.: .The Lost Princess.: .
CHAPTER SEVEN--'DISCOVERING'
By: Cecile Li
Recap.: .
When Chihiro saw the kimono, she felt her anger at Zeniba melt away. It wasn't her fault Haku had deserted her for a sky dragon. I'll put it on, she thought again, feeling a little guilty, slipping out of her rumpled kimono, Just for Zeniba's sake.
Then she grabbed her silver bracelet, instantly transported to another domain.
"Lin!" Chihiro cried out, happy to see a familiar face, running towards Lin, flinging her arms around her.
Lin spun around; face shocked and filled with evident relief, returning the hug. "Sen?! What are you doing here? I thought you went with Hak—"
Chihiro bristled, memories all too near. "Nothing. I just want to go home. I'm just here…to see you one last time."
"One last time?!" Lin exclaimed loudly, "Aren't you here to stay?"
"I don't belong here." Chihiro explained gently, her eyes brimming with crystal tears, "I should just get out of everybody's way and go home." Get out of Sora's way.
Lin looked at her in a sisterly way, wishing Chihiro could stay. "Take care. You will take care right?"
Chihiro nodded, eyes dangerously close to spilling some tears. "You take care too!" She managed to choke out. This was it. Once she left, she would never come back.
"What's all this?" Yubaba's noisy voice said from behind Chihiro. "Oh look, the little girl has returned."
Chihiro returned Yubaba's warm smile. "Thank you, Yubaba for getting my parents back. I never fully thanked you. I-I'm leaving now." Chihiro bowed to Yubaba slowly, feeling as if she was caught in time. As soon as she was standing again, she turned quickly, walking as fast as she could, away from this scene. Maybe, she'd wake up and this had all been a long long nightmare. Maybe Haku still loved her. Maybe she hadn't had the courage to go to the Spirit World again.
She heard someone yell out her name. "Chihiro!"
Chihiro ducked her head and walked faster, breaking into a run. "Chihiro!", she heard again. When she was in front of the temple, she turned back, to see Haku yell after her, and have an arrow strike her in the shoulder. She stumbled into the temple, falling back into her own world.
"CHIHIRO!!!" Haku screamed, running toward his fallen love.
"No!" Yubaba reprimanded tightly, her magic making Haku grind to a screeching stop. "She has already fallen into her own world. You can't go in there."
All rational thought had left Haku's mind. Snarling, he tried to break through Yubaba's barrier. He almost succeeded when Lin suddenly reached in and firmly whacked his head, rendering him unconscious.
Sora sighed in relief. "Good thinking, Lin. Now we have to keep him restrained. When he wakes up, he's not going to be very happy." Sora cast a frightened look over her shoulder. "Oh no! They're here!"
Zeniba swept the young people behind her. "I'll take care of them. Take the bathhouse workers and leave to the hidden cave! I'll find you later!"
Lin nodded, running to the bathhouse. Sora followed her, dragging Haku along. All she hoped was the archers of the Shadow Demon's wouldn't hit anyone. She sighed, stopping momentarily. A little too late to hope, huh? This was all her fault!
Lin turned around, calling for her to hurry up. Sora nodded, hauling Haku to the bathhouse once more. She had to get Chihiro back!
Chihiro groaned, massaging her head. What happened? Then she felt the pain in her shoulder. She reached and rubbed it, when the events replayed in her mind. She…she got struck by an arrow!
Alarmed, she stared at her shoulder, which was NOT all bloody and gross. Instead, her kimono was still whole and new—wait. Her kimono?
This kimono will protect you against any harm.
Any harm? Including an arrow?
This kimono will protect you against any harm.
Thank you Zeniba! Chihiro thought, blessing the old woman. She might have well saved my life!
She got up, dusting herself off, walking toward her home resolutely. I WILL live without Haku. Just watch me.
Haku moaned as he woke up. His head…his head hurt like living demons were inside his head, trying to pound their way out.
"He's woken up!" A deafening shrilling voice sounded from his ear.
"Great! I hoped I didn't kill him." Another thunderous voice proclaimed loudly, coming closer to him.
