A/N: Just a little reminder:
(1) Nigihayami is Haku's real name. Well, his full name is actually Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. (All in the Japanese version.)
(2) ~*~*~ means flashbacks or dreams
Responses to reviewers:
fame'n'fortune: Thx! I try to go for unique but it's kind of hard when there's many talented writers out there.
Moonmage: Hmmm, if I told you, then what'll be the point of the story? *winks* Don't worry, this chapter has a romance... well, sorta.
Mina-chan2: Hopefully this chapter will answer some questions. If not, just give me specific questions and I'll try to answer them.
~ : All explained here.
Joan Mistress of Magic: Lol, I'm sorry if I accidently left a cliffhanger. *sweat drops* That _was_ the end anyway... the end of the conversation that is. I'll try to get out the chapters sooner.
Nigihayami's girl: Err... what would you say if I have a thing for sad endings? Haha, I like to write them, but I like happy endings too. We'll see in the end.
Agent Blue: *huffs* I'll have you know that I find that kind of "getting on" disapproving! *turns red* In other words, I get extremely embarrassed writing intimate scenes. There's some "candy" in this chapter, but when it does come to the scenes where sex is involved... I'm sorry but I can't write them! I'll imply, but that's the best I can do.... T_T *runs away*
lily: ^^ I'll try to bring it out faster.
lynnie6: *starry-eyed* YAAAAAAAAY! *hugs back* Thanks for the kind words, despite your err... "unique" ways of telling it to me. ^^
Let's get cracking!
~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~
Her parents are already dead. She doesn't have time left either."
"What makes you think the girl will survive? The others didn't."
The girl? Am I... the girl?
Breathing heavily, the young girl slowly opened her eyes and closed them again. Her blurry vision was obscured but it was obvious of the shattered glass and crushed car on the road pavement. Two other bodies like tossed dolls limped in the distance as well.
"We never know unless we try. If she dies, she was going to anyway. If she doesn't..."
The two initial voices began to face as she felt someone's arms pick her up.
No, wait!
The girl's lips refused to move.
Wait, wait!
The voices grew more distant with each passing second. She was loaded onto a vehicle, and strapped down as people attached IV needles into her. Fresh oxygen flowed in her mouth as she struggled to open her eyes.
Wait!
Who am I? Who... am I?
~*~*~ End of Flashback ~*~*~
Sen downed the glass of vodka like water. No matter how many times she tried to suppress that memory, it always resurfaced, just like the black wings lighting upon her naked back.
Five years. It had been five long years since the Phoenix HQ took her dying body in and breathed a new life into her. Six in a couple of days. The blood that replenished hers came from one of the experimental spirits and she was the only survivor; they tried fusing humans with the spirit blood before but had failed several times.
Only the strong survive. That was one of the first of many things they taught her. They put her in a foster home with one of their workers, saying she still had to learn how to act like a normal kid and blend in with her surroundings. They taught her many things, but her past wasn't one of them. Her name was Sen Ohishi and she belonged to Phoenix HQ. That was all she needed to know.
Tipping the alcohol against her mouth as she drained the last drop, something clinked against the glass. It was the spirit beads; somehow, Phoenix HQ managed to harness pure spirit energy/essence into the clear beads, often conducting experiments with them. They took the beads and infused it into animals, resulting in a mutation of the form.
They didn't expect it to mutate her as well.
Glancing at the clock from her homework, Sen saw it was 6:30 and "oji-san" was still out. Her cell shrilled and she looked at it.
Work.
Regarding her phone, she finally turned it off and looked at the clock again. Maybe she could still make it.
-----------------------
"Sen! I can't believe you actually came!" Chinatsu hugged Sen before sheepishly pulling away. "Oops. Forgot that you don't like people touching you." She noticed Sen's tired eyes, which seemed duller than before.
Sen allowed a small smile. "You were decent." That was the best she could do; she wasn't one to give compliments. "Where's Aiko, and the others?"
