Whoosh! I have finished the 9th chappie!!! Yay! I wuz gonna put all of this
stuff in it but I had to cut it down agen or else it wud hav been waaaaaaay
too long. So I promise, Chihiro WILL wake up in the next chappie! *cheering
from audience* "thank yew, thank yew"
Geez, you ppl must have luck or smthing, cos I DID do well on that big test. I didn't ace it, but I did get a 44 out of 45! So thankee's all around. Now I need luck on finals..=_='' o wells, don't expect another update THAT soon. And pls review! (for sum reason the reviews kinda dried up a little! But o well I'm happy w/what I got so far! ^.^).
Disclaimer: Hey I don't own SEE SEE ESS or ESS dot AY dot !!!
-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 9: Revelations
~ ~ ~
"So how are you doing so far?" Ananda reclined serenely in her chair, holding a cup of tea with the hint of a smile on her lips. She wore a snow- white kimono that made her look like a ghost, with her white hair and pale skin. Like a ghost with owl eyes.
Chihiro sighed. Things hadn't been going very well. "Well, I can't remember anything," she said flatly.
Ananda smiled. Chihiro obviously was disappointed. She just didn't realize, or didn't want to realize, that things like these take time. "Have you had any glimmers? Like you almost had something but it isn't quite there yet?"
After thinking, she nodded. It was kind of annoying when Ananda did that. She always proved her wrong or made a point that was hard to refute. "Yeah.that's happened quite a few times. Especially when I take those baths."
Ananda nodded. That was exactly what she had thought. "Then you're getting somewhere. You may not feel it, but you're making progress."
Chihiro nodded sullenly. She hated not knowing things. "But it's so frustrating! I really hate not knowing who I was, and whom I knew." she slumped down in her chair, looking awkward and gangly next to Ananda, who sat like a perfect china doll.
The oracle smiled sympathetically. Lately, Chihiro had noticed that the oracle was laughing less and less. Smiles were starting to become rare too.
Chihiro noticed so many other things while at the Temple. Things not altogether normal (although how she knew normal and not was unknown). Chihiro glimpsed a train once, and thought she saw shadows inside it. But when they came out they were real people. Chihiro felt that familiar tugging at her memory when she saw it.
In Gnimaerd, it was always warm and sunny, except only once when it had been cloudy. Chihiro saw that Ananda had become unnerved when she saw the clouds, but said nothing of it to Chihiro. There were gardens too, lovely gardens where the flowers never died or withered, and where Chihiro's memory kept dancing out of reach. She loved the smells of the flowers, and could remember most of them. The most prominent ones were Daisies and Irises, among others.
Chihiro smiled back and sipped her tea. It was sweet. Conversation commenced, though not about Chihiro's memory. Ananda and Chihiro often talked about other things that Ananda brought up to stimulate Chihiro's mind. Chihiro would need to be wise when she could return to her body.
~ ~ ~
Ananda sat in one of the gardens. It was night, and the moon shone brightly on the Temple.
She felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Ananda whirled around, and found herself facing Aiden. He was smiling. She didn't smile back.
"You scared me."
Aiden chuckled good-naturedly. "I would never try to scare you. Lighten up."
Ananda sighed. She didn't know why she felt so cross every now and then. She suspected that Aiden knew something she didn't, which was rare. Ananda decided it was only fair for Aiden to have his privacy too, and didn't push it.
"Maybe I really should try blocking you.then I'd get some peace in here." She turned from her position on the bench and looked at him, one eyebrow inclined.
For a moment, Aiden just stared at her. It was surprising how serious Ananda could look sometimes, and it was usually unnerving because she looked like she was only ten years of age. 'Only ten years old on the outside, but much older,' Aiden thought, 'and really quite pretty, for so young.' Of course sometimes she looked older, as if her face changed ages at random, but most of the time she still looked ten.
Snapping out of his reverie, Aiden wondered if Ananda was joking or being serious. Then she started laughing. It wasn't a big laugh, but it was good enough. Aiden relaxed. All wasn't lost, yet.
