A/N: Okay, sorry about not getting Haku in at your every whim! I know how
he and Chihiro are going to meet, I think: I know where they're going to
meet at the least, and I suppose that when I get to that part it'll just
flow out. ^_^0 I like giving six-year-olds jobs! Lol, I thought it was
rather funny. *scribbles on hand* must remember for future reference.
'nyway, thank you for being patient! I myself am still trying to figure out
how she's gonna transport Hikari - I mean, sheesh. Oh, and BTW, I've put
money in English terms for the readers' enjoyment. Besides, I don't know
how yen works, so let's just use our "iMaGiNaTiOnS" okay?
Okay, you know how I said Haku wasn't a spirit? I lied. IN THIS HAKU IS STILL ONE HUNDRED PERCENT RIVER SPIRIT of the Kohaku River, unless I change it. I'll need to make a few time jumps, though, too. Big ones, you know? But that will be for later. I mean, can I really write four-five-six-seven years of nothing until they meet? I mean, God. But I won't jump by YEARS. I'll jump by weeks and/or months. Less, maybe. Sorry! Those will be very uneventful weeks for our heroines. And since when is running away uneventful? ~_^ lol, and who says Akio and Hiroshi will just go "Yippee she's gone" huh, huh, huh? They'll be mad. Angry. Probably beat up on each other, then the victor (the one who isn't in the hospital) will probably track down the girls and kill 'em.
HEY, it's an AU. Anything can happen, right? Lol!
Also, as (I doubt) a few of you noticed, I've made a couple of changes: One, Hikari is two months old, not one. Geeze, I'm a babysitter not a mother - took me a while to figure that stuff out. -_-0 so now I'm, like, on mothers dot come or whatever trying to figure out Hikari's role - she's not like other babies, for reasons I'll tell later (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) so she'll learn and grow stronger faster, and she'll be highly tolerant - she has wisdom beyond her age. It'll just take a while to unearth, that's all. she plays a big part in getting Chihiro to the Spirit World. *claps hands to mouth as eyes grow wide* oh, did I just say that out loud? *faints* oh well, I suppose you would have kicked it out of me sooner or later, you readers being so *clever* and all. ^_^? lol
Disclaimer: I do NOT own "Spirited Away" a.k.a. "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi." Get that? Got that? Good.
Chapter Started: 5/8/03
Chapter Finished: 5/10/03
One Week after the last chapter
Third Person POV
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Chihiro moaned and pushed her aching muscles to their limit; she got up, slamming a small and sore yet tough fist down on her bleeping alarm clock. Hikari was coming home today. Chihiro knew that Akio would leave her alone when he wasn't drunk.
She shivered, remembering Hiroshi's death threats.
And she was especially sore from last night's "punishments". Hiroshi had just collapsed in his bed when Akio had stumbled in.
They were both hung over, so she knew, when they were sleeping in, hung over, that was her time alone in the house with their presence. Carefully getting dressed, Chihiro realized she hadn't put yesterday's earnings in her hiding spot. She scolded herself, and put the bills where they belonged.
Her door-to-door plan hadn't been very good, but at one house (with a terrible yard) they said they would pay her twenty if she could have it ship shape in any amount of time, and another an old granny had taken pity on her and let her weed her garden and water it for five.
And five was still something.
Tips were pretty small too, but Chihiro's skills of a waitress were improving, and Madame Zoltanne had said that if Chihiro stayed with them, she would get the actual job when she was ten.
Hearing this made Chihiro feel bad, because she wouldn't be there by the time she was ten, not if she had a say about it. all of them - Rumi, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Usagie, Kiyuu, Sensei - she wouldn't see any of them again. But she wouldn't see Yuuko ever again either.
Or Akio nor Hiroshi.
Chihiro cried and forced herself to eat something. Today was Saturday and Chihiro knew she wouldn't get any where today or tonight. Tomorrow - tomorrow night, that was when Hikari and Chihiro would leave. While munching on the toast, Chihiro wondered again and again how she would get Hikari around with her - she was still a baby, fragile, and from what Kiyuu had told her, supporting Hikari's neck the wrong way could kill her! She was at a loss as to of what to do. And Hikari would be bigger, too - and heavier. A baby and large and filled backpack would slow her down immensely.
Swallowing, Chihiro went back upstairs and began organizing things; she loaded the things into the backpack with blankets and clothes on bottom, followed by some spoons, a small pocket knife, two bottles, the baby formula, ten diapers. Chihiro would have to pack more just in case. A couple of small, soft baby toys, the last bottle of Yuuko's perfume, a picture of the family - when Chihiro had been very small - a small Polaroid camera, a small can of money (which currently held $72 - almost a hundred!) and another can that held vitamins, all the baby medicines, some childrens' Advil and Tylenol, and a few things that Chihiro didn't know what they were - but medicine all the same. The completely stuffed the main part, so on the left side pocket Chihiro put another few changes of socks and a couple of diapers and baby wipes and powder. On the right hand side pocket Chihiro decided she'd put a small circular can of ice and a bottle of ice water - in the front bottom pocket she decided on hot water, but wasn't sure how to keep it hot. She'd need hot water for the formula, though; she conceded to put a bottle of milk and a couple little bottles of baby mush with the ice water. There was still another pocket in the front, and Chihiro decided to put some food and any other last minute items in there.
Then she hid the almost-full backpack again and listened to Akio throwing up.
Good for him.