The noisy crowd that filtered out of the auditorium jostled the two and they started to walk outside. "Aiko's still at soccer practice, Etsuya's grounded for getting caught smoking, and everyone else had last minute studying to do. No one else came except for you." Chinatsu smiled hopefully at her.
Sen yawned. "Don't flatter yourself. My shift ended early." She glanced at her watch. 10:30. She gave a lazy grin. "Up for some clubbing?"
-----------------------
Sen downed another alcoholic drink. She wasn't sure if it was either a bloody mary, sex on the beach, or what not. She took it as it came.
Chinatsu giggled profusely at her side as she danced with a complete stranger.
Breathing in the heady scent of mixed perfume and drinks around her, Sen slid off the high chair and onto the dance floor with the other sweating bodies. Taking in the music, Sen let her thoughts wander out the window as she flowed with the techno music pulsing in her ears. Each beat cried to be heard and Sen obliged as she began to dance.
Her hips swayed as her hands lifted in an exotic dance and fluidly let the music mold her, touch her and move her in ways so that she was one with the music.
An arm wrapped around her waist. "Why can't you dance like that in the play?"
Sen lifted drunk eyes, glancing behind her. She reached up and wrapped her hands around his neck while they moved to the music. Pressing her body until there was no space between them, she tilted her head back upon his shoulder and bit his neck. "You're too young to be here." She licked at the forming bruise.
Feeling Nigihayami's lips on hers, she felt him murmur, "Your too young too, and you're drunk." His tongue touched her mouth and Sen twisted from his grip so that they were face to face.
"So are you." She captured his lips, tangling on of her hands into his hair as the other rested on his neck and let the music rock them. Hot fire pulsed through her as Nigihayami nibbled her lower lip while his tongue begged entrance. Their tongues warred each other and his hand roamed until it seductively reached under her black shirt. Cupping her breast for the briefest second, he lightly stroked its underside, eliciting a soft moan from Sen within his mouth. Pulling his lips away, he bent to her neck and slowly licked it, leaving a wet trail. His lips fell upon the pale skin and he nibbled it at first, then increased pressure at the encouraging groan. He suckled her neck softly to relieve the pressure.
"Stop teasing," she growled.
When his hips gyrated against hers, she muffled a shriek as the sexual tension began to climb. Her eyes became heady as she arched her neck, asking to be assaulted once again. He nibbled her ear and made a trail of sucking kisses on the groove of her jaw as he settled upon her lips. Slipping in his tongue, he rocked her along with the beats of the music.
"Kami... fuck me and get it over with," Sen mumbled against his mouth.
Stroking her tongue, Nigihayami murmured, "So you know the meaning of lust, but do you know the meaning of love, Chihiro?" He released her and she stood dazed, just watching him. Planting a light kiss on her nose, he said softly, "Stop fighting your past." He stepped back and disappeared into the mass of dancing bodies.
'The fuck...?'
Sen realized with a hazy start that someone else had taken Nigihayami's place with tracing her body curves from behind and she struggled from his grip.
"Why fight me? You didn't with him. C'mon gurly... I'll show you a better time than that guy." Even his voice was sleazy.
The man persisted and reached under her shirt from behind but Sen had had enough for one night. She grabbed his wrists and threw him over her hip. The dancers around them just made space for them and continued to move to the music, not giving a care in the world about what was happening.
Common sense returned to Sen as if she was never drunk and she sneered down at him, "As if anyone would want your grimy hands." As she turned away, the man furiously got to his feet and swung at her back. Ducking the blow, Sen swiftly kicked his stomach as she leaped and punched his face as he crashed onto some people.
"Hey! No fighting!" A couple of bouncers tried to reach Sen and the man.
Chinatsu grabbed Sen by the arm. "That's our cue to leave." Hurriedly, they wove through the mass of twisting and turning bodies, until they reached outdoors. Climbing into Chinatsu's car, Sen lay in a heap in the backseat as Chinatsu revved her engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
"Goodness Sen. Sooner or later, we're going to get banned from every club in town." She pursed her lips as she checked the intersection. "You know, despite how much alcohol you drink, you never seem to act drunk, even when you are. What happened this time?"
