A/N: Auuuuuuuughhh, sorry sorry, I've been experiencing writer's block.
Responses to reviewers:
animekid: I notice your name didn't show up on the review, but it did in my email (or maybe it's just my computer....), so ^^, juss lettin you know. Nigihayami is actually the real name of the "Kalaku River." If you watch the Japanese version, or just read the original translations of the Japanese script, Haku's real name turns out to be "Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi", _not_ Kalaku River.
QueSeraSera: Same with animekid; for some reason, your review only showed up in me email account and yup, it'll all clear up eventually. That is... at least, I _hope_ so. *Scratches head* Ppl tell me I have a tendency to leave out stuff, haha.
Holli Berri: I'm gonna assume you meant that in a good way. ^^
Baka_Naruto: I'll take that advice in mind. Honestly, I need more input like that on how to improve my writing.
Invisible Cheese Girl: Ninja monkeys...? o.O *Looks nervously over shoulder*
Cheesecake101: Don't worry, it'll be explained eventually. Maybe in a chapter or two.
Haku: For being my first reviewer.
Lady Geagua: For being my first _signed_ reviewer. x)
To the rest, thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!! *Tears*
ANYWAY, on with the story.
-----------------------
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Sen's chin rested on top of her fists as she watched the clock with boredom while the others diligently worked on their tests. Giving berth to a huge yawn, she dug through her bag and fished out her portable CD player. Putting in her ear headphones, she fumbled with the buttons until the familiar music of Linkin Park blasted in her ears; Sensei Daoimi was an understanding teacher and usually allowed some rules to be bent while others kept strict protocol.
The bell rang shrilly for lunch and loud talking filled the air as some lingered in the classroom while others dashed outside. Grabbing her books, Sen wandered past the pushing students to her locker. She frowned; the damn locker wouldn't open. Her patience wearing thin, she smacked the locker with her fist, cursing loudly in a string of Japanese curses.
"Having trouble?" Nigihayami was watching her with an amused look on his face. He glanced at her heavily dented locker and commented, "So you're the one that makes the school janitors cry."
She did not answer and yanked the locker open instead. As she dumped her books inside, Nigihayami heard a faint ring tone go off. Before he could say anything, Sen sighed and pulled out her cell from her pocket, snapping it open. Pulling off one of her ear-pieces, she intercepted the call. "...are you sure?" Silence. "How many?" She paused. "Hai." Flipping it shut, she slipped it back in her skirt pocket and put her ear-piece back in. Completely ignoring Nigihayami's presence, she turned her back on him and walked away.
Once she was outside the dim hallway, Sen made her way to a secluded quad where Chinatsu and her other friends ate lunch. Some of them perched on the tree while others chatted in the shade and Sen climbed up, feeling the leaves rustle when it made contact with her uniform. They made space for her but she climbed to a higher branch and settled in the hidden shadows. Looping her arm around one of the protruding branches, Sen closed her eyes.
Music still blasted in her ears at full volume but Sen was using a different sense than hearing. Noise dimmed out as time slowed and Sen could see everyone around her but not through her eyes. Her friends glowed with the steady pulsing red aura, and her mental eyes roamed past them, further out of the school. No... no... there! A milky white aura pulsed in her mind and Sen recognized its surroundings from right outside the school. Suddenly, Sen's eyes shot open and she slid down the tree, giving a lazy grin to the others, saying, "Bathroom."
Once she was out of their sights, Sen dashed to a shortcut and searced for any bystanders. Seeing no one, she jumped the fence gracefully, and hurried down the streets, into the secluded woods. Drawing out her hidden bow and arrows from a nearby tree, she shifted the quivers to her back and pulled out the dagger hidden underneath her shirt at her waist. She pricked her finger, flinging a streak of blood to the floor while she ran; the scent of human blood usually drew them out.
A shriek rang out in the air but Sen didn't hear it; she sensed it and leaped to a tree, finding her footing, then continued her pursuit in the trees. Silent, she crouched to a stop and with the blade between her teeth, she drew the string back to her ear and focused the arrow at the flying bird. Sen saw a little girl crying, her mouth open in a scream Sen couldn't hear as the deformed dog-sized bird with four wings swooped down to carry it away. An arrow sprouted in its wing and the deranged bird shrieked fury, its beady eyes seeking out the attacker.