It was late afternoon by the time both Akio and Hiroshi were on their feet, and they called the hospital. Then they loaded into Akio's car - Yuuko's car - and went to pick Hikari up with the baby carrier - it was in the car that Chihiro thought of something that might support Hikari against her chest - that would be much easier. She'd have to ask Kiyuu.
They went to the place where the babies were kept, and there was Kiyuu with two other doctors, holding little Hikari in a pink blanket, dressed in a white body suit thing that snapped under her legs and a diaper. Chihiro was relieved to find her gorgeous big eyes hadn't changed color. She was smiling a little bit, making small sounds as Kiyuu bounced her slightly.
"There's my youngest daughter!" Akio said, taking Hikari from her. "hey, you," he said. "we're going to your new home!" he then gave Hikari to Hiroshi to talk to the doctors and sign some papers. Chihiro peered closely at Hiroshi as he held little Hikari - she felt an itch, an itch to try and snatch Hikari away.
Hikari cooed up at her big brother, but she began to make whimpering sounds as she looked into his eyes. His hold tightened, and Chihiro couldn't stop from crying out in fear for her sister just as Hikari burst into loud, screaming tears.
"Don't scream like that, you're scaring the baby!" Akio scolded, taking Hikari away and trying to get her from crying.
"I wanna hold her!" Chihiro cried instantly.
"No! you're too young and you would probably drop her - you're the one that made her cry in the first place!" Akio snapped. Chihiro felt tears well up, but out of the blurry corners of her eye, she could see Kiyuu and the other two doctors watching closely. She became aware that she hadn't covered a bruise on her chin with some make-up.
And she would NOT cry in front of THEM - not the doctors and her friend - but Akio and Hiroshi. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
"I didn't make her cry, Hiroshi squeezed her too hard."
She took a deep breath. "I can make her stop crying!"
Akio ignored her and handed the screaming struggling baby back to Hiroshi, who smirked. "Here, imouto, make a miracle," he snarled, kneeling and shoving Hikari into Chihiro's arms.
Chihiro held Hikari softly, supporting her neck, back, and rear end. She looked deep into Hikari's tear-strained eyes, and tried to talk to her mentally, tried to reach her through some way where nobody but she could hear her.
'Don't cry baby sister, I'm here, and I'll protect you! we're running away from those bad people,' she thought hard, staring hard into Hikari's beautiful eyes.
Hikari's screams stilled to complete silence. She blinked a few times, staring at Chihiro in confusion.
"My, Miss Ogino, what a way with kids!" Kiyuu said, attracting the attentions of the others. Chihiro tore her eyes gently away from Hikari, who seemed to snap out of something and began to coo again. Chihiro walked over to Kiyuu, who knelt down and repositioned her hold.
"Kiyuu-san, is there a baby carrier that I can hold Hikari on my stomach, like a baby backpack?"
"Yes there is, though I don't think that there's any that would fit you."
They spoke in low whispers.
"Could you get one that would fit Hikari and me?" Chihiro asked hopefully. Kiyuu melted at the look on the young girl's face, and ran a finger over the bruise on Chihiro's chin.
"I guess I could order a special one - it would take a week at least, though, to get here. Do you mind?"
Chihiro thought a moment. Could she keep herself and Hikari alive? Pretend to be sick, and lock Hikari in her room when she wasn't with her. It would have to work. Safe transportation was a necessity.
"Yeah, thank you very, very much Kiyuu-san."
"No problem. Sometimes I hate being so nice - sheesh."
Chihiro smiled a little bit. She had finished the yard from the one family, and was pretty sure she could bring Hikari to the café.
Akio and Hiroshi both left after making sure that Hikari was asleep in her crib (neither noticing the missing things - jerks) and Chihiro watched them both leave one at a time. Taking a deep breath, she called Usagie's cell and then wrapped Hikari up in some blankets, shockingly not waking her. She was so sweet.
Usagie picked her up, and with a small laugh agreed to skip running around dirty tables for watching Hikari.
That week passed slower than Chihiro would have liked it to, but she did make twenty all together from tips and another five from tripping a flower bed down the street. She had close enough to a hundred dollars, and decided that it would be enough.
As she had planned before, she put Hikari to bed in her own room at nights, and taught herself how to feed her little sister who didn't seem to like the baby mush very much. She also learned the ups and downs of changing diapers - things went better then planned, and she managed to stay conscious after every one of her nightly beatings, and a few day time ones. She did go to school three days, but managed to play sick the rest of the time, instead going to the café to work, and going over her plan.
She added some more things, including a few maps. She thought up excuses to stay in inns for nights - fooling that her parents were there or coming, or whatever she would have to do.
Finally, Kiyuu picked her up on what would be her last day in Tokyo (Chihiro supposed) and showed her how to work the thing over her back and front, getting Hikari comfortable in it. That day, Chihiro had an idea - she asked Usagie to give her a ride to the bus station and wait with her.
Usagie agreed, not knowing where the six-year-old lived. But she soon found out when Chihiro explained they would have to stop by her house for her stuff - now Usagie was suspicious, but all the same, she did as asked. she wondered why Hikari wasn't dropped off at the house, but at the bus stop Chihiro put Hikari in the cloth carrier over her stomach, then put the backpack on. She smiled up at Usagie and thanked her, saying she could go if she wanted.
Usagie, however, waited with her until the bus came, and saw her off. Chihiro paid her bus fare, then sat down with little Hikari on her lap. Traveling by bus there! Why hadn't she thought of it before? 'stupid, stupid, stupid!' she thought while staring out the window. 'go ahead and recklessly risk Hikari's life why don'tcha!'
