Promise of a River

By: LadyRainStarDragon

Chapter 13: Hallucinations, Tea, and Magic Bras

Rain owneth not ye Spirited Away.


You are not going to believe what happened today.

The foreman was sick today, having contracted some new froggy flu that was making itself known. Thankfully, it wasn't life threatening, but it was bad enough were he couldn't see straight. Who would be crazy enough to be working near somebody who walked into walls insisting he was fine for work?

He had actually made a small dent in the wood, but you could only see it if you had really sharp eyes. So, I ended up being the lucky one to fill in for him since Yoruiki hadn't been trained for this yet.

Sadly, I also had to listen to my immature aspect ribbit to itself somewhere in his lair in the back of my head, in between bouts of laughter. Who knows why, it wasn't like it was the first time we had to do this job.

Knowing him though, he's planning something, because he's been very calm lately. Well, calm for what seems to be a hormone-driven teenager bent on being the dominant one and having crazy dreams. Have you ever woken up with a white lacy bra in your hand, wondering how it got there and why the maniac is whistling like he got sated? It's creepy. Especially when the bra has 'Ogino Chihiro' marked on the tag with laundry marker.

I think Lin's been sneaking in my room while I'm asleep and playing jokes again. That has to be it. Right? I mean, you don't wake up from an erotic dream and find a bra in your hand normally. It's a very sick and twisted joke. Of course, Lin denies everything and wants to shake the person's hand for being so creative. It has to be Lin though, there isn't anybody else here who knows me that well, and there's no such thing as a magic bra.

Is there?

I didn't think so.

It's too quiet in here, he's up to something.

I shouldn't even be having those dreams. I feel like I'm dishonoring her with them. Haku however, he's a totally different story. He can just popup with something that although related to what's going on . . . has to do with Chihiro.

'Pervert.'

I'm rambling, back to the subject.

What I was originally supposed to be doing today was tea tasting. We had received a new shipment, and most of it was completely new stock to us. Things like vanilla, cherry, and some fruits that I was pretty sure weren't even from our hemisphere. Then again, I'm not an expert on everything.

Being the one with the most refined sense of taste in the bath house, since Yubaba could only taste tobacco with all her smoking, and Yoruiki had no sense of good taste at all, I had to pull double duty. In this case, it was a good thing. Stand around and smile at people all day, boss workers around, and try new teas? For once, I was pretty happy with my job.

I didn't have to boss anybody around today either. I guess they were afraid to spoil my good day.

The vanilla tea was quite nice, very smooth and slightly sweet. Passion fruit was okay, but nothing to crow about, I pawned that off on a visiting South American spirit who had tracked the smell down excited we had her favorite. My favorite was the cherry, sweet and dark with a heady aroma and somehow managing to merge the sweetness of the late summer fruit with the spring blossoms.

The last one that the kitchen worker brought to me was something called Earl Grey, and had been bought with Yubaba and her European visitors in mind. I will never drink it again. Ever. They like it, they can keep it. Yuck.

1. It was bitter. I never take my tea with sugar, and this definitely needed it. A lot of sugar.

2. I didn't like how it smelled. This and coffee are definitely on my do not drink list. I can't see how Yubaba can drink either.

3. The name. Earl Grey? Now, Cat's Paw or Devil's Claw I can understand (they're the same plant, help women with their, well, problems), but Earl Grey? It makes me feel like I'm drinking tea made from humans. Humans do not make tasty meals. I don't know how I know that, so don't ask me. They just don't.

4. It makes you see things. If it doesn't then it conceals additives with hallucinogenic properties very well. When I put down the cup, I saw Zeniba.

That's right. I saw Zeniba, solid, standing right before me and looking like she was expecting me to pop right out of existence before her very eyes. It was very creepy, since there is no reason for her to come here. Then, of all things, she popped out of existence. Everyone else just continued on like this was normal.

I handed the frog back the tea and bent forward to pass my judgement so the guests wouldn't hear.

"Passable, serve with optional sugar. Write down on my list of things I will not eat or drink Earl Grey tea."

"Master?"

"Just do it."

"Yes Master."

After work was over, Kohaku scribbled down his day and went to sleep.


"Well Zeniba, what do you make of it?"

"He's not all here, Yubaba."

"Yes, we all know the dragon is going crazy missing his pet. And it's pretty obvious he's not been sleeping well due to dreams about her. I mean why do you think he's been fading."

"But that's just it. Not all of his being is here. It looks likes he's missing a rather large chunk of himself, throwing all of his godly aspects off."

"You mean you think an aspect is not present, but hanging around somewhere. Since they share the same life force, wouldn't that eventually kill them?"

"Exactly."

"That would explain why he so was so hard to control, even for a dragon. I didn't actually have all of him under control."

"Probably. Amusing how easily Chihiro squished your slug. With her foot no less! It's too bad she couldn't have stayed and gotten some training. That child had potential."