As its lifeless eyes focused on Sen, she merely grinned and dashed deeper into the shadows. The furious red bird plunged after her, its sense of scent fixed on her blood, but shrieked as another arrow buried itself within its wings. Plummeting to the ground with a heavy thud, the bird slid to a stop and heaved itself back up, blood brimming upon its beak. -You dare to turn on your own kind!?-
"Just because they replaced my blood with one of your kind's doesn't make me one of you," Sen replied coldly.
A mocking chuckle resounded within Sen's head, drowning out the Linkin Park music still playing in her ears. -So, you play the little slave since they saved your life.-
Shadow clouded her eyes. "I didn't have a choice." She let loose another arrow.
Its mental chuckle was cut short as blood bubbled at its throat, an arrow sprouting in its neck. A glint flashed in the air and the bird's belly severed open, spilling out its decaying entrails. In a last act of defiance, the bird's talons suddenly raked across her arm, and crashed to the floor.
The bird limped; it had spent its energy by inflicting damage upon Sen, and it slowly disappeared, leaving a small shiny bead. Warily picking it up as she dropped to her knees, Sen eyed the three long scratches below her left wrist and cursed; it's been a while since she made a slip. Turning her head up, Sen's eyes locked with the frightened girl's from before.
Her small lips moved. "A...arigatou..."
Sen bolted, leaving no trace of her existence in the woods, save for the sniffling girl alone in the forest.
---------------------
Sen sighed as she wearily fingered the long white bandages wrapped around her arm. Two slip-ups in one day. What was the matter with her? Pulling out her phone from under the desk, she text-messaged, 'Phoenix HQ. The rogue bird-spirit makes 17. What are the status of the injured victims?'
A message was instantly returned. 'All five are deceased.'
Sen snapped her phone shut, slipping it back into her skirt pocket. Her ears tuning back into her surroundings, groans and mutters from the students filled her ears. Before she could ask anyone what happened, the bell rang, signalling the end of school. Shrugging, she took the paper on her desk and stuffed it into her bag, shifted it onto her back and walked with the crowd out the doors.
"Sen!"
Swiveling her head, Sen browsed the tops of the various colored heads and waved nonchalantly back at Chinatsu. Once she was out of the mass, Chinatsu eyes inquired Sen's bandaged arm but Sen asked instead, "Isn't your solo today?"
Sensing Sen wasn't going to explain, she gave a nod. "Can you make it?"
She shrugged. "I've got work."
Chinatsu sighed. "It's okay. Aiko, Etsuya, and them said they'll come. I just hope I don't screw up."
She absent-mindedly tugged her ponytail as they loitered at the lockers. "You still going out with that Ryushi?"
Giving another sigh, Chinatsu said dreamily, "I've never had shared so many similar views with anyone. He cares about me like no other guy ever did and I have so much fun with him. It's like we're soul mates or something."
"Pretty young to be in love," she remarked.
Something Chinatsu could have sworn was wistfulness briefly came out of hiding before returning to its placid darkness within Sen's eyes. A bit tentative, she probed, "What're you thinking?"
Smooth as water, Sen said indifferently, "Just how stupid some people are to think they're in love when they aren't even close." After a moment, she added, "Especially those in high school."
Chinatsu smiled, unperturbed by Sen's obvious barb. "Do you know what it means to be in love?"
Sen snorted. "Thankfully not. I've seen the damage it does to other people. Love is a trap that interferes with your perspectives and common sense. It brings unspeakable heartache and breaks even the strongest person, leaving a pile of crushed hopes."
"But it brings great happiness and joy, especially if you find your soul mate."
"You sound like some cheesy novel." Sen yawned. "Don't worry, Chinatsu. I'm not some hate-infested maniac. I just don't believe in love, soul mates and stuff like that. There's just some people you are more compatible to than others, those you can live with involving some degree of love."
"That isn't very romantic," Chinatsu stated.
