Chapter Two
~ What Dreams May Come ~
That night, after dinner, Mandi went down to the computer in hopes of catching her friends Katie and Ashley online. Her heart was pounding as she recalled the recent events, the urge to tell her friends what happened growing stronger.
As soon as she was signed on, Mandi opened her buddy list and scanned down the list of names. It seemed like everyone and their cousin was online, but finally she spotted Ashley's screen name. Katie had yet to show up. Frowning, Mandi waited a moment, pondering on whether or not to wait until they were both online.
*Chime*
The familiar blinking orange bar made itself known on the bottom of the silver screen. Mandi shrugged.
"That takes care of that, doesn't it?"
Clicking on it, she saw that Ashley had instant messaged her…
1WoNdErAgL: Howdy ^_^
Anime-Panda: Ash! *glomps* Where's Katie?! I have to tell you two…well, something happened.
1WoNdErAgL: o.O what do you mean? Is something wrong?
Anime-Panda: Wrong? Err…no, don't think so. It's just…something is weird.
1WoNdErAgL: Um…ok. Katie's still at work I think. o.O
…Mandi sighed, expressing the action to Ashley before leaning back in the seat. She wondered what to do, and then decided it would be better to wait until Katie was present before saying anything…
1WoNdErAgL: So, what did you need to say?
Anime-Panda: Ach…I'm gonna wait for Katie to come on 'coz I wanted to tell you both at once -.-;;
1WoNdErAgL: o.o Ok. Now I'm wondering what this "weird" thing that happened is, but I'll be patient.
Anime-Panda: ^_^; it's *very* weird- that's all I'm going to say for now…I'm beginning to doubt that it ever happened though…
1WoNdErAgL: Well make up your mind- did it or not? Was it really *that* strange? :P You've just got Saiyuki on the brain…or maybe just Hakkai.
…Mandi's cheeks flared as she grinned. Saiyuki was the wonderful Japanese animation she had found while at the store one day, and being a curious fan of anime she'd decided to buy it. Boy was it addicting. In turn, she'd gotten Katie interested and Katie had turned it onto Ashley. After not too long, all three of them were Saiyuki maniacs. However, it felt strange for Ashley to have said what she did…because the events earlier could easily be linked to the very fictional show…
Anime-Panda: Did you want to RP while we wait?
1WoNdErAgL: *chases tail*
Anime-Panda: LOL- I guess that's a yes? XD
…A laugh escaped Mandi's throat and she shook her head. RP, also called Role-Playing, was the girls' escape from their reality. They often would find joy in delving into a fantasy world, whether it be created or from their own imaginations, just to drown out all else around them.
It was with that thought Mandi's laugh faded. The woman with the umbrella replayed in her mind, those eyes boring into her once again. What she had said struck a deeper chord than Mandi had thought. How sad was it that the only adventures the three could have were through the computer? No matter if it was always good for a laugh, it would never compare to actually being able to do the real thing…
Mandi enjoyed being outside- granted that the weather was at least semi-agreeable. She preferred sunny, moderately warm days though rain occasionally brought her comfort. She liked the way the trees naked branches reached into a clear winter sky with desperation for warmth- the way the wind made leaves danced down from their limbs in a colorful display in the Autumn- and how sweet the flowers smelled in Summer and Spring if a gentle breeze was kind enough to bring carry their scents her way.
Unfortunately, this spring so far had only brought with it the remnants of Winter- the climate remained damp and chilly, especially during the evenings. Perhaps once the weather became nicer…
*Chime! Chime! Chime!*
Snapping out of her thoughts, Mandi blinked out of her blank stare and saw two messages waiting for her. Katie was online at last- though for the last five minutes Mandi had been completely out of it.
1WoNdErAgL: …Are you alive? *whimpers* Mandi?
Anime-Panda: Yeah *blinks* sorry lol- I zoned out for a second.
1WoNdErAgL: I figured that. Katie's online now, though.
Anime-Panda: Yup- I see that too. Let me invite her in…
RosCos2 has joined the conversation
RosCos2: .