He shook his head at her. "Don't you do that to me Ananda! Then you'd never have any fun." His eyes twinkled, and he sat down next to her on the bench. "So how is Chihiro doing?"
Ananda was silent for a moment. "It has been quite a while. At least half a month has passed back in the Spirit World, but Chihiro has been here in Gnimaerd for much longer. Perhaps months, or weeks."
"You're being evasive again."
"Well, she hasn't remembered anything. I let her take lots of baths, with the herbs so they may trigger a memory. But it's only tugging at her."
Aiden frowned. This was very bad. If Chihiro wasn't remembering anything yet.he shuddered slightly and glanced sideways at Ananda, who was staring off into space. "Maybe it'll come around," he suggested.
"No.I don't think so." Ananda shook her head. "I don't know what to do."
Aiden was startled. Ananda didn't know what to do? Now this was something. Under different circumstances, this would deserve some major poking fun at. But they were in a tense state of affairs. After a moment's pause, he asked, "Any news of Kaonashi?"
Relieved at a change of subject, Ananda replied, "He's trying to get here. He won't succeed, of course. I don't know what he wants."
"Me neither. As long as he doesn't harm Chihiro."
Ananda murmured consent.
~ ~ ~
Kohaku sat silently by Chihiro's side. His silky hair hung in front of his bowed head, but he would not let any tears fall.
Over the past few days, Kohaku had thought upon something. Well, it had actually been on his mind ever since Chihiro had returned to the Spirit World. Later on in his hours of blank staring Kohaku had turned the thought over and over in his mind. The thought was very confusing. Most spirits had never known.love.
He loved Chihiro. Maybe ever since he'd saved her from his river, but until recent events, that had only been.a kind of sibling love. He'd cared for her, and looked after her, but Chihiro had been young and romance alien to Kohaku. Not to say he didn't feel a deep bond there.but not the kissy kissy stuff.
Now he was older (at least by Chihiro's years) and perhaps capable of real love. Kohaku hadn't realized how much he'd missed Chihiro until she came back. And now.this.
Ha ran a pale hand down Chihiro's cheek, wishing she'd get up.
~ ~ ~
Chihiro woke up. She ran a hand down her cheek several times. She'd woken up with the odd feeling that someone had been running a finger down her face.
Sighing, Chihiro walked to a window by her bed. Most of her sighs were laden with frustration at not knowing herself. 'But it could happen any day now,' she thought, 'I'm getting better at pushing at that tugging feeling'.
Obeying a sudden impulse, Chihiro opened her balcony doors and stepped outside. She breathed in deep the fragrant air of Gnimaerd. Stress partly assuaged, Chihiro rested her head on the railing, eyes half open and idly staring out in front of her.
It was in this position that she saw it. One of the spirits at the Temple, she assumed. He was black and partly translucent, moving in a half gliding, half walking motion. Although he was far away, and Chihiro a few stories up on her balcony, she could make out a white mask on his face. And she remembered.
"Kaonashi."
The name escaped her lips without her knowing it, like the reaction when a doctor hit your knee. "Kaonashi," she said again, sampling the word like she had her name.
Chihiro immediately turned around and made her way out to where Ananda usually spent the night, running like the wind.
~ ~ ~
Kohaku stared at Chihiro. What was that?
"Kaonashi."
He jumped, and shook his head warily. 'Did she just say.?'
"Kaonashi." Chihiro repeated.
For a moment Kohaku sat with his eyes wide. Then he jumped on Chihiro, shaking her shoulders as if it would wake her up. Of course, he'd tried it before, but with her saying things, then maybe.
~ ~ ~
"Ananda! Ananda!" Chihiro panted, running across the moonlit courtyard. As she ran she had to keep stopping because she felt like an invisible assailer was trying to knock her down. And her shoulders felt kind of giddy.
Chihiro could see Ananda's silvery hair, practically glowing in the moonlight. And beside her sat.a young man. She couldn't see him from far away, but steadily his face became clearer as she got close. He motioned to Ananda, and she turned around, surprised.