Sen shrugged. "Who ever said I was romantic?" She shifted her bag. "You're such an optimist."
"And you're such a pessimist. Maybe that's why we get along so well; we're like yin and yang." Chinatsu grinned.
At this Sen laughed. "Fucking Kami, you are the most hopeful person I've ever met. Not too many are that idealistic."
Chinatsu raised her brows. "We're both seniors but you're the younger one who skipped a grade. Aren't you supposed to be more cheerful about the world than me?"
Sen answered lightly, "Too much knowledge can do that to you. Anyway, g'lucks on the solo."
Knowing an end of a discussion when she heard one, Chinatsu grinned back weakly. "Thanks. Sayonara, Sen."
Waving her off in reply, Sen strolled away. As she walked outside, someone fell in step with her and without turning her head, Sen asked, "What do you want?"
Nigihayami shoved his hands in his pockets. "Are you always this unfriendly?"
Sen raised her brows, giving him a look that said, do you even have to ask? Turning to leave, she was abruptly stopped when he grabbed her hand.
"Aren't you at least going to give me your number?"
~*~*~
It was that little girl again. Crouching in the grass, her face was hidden and she was still whimpering. A lone figure in white and blue nimbly weaved his way down to the girl and stopped before her. Carefully studying the girl, he sympathetically put his arms around the fading girl's shoulders. Bewildered, the girl gave a short gasp as her head snapped up.
She looked into the face of the brown, ear-length cropped hair and gentle green eyes and he said gently, "Don't be afraid. I'm a friend."
Shaking her head side-to-side vigorously, she bleated, "No, no, no!" Snapping her head away from him, she thrust her hands to strike him away, but was startled to learn that they reached through him. Her hands drifted away from his face; the girl's face showed evident shock.
"Open your mouth and eat this." The young boy produced a red berry and tried to feed her. "Unless you eat something from this world, you'll vanish."
The little girl still shook her head. "No!"
Pressing the berry against her lips, he forced it into her mouth. "Don't worry. It won't turn you into a pig. Chew it and swallow."
Making a face full of effort, the young girl carefully chewed the bitter berry and swallowed it.
"Good girl, you're fine. See for yourself." He held up his slender hand.
Tentative, she touched his palm with the tip of her fingers and hesitated. Color gradually returned to her fading hand and she pressed them against his hand. She looked with wonder at their hands and to his face. "I'm back again..."
~*~*~
Sen snatched her hand away, confused, but hiding it behind her well-known mask of indifference.
"You don't... remember, do you?"
She blinked. Something shadowed his eyes but before Sen could determine what exactly it was, Nigihayami quirked a brow at her. "Chinatsu-san did say you space out in class sometimes. Sensei Toikau of English paired us up for a project. You seriously don't remember?"
Not knowing why she felt slightly disappointed, Sen rubbed her head. "I wasn't listening." She thought over something. "We can't meet to work on it. I have a hectic schedule."
He shrugged. "I'll still need your number, Sen." They began walking outside.
Jotting it down, she said, "Explain the project details when you call." She didn't care that weariness trickled into her voice. Seeing that he was still walking with her though she had given him her number, she snapped, "What?"
"I kind of overheard your conversation with Chinatsu and--"
"You want to know why I was being such a bitch," she finished for him. She grinned wryly. "I'm not exactly an angel, if you haven't noticed."
"You know, that kind of attitude repels people from trying to be your friend," he remarked.
Sen stopped to fix her shoe as they left the school bounds and proceeded on the sidewalk. "Then what are you doing?"
He shrugged. "Trying to see if we can be friends."
Sen smiled at him but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nice try, Nigihayami-san. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going. And by the way, it's Sen-san, not Sen. We aren't that close." Without waiting for a reply, she left him at the corner of the street. Once she was out of his sight, she pulled out her cell and dialed a number, listening to the ringing.
Hearing a click, she said briskly, "Got some interesting news. There's a spirit walking around here, and not your disasterous experiment ones. This one's directly from the spirit world."