Sen covered her face with her arm. She knew Chinatsu was referring to her little moment with Nigihayami. For some reason, she could still feel his burning touch and her lips pulsed at the memory. Sitting up, she glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the bruises forming on the sides of her neck.
She touched them and desire still echoed within her. Sen rubbed her eyes. Fuck. She never felt more alive when he had touched her; it was like she was getting drunk for the first time and fell under some sort of spell woven by him.
Sen wasn't sure if she liked this at all.
-----------------------
~*~*~
"Where's Mom and Dad?" The little girl ran past the outdoor shops with the young boy from before.
He answered, "They've gone ahead."
Coming to a halt at the top of some stairs, the little girl looked down and exclaimed, "There's no water!" Before her eyes stretched miles of grass, twisting here and there with grooves, hills, and probing rocks.
"I can't go any farther. Go back the way you came, Chihiro. But don't ever look back, not until you're out of the tunnel."
"What about you, Haku?"
He smiled a gentle smile. "I'll speak with Yubaba. Quit my apprenticeship. I'm fine, now that I have my name back. I'll go back to my world, too."
"Will we meet again?"
"I'm sure." He took her hand.
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go, and don't look back." Chihiro stepped down the stairs as her hand slipped out of Haku's.
~*~*~
Sen clutched the blankets to her as she lay awake on her side. Chihiro? Isn't that what Nigihayami called her? What did he have to do with these dreams?
And who was Haku? The only Haku she knew was that white cat that she kept around.
She closed her eyes. Honestly, she envied the little kid. To have no obligations in life, to just be an ordinary ten-year-old instead of a winged freak, to be free...
Chihiro... Haku...
But... I'm Sen, aren't I?
Aren't I?
Something whispered in her head as one black feather drifted to the floor.
Who am I? Who... am I?
A/N: Reviews are always appreciated.
(1) Nigihayami is Haku's real name. Well, his full name is actually Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. (All in the Japanese version.)
(2) ~*~*~ means flashbacks or dreams
Responses to reviewers:
fame'n'fortune: Thx! I try to go for unique but it's kind of hard when there's many talented writers out there.
Moonmage: Hmmm, if I told you, then what'll be the point of the story? *winks* Don't worry, this chapter has a romance... well, sorta.
Mina-chan2: Hopefully this chapter will answer some questions. If not, just give me specific questions and I'll try to answer them.
~ : All explained here.
Joan Mistress of Magic: Lol, I'm sorry if I accidently left a cliffhanger. *sweat drops* That _was_ the end anyway... the end of the conversation that is. I'll try to get out the chapters sooner.
Nigihayami's girl: Err... what would you say if I have a thing for sad endings? Haha, I like to write them, but I like happy endings too. We'll see in the end.
Agent Blue: *huffs* I'll have you know that I find that kind of "getting on" disapproving! *turns red* In other words, I get extremely embarrassed writing intimate scenes. There's some "candy" in this chapter, but when it does come to the scenes where sex is involved... I'm sorry but I can't write them! I'll imply, but that's the best I can do.... T_T *runs away*
lily: ^^ I'll try to bring it out faster.
lynnie6: *starry-eyed* YAAAAAAAAY! *hugs back* Thanks for the kind words, despite your err... "unique" ways of telling it to me. ^^
Let's get cracking!
~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~
Her parents are already dead. She doesn't have time left either."
"What makes you think the girl will survive? The others didn't."
The girl? Am I... the girl?
Breathing heavily, the young girl slowly opened her eyes and closed them again. Her blurry vision was obscured but it was obvious of the shattered glass and crushed car on the road pavement. Two other bodies like tossed dolls limped in the distance as well.
"We never know unless we try. If she dies, she was going to anyway. If she doesn't..."
The two initial voices began to face as she felt someone's arms pick her up.
