on the cot. She had been for a day.
Sakura sat on the balcony over the water. She gazed out at the picture perfect landscape in front of her. It was beautiful, but the Spirit World had lost its glamour since the incident. Things were still weird, interesting, and sometimes even fun, but the sight of Chihiro laying on the cot every time you walked in the room would bring the wave of emotions crashing down on Sakura.
Rin walked in the door. She came and sat down next to Sakura, legs dangling through the bars. As usual she had tried not to look at the still form of Chihiro, but nearly everyone who came in couldn't help staring at the bandage around her arms and middle.
Rin cleared her throat. "So have you heard from Haku?"
Sakura sighed. "Syaoran went to bring him some lunch. Last I heard he was on the bridge, brooding." She shook her head. Kohaku had taken Chihiro's accident the worst.
"Poor Haku." Rin murmured.
Sakura thought of something. "Why does everyone here call him Haku? Don't they know his name is Kohaku? Or is it just a nickname?" The thought had been bugging her for a while now.
Rin hesitated before answering. "Well.it mainly has to do with Yubaba. You haven't seen her, but you know she's the head honcho around Aburaya. What happens to.to.things that find themselves across the river has to do with their names."
Sakura was confused. "Things? Across the river?"
Rin nodded. "You see, sometimes humans, or other kinds of spirits somehow find their way into the Spirit World. Then either they eat the food of the gods and get turned into some kind of animal by Yubaba, or they disappear completely because they haven't had any food," she saw Sakura's look. "Yea, it's confusing at first, but you don't have to worry too much about the details. Basically most deceased gods get themselves jobs here at Aburaya, but to get a job you have to ask Yubaba. She took an oath to give a job to anyone who asks, but there's always a catch. You two were lucky because you didn't have to ask her; Haku did that for you. Yubaba takes your name and gives you another one."
Now this confused Sakura even more. "How can she take your name? Wouldn't you remember it?"
Rin shook her head. "No, everyone forgets, even Haku did, except for Ch- - I mean." she trailed off. "Well anyway she gains control over you by stealing your name. And that's what she did to Haku.he completely forgot he was the spirit of the Kohaku River. Worse, he was her henchman. But then Ch- - err.he got his name back. Umm.after.later on.Yubaba wouldn't let him leave because he didn't have a place in the human world. She made sure he told no one his real name, but he told me anyway. So nobody here actually knows he was Kohaku."
"Oh." Sakura sat and lapsed into silence. She struggled over figuring out what Rin had just told her. It was confusing.
After a moment she looked back at Chihiro. She lay as still as stone. Rin stood up and went over by her.
She knelt by Chihiro's side and stroked the girl's forehead. 'I miss you kid.' Rin thought, 'I really do. Come back to us.to all of us. Especially for Kohaku. He needs you Chihiro.' Rin couldn't help the tear that ran down her face.
- - -
"You should eat something." Syaoran held out the package of food. He had been at it for about half an hour.
Kohaku sat silently on the bridge. Come to think of it, everything was silent. The cries of birds rang out shrilly in the air and the passing of the train sounded like thunder magnified to a thousand. And Kohaku still sat like a statue on the bridge, looking at nothing. He might as well have been carved out of stone.
Syaoran tried again. "It won't do you or her any good; starving yourself." He knew how devastated Kohaku was, but going till the point of starvation was a little extreme. Syaoran had to get him to eat. "C'mon Kohaku. You know you're hungry."
But Kohaku was silent.
"Don't you even want a small bite?"
Silence.
"Kohaku, you've got to eat. You haven't eaten for a day now."
Silence.
"You can't go blaming yourself for her accident. We can't have you start to weaken too! Or you'll just end up sick, like Chihiro."
Silence.
"Is that what you want?"
Silence.
"Kohaku." Syaoran whispered pleadingly. But still Kohaku was silent. Syaoran put his head in his hands. He walked forward and left the food next to Kohaku. "Eat it if you're hungry."
Syaoran stood up and walked back to the entrance to the bathhouse. He looked back a couple of times to see if Kohaku was eating, but each time it was as if he hadn't moved.
- - -
One of the frogmen at Aburaya went outside for a break. He had been working hard those past few days.
"Hey Chao!" one of his friends called from an above window, "here's some new food, just baked! I stole it from the kitchen! Have some!" The package came hurtling down at Chao from the open window. He reached up and caught it.
"Thanks Shyu!" he called. Chao greedily unwrapped the package. He smelled the delicious contents inside. 'If Yubaba catches me with this, I'm dead,' he thought, 'better just eat it all now.'
The chubby little worker started to gobble up the food. Apparently, he gobbled too fast. Chao choked slightly, and spit out some of the food so he could breathe. He coughed hoarsely, and put his hand up to cover his mouth. A cough was worrying. There hadn't been a sickness in his family for generations.
