Aite yo! Chapter 10 is finished, as is SCHOOL! Thank god for that. Sorry to
all that it took a bit to write this one, it IS longer than usual, I think,
but the Harry Potter book came out and well, I spent a whole day reading
it! It was soooooo awesome that I finished it in one day, lol. But anyways,
I got this chapter written, and on to 11! (with no school I shall try to
get it out ASAP!)
Oh yes, finals went really well! I think I did good on them (we don't get our grades until July), and thanx 4 all the luck!
Disclaimer: *laughs like a maniac* I own everything! EVERYTHING! Well, except for CardCaptor Sakura or Spirited Away. Darn.
-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 10: Are You Dreaming?
Yubaba stood up and walked towards them. She wore a smile that bordered on sadistic and malevolence, and her eyes glittered like the many jewels on her gnarled fingers. "Ah yes." she murmured, "you two were the ones that took care of the Iris Spirit just now."
Sakura and Syaoran stayed silent. While Syaoran's silence was defiant, Sakura's was in fascination at Yubaba's big (literally, but figuratively as well) head.
Yubaba cocked an eyebrow. "One would never have expected it from you two lazy good for nothing humans.so tell me.what are your names?" She leaned in close and stared Syaoran in the eyes. Yubaba gave a glance at Sakura, which made her cringe in return.
"We're not telling you!" Syaoran shouted suddenly. He remembered what Sakura said Rin had told her about names.
At this she sighed and walked back to her desk. 'Pretty smart,' she thought. Yubaba sat and picked up a ring and looked at it absentmindedly. She seemed like she was vacillating between something that was important and something she'd rather do instead.
After a long, tense silence, Yubaba gave another sigh. "Okay.I guess this is not the best idea, it'll have to do." Sakura realized that Yubaba was talking not to them, but to herself. Then she continued, directing her information at them. (Sakura and Syaoran were still standing in front of the fireplace).
"I think that you two have already noticed that the Iris Spirit seemed.sick, how you say. And I do know that Rin is sick.along with other workers in Aburaya." Sakura looked worried. She hoped Yubaba wouldn't fire Rin or anything.but she was too nervous to speak up.
"I also think that upon your arrival you have been informed of the differences and problems in our world and yours.and that you are perfectly aware that you and Chihiro are the only humans.existing at the moment. Anyway, I believe that this needs more explaining.
"The origins of this imbalance between the worlds has not affected the Spirit World until recently. Of course, I would have not minded if only the human world had been plagued by it, but that is beside the point. Now the imbalance is affecting us through some sort of sickness. The sickness has developed into two frames, one that just turns into what you'd call a heightened case of pneumonia; the other, outside of the bathhouse, has started to try destroying spirits from the inside.
"Now spirits have berserker blood in them, and can control it. But when they feel that they are being threatened, they will let that side out in efforts to prevent whatever is happening to them-as you have seen in the Iris Spirit. In Aburaya, the herbs of the bath water seem to be lessening this illness into the pneumonia state.
"I believe that these epidemics are similar to humans disappearing.but it still doesn't make complete sense. For us spirits, we have the painful and slow way, while for some reason the humans just.disappeared. But I have no idea, like many others, of what is causing this imbalance."
Here, Syaoran interrupted. "You don't know? Well I thought that you'd know everything about your bathhouse, Yubaba." Sakura sensed some sarcasm in his voice. Yubaba's eyes flashed in annoyance, but she remained silent for a moment, as if resisting an inner struggle. "Yes, I do NOT know. But I HAVE tried everything possible TO know." There was a tight silence.
Sakura asked, "But why are you telling us this? We're just.humans." "But you three survived. Surely that must mean something. Why would only you three humans survive? Doesn't it make you wonder?"
With that Yubaba stood up and walked to a window, muttering to herself. Sakura and Syaoran gave each other sidelong glances that spoke, "what is she hinting at?"