Hikari yawned and eventually fell to sleep. And Chihiro held her close, bringing her knees up as best she could.
"We're free, Kari-chan," she whispered, more joy than Chihiro had felt in ages in those few uttered words. "we're free."
Hikari slept on.
Since Chihiro hadn't originally planned on riding the bus to the next town, she just stayed on this one until it came to the edge of town. Then, after some asking around, she transferred to a bus that would take her out of town. After paying the fare, she decided that she would go out as far as this bus went out, and that was a small, little tiny town between Tokyo and Saitama. Pulling out her map, Chihiro tried to figure out where they would go from there.
As far away as possible.
Aomori? Okayama? North or South? She'd have to worry about that later. But those would be one of their new homes, Chihiro decided. She reviewed her lies about getting a room in a hotel or motel, and reflected on her friends. She had originally planned to travel along the Kohaku River - did it miss her? She certainly missed it. and she missed Rumi, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Usagie, Kiyuu, and Sensei, and Yuuko.
Softly, she cried. Every few hours, Hikari would start to fuss and threaten to cry, so Chihiro took out a bottle - the only bottle she had of warm water - and mixed a full bottle of formula, feeding her sparingly.
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It was dark when Chihiro got off the bus with only two other people, who seemed to know where they were going. Chihiro didn't. she looked around, watching the setting sun for a moment, then headed down the street, trying not to look hopelessly lost.
Apparently, she didn't do a very good job of this.
"Are you lost?" asked a voice. A man stood before her. Thinking quickly, Chihiro lied, "Not really, well, kinda, sorta. See, my family just moved here and this place is so large next to my old home!"
"Ah," he chuckled. "I understand. Hard to find a place smaller than this, eh? Where is your home?"
"I don't know. I was thinking I would find some place in an inn or something until my parents found me - I used to do that before. Except I don't know where the inn is!"
"I can help there," the man offered. "my nephew works at the only inn here in town - I could probably hook you up with a free room so your parents can find you, sonce technically it wouldn't really be staying there."
"Oh could you? thanks!"
Hikari stirred a little and made a small noise. She was waking up. Her diaper would need to be changed and she would need to be fed.
"Cute baby." The man grunted, and led her to a somewhat small two-story building. There he did just as he had said, and Chihiro occupied herself by changing Hikari's diaper, clothes, and fixing her up a bottle with the small microwave in the room. Not bad, for free. They didn't know she would be staying here all night - Chihiro felt a bit guilty about that.
She fixed her backpack by taking out the ice and things that would melt or rot or grow mold easily, and threw them away. her load would be lighter, now. Then she sat on the big bed next to Hikari, who was in the middle on her back, waving her arms around, both of which Chihiro had attached a small furry bracelet that jingled. There she looked over a guide to the town and decided that tomorrow morning early they would take the bus to Saitama next, and plan from there.
That done, after putting Hikari's jingle bracelets on her legs since she was hitting her head with them, Chihiro made half of another bottle of some formula.
Hikari fell asleep, though, just like Chihiro had wanted, and she washed the bottles and rechecked her backpack, slipping the Town Guide into one of her pockets. A little memoir. She wondered if Hiroshi and Akio had noticed the only two girls left in their house was missing? Chihiro giggled like an idiot and lay down curled next to/around Hikari, after setting the alarm clock next to the bed.
Not a bad place for free.
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The next morning, Hikari was well awake before the alarm, and decided to let Chihiro know she wanted her diaper changed. Loudly. So Chihiro started to change her diaper, then decided to give Hikari a bath while she still had a sink and warm water. When that was finished and Hikari was all ready- looking, it was six a.m. with a small groan, Chihiro went about fixing things, strapped Hikari up who mumfed something into her shoulder, staring fixedly at Chihiro's neck, since that was all she could look at, and sighed. She heated up a canister she had found - one of those coffee canisters - she filled it with water then heated the water in the microwave thing until it was boiling. She capped it and put it in her side pocket.
She fussed happily, though, when Chihiro put one of her jingle bracelets on her leg, and she kicked happily as they snuck out and to the bus stop. Five minutes early, Chihiro decided that having Hikari kick her in the stomach repeatedly wasn't fun anymore, so she put the bracelet on Hikari's wrist, which the baby just loved.
The bus stopped at many places, bus stops in the middle of nowhere, and Chihiro suddenly wondered if she'd be able to get some train tickets? That would get her to one of the designated towns faster. How much did tickets cost? Did she have to be eighteen years or older to get some? Would Hikari need a ticket, or did infants ride free? She'd have to worry about that later.
While on the bus, Chihiro did all sorts of things with Hikari. She sang softly, did a one-girl-version of patty-cake, tickled Hikari, smiled with her, laughed while Hikari fussed over the littlest things. And she fed her, of course. Hikari seemed to want to eat every few hours, it seemed - Kiyuu had said something about that, but Chihiro wasn't sure. She had been told that babies shouldn't be fed solids until they were a year old at least. She wondered about that - the can of baby formula wouldn't last forever. And certainly not a year long. Yuuko had never liked breast feeding, and that was where the formula came in.
But still, the littlest things would make Hikari's eyes widen in awe and little sounds to escape her throat, and her arms to try and reach out to it. currently, this was Chihiro's whispy hair, which was mussed up and everywhere like usual. After she had washed her face, the bruises showed more clearly, but were eager to fade. Many people stared - since when did unknown little girls with messed up clothes and hair and bruises carrying tiny babies and a full backpack too large go ride buses around nowhere? Chihiro ignored them, and instead balanced Hikari carefully in her lap and fed her some more.
