Rivers Never Die
by LadyRainStarDragon
Chapter 5: Do I know you?
Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away or any brand names. I don't own Inuyasha either. I do own BlowingWind, Ryu, and Koji even though I think Ryu and BlowingWind should stop being such spotlight stealers. Nushi is my creation to.
Corrected and expanded version, ffnet edition will remain in PG-13 format, R-rated for the uncut scene in chapter 19 will remain on affnet.
On with the story.
:Zips off on broom-o-doom.:
"Tell me about this man you met this morning, Chihiro."
"Where do I start? He was wearing formal kimono way out here, and he played a flute."
"What did the kimono look like?"
"White and blue, green and gold. It makes me think of a swift river, actually."
"Anything else?"
"His hair was black and really long. I've never seen eyes so green either . . ."
"Did he give you a name?"
"No, but he left me a bit of food, and this rose, and a card. He was . . . familiar, somehow."
During the time that Chihiro and Koji were performing the awakening ceremony, Ryu and BlowingWind were actually engaged in having an adult conversation. Chihiro would have thought she was going crazy if she saw it, but they really could get along if they needed to. Something was up, and neither of them liked it. Presently, they were perched up in a tree whispering so that they would be neither interrupted nor overheard.
"You felt it too didn't you?"
"Smelled it too. That card was absolutely drenched with the same smell that covers her those nights she dreams about that man."
BlowingWind eyed Ryu. There was something he wasn't telling her. She hated it when dragons pulled the mystery act. Personal experience had taught her to believe in dragons and other spirits. Growing up where she did, she didn't have as much of her father's culture as she would have liked and too much of her mother's, but she did see lots of strange stuff in the woods she told no one of. Then there was the fact that when she had gone to explore Mt. Fuji she had a run-in with an annoying dragon. She didn't know if it was good or bad that she hadn't ditched him, but he had been the only guy willing to put up with her temper for so long.
"You mean those nights where she thrashes and moans for somebody named Haku, and it's perfectly easy to hear her from our room. The nights you say she smells fertile?"
Ryu nodded his head, eyes dark as he was deep in thought. "It smelled like that man that came to camp last night and carried her to her bedroll. Far too much like he's been watching her for a while, he seemed to know precisely which one it was. I find that disturbing. It smells kind of like another dragon."
"That could be good or bad. It would depend on how this dragon views us humans, and his intentions." The rose was bothering her. "A white rose. With you dragons and your love of symbols it could mean anything from a polite thank you to you're mine to I'm gonna eat ya."
Ryu cocked his eyebrow at her, allowing it to disappear into his unruly dark hair.
"Usually a dragon only gives roses to someone he or she greatly admires, just like you humans. White is generally a symbol of purity. She is a shrine maiden after all. Or, he could be working his way up to red roses if you know what I mean."
Here, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"It is rather easy to intrigue Chihiro, and some spirits still find it amusing to toy with them."
He watched his girlfriend's face carefully, searching for any hint of indignation or rejection in her cornflower eyes.
"This might sound a little corny, since it sure sounds corny to me, but what if he was the River God?"
"Let me out of this cheap B movie. What would he want with her then? Aren't they usually drawn to the girls with great beauty or magic powers. Sure, Chi's pretty, gorgeous even at times, but not the type the guys usually chase after unless they like 'hard to get'. She doesn't have any powers either, unless you count stubbornness and brains. Just a normal girl, trying to help her community, and she somehow manages to get pulled into a mystery."
Ryu glared at his BlowingWind and puffed a bit. His short hair stood on end, and his brown eyes took on an harassed gleam.
"Are you implying that I went after you for your looks or the fact you get premonitions at times or can see ghosts? Not all dragons are like that you know, we are drawn to a person's purity. Chihiro is a very pure person. That is exactly what worries me though. She's like a little sister to me, and I would hate to see some stuffed anybody mess that up for her by breaking her heart. She shows respect to the spirits and gods, even at the times that she isn't sure that they aren't psychological projections or archetypes. She loves all people equally, even the ones that she's ready to beat to a bloody pulp. Our Chi is loyal, hard-working and extremely intelligent, just the sort of thing that she should be allowed to keep. It doesn't help that she lives fairly traditionally as a habit, well, as much as possible these days. That fact alone seems to attract a lot of the old things to her. Guess you didn't like the idea. What do you think then, o Wise Woman?"
"I'm no Wise Woman, just me. I don't know what's going on. I just know that guy last night looked like one of the ghosts that haunts our complex. It reminds me of some of the stories about spirits that would seduce a woman out on the plains, and just leave them after the poor woman was hopelessly in love."
"So we're on the same page then. Whatever or whoever it is, we're afraid she'll fall in love. You know, we seem to meddle quite a bit in her love life."
BlowingWind snorted. "She wasn't interested in any of the other guys that tried to date her anyway, and if you're thinking of the one I hung out the window he deserved it. Trust me on that, you would have done worse."
"So we stick closer to her then."