No, wait!
The girl's lips refused to move.
Wait, wait!
The voices grew more distant with each passing second. She was loaded onto a vehicle, and strapped down as people attached IV needles into her. Fresh oxygen flowed in her mouth as she struggled to open her eyes.
Wait!
Who am I? Who... am I?
~*~*~ End of Flashback ~*~*~
Sen downed the glass of vodka like water. No matter how many times she tried to suppress that memory, it always resurfaced, just like the black wings lighting upon her naked back.
Five years. It had been five long years since the Phoenix HQ took her dying body in and breathed a new life into her. Six in a couple of days. The blood that replenished hers came from one of the experimental spirits and she was the only survivor; they tried fusing humans with the spirit blood before but had failed several times.
Only the strong survive. That was one of the first of many things they taught her. They put her in a foster home with one of their workers, saying she still had to learn how to act like a normal kid and blend in with her surroundings. They taught her many things, but her past wasn't one of them. Her name was Sen Ohishi and she belonged to Phoenix HQ. That was all she needed to know.
Tipping the alcohol against her mouth as she drained the last drop, something clinked against the glass. It was the spirit beads; somehow, Phoenix HQ managed to harness pure spirit energy/essence into the clear beads, often conducting experiments with them. They took the beads and infused it into animals, resulting in a mutation of the form.
They didn't expect it to mutate her as well.
Glancing at the clock from her homework, Sen saw it was 6:30 and "oji-san" was still out. Her cell shrilled and she looked at it.
Work.
Regarding her phone, she finally turned it off and looked at the clock again. Maybe she could still make it.
-----------------------
"Sen! I can't believe you actually came!" Chinatsu hugged Sen before sheepishly pulling away. "Oops. Forgot that you don't like people touching you." She noticed Sen's tired eyes, which seemed duller than before.
Sen allowed a small smile. "You were decent." That was the best she could do; she wasn't one to give compliments. "Where's Aiko, and the others?"
The noisy crowd that filtered out of the auditorium jostled the two and they started to walk outside. "Aiko's still at soccer practice, Etsuya's grounded for getting caught smoking, and everyone else had last minute studying to do. No one else came except for you." Chinatsu smiled hopefully at her.
Sen yawned. "Don't flatter yourself. My shift ended early." She glanced at her watch. 10:30. She gave a lazy grin. "Up for some clubbing?"
-----------------------
Sen downed another alcoholic drink. She wasn't sure if it was either a bloody mary, sex on the beach, or what not. She took it as it came.
Chinatsu giggled profusely at her side as she danced with a complete stranger.
Breathing in the heady scent of mixed perfume and drinks around her, Sen slid off the high chair and onto the dance floor with the other sweating bodies. Taking in the music, Sen let her thoughts wander out the window as she flowed with the techno music pulsing in her ears. Each beat cried to be heard and Sen obliged as she began to dance.
Her hips swayed as her hands lifted in an exotic dance and fluidly let the music mold her, touch her and move her in ways so that she was one with the music.
An arm wrapped around her waist. "Why can't you dance like that in the play?"
Sen lifted drunk eyes, glancing behind her. She reached up and wrapped her hands around his neck while they moved to the music. Pressing her body until there was no space between them, she tilted her head back upon his shoulder and bit his neck. "You're too young to be here." She licked at the forming bruise.
Feeling Nigihayami's lips on hers, she felt him murmur, "Your too young too, and you're drunk." His tongue touched her mouth and Sen twisted from his grip so that they were face to face.
"So are you." She captured his lips, tangling on of her hands into his hair as the other rested on his neck and let the music rock them. Hot fire pulsed through her as Nigihayami nibbled her lower lip while his tongue begged entrance. Their tongues warred each other and his hand roamed until it seductively reached under her black shirt. Cupping her breast for the briefest second, he lightly stroked its underside, eliciting a soft moan from Sen within his mouth. Pulling his lips away, he bent to her neck and slowly licked it, leaving a wet trail. His lips fell upon the pale skin and he nibbled it at first, then increased pressure at the encouraging groan. He suckled her neck softly to relieve the pressure.
