Shizu Michi
I'm sorry I haven't updated in years, but I've never been so SWAMPED with LIFE as I am now. I know this chapter is kind of short compared to what I normally write, but there's a lot to do and I'm also writing about 5 other stories at the same time here. But I've resolved to get all the stories I have finished by Christmas holidays when I have free time so I can start on new things. I already now how this is going to end.
For now, enjoy.
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Chihiro resurfaced from her dark dreams to find Ryuki bent over her and shaking her gently. Chihiro, feeling as if someone was trying to wake her up for school, rolled over and burrowed deeper under the covers. Ryuki, feeling impatient, which was unusual for the normally calm spirit, lifted the blankets off Chihiro using her mind, and tossed them across the room onto a still sleeping Rin. Now thoroughly roused, Chihiro got up, grumbling inaudibly. A second later she realized what was going on, and quickly shut up, looking to Ryuki expectantly.
"Where to first?" she asked, yawning.
Ryuki, who had begun pacing, stopped to look at Chihiro. "Yubaba sometimes goes downstairs to take care of business, right?"
Chihiro thought a moment, then nodded. "I guess."
"Right then, first stop, Yubaba's chambers."
"I could go to the main area first to check."
Ryuki and Chihiro turned at the sound of the voice to find Rin standing by the door, fully clothed. There was a hint of fear and apprehension in her eyes, but she looked ready to do anything.
"I can always ask around if anyone knows."
Ryuki shook her head. "Too suspicious. I would recommend that you go to the bottom of the stairs and just have a quick look around. Only if you're willing to, though. We could just go up and deal with it whether Yubaba is here or not."
Rin looked as if she was ready to grab Ryuki's safety hammock for a moment, but shook her head. "No. I want to help."
"Fine."
Without another word, Rin disappeared.
Chihiro watch her go with worry growing in her heart, and turned to ask Ryuki if she'd be alright, when a gust of wind suddenly swept away, nearly throwing Chihiro off her feet. She regained her balance and turned around to find Ryuki in her dragon form. The wooden sliding door to the balcony had been opened.
"Come."
Chihiro just stood there, shocked. The voice had been Ryuki's, she was sure of that, but it hadn't been spoken.
The voice was in her head.
The dragon nodded again, its motions abrupt and impatient. It took Chihiro a moment to recover from the shock and shake herself back into the real world. She looked back to the door from where Rin had just exited, ready to risk her life for the cause.
Chihiro hesitated. "But … what about Rin?"
Ryuki growled. "We cannot wait this out any longer. They are coming."
Suddenly a shrill scream rang down the hallways of the bath house, and everything grew silent. No one moved, and no one breathed. Then a soft murmur swept through the entire place, a name passed along from worker to worker. The first victim had been taken, and the voice matched with its owner.
"Rin!" Chihiro cried, running to the door.
Ryuki leaped in front of her and snarled menacingly. Chihiro was taken aback and took a step rearward. Her eyes fell to the dragon's bared teeth, wet and glistening in the dim light. She suddenly realized that she had never been so frightened in her life.
"No," Ryuki hissed, her eyes fixed on Chihiro. "If you leave this room you will be taken as well. We cannot help Rin now, but maybe we can get up to Yubaba's room in time. But I promise, we will come back for Rin."
Chihiro looked uncertainly at the spirit, and Ryuki saw it immediately. She growled and brought her massive muzzle up close to Chihiro. Chihiro could feel the dragons hot breath in her face.
"I came here looking for my brother," Ryuki said, her jade eyes never leaving Chihiro's. "hoping that somehow, if I found him and brought him back, then maybe I would be accepted once again to rule with the spirits. I came, but instead I found you, and found that we were looking for the same thing. When I thought about it I realized that if anyone could help me, it would be you, Chihiro. You love Haku, love him like a brother, as I do, so does that not make us sisters? Then come, sister, let us search for him together."
Chihiro just stood there, dumbfounded, and as her mind began to drift around reality, she found herself slowly walking towards the spirit and mounting on her back. Then, Ryuki lifted off and Chihiro found herself floating high above the earth, flying as if in a dream.
Aww, evidence of sap, sticky, icky sap, but you can't have a decently spread story without some sap somewhere in the middle. More action coming up next chapter, like BIG action, and then a bit more icky sticky sap at the end.