Standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter 3
It was on a quite, cool, night that Yuuko finally snapped. Chihiro was exhausted; she had worked a double shift at the dojo as well as taught three youth classes. She loved kids to no end but she swore that these kids were out to drain her of every last bit of energy. She slowly trudged her way home, she had told Kioko to put the casserole in for thirty minutes that way if their mother became hungry all Kioko had to do was take it out and feed her. It was odd the way that Chihiro's mind was working these days. She looked upon looking after her mother as one would an animal that had grown too old to really do anything anymore. They still graced her with the name 'mother' but Chihiro was the parent. She looked after everything, not that it bothered her, and it never had. She was happy to be able to look after them the way she did.
It was nearly eleven by the time Chihiro walked in the door. After the first year of the only one being awake at the time that Chihiro got home was her mother, Chihiro had stopped announcing that she had returned. Silently she dropped her bags and went about checking that everything was in place, and ready for the next day. Before she had left that day she had put all the laundry in the laundry room waiting to be done when she got home.
Chihiro looked on the pile, annoyance bubbling up inside her. It was on days that ran her so hard that all she wanted to do was scream and hit anything, and anyone and unfortunately this was one of her days. She grumbled at the never-ending pile and hurriedly tossing them into whites and darks, and put one load in. Sighing, she headed for the bathroom, she needed a hot bath that would clear her head, and then she could finish the laundry.
Unknown to her Kioko was watching her. For a ten year old she was quite perceptive. She could see the daily toil that wore her sister down. Chihiro had long since stopped smiling. When she did smile it was not true. The smile never went to her eyes; they no longer sparked as they did when she first became the adult. Kioko had let it fall for years thinking that she was too young, but after hearing all the wonderful things that little Sen did in the spirit world at the tender age of ten, gave Kioko courage. If Sen could do it so could she.
Chihiro enjoyed her shower, her body melted under the gentle pressure of the showerhead, and the heat allowed her to relax and think only on good thoughts, many of which had been dwindling of late. Her memories of the spirit world were quickly fading and she grasped onto them with a death like grip. She couldn't let those happy memories fade, if she did, she just might lose herself in agony. Out of the shower she dressed in an old tank top that barely fit anymore and a pair of track pants. She would have put on socks if for the fact that the moment her body hit the bed she passed out, her body finally giving out on her.
Chihiro stirred a few hours later, the sound of lightening echoing through her groggy head. She glanced around the room, her foggy eyesight unable to really make out the room or the time. She guessed it to be two or three in the morning. What had awoken her, she could not tell, until faint yelling could be heard as well as the familiar sound of china breaking. Chihiro was up at once, her ears trying desperately to figure out what was going on, and then she heard it, a 'mommy' from a frightened child. Chihiro sprinted from her bed not even realising a blanket had been placed upon her shoulders. She took the stairs three at a time, the moment her feet touch the main floor she was in the kitchen. The sight she saw froze the blood in her veins.
There was their mother a pan in one hand and a carving knife in the other. The look on her face would have sent chills up even a grown man's spine. Chihiro took a quick check, Kioko was on the floor not a mark on her, while Yuuko continued to advance on her, she raised the knife and Chihiro sprinted to Kioko's side.
The knife embedded itself into Chihiro's shoulder, the tip nicking off her shoulder blade. She bit back a cry and shoved Kioko out of the kitchen. Just as they clamoured to the doorway Chihiro chanced a look back, for her mistake she received a pan in the face, knocking her back into the counter. This time she cried out, her short burst of pain seemed to echo off the walls in the otherwise silent house. Kioko stood at the doorway her eyes wild with fright.
Chihiro grimaced back another cry and looked at her mother. If Kioko's eyes were wild with fright, Yuuko's were wild with fury. She looked on her wounded daughter with such malice that Chihiro mistook it for sadness. "Mother…"she whispered, trying to get through to her, but the mere sound of Chihiro's calm voice only set Yuuko off. She screamed and lunged for Chihiro. Chihiro too fast for the crazed woman made for the door grabbing Kioko's hand on the way. Without speaking she led the way out of the house and out into the wilds of the sudden storm that had fallen over them.