Anime-Panda: Hullo Katie! ^_^
RosCos2: Hey-lo! *glomps* Hey Ash! One more day!
1WoNdErAgL: Hey ^_^ Yep.
Anime-Panda: o.O one more day 'til what?
1WoNdErAgL: -.- Don't tell me you forgot we're coming to visit tomorrow night?
Mandi stared at the screen. In all honesty, she had forgotten. This she blamed on the thoughts of earlier in the evening taking too much space in her brain…
Anime-Panda: .; Sorry- it did slip my mind. XD Only because something weird happened earlier and I keep thinking about it.
RosCos2: ^_^ it's ok *hugs* so…o.O what happened?
1WoNdErAgL: Yeah- we're both here now, so tell us what's up.
Anime-Panda: This is gonna seem really strange, but I promise you it's all true. When I left work today to come home…
…Mandi went on to recount the events, feeling a strange knot in her stomach tightening the entire time. She was nervous because she wasn't sure what Katie and Ashley would make of the situation- especially since they were both being so quiet. At last she came to the end, finishing with the incident concerning the man in the Jeep taking the hiking pack away from her, and then waited for any kind of response…
RosCos2: o.O that's…very…weird.
1WoNdErAgL: ~.- It seems a little too strange to be true but…are you sure you weren't dreaming or something?
Anime-Panda: -.- I don't think I was- I'm still damp from the rain. I could've imagined the blond hair and purple eyes, but the incident with the Jeep definitely happened. What about that woman? What do you make of that?
RosCos2: o.O I'm not entirely sure. Maybe she was just messing with you? People are very strange nowadays.
1WoNdErAgL: This is possible lol- we're strange too. Maybe it was the Merciful Goddess ;)
Anime-Panda: Lol it could've been, ne? Still- it was really weird. She said she knew both of my names. What do you suppose that means?
RosCos2: :S I'm not sure. She was probably bluffing or trying to get a rise out of you. Though that's only if she truly was just messing with your head. At least she stopped you from walking into traffic o.o
1WoNdErAgL: People are really weird…
Anime-Panda: *sighs* I guess…
Mandi blinked groggily- fatigue had somehow come out of the blue and overtaken her body. She glances at the clock to see it was only a little after ten PM. She could usually stay up through all hours of the night.
RosCos2: So are we going to RP tonight?
1WoNdErAgL: ^_^ *chases tail and barks happily*
Anime-Panda: .… . I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to decline…I got tired all of a sudden. :S ^_^ But hey! I'll see you both tomorrow evening! We're gonna have an awesome week!
1WoNdErAgL: Aw…: (
RosCos2: Aw *hugs* okay- we'll see you tomorrow then! Sweet dreams! ((
Anime-Panda: *group glomps* G'night you two!
1WoNdErAgL: Good night ^_^
Anime-Panda has signed off
Mandi shuffled about after shutting off the computer, moving mechanically toward the steps to her room. Not surprisingly, her grandparents had still been awake in the living room and wondered if she felt alright. It was no secret that Mandi was pretty much a night owl, but perhaps she needed sleep to prepare for her upcoming week.
Once inside her room, Mandi changed into a pair of green flannel pajama pants and a white tank top, and then took a moment to look about her room. The entireness of the wall space could have been an anime shrine. Her door and closet was sectioned off dedicated just for Saiyuki.
She frowned, sliding into bed after gazing at the well loved character portraits decorating the otherwise drab wood.
"Saiyuki…" she murmured softly. The word came from the Chinese term "Xi-you-ji", the legendary myth of demons, gods, humans, and a journey into the West. Mandi wondered the probability of her finding that exact piece of torn paper she had found earlier that depicted part of the tale on it. It had already happened, but she supposed with the weather it would be long gone, blown into a gutter ten blocks down. The chances were slim to none.
Silently, she went over the characters portrayed in either tale, trying to lull her mind to sleep.
The Monkey King, Son Goku…the Water Imp, Sha Gojyo…the Demon Slayer, Cho Hakkai…and the High Priest Genjyo Sanzo…
Those were the four heroes of that mythical legend. They were what Mandi and Katie and Ashley wished they could be every night when role-playing. They were strong, independent, and adventurous. It was a shame those things couldn't happen in real life.
