Shitza: 200… 200… (Faints ten times over)
Do any of you have any idea how happy I am for this? When I first started this fic I never could imagine this. Not to mention all hits! Whether or not people just stumbled in here accidentally, but over 300 hits in five days is more then I can stand. I am so incredible… so incredible grateful. I don't know what to say really, except thanks to everyone for all support! You have no idea what this means to me.
Anyway, better get back to the real things before I loose my head again.
I am really sorry for the evil cliffhanger and the really evil chapter. It was fun however to read all of your reviews because they are so different. So to say, some of you will love the end chapters and some may not. So far we are almost there. I think it's safe to say… about five more chapters. Done before next time I am disappearing into that summer cottage.
Okay, better hurry up with the chapters before the next mosquito bites me. I hope you all enjoy, and please forgive me if the beginning of the chapter may sound weird. It took me a while to get started. Not to mention, I haven't slept much this weekend. You don't sleep much at a friend's summer cottage at midsummer.
Shitza
Ps: Don't kill me at the end of the chapter. I know you will hate this chapter, probably more then the previous.
Chapter 39 In Yubaba's Claws
The whole camp celebrated the new birth of the Phoenix, however not entirely everyone. The travellers had all gathered in a small tent some metres away from the celebration. They had other things to worry about. Chihiro was missing.
Kohaku had of course been the one to notice the mystery. The link between them still existed. Through it he had felt her anger frustration and then her world going black. The link had been broken, for the first time in a long period. He felt incredible alone, and naked in front of everything he saw. It didn't feel good. Everything could have happened to her.
It irritated him, because the link only reflected her inner emotions not where she could be.
Lin, Deko and Xing sat heads close, looking at a map over the field before them. Chip, who knew the other camp as well as this, instructed them on all details. Kohaku however didn't listen. Yes he wanted Chihiro back, but knowing Yubaba the girl had probably been brought somewhere else.
Kohaku slammed his fist into the table in frustration. His hopes shattered for every second that went and his mind raced in thoughts and theories. He had a feeling that whatever had happened to the girl he loved, it had been carefully planned.
"What is it Kohaku?" Lin asked. She looked concerned and worried and Kohaku had to restrain himself from throwing himself into her open arms. The tears streamed down his face, the energy that remained within his body flowed out. His emotions grew.
Chip scooted off, running to fetch at least one of the phoenixes. Seeing he was having problems it was the only reasonable thing to do.
"Take a deep breath Kohaku, we will get her back." Lin said comforting. Xing and Deko retreated into the shadows giving her room for the full attention for the lost love.
And as the minutes passed Kohaku slowly calmed down enough to allow the phoenixes to help him. The new Phoenix of peace was not attended since she still had a task ahead. The healing glow was blinding and he closed his eyes, embraced in the warmth and love from the nine birds.
'Chihiro, where are you?' he thought before he fell asleep from exhaustion.
Chihiro blinked several times before waking up. She tried to sit up, but noticed that her feet and hands were tied to four poles around her. She lay very uncomfortable on a pile of black stones. Escape was not an option, because black spirits and ghouls, waiting to tear her up, heavily guarded her.
Suddenly a door opened and familiar footsteps echoed in the dimly lit room. Chihiro looked up as much as she could to lie face to face with Yubaba. The witch held a small iron box in her hands and wore a very evil smile on her lips. Chihiro shivered. But she couldn't understand the point in this?
"So, you are finally awake. I was getting worried that my newest apprentice had failed his duties. You've been unconscious for a whole day."
"What do you want with me?" Chihiro asked dangerously, yet she was answered by a cold laugh.
"What I want, little spirit. I want you, and I have always wanted you! You see, you have something I dearly desire."
Chihiro blinked several times. Her mind swirled in confusion. "What would I have?" she asked.
Yubaba leaned closer to her ear. "Everything!" she whispered.
The feast was still on, but the Phoenixes had retreated back towards their own private circle of tents. Most of them lay asleep in their luxury, but the Phoenix of destiny couldn't sleep. The word "everything" rang in his ears like a warning signal. He knew everything and he knew what was happening at this very moment. It grieved him that he couldn't do anything to help her… for she was the last light they had left to fight with. One last candle against the eternal night.
Tatia ran as fast as she could. Unlike the rest of her family she hadn't followed them to the feast and spent her time being useful Her little tour however seemed to have paid off. You could hear much from spirits who drank too much if you stayed at the right spot and the things she had heard, she couldn't think of anything more important.
The pink tail flew as she sprinted back towards the camp. Through the maze of tents she tried to find Chip. She found the fox sitting in Lin's lap, being combed to a real gentleman. Normally she would have laughed at the sight, but at the moment she had more important things in mind.
"Chip!" she said collapsing from the running. The other fox immediately jumped out from Lin's lap and ran over to the female. The pink-eared fox whispered something in his ears and Chip nodded. He turned to Lin, who looked bewildered.