She turned around with a sigh. "I hate even thinking about it, but I'm going to have to send you to Zeniba."
Syaoran and Sakura chorused, "Zeniba?"
Yubaba waved her hand with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Yes, yes, my twin sister. I hate even bothering to talk about her. We don't.get along."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. Two Yubabas? One was enough, fine thank you.
Yubaba continued, "I don't know what you humans could do about all of this, but Zeniba might understand." She added in hastily, "Not that she knows more than me. Zeniba just.doesn't have as much money or enough preoccupations to ah.take up her learning time, unlike me. We are VERY different." As if satisfied with herself, she sat down with a plop on her chair.
Syaoran asked, "So how are we supposed to get there?"
Yubaba frowned. "I had been counting on Haku to take you, as he can fly, but now that that stupid dragon is moping about he might not want to budge from poor Chihiro's side," she said with another roll of her eyes, "But it doesn't matter, because I want all of you humans going to Zeniba's. So when Chihiro wakes up, Haku will get happier and you can all leave."
"But Chihiro might.she might not wake up." Sakura said hesitantly.
"Tch! She is not dead." Yubaba scoffed.
"I meant soon. She might not wake up soon."
"Then.well.wait. You can wait, can't you? The entire spirit population won't disappear that fast. And besides, more customers keep coming because they think the baths can cure them."
Sakura frowned. Yubaba was acting like she didn't care at all. Syaoran sighed, and asked, "Can we leave then?"
Yubaba waved a hand distractedly. "Yes! Go on, and see if you can get Chihiro to wake up."
~ ~ ~
A soft breeze blew and rustled the leaves in the trees. The Temple stood, glittering in the sun, and a small figure sat at the bottom of the granite steps. Ananda rested, waiting for the train to arrive and drop off the ghosts of humans or spirits.
Sakura's 'legend' was right. When humans died, some of them had unfinished business and stayed behind on earth to haunt the living humans. But sooner or later, they passed into the Spirit World and boarded a train. On the train, ghosts were black.
Kamajii said that the train went only one way. But the last stop was Gnimaerd, and once the train left Gnimaerd it was right back at the beginning again. And only the spirit-ghosts were left on the train by the end. If so desired, they could get off at other stops, but Ananda let them come to Gnimaerd anyway, and she, the Oracle, helped them to finish their business and to pass away properly.
But today, Ananda could see no one. The entire courtyard was empty. Except for one thing.
Kaonashi cautiously approached the Oracle. Ananda stood up to her full height (which was not very tall, her having the look of a 10-year-old) and said suspiciously, "What do you want?"
"Ah.ah."
Ananda sighed, irritated. "Follow me then, and we'll see what you're up to."
She led him through corridors and stairways, and surprisingly enough, Kaonashi managed to keep up with her brisk pace. Ananda came to a halt in a long, bright corridor. There were no doors, except for one, but there were countless windows, of any shape or size. There was stained glass, dark glass, clear glass, and soft chimes tittered as they hung from the pane less windows.
Ananda walked to a door and opened it to a room that was filled with musical instruments. Bells, chimes, drums, guitars, violas, and horns were crammed in shelves or on the floor. There was a grand piano in one corner that you could see through, and at the far end of the room, by another set of doors that were open to a large balcony, sat a large bell that looked as if it was wrought of diamond.
She took one small iron bell from a shelf, and turned towards Kaonashi. Ringing it in a counter-clockwise circle she said, "Kaeps, keeps."
The bell rang sweetly, and the sound went directly towards him. Kaonashi coughed, and coughed again. Ananda stopped ringing.
"Chihiro." Kaonashi said.
Ananda raised an eyebrow. "Well then, what do you want? You've started her memory going, what else can you do?"
"I must help Chihiro."
"You've done all you can for the moment. It'll come back to her slowly. And anyway, why would you want to help her?"
Kaonashi coughed, and then continued, "She helped me when I was seized by my hunger.in Aburaya. But don't you already know that?"