A/N: I'm such a perfectionist. If even one sentence irks me, I can't post it up. @_@ Tell me what you thought of this chapter. You can even yell at me for taking forever in updating. ^^
Responses to reviewers:
animekid: I notice your name didn't show up on the review, but it did in my email (or maybe it's just my computer....), so ^^, juss lettin you know. Nigihayami is actually the real name of the "Kalaku River." If you watch the Japanese version, or just read the original translations of the Japanese script, Haku's real name turns out to be "Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi", _not_ Kalaku River.
QueSeraSera: Same with animekid; for some reason, your review only showed up in me email account and yup, it'll all clear up eventually. That is... at least, I _hope_ so. *Scratches head* Ppl tell me I have a tendency to leave out stuff, haha.
Holli Berri: I'm gonna assume you meant that in a good way. ^^
Baka_Naruto: I'll take that advice in mind. Honestly, I need more input like that on how to improve my writing.
Invisible Cheese Girl: Ninja monkeys...? o.O *Looks nervously over shoulder*
Cheesecake101: Don't worry, it'll be explained eventually. Maybe in a chapter or two.
Haku: For being my first reviewer.
Lady Geagua: For being my first _signed_ reviewer. x)
To the rest, thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!! *Tears*
ANYWAY, on with the story.
-----------------------
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Sen's chin rested on top of her fists as she watched the clock with boredom while the others diligently worked on their tests. Giving berth to a huge yawn, she dug through her bag and fished out her portable CD player. Putting in her ear headphones, she fumbled with the buttons until the familiar music of Linkin Park blasted in her ears; Sensei Daoimi was an understanding teacher and usually allowed some rules to be bent while others kept strict protocol.
The bell rang shrilly for lunch and loud talking filled the air as some lingered in the classroom while others dashed outside. Grabbing her books, Sen wandered past the pushing students to her locker. She frowned; the damn locker wouldn't open. Her patience wearing thin, she smacked the locker with her fist, cursing loudly in a string of Japanese curses.
"Having trouble?" Nigihayami was watching her with an amused look on his face. He glanced at her heavily dented locker and commented, "So you're the one that makes the school janitors cry."
She did not answer and yanked the locker open instead. As she dumped her books inside, Nigihayami heard a faint ring tone go off. Before he could say anything, Sen sighed and pulled out her cell from her pocket, snapping it open. Pulling off one of her ear-pieces, she intercepted the call. "...are you sure?" Silence. "How many?" She paused. "Hai." Flipping it shut, she slipped it back in her skirt pocket and put her ear-piece back in. Completely ignoring Nigihayami's presence, she turned her back on him and walked away.
Once she was outside the dim hallway, Sen made her way to a secluded quad where Chinatsu and her other friends ate lunch. Some of them perched on the tree while others chatted in the shade and Sen climbed up, feeling the leaves rustle when it made contact with her uniform. They made space for her but she climbed to a higher branch and settled in the hidden shadows. Looping her arm around one of the protruding branches, Sen closed her eyes.
Music still blasted in her ears at full volume but Sen was using a different sense than hearing. Noise dimmed out as time slowed and Sen could see everyone around her but not through her eyes. Her friends glowed with the steady pulsing red aura, and her mental eyes roamed past them, further out of the school. No... no... there! A milky white aura pulsed in her mind and Sen recognized its surroundings from right outside the school. Suddenly, Sen's eyes shot open and she slid down the tree, giving a lazy grin to the others, saying, "Bathroom."
Once she was out of their sights, Sen dashed to a shortcut and searced for any bystanders. Seeing no one, she jumped the fence gracefully, and hurried down the streets, into the secluded woods. Drawing out her hidden bow and arrows from a nearby tree, she shifted the quivers to her back and pulled out the dagger hidden underneath her shirt at her waist. She pricked her finger, flinging a streak of blood to the floor while she ran; the scent of human blood usually drew them out.
A shriek rang out in the air but Sen didn't hear it; she sensed it and leaped to a tree, finding her footing, then continued her pursuit in the trees. Silent, she crouched to a stop and with the blade between her teeth, she drew the string back to her ear and focused the arrow at the flying bird. Sen saw a little girl crying, her mouth open in a scream Sen couldn't hear as the deformed dog-sized bird with four wings swooped down to carry it away. An arrow sprouted in its wing and the deranged bird shrieked fury, its beady eyes seeking out the attacker.