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It was dark when she got off the bus, and she had to go to the bathroom, needed to change Hikari's diaper (Hikari thought so too), and she was incredibly hungry. Not to mention she had missed her original stop about an hour back. So she was lost, and the sun was fully set this time. This town was bigger then the last one, so a few people were still walking around, but there was no kind old man to get her a free room in what was probably a very expensive motel. Or had it been a hotel? She could never tell the difference.
Hikari began to fuss, louder, shifting slightly - obviously not liking the stuff in her pants. Looking around, Chihiro found an alley way, and pulling out a flashlight changed her diaper behind a dumpster. Then she ate some rice balls out of her backpack and wrapped herself and Hikari in some blankets.
She fed Hikari again, then sighed and suddenly wondered something; if she carried Hikari around all her life, would her baby sister ever learn to walk? What about the weather? Chihiro shivered as coold winds began to blow. November? But she would not object to a late snow fall. She was still cold, though, and after a moment wrapped Hikari tightly in the blankets and put everything back, then walked out of the alleyway, unsure of what to do. Wind nipped at her skin and tossed her hair carelessly around, and Hiakri made a tiny sound that Chihiro did not hear.
Sighing, she began her search for an inn.
Luckily, she found one. But they wouldn't give her a room because she was too young.
Go figure.
It was too expensive anyway.
Finally she said she had been kidding and that her parents were already there, then went to the top most floor and hid in a closet that had a vent.
Chihiro got absolutely no sleep that night, as each time she finally started to nod off Hikari would threaten to cry unless fed.
She left early in the morning after eating some thing herself (rice balls - all she had packed) and outside in the morning cold she took a map and tried to figure things out, then wrnt o the bus stop and waited for the bus. Sleepily, she sat in the back, shielded, and changed Hikari's diaper, throwing it in a garbage can in the front. Nobody really noticed her.
Only one of Hikari's bottles was clean, and the thermostat or whatever it was was only lukewarm. So she made one bottle and fed Hikari sparingly throughout the day.
They reached another smaller town - the last of that bus's - and Chihiro got off. It was around five-thirty.
She found some public bathrooms, and washed Hikari's bottles, and changed her diaper and clothes. Then she went in search of a place to heat up some more water and found a map. She could take another night bus in an hour to Saitama. It would take all night and probably in to the morning, but Chihiro decided once she was there she would find a place for sure. This wasn't going at all as she had planned.
Finally she abandoned all sense of pride and common sense, and went to the nearest house. A man answered, and she explained that she needed to heat some water up in her hot thing. It turned out the man's wife was expecting child soon, and they both welcomed Chihiro and Hikari with open arms.
Finally, after much questioning and evading, Chihiro ended up blurting out her entire story to Miya and Kai, and they listened. When she was finished, they of course wanted to call the police and send her home, but Chihiro told them about Hiroshi and Akio, and the threat made to Hikari - and her - and after some more convincing, she managed to convince them to let her alone.
"We can't just send a six-year-old out alone," Miya argued. Her stomach was huge and round, and for a moment Chihiro thought she had had too many Twinkies before remembering her soon-to-be baby.
"I agree," Kai said, and he thought a moment. "why don't you and Hikari stay here for the night? We can call the Child Abuse Hotline..."
"NO! please," Chihiro said. "it'll only make things worse. I have some relatives in Nagano, my aunt and uncle and cousin, and they'll take care of me and everything. Please, let them handle things! I'm sorry to be such a terrible bother to you."
"Not a bother at all!" Miya cried, hugging Chihiro akwardly. "you poor thing, you've been through more than any body should go through. Especially gifted and talented six-year-olds! You stay here for the night, now, and we'll get you to Nagano, okay?" she paused, then seemed at a loss as to what to do then say next.
"I'll go with Chihiro and H8ikari on the train there," Kai said. "and drop her off at a bus station there - we can prganize to have her aunt and uncle meet her up there."
"Yes, you must call them," Miya urged. She pushed a phone to Chihiro, which she picked up and dutifully pushed random nubers. A recording met her ears, the same 'bee beep bleep! We're sorry! The number you have dialed does not exist! Please hang up and try again!' over and over, but Chihiro spoke rapidly.
"Michi mochi? Is Ogino there?" she paused as though listening. "hi aunt Jess! It's me, Chihiro," she paused. "um, Hikari was born and everyhting and other things - it's a very long story. Can I come and visit? No... daddy and Hiroshi are both gone and said if I organized something I could come... no! it's okay, Hikari and I have a ride there, you just need to meet us somewhere - no! I know the difference between an ax murderer and a kind stranger. No... okay... McDonalds, alright? Kay! Bai-bai!" she hung up just as Kai asked to speak to them. He shook his head.
"Never mind," he said. "so we're meeting them at McDonalds?"
"Yeah," Chihiro said. On the floor in the living room, Hikari woke up and began to fuss then cry. Chihiro jumped up and took her now-hot-water-filled thing and began to make a bottle, but Miya waddled over and did it for her.
"I'll need to practice," she explained. They gave Chihiro some more diapers for Hikari, and the next day Kai took her to a train station. They rode all day, got a place for the night, rode the next day, another place for the night, and on the afternoon of the third day they reached their destination.
