Disclaimer: If ya really want to read it, it's on the last chapter and the
one before that and all the others before that.
Thanks To:
Lanen: Tama would be a better victim only 'cause then Mits could heal him. If it were Mits who had the rabies, who'd heal them when they got all beat up? Don't worry, I gots a lot more in store for you guys. * grins *
miLady: The bracelet is rather curious isn't it? And I told you before; the end of chapter eight will be explained in good time. You just have to be a little patient. If I handed you every answer right away would this story even be worth reading?
Otaku Pitcher: Don't worry about it not showing up. I'm just glad that you've stuck with me this long. (Oh, in case you care, it's nineteen now. I'm almost positive that Katana and co. will appear in the next chapter! twenty) I'm glad that I did a good job on the Yume and Tamahome conversation. I was a little skeptical. I only hope I did as well in this chapter. . .
mini: I know it took you forever to read this! You only read the first form, the one that isn't developed, and forget about it. I can be mean too. Just wait a few more chapters. I'm not even sure if you read the one I'm talking about yet, lol. Harass me face to face, though. It's more fun for both of us that way.
Author's Note: Ok. I have my doubts about this chapter but I'm doing my best. Those of you who have taken on the roles of the four characters, it is chapter twenty. At least, I'm almost positive it is. Well, I don't have much of an author's note so deal with it.
'. . .' is. . .Yume's thoughts. Very good o young pupils.
Chapter 10: Chattin' With Chichiri
'Maybe if I go over what Taiitsu-kun said one more time I will finally understand the "hidden meaning" behind it,' I thought as Shiriko and I wandered through the palace garden. 'I know that there has to be one. I think that that old hag knows more than she's telling me. But the way she said it, it makes it seem like she's getting her orders from some higher force. Maybe she's not allowed to tell me anything else.' I clenched my fists and unclenched them. 'Oh what I wouldn't give for a stress ball right about know. They may be weird but they're great on stress.' That thought out, I began to wonder about why they looked at me weird. 'And no one would even tell me why! I bet Chichiri told them not to! And I'm going to find out why. Now all I have to do is find him. . . I'll check that spot that I had found him earlier today.'
I walked Shiriko in that direction and sure enough, he was there. Unfortunately for me, he had a guest: Miaka. I decided to talk to him later and snuck away from the spot without being seen. After all, I was supposed to be walking Shiriko. I placed the little strap of my CD player loosely around my wrist and the headphones in my ears. I turned it on and heard the wonderful quiet beginnings of music enter my ears. "Well, Shiriko, how 'bout we go sit in that little gazebo thing and rethink our existence for a little while?" I asked my pet. I got no objection so that's exactly what we did.
I decided to sit facing the area where Chichiri was so I'd know when Miaka left. That didn't exactly work, though, because I soon became lost in my thoughts, attempting to find solutions to questions I hadn't even begun to consider yet. Most of the solutions I knew would evade me for a while. At least I thought I knew. Perhaps the answers were but a brief amount of time away. I fixed my gaze on the water and the music from my CD player became but a background noise. My mind was being taken back to earlier today, when I was talking to Taiitsu-kun. "The Suzaku Seven will need your help on their journey. I do not know how someone like you can help, but it seems that you will prove vital in their quest." That's exactly what she said to me. 'I still don't get how I'll prove vital. I'm just a normal girl. I couldn't even protect myself in a dream. . .I'm so weak. . .' I thought as I gazed at the water. I looked down at my hands that were resting so relaxed on my lap and felt a single tear roll down my cheek. Before I could wipe it away, it landed on my bracelet. For a brief second, the bracelet glimmered like it did when I first put them on. 'Ok this time I know I must be seeing things. There's no light; I picked this spot because it was in the shade. How'd it shine like that? What's with these freakin bracelets?'
I saw Miaka away from Chichiri's spot. 'Ah ha! Now's my chance!' Opportunity knocked but now I wasn't so sure what I wanted to ask it. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. 'I'm sure I'll think of something once I get there,' I thought as Shiriko and I got up. 'No. I can't trust him. I can't tell him a lot. Sure, he seems trust worthy but things are not always what they appear. Besides, if I start to talk openly I may say something that I'll regret,' I reminded myself as I took off my headphones and we neared my goal. 'Here goes nothing. . .' "Hi Chichiri. Mind if I talk to you for a little bit?" I asked casually, allowing a hesitant and nervous smile to creep its way onto my face.
"Oh sure Yume. I did say that if you ever needed someone to talk to, I'd be here, you know," he answered, that smile still on his face.
