Disclaimer – As long as that big "D" word is here…I'm fine, rite?? ^^'' See last crappie for disclaimer pals!
Note – As in my other Spirited Away fic (^^), the characters' thoughts are done in BOLD…hopefully, you'll enjoy this newest pop of idea in my head~!
Extra Author's Note – GOMEN NASAI~!! It's been soooo long…minna-san, gomen ne! Demo…honestly didn't have time to update until now…so hopefully you'll enjoy this chappie (pls tell me u guys r still here…!). I'll blab at the end…enjoy~! ^^*
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Across Time and Worlds / Calling to You
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It was dark all around.
Frowning, Chihiro looked around herself in that space of infinite shadows, not finding anything that would give the slightest hint as to where she was. She started to walk in no particular direction, her mind completely devoid of any thoughts, her face completely vacant of any expression.
The distinct sound of the ticking of a clock could be heard in the distant, providing a constant, slow rhythm to the girl's wandering steps. With a sudden start, the girl realized that she was looking at herself walk backwards in the darkness…
Ogino Chihiro opened her eyes to find herself sitting up straight in her bed, clutching tightly onto her sheets with sweaty hands. Beside her on her nightstand, her clock ticked slowly, keeping time with seconds.
"What in the world was that about?" she whispered softly to herself, not daring to ask any louder, lest someone actually decided to answer her. Closing her eyes briefly in attempt to steady her nerves, Chihiro almost fell out of her bed when her alarm clock began to ring, signaling 7:30 am. With a sigh, she shut of her alarm clock and began to prepare for the new day.
Another day of school…
And another day for disappointments…
Ogino Chihiro paused in mid-brush and frowned into the mirror. Wait a minute…what disappointments?
What am I thinking?
It was so strange…but the events of the past few days seem so faraway from her, almost as if they were fuzzing away bit by bit. Thinking of the past days, the first thing she remembers is waking up in her bed feeling slightly cold, and still wearing her school uniform. It was nearing dinner time, and raining outside. Getting up with a sense of confusion, she had found her soaked and dripping schoolbag by her door, and her school shoes nearly lined up side by side downstairs, sitting in a puddle of rainwater.
Where did I go? What happened…and how did I get home?
Wherever I went…why….
Why can't I remember?
What's going on?
Many thoughts hit her at once, as if trying to remind the girl of her missing memories. Closing her eyes tightly as the sudden stabs of pain threatened to turn into the dull throb of a headache, the girl shrugged slightly and finished tying her hair up, not wanting another one of her daily headaches that she has almost become accustomed to this past week. Gathering her things, she went downstairs, her nose warming to the smell of hot breakfast waiting on the table.
Oh well…probably just my imagination, Chihiro thought as she sat down at the dinner-table with her usual bright smile. After all, people don't just forget things that easily.
It was…probably nothing important…
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Oh a hill as high as the one he stood on, one can see everything happening in the small but well developed town below. His eyes glowing an un-humanlike silver, he felt the corners of his lips turning up slightly when he found what he was searching for: a tiny human girl in the eyes of an elemental being such as himself.
Watching her walk to school with her perfectly graceful way of stepping, gilding rather than walking as a dancer would, he couldn't help but smile warmly at the sight. Tucking one hand in his pocket and swinging his schoolbag over his shoulders casually with the other, the boy known as Itsuki Yue bowed once at the deserted entrance to the Majou no Sekai ruins and began his own walk to once again blend in with the humans.
Walking away from the Border of Time, he felt his smile turned into a frown. His brisk walk slowed down considerably as the guardian spirit lost himself to his thoughts. He remembered his mission—his purpose for coming into the human world once again. He was not a "master spirit"—not one who wielded the elemental powers; not one who could bend them to his will—he couldn't even take his own will into his hands, let alone that of another. For as long as he remembered, he has held no more control over his own actions than he does his missions. It was for his missions that he lived for, he was told—and that was how he lived his life: abiding in the teachings he had been given since the beginning of his time, and abiding by his master's side.