At a McDonalds that Chihiro chose randomly, Kai went to go to the bathroom, and Chihiro scrawled a quick note thanking him and Miya and apologizing for wasting so much of their things money and time. She left a ten dollar bill, and then left at a run with Hikari.
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A/N: Okay, next chap coming soon. Any questions then ask, okay?
Okay, you know how I said Haku wasn't a spirit? I lied. IN THIS HAKU IS STILL ONE HUNDRED PERCENT RIVER SPIRIT of the Kohaku River, unless I change it. I'll need to make a few time jumps, though, too. Big ones, you know? But that will be for later. I mean, can I really write four-five-six-seven years of nothing until they meet? I mean, God. But I won't jump by YEARS. I'll jump by weeks and/or months. Less, maybe. Sorry! Those will be very uneventful weeks for our heroines. And since when is running away uneventful? ~_^ lol, and who says Akio and Hiroshi will just go "Yippee she's gone" huh, huh, huh? They'll be mad. Angry. Probably beat up on each other, then the victor (the one who isn't in the hospital) will probably track down the girls and kill 'em.
HEY, it's an AU. Anything can happen, right? Lol!
Also, as (I doubt) a few of you noticed, I've made a couple of changes: One, Hikari is two months old, not one. Geeze, I'm a babysitter not a mother - took me a while to figure that stuff out. -_-0 so now I'm, like, on mothers dot come or whatever trying to figure out Hikari's role - she's not like other babies, for reasons I'll tell later (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) so she'll learn and grow stronger faster, and she'll be highly tolerant - she has wisdom beyond her age. It'll just take a while to unearth, that's all. she plays a big part in getting Chihiro to the Spirit World. *claps hands to mouth as eyes grow wide* oh, did I just say that out loud? *faints* oh well, I suppose you would have kicked it out of me sooner or later, you readers being so *clever* and all. ^_^? lol
Disclaimer: I do NOT own "Spirited Away" a.k.a. "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi." Get that? Got that? Good.
Chapter Started: 5/8/03
Chapter Finished: 5/10/03
One Week after the last chapter
Third Person POV
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.
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Chihiro moaned and pushed her aching muscles to their limit; she got up, slamming a small and sore yet tough fist down on her bleeping alarm clock. Hikari was coming home today. Chihiro knew that Akio would leave her alone when he wasn't drunk.
She shivered, remembering Hiroshi's death threats.
And she was especially sore from last night's "punishments". Hiroshi had just collapsed in his bed when Akio had stumbled in.
They were both hung over, so she knew, when they were sleeping in, hung over, that was her time alone in the house with their presence. Carefully getting dressed, Chihiro realized she hadn't put yesterday's earnings in her hiding spot. She scolded herself, and put the bills where they belonged.
Her door-to-door plan hadn't been very good, but at one house (with a terrible yard) they said they would pay her twenty if she could have it ship shape in any amount of time, and another an old granny had taken pity on her and let her weed her garden and water it for five.
And five was still something.
Tips were pretty small too, but Chihiro's skills of a waitress were improving, and Madame Zoltanne had said that if Chihiro stayed with them, she would get the actual job when she was ten.
Hearing this made Chihiro feel bad, because she wouldn't be there by the time she was ten, not if she had a say about it. all of them - Rumi, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Usagie, Kiyuu, Sensei - she wouldn't see any of them again. But she wouldn't see Yuuko ever again either.
Or Akio nor Hiroshi.
Chihiro cried and forced herself to eat something. Today was Saturday and Chihiro knew she wouldn't get any where today or tonight. Tomorrow - tomorrow night, that was when Hikari and Chihiro would leave. While munching on the toast, Chihiro wondered again and again how she would get Hikari around with her - she was still a baby, fragile, and from what Kiyuu had told her, supporting Hikari's neck the wrong way could kill her! She was at a loss as to of what to do. And Hikari would be bigger, too - and heavier. A baby and large and filled backpack would slow her down immensely.
Swallowing, Chihiro went back upstairs and began organizing things; she loaded the things into the backpack with blankets and clothes on bottom, followed by some spoons, a small pocket knife, two bottles, the baby formula, ten diapers. Chihiro would have to pack more just in case. A couple of small, soft baby toys, the last bottle of Yuuko's perfume, a picture of the family - when Chihiro had been very small - a small Polaroid camera, a small can of money (which currently held $72 - almost a hundred!) and another can that held vitamins, all the baby medicines, some childrens' Advil and Tylenol, and a few things that Chihiro didn't know what they were - but medicine all the same. The completely stuffed the main part, so on the left side pocket Chihiro put another few changes of socks and a couple of diapers and baby wipes and powder. On the right hand side pocket Chihiro decided she'd put a small circular can of ice and a bottle of ice water - in the front bottom pocket she decided on hot water, but wasn't sure how to keep it hot. She'd need hot water for the formula, though; she conceded to put a bottle of milk and a couple little bottles of baby mush with the ice water. There was still another pocket in the front, and Chihiro decided to put some food and any other last minute items in there.
Then she hid the almost-full backpack again and listened to Akio throwing up.
Good for him.
It was late afternoon by the time both Akio and Hiroshi were on their feet, and they called the hospital. Then they loaded into Akio's car - Yuuko's car - and went to pick Hikari up with the baby carrier - it was in the car that Chihiro thought of something that might support Hikari against her chest - that would be much easier. She'd have to ask Kiyuu.