Ananda ignored him and frowned thoughtfully. Of course she knew it, she just wanted to see if there had been anything else. Any other reason.
He spoke up again. "I know she's important Ananda. The question is, do you?"
For the first time, Ananda looked scared. Then she mastered herself, and snapped, "I do know."
Kaonashi remained silent. Ananda asked, "But how would you know?"
"It has already started."
She stepped backwards with a mixture of anger, fear, and sadness on her face. "Ecnelis!" she shouted, ringing the bell clockwise this time. Then sounding remorseful, "Go to her, then."
~ ~ ~
Chihiro sat on the Temple floor, thinking. Ordinarily she'd've had breakfast with Ananda, but she was nowhere to be found. But it was fine with her. She could sit and try to remember.
An odd feeling overtook her, and Chihiro spun around. Kaonashi was standing behind her. She stood up slowly and stood face to face with him. Chihiro felt a twinge of fear, but from what, she didn't know. Then a picture flashed in her mind.
Chihiro gasped and took a step back. But that hadn't been in Gnimaerd! Then where.
Kaonashi reached forward. Chihiro took another step back, but he grabbed her hair and pulled her ponytail holder out. She felt her hair gently fall down and brush against her neck.
~ ~ ~
Ananda walked to the crystal bell on the balcony. She rang it, and shouted, "AIDEN!"
The bell pealed and let out a note so perfect that only Ananda and Aiden could hear it. Suddenly Aiden appeared behind her and wrapped her up in a hug.
"Ananda! How're you doin?" Aiden gave her a grin.
Ananda pushed him away, frowned, and said, "Kaonashi came. He thinks he can help Chihiro more."
Aiden shrugged. "It's possible.she's already started to move and talk in both worlds. Her memory should return pretty soon. We should be ready.I mean, you should be ready."
She nodded, and the two took off from the Music Room, heading for the great hall of the Temple.
~ ~ ~
Chihiro looked at what Kaonashi held out to her. Until then she had not really looked at her hair tie. She stared at it, wondering what Kaonashi meant. It glittered purple and Chihiro had the strange urge to touch it.
Her hand reached forward and her thin fingers delicately brushed it.
- - -
Sakura and Syaoran burst into the room where Chihiro would be. Kohaku was sitting there, as usual. But something was different.
"Kohaku?" Syaoran said.
He looked up, and there was emotion in his glance. "She talked."
Sakura said, "What? How?"
"About thirty minutes ago Chihiro said.Kaonashi. But that was it. She hasn't said anything else."
Syaoran looked thoughtful. "Kaonashi? Doesn't that mean no face?" (A/N: Kaonashi literally means No-Face, right?)
Kohaku didn't have time to answer. At that moment, Chihiro's hand rose and her hand moved slightly, as if she was touching something.
All three gasped, "Chihiro!"
~ ~ ~
All of a sudden, time seemed to have stopped. Chihiro felt the hairband and closed her hand around it, taking it. She looked up into Kaonashi's face.
An unexpected wind suddenly blew right into Chihiro's face, and she closed her eyes. Chihiro opened her arms wide, and laughed. The gale whirled around her, tossing her loose hair and rumpling her clothes.
Chihiro opened her eyes. Ananda and Aiden stood before her. Kaonashi was standing off to the side.
"I remember!" She gasped. "I remember everything! All of it!"
Ananda and Aiden were silent. Ananda had to wait until Chihiro asked.
The smile on Chihiro's face died a little as she saw that neither Ananda nor Aiden made any move to congratulate her. She frowned. Something else was bugging her. Chihiro voiced her thought aloud. "But Gnimaerd isn't part of the Spirit World or the human world, is it?"
Ananda smiled in relief. She stepped forward and held out her hand. "I have a door for you, Chihiro." With that Ananda took Chihiro towards where the stairway door usually was, but when she opened it Chihiro gasped. Instead of stairs, they were in a small room with another door in front of them. The only things in the room were a plaque leaning against the wall, and a mirror on the opposite wall.
