Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters, sometimes the setting, and a few of my own creations.
Authors Beginning Note: Here at long last is your chapter! Yay!
I hope you enjoy!
Shout it outs!
Shitza: Hmm...guess you will have to find out.
chelsea: Will they live...such a delicate question...maybe...
MaNgA-bOy-LoVeR: I'm delighted to hear you like it!
KatsyKat: I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it so much.
dreamer: Hmm...I like cookies.
Velf: Sorry about the confusion. The effect on Haku has yet to be fully decided, but it should be coming up in no time.
Yes, flames are awful, but every one gets them every here and then. Nothing to be done but ignore them. Thanx for your support!
Aharah Musici: Its wonderful hearing from you again! Yes, its weird, a lot of it is weird. I certainly wouldn't want to just read it starting in the middle.
Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers!
Chapter 38
The real You,
the New me
Chihiro's POV
"Chihiro."
"Kohaku." My lip trembled at the sweet serande of his voice.
My dream…I'm dreaming again…I wish…I wish I could hold him…"Chihiro, you're not dressed. Are you okay?" I jumped at Rin's voice.
"Oh Rin."
It's been so long since I've seen her…I miss her so much…I wish…I wish so much…that everything would be right…
I couldn't help the trembling sobs that escaped, or the stead rainfall down my cheeks. My knees weakend and she caught me before my knees hit the hard wood and held me, caressing my hair gently.
"Oh Chihiro. My sweet sister."
"Rin, it's so hard. I don't feel like I can go on. But I have to, I know that, but…"
"Chihiro. It's all right."
"But Rin, I…" She cupped my head between her hands and stared me right in the eyes.
"Chihiro. Even the strongest of all spirits fall, but it takes true courage to get up. Can you get up? Will you?"
"I don't know if I can Rin. I don't feel strong. I don't feel courageous. I'm just a simple person. I have no magic, or anything."
"Where is that little girl I knew so much?"
"I've grown up."
"And you've lost your self." She held me close as she rocked me back and forth.
"Remember when you were a little girl and you first came here? You worked so hard. You didn't complain out loud but you were a spit fireing dragon if I ever saw one. You held many captive, and amazed. Everyone wondered 'How does she keep going? She's just a human, she should be too weak to do all of this.' Even though you were a weak human, you were stronger than even the great Yubaaba. You conquered all obstacles. Why?"
"Well I had to save my parents and…"
"No. You didn't, and yet you chose to. Think about why you chose to. Why you went through all of that."
"Rin, I don't understand, I…"
"Shhh. I have to leave. But I want you to stay here and think about what I said, okay Chihiro?"
"Rin, I…" She pulled me onto my feet and held my hands at arms length.
"Remember Chihiro. That's all you have to do. Kohaku may be dead, but you still have friends who both care about you here." She let my hands drop and I watched her silently leave.
But I…still don't understand…what is the answer…what is the question…I am so confused…I feel so lost…
"Chihiro." I felt him whisper my name. I opened the doors and stepped out into the warm night.
"Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi." I whispered and his name was carried off into the wind. A gently rain began to pour down. I waited with a calm I thought beyond my position.
"Chihiro."
"Kohaku."
There's something different about him…he's changed a little…he feels different…but the same…
"Chihiro, you're bleeding." I looked down at my body and looked to see blood covering my body. I looked up startled and met his frantic gaze. I felt a tear fall and slowly worked up some courage.
"I am dieing."
"What? Chihiro, no it can't…"
"It was an Illusion and I realized it too late. Beast, a dragon companion of mine is dieing as well. I don't know where we're going."
"No, Chihiro…" He seemed to glow a different light. I looked at him more carefully, both heart and soul and saw something new.
"You yourself have changed."
"But Chihiro…"
I can feel him…every pulse…every beat…he is the same…but new…it's like…he doesn't fit who he was…his name doesn't fit anymore…
"You aren't Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi anymore, are you."
"My river was dieing, so it was moved." Tears fell down both of our faces.
"Where are you? I promised I would find you." I whispered.
"Chihiro, you have to give up, maybe there is a chance that you will..."
"No!" I screamed. He seemed torn and startled. His eyes were more dull and it cracked my heart.
"No. I will find you, and I will save you…and if…and if I die, it will be only when I know you are free." I choked out. My throat closed. My heart refused to slow down. Slowly, a smile crept across his face. A sweet, sad, innocent smile and he stepped within inches of me. I smiled a watery smile of my own. He bent down and I could feel his breath against my ear.
"Follow the rain." He reluctantly stood up. He moved his hand to caress my face, only to have it disappear into nothing. His smile drooped even more.
"I love you." I whispered. His image began to fade.
"Wait!" I cried out but he had disappeared completely. I slid down to my knees, and slowly laid right there on the balcony, listening to the sweet patterns of the rain, as it beat out
"I love you, Chihiro." My special rain storm.
End of Dream Sequence
Aikia's P.O.V.
I sat there twiddling. I watched the dude. For hours and nothing different happened. Slowly, a few more beams faded. I rolled over on my back and looked at him upside down again for the thousandth time. I thumped my tail on the floor in boredom.