Their minds made up, they dropped out of the tree. Imagine their surprise when they landed right in front of a young man with greenish-black shoulder length hair and some deep jade eyes. The young man's simple and traditional clothing gave him a reserved air, and something reminded Ryu vaguely of how Koji dressed. At the surprise, BlowingWind had leaped up into Ryu's arms and shrieked, causing both young dragons to wince. Several minutes of quiet followed as stares were exchanged.
"I'm here to volunteer."
Ryu blinked and sniffed curiously.
"Ok, another dragon's strength and stamina will make the clearing out go faster. We change your clothes though unless you're going to be Chihiro's work partner. Normally those clothes would attract too much attention, but with the way she dresses I don't think that will be too much of a problem. Didn't you ever hear of blending in?"
As Haku was walking along, he was trying to figure out an appropriate story as to why he was just showing up out of nowhere to help. None of them sounded believable. Two figures suddenly dropped out of the tree and landed right in front of him and he froze. The girl jumped up in the boy's arms and shrieked, causing him to wince a bit. He thought they were Chihiro's friends, or at least they looked like the ones he'd seen her with. After that, the silence stretched on for a bit.
Well, it looked like it was up to him to make the first move, since the others looked like they were frozen with shock. Oh what joy. "I'm here to volunteer."
The other boy blinked and sniffed curiously. "Ok, another dragon's strength and stamina will make the clearing out go faster. We change your clothes though unless you're going to be Chihiro's work partner. Normally those clothes would attract too much attention, but with the way she dresses I don't think that will be too much of a problem. Didn't you ever hear of blending in?"
The girl snorted as she carefully got down, poking at the curiously worded shirt that he wore to further drive her point.
"Right, like you ever blend in Ryu." She stuck her hand out. "My name's BlowingWind MountainChild, Mr. Blunt over there is Ryu Take."
"Kohaku Nigihayami." Mentally, he slapped himself, but since there was another dragon here, he should use his name, or a form of it, and not make one up. Since dragons could recognize another dragon even in human form, that could be a major hang up.
Apparently, the name didn't really register, since Ryu was just happy he wasn't the only non-human here anymore. At least he'd have somebody to talk to and hopefully not get smacked by. Better make sure this guy knows not to reveal himself though.
"Ok Kohaku, well we'd better all get to the group. Uh, just don't tell anybody you're a dragon, since if you tell the wrong person you are, one or both of two things could happen.. You could cause a big ruckus and get plastered with faulty scrolls like this poor hanyou that frequents Tokyo's Sunset Shrine I heard about. The other possibility is that you'd get picked up by the men in white coats and get put in the padded room, also known as the asylum." The name struck something in Ryu, but he was too preoccupied now to think about it.
Sitting in the Goshinboku at Tokyo's Sunset Shrine, a pouting hanyou sneezed. "Somebody's talking crap about me again." The girl studying on the ground just shook her head. He truly was paranoid sometimes.
Kohaku just nodded, not having any idea what on earth Ryu was talking about. Neither option sounded fun though. So they all went to the camp to meet up with the others, Kohaku being told all kinds of things about Chihiro.
Chihiro and her Grandfather had tucked away their problem for later by the time they reached the others. She was getting excited again about clearing out the spring. In fact, she was so happy that the grin just couldn't be suppressed. So she gave in and grinned like a maniac. She was even happier when she saw the news crew wasn't there yet.
"Oh Chihiro! We've got a surprise for you!"
'Uh-oh. That was just to sickly-sweet and drawn out for this to be good.' Willing herself not to betray her nervousness at the tone BlowingWind only reserved for things she thought in Chihiro's best interest, she responded in kind as she was approached.
"What?"
'Ish, I sound like my mom'
"You remember how we are all supposed to have a working partner today, since we'll be actually working in, by and around the water? We realized just yesterday that you didn't have one."
Ryu was all smiles. Chihiro hated partnering with guys, so this was a great way to get back at her for this morning.
Chihiro's face instantly showed the extreme suspicion welling inside her.
"He was going to touch you-know-what. It's not my fault he couldn't take a little kick in the groin."
BlowingWind gifted Ryu with her patented you said he wouldn't do that kind of thing evil eye briefly, then switched back into caramel candy mode.
"Now, Chihiro, you know we aren't going to let you work without a partner. Anything could happen. You could fall in and hit your head and without a partner, nobody might know. Aren't you lucky we found a volunteer!"
"It better not be another one of Ryu's perverted friends. I'm tired of getting groped."
'Males have been groping my Chihiro! I hope she's been hurting them.'
"Chihiro, I'd like you to meet Kohaku."
As one, Ryu The Ever Annoying and BlowingWind the Meddlesome stepped aside. Kohaku got his first close-up look at Chihiro. Chihiro was too shocked by his face and eyes. Another wave of de ja vu washed her away as a riptide of confusion sucked her under. The pure emotion behind those eyes ripped her breath away even as her lungs cried desperately for air.
"Hello Chihiro."
She barely managed to breath "Do I know you?" Then more than a few confusing memories sent her crashing to the bottom of the sea.