"Hmpf."

"I'll see what I can do to find the missing piece or pieces. With luck, we can fix this before he fades out completely and permanently. Oblivion is definitely not what he deserves."

There was a flurry of paper, and a flock of shikigami rose from the floor and out the window. The effect of their flight was like a white river flowing through the sky, soon lost to the moonless night.


The kitchen frog brought the cup and teapot back to the kitchens. He was very confused over the level of the tea.

"I'm back!"

Putting the teapot on the table the kitchen workers were allowed to sample and snack from, he then quickly went to the cabinet to pull out the scroll of items that Master Haku refused to have served to himself.

"Didn't he like it? He drank the whole sampling pot with the others. Especially that cherry tea, that was gone quickly."

"Nope. Don't know his reasons either. He says Earl Grey needs a sugar option."

One of the other frogs took a sip of the tea in question while the first frog unrolled a very thick scroll to scratch quickly at the bottom (right underneath 'Lin's cooking - she laces the food') before putting it away again.

"Yeach! It's bitter. But then again, so is sake. He loves sake, so bitter probably isn't the most important reason."

"Who knows. Maybe he just had a bad thought about Sen Tea."

"Hehe. Brought on by all the bras he's been feeding the boiler. I tell you, Lin is a genius at practical jokes. Where's she been getting all the bras though? They're western underwear."

"Yeah, who would have guessed he'd get so embarrassed at that subject."

The kitchen was in an uproar laughing over how he had screamed when the first bra had shown up. It had literally resounded through the whole bath house, except the upper level.


When Chihiro awoke in the morning, she found herself missing a bra once more. Down to her final one, as all the others had either mysteriously disappeared or been neatly sliced in between the breast cups, it was definitely time to go shopping. The neat slices were odd, the fibers looking like some kind of claw had just . . . been lifted through or something Getting dressed, she met BlowingWind outside before the sun rose. Waiting for the sunrise, they greeted Amaterasu as she set out on her daily crossing of the Heavens.

"Ready to go to the store?"

"Yup. Clothing store first."

"Again?"

"Yeah, completely gone and no trace."

"What a cheeky ghost. So, was it the long haired one or the one where it went to his shoulders do you think?"

"I can't remember. What makes you think it's one of the Apartment Ghosts?"

"The sightings have been most frequent in areas that you hang out in. Everybody on our floor has seen them heading for our apartment at some time or another or looking absolutely confused."

"I'm sure there is a better explanation of where my undergarments are going than ghosts stealing them. Maybe I've been sleepwalking and throwing them away."

"Chi, we've been checking the trash. No go. Besides, with those green eyes you keep drawing all over your notes, it has to be one of those two. I've seen them, remember? Both of them have eyes that look just like that. Besides, there are certain times of the year that its supposed to be really easy to transfer stuff between worlds."

Later, at the mall, the two women were perusing the ladies undergarments. Chihiro was filling a hand basket with many packs of underwear and bras, stocking up in case they kept going poof.

"Maybe you should get some lacy see through ones."

"No."

"Well, maybe whatever is doing it just likes to look at you. If he can see through them, maybe they'll stay on."

It was a sound supposition, and worth a shot. Several of the garments in question joined the normal white ones. After making her purchases and going home, they took the time to label each and every one, as well as writing on them 'quit stealing my underwear you hentai ghost.' When it was once more time for her to sleep, she followed 'Wind's itchy suggestion.

Those were the first to disappear, not even getting a second running, both top and co-ordinating bottom. Chihiro had reached a conclusion. One or both of the ghosts that were haunting her were perverts. If she ever got a good look at the one who did all the ahem . . . stuff . . .she was going to track him down and fry him. Spiritual powers or not, bras are expensive.


Below the former and future headwaters of the Kohakugawa, Nushi was pacing yet again. His friend, seated at a desk behind yet another mountain of paperwork, Ten peeked around the great mound of false snow.

"I was so close! She was right there! All I could project was an image though, not myself."

"Nushi, you faded again didn't you?"

"Yes! I did! I was so close to being able to touch her. I hate being stuck in this spring, not being able to stay above."

Giving up on getting any further through the red tape that every Chinese or Japanese god feared and dreaded, Ten left his Desk of Horror. Ok, so it was his own fault, he'd never had the patience to keep up with it the way Kohakunushi had and the way Nushi still did. Ten could now see the slightly shiny path where his friend was accustomed to tread.

"You're wearing a path."

Negligently, the former master of the river stepped to another place to pace.

"He's taking long enough to get here! Doesn't he realize what's going to happen if we don't rejoin soon?"

Ten shook his head, remaining in the shadows. The normally placid spirit was working himself up again. If he ever lived to have pups, Ten was going to make sure that they knew he could actually have an expression other than a smile. Occasionally he could be completely flumoxed. Hopefully, time would play out where the two could look back at moments like this and laugh at how stupid they had to have looked.

