Disclaimer – As long as that big "D" word is here…I'm fine, rite?? '' See last chappie for disclaimer pls!
Note – As in my other Spirited Away fic, the characters' thoughts are done in BOLD…the "haunting voice from the space of non-existence" (how much worse can I describe this… #.#) and flashback thoughts are gunna be in italics for as long as they decide to actually upload for me(=.=")…hopefully, you'll enjoy this one-shot-turned ficcy!
Across Time and Worlds / Reaching Towards You
"I'll remember you, always." A eleven-year-old Chihiro was saying to her beloved Kohaku while he held her hands in a tight grip, unwilling to let her go. "No matter what happens…no matter how much you change…I'll always remember you."
The tears which were threatening to spill broke her iron control over them, sliding down her cheeks in one smooth, liquid motion. Gently, he reached out to wipe them for her.
"Ah, Chihiro." He smiled at her, his eyes bright with held-back tears. "I know you will…I know. I won't forget you, either…no matter what happens. Itsumo…I'll keep you in my heart.
Itsumo…"
He opened his eyes to a crystal clear blue sky, without a single cloud to marr its vast and endless magnificence. The birds around him chirped merrily, singing the songs of spring as they bathed in the morning dew. The morning sun rays seeped through the many thick trees in the forest, warming his body with its radiating heat against the cool dew of the grass he laid upon.
I'm alive…
Closing his eyes briefly and reopening them again, the young man sat up on the grassy ground. The dizziness hit him in full force as his mind became conscious again, almost overcoming him as he tried to sit straight. Gasping at the mental impact, he grasped onto a nearby tree to steady himself. Drawing in big gasps of air as silently as he could, he tried to stand slowly, a little unsteady on his feet.
:: Flashback ::
"This is the best we can come up with, Kohaku." A worn-looking Yu-Baaba said to the young river spirit, looking worst for wear due to her efforts in maintaining the complex spell. "Once the spell is completed, there'll be no way of turning back." The tired look on her usually stern features softened, and the old witch looked almost pleadingly at the river spirit, bathed in the brightness of their magic, unable to go on speaking. She turned to her sister, who is usually more free with her emotions she, to complete her thoughts. Zeniiba turned her worried eyes from her sister to the young man within their magic, clearly feeling as agitated as her twin does about his safety.
"For the last time, Kohaku…are you sure? You know what the consequences can be…"
Smiling, the silver dragon shook his head gently, just once. Opening his eyes to look at his farewell party, he found himself staring at five worried faces, their genuine concern for him evident in their eyes.
"I can't not go…not now, when we've finally found a way to reach her." He said softly, facing them. "Staying here…living the way I've been living…I can't go on like that anymore. I miss her so much…she's become a part of me—someone that I cannot let go of. I just never realized before…how much I need her…"
Gripping his trembling hands with her own, Rin looked at her friend through misty eyes, touched by his genuine feelings for the girl whom she treasures so much.
"Then go, and find her. And know that..." Rin began, looking into the river spirit's eyes, bright with held-back tears. "know that, no matter what happens, we're here for you, Kohaku. Ganbatte ne."
"Remember, Kohaku," Zeniiba spoke up again, this time more urgently, "you must return after three days. You must. Right now all we're doing is sending your spirit into the shell of you we've created in Chihiro's world—your body remains here in cold sleep. If you do not return to the exact location where we send you to now and complete this spell with us after three days' time, we cannot put your spirit back into your body."
"The shell we made for you on the other end of the Boarder will disappear," an uncharacteristically concerned Yu-Baaba continued her sister's instructions in a serious tone, her eyes worried. "And you will be left to wander as a ghost, trapped on the other side of the Boarder. Do you understand me, Kohaku?"
"Hai, Yu-Baaba. I know." Haku said simply, his resolution to find the girl he loves unwavering. "I'll find her within the time limit…I must find her."
"Then follow your heart laddie." Kamajii finally spoke up, smiling. "Follow your heart—I think it'll lead you to our little Sen."
