*I don't own Spirited Away, or any of its characters. Reviews are good, lawsuits are bad. Thank you.*
Chapter 3- The Music In You
Kaonashi awoke the next morning with legs sore from running a great distance with little rest and a recent memory that had haunted him in his dreams the night before. He immediately sat bolt upright in his bed, and the first thought that came to his mind was, "I killed a man". Immediately, his greedy and self-centered mind was running over the misfortunes that may befall him, not even taking a moment to think about the human that he robbed life from. 'What if I get thrown in jail? What if I lose all my money? I can't lose all my money! What if I put my family's name to shame? They will never speak of me! I'll be locked up or killed and I will never be able to do the things that I wanted to do...' After running through these consequences, he started coming up with excuses. 'But wait! Didn't that city vanish after I ran out if it? Maybe it was just a dream...' He immediately took out the blade from his back pocket, and saw that there was blood staining the blade, and marking him red-handed.
After washing the blade of the evidence, Kaonashi went downstairs for his birthday breakfast. All the while, he was reassuring himself with the fact that the man he killed was a peasant, and that no one had come yet to persecute him of his crime. Yet. The very thoughts of his guilt were so great, that he had become high-strung and jittery, so much so that he would screech if tapped on the shoulder or turn his head quickly at even the slightest sound. His "unnamable" fear almost ruined his seventeenth birthday. Almost. However, he remained this way for five days, and throughout that timespan, his parents and other relations were becoming nervous of Kaonashi's condition.
Finally, on the fifth day, his parents became so distraught about his condition that they called a physician to examine him. After close examination, the doctor concluded that there was nothing physically wrong. He stated, "He is probably under some sort of terrible stress or fear. The doctor then turned to Kaonashi and said, "My boy, if you are suffering from an ailment of the mind, it should be best to confront it. You're a strong man, and I'm sure you can fight it off." With that, the doctor took his payment, and walked out the door. Kaonashi could hear his father in the parlor, "Good doctors cost so much these days..." The music of the unknown city echoed in his head at that very moment. Up until now, he hadn't really dwelled on it... how lovely it was. How beautiful its rhythm, how seductive its rhyme. How charming its tune. Kaonashi hadn't realized it before, but he wanted to hear that music again... He made the decision to take the doctor's advice and face his fear.
So on that humid and well-tempered night of Thursday in May, Kaonashi took another evening stroll, similar to the one that lead up to the death of the peasant. He may have been "set" on his mission, but he didn't let it stop him from flirting with a few attractive women and reveling in the praise he thought he deserved. The thought of leaving the city where the people practically worshipped him and let him live in the lap of luxury to face what could be his impending doom almost seemed suicidal to him, but that accursed music... it drove him on. What had the music done to him, he thought angrily, to wind him up like a toy soldier, and make him march to his own cruel destiny? What is this... thing? He did not know, nor did he think he wanted to know. Best just keep marching.
When he reached the city, it was just as it had been when he originally entered it, before the man was murdered. The same music was playing in the background, and he met the same, placid reaction. Nobody accused him of first-degree murder, nobody screamed and pointed a finger, no amazing uproar, nothing. They continued on their business as if nothing had happened. Taking this as enough reason to believe that he had been evicted of his crime, he turned around to leave. Just as he executed his turn, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Turning abruptly back around in shock, he came face to face with none other than Karochi.
"Come with me." She said coldly, as she turned around and made a motion for him to follow her.
"Are you finally going to give me what I want?" He asked, with a small seductive smirk. Her only answer was a quick, disgusted grunt as she led him back to the golden building where it had all begun. Kaonashi knew that he should not follow the young wench, for she may want to imprison him for life, or even exact revenge on him for his deed... for she had surely seen it. However, it was that confounded music that made up his mind for him, as he felt himself moving towards the building, even though he had not ordered himself to. He did not find this ghastly form of puppetry at all amusing, but what could he do? He was tied to these strings and could do nothing to cut them...
Karochi took Kaonashi back into the golden building, but instead of leading him back into the crowds she led him up a flight of stairs and to a very odd wooden door. It had druid-like carvings all over it, and upon it was a doorknob made out of gold. Karochi turned the knob, and the door groaned in complaint as she opened it to reveal a library. As they walked inside, Kaonashi could see the rows and rows of well-kept books on the shelves, none of them dusty, but all of them old. It was obvious that people were still reading them often, even now. The carpeting was posh, and there were many finely-crafted wooden tables and chairs for people who wished to sit down with a book. There was only one man in the room, and to Kaonashi's relief, it was not a policeman. He could not see his face, for it was buried in the book, but his clothing looked very familiar...
"Atsuji!" She said sharply, and the man dropped the book immediately, and Kaonashi almost fainted in astonishment. The man who was reading the book was the same one he had murdered five days before.
Unable to contain his fear and astoundment, Kaonashi let out a quick, yet shrill scream. Karochi nodded her head. "Atsuji, is this him?"
"Yes, that's him. That's the one who did it. Punish 'em good, Karochi! Punish 'em GOOD." Atsuji rubbed his hand together and snickered, giving Kaonashi one of those "Now you're in for it" looks.
"I shall punish him in accordance with what he has done, Atsuji." With that, she faced Kaonashi, and the wooden door slammed shut behind him. He immediately ran to it, and tried to work the knob, but it was locked as tight as an oyster shell. He did not know what kind of cruel and unusual place he had unknowingly and unwillingly entangled himself with, but he knew he wanted out. But how?