Chihiro looked at Ananda, who walked towards the plaque. Chihiro took a step forward, and the door behind her shut softly. The room had a soft glow whose source she couldn't find.
"I am the Oracle." Ananda said. "When you first came, I told you that you would know where Gnimaerd is when you are ready to go back." she stopped. There was a silence while Chihiro remembered that conversation.
Then Ananda held up the plaque, and she was standing right next to the mirror. Chihiro looked at it and saw that it said two things.
uoyera
gnimaerd
Looking at it, Chihiro realized that that was how you spelled Uoyera. She never saw it, or Gnimaerd for that matter, written down. And why were there no capitals? Chihiro was about to voice that thought when she looked at the mirror and saw the reflection.
uoyera are you
gnimaerd dreaming
"Chihiro." Ananda whispered, and then she said, in her head somehow, "are you dreaming?"
Like it had the first time in the Temple, Chihiro felt an answer coming. She took a deep breath, and said, "No."
Ananda smiled and said, "Why? How can you be sure? It is the name of the place, is it not?"
"I just know.this isn't a dream. Although the last thing that happened before I came here was the accident.Kaonashi is real, and he got here, into Gnimaerd, somehow. So here must be real too.but maybe.you run it, don't you?" Chihiro asked.
"I am the Oracle."
Rolling her eyes, Chihiro said, "Yes, well maybe you're only letting certain people come here. I've seen the spirits who stand in line to see you."
Ananda smiled again, and whispered, "Close enough. You pass the test. Chihiro, your spirit and others have come here, and only at my bidding. The element of time is against us now, and I do not have enough to explain Gnimaerd to you. But you are right, you are not dreaming."
Chihiro grinned and closed her eyes. "Wait.so right now, I'm a spirit?"
"No, you're your spirit."
"So then.my body is somewhere else?"
Wordlessly, Ananda gestured at the door. Chihiro approached it, and saw that it said 'I am the door to beyond, and I am the door to go within'. She reached out and grasped the handle.
The door opened to a room that Chihiro recognized. It was the workers' room in Aburaya. She looked and saw a girl with tousled brown hair lying in a cot with a bandaged back and head. A young man with silky black hair and intense green eyes was shaking her, while a boy and a girl about her age watched. "Chihiro, Chihiro!" he said urgently.
She turned around and faced Ananda. But Ananda wasn't there anymore. Chihiro blinked, and looked around the room. The mirror and plaque were gone, but a single necklace lay on the floor. Its pendant glowed like a deep red eye. Chihiro hesitated, and then moved forward to pick it up. As her hand grasped the stone, it gave a final burst of light and then went out.
"Weird," she whispered. Chihiro slipped it over her head, and then faced the door once more. She took a deep breath, and stepped over the threshold, yelling, "Ko--"
- - -
"-HAKU!"
~ ~ ~
Ananda turned from the door, smiling brightly as Aiden said goodbye to Kaonashi. "So he's not staying?" she asked.
Aiden shrugged. "I guess not. Maybe he wants to go back to the Spirit World," he said as he turned around. Aiden turned in time to see Ananda falling towards the ground. "Ananda!" he yelled.
In a trice he was at her side and caught her. Resting her head on his knee, Aiden lightly touched her forehead with his finger. Ananda stirred, and her eyes widened. There was an awkward pause. "Are you okay?"
She brushed him off and stood up. "It has passed, Aiden."
He watched her, worried. 'It will not be the last, I fear,' Aiden thought. Aloud, he said, "You shouldn't go. It tires you to pass into people's dreams. Rest at least one night, Ananda."
Ananda shook her head. "No, I have to do it as soon as possible. We need to get them to your house.it's important."
He sighed, and lightly touched her shoulder. "Take care then. I'll expect to see them soon."