"Come one already! If anything, you look more like death warmed over than a new green leaf. Sheesh." I sat on my rump and watched diligently for all of five seconds before. I looked up at his face and I saw something fall down and splash against the floor.
"Hey! Hey, hey! Be a man! No crying! Seriously, even if you are separated from yer mate and you're trapped in shackles and…woah. What's happening now?" I sniffed the drop as it glowed a shiny color.
"I smell magic." I looked at the tear as it spread itself into a puddle and I could see something strange in it.
"Hey! It's that girl! Hey, what's with her being in your tear, I mean seriously. Yo! Don't leave me hangin, I'm talking to you!"
"Chihiro, you're bleeding." I looked down at the image.
She's…really in it bad…how can she even be standing…there's blood all over her…but…I don't get it…She only got flung against…but it looks almost as if…the wounds happened on the outside…
"I'm dieing."
"What! Well, I guess I kinda expected it." My tail flicked and my ear swiveled as I focused in on what they was sayin.
"You aren't Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi anymore, are you."
Okay…if that isn't one of the weirder sayings I've heard between lovers…Who is she to be telling him who he is…and who he isn't…but what if he isn't who he is…or…awe heck…I give up…
"My river was dieing, so it was moved."
How does he know that…I mean…ain't he like half dead…"Where are you? I promised I would find you."
"Chihiro, you have to give up, maybe there is a chance that you will..."
"No!" I jumped. I felt the hairs on my neck and tail prickle uncomfortably.
"No. I will find you, and I will save you…and if…and if I die, it will be only when I know you are free." Then he whispered something I couldn't hear.
"Come on! What did you say to the chick! I want to know!"
The image began to fade and the last thing saw washer lips move as she screamed the three most disgusting, vile, and stupid words I ever heard.
"I love you!" The tear turned black and I moved back. I looked at the guy and another drop rolled down his cheek.
"Oh no, not another. Where's a hankie when you need one."
"I love you." His lips cracked and bleed. The tear dropped on the floor, but unlike the other one, it splashed into a thousand droplets.
"The only part I'm understanding is that you both arestupid. What is love anyway? I mean really, it's not like you can turn it into gold to buy yerself a descent spread and food." I sat and watched him a little bit longer.
You know…I don't think that girl is human…I really don't…I don't know what she is…but it ain't normal…Considering she's about to die…yet she thinks she can save him…
"Psh. As if. That would mean getting past both Aikia and Ahrima. It's impossible." I jumped as the last beam disappeared, leaving the room dim even to my eyesight.
"Uh oh. This can't be good. Hey you! Buddy! Are you dead yet? Or are you just playin me?"
You know…I'm really fed up with this silent treatment…I leapt up and grabbed the chains that hung from the ceiling. With the great flexability that was given to me as a cat spirit, I loward myself and looked right into the guys eyes.
"Wah!" I yelped and fell down hard.
Any more freaky…and I think I would have died…of a heart attack…
I grabbed my chest and tried to breath.
"What, not only do you give me the silent treatment, you freak me out to! I mean, you just suddenly decide to pop those gogglers of your open! Next time I think your dead, I'm leavin ya, until I am for sure you've kicked the bucket. You're not even listening to me!" I growled as he looked past me, then as if things weren't freaky enough, something else happened.
Uh oh…I think I better get outta here…and someplace away from him…A white light rested on his skin, and hit the crystals, causing some to fall and shatter.
"Uh, hey listen. I gotta go. See ya!" I ran out of there as fast as I could and didn't look back.
Chihiro's POV
"It is time for you to awaken." I felt myself slowly rise, as if I were in water, and was floating to the surface. The first thing to greet me was a woman of unsurmountable beauty, and I couldn't help staring.
"Who are you?"
"Here, drink. I will explain." She helped me sit up and she handed me a silver chalice. I looked at the detailed designs of feathers and ivy that wrapped around it before I drank
It's so sweet…like fresh fruit…or candy…no…lighter…like…nothing I've ever tasted before…
"I see you like what you drink."
"Very much so, thank you." I stared at her.
Her perfect peach lips turned upwards in a demure smiled. Her eyes were a kind soft blue. Her cheek bones were perfectly set high, and her face was a perfect oval. Her skin was a pale bronze and her hair was one continuose flowing black beauty. Her gown was a twinkling silver that hung on her every curve, but managed to be perfectly discreet. Sweeping wings protruded from the curves of her shoulder blades and blissful white feathers fell every now and then.
"You have wings." I stated stupidly.
"Yes, I do. As do all of my race."
"Your…race?"
"You shall see intime." I looked at the white room with columns and silk draperies. I wanted to get up and look around, but found one thing hindering me.
"My clothes?" I blushed deeply as I held the blankets close to me.
"I'm afraid that I've thrown them. However I had a wardrobe made just for you upon your awakening. I hope that is all right with you." I pinched my arm, hard, only to let out a little yelp.
"What did you do that for?" She walked over and I watched in amazement as a lone feather dropped on my arm where I pinched myself. All remaining pain instantly died away.