"Nushi, he's probably been having fading problems also. Don't you think that maybe there's a good reason he can't come yet?"

"So? I may hold most of the power, but he holds most of our presence. Chihiro is almost done restoring my river. What happens to her if I don't survive to re-inhabit it, and someone else gets it instead? What if it's a dragon who looks at her and says 'look, a tasty snack' or 'MMM. Barbequed Miko.' or otherwise? There are a few out there who actually do enjoy the taste of a maiden's flesh. There are plenty of mysterious disappearances without her own being added."

"Tasty."

All these years since children would beg for pebbles from his central channel, Nushi still had not gotten out of the habit of carrying a few pebbles around with him, safely tucked into a hidden pouch, and he made use of one by braining his sarcastic and perverted friend. His aim was true.

"Not like that! Be serious!"

"Sorry. It was 'tasty snack.'"

"Pervert. I don't want anybody doing that to her either."

Ten heaved a huge sigh as his friend had begun to yank at his hair, having gotten no closer to any ideas on how to heal himself. It was scary, and the dragon's worries weren't focused on himself. He was only worried about the little human he had nearly died to protect. Ten was sketchy on the details, but had heard a bit about the little girl Nushi had been gushing about for the past several years.

The view mirror's surface stirred a bit, drawing his attention.

"Hey Nushi. Looks like your girlfriend went shopping."

Not even noticing the jibe at his extreme sense of connection to Chihiro, he kept up his nervous movements even as he answered.

"I hope she enjoyed herself. Did she get something nice? Books? Painting supplies? New outfit? Maybe a festival kimono?"

"Bags upon bags of bras and underwear."

That caused Nushi to stop his self-torture. If there was anything he had expected to hear less, he didn't know what.

"You're kidding."

"No. Look for yourself."

Chihiro and her American friend were putting away no less than ten bags, all full of packages of bras and panties. Nushi was stunned that anyone would need so much underwear, but then again, women might as well be a foreign species. It had to be a human thing. Quickly, he placed himself (back to the mirror) between Ten and the mirror, face tinged a line of pink across his nose and cheeks, arms spread wide as a crane's wings, his vast draping sleeves a temporary curtain to give his favorite human some privacy.

"Ten!"

Ten couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"The mirror doesn't lie. I wonder why she needs so much though."

"I don't care what you wonder. Stop thinking about her underwear!"


Several nights later:

The day had passed, and it was time to wake up and get ready again for work. Despite how much he yelled at himself, he really did enjoy his dreams about what he thought Chihiro looked like. Stretching himself like a cat as he worked on waking up, he noticed that today both of his hands felt like they were clutching something.

'Oh no. Not again. I locked the door. Don't be what I think they are.'

Kohaku was beginning to get really worried when he noticed the bras getting skimpier and lacier each time he woke up, lately accompanied by matching panties.

"LIN! YORUIKI! STAY OUT OF MY ROOM! THIS IS NOT FUNNY!"

'Seven months to go. Then these stupid pranks will stop.'

(Are they really pranks? Do you think it will actually stop? Maybe you're just wishing really hard to know what kind of underwear she uses.)

((What are you up to, Haku?))

(Who me? I'm innocent of whatever you're thinking.)

'Since when are you ever innocent?'

(Maybe the underwear is magic.)

((Magic underwear? That's a strange thing to enchant.))

'Our dreams have been really life-like lately.'

((Yeah. The pup is up to something again.))


Reviewer Corner:

Lost-and-Lonely-Pheonix :Grabs shoulders and puts her back in chair: People are looking! Stop hopping! I stop where I do for a good reason. If you got frustrated at the last point, you'd shoot me for where I was going to stop this chapter. Don't worry though, there's more coming.

Mangaboylover: Chill, there's a bit to go yet. Haku now has 1 month till he hears his posting and whether he gets Chihiro or not, then six additional months till he gets to go to her physically. Note the underscored word.

Fantasywriter13: Thanks

Crazianimegirl: (Not Yet) Thank you.

Jaded image: (Courting the River Maid) Thanks, but I think sugar is better than the story. You can't use the story to sweeten tea after all. The paper you printed it on would just soak it all up and then you'd be left with a soggy story. :Looks at what she wrote.: Eh, I'd better go lie down before I hurt myself.

Fyraga: He fades because he's not whole. I got the idea of the 'realistic' dreams from some articles I'd read on projections and incubi. Basically the parts of himself are trying to find each other, but keep centering around Chihiro (guess why, and it's not sexual. Hints are in U.S. and R.N.D.). Although they sometimes fade at the same time, usually they don't, thus why Chihiro's dreams have been either about the short haired Haku, seeing the apparition of Nushi in the last chapter, or the dragon she dreams about in 'Rivers Never Die.'

Trallgorda: Writing more, and welcome!

Katsy Kat: Yes, all good things must eventually come to their end. Aren't you glad this isn't it!