Don't Dream

A.N: Wow, reviews already! Thank you all so much! Normally I wouldn't update this quickly, but I was feeling creative tonight. I'll probably update once a week or so. If anyone has a better title, because this one has nothing to do with the actually story. ^-^ I only called it that because I was listening to the song 'Don't Dream, It's Over' by Sixpence None the Richer. Anyway, enjoy the story! Sorry it's a bit short, but hey, a cliffhanger!

Chihiro avoided it like the plague. She was embarrassed enough about telling her classmate about her strange dreams, but to go into details? Besides, the dreams scared her. They were so real sometimes, like memories instead of something her subconscious mind dreamed up.

At last, Yukio took the subtle hint that she did not wish to talk about her dreams. She changed the subject at least fives time, squirmed about on the branch, fiddled with the purple hair band on her wrist, and did everything to avoid answering. Finally, Yukio understood. She began to relax once more as they chatted about school nearly over, with only a few months left until summer freedom.

"What are you going to do for the summer, Chihiro?"

She shrugged, "Nothing that I know of. Are you going somewhere?"

Yukio shook his head, and it was then that the girl realized just how late it had become. The sun was on the edge of the horizon, on the verge of setting, casting an array of bright colors into the sky. She twisted around to see the rest of the sky, now a deep navy and quickly darkening. "My mom's going to kill me!" She yelped, swinging one of her legs free from the branch.

She began to slide off the branch when Yukio caught her wrist tightly. She paused and glanced back at him, then at his hand wrapped tightly around her arm. She saw the tattoo there, its eyes seeming to glow in the dark, still staring straight at her with that solemn expression. Yukio half pulled her back onto the branch, "Don't leave yet."

"I can't, Yukio. I really need to go." She wondered briefly what her mother would think. Here she was, in her school uniform, sitting in a tree with a boy. She liked Yukio and all, he was a good friend, but he had a tendency to get into trouble. And often during class, she would catch him staring at her with surprising intensity. At the beginning of the school year, when Yukio first arrived at the school, he had scared her. But now, she was glad she had gotten over her fear.

"Can I see your bracelet?"

"What?" She glanced sharply at her wrist as Yukio's fingers gently began to pull off her hair band. It sparkled brightly in the twilight air, despite the fact that there was no light. Chihiro suddenly found herself feeling protective of it, not wanting to let Yukio take it away from her, even if for a few moments. She jerked her hand away, holding the hair thing protectively.

"Let me see it, Chihiro," Yukio said in a low tone. This time it was not a question, but an order. He had never spoken to her like that before, and Chihiro found she was frightened by it. Before she could stop him, he had tightly grabbed her arm and yanked the purple elastic off her hand.

Chihiro gasped as she felt the fabric brush her fingertips then disappear in Yukio's grasp. She suddenly felt naked, as if that one little bracelet had been her only clothes, and she now was exposed. The night sky was darker, the breeze stiff and cold. She wanted her hair band back more than anything, it was hers, it was her protection.

"Give it back Yukio!" she snapped, lunging for it. He sneered, dangling it just beyond her grasp, "What's wrong Chihiro? Afraid I'll lose it?" The girl bit her lower lip, stretching desperately to get it back before Yukio dropped it and it disappeared into the long grass surrounding the tree. The boy did release it, the same smirk on his face as he watched Chihiro try to rescue her purple hair band.

It hung mid-air, just beyond her fingers, held by an unseen force. Chihiro's eyes were wide as she watched it stay in place, unaffected by breeze or gravity. "How--?" She whispered, stretching herself farther to grab it.

"No, no Sen," Yukio said, slapping her hand down. He motioned to the band; it floated over to his waiting palm, always out of reach of the girl. She watched its every movement warily, in disbelief as Yukio now slid it over his own wrist. "It's finally time to return," he said, standing on the branch as if it were as wide as a sidewalk.

Chihiro gaped up at him; asking numbly, "Return where?"

Yukio gave her a wicked grin, "The Spirit World. Home." He reached down and grabbed her hand, yanking her up rudely. Chihiro threw out her other arm for balance, looking down at the ground with fear; it was a long ways down. That's when Yukio jumped off the branch, pulling Chihiro with him.