They went to the place where the babies were kept, and there was Kiyuu with two other doctors, holding little Hikari in a pink blanket, dressed in a white body suit thing that snapped under her legs and a diaper. Chihiro was relieved to find her gorgeous big eyes hadn't changed color. She was smiling a little bit, making small sounds as Kiyuu bounced her slightly.
"There's my youngest daughter!" Akio said, taking Hikari from her. "hey, you," he said. "we're going to your new home!" he then gave Hikari to Hiroshi to talk to the doctors and sign some papers. Chihiro peered closely at Hiroshi as he held little Hikari - she felt an itch, an itch to try and snatch Hikari away.
Hikari cooed up at her big brother, but she began to make whimpering sounds as she looked into his eyes. His hold tightened, and Chihiro couldn't stop from crying out in fear for her sister just as Hikari burst into loud, screaming tears.
"Don't scream like that, you're scaring the baby!" Akio scolded, taking Hikari away and trying to get her from crying.
"I wanna hold her!" Chihiro cried instantly.
"No! you're too young and you would probably drop her - you're the one that made her cry in the first place!" Akio snapped. Chihiro felt tears well up, but out of the blurry corners of her eye, she could see Kiyuu and the other two doctors watching closely. She became aware that she hadn't covered a bruise on her chin with some make-up.
And she would NOT cry in front of THEM - not the doctors and her friend - but Akio and Hiroshi. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
"I didn't make her cry, Hiroshi squeezed her too hard."
She took a deep breath. "I can make her stop crying!"
Akio ignored her and handed the screaming struggling baby back to Hiroshi, who smirked. "Here, imouto, make a miracle," he snarled, kneeling and shoving Hikari into Chihiro's arms.
Chihiro held Hikari softly, supporting her neck, back, and rear end. She looked deep into Hikari's tear-strained eyes, and tried to talk to her mentally, tried to reach her through some way where nobody but she could hear her.
'Don't cry baby sister, I'm here, and I'll protect you! we're running away from those bad people,' she thought hard, staring hard into Hikari's beautiful eyes.
Hikari's screams stilled to complete silence. She blinked a few times, staring at Chihiro in confusion.
"My, Miss Ogino, what a way with kids!" Kiyuu said, attracting the attentions of the others. Chihiro tore her eyes gently away from Hikari, who seemed to snap out of something and began to coo again. Chihiro walked over to Kiyuu, who knelt down and repositioned her hold.
"Kiyuu-san, is there a baby carrier that I can hold Hikari on my stomach, like a baby backpack?"
"Yes there is, though I don't think that there's any that would fit you."
They spoke in low whispers.
"Could you get one that would fit Hikari and me?" Chihiro asked hopefully. Kiyuu melted at the look on the young girl's face, and ran a finger over the bruise on Chihiro's chin.
"I guess I could order a special one - it would take a week at least, though, to get here. Do you mind?"
Chihiro thought a moment. Could she keep herself and Hikari alive? Pretend to be sick, and lock Hikari in her room when she wasn't with her. It would have to work. Safe transportation was a necessity.
"Yeah, thank you very, very much Kiyuu-san."
"No problem. Sometimes I hate being so nice - sheesh."
Chihiro smiled a little bit. She had finished the yard from the one family, and was pretty sure she could bring Hikari to the café.
Akio and Hiroshi both left after making sure that Hikari was asleep in her crib (neither noticing the missing things - jerks) and Chihiro watched them both leave one at a time. Taking a deep breath, she called Usagie's cell and then wrapped Hikari up in some blankets, shockingly not waking her. She was so sweet.
Usagie picked her up, and with a small laugh agreed to skip running around dirty tables for watching Hikari.
That week passed slower than Chihiro would have liked it to, but she did make twenty all together from tips and another five from tripping a flower bed down the street. She had close enough to a hundred dollars, and decided that it would be enough.
As she had planned before, she put Hikari to bed in her own room at nights, and taught herself how to feed her little sister who didn't seem to like the baby mush very much. She also learned the ups and downs of changing diapers - things went better then planned, and she managed to stay conscious after every one of her nightly beatings, and a few day time ones. She did go to school three days, but managed to play sick the rest of the time, instead going to the café to work, and going over her plan.
She added some more things, including a few maps. She thought up excuses to stay in inns for nights - fooling that her parents were there or coming, or whatever she would have to do.
Finally, Kiyuu picked her up on what would be her last day in Tokyo (Chihiro supposed) and showed her how to work the thing over her back and front, getting Hikari comfortable in it. That day, Chihiro had an idea - she asked Usagie to give her a ride to the bus station and wait with her.
Usagie agreed, not knowing where the six-year-old lived. But she soon found out when Chihiro explained they would have to stop by her house for her stuff - now Usagie was suspicious, but all the same, she did as asked. she wondered why Hikari wasn't dropped off at the house, but at the bus stop Chihiro put Hikari in the cloth carrier over her stomach, then put the backpack on. She smiled up at Usagie and thanked her, saying she could go if she wanted.
Usagie, however, waited with her until the bus came, and saw her off. Chihiro paid her bus fare, then sat down with little Hikari on her lap. Traveling by bus there! Why hadn't she thought of it before? 'stupid, stupid, stupid!' she thought while staring out the window. 'go ahead and recklessly risk Hikari's life why don'tcha!'
Hikari yawned and eventually fell to sleep. And Chihiro held her close, bringing her knees up as best she could.
"We're free, Kari-chan," she whispered, more joy than Chihiro had felt in ages in those few uttered words. "we're free."