*I suppose you would call this a cliffhanger... more in Chapter 4. Until then, enjoy... life!*
~Astaire
Chapter 3- The Music In You
Kaonashi awoke the next morning with legs sore from running a great distance with little rest and a recent memory that had haunted him in his dreams the night before. He immediately sat bolt upright in his bed, and the first thought that came to his mind was, "I killed a man". Immediately, his greedy and self-centered mind was running over the misfortunes that may befall him, not even taking a moment to think about the human that he robbed life from. 'What if I get thrown in jail? What if I lose all my money? I can't lose all my money! What if I put my family's name to shame? They will never speak of me! I'll be locked up or killed and I will never be able to do the things that I wanted to do...' After running through these consequences, he started coming up with excuses. 'But wait! Didn't that city vanish after I ran out if it? Maybe it was just a dream...' He immediately took out the blade from his back pocket, and saw that there was blood staining the blade, and marking him red-handed.
After washing the blade of the evidence, Kaonashi went downstairs for his birthday breakfast. All the while, he was reassuring himself with the fact that the man he killed was a peasant, and that no one had come yet to persecute him of his crime. Yet. The very thoughts of his guilt were so great, that he had become high-strung and jittery, so much so that he would screech if tapped on the shoulder or turn his head quickly at even the slightest sound. His "unnamable" fear almost ruined his seventeenth birthday. Almost. However, he remained this way for five days, and throughout that timespan, his parents and other relations were becoming nervous of Kaonashi's condition.
Finally, on the fifth day, his parents became so distraught about his condition that they called a physician to examine him. After close examination, the doctor concluded that there was nothing physically wrong. He stated, "He is probably under some sort of terrible stress or fear. The doctor then turned to Kaonashi and said, "My boy, if you are suffering from an ailment of the mind, it should be best to confront it. You're a strong man, and I'm sure you can fight it off." With that, the doctor took his payment, and walked out the door. Kaonashi could hear his father in the parlor, "Good doctors cost so much these days..." The music of the unknown city echoed in his head at that very moment. Up until now, he hadn't really dwelled on it... how lovely it was. How beautiful its rhythm, how seductive its rhyme. How charming its tune. Kaonashi hadn't realized it before, but he wanted to hear that music again... He made the decision to take the doctor's advice and face his fear.
So on that humid and well-tempered night of Thursday in May, Kaonashi took another evening stroll, similar to the one that lead up to the death of the peasant. He may have been "set" on his mission, but he didn't let it stop him from flirting with a few attractive women and reveling in the praise he thought he deserved. The thought of leaving the city where the people practically worshipped him and let him live in the lap of luxury to face what could be his impending doom almost seemed suicidal to him, but that accursed music... it drove him on. What had the music done to him, he thought angrily, to wind him up like a toy soldier, and make him march to his own cruel destiny? What is this... thing? He did not know, nor did he think he wanted to know. Best just keep marching.
When he reached the city, it was just as it had been when he originally entered it, before the man was murdered. The same music was playing in the background, and he met the same, placid reaction. Nobody accused him of first-degree murder, nobody screamed and pointed a finger, no amazing uproar, nothing. They continued on their business as if nothing had happened. Taking this as enough reason to believe that he had been evicted of his crime, he turned around to leave. Just as he executed his turn, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Turning abruptly back around in shock, he came face to face with none other than Karochi.
"Come with me." She said coldly, as she turned around and made a motion for him to follow her.
"Are you finally going to give me what I want?" He asked, with a small seductive smirk. Her only answer was a quick, disgusted grunt as she led him back to the golden building where it had all begun. Kaonashi knew that he should not follow the young wench, for she may want to imprison him for life, or even exact revenge on him for his deed... for she had surely seen it. However, it was that confounded music that made up his mind for him, as he felt himself moving towards the building, even though he had not ordered himself to. He did not find this ghastly form of puppetry at all amusing, but what could he do? He was tied to these strings and could do nothing to cut them...
Karochi took Kaonashi back into the golden building, but instead of leading him back into the crowds she led him up a flight of stairs and to a very odd wooden door. It had druid-like carvings all over it, and upon it was a doorknob made out of gold. Karochi turned the knob, and the door groaned in complaint as she opened it to reveal a library. As they walked inside, Kaonashi could see the rows and rows of well-kept books on the shelves, none of them dusty, but all of them old. It was obvious that people were still reading them often, even now. The carpeting was posh, and there were many finely-crafted wooden tables and chairs for people who wished to sit down with a book. There was only one man in the room, and to Kaonashi's relief, it was not a policeman. He could not see his face, for it was buried in the book, but his clothing looked very familiar...
"Atsuji!" She said sharply, and the man dropped the book immediately, and Kaonashi almost fainted in astonishment. The man who was reading the book was the same one he had murdered five days before.
Unable to contain his fear and astoundment, Kaonashi let out a quick, yet shrill scream. Karochi nodded her head. "Atsuji, is this him?"
"Yes, that's him. That's the one who did it. Punish 'em good, Karochi! Punish 'em GOOD." Atsuji rubbed his hand together and snickered, giving Kaonashi one of those "Now you're in for it" looks.
"I shall punish him in accordance with what he has done, Atsuji." With that, she faced Kaonashi, and the wooden door slammed shut behind him. He immediately ran to it, and tried to work the knob, but it was locked as tight as an oyster shell. He did not know what kind of cruel and unusual place he had unknowingly and unwillingly entangled himself with, but he knew he wanted out. But how?
*I suppose you would call this a cliffhanger... more in Chapter 4. Until then, enjoy... life!*
~Astaire