"Fetch everyone you can find, we know where Chihiro is!" he said gloriously helping the other fox back to her feet. The others stared at them, then moved. Everyone except Kohaku that was.
"Don't bother. I have some unfinished business with that witch. I am going after her!" Chip looked at him, bent over and whispered the destination into his ear.
Lin opened her mouth to complain, but Kohaku disrupted her.
"I have made my choice. All of you have been willing to help us all the way through, but I feel like I've done less for both you and her. Lin, listen. This is my task to do. I have something I must prove for myself."
Lin closed her mouth again. Chip and Tatia looked up and him from the ground, then smiled.
"Good Luck lover boy, you are going to need it!" They chorused happily.
Kohaku smiled in return before stepping out from the tenth. People gathered around him, but no one said anything. The River Spirit took a deep breath before changing. His face lengthened, his hands became claws, and his skin received fur and scales. His green hair turned into a mane. The dragon stood on the ground for a few seconds before taking off into the night sky.
'Chihiro, hold out! I'm coming.'
Could anything feel like more pain then what she was experiencing? She was surrounded by a black darkness that tried over and over to crawl into her bare skin. She was wearing new clothes. A black robe that went down to her feet, with huge wide sleeves that made her arms look bone thin. On it was a painted cross that reached down to the hem of the robe. Her hair was out, taken away with a tiara off black diamonds. Around her neck was a necklace of big black pearls and her hands held more jewellery then the Pharaohs of Egypt ever had owned. On her feet sat black sandals made of soft silk. But no matter its beauty Chihiro had no time to think about it. For the darkness around her had taken control over her spirit and threatened to take her soon.
Yubaba sat on a chair watching the process. Ever since Chihiro first had entered the Bathhouse she had known there was more then what met the eye. And she had been right. The black spell she used only worked on certain spirits. She knew that the girl would fight to live, but it wouldn't be long until.
Kohaku had only been the appetiser. She was the main meal. Yubaba could do nothing more then smile as the young spirit started to sweat. Her soul and spirit was strong, but not strong enough to survive this.
Chihiro opened her eyes for a brief moment and stretched her hand towards Yubaba as if she wanted to do something. But half way she sighed and dropped it. Yubaba smiled. The process had been must shorter then she had expected. She went to fetch the iron box. She opened it, murmuring an ancient spell. Something white and fluid soared from the now dead woman's body into the box.
"There, sealed and done. Now you can come little phoenixes. Now I am ready!"
Kohaku flew as fast as he could. The moon was disappearing and the new morning rose, but no matter how fast he flew he felt like he was being too late after all. After two hours of flying he landed on the roof of Yubaba's new resident. From there he sprinted down through a window and hurried to find her. The link between them was far emptier then possible and he feared for what he would see.
When he reached the dungeons, and the chamber she lay in he bent down and cried. For there was nothing he could do to save her. Yubaba was nowhere in sight. Kohaku slowly walked up to her. She looked as if she was sleeping. She didn't look dead at all, as if she had fallen asleep. Her hand lay reaching for a spot of the room as if this had been her last movement ever.
Kohaku bent down and kissed her face, but he could do nothing to awake her. His sword had fallen from his hand when he had entered the room. He picked it up, determined to finish this once and for all. Giving her one last loving gaze he sprinted back.
When he was out of sight bright flames licked the dead body, and it turned to ash.
TBC
To Reviewers: I know you will kill me after this, but there is more. Do you believe in happy endings? If not the hope so. Anyway, review responds also contains some clues for the upcoming chapters. And important notes you would want to think about. I am just trying to save my own skin.
big book worm: Oh, Chihiro always happen to end up in danger. I hope you read this carefully for this chapter may not be what it seemed.
Jinenji: Oh, you will see. I cannot say who the new phoenix is, but if you know the stories of phoenixes then you already know her. I am really happy you like the story and thanks for the compliments.
Storm-Maker: I am sorry for the blow on the head, but it was the best way for the black out and I didn't want her to know where she was. Anyway, you probably didn't like the death thing, things will indeed turn far more interesting from here. Also, I am happy you liked my jumping into war thing because I had no idea if it was good or bad. Many jumps are good, but you can't continue jumping all the time or it gets confusing.
KishLover123: I am happy you liked it. Hope you liked this one as well.
To Reviewers from other Chapters:
The Silver Dog Rouge: I am happy you liked it and hope you enjoyed the rest of the story as well.
Gardevoir-Mages: I still cannot understand how you guys can write one story together, much less how you managed to read mine together. You really must have an equal set of mind or something. I hope you all enjoyed the story.
End Notes:
I really hope you all have enjoyed the story, I feel bad for giving you such an evil chapter after all those endless amounts of reviews. I hope you liked this, even if it was evil… what am I saying? I am too tired to type t the moment. Better go, I'll be back with a new update as soon as possible.
Shitza