With those thoughts, Mandi found her self losing awareness and began to drift into a dream unlike any other she'd ever had…
…The alluring aroma of lotus blossoms and sweet peas mingled with a crisp and gentle wind, swirling around a figure enveloped by fine mist. A sky, free of grey clouds and colored deep azure gleamed with the warm rays of a golden sun, singing with the sound of birds' enchanting melodies. There seemed to be nothing but the figure dancing quietly to the song, suspended on invisible wings as the mists continued to rise and fall about the feminine form.
Flowing white-blue silk skirts hung loose from a sky blue sash about her waist, fluttering about in tune with each gust of wind. Long hair, streaked with silver plaited strands, fell in gracefully thick waves around bare back and shoulders. When she stepped forward, circling to complete her dance, the mists lowered and revealed heavily lashed almond colored eyes, rimmed with midnight blue. It was then that a caressing breeze used invisible tendrils to move away her bangs, revealing a crimson charka accented by markings of the wind element.
She spoke not one word, but watched the distance with seeming scrutiny, worry shining in her eyes. And then there came a voice, one so very familiar…
"Yu Michiko…"
The young woman turned her gaze to the mists once more to face a silhouette hidden within. The only distinct feature seen was a pair of blue-violet eyes.
"Yu Michiko, it is time…"
Those words finalized the sequence and the mist once again rose, clouding all else, muffling the senses…
Bryan, Ohio
Katie pushed back from her computer, shutting it off for the night. Her blue eyes peered at the time and found it was four-thirty in the morning- she chuckled. Ok, so she was shutting down for the early morning.
Standing up, she stretched her arms and legs before taking the small step toward her bed, proceeding to recline comfortably. Her mind wandered to what Mandi had told her and Ash some hours before and Katie couldn't help but wonder once more. She hadn't said it then because it hadn't really struck her as that out of the ordinary, but around the same time Mandi said her incident occurred, Katie had a slightly strange visit…
While she was at work, scribbling in a notebook as per usual on a slow day, a man had come inside. Katie had not really paid him much attention, but was aware he walked around for a few minutes as though searching for something. At last, the man had approached her and spent a moment quietly before speaking.
"I beg your pardon, Miss, but have you seen a woman with long dark hair come in?"
Katie glanced up from writing, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear. The man was dressed in a peculiar fashion- wearing a long, dark hooded coat over what appeared to be some kind of tunic or dress- and to top it all off he was wearing socks with sandals. It wasn't exactly sandal weather, but hey, whatever floated his boat. She moved her gaze to see his face and realized there wasn't much to see. From the shadows she could tell he was on the elderly side, and to prove the point further there were strands of silver-grey hair visible.
"I'm sorry I can't say that I have. Nobody has been in for a few hours now." She finally replied.
The man sighed. "I see. She's so spontaneous sometimes, I really wish she would tell me very clearly where she is going. I don't usually have trouble following her but perhaps it is just this place…Thank you very much." He bowed his head to her before walking out the door.
Katie watched, bewildered, until he was out of sight. "Now that's a different kind of crazy," she muttered and returned to her notebook…
…Her eyelids began to shut as her body begged for sleep. Katie chuckled at the memory but figured it didn't mean anything besides a confused old man…
…Rustling in the lush verge surrounding a posh clearing brought blue eyes to attention. From the middle of two broad red trees a brown rabbit appeared, pink nose twitching and ear swiveling. The animal spotted the still humming owner of the azure gaze crouched over seedlings and moved forward.
Tresses the color of almonds and highlighted with pale blond held tied loosely down a bare back. The tips came to a gentle wave at the waist where a mint green sash held tightly a flowing hunter green and soft yellow skirt of velvet, bare feet slightly soiled by earth on the soles protruded from kneeling legs. Her hands stopped working on the soil, and in one she held a collection of tiny wildflowers.