I took a seat next to him and motioned for Shiriko to do the same. "Well, actually, I wanted to ask you something." His eyebrows rose. "You may not want to answer it but I need you to do that for me."
"What exactly are you going to ask me?" he asked, obviously confused.
"You know before, after I talked to Taiitsu-kun?" He nodded and I continued. "Everyone was looking at me weird. Miaka said something about me looking different and so did Tasuki but they both shut up right away. Why won't anyone tell me what happened?" I questioned.
'He looks troubled, as if he's debating something,' I noted. Of course that was just a guess. It's impossible to tell what he's feeling with that smile always present on his face. I didn't even know where the guess came from. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he answered. "I told them not to mention it. I thought that if you were meant to know, you would have seen it yourself. I didn't want them to mention it in case you weren't meant to know yet. Since it didn't last, it might have just been a freak accident or something, you know?"
"I guess you're right. When the time comes, I'll know," I replied, a little disappointed.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. "What I looked like before. . .it wasn't too horrible, was it? The way you guys were staring at me made it seem like I was hideous," I stated. I didn't mean to dwell on the subject but I wanted to know at least that so if it ever happened again, I'd be a little prepared.
"It wasn't horrible at all. . .just a little, different," he answered. When he saw the look of shock on my face he added, "Different from what you normally look like, you know."
"Oh. . ." Now I was even more confused.
It was silent again for a minute and I got another strange feeling that he was debating something. "Is you physical appearance really that important to you?" he asked. This took me by surprise.
"No, it's just when everyone stares at me like I have two heads and my own dog," Shiriko looked up, "doesn't even recognize me at first and no one will tell me why, I tend to wonder," I answered.
"I guess I would too," he replied, looking away from me. I pet Shiriko. I felt kind of bad. I had been ignoring him the whole time even though this was supposed to be his walk. When Chichiri looked back at me, the smiling face was in his hand. 'A mask. . .it was just a mask? Why would he wear a smiling mask?' Then I looked at his face. It seemed perfectly normal at first glance. Across his left eye, (A/N: I think it's his left eye. If it's not, let me know, ok?), however, there was a big scar.
"What happened?" I asked, trying not to sound rude.
(A/N: Once again, I'm sorry if I don't get this totally right. I did my best, though, so go easy on me.)
"An accident," he answered. I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent to give him a chance to continue, if he was going to. He sighed a long pain filled sigh. "When I was 18, I got engaged to my life long friend and love, Kouran. I thought Hikou, my best friend, supported me but it turned out that he loved her, too. I saw him kissing Kouran." He stopped and I think I saw a tear escape his eye. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to tell me the rest Chichiri. I understand," I said. 'I definitely didn't expect this. . .'
"No, it's ok. Kouran broke off our engagement. Then she. . .she killed herself. I was so upset. I couldn't understand why she'd do something like that. I challenged my friend to a duel. It started raining and the rain turned to a flood. As we were fighting, the ground under my friend broke but I held on to him as long as I could. I realized then that I didn't want him to die. He was my best friend. A log broke and hit me in the eye causing the scar. I let go of his hand. I should have held on to him!" He stopped again. "My family died in that flood. I lost everyone who was dear to me. The scar reminds me of what I did. I found that the scar disturbs some people so I made the mask."
I didn't know what to say. I thought of something, though I was sure it wasn't original. "That really sucks. I'm sorry Chichiri. I wish I could say I know how you feel but I don't. Nothing quite like that has ever happened to me before." 'Ok. . .now that was a pathetic excuse for making him feel better. I could tell him about how I tried to kill myself once, but I don't think that would help much,' I thought bitterly. "Why'd you tell me that? I don't mean to sound rude but it causes you so much pain yet you told me. You don't even know me that well."
"I told you because I wanted to let you know that I know what you're going through. The dreams you have that you can't control, the changing of you appearance, though you changed back. I thought that maybe if I trusted you, you'd trust me back," he answered.
"I'm sorry Chichiri. I just suck at cheering people up and it frustrates me sometimes." We sat in silence, an almost comfortable silence. I pet Shiriko and Chichiri moved to put his mask back on. Shiriko got up from his position next to me and strode over to Chichiri. He then did something that shocked me beyond words. He nudged Chichiri's hand with his nose, causing him to drop the mask. He then licked the place where Chichiri's scar was, laid down next to him, and put his head on Chichiri's lap.
