Spirited Again #15
This story is really ending. I can't believe it. No, not really ending. Beginning. Beginning a new tale, one woven into the very tapestry of Fate...
Whoa, that came out really weird.
What I MEAN to say, is this last chapter of Spirited Again really isn't the end. After this is finished, my next project is RECALLING THE SPIRIT!!!!!!!! (The sequel)
My Last and Final Spirited Again Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except Nile (one of my friends drew a REALLY good picture of her), Umiko, Kimiko, may-she-rest-in-peace (I drew one of her) and Masako (who is also Lin, who is also Satsuki.)
I'm sure we all grieve for the passing of Kimiko. That made me REALLY upset, and I'm the author!
Also, I'm interested to know what was your favourite chapter of this story. Please tell me in a review.
Chapter #15
"Chihiro."
The voice came from a long way away.
"Chihiro, come on, you've got to wake up. We're holding another meeting. You HAVE to come."
Chihiro stirred slowly. She could feel the stickiness of dried tears, and for a second, wondered why she was upset. Then the news of last night struck her again, as she felt the warm scale around her neck.
"Oh."
Satsuki shook her friend softly. "Come. They wouldn't tell me what was going on and I'm REALLY curious. COME ON!!!!!!!" she said with the impatience that her bloodline carried.
Chihiro rose, and slowly got dressed in her favourite kimono, a silky dark blue, with silver flowers patterning the obi (belt) and lining on the loose fitting sleeves and hem. She left her hair loose and flowing, though Satsuki forced her to comb it. Satsuki led the way out of the room, Chihiro quietly keeping pace behind her.
Nile let them in. She herself was in her demon form, with a black kimono and olive green obi on. Her hair was pulled back into a soft knot. For once, she was not smiling her cheerful, happy go lucky grin.
Mei sat on the bed, dressed in her normal clothes. Chihiro did a double take, remembering her first trip home from this world. She looked behind her, at Satsuki, and found she too, was wearing her mortal clothes. (AN For those who don't know, you can't travel back to the human world with spirit clothes on.) Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, as she realized the significance of this. She bowed her head. "I understand."
Haku furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, and then it stuck him too. "You're leaving. Today."
Mei nodded. "We have to. With the death of Kimiko, we must leave. Though she seemed cruel, she was protecting us from less gentle spirits. If we wait any longer, our lives will be at stake. The protection of this bathhouse was under the protection of the youngest female in each generation. Yu-baba, Zeniba being her older sister, Kimiko, with Lin being older."
Haku drew a shuddered breath, and stood up. He crossed to the window, and looked out, arms crossed. Mei stood up from her oak chair. "Everyone will go through at different times. Sis, you first."
Satsuki grinned in helpless excitement.
"Then you Chihiro."
Chihiro bent her head.
"And then me. You have an hour for final goodbyes. Don't bother saying goodbye to Nile, she can travel between worlds, so there's no point."
Nile pouted. "That was supposed to be a surprise!!"
Mei shrugged. "Haku, I'd like to speak with you privately. All right, everyone...GO!!!!!"
Everyone else left as Mei and Haku stayed in the room.
Satsuki went straight for Totoro. She ran up to him, as though she was twelve again, and gave him a huge hug. "Will you visit?" Totoro growled assent. "Oh TOTORO!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!"
Chihiro wandered down through the halls, towards the room in which Lin and Akanboo were sure to be.
She slowly pushed open the door, and admitted herself. "Lin?" she said quietly. Lin appeared from behind the door, and gave Chihiro a huge hug. "I HEARD!!!!!! I can't believe you're LEAVING! That this is it! The two women sat and cried, and talked about the good times they had shared. Akanboo came in half an hour later, and crushed Chihiro in a bone-breaking hug. (Figuratively, not literally!) More tears were shed, and another ten minutes spent, talking. Finally Chihiro stood. "I'll visit your sister, then tell Nile what she told me, all right?" Chihiro managed a smile, albeit a watery one. "GOODBYE MY FRIENDS!!!" One last hug was shared. Lin smiled. "We will meet again. I see it."
But whether they do or not is a different story.