A smile crossed her lips and from above the wind blew, taking the petals from her hand and into the woods, brushing aside her hair to show the charka on her forehead symbolized with the element of Earth.
"Shina Lian…"
The earth woman glanced past the rabbit to see a feminine shadow near one of the trees. Only blue violet eyes called for her.
"Shina Lian, it is time…"
And there too the world was lost to an overgrowth of greenery…
Montpelier, Ohio
Ashley plopped down into her bed, wondering just where the energy had come from to keep her up until four thirty in the morning. It had to be some kind of adrenaline rush she got from role-playing, not that she really minded it. Most of the time, RP was well worth staying up to do. It just sucked that Mandi had to leave so early, though it was comforting to know they'd all just make up for it in their week spent together.
She smiled faintly- they hadn't all three hung out together for quite some time. Distance was such a pain but for the time being, none of the girls could afford to make any big moves to remedy the problem. Visits just had to do, so when they came along, the most was made out of it.
With a yawn, Ashley laid back, an arm behind her head of blondish hair, hazel eyes staring intently at the ceiling. Sleep was coming to her fast, but she kept thinking about the strange events that Mandi had told earlier. Not too long after their friend had left, Ash had told Katie about something odd that had happened to her while she'd been out taking care of her dogs. She wondered just what made her think of it as out of the ordinary now instead of before…
…After she'd finished feeding the dogs, Ashley stepped out under the sun, enjoying the warmth the afternoon offered. It was the first sort of warm day since spring had begun and there was no way that she wanted to take it for granted. A smile stretched over her lips and she tilted her head back, stretching her limbs.
Eventually the sound of dogs barking turned her eyes toward the road where a stranger stood, watching Ashley's every move. With a frown, the girl strolled casually to the young man, who then turned his head away, keeping his own gaze averted.
"Can I help you?" Ashley inquired of the stranger, taking hold of Shania, the red merle Border collie that had somehow gotten loose.
The young man's lips curled into a faint smile, shaking his head ever so slightly causing his hair to rest against one prominent cheekbone. What a strange shade, Ashley thought of his hair, it being so dark it nearly appeared blue.
"Perhaps you can be of some service. Tell me, have you by any chance had a visit by two peculiarly dressed people?"
His voice was smooth, unfaltering, and in some way a bit recognizable. Ashley arched an eyebrow to him.
"No- the only stranger I've seen is you all day today. Are you looking for someone?"
He chuckled. "Not really…well, not anymore. I see I've gotten here before her…how…sad." He muses to himself before turning to look at the young woman standing before him. "Thank you for your help- enjoy the time you've left, Miss."
Ashley was quite surprised to see his face in full, if even for a moment. He had the most intriguing eyes, a mismatched pair of amber and blue…
…Two eyes, one amber and one blue…Ashley sleepily recalled the stranger, but had the hardest time remembering just what his face had looked like. She supposed he'd been relatively handsome, but then she couldn't quite picture him anymore. Ah well, sleep was more important at the moment…
…In the midst of the thick wood the sound of water trickling over moss covered stones floated through the trees, drawing to its source all life. Through the leaflets and over a few rocky ridges there lit a pool of the most beautiful crystalline waters, and above it a magnificent waterfall. If one were to look beyond they'd have seen a spectacular view of proud mountains reaching skyward and protecting the lands beneath.
Yet in the waters there knelt a solitaire figure, a youthful woman whose song captured the ears of several birds, and joined by their chirping and the water's own melody they had perfect harmony. She lifted her hands from the clear liquid, shimmering drops falling like stars and clinging to the satin fabrics of blue-green sleeves. Her golden hair cascaded smoothly along bare shoulders to graze the water, casting ripples outward and green hazel eyes greeted the sunlight. All was perfect…
"Jiang Miyoko…"
The water seemed to call to her, and with a tilt of her head, the young woman glanced toward the falls. She felt wind envelop her and in moments an array of wildflower petals scattered to the sky and to the surface of the water. A shadow of another woman formed behind the liquid blue-white curtains and blue violet eyes met her gaze.
"Jian Miyoko…it is time."