They ran hand in hand away from the place that they once called home. The storm raged around them and the rain had already begin turning the otherwise stable ground into quick sand, sucking their feet down, attempting to stop their desperate flight. Chihiro didn't know exactly where they were going but she went with her gut instinct. She could still faintly hear their mother trying to follow them in the blinding rain but Chihiro kept silent. Not a cry or word passed her lips, if she did she feared that Yuuko would hear and know where they were.
Chihiro was running at a painful speed when Kioko cried out and slipped, her small body finding it's way into a raven. Chihiro pulled hard on Kioko's hand pulling her up against herself as she took the fall for both of them. Her right wrist smashed against a rock and she faintly heard a cracking sound, while her left ankle found its way onto a slippery rock and twisted painfully. She bit her tongue to stave off the cry that threatened to erupt from her lips. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
She looked quickly around; there were little houses surrounding her, the houses built for the gods that signified their proximity to the gate of the spirit world. Wordlessly she stumbled to her feet and looking at Kioko realised that she could go no further. "Kioko, little sis, get on." Chihiro bent down to allow for Kioko to get on her back. Kioko opened her mouth to oppose the idea but was stopped by the cold look that had clouded Chihiro's face, so Kioko nodded numbly and climbed on.
Chihiro shifted under Kioko's weight and bit back another cry; she had to be strong for both of them if it meant their survival. So staggering, she made her way to the gate. Finally reaching the safe confines of the gate Chihiro allowed Kioko off her back. The two made their way through the tunnel and then into the waiting area. Chihiro did not speak, her mind trying to figure out some way for them to stay once they got into the spirit world.
Kioko looked around her in fascination. This was like how Chihiro described the gateway into the spirit world. She would glance up at Chihiro once in a while wondering if she was the one called Sen.
Coming out of the station Kioko stifled a shriek. Surrounding them were large shadowy figures. They seemed to glance at the new comers but never got any closer then a few meters. Chihiro made her way detrimentally towards to docks. There was already a boat waiting and she glided onto it. The figures around them did nothing to stop them. Kioko watched her sister with fascination. This determined woman was the one that had willingly be beaten for the last four years?
"Do as I say Kioko. Don't talk until spoken to and keep your eyes averted." Chihiro's voice was stern and cold. She had been stern and cold before but never at the same time, it was like upon entering this place Chihiro had become a different person. Kioko nodded her agreement and held on to Chihiro's hand. The right one was clasped closely to her chest she leaned heavily on her right foot. Getting to the other side Chihiro once again led the way, her eyes never wandering far from the path in front of her. Kioko looked in wonderment at the world surrounding her.
It no longer rained but the two sisters were still soaking wet and covered in mud. Kioko looked once to her sister's shoulder. The blood had soaked through the thin fabric of her tank top. The wound itself could not be seen under the mud that was beginning to dry. Kioko wanted to cry for her sister, she had received that for her sake, and it hurt knowing that every bruise and cut was Chihiro's silent way of protecting her.
They exited the boat and Chihiro made her way knowingly through the streets. Upon alighting another set of stairs they came upon a huge bathhouse. Finally Kioko could not contain her questions any longer.
"Big sis, your Sen, or were Sen. Why didn't you tell me?" Kioko's eyes begged for an answer but Chihiro could not come up with one.
Chihiro shook her head, "I'm sorry for not tell you that it was me but…I didn't want you…I wanted you to believe it was a fantasy. That way you would have an imaginary person to look up to, someone far better then me."
Kioko opened her mouth to contradict Chihiro's statement when a green frog hopped up to them.
"Welcome back Sen. Yu-Baaba's been expecting you." He turned and hopped off fully expecting the two humans to follow.