Chihiro ran down to the pigpen. "I promise you'll be free, someday." She whispered as she fed them.
Chihiro left, and took a deep breath. She quickly went down to the boiler master and Dustbunnies, and said her goodbyes to them, taking up another five minutes time. (It was a rather odd feeling, being hugged by six arms)
A rather sooty Chihiro slowly climbed her way down the hill. Her time was up. She had changed into her jean skirt and poppy red T-shirt, along with brown sandals. The V-neck of her shirt revealed the shining scale hung around her neck. She had done her hair up in the style she had used when she was younger. She carried a dark red and gold patterned fan.
Chihiro was late. She could see the other waiting for her, and ran to meet then. Satsuki was waiting patiently. "FINALLY!!!!!!"
Chihiro shrugged sadly. "Sorry."
Nile nodded. "It's time. Go. And don't look back."
Satsuki grinned at her best friend. "Meet 'cha at the big tree by the front of my house, 'k?"
Chihiro nodded.
"See ya on the far side!"
And with that she was off, dashing through the plains of green grass, hopping over stones across the stream, and to the gate.
"BYE!!!!!!!!" shouted Nile after her. Satsuki raised her hand to show she heard, but did not turn. She slowly walked though the portal.
"Pity she wont remember." Murmured Mei.
"Oh, but she will."
"What?!!?" exclaimed Mei.
Nile grinned a VERY reptilian smile. "Everyone will remember this time. Chihiro broke that spell the first time she remembered something of this world in another."
Chihiro sighed. "Oh joy." She muttered. Nile burst out laughing. Five minutes later she was wiping away tears of mirth, having just almost choked. "THAT was SO FUNNY!!!!!!" Everyone raised his or her eyebrows. "What's so funny?" questioned Mei, laughing with the contagious laughter. Soon, everyone had broken out in fits of laughter. Nile and actually collapsed on the ground as she fought for breath.
Chihiro blinked.
(Do not own this saying. One of my friends does.)
"I'm NOT WEIRD!!!!!" protested Nile.
Five minutes, and a lot of laughing later, it was time.
"Chihiro."
Chihiro turned, tormented, to face Haku. "Goodbye." She turned away, the pain overwhelming her. She spoke facing away from him. "Goodbye, my..." she choked on her tears. She hung her head. "There are no words to..." she stopped, unable to swallow past the knot that was in her throat.
Tears slid down her cheeks as she began her journey, down the grassy plain. She fought herself as she tried to look back. She clenched her fists in the effort.
***
Satsuki emerged on the other side. She ran up the track, up the main road towards her house. She stopped for breath, panting.
Suddenly a grip fell on her shoulders. Satsuki turned and screamed. She was whirled around to face a boy with a shock of nut brown (common hair colour) hair, and blue eyes, with dark circles underneath. "Satsuki! Where were you!" he ran his hand through his hair, making it stand on end messily, leaving the other grasping her shoulder.
"KANTA!!!!!!"
Kanta looked extremely relieved. Satsuki looked at her childhood friend. "What's going.."
"There's a search party out. You've been gone for SEVEN days! Did you REALIZE THAT!!!!!!!!"
Satsuki looked at him quizzically. "Where's everyone else?"
"Spread out, looking for you."
Satsuki decided this scene was too tense. "You weren't worried about me, were you?" she asked, teasingly. Kanta rolled his eyes. "Whatever worry I had has miraculously disappeared." He commented wryly. Satsuki grinned.
Kanta snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah!" He raised his voice. "I'VE FOUND SATSUKI!!!!!!"
A bunch of people ran over, including Satsuki's father, who looked oddly at Satsuki and Kanta, then swept his daughter into a hug. "Where's Mei and Chihiro. Satsuki winced, then replied gently. "I should explain. I will after."
***
Chihiro came through sobbing. It was all over. She would never see him ever again. EVER. The scale on her neck shone in the pale light of the midday, shining through the foliage. Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut as she walked. "I'm not upset." She muttered lifelessly. A blatant lie.