Chao hurriedly stuffed the food in his pocket and went back inside Aburaya. He tripped in his haste, and put a hand up against the wall to steady himself. As Chao continued, he didn't notice the red smear left on the wall from his hand.
- - -
Syaoran plopped onto a cot next to Sakura. "He's not eating," he said glumly. Sakura sighed and rubbed her eyes wearily.
"Did he even talk to you?" she questioned.
"No.silent as usual. At this rate I'll forget what his voice sounds like." He joked lightly.
Sakura hesitated. "Do you.think he's trying to.hurt himself?" Sakura knew Kohaku was distressed, but she couldn't imagine starving herself because someone was hurt.Chihiro wasn't even.she shook the thought off. Sakura didn't even want to think of that possibility.
Syaoran shook his head. "No, I think he's just so depressed that all he can do is think of how Chihiro was hurt. He can't even consider eating, I guess. Did you hear he doesn't even report to Yubaba anymore?"
"Really? But isn't that his job?"
"Yea, well all he does is fly for hours and hours or sit around and pining away." Syaoran stood up and walked to the balcony. Looking down, he could see Kohaku sitting on the bridge; a spot of motionless white in a sea of color. Even from that height Syaoran could tell he hadn't touched his food.
Sakura came over. "I can't imagine not eating.or being so depressed," she murmured.
Syaoran turned to Sakura and embraced her fiercely. She was taken by total surprise. But he didn't let go, and she rather enjoyed being wrapped in his arms. Sakura could feel herself burning bright red.
Syaoran thought, 'what did I do that for? Now she probably thinks you're crazy.' But he pushed the thought away. He stepped back reluctantly, and turned to face the side. He became oddly intent on a tree below, and they both avoided each other's eyes. "I would do the same if you had been hurt." he muttered gruffly.
Sakura looked up, (blushing) taken aback. But by the time she looked up Syaoran had left.
'Syaoran.'
- - -
Over the course of two days, life in Aburaya stayed in the same bleak depression. At least to the few who had known Chihiro.
Rin was sad, but had to carry on with her work. During breaks she tried to visit Chihiro whenever she could, and would sit by her and relive old memories. Usually she cried, and sometimes during work a tear would escape, only to be quickly brushed away so as not to disturb the customers.
For Sakura, her work had lost its vigor. She languidly scrubbed the floor, but would keep scrubbing the same spot for endless repetitions until notified otherwise. She tried to stay away from Chihiro lying on the cot (looking at her made Sakura shaky). Sakura began to feel a little homesick. Often she would find herself thinking of Touya and Tomoyo and everyone back home, and then start feeling even sadder. Every now and then something would happen that was interesting, but she rarely smiled or laughed, except in Syaoran's presence (even then it was scarce).
Syaoran was slightly distant after his short moment with Sakura, but still tried to cheer her up. His work was the same, and he scarcely talked during break or work. He kept persevering to get Kohaku to eat, and even tried to start up other conversations with him, but to no avail.
Kohaku was in a state of incredible depression. He sat on the bridge for hours, waiting for the girl to come back so he could find out what was happening to Chihiro. Yubaba was getting impatient. He would spend nights out flying high in the sky, trying to get away from the world. 'It wasn't fair,' was his most frequent thought. Kohaku found himself thinking he would die himself without her smile, or scent or happy aura. He never knew how he had made it those four years.
When the room was empty Kohaku would sneak in and sit by Chihiro for ages, staring at her or trying to give her food. He went to Kamajii and asked for herbs to dress her wounds and to try and heal her. The ones for the wounds were working, but she still lay asleep.
Often he wondered what was going on inside her mind. If she was unconscious, or was thinking and alive and just couldn't speak. Was she paralyzed? Was she terribly ill?
One would think Chihiro was probably blacked out.out cold. She never moved, and not a flicker of emotion or movement crossed her face, unless the wind came and blew a lock of hair out of place (in which Kohaku would carefully replace it). Yes, Chihiro most likely was unconscious.
Or was she?
~ ~ ~
oke, here's to all my reviewers (you make my day all...sunshiny!!!)
Crazy/shazaoblossom: yup! You're smart, you figured it out! Thanx 4 not spillin da beans.and what she was saying was a spell-it was directed at Chihiro only.
***to all those who figured out what the girl is saying, Gnimaerd is supposed to be like that-it's a PLACE
firey queen86: I'll get to the girl in the next chappie, promise
MagRowan: she's speaking..you'll find out.....sometime (mwahahah)
And to: Persephine, , Larania, Meta Lise, siren, and YueMichiroNaragisawaMiko. Luv ya guys!!!
silent H
I put in some fluff (I think it was pathetic) im not good at fluff, so if neone has ideas or nething just review it n stuff!!!!
lalala-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ with italics- Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 6: Aftermath
Chihiro lay still on the cot. She had been for a day.