~ - ~ - ~
hey everyone thanx agen for the reviews (especially the one with the little sis, I wanna giv u's a hug!); just press the little button and say hi! for me. ^________________^
silent H
Oh yes, finals went really well! I think I did good on them (we don't get our grades until July), and thanx 4 all the luck!
Disclaimer: *laughs like a maniac* I own everything! EVERYTHING! Well, except for CardCaptor Sakura or Spirited Away. Darn.
-flashbacks
'lalala'-thinking
~~~ - Dreaming
"lalala"-out loud
Chapter 10: Are You Dreaming?
Yubaba stood up and walked towards them. She wore a smile that bordered on sadistic and malevolence, and her eyes glittered like the many jewels on her gnarled fingers. "Ah yes." she murmured, "you two were the ones that took care of the Iris Spirit just now."
Sakura and Syaoran stayed silent. While Syaoran's silence was defiant, Sakura's was in fascination at Yubaba's big (literally, but figuratively as well) head.
Yubaba cocked an eyebrow. "One would never have expected it from you two lazy good for nothing humans.so tell me.what are your names?" She leaned in close and stared Syaoran in the eyes. Yubaba gave a glance at Sakura, which made her cringe in return.
"We're not telling you!" Syaoran shouted suddenly. He remembered what Sakura said Rin had told her about names.
At this she sighed and walked back to her desk. 'Pretty smart,' she thought. Yubaba sat and picked up a ring and looked at it absentmindedly. She seemed like she was vacillating between something that was important and something she'd rather do instead.
After a long, tense silence, Yubaba gave another sigh. "Okay.I guess this is not the best idea, it'll have to do." Sakura realized that Yubaba was talking not to them, but to herself. Then she continued, directing her information at them. (Sakura and Syaoran were still standing in front of the fireplace).
"I think that you two have already noticed that the Iris Spirit seemed.sick, how you say. And I do know that Rin is sick.along with other workers in Aburaya." Sakura looked worried. She hoped Yubaba wouldn't fire Rin or anything.but she was too nervous to speak up.
"I also think that upon your arrival you have been informed of the differences and problems in our world and yours.and that you are perfectly aware that you and Chihiro are the only humans.existing at the moment. Anyway, I believe that this needs more explaining.
"The origins of this imbalance between the worlds has not affected the Spirit World until recently. Of course, I would have not minded if only the human world had been plagued by it, but that is beside the point. Now the imbalance is affecting us through some sort of sickness. The sickness has developed into two frames, one that just turns into what you'd call a heightened case of pneumonia; the other, outside of the bathhouse, has started to try destroying spirits from the inside.
"Now spirits have berserker blood in them, and can control it. But when they feel that they are being threatened, they will let that side out in efforts to prevent whatever is happening to them-as you have seen in the Iris Spirit. In Aburaya, the herbs of the bath water seem to be lessening this illness into the pneumonia state.
"I believe that these epidemics are similar to humans disappearing.but it still doesn't make complete sense. For us spirits, we have the painful and slow way, while for some reason the humans just.disappeared. But I have no idea, like many others, of what is causing this imbalance."
Here, Syaoran interrupted. "You don't know? Well I thought that you'd know everything about your bathhouse, Yubaba." Sakura sensed some sarcasm in his voice. Yubaba's eyes flashed in annoyance, but she remained silent for a moment, as if resisting an inner struggle. "Yes, I do NOT know. But I HAVE tried everything possible TO know." There was a tight silence.
Sakura asked, "But why are you telling us this? We're just.humans." "But you three survived. Surely that must mean something. Why would only you three humans survive? Doesn't it make you wonder?"
With that Yubaba stood up and walked to a window, muttering to herself. Sakura and Syaoran gave each other sidelong glances that spoke, "what is she hinting at?"
She turned around with a sigh. "I hate even thinking about it, but I'm going to have to send you to Zeniba."
Syaoran and Sakura chorused, "Zeniba?"