Hikari slept on.
Since Chihiro hadn't originally planned on riding the bus to the next town, she just stayed on this one until it came to the edge of town. Then, after some asking around, she transferred to a bus that would take her out of town. After paying the fare, she decided that she would go out as far as this bus went out, and that was a small, little tiny town between Tokyo and Saitama. Pulling out her map, Chihiro tried to figure out where they would go from there.
As far away as possible.
Aomori? Okayama? North or South? She'd have to worry about that later. But those would be one of their new homes, Chihiro decided. She reviewed her lies about getting a room in a hotel or motel, and reflected on her friends. She had originally planned to travel along the Kohaku River - did it miss her? She certainly missed it. and she missed Rumi, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Usagie, Kiyuu, and Sensei, and Yuuko.
Softly, she cried. Every few hours, Hikari would start to fuss and threaten to cry, so Chihiro took out a bottle - the only bottle she had of warm water - and mixed a full bottle of formula, feeding her sparingly.
.
It was dark when Chihiro got off the bus with only two other people, who seemed to know where they were going. Chihiro didn't. she looked around, watching the setting sun for a moment, then headed down the street, trying not to look hopelessly lost.
Apparently, she didn't do a very good job of this.
"Are you lost?" asked a voice. A man stood before her. Thinking quickly, Chihiro lied, "Not really, well, kinda, sorta. See, my family just moved here and this place is so large next to my old home!"
"Ah," he chuckled. "I understand. Hard to find a place smaller than this, eh? Where is your home?"
"I don't know. I was thinking I would find some place in an inn or something until my parents found me - I used to do that before. Except I don't know where the inn is!"
"I can help there," the man offered. "my nephew works at the only inn here in town - I could probably hook you up with a free room so your parents can find you, sonce technically it wouldn't really be staying there."
"Oh could you? thanks!"
Hikari stirred a little and made a small noise. She was waking up. Her diaper would need to be changed and she would need to be fed.
"Cute baby." The man grunted, and led her to a somewhat small two-story building. There he did just as he had said, and Chihiro occupied herself by changing Hikari's diaper, clothes, and fixing her up a bottle with the small microwave in the room. Not bad, for free. They didn't know she would be staying here all night - Chihiro felt a bit guilty about that.
She fixed her backpack by taking out the ice and things that would melt or rot or grow mold easily, and threw them away. her load would be lighter, now. Then she sat on the big bed next to Hikari, who was in the middle on her back, waving her arms around, both of which Chihiro had attached a small furry bracelet that jingled. There she looked over a guide to the town and decided that tomorrow morning early they would take the bus to Saitama next, and plan from there.
That done, after putting Hikari's jingle bracelets on her legs since she was hitting her head with them, Chihiro made half of another bottle of some formula.
Hikari fell asleep, though, just like Chihiro had wanted, and she washed the bottles and rechecked her backpack, slipping the Town Guide into one of her pockets. A little memoir. She wondered if Hiroshi and Akio had noticed the only two girls left in their house was missing? Chihiro giggled like an idiot and lay down curled next to/around Hikari, after setting the alarm clock next to the bed.
Not a bad place for free.
.
The next morning, Hikari was well awake before the alarm, and decided to let Chihiro know she wanted her diaper changed. Loudly. So Chihiro started to change her diaper, then decided to give Hikari a bath while she still had a sink and warm water. When that was finished and Hikari was all ready- looking, it was six a.m. with a small groan, Chihiro went about fixing things, strapped Hikari up who mumfed something into her shoulder, staring fixedly at Chihiro's neck, since that was all she could look at, and sighed. She heated up a canister she had found - one of those coffee canisters - she filled it with water then heated the water in the microwave thing until it was boiling. She capped it and put it in her side pocket.
She fussed happily, though, when Chihiro put one of her jingle bracelets on her leg, and she kicked happily as they snuck out and to the bus stop. Five minutes early, Chihiro decided that having Hikari kick her in the stomach repeatedly wasn't fun anymore, so she put the bracelet on Hikari's wrist, which the baby just loved.
The bus stopped at many places, bus stops in the middle of nowhere, and Chihiro suddenly wondered if she'd be able to get some train tickets? That would get her to one of the designated towns faster. How much did tickets cost? Did she have to be eighteen years or older to get some? Would Hikari need a ticket, or did infants ride free? She'd have to worry about that later.
While on the bus, Chihiro did all sorts of things with Hikari. She sang softly, did a one-girl-version of patty-cake, tickled Hikari, smiled with her, laughed while Hikari fussed over the littlest things. And she fed her, of course. Hikari seemed to want to eat every few hours, it seemed - Kiyuu had said something about that, but Chihiro wasn't sure. She had been told that babies shouldn't be fed solids until they were a year old at least. She wondered about that - the can of baby formula wouldn't last forever. And certainly not a year long. Yuuko had never liked breast feeding, and that was where the formula came in.
But still, the littlest things would make Hikari's eyes widen in awe and little sounds to escape her throat, and her arms to try and reach out to it. currently, this was Chihiro's whispy hair, which was mussed up and everywhere like usual. After she had washed her face, the bruises showed more clearly, but were eager to fade. Many people stared - since when did unknown little girls with messed up clothes and hair and bruises carrying tiny babies and a full backpack too large go ride buses around nowhere? Chihiro ignored them, and instead balanced Hikari carefully in her lap and fed her some more.
.