Sakura sat on the balcony over the water. She gazed out at the picture perfect landscape in front of her. It was beautiful, but the Spirit World had lost its glamour since the incident. Things were still weird, interesting, and sometimes even fun, but the sight of Chihiro laying on the cot every time you walked in the room would bring the wave of emotions crashing down on Sakura.
Rin walked in the door. She came and sat down next to Sakura, legs dangling through the bars. As usual she had tried not to look at the still form of Chihiro, but nearly everyone who came in couldn't help staring at the bandage around her arms and middle.
Rin cleared her throat. "So have you heard from Haku?"
Sakura sighed. "Syaoran went to bring him some lunch. Last I heard he was on the bridge, brooding." She shook her head. Kohaku had taken Chihiro's accident the worst.
"Poor Haku." Rin murmured.
Sakura thought of something. "Why does everyone here call him Haku? Don't they know his name is Kohaku? Or is it just a nickname?" The thought had been bugging her for a while now.
Rin hesitated before answering. "Well.it mainly has to do with Yubaba. You haven't seen her, but you know she's the head honcho around Aburaya. What happens to.to.things that find themselves across the river has to do with their names."
Sakura was confused. "Things? Across the river?"
Rin nodded. "You see, sometimes humans, or other kinds of spirits somehow find their way into the Spirit World. Then either they eat the food of the gods and get turned into some kind of animal by Yubaba, or they disappear completely because they haven't had any food," she saw Sakura's look. "Yea, it's confusing at first, but you don't have to worry too much about the details. Basically most deceased gods get themselves jobs here at Aburaya, but to get a job you have to ask Yubaba. She took an oath to give a job to anyone who asks, but there's always a catch. You two were lucky because you didn't have to ask her; Haku did that for you. Yubaba takes your name and gives you another one."
Now this confused Sakura even more. "How can she take your name? Wouldn't you remember it?"
Rin shook her head. "No, everyone forgets, even Haku did, except for Ch- - I mean." she trailed off. "Well anyway she gains control over you by stealing your name. And that's what she did to Haku.he completely forgot he was the spirit of the Kohaku River. Worse, he was her henchman. But then Ch- - err.he got his name back. Umm.after.later on.Yubaba wouldn't let him leave because he didn't have a place in the human world. She made sure he told no one his real name, but he told me anyway. So nobody here actually knows he was Kohaku."
"Oh." Sakura sat and lapsed into silence. She struggled over figuring out what Rin had just told her. It was confusing.
After a moment she looked back at Chihiro. She lay as still as stone. Rin stood up and went over by her.
She knelt by Chihiro's side and stroked the girl's forehead. 'I miss you kid.' Rin thought, 'I really do. Come back to us.to all of us. Especially for Kohaku. He needs you Chihiro.' Rin couldn't help the tear that ran down her face.
- - -
"You should eat something." Syaoran held out the package of food. He had been at it for about half an hour.
Kohaku sat silently on the bridge. Come to think of it, everything was silent. The cries of birds rang out shrilly in the air and the passing of the train sounded like thunder magnified to a thousand. And Kohaku still sat like a statue on the bridge, looking at nothing. He might as well have been carved out of stone.
Syaoran tried again. "It won't do you or her any good; starving yourself." He knew how devastated Kohaku was, but going till the point of starvation was a little extreme. Syaoran had to get him to eat. "C'mon Kohaku. You know you're hungry."
But Kohaku was silent.
"Don't you even want a small bite?"
Silence.
"Kohaku, you've got to eat. You haven't eaten for a day now."
Silence.
"You can't go blaming yourself for her accident. We can't have you start to weaken too! Or you'll just end up sick, like Chihiro."
Silence.
"Is that what you want?"
Silence.
"Kohaku." Syaoran whispered pleadingly. But still Kohaku was silent. Syaoran put his head in his hands. He walked forward and left the food next to Kohaku. "Eat it if you're hungry."
Syaoran stood up and walked back to the entrance to the bathhouse. He looked back a couple of times to see if Kohaku was eating, but each time it was as if he hadn't moved.
- - -
One of the frogmen at Aburaya went outside for a break. He had been working hard those past few days.
"Hey Chao!" one of his friends called from an above window, "here's some new food, just baked! I stole it from the kitchen! Have some!" The package came hurtling down at Chao from the open window. He reached up and caught it.
"Thanks Shyu!" he called. Chao greedily unwrapped the package. He smelled the delicious contents inside. 'If Yubaba catches me with this, I'm dead,' he thought, 'better just eat it all now.'