"So I'm not dreaming, this is really real."
"No, you are not dreaming." She pushed back a few locks of ears and I gasped.
"You're ears are pointed too?" She blushed.
"I hope my appearance doesn't offend you." She quickly tucked them under her hair, as she stood up and looked away. I shook my head.
"What are you? At first I thought you were and angel, but, then your ears are pointed, so that would make you an elf, but…"
My head is spinning…nothing makes any sense…nothing has since I began this journey…just take it in stride Chihiro…you may not get another chance to find anything as wonderfully strange as what you're experiencing now…
"I know of elves, but what is an Angel?" She whispered, I could feel her excitement as she asked, but she kept her back to me.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Oh no, why?"
"Its just that you won't face me. It's kind of strange talking to someone who's back is to you." She shyly turned.
"So then my appearance does not offend you?"
"No. You are positively beautiful." She smiled and then it faded.
"You will think differently when you see my sisters. They are much more prettier than I."
Its so sad…she doesn't have a clue as to what she really looks like…if only there was someone who could show her…
"An elf is a mythological being in the Human world. Elves are like humans, but have pointed ears, are graceful, and much more beautiful than what any human could amount to. In a way, they are perfection in sight. An Angel is a beautiful winged ethereal being said to watch over and guide people. In some religions, they are gods, others they are God's messengers."
"The being you call an elf lives a far distance from my race. They live in a magical forest that is both old and enchanted. I suppose you would call my race 'Angels' though we are neither messengers of God nor are we God. We are just another race that inhabits this realm."
"So what are you called?"
"Arielis"
"Ariel-ees?" I said trying to pronounce it right. She nodded.
"I am an Ariela, because I am a girl. A boy would be an Arielo."
"Okay."
"My name is Seleena." She has a pretty name…
"My name is Chihiro." She leaned in close to me and looked straight into my eyes.
"Ah. I understand. You have not yet found your new self." What does she mean…'You have not found yournew self'…If I'm not the really me…than who is…what she said made no sense…
"What?" She smiled and shook her head.
"I'll help you dress, then I can take you to see your friends."
"But…"
"Do not worry, you are healed physically. It's amazingreally. You were at deaths door when you came to us. If it weren't for that dragon and its knowledge of us, I don't see how you would have possibly made it. That young kitsune boy was helpful in your diagnosis too, so it made it that much easier."
"I am? What about Beast?Where is Fox? Oh and this dressing thing, I think I can handle it on my own, not that I'm ungrateful, but I find it kind of embarrassing. And another thing, how did I get here? You said Beast flew but…"
"Hush! You have too many things to say, and give me little to no time to explain it all in." I blushed.
"I'm sorry."
"You did not do any wrong, so do not apologize." I nodded.
She's a sweet person…I hope…I hope we can get to be friends…
She placed her palm against the wall, and a blue symbol lit up brightly before disappearing completely. Then that wall disappeared almost completely, leaving a large closet.
"How did…that didn't…it isn't…" My jaw was a thousand feet and still falling as I pointed in amazement. She giggled.
"It is technology. Though similar to magic. Humans have technology, do they not?"
"Yah, but no where nearly as advanced as this."
"Hmm. It is possibly for the better. Ah. This will do perfectly." She pulled out a pair of silk slippers, purple silk pants with a light blue waist band, and a shirt that flowed to the stomach and was made of clear material on the sleeves. She picked out my undergarments too, but I drew the line at jewelry.
"I am not royalty, I am just simply me." She smiled in confusion, but accepted my reasoning none the less. When I was fully dressed, she parked me in front of the mirror and I had to look long and hard to find myself.
"You are very pretty." She giggled.
"It's just not me. I like it, but it's not me." She frowned a little.
"Do these clothes not please you?" I felt the smoothness of them caress my skin as I shifted. The only skin that showed was my arms, my back where on any Arielis' wings would be, and my neckline on up.
"They are very flattering, but I am not this great person you dressed me up to be."
"You know, you could be if you allowed yourself to be."
"I can't be what I'm not."
"You and I have much in common. Please, just for your stay then." I couldn't help but smile into her hopeful face.
"Well, okay. Since you put all of that work into having them made for me."
"Come then! We must hurry!"
"Hurry for what?" You will see." We walked through a grand hallway with tapatstries and silks, solver and gold, among many other treasures. Each time I stopped though, she urged me forward until we came to a dead end.
"Now what?"
"Watch." She placed her hand on the wall and it disappeared leaving me a view of ivy and roses climbing a large trellis. I followed her out and across a large balcony until we stepped onto a round disk that instantly loward.
"Wow, this is odd."
"Humans have a similar creation, no?"
"I guess you could compare it to an elevator, only this doesn't have walls or cables pushing and pulling or…" I looked past her as the disk stopped. My sentence was left trailing and I was greeted with a happy sight. One with such blistering joy that my eyes instantly filled with tears.
"It, can it really be…" I choked on my tears.
Authors Ending Note: What? What did she see? What unearhtly horror or divine beauty did she see to bring forth such emotions? Hmm...I guess you'll have to wait a week. :)