Yubaba waved her hand with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Yes, yes, my twin sister. I hate even bothering to talk about her. We don't.get along."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. Two Yubabas? One was enough, fine thank you.
Yubaba continued, "I don't know what you humans could do about all of this, but Zeniba might understand." She added in hastily, "Not that she knows more than me. Zeniba just.doesn't have as much money or enough preoccupations to ah.take up her learning time, unlike me. We are VERY different." As if satisfied with herself, she sat down with a plop on her chair.
Syaoran asked, "So how are we supposed to get there?"
Yubaba frowned. "I had been counting on Haku to take you, as he can fly, but now that that stupid dragon is moping about he might not want to budge from poor Chihiro's side," she said with another roll of her eyes, "But it doesn't matter, because I want all of you humans going to Zeniba's. So when Chihiro wakes up, Haku will get happier and you can all leave."
"But Chihiro might.she might not wake up." Sakura said hesitantly.
"Tch! She is not dead." Yubaba scoffed.
"I meant soon. She might not wake up soon."
"Then.well.wait. You can wait, can't you? The entire spirit population won't disappear that fast. And besides, more customers keep coming because they think the baths can cure them."
Sakura frowned. Yubaba was acting like she didn't care at all. Syaoran sighed, and asked, "Can we leave then?"
Yubaba waved a hand distractedly. "Yes! Go on, and see if you can get Chihiro to wake up."
~ ~ ~
A soft breeze blew and rustled the leaves in the trees. The Temple stood, glittering in the sun, and a small figure sat at the bottom of the granite steps. Ananda rested, waiting for the train to arrive and drop off the ghosts of humans or spirits.
Sakura's 'legend' was right. When humans died, some of them had unfinished business and stayed behind on earth to haunt the living humans. But sooner or later, they passed into the Spirit World and boarded a train. On the train, ghosts were black.
Kamajii said that the train went only one way. But the last stop was Gnimaerd, and once the train left Gnimaerd it was right back at the beginning again. And only the spirit-ghosts were left on the train by the end. If so desired, they could get off at other stops, but Ananda let them come to Gnimaerd anyway, and she, the Oracle, helped them to finish their business and to pass away properly.
But today, Ananda could see no one. The entire courtyard was empty. Except for one thing.
Kaonashi cautiously approached the Oracle. Ananda stood up to her full height (which was not very tall, her having the look of a 10-year-old) and said suspiciously, "What do you want?"
"Ah.ah."
Ananda sighed, irritated. "Follow me then, and we'll see what you're up to."
She led him through corridors and stairways, and surprisingly enough, Kaonashi managed to keep up with her brisk pace. Ananda came to a halt in a long, bright corridor. There were no doors, except for one, but there were countless windows, of any shape or size. There was stained glass, dark glass, clear glass, and soft chimes tittered as they hung from the pane less windows.
Ananda walked to a door and opened it to a room that was filled with musical instruments. Bells, chimes, drums, guitars, violas, and horns were crammed in shelves or on the floor. There was a grand piano in one corner that you could see through, and at the far end of the room, by another set of doors that were open to a large balcony, sat a large bell that looked as if it was wrought of diamond.
She took one small iron bell from a shelf, and turned towards Kaonashi. Ringing it in a counter-clockwise circle she said, "Kaeps, keeps."
The bell rang sweetly, and the sound went directly towards him. Kaonashi coughed, and coughed again. Ananda stopped ringing.
"Chihiro." Kaonashi said.
Ananda raised an eyebrow. "Well then, what do you want? You've started her memory going, what else can you do?"
"I must help Chihiro."
"You've done all you can for the moment. It'll come back to her slowly. And anyway, why would you want to help her?"
Kaonashi coughed, and then continued, "She helped me when I was seized by my hunger.in Aburaya. But don't you already know that?"
Ananda ignored him and frowned thoughtfully. Of course she knew it, she just wanted to see if there had been anything else. Any other reason.