Chichiri gazed thoughtfully at the dog. He hesitantly pat Shiriko on the head and when he didn't object, pet him behind the ears. "Does he normally behave like this?" Chichiri asked.
I stared at my pet. "He trusts you and accepts you," I answered, mesmerized by my pet's change of behavior. 'He never trusts anyone this easily. Maybe it would be ok to trust Chichiri.'
"The why'd he knock the mask out of my hand?" he questioned. Shiriko looked up at the scar, then at the mask, and finally, at me. Our eyes met and I understood.
"I think he was trying to tell you that you don't need the mask. That he accepts you for you, and that he doesn't care about the scar. He likes you." Chichiri looked up at me thoughtfully. 'He probably thinks I'm a psychopath. Making it sound like Shiriko is that intelligent! Even though I know he is I don't think Chichiri could understand that.'
Chichiri pet Shiriko some more. "Is that so?" he asked my pet. 'He's toying with me. He's no different than anyone else. I was foolish to think I could trust him. Foolish and naïve.' Shiriko lifted his head, nodded, and barked. "Well, then thanks." He turned to me and said, "You have a smart dog. Can you always tell what he's thinking?"
I looked down. "Well. . .actually, I've basically raised him so yes I can usually tell. I've spent enough time with him to understand his body language along with some of what he's thinking," I answered, unsure of the response I'd get. 'I hope I don't sound too stupid. . .'
"I'm not going to laugh at you if that's what you think. I believe you. It's a perfectly believable claim, based on the way you two act together, I bet he can tell what you're thinking as well," he said. Neither one of us said anything after that.
Author's Note:
Smack: So. . .how'd I do? Was it any good?
Tasuki: ::mumbling:: No it sucked. I wasn't even in it.
Chichiri: Uh, Tasuki? None of us were expect Yume and me and a little appearance by Miaka. You aren't alone, you know.
Tasuki: I don't care. I don't feel appreciated.
Smack: That's because you aren't. Anyway, moving along, here's the hint of what's to come:
'Oh poor, foolish Tasuki. You didn't ruin my fun, you just changed the rules and game a little.'
Smack: I love that quote. ::hearts appear around head:: It's one of the best in the whole story. What could be going on that would make Yume think such a thing?
Tasuki: What's going on?
Smack: Nothing, nothing at all. Go back to your corner.
Tasuki: Fine. . .
Thanks To:
Lanen: Tama would be a better victim only 'cause then Mits could heal him. If it were Mits who had the rabies, who'd heal them when they got all beat up? Don't worry, I gots a lot more in store for you guys. * grins *
miLady: The bracelet is rather curious isn't it? And I told you before; the end of chapter eight will be explained in good time. You just have to be a little patient. If I handed you every answer right away would this story even be worth reading?
Otaku Pitcher: Don't worry about it not showing up. I'm just glad that you've stuck with me this long. (Oh, in case you care, it's nineteen now. I'm almost positive that Katana and co. will appear in the next chapter! twenty) I'm glad that I did a good job on the Yume and Tamahome conversation. I was a little skeptical. I only hope I did as well in this chapter. . .
mini: I know it took you forever to read this! You only read the first form, the one that isn't developed, and forget about it. I can be mean too. Just wait a few more chapters. I'm not even sure if you read the one I'm talking about yet, lol. Harass me face to face, though. It's more fun for both of us that way.
Author's Note: Ok. I have my doubts about this chapter but I'm doing my best. Those of you who have taken on the roles of the four characters, it is chapter twenty. At least, I'm almost positive it is. Well, I don't have much of an author's note so deal with it.
'. . .' is. . .Yume's thoughts. Very good o young pupils.
Chapter 10: Chattin' With Chichiri
'Maybe if I go over what Taiitsu-kun said one more time I will finally understand the "hidden meaning" behind it,' I thought as Shiriko and I wandered through the palace garden. 'I know that there has to be one. I think that that old hag knows more than she's telling me. But the way she said it, it makes it seem like she's getting her orders from some higher force. Maybe she's not allowed to tell me anything else.' I clenched my fists and unclenched them. 'Oh what I wouldn't give for a stress ball right about know. They may be weird but they're great on stress.' That thought out, I began to wonder about why they looked at me weird. 'And no one would even tell me why! I bet Chichiri told them not to! And I'm going to find out why. Now all I have to do is find him. . . I'll check that spot that I had found him earlier today.'