Tears streaking down her cheeks, she slowly walked the path to Satsuki's house. She felt, torn, almost. Almost as if all of her wasn't there. She walked up. "Satsuki." She called. "Kanta!" Satsuki and Kanta ran over. The latter looked at her necklace. "Where di you get that?"
Chihiro choked on tears.
Satsuki comforted Chihiro, and understood completely.
Satsuki's father rushed up. "Chihiro, we called your parents." (They don't live in the same house anymore, obviously) "You'd better call them to tell them you are okay." Kanta shuffled in his pocket, found a pen, a gum wrapper, a picture, and a cellphone. "Here."
Satsuki picked up the picture, trying to see the face of the person in the yellow kimono but Kanta snatched it out of her hand, flushing. "Give it." He said gruffly.
Chihiro called her parents, confirmed she was alright, and hung up.
Satsuki's father came over. "Where's Mei?"
"Remember Totoro?"
Satsuki went on about the story in detail, telling that Mei was half spirit now. "She can visit, but she lives there now."
Chihiro raised her head, and spoke in the depths of her misery. "But...three had to cross, or else we wouldn't have made it. Who's the third?" she said dully.
A fake cough came from behind Chihiro. She turned to stare into emerald green eyes, at the soft black hair falling softly past the person's ears. And the eyes, so familiar, so knowing, so friendly...
"Me."
Chihiro threw herself at the character, hugging him fiercely, unbelievingly. "HAKU!!!!!!!!!"
Haku rested his chin on her hair. "I got bored on the other side. So I came here."
Chihiro smiled as tears of happiness trickled out of the corner of her eyes. "I..felt alone."
Haku hugged her tighter. "You won't be, anymore."
Mei's father tensed. "My...twelve year old daughter...spirited away?"
"Spirited again." Satsuki corrected gently. "She went with Totoro once, remember? When she was five? She trailed the younger Totoro and found another pathway to the other world. Under the tree."
Mei's father sunk his face in his hands.
Chihiro came over and rested a soft hand on his shoulder. "Mei will visit. But she's needed there. She keeps everyone safe." She suddenly split a grin. "Don't worry. She'll be back to watch her anime."
Mei's father smiled weakly. "Every Friday from 10:00 TO 11:00 PM." Satsuki raised her eyebrows.
He sunk his head in his hands. "But she's so young. Almost thirteen. That's not near old enough..."
"She's fine."
Haku came over. The father looked up. "Who are you?" he said, tormented.
"I'm a friend of Mei and Satsuki's. I talked to Mei before she left. She gave me this." He held out a CD. "She said something on it." He screwed up his face. "Called it 'recording'..."
Chihiro shook her head. Training a modern Haku was going to take a while.
She sighed, and grasped his hand. "Come on, let's go to my house."
As they walked, a swarm of black dusty soot took flight, and followed them.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you to everyone who has ever reviewed this story. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! My gratitude and thanks.
Look out for: Recalling of the Spirit, coming soon.
This story is really ending. I can't believe it. No, not really ending. Beginning. Beginning a new tale, one woven into the very tapestry of Fate...
Whoa, that came out really weird.
What I MEAN to say, is this last chapter of Spirited Again really isn't the end. After this is finished, my next project is RECALLING THE SPIRIT!!!!!!!! (The sequel)
My Last and Final Spirited Again Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except Nile (one of my friends drew a REALLY good picture of her), Umiko, Kimiko, may-she-rest-in-peace (I drew one of her) and Masako (who is also Lin, who is also Satsuki.)
I'm sure we all grieve for the passing of Kimiko. That made me REALLY upset, and I'm the author!
Also, I'm interested to know what was your favourite chapter of this story. Please tell me in a review.
Chapter #15
"Chihiro."
The voice came from a long way away.
"Chihiro, come on, you've got to wake up. We're holding another meeting. You HAVE to come."
Chihiro stirred slowly. She could feel the stickiness of dried tears, and for a second, wondered why she was upset. Then the news of last night struck her again, as she felt the warm scale around her neck.
"Oh."
Satsuki shook her friend softly. "Come. They wouldn't tell me what was going on and I'm REALLY curious. COME ON!!!!!!!" she said with the impatience that her bloodline carried.