"Having fun, Haku?" The same shrilly voice said, leaning over him.
Haku cracked an eye open, shutting it almost immediately. Normally he thought Sora's eyes were very pretty, the same color as the sky, but today, they just reminded him of big watery cloudy puddles.
The two girls laughed, savoring the moment. Big powerful dragoney Haku reduced to a stumbling young man sounding like he had a hangover. A bad one.
To Haku, their laughter sounded like squealing pigs. Lin clapped her hands gleefully. It sounded like a crisp chop at a large tree, echoing in his mind.
Haku sniffed the air. Something awfully fishy filled the air. That and something that smelled suspiciously like….baked frogs?
"What's that smell?" Haku croaked out, trying not to breathe through his nose.
Sora laughed again, this time sounding like a poor chicken taken to the slaughterhouse to have its head hacked off. "We brought you something to eat. It's on the house."
Lin leaned over too, smiling widely. "Fresh froggy eggs. A real delicacy."
Chihiro strolled into her parlor, plopping down onto the couch next to her mother. "Hello, mom."
Her mother dropped the piece of knitting, startled. "Chihiro! Shouldn't you be in school?"
"School?" Chihiro asked blankly, face confused. "School?"
"It's Monday, Chihiro. And 2:00. Shouldn't you be at school?" Her mother demanded, sure her daughter was playing dumb.
"O-Of course! I-It's um….it's a half day today!" Chihiro answered quickly, smiling brightly.
Her mother sniffed disapprovingly. "You have too many half-days. Two last week and this week and all. You never learn anything at that damn school. Schools will be schools, tyrants will be tyrants." She muttered inaudibly.
"What did you say, mom?" Chihiro inquired politely, hearing her mother grumble obscene words.
Her mother glanced sharply at her. "I didn't say anything, Chihiro. Go do you homework."
Chihiro nodded obediently, climbing up the stairs. Psh, they didn't even notice me gone for a whole day.
Everyone was silent at the table, all munching on their food.
This doesn't taste as good as Zeniba's, Chihiro thought, the food sticking to her throat.
I do hope Chihiro won't get angry about getting engaged, Her father thought worriedly, pushing his food around his plate, making it seem like he was eating when he actually wasn't.
That boy is so nice. Chihiro will love him, Her mother conspired in her mind, unknowing of her daughter's real feelings.
Whatever, Their maid thought idly, cleaning the floor, That boy may be handsome, but whoa! If anyone were a bad egg, it'd be him for sure.
"So," Chihiro and her parents all said at the same time.
Chihiro smiled tightly. "You go first, mom."
Her mother smiled enthusiastically. "I have the most wonderful news for you, Chihiro!" Her husband kicked her underneath the table, but she continued, undaunted. "You know that polite boy who lives next door? Ryo Tanaka? Well, guess what?!"
"What?" Chihiro answer, every bit as unenthusiastic as her mother was enthusiastic. Her mind was reeling with images of all the horrible pranks Ryo Tanaka had pulled on her. The dirty worms in her lunchbox, the name-calling of 'Monkey-face', preying on her with those horrendously icky paintballs he hit her with, were all tricks from him.
"You're engaged to him! How nice is that?" Her mother watched her face for any sign of reaction.
Chihiro paled, then slumped over in a dead faint.
Author Note: Yep, I've made Chihiro's mom kind of OCish, but I do not depict her as a cruel stupid woman. She honestly does not know what her daughter feels.
Fire Kitsune Goddess: yep! And it'll only get more interesting!
moezy-chan: she's leaving, but she'll eventually come back.
Yana5: of course she gets home! She needs Haku to worry for her and for her to brood! Lol
Kaoru Gal: don't we all get like that when we're mad? I admit, I probably get all bitchy when I'm mad…
Fanficmaniac: hmmm…..I don't know what you mean by a spirit, but I'll see if I can fit it in the story. If I write a sequel I just might model it around that!
InvisibleRain: thanks, you guys are too nice
YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko: nods understandingly guys…never understand!
THANKS EVERYONE!