She ended up with her hands on her knees, panting in front of the stranger (and he was quite handsome) and Ananda. For a moment there was an awkward silence.
Chihiro was curious about the man. "Who are you?" she blurted out suddenly.
For a moment, the man gave her a piercing stare. Ananda stayed silent. Then he spoke. "Well if it isn't the famous Chihiro!" His voice was pleasant.
Chihiro blinked. He knew her name?
Ananda stepped in with the politeness of an old lady. "Chihiro, this is Aiden, my.ah."
"Consultant, of sorts," Aiden said, "I have taken interest in your predicament.very tragic, yes..Ananda has been informing me of your progress." Ananda nodded, as if to back him up.
She stepped closer to Chihiro. "Is there something bothering you?"
"Err." Chihiro paused. Should she tell Ananda in front of Aiden? What did it matter, since he had been apparently informed of her doings. "Well.I remembered something."
At those four words, a change came over Aiden and Ananda. Aiden's eyes fired up, and he suddenly looked terribly impatient to hear what it was. Ananda raised an eyebrow, but you could tell that she was tense. "Yes, Chihiro?"
Chihiro took a deep breath. "Okay.I was sleeping, and then I woke up cos I thought someone was, um, touching my cheek. And then I went to the window cos I couldn't go back to sleep and I saw one of your client-spirit-things. And I recognized him."
Ananda took a swift glance at Aiden. He could tell what she was thinking. Kaonashi. "Who was it then?" he asked.
"His name is No-Face; Kaonashi. I remember." and for a moment Chihiro hesitated, and Ananda saw in her eyes that Chihiro was remembering more. ".I think I helped him before, because he was getting really rowdy or something. And then...he followed me somewhere.no.. I took him along. And he stayed there.but now he's here! In Gnimaerd.Ananda, what is he doing here?" The last bit was directed at Ananda, and she looked up, startled, as if she had been thinking.
"Chihiro.that isn't important right now. What is important is that you remember Kaonashi, and that this could open up more things for you. Pretty soon your memory should come back. And then you can return to.where you came."
Relieved, Chihiro smiled and bowed at Aiden and Ananda. With a lighter heart, she walked back to her room, caught up in remembering.
"So this was his purpose."
"I guess so, Ananda. Do you think he can bring it all back again?"
"I'm not sure."
Two pairs of eyes watched Chihiro's slim figure meander across the courtyard, and one invisible spirit followed.
- - -
Sakura and Syaoran waited nervously in an ornate hallway. Sakura busied herself with studying the jade and ruby swirls in the floor, while Syaoran apprehensively stared at the redwood doors in front of them. He focused on the gold knocker, made in the shape of a bird with an (very ugly) old lady head on it.
Suddenly, it spoke. "So.you two tackled the Iris Spirit. Why don't you come IN?" At the last word, the doors swung open, revealing countless more tacky hallways and fancy doors, gilt and crystal shining in the rosy lampshade lights.
"Whoa." Sakura murmured.
Syaoran stepped over the threshold. "Come on. Let's see what Yubaba wants with us."
Nodding timidly, Sakura followed. 'I wonder if she's angry at us.' Sakura recalled Rin fearing what Yubaba would do if she found out that Rin wasn't working. 'I hope she isn't!'
Syaoran led on following a labyrinth of doorways. Then he heard the same voice yell (sounding quite annoyed), "All right, come on, I haven't got all day!"
Sakura felt a tug on her chest and found herself being propelled in the opposite direction that Syaoran had been going. She was relieved to see him being pulled alongside her. He looked annoyed and also curious. 'Probably as to how Yubaba's doing this,' Sakura thought.
The 'ride' came to a stop, and Sakura managed to gain her balance and not fall facedown on the carpet. Syaoran landed perfectly oriented.
The two looked around them and saw Yubaba seated at a large desk covered in papers, jewels, and gold.
'Someone needs a nose job,' Syaoran thought.