Chihiro rose, and slowly got dressed in her favourite kimono, a silky dark blue, with silver flowers patterning the obi (belt) and lining on the loose fitting sleeves and hem. She left her hair loose and flowing, though Satsuki forced her to comb it. Satsuki led the way out of the room, Chihiro quietly keeping pace behind her.
Nile let them in. She herself was in her demon form, with a black kimono and olive green obi on. Her hair was pulled back into a soft knot. For once, she was not smiling her cheerful, happy go lucky grin.
Mei sat on the bed, dressed in her normal clothes. Chihiro did a double take, remembering her first trip home from this world. She looked behind her, at Satsuki, and found she too, was wearing her mortal clothes. (AN For those who don't know, you can't travel back to the human world with spirit clothes on.) Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, as she realized the significance of this. She bowed her head. "I understand."
Haku furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, and then it stuck him too. "You're leaving. Today."
Mei nodded. "We have to. With the death of Kimiko, we must leave. Though she seemed cruel, she was protecting us from less gentle spirits. If we wait any longer, our lives will be at stake. The protection of this bathhouse was under the protection of the youngest female in each generation. Yu-baba, Zeniba being her older sister, Kimiko, with Lin being older."
Haku drew a shuddered breath, and stood up. He crossed to the window, and looked out, arms crossed. Mei stood up from her oak chair. "Everyone will go through at different times. Sis, you first."
Satsuki grinned in helpless excitement.
"Then you Chihiro."
Chihiro bent her head.
"And then me. You have an hour for final goodbyes. Don't bother saying goodbye to Nile, she can travel between worlds, so there's no point."
Nile pouted. "That was supposed to be a surprise!!"
Mei shrugged. "Haku, I'd like to speak with you privately. All right, everyone...GO!!!!!"
Everyone else left as Mei and Haku stayed in the room.
Satsuki went straight for Totoro. She ran up to him, as though she was twelve again, and gave him a huge hug. "Will you visit?" Totoro growled assent. "Oh TOTORO!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!"
Chihiro wandered down through the halls, towards the room in which Lin and Akanboo were sure to be.
She slowly pushed open the door, and admitted herself. "Lin?" she said quietly. Lin appeared from behind the door, and gave Chihiro a huge hug. "I HEARD!!!!!! I can't believe you're LEAVING! That this is it! The two women sat and cried, and talked about the good times they had shared. Akanboo came in half an hour later, and crushed Chihiro in a bone-breaking hug. (Figuratively, not literally!) More tears were shed, and another ten minutes spent, talking. Finally Chihiro stood. "I'll visit your sister, then tell Nile what she told me, all right?" Chihiro managed a smile, albeit a watery one. "GOODBYE MY FRIENDS!!!" One last hug was shared. Lin smiled. "We will meet again. I see it."
But whether they do or not is a different story.
Chihiro ran down to the pigpen. "I promise you'll be free, someday." She whispered as she fed them.
Chihiro left, and took a deep breath. She quickly went down to the boiler master and Dustbunnies, and said her goodbyes to them, taking up another five minutes time. (It was a rather odd feeling, being hugged by six arms)
A rather sooty Chihiro slowly climbed her way down the hill. Her time was up. She had changed into her jean skirt and poppy red T-shirt, along with brown sandals. The V-neck of her shirt revealed the shining scale hung around her neck. She had done her hair up in the style she had used when she was younger. She carried a dark red and gold patterned fan.
Chihiro was late. She could see the other waiting for her, and ran to meet then. Satsuki was waiting patiently. "FINALLY!!!!!!"
Chihiro shrugged sadly. "Sorry."
Nile nodded. "It's time. Go. And don't look back."
Satsuki grinned at her best friend. "Meet 'cha at the big tree by the front of my house, 'k?"
Chihiro nodded.
"See ya on the far side!"
And with that she was off, dashing through the plains of green grass, hopping over stones across the stream, and to the gate.
"BYE!!!!!!!!" shouted Nile after her. Satsuki raised her hand to show she heard, but did