I walked Shiriko in that direction and sure enough, he was there. Unfortunately for me, he had a guest: Miaka. I decided to talk to him later and snuck away from the spot without being seen. After all, I was supposed to be walking Shiriko. I placed the little strap of my CD player loosely around my wrist and the headphones in my ears. I turned it on and heard the wonderful quiet beginnings of music enter my ears. "Well, Shiriko, how 'bout we go sit in that little gazebo thing and rethink our existence for a little while?" I asked my pet. I got no objection so that's exactly what we did.
I decided to sit facing the area where Chichiri was so I'd know when Miaka left. That didn't exactly work, though, because I soon became lost in my thoughts, attempting to find solutions to questions I hadn't even begun to consider yet. Most of the solutions I knew would evade me for a while. At least I thought I knew. Perhaps the answers were but a brief amount of time away. I fixed my gaze on the water and the music from my CD player became but a background noise. My mind was being taken back to earlier today, when I was talking to Taiitsu-kun. "The Suzaku Seven will need your help on their journey. I do not know how someone like you can help, but it seems that you will prove vital in their quest." That's exactly what she said to me. 'I still don't get how I'll prove vital. I'm just a normal girl. I couldn't even protect myself in a dream. . .I'm so weak. . .' I thought as I gazed at the water. I looked down at my hands that were resting so relaxed on my lap and felt a single tear roll down my cheek. Before I could wipe it away, it landed on my bracelet. For a brief second, the bracelet glimmered like it did when I first put them on. 'Ok this time I know I must be seeing things. There's no light; I picked this spot because it was in the shade. How'd it shine like that? What's with these freakin bracelets?'
I saw Miaka away from Chichiri's spot. 'Ah ha! Now's my chance!' Opportunity knocked but now I wasn't so sure what I wanted to ask it. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. 'I'm sure I'll think of something once I get there,' I thought as Shiriko and I got up. 'No. I can't trust him. I can't tell him a lot. Sure, he seems trust worthy but things are not always what they appear. Besides, if I start to talk openly I may say something that I'll regret,' I reminded myself as I took off my headphones and we neared my goal. 'Here goes nothing. . .' "Hi Chichiri. Mind if I talk to you for a little bit?" I asked casually, allowing a hesitant and nervous smile to creep its way onto my face.
"Oh sure Yume. I did say that if you ever needed someone to talk to, I'd be here, you know," he answered, that smile still on his face.
I took a seat next to him and motioned for Shiriko to do the same. "Well, actually, I wanted to ask you something." His eyebrows rose. "You may not want to answer it but I need you to do that for me."
"What exactly are you going to ask me?" he asked, obviously confused.
"You know before, after I talked to Taiitsu-kun?" He nodded and I continued. "Everyone was looking at me weird. Miaka said something about me looking different and so did Tasuki but they both shut up right away. Why won't anyone tell me what happened?" I questioned.
'He looks troubled, as if he's debating something,' I noted. Of course that was just a guess. It's impossible to tell what he's feeling with that smile always present on his face. I didn't even know where the guess came from. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he answered. "I told them not to mention it. I thought that if you were meant to know, you would have seen it yourself. I didn't want them to mention it in case you weren't meant to know yet. Since it didn't last, it might have just been a freak accident or something, you know?"
"I guess you're right. When the time comes, I'll know," I replied, a little disappointed.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. "What I looked like before. . .it wasn't too horrible, was it? The way you guys were staring at me made it seem like I was hideous," I stated. I didn't mean to dwell on the subject but I wanted to know at least that so if it ever happened again, I'd be a little prepared.
"It wasn't horrible at all. . .just a little, different," he answered. When he saw the look of shock on my face he added, "Different from what you normally look like, you know."
"Oh. . ." Now I was even more confused.
It was silent again for a minute and I got another strange feeling that he was debating something. "Is you physical appearance really that important to you?" he asked. This took me by surprise.
"No, it's just when everyone stares at me like I have two heads and my own dog," Shiriko looked up, "doesn't even recognize me at first and no one will tell me why, I tend to wonder," I answered.
"I guess I would too," he replied, looking away from me. I pet Shiriko. I felt kind of bad. I had been ignoring him the whole time even though this was supposed to be his walk. When Chichiri looked back at me, the smiling face was in his hand. 'A mask. . .it was just a mask? Why would he wear a smiling mask?' Then I looked at his face. It seemed perfectly normal at first glance. Across his left eye, (A/N: I think it's his left eye. If it's not, let me know, ok?), however, there was a big scar.
"What happened?" I asked, trying not to sound rude.
(A/N: Once again, I'm sorry if I don't get this totally right. I did my best, though, so go easy on me.)
