Disclaimer – "Default Chapter" saids it all ^^*
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~*~ The Day the Dream Ended ~*~
Chapter 5 ~ Heartbeat
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Walking home alone silently in the sudden rainstorm, Chihiro finally had time to ponder over the events of the day…so normal a day it was when it started out, yet so unexpectedly strange it had turned out to be.
*Flashback*
"…and I said to him…Chihiro-chan? Chihiro! Are you still listening to me?" the noise of the students eating lunch in their classroom still did not dimmer the speaker's rather loud demand. Conversations stopped midway and heads turned towards the table at which Chihiro sat at, where her friends had proceeded to crowd around.
Snapping my head up sharply, I managed a rather cold smile at the speaker.
"Yeah, I'm still listening." I heard myself lie.
The girl looked taken aback at my reply. Seeing my cool response towards the girl, others around us began to pointedly ignore her as well, while those who knew me best began to look rather worried. Looking at me worriedly, Kasunami Chidori decided to speak up.
"Chihiro-chan," she began quietly beside me, "what's wrong?"
"I'm fine." Another lie.
"No, you're not." She replied firmly, knowing me too well. I smiled gently in reply, amused.
Of course, I thought as I turned towards her, after all, Chidori-chan and I have been friends ever since I moved here. She really understands me too well. However… As another thought about our childhood hit me, my smile slowly dissolved and was replaced by a slight frown despite my efforts to contain it. Telling her about this…won't help a bit. She thought it was all up in my head back then—it was all just a wonderful story…she won't believe me. I don't want to lose her too, when she's so physically real and close. I don't want to lose another friend…
*End Flashback*
I let my feet guide me to wherever they willed to take me to—all I cared about at the moment was to get away from everyone to think with a clear head.
I don't want to lose another friend…
Feeling a deep frown set on my face, I almost wondered aloud why I had thought of that at that moment. Lose another friend? Who said anything about losing anyone? And who would I lose anyway?
My strides sure and almost rigid, I continued my mindless march in the cold rain, having absolutely no destination—physically or mentally. My steps seemed to quicken to wherever they were going as another memory of today's events came back to me.
That voice, that strong feeling of his presence…that pain I felt… I wish someone would tell me what's going on.
I wish someone would tell me that he isn't hurting like I think he is.
I don't want him to be hurt…ever.
Wanting to slap myself for thinking about something—or someone, I corrected myself wryly—that was so far off and whose very existence was questionable, the only thing I found myself thinking of was that he was real.
And so were these unexplainable feelings I have for him.
My pace quickened; everything around me seemed to be blurred and soundless, my mind focused solely on reaching whatever destination my feet were taking me to.
I did not notice when the hairband-bracelet which Zeniiba had given me began to glow a bright pinkish-red as it pulsed against my bare skin, as if it were awakening from a deep slumber.
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A magical barrier…figures.
A certain boy stood before the wall of fire-like magic that could clearly be seen from his trained eyes. The boy—no, the young man, really—paced back and forth before the barrier, like a restless panther prowling the night. His dark hair, slightly longer in front, swayed almost viciously, keeping rhythm with his aggressive movements. Suddenly he halted in his steps, his mind admitting the realization that he had refused to allow himself to believe in.
"There's just no way out of here," he said to himself quietly, as if afraid to hear the words coming from his own mouth. "It's just like Yu-Baaba said…whoever it is that wants us destroyed wants to keep us in here…and away from the real world. But why?"
Looking toward the barrier, Haku could see the other side quite clearly. The view which greeted him from behind the barrier was a familiar sight: beyond the steps, green lands carpeted with lush grass as far as the eye could see, and flowers bloomed from the carpet of grass, adding their brilliant colors to the picture before him. After the little girl had left him there, he often found himself visiting this exact spot as if, somehow, it allowed him to hold onto memories of her…of the times he had with her.
Looking upward to the gray skies overhead, Haku frowned, feelings of worry making their presence known to his unwilling mind.
Even on the other side the storm is taking its effects. What will happen to them when our world is destroyed?
*Flashback*
"You do realize that this must have some sort of effect on the other world as well, since we are connected to one another." the old witch murmured almost to herself, but still loud enough to be heard by the other occupant of the large room. Receiving no response from her young companion, she continued.
"Our world is their shadow. They may not realize it, but our presence…it is important to them. We are their counterpart…a world for their spirits to rest in…to go to after their lives in the 'real' world is over. What will happen to them when the balance disappears? What will happen to them if we are destroyed? What happens to one part of a whole must happen to the other as well…does that mean they will be demolished along with us?"
Tearing her eyes from the destruction right before them, Yu-Baaba turned her burning gaze upon the young man, who currently looked too stunned by this revelation to school his features into their normal places.
"Unlike us, they do not have knowledge of what is going to happen to them. What will they do—no, what can they do—when the storm of destruction which we ourselves cannot defeat with our magics attack their world? They cannot save themselves. They will die along with us."
*End Flashback*
Images of a smiling young girl, dressed in the clothing of the Aburaya, and then in clothing which belonged to her world, flashed across his mind. Haku felt his features soften at her memories…then harden again with resolve as he thought of the added consequences of the matters at hand.
I have to get to her…I have to protect her. I won't allow her to get hurt.
I cannot allow her to get hurt.
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A lone figure sat by itself, features and even size indistinguishable by the absolute darkness of the room. Laughing soundlessly from its position, the figure continued to do so as it observed the raging storm from his magical seeing-windows, clearly taking delight at the destruction it was causing.
The time is almost at hand.
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Kasunami Chidori doesn't exist in the actual thing…I couldn't have Chihiro talk to herself throughout the whole thing (o_O), so I had to make up someone for her to talk to, even if just for this one time. However unknowingly cold-hearted I had made her to be (at least for now ^^*), she still has real friends…not just ppl who crowd around her for the purpose of the story XD
Our oh-so-wonderful and still unknown "villain" is also made up…I dunt have the heart to make any of the characters in it evil ^^* But you'll see…it's not exactly someone unfamiliar… *hint hint* However…I have to ask that you will *NOT* hurt me for "whoever or whatever" this guy is going to be in advance…it'll all turn out, you'll see. Just trust me and keep your rotten fruits to yourself!! ^^;;
Alrite…so I know nothing of a connection between the two worlds, so I kinda just made something up…but for the sake of the story, will ya live wiv that? Pleaseeee? *^^*
LoL…I'm almost done blabbing here…but apologies first… This chappie really was sorta slow… *ducks flying objects* That's what comes out of trying to figure out what's going on in the story and complete a single chappie after abandoning it for so long…gomen ne! Demo…this week was *extremely* hectic for me, and I had absolutely no time to work on anything, even in my spare class (lunch, and going out wiv friends aside…) ^^;; But I get next Friday off, and the Monday after, so hopefully the next chappie (for which I actually kinda know what to write already, really!) will be a lil more organized and move along faster. But hey, *brightens up* at least ya'll know Chihiro & Haku are both going someplace at the same time, ne?? Who knows? Mebbe they'll be able to meet next time… *hint hint*
Last thing…I wanna get another one-shot in (or mebbe another Spirited Away ficcy like I was talking about last time…more sappy than this thou :P ) before the next chappie comes out. Which would you prefer??
Later then!
~Aqua Sunshine ^^*