As its lifeless eyes focused on Sen, she merely grinned and dashed deeper into the shadows. The furious red bird plunged after her, its sense of scent fixed on her blood, but shrieked as another arrow buried itself within its wings. Plummeting to the ground with a heavy thud, the bird slid to a stop and heaved itself back up, blood brimming upon its beak. -You dare to turn on your own kind!?-
"Just because they replaced my blood with one of your kind's doesn't make me one of you," Sen replied coldly.
A mocking chuckle resounded within Sen's head, drowning out the Linkin Park music still playing in her ears. -So, you play the little slave since they saved your life.-
Shadow clouded her eyes. "I didn't have a choice." She let loose another arrow.
Its mental chuckle was cut short as blood bubbled at its throat, an arrow sprouting in its neck. A glint flashed in the air and the bird's belly severed open, spilling out its decaying entrails. In a last act of defiance, the bird's talons suddenly raked across her arm, and crashed to the floor.
The bird limped; it had spent its energy by inflicting damage upon Sen, and it slowly disappeared, leaving a small shiny bead. Warily picking it up as she dropped to her knees, Sen eyed the three long scratches below her left wrist and cursed; it's been a while since she made a slip. Turning her head up, Sen's eyes locked with the frightened girl's from before.
Her small lips moved. "A...arigatou..."
Sen bolted, leaving no trace of her existence in the woods, save for the sniffling girl alone in the forest.
---------------------
Sen sighed as she wearily fingered the long white bandages wrapped around her arm. Two slip-ups in one day. What was the matter with her? Pulling out her phone from under the desk, she text-messaged, 'Phoenix HQ. The rogue bird-spirit makes 17. What are the status of the injured victims?'
A message was instantly returned. 'All five are deceased.'
Sen snapped her phone shut, slipping it back into her skirt pocket. Her ears tuning back into her surroundings, groans and mutters from the students filled her ears. Before she could ask anyone what happened, the bell rang, signalling the end of school. Shrugging, she took the paper on her desk and stuffed it into her bag, shifted it onto her back and walked with the crowd out the doors.
"Sen!"
Swiveling her head, Sen browsed the tops of the various colored heads and waved nonchalantly back at Chinatsu. Once she was out of the mass, Chinatsu eyes inquired Sen's bandaged arm but Sen asked instead, "Isn't your solo today?"
Sensing Sen wasn't going to explain, she gave a nod. "Can you make it?"
She shrugged. "I've got work."
Chinatsu sighed. "It's okay. Aiko, Etsuya, and them said they'll come. I just hope I don't screw up."
She absent-mindedly tugged her ponytail as they loitered at the lockers. "You still going out with that Ryushi?"
Giving another sigh, Chinatsu said dreamily, "I've never had shared so many similar views with anyone. He cares about me like no other guy ever did and I have so much fun with him. It's like we're soul mates or something."
"Pretty young to be in love," she remarked.
Something Chinatsu could have sworn was wistfulness briefly came out of hiding before returning to its placid darkness within Sen's eyes. A bit tentative, she probed, "What're you thinking?"
Smooth as water, Sen said indifferently, "Just how stupid some people are to think they're in love when they aren't even close." After a moment, she added, "Especially those in high school."
Chinatsu smiled, unperturbed by Sen's obvious barb. "Do you know what it means to be in love?"
Sen snorted. "Thankfully not. I've seen the damage it does to other people. Love is a trap that interferes with your perspectives and common sense. It brings unspeakable heartache and breaks even the strongest person, leaving a pile of crushed hopes."
"But it brings great happiness and joy, especially if you find your soul mate."
"You sound like some cheesy novel." Sen yawned. "Don't worry, Chinatsu. I'm not some hate-infested maniac. I just don't believe in love, soul mates and stuff like that. There's just some people you are more compatible to than others, those you can live with involving some degree of love."
"That isn't very romantic," Chinatsu stated.
Sen shrugged. "Who ever said I was romantic?" She shifted her bag. "You're such an optimist."