~ - ~ - ~
thankees to all of my wonderful reviewers! Especially that one who said she reads my story to her sister! I think that's so sweet..tell her that I'm sorry I haven't written that fast, I'll try my hardest!!!
silent H =D
Geez, you ppl must have luck or smthing, cos I DID do well on that big test. I didn't ace it, but I did get a 44 out of 45! So thankee's all around. Now I need luck on finals..=_='' o wells, don't expect another update THAT soon. And pls review! (for sum reason the reviews kinda dried up a little! But o well I'm happy w/what I got so far! ^.^).
Disclaimer: Hey I don't own SEE SEE ESS or ESS dot AY dot !!!
-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 9: Revelations
~ ~ ~
"So how are you doing so far?" Ananda reclined serenely in her chair, holding a cup of tea with the hint of a smile on her lips. She wore a snow- white kimono that made her look like a ghost, with her white hair and pale skin. Like a ghost with owl eyes.
Chihiro sighed. Things hadn't been going very well. "Well, I can't remember anything," she said flatly.
Ananda smiled. Chihiro obviously was disappointed. She just didn't realize, or didn't want to realize, that things like these take time. "Have you had any glimmers? Like you almost had something but it isn't quite there yet?"
After thinking, she nodded. It was kind of annoying when Ananda did that. She always proved her wrong or made a point that was hard to refute. "Yeah.that's happened quite a few times. Especially when I take those baths."
Ananda nodded. That was exactly what she had thought. "Then you're getting somewhere. You may not feel it, but you're making progress."
Chihiro nodded sullenly. She hated not knowing things. "But it's so frustrating! I really hate not knowing who I was, and whom I knew." she slumped down in her chair, looking awkward and gangly next to Ananda, who sat like a perfect china doll.
The oracle smiled sympathetically. Lately, Chihiro had noticed that the oracle was laughing less and less. Smiles were starting to become rare too.
Chihiro noticed so many other things while at the Temple. Things not altogether normal (although how she knew normal and not was unknown). Chihiro glimpsed a train once, and thought she saw shadows inside it. But when they came out they were real people. Chihiro felt that familiar tugging at her memory when she saw it.
In Gnimaerd, it was always warm and sunny, except only once when it had been cloudy. Chihiro saw that Ananda had become unnerved when she saw the clouds, but said nothing of it to Chihiro. There were gardens too, lovely gardens where the flowers never died or withered, and where Chihiro's memory kept dancing out of reach. She loved the smells of the flowers, and could remember most of them. The most prominent ones were Daisies and Irises, among others.
Chihiro smiled back and sipped her tea. It was sweet. Conversation commenced, though not about Chihiro's memory. Ananda and Chihiro often talked about other things that Ananda brought up to stimulate Chihiro's mind. Chihiro would need to be wise when she could return to her body.
~ ~ ~
Ananda sat in one of the gardens. It was night, and the moon shone brightly on the Temple.
She felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Ananda whirled around, and found herself facing Aiden. He was smiling. She didn't smile back.
"You scared me."
Aiden chuckled good-naturedly. "I would never try to scare you. Lighten up."
Ananda sighed. She didn't know why she felt so cross every now and then. She suspected that Aiden knew something she didn't, which was rare. Ananda decided it was only fair for Aiden to have his privacy too, and didn't push it.
"Maybe I really should try blocking you.then I'd get some peace in here." She turned from her position on the bench and looked at him, one eyebrow inclined.
For a moment, Aiden just stared at her. It was surprising how serious Ananda could look sometimes, and it was usually unnerving because she looked like she was only ten years of age. 'Only ten years old on the outside, but much older,' Aiden thought, 'and really quite pretty, for so young.' Of course sometimes she looked older, as if her face changed ages at random, but most of the time she still looked ten.
Snapping out of his reverie, Aiden wondered if Ananda was joking or being serious. Then she started laughing. It wasn't a big laugh, but it was good enough. Aiden relaxed. All wasn't lost, yet.
He shook his head at her. "Don't you do that to me Ananda! Then you'd never have any fun." His eyes twinkled, and he sat down next to her on the bench. "So how is Chihiro doing?"