It was dark when she got off the bus, and she had to go to the bathroom, needed to change Hikari's diaper (Hikari thought so too), and she was incredibly hungry. Not to mention she had missed her original stop about an hour back. So she was lost, and the sun was fully set this time. This town was bigger then the last one, so a few people were still walking around, but there was no kind old man to get her a free room in what was probably a very expensive motel. Or had it been a hotel? She could never tell the difference.
Hikari began to fuss, louder, shifting slightly - obviously not liking the stuff in her pants. Looking around, Chihiro found an alley way, and pulling out a flashlight changed her diaper behind a dumpster. Then she ate some rice balls out of her backpack and wrapped herself and Hikari in some blankets.
She fed Hikari again, then sighed and suddenly wondered something; if she carried Hikari around all her life, would her baby sister ever learn to walk? What about the weather? Chihiro shivered as coold winds began to blow. November? But she would not object to a late snow fall. She was still cold, though, and after a moment wrapped Hikari tightly in the blankets and put everything back, then walked out of the alleyway, unsure of what to do. Wind nipped at her skin and tossed her hair carelessly around, and Hiakri made a tiny sound that Chihiro did not hear.
Sighing, she began her search for an inn.
Luckily, she found one. But they wouldn't give her a room because she was too young.
Go figure.
It was too expensive anyway.
Finally she said she had been kidding and that her parents were already there, then went to the top most floor and hid in a closet that had a vent.
Chihiro got absolutely no sleep that night, as each time she finally started to nod off Hikari would threaten to cry unless fed.
She left early in the morning after eating some thing herself (rice balls - all she had packed) and outside in the morning cold she took a map and tried to figure things out, then wrnt o the bus stop and waited for the bus. Sleepily, she sat in the back, shielded, and changed Hikari's diaper, throwing it in a garbage can in the front. Nobody really noticed her.
Only one of Hikari's bottles was clean, and the thermostat or whatever it was was only lukewarm. So she made one bottle and fed Hikari sparingly throughout the day.
They reached another smaller town - the last of that bus's - and Chihiro got off. It was around five-thirty.
She found some public bathrooms, and washed Hikari's bottles, and changed her diaper and clothes. Then she went in search of a place to heat up some more water and found a map. She could take another night bus in an hour to Saitama. It would take all night and probably in to the morning, but Chihiro decided once she was there she would find a place for sure. This wasn't going at all as she had planned.
Finally she abandoned all sense of pride and common sense, and went to the nearest house. A man answered, and she explained that she needed to heat some water up in her hot thing. It turned out the man's wife was expecting child soon, and they both welcomed Chihiro and Hikari with open arms.
Finally, after much questioning and evading, Chihiro ended up blurting out her entire story to Miya and Kai, and they listened. When she was finished, they of course wanted to call the police and send her home, but Chihiro told them about Hiroshi and Akio, and the threat made to Hikari - and her - and after some more convincing, she managed to convince them to let her alone.
"We can't just send a six-year-old out alone," Miya argued. Her stomach was huge and round, and for a moment Chihiro thought she had had too many Twinkies before remembering her soon-to-be baby.
"I agree," Kai said, and he thought a moment. "why don't you and Hikari stay here for the night? We can call the Child Abuse Hotline..."
"NO! please," Chihiro said. "it'll only make things worse. I have some relatives in Nagano, my aunt and uncle and cousin, and they'll take care of me and everything. Please, let them handle things! I'm sorry to be such a terrible bother to you."
"Not a bother at all!" Miya cried, hugging Chihiro akwardly. "you poor thing, you've been through more than any body should go through. Especially gifted and talented six-year-olds! You stay here for the night, now, and we'll get you to Nagano, okay?" she paused, then seemed at a loss as to what to do then say next.
"I'll go with Chihiro and H8ikari on the train there," Kai said. "and drop her off at a bus station there - we can prganize to have her aunt and uncle meet her up there."
"Yes, you must call them," Miya urged. She pushed a phone to Chihiro, which she picked up and dutifully pushed random nubers. A recording met her ears, the same 'bee beep bleep! We're sorry! The number you have dialed does not exist! Please hang up and try again!' over and over, but Chihiro spoke rapidly.
"Michi mochi? Is Ogino there?" she paused as though listening. "hi aunt Jess! It's me, Chihiro," she paused. "um, Hikari was born and everyhting and other things - it's a very long story. Can I come and visit? No... daddy and Hiroshi are both gone and said if I organized something I could come... no! it's okay, Hikari and I have a ride there, you just need to meet us somewhere - no! I know the difference between an ax murderer and a kind stranger. No... okay... McDonalds, alright? Kay! Bai-bai!" she hung up just as Kai asked to speak to them. He shook his head.
"Never mind," he said. "so we're meeting them at McDonalds?"
"Yeah," Chihiro said. On the floor in the living room, Hikari woke up and began to fuss then cry. Chihiro jumped up and took her now-hot-water-filled thing and began to make a bottle, but Miya waddled over and did it for her.
"I'll need to practice," she explained. They gave Chihiro some more diapers for Hikari, and the next day Kai took her to a train station. They rode all day, got a place for the night, rode the next day, another place for the night, and on the afternoon of the third day they reached their destination.
At a McDonalds that Chihiro chose randomly, Kai went to go to the bathroom, and Chihiro scrawled a quick note thanking him and Miya and apologizing for wasting so much of their things money and time. She left a ten dollar bill, and then left at a run with Hikari.
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A/N: Okay, next chap coming soon. Any questions then ask, okay?