That's right… Yue thought as he continued along his way, unaware and uncaring of all that he passed by. I am a guardian spirit—the shadow guardian, under the service of the spirit of the shadows. I need no will of my own…I need no purpose of my own. My life, as it is known, is devoted for him and him alone. That is my purpose…that is my reason for existence.
I need no other.
And yet…
The white-haired guardian paused and looked up to the clear blue skies, thinking about the numerous other times he had wanted to escape from his duties…from his way of living.
It's never felt right.
Overhead, a cluster of clouds briefly covered the sun, blocking its rays from the boy. Realizing what he was feeling, a tiny half-laugh, half-sigh escaped from his lips.
How ironic, that I should be comforted by the presence of light. Never thought I would see the day that light should call out to a shadow guardian.
Never thought I would be the one it calls out to.
Shaking his head to clear out his confusing thoughts, Yue continued on his way once again, walking quickly as if to run from his own thoughts.
But it's not right…I am a shadow guardian. I was destined to be one, and I have become one. I must stay loyal to my master, and serve his purpose. And so…
I mustn't ever think like that again…
I'll think no more of anything other than completing my mission.
With a renewed cold smile at the thought of soon seeing the success of his work, shutting off the emotions which called out to him from within his hidden heart, the shadow guardian felt more like himself again. He strolled on confidently, purposefully.
After all...I have already set my mission in motion.
And there is no turning back on that.
His bright green eyes were cold once again. Cold and guarded against the rest of the world.
Cold and guarded against himself.
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Dreams are a funny thing. You almost never remember anything afterwards, but you always have them. Some people say that dreams are the windows to our innermost thoughts, our innermost feelings.
She was dreaming again…of that cold, dark place that was completely void of everything. Once again, she was watching herself walk backwards, ever so slowly.
What am I doing here? Chihiro thought to herself frantically, looking around for any other sign of life. No…a better question would be…why am I here? Why am I staring at myself…
What am I trying to tell myself?
She looked into her own face, to find her dark brown eyes open—open and bleak. Her face was expressionless, motionless. Her hands hung limp by her sides, as if they too had lost their feeling.
As if they, too, had forgotten what their purpose of existence was. As if they were lost.
Just as lost as the girl she was watching.
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Wow…*blinkblink* its been so long~!! *bows repeatedly* Gomen nasai, minna-san~!! I never thought school would be CRAZIE this year…so yeah… *looks ashamed* And man alive…after so long, this is all I'm able to come up with! I'm getting rusty!! Hehhe…I'm so sorry, minna…demo, please be patient with me, and I promise I'll get back on track and get writing decent chappies again…really!!! ^^* With my winter holidays finally here, I'm sure I can squeeze some sleepless writing time XP
Tiva-chan…just like I promised you…I updated!! I'd like to dedicate this chappie to Tiva-chan once again, for being my encouragement to write even after disappearing and not touching this ficcy (or any other!) for sooo long. Merry Christmas, Tiva~! ^^* Also…a happy belated birthday~!!
Anyhow…for now minna-san…pls accept this rather confusing and choppy chappie…hopefully it wasn't THAT bad thou~!! What did u think? Been so long ne…your comments matter even more now! Sooo….pls make sure u leave me a line and give me ideas!
Oh yeah…that last part about dreams…in case you're wondering… *smiles* well, the first part of it is true, anyhow. But without going into what I learned in Psych class…let's just say that writing this chappie on the day I finished my last exam, couldn't help but have some of what I was hardcore cramming the night before seep in…. ^^" Anyways…I added that in cuz dreams are probably going to play a pretty big part in this ficcy from now on…. *hint hint*
As always, comments, criticisms and anything else ya wanna say is welcomed~! Please tell me what you think, so I'll have a better idea of where to take this story, okiee??
~Aqua Sunshine ^^*
ps: Next update date…is not promise-able… n.n Demo ne, I DO promise to try to make it as quick as I can!!! Also…Merry Christmas! =^^=