Ananda was silent for a moment. "It has been quite a while. At least half a month has passed back in the Spirit World, but Chihiro has been here in Gnimaerd for much longer. Perhaps months, or weeks."
"You're being evasive again."
"Well, she hasn't remembered anything. I let her take lots of baths, with the herbs so they may trigger a memory. But it's only tugging at her."
Aiden frowned. This was very bad. If Chihiro wasn't remembering anything yet.he shuddered slightly and glanced sideways at Ananda, who was staring off into space. "Maybe it'll come around," he suggested.
"No.I don't think so." Ananda shook her head. "I don't know what to do."
Aiden was startled. Ananda didn't know what to do? Now this was something. Under different circumstances, this would deserve some major poking fun at. But they were in a tense state of affairs. After a moment's pause, he asked, "Any news of Kaonashi?"
Relieved at a change of subject, Ananda replied, "He's trying to get here. He won't succeed, of course. I don't know what he wants."
"Me neither. As long as he doesn't harm Chihiro."
Ananda murmured consent.
~ ~ ~
Kohaku sat silently by Chihiro's side. His silky hair hung in front of his bowed head, but he would not let any tears fall.
Over the past few days, Kohaku had thought upon something. Well, it had actually been on his mind ever since Chihiro had returned to the Spirit World. Later on in his hours of blank staring Kohaku had turned the thought over and over in his mind. The thought was very confusing. Most spirits had never known.love.
He loved Chihiro. Maybe ever since he'd saved her from his river, but until recent events, that had only been.a kind of sibling love. He'd cared for her, and looked after her, but Chihiro had been young and romance alien to Kohaku. Not to say he didn't feel a deep bond there.but not the kissy kissy stuff.
Now he was older (at least by Chihiro's years) and perhaps capable of real love. Kohaku hadn't realized how much he'd missed Chihiro until she came back. And now.this.
Ha ran a pale hand down Chihiro's cheek, wishing she'd get up.
~ ~ ~
Chihiro woke up. She ran a hand down her cheek several times. She'd woken up with the odd feeling that someone had been running a finger down her face.
Sighing, Chihiro walked to a window by her bed. Most of her sighs were laden with frustration at not knowing herself. 'But it could happen any day now,' she thought, 'I'm getting better at pushing at that tugging feeling'.
Obeying a sudden impulse, Chihiro opened her balcony doors and stepped outside. She breathed in deep the fragrant air of Gnimaerd. Stress partly assuaged, Chihiro rested her head on the railing, eyes half open and idly staring out in front of her.
It was in this position that she saw it. One of the spirits at the Temple, she assumed. He was black and partly translucent, moving in a half gliding, half walking motion. Although he was far away, and Chihiro a few stories up on her balcony, she could make out a white mask on his face. And she remembered.
"Kaonashi."
The name escaped her lips without her knowing it, like the reaction when a doctor hit your knee. "Kaonashi," she said again, sampling the word like she had her name.
Chihiro immediately turned around and made her way out to where Ananda usually spent the night, running like the wind.
~ ~ ~
Kohaku stared at Chihiro. What was that?
"Kaonashi."
He jumped, and shook his head warily. 'Did she just say.?'
"Kaonashi." Chihiro repeated.
For a moment Kohaku sat with his eyes wide. Then he jumped on Chihiro, shaking her shoulders as if it would wake her up. Of course, he'd tried it before, but with her saying things, then maybe.
~ ~ ~
"Ananda! Ananda!" Chihiro panted, running across the moonlit courtyard. As she ran she had to keep stopping because she felt like an invisible assailer was trying to knock her down. And her shoulders felt kind of giddy.
Chihiro could see Ananda's silvery hair, practically glowing in the moonlight. And beside her sat.a young man. She couldn't see him from far away, but steadily his face became clearer as she got close. He motioned to Ananda, and she turned around, surprised.
She ended up with her hands on her knees, panting in front of the stranger (and he was quite handsome) and Ananda. For a moment there was an awkward silence.