"Stop teasing," she growled.
When his hips gyrated against hers, she muffled a shriek as the sexual tension began to climb. Her eyes became heady as she arched her neck, asking to be assaulted once again. He nibbled her ear and made a trail of sucking kisses on the groove of her jaw as he settled upon her lips. Slipping in his tongue, he rocked her along with the beats of the music.
"Kami... fuck me and get it over with," Sen mumbled against his mouth.
Stroking her tongue, Nigihayami murmured, "So you know the meaning of lust, but do you know the meaning of love, Chihiro?" He released her and she stood dazed, just watching him. Planting a light kiss on her nose, he said softly, "Stop fighting your past." He stepped back and disappeared into the mass of dancing bodies.
'The fuck...?'
Sen realized with a hazy start that someone else had taken Nigihayami's place with tracing her body curves from behind and she struggled from his grip.
"Why fight me? You didn't with him. C'mon gurly... I'll show you a better time than that guy." Even his voice was sleazy.
The man persisted and reached under her shirt from behind but Sen had had enough for one night. She grabbed his wrists and threw him over her hip. The dancers around them just made space for them and continued to move to the music, not giving a care in the world about what was happening.
Common sense returned to Sen as if she was never drunk and she sneered down at him, "As if anyone would want your grimy hands." As she turned away, the man furiously got to his feet and swung at her back. Ducking the blow, Sen swiftly kicked his stomach as she leaped and punched his face as he crashed onto some people.
"Hey! No fighting!" A couple of bouncers tried to reach Sen and the man.
Chinatsu grabbed Sen by the arm. "That's our cue to leave." Hurriedly, they wove through the mass of twisting and turning bodies, until they reached outdoors. Climbing into Chinatsu's car, Sen lay in a heap in the backseat as Chinatsu revved her engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
"Goodness Sen. Sooner or later, we're going to get banned from every club in town." She pursed her lips as she checked the intersection. "You know, despite how much alcohol you drink, you never seem to act drunk, even when you are. What happened this time?"
Sen covered her face with her arm. She knew Chinatsu was referring to her little moment with Nigihayami. For some reason, she could still feel his burning touch and her lips pulsed at the memory. Sitting up, she glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the bruises forming on the sides of her neck.
She touched them and desire still echoed within her. Sen rubbed her eyes. Fuck. She never felt more alive when he had touched her; it was like she was getting drunk for the first time and fell under some sort of spell woven by him.
Sen wasn't sure if she liked this at all.
-----------------------
~*~*~
"Where's Mom and Dad?" The little girl ran past the outdoor shops with the young boy from before.
He answered, "They've gone ahead."
Coming to a halt at the top of some stairs, the little girl looked down and exclaimed, "There's no water!" Before her eyes stretched miles of grass, twisting here and there with grooves, hills, and probing rocks.
"I can't go any farther. Go back the way you came, Chihiro. But don't ever look back, not until you're out of the tunnel."
"What about you, Haku?"
He smiled a gentle smile. "I'll speak with Yubaba. Quit my apprenticeship. I'm fine, now that I have my name back. I'll go back to my world, too."
"Will we meet again?"
"I'm sure." He took her hand.
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go, and don't look back." Chihiro stepped down the stairs as her hand slipped out of Haku's.
~*~*~
Sen clutched the blankets to her as she lay awake on her side. Chihiro? Isn't that what Nigihayami called her? What did he have to do with these dreams?
And who was Haku? The only Haku she knew was that white cat that she kept around.
She closed her eyes. Honestly, she envied the little kid. To have no obligations in life, to just be an ordinary ten-year-old instead of a winged freak, to be free...
Chihiro... Haku...
But... I'm Sen, aren't I?
Aren't I?
Something whispered in her head as one black feather drifted to the floor.
Who am I? Who... am I?
A/N: Reviews are always appreciated.