"An accident," he answered. I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent to give him a chance to continue, if he was going to. He sighed a long pain filled sigh. "When I was 18, I got engaged to my life long friend and love, Kouran. I thought Hikou, my best friend, supported me but it turned out that he loved her, too. I saw him kissing Kouran." He stopped and I think I saw a tear escape his eye. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to tell me the rest Chichiri. I understand," I said. 'I definitely didn't expect this. . .'
"No, it's ok. Kouran broke off our engagement. Then she. . .she killed herself. I was so upset. I couldn't understand why she'd do something like that. I challenged my friend to a duel. It started raining and the rain turned to a flood. As we were fighting, the ground under my friend broke but I held on to him as long as I could. I realized then that I didn't want him to die. He was my best friend. A log broke and hit me in the eye causing the scar. I let go of his hand. I should have held on to him!" He stopped again. "My family died in that flood. I lost everyone who was dear to me. The scar reminds me of what I did. I found that the scar disturbs some people so I made the mask."
I didn't know what to say. I thought of something, though I was sure it wasn't original. "That really sucks. I'm sorry Chichiri. I wish I could say I know how you feel but I don't. Nothing quite like that has ever happened to me before." 'Ok. . .now that was a pathetic excuse for making him feel better. I could tell him about how I tried to kill myself once, but I don't think that would help much,' I thought bitterly. "Why'd you tell me that? I don't mean to sound rude but it causes you so much pain yet you told me. You don't even know me that well."
"I told you because I wanted to let you know that I know what you're going through. The dreams you have that you can't control, the changing of you appearance, though you changed back. I thought that maybe if I trusted you, you'd trust me back," he answered.
"I'm sorry Chichiri. I just suck at cheering people up and it frustrates me sometimes." We sat in silence, an almost comfortable silence. I pet Shiriko and Chichiri moved to put his mask back on. Shiriko got up from his position next to me and strode over to Chichiri. He then did something that shocked me beyond words. He nudged Chichiri's hand with his nose, causing him to drop the mask. He then licked the place where Chichiri's scar was, laid down next to him, and put his head on Chichiri's lap.
Chichiri gazed thoughtfully at the dog. He hesitantly pat Shiriko on the head and when he didn't object, pet him behind the ears. "Does he normally behave like this?" Chichiri asked.
I stared at my pet. "He trusts you and accepts you," I answered, mesmerized by my pet's change of behavior. 'He never trusts anyone this easily. Maybe it would be ok to trust Chichiri.'
"The why'd he knock the mask out of my hand?" he questioned. Shiriko looked up at the scar, then at the mask, and finally, at me. Our eyes met and I understood.
"I think he was trying to tell you that you don't need the mask. That he accepts you for you, and that he doesn't care about the scar. He likes you." Chichiri looked up at me thoughtfully. 'He probably thinks I'm a psychopath. Making it sound like Shiriko is that intelligent! Even though I know he is I don't think Chichiri could understand that.'
Chichiri pet Shiriko some more. "Is that so?" he asked my pet. 'He's toying with me. He's no different than anyone else. I was foolish to think I could trust him. Foolish and naïve.' Shiriko lifted his head, nodded, and barked. "Well, then thanks." He turned to me and said, "You have a smart dog. Can you always tell what he's thinking?"
I looked down. "Well. . .actually, I've basically raised him so yes I can usually tell. I've spent enough time with him to understand his body language along with some of what he's thinking," I answered, unsure of the response I'd get. 'I hope I don't sound too stupid. . .'
"I'm not going to laugh at you if that's what you think. I believe you. It's a perfectly believable claim, based on the way you two act together, I bet he can tell what you're thinking as well," he said. Neither one of us said anything after that.
Author's Note:
Smack: So. . .how'd I do? Was it any good?
Tasuki: ::mumbling:: No it sucked. I wasn't even in it.
Chichiri: Uh, Tasuki? None of us were expect Yume and me and a little appearance by Miaka. You aren't alone, you know.
Tasuki: I don't care. I don't feel appreciated.
Smack: That's because you aren't. Anyway, moving along, here's the hint of what's to come:
'Oh poor, foolish Tasuki. You didn't ruin my fun, you just changed the rules and game a little.'
Smack: I love that quote. ::hearts appear around head:: It's one of the best in the whole story. What could be going on that would make Yume think such a thing?
Tasuki: What's going on?
Smack: Nothing, nothing at all. Go back to your corner.
Tasuki: Fine. . .