Chihiro was curious about the man. "Who are you?" she blurted out suddenly.
For a moment, the man gave her a piercing stare. Ananda stayed silent. Then he spoke. "Well if it isn't the famous Chihiro!" His voice was pleasant.
Chihiro blinked. He knew her name?
Ananda stepped in with the politeness of an old lady. "Chihiro, this is Aiden, my.ah."
"Consultant, of sorts," Aiden said, "I have taken interest in your predicament.very tragic, yes..Ananda has been informing me of your progress." Ananda nodded, as if to back him up.
She stepped closer to Chihiro. "Is there something bothering you?"
"Err." Chihiro paused. Should she tell Ananda in front of Aiden? What did it matter, since he had been apparently informed of her doings. "Well.I remembered something."
At those four words, a change came over Aiden and Ananda. Aiden's eyes fired up, and he suddenly looked terribly impatient to hear what it was. Ananda raised an eyebrow, but you could tell that she was tense. "Yes, Chihiro?"
Chihiro took a deep breath. "Okay.I was sleeping, and then I woke up cos I thought someone was, um, touching my cheek. And then I went to the window cos I couldn't go back to sleep and I saw one of your client-spirit-things. And I recognized him."
Ananda took a swift glance at Aiden. He could tell what she was thinking. Kaonashi. "Who was it then?" he asked.
"His name is No-Face; Kaonashi. I remember." and for a moment Chihiro hesitated, and Ananda saw in her eyes that Chihiro was remembering more. ".I think I helped him before, because he was getting really rowdy or something. And then...he followed me somewhere.no.. I took him along. And he stayed there.but now he's here! In Gnimaerd.Ananda, what is he doing here?" The last bit was directed at Ananda, and she looked up, startled, as if she had been thinking.
"Chihiro.that isn't important right now. What is important is that you remember Kaonashi, and that this could open up more things for you. Pretty soon your memory should come back. And then you can return to.where you came."
Relieved, Chihiro smiled and bowed at Aiden and Ananda. With a lighter heart, she walked back to her room, caught up in remembering.
"So this was his purpose."
"I guess so, Ananda. Do you think he can bring it all back again?"
"I'm not sure."
Two pairs of eyes watched Chihiro's slim figure meander across the courtyard, and one invisible spirit followed.
- - -
Sakura and Syaoran waited nervously in an ornate hallway. Sakura busied herself with studying the jade and ruby swirls in the floor, while Syaoran apprehensively stared at the redwood doors in front of them. He focused on the gold knocker, made in the shape of a bird with an (very ugly) old lady head on it.
Suddenly, it spoke. "So.you two tackled the Iris Spirit. Why don't you come IN?" At the last word, the doors swung open, revealing countless more tacky hallways and fancy doors, gilt and crystal shining in the rosy lampshade lights.
"Whoa." Sakura murmured.
Syaoran stepped over the threshold. "Come on. Let's see what Yubaba wants with us."
Nodding timidly, Sakura followed. 'I wonder if she's angry at us.' Sakura recalled Rin fearing what Yubaba would do if she found out that Rin wasn't working. 'I hope she isn't!'
Syaoran led on following a labyrinth of doorways. Then he heard the same voice yell (sounding quite annoyed), "All right, come on, I haven't got all day!"
Sakura felt a tug on her chest and found herself being propelled in the opposite direction that Syaoran had been going. She was relieved to see him being pulled alongside her. He looked annoyed and also curious. 'Probably as to how Yubaba's doing this,' Sakura thought.
The 'ride' came to a stop, and Sakura managed to gain her balance and not fall facedown on the carpet. Syaoran landed perfectly oriented.
The two looked around them and saw Yubaba seated at a large desk covered in papers, jewels, and gold.
'Someone needs a nose job,' Syaoran thought.
~ - ~ - ~
thankees to all of my wonderful reviewers! Especially that one who said she reads my story to her sister! I think that's so sweet..tell her that I'm sorry I haven't written that fast, I'll try my hardest!!!
silent H =D