He spoke up again. "I know she's important Ananda. The question is, do you?"
For the first time, Ananda looked scared. Then she mastered herself, and snapped, "I do know."
Kaonashi remained silent. Ananda asked, "But how would you know?"
"It has already started."
She stepped backwards with a mixture of anger, fear, and sadness on her face. "Ecnelis!" she shouted, ringing the bell clockwise this time. Then sounding remorseful, "Go to her, then."
~ ~ ~
Chihiro sat on the Temple floor, thinking. Ordinarily she'd've had breakfast with Ananda, but she was nowhere to be found. But it was fine with her. She could sit and try to remember.
An odd feeling overtook her, and Chihiro spun around. Kaonashi was standing behind her. She stood up slowly and stood face to face with him. Chihiro felt a twinge of fear, but from what, she didn't know. Then a picture flashed in her mind.
Chihiro gasped and took a step back. But that hadn't been in Gnimaerd! Then where.
Kaonashi reached forward. Chihiro took another step back, but he grabbed her hair and pulled her ponytail holder out. She felt her hair gently fall down and brush against her neck.
~ ~ ~
Ananda walked to the crystal bell on the balcony. She rang it, and shouted, "AIDEN!"
The bell pealed and let out a note so perfect that only Ananda and Aiden could hear it. Suddenly Aiden appeared behind her and wrapped her up in a hug.
"Ananda! How're you doin?" Aiden gave her a grin.
Ananda pushed him away, frowned, and said, "Kaonashi came. He thinks he can help Chihiro more."
Aiden shrugged. "It's possible.she's already started to move and talk in both worlds. Her memory should return pretty soon. We should be ready.I mean, you should be ready."
She nodded, and the two took off from the Music Room, heading for the great hall of the Temple.
~ ~ ~
Chihiro looked at what Kaonashi held out to her. Until then she had not really looked at her hair tie. She stared at it, wondering what Kaonashi meant. It glittered purple and Chihiro had the strange urge to touch it.
Her hand reached forward and her thin fingers delicately brushed it.
- - -
Sakura and Syaoran burst into the room where Chihiro would be. Kohaku was sitting there, as usual. But something was different.
"Kohaku?" Syaoran said.
He looked up, and there was emotion in his glance. "She talked."
Sakura said, "What? How?"
"About thirty minutes ago Chihiro said.Kaonashi. But that was it. She hasn't said anything else."
Syaoran looked thoughtful. "Kaonashi? Doesn't that mean no face?" (A/N: Kaonashi literally means No-Face, right?)
Kohaku didn't have time to answer. At that moment, Chihiro's hand rose and her hand moved slightly, as if she was touching something.
All three gasped, "Chihiro!"
~ ~ ~
All of a sudden, time seemed to have stopped. Chihiro felt the hairband and closed her hand around it, taking it. She looked up into Kaonashi's face.
An unexpected wind suddenly blew right into Chihiro's face, and she closed her eyes. Chihiro opened her arms wide, and laughed. The gale whirled around her, tossing her loose hair and rumpling her clothes.
Chihiro opened her eyes. Ananda and Aiden stood before her. Kaonashi was standing off to the side.
"I remember!" She gasped. "I remember everything! All of it!"
Ananda and Aiden were silent. Ananda had to wait until Chihiro asked.
The smile on Chihiro's face died a little as she saw that neither Ananda nor Aiden made any move to congratulate her. She frowned. Something else was bugging her. Chihiro voiced her thought aloud. "But Gnimaerd isn't part of the Spirit World or the human world, is it?"
Ananda smiled in relief. She stepped forward and held out her hand. "I have a door for you, Chihiro." With that Ananda took Chihiro towards where the stairway door usually was, but when she opened it Chihiro gasped. Instead of stairs, they were in a small room with another door in front of them. The only things in the room were a plaque leaning against the wall, and a mirror on the opposite wall.