The chubby little worker started to gobble up the food. Apparently, he gobbled too fast. Chao choked slightly, and spit out some of the food so he could breathe. He coughed hoarsely, and put his hand up to cover his mouth. A cough was worrying. There hadn't been a sickness in his family for generations.
Chao hurriedly stuffed the food in his pocket and went back inside Aburaya. He tripped in his haste, and put a hand up against the wall to steady himself. As Chao continued, he didn't notice the red smear left on the wall from his hand.
- - -
Syaoran plopped onto a cot next to Sakura. "He's not eating," he said glumly. Sakura sighed and rubbed her eyes wearily.
"Did he even talk to you?" she questioned.
"No.silent as usual. At this rate I'll forget what his voice sounds like." He joked lightly.
Sakura hesitated. "Do you.think he's trying to.hurt himself?" Sakura knew Kohaku was distressed, but she couldn't imagine starving herself because someone was hurt.Chihiro wasn't even.she shook the thought off. Sakura didn't even want to think of that possibility.
Syaoran shook his head. "No, I think he's just so depressed that all he can do is think of how Chihiro was hurt. He can't even consider eating, I guess. Did you hear he doesn't even report to Yubaba anymore?"
"Really? But isn't that his job?"
"Yea, well all he does is fly for hours and hours or sit around and pining away." Syaoran stood up and walked to the balcony. Looking down, he could see Kohaku sitting on the bridge; a spot of motionless white in a sea of color. Even from that height Syaoran could tell he hadn't touched his food.
Sakura came over. "I can't imagine not eating.or being so depressed," she murmured.
Syaoran turned to Sakura and embraced her fiercely. She was taken by total surprise. But he didn't let go, and she rather enjoyed being wrapped in his arms. Sakura could feel herself burning bright red.
Syaoran thought, 'what did I do that for? Now she probably thinks you're crazy.' But he pushed the thought away. He stepped back reluctantly, and turned to face the side. He became oddly intent on a tree below, and they both avoided each other's eyes. "I would do the same if you had been hurt." he muttered gruffly.
Sakura looked up, (blushing) taken aback. But by the time she looked up Syaoran had left.
'Syaoran.'
- - -
Over the course of two days, life in Aburaya stayed in the same bleak depression. At least to the few who had known Chihiro.
Rin was sad, but had to carry on with her work. During breaks she tried to visit Chihiro whenever she could, and would sit by her and relive old memories. Usually she cried, and sometimes during work a tear would escape, only to be quickly brushed away so as not to disturb the customers.
For Sakura, her work had lost its vigor. She languidly scrubbed the floor, but would keep scrubbing the same spot for endless repetitions until notified otherwise. She tried to stay away from Chihiro lying on the cot (looking at her made Sakura shaky). Sakura began to feel a little homesick. Often she would find herself thinking of Touya and Tomoyo and everyone back home, and then start feeling even sadder. Every now and then something would happen that was interesting, but she rarely smiled or laughed, except in Syaoran's presence (even then it was scarce).
Syaoran was slightly distant after his short moment with Sakura, but still tried to cheer her up. His work was the same, and he scarcely talked during break or work. He kept persevering to get Kohaku to eat, and even tried to start up other conversations with him, but to no avail.
Kohaku was in a state of incredible depression. He sat on the bridge for hours, waiting for the girl to come back so he could find out what was happening to Chihiro. Yubaba was getting impatient. He would spend nights out flying high in the sky, trying to get away from the world. 'It wasn't fair,' was his most frequent thought. Kohaku found himself thinking he would die himself without her smile, or scent or happy aura. He never knew how he had made it those four years.
When the room was empty Kohaku would sneak in and sit by Chihiro for ages, staring at her or trying to give her food. He went to Kamajii and asked for herbs to dress her wounds and to try and heal her. The ones for the wounds were working, but she still lay asleep.
Often he wondered what was going on inside her mind. If she was unconscious, or was thinking and alive and just couldn't speak. Was she paralyzed? Was she terribly ill?
One would think Chihiro was probably blacked out.out cold. She never moved, and not a flicker of emotion or movement crossed her face, unless the wind came and blew a lock of hair out of place (in which Kohaku would carefully replace it). Yes, Chihiro most likely was unconscious.
Or was she?
~ ~ ~
oke, here's to all my reviewers (you make my day all...sunshiny!!!)
Crazy/shazaoblossom: yup! You're smart, you figured it out! Thanx 4 not spillin da beans.and what she was saying was a spell-it was directed at Chihiro only.
***to all those who figured out what the girl is saying, Gnimaerd is supposed to be like that-it's a PLACE
firey queen86: I'll get to the girl in the next chappie, promise
MagRowan: she's speaking..you'll find out.....sometime (mwahahah)
And to: Persephine, , Larania, Meta Lise, siren, and YueMichiroNaragisawaMiko. Luv ya guys!!!
silent H