"And you're such a pessimist. Maybe that's why we get along so well; we're like yin and yang." Chinatsu grinned.
At this Sen laughed. "Fucking Kami, you are the most hopeful person I've ever met. Not too many are that idealistic."
Chinatsu raised her brows. "We're both seniors but you're the younger one who skipped a grade. Aren't you supposed to be more cheerful about the world than me?"
Sen answered lightly, "Too much knowledge can do that to you. Anyway, g'lucks on the solo."
Knowing an end of a discussion when she heard one, Chinatsu grinned back weakly. "Thanks. Sayonara, Sen."
Waving her off in reply, Sen strolled away. As she walked outside, someone fell in step with her and without turning her head, Sen asked, "What do you want?"
Nigihayami shoved his hands in his pockets. "Are you always this unfriendly?"
Sen raised her brows, giving him a look that said, do you even have to ask? Turning to leave, she was abruptly stopped when he grabbed her hand.
"Aren't you at least going to give me your number?"
~*~*~
It was that little girl again. Crouching in the grass, her face was hidden and she was still whimpering. A lone figure in white and blue nimbly weaved his way down to the girl and stopped before her. Carefully studying the girl, he sympathetically put his arms around the fading girl's shoulders. Bewildered, the girl gave a short gasp as her head snapped up.
She looked into the face of the brown, ear-length cropped hair and gentle green eyes and he said gently, "Don't be afraid. I'm a friend."
Shaking her head side-to-side vigorously, she bleated, "No, no, no!" Snapping her head away from him, she thrust her hands to strike him away, but was startled to learn that they reached through him. Her hands drifted away from his face; the girl's face showed evident shock.
"Open your mouth and eat this." The young boy produced a red berry and tried to feed her. "Unless you eat something from this world, you'll vanish."
The little girl still shook her head. "No!"
Pressing the berry against her lips, he forced it into her mouth. "Don't worry. It won't turn you into a pig. Chew it and swallow."
Making a face full of effort, the young girl carefully chewed the bitter berry and swallowed it.
"Good girl, you're fine. See for yourself." He held up his slender hand.
Tentative, she touched his palm with the tip of her fingers and hesitated. Color gradually returned to her fading hand and she pressed them against his hand. She looked with wonder at their hands and to his face. "I'm back again..."
~*~*~
Sen snatched her hand away, confused, but hiding it behind her well-known mask of indifference.
"You don't... remember, do you?"
She blinked. Something shadowed his eyes but before Sen could determine what exactly it was, Nigihayami quirked a brow at her. "Chinatsu-san did say you space out in class sometimes. Sensei Toikau of English paired us up for a project. You seriously don't remember?"
Not knowing why she felt slightly disappointed, Sen rubbed her head. "I wasn't listening." She thought over something. "We can't meet to work on it. I have a hectic schedule."
He shrugged. "I'll still need your number, Sen." They began walking outside.
Jotting it down, she said, "Explain the project details when you call." She didn't care that weariness trickled into her voice. Seeing that he was still walking with her though she had given him her number, she snapped, "What?"
"I kind of overheard your conversation with Chinatsu and--"
"You want to know why I was being such a bitch," she finished for him. She grinned wryly. "I'm not exactly an angel, if you haven't noticed."
"You know, that kind of attitude repels people from trying to be your friend," he remarked.
Sen stopped to fix her shoe as they left the school bounds and proceeded on the sidewalk. "Then what are you doing?"
He shrugged. "Trying to see if we can be friends."
Sen smiled at him but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nice try, Nigihayami-san. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going. And by the way, it's Sen-san, not Sen. We aren't that close." Without waiting for a reply, she left him at the corner of the street. Once she was out of his sight, she pulled out her cell and dialed a number, listening to the ringing.
Hearing a click, she said briskly, "Got some interesting news. There's a spirit walking around here, and not your disasterous experiment ones. This one's directly from the spirit world."
A/N: I'm such a perfectionist. If even one sentence irks me, I can't post it up. @_@ Tell me what you thought of this chapter. You can even yell at me for taking forever in updating. ^^