Chihiro looked at Ananda, who walked towards the plaque. Chihiro took a step forward, and the door behind her shut softly. The room had a soft glow whose source she couldn't find.
"I am the Oracle." Ananda said. "When you first came, I told you that you would know where Gnimaerd is when you are ready to go back." she stopped. There was a silence while Chihiro remembered that conversation.
Then Ananda held up the plaque, and she was standing right next to the mirror. Chihiro looked at it and saw that it said two things.
uoyera
gnimaerd
Looking at it, Chihiro realized that that was how you spelled Uoyera. She never saw it, or Gnimaerd for that matter, written down. And why were there no capitals? Chihiro was about to voice that thought when she looked at the mirror and saw the reflection.
uoyera are you
gnimaerd dreaming
"Chihiro." Ananda whispered, and then she said, in her head somehow, "are you dreaming?"
Like it had the first time in the Temple, Chihiro felt an answer coming. She took a deep breath, and said, "No."
Ananda smiled and said, "Why? How can you be sure? It is the name of the place, is it not?"
"I just know.this isn't a dream. Although the last thing that happened before I came here was the accident.Kaonashi is real, and he got here, into Gnimaerd, somehow. So here must be real too.but maybe.you run it, don't you?" Chihiro asked.
"I am the Oracle."
Rolling her eyes, Chihiro said, "Yes, well maybe you're only letting certain people come here. I've seen the spirits who stand in line to see you."
Ananda smiled again, and whispered, "Close enough. You pass the test. Chihiro, your spirit and others have come here, and only at my bidding. The element of time is against us now, and I do not have enough to explain Gnimaerd to you. But you are right, you are not dreaming."
Chihiro grinned and closed her eyes. "Wait.so right now, I'm a spirit?"
"No, you're your spirit."
"So then.my body is somewhere else?"
Wordlessly, Ananda gestured at the door. Chihiro approached it, and saw that it said 'I am the door to beyond, and I am the door to go within'. She reached out and grasped the handle.
The door opened to a room that Chihiro recognized. It was the workers' room in Aburaya. She looked and saw a girl with tousled brown hair lying in a cot with a bandaged back and head. A young man with silky black hair and intense green eyes was shaking her, while a boy and a girl about her age watched. "Chihiro, Chihiro!" he said urgently.
She turned around and faced Ananda. But Ananda wasn't there anymore. Chihiro blinked, and looked around the room. The mirror and plaque were gone, but a single necklace lay on the floor. Its pendant glowed like a deep red eye. Chihiro hesitated, and then moved forward to pick it up. As her hand grasped the stone, it gave a final burst of light and then went out.
"Weird," she whispered. Chihiro slipped it over her head, and then faced the door once more. She took a deep breath, and stepped over the threshold, yelling, "Ko--"
- - -
"-HAKU!"
~ ~ ~
Ananda turned from the door, smiling brightly as Aiden said goodbye to Kaonashi. "So he's not staying?" she asked.
Aiden shrugged. "I guess not. Maybe he wants to go back to the Spirit World," he said as he turned around. Aiden turned in time to see Ananda falling towards the ground. "Ananda!" he yelled.
In a trice he was at her side and caught her. Resting her head on his knee, Aiden lightly touched her forehead with his finger. Ananda stirred, and her eyes widened. There was an awkward pause. "Are you okay?"
She brushed him off and stood up. "It has passed, Aiden."
He watched her, worried. 'It will not be the last, I fear,' Aiden thought. Aloud, he said, "You shouldn't go. It tires you to pass into people's dreams. Rest at least one night, Ananda."
Ananda shook her head. "No, I have to do it as soon as possible. We need to get them to your house.it's important."
He sighed, and lightly touched her shoulder. "Take care then. I'll expect to see them soon."
~ - ~ - ~
hey everyone thanx agen for the reviews (especially the one with the little sis, I wanna giv u's a hug!); just press the little button and say hi! for me. ^________________^
silent H