The faces of his friends blended in with the tunnel of light enveloping him, encouraging him on silently. The last thing he remembers is the sweet sensation knowing that he would soon be able to once again see his beloved, and tell her how he felt…
Then nothing.
:: End Flashback ::
Looking down, he could clearly see his hands and feet, intact to a body that felt strange yet familiar at the same time. Walking unsteadily on new feet over to a small pond, he found a reflection of himself staring back at him: a perfect replicate of himself in a magically enhanced mud shell. Relieved that the magical journey did not have any apparent damage to either his new body or his spirit, the dark-silver haired boy was dismayed to realize something amiss as he turned from the pond.
I…I don't have a shadow…? Maybe it's just my vision…
Walking to a sunny patch of grass, unsheltered by the thick willow trees, his worst fears was confirmed. Closing his eyes against the glare of the sun, Haku took a deep breath and smiled.
But it doesn't matter…I suppose a projection of myself can't be perfect…I just have to be careful to not let anyone else notice. Besides…whatever happens to me…it's completely unimportant. So long as…
Opening his eyes, the apparently seventeen-year-old boy began his descend down the hill underneath the shades of the many trees residing there.
So long as I can meet you again, Chihiro…nothing matters.
Nothing.
So please…come to me. Let me find you. Hear me calling you.
Open your heart to me…see me reaching towards you…reaching for you.
I want to meet you again…
"How…how can this be?!" a furious shadow screamed to himself, his glowing red eyes the only light in the entire darkness. Before him, a pool of liquid shadows began to shine, revealing the image of a smiling river spirit strolling down a grassy hill, hurrying a little more with every step he took. "How can he be here? How can he allow that…that human!...to bewitch him to this extend?!"
He began to pace in his dark confines, trying to recover himself. Closing his eyes to prevent them from betraying his thoughts, he could hear the sound of his coarse breathing as the image of the smiling boy played itself over and over again in his mind's eye.
That's it…that's enough! He thought, furious. He has gone too far. He does not understand what he's getting into. These humans…they care nothing for us spirits. One moment they make believe they're in love…the next…
The next, just when they start to make us believe that perhaps miracles can happen and even spirits can be allowed to learn what love is…what care is…
They forget about us.
They forget as if nothing happened. As if nothing important had occurred.
As if they had never cared.
Opening his eyes and returning to his shadow mirror, he raised his great staff as it blazed a demonic red that matches its master's eyes. When its light subsided, his servant knelt behind him, his snow-white bangs hidden underneath the heavy hood of his black cloak. Feeling the arrival of his guardian, the Gatekeeper allowed his usually emotionless features to reveal hints of a cruel, cold smile, repressing the little voice at the back of his mind that was telling him he was about to make a mistake.
"You called to me, Master?" he muttered, right hand over chest.
"Destroy her. Wipe away all of her memories now."
Yue started at this sudden statement, somehow unable to fully comprehend what was said to him.
"All…"
"Yes," a dark snare appeared on his face, "clear all her memories of the Majou no Sekai…and of the river sprit…wipe them from her memory. Leave nothing. Let her suffer the consequences of her actions."
It'll be the end of him to realize that she'd forgotten him. Perhaps it'll even teach him just how little these humans are worth.
The guardian did not move from his position on the ground, even long moments after the Gatekeeper had finished voicing his commands. Hearing no reply, the dark-haired young man turned to face his contrasting counterpart. Yue continued to stare blankly at the shadows which he knelt on, his eyes widened.
What's…what's wrong with me? The young guardian thought to himself, bewildered. It's just a mission…just another mission! And yet…why can't I do it? Why won't my body obey such a simple command?
Why does it feel so wrong?
Forcing himself to speak, he could hear himself saying in a distant tone before vanishing into the darkness:
"As you wish, Master Kouga."
Waiting until his guardian had disappeared from sight, the Gatekeeper sat down hard on his throne of shadows, shaking his head as if to clear away some haunting thought. The pools of shadows before him shifted once again, its glasslike surface coming alive with colors, mirroring the chaos of emotions running through its master's heart.
Stop it. Stop haunting me. Stop playing with my mind.
STOP IT!
The light from the shadow glass subsided; a solid image formed on the surface—an image of a girl wearing a high school uniform.
Shinobo Kasumi.
Why do you haunt me to this very day, almost eight years since you last decided to remember me? Why do you still refuse to leave my memories? Do you intend to mock me forever from within my own head? Laugh at me for being a fool…for falling in love with you before I ever knew what love was?
For still loving you so today…?
Leave me alone…
Disappear into the shadows that you had send me into.
"Onee-chan! Onee-chan, matte yo!" Shinobo Yumi panted as she ran to catch up with her sister. Hearing her sister's voice behind her, Shinobo Kasumi halted and turned around, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun. Smiling when she saw the silhouette of two familiar figures running towards her, she waited patiently for them to catch up. Presently, Yumi and Chihiro stood before Kasumi half slouched, stopping to catch their breath from having sprinted all the way up the hill.
Although fours years her sister's junior, Yumi and Shinobo could've been mistaken for twins. Both girls were athletically built, although of different fields—the former being more interested in basketball and the latter in dance. Both shared their father's dark auburn hair, and while Yumi replicated their father's bright green eyes, Kasumi took after their mother's expressive hazel eyes.
"Hey Chihiro, Yumi." She said smilingly when the two girls were ready to speak again. "How was school?"
Unbeknownst to them, in the wake of the setting sun a lone figure stood before the Ogino residence, not knowing what to do.
Another one done! Another one done! Kekeke…toldcha I'd update often, ne?? Longer chappie too, arencha proud of me?? ::sheepish grin:: Last time I was in too much of a hurry to update to make it long, or even to read over it once before I uploaded it!! Hopefully this chappie is better!
::wide grin:: Another reason why this is making me soooooooooo happy is that I've finally figured out (I think!!) how long this ficcy is gunna be! Haha…as in… "I see the end!" " It's gunna be a lot shorter than my last SA fic, and a lot shorter than I'd originally planned for it to be. The reason is that I dunt want it to drag on forever…plus lately I've been thinking about doing more one-shots rather than ficcies. But still, I'll finish all my stories before I start anything else, no worries XD I'd say…this fic is about half done, if not more. Look forward to the end coming soon!
The only sad thing is, the characters won't get to be as developed as I woulda originally liked them to be…but what can ya do, rite? ::shrugs::
But anyways! ::looks proud:: Hehehe…I've learned some new words! Hahahaha…so here's the Jap dictionary portion of this ficcy…wow, so educational, ne?? Anything for an attempt to make up for the lack of Japanese-related mentioning in my other SA ficcy!
itsumo= always
ganbatte= good luck
matte yo = wait up! (the yo is just kinda…an ending-ish sorta thing…wow, I suck at explaining ne? kekeke…)
I think that's it (right??)…. Anyhow…::gulps:: I honestly didn't mean to make Kouga so…odd!? But that's okiee…he's the bad guy here (for now…) after all…so he's allowed to sound heartlessly evil…rite?? Or I intend him to be…but every story has two sides to it, remember! ::mahahah:: Ahem…oh yeah…he's not exactly my "original-original" character…physically-speaking he was pulled from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, written, drawn and owned by CLAMP. ::sighs:: So depressing =.=" Oh yea…that was my disclaimer, by the way…so no sueing!!
I know three days' time is a lil short…I'm not even gunna make excuses here :P So their magic is strong…strong enuff for my originally intended one week But I needed to get things moving a bit, so cutting the time shorter…well, makes everything just a tad more intense, I guess? Kekeke…
Enough said…I'll concentrate on writing the next chappie now! Hopefully I'll be able to finish this ficcie soon…it's finally getting somewhere!! Mebbe I should add "angst" as one of its genres though eh… ::shrugs:: That's okay…the closer it gets to the end, the less that will appear…meanwhile, pls stick with me as the story develops itself!! I know it's been quite scatterish so far…hopefully by the next chappie I can link everything up better…
As usual, any and all comments, crits, and even flames (go easy? Haha…rusty writer here!) are welcomed. Fire away! ::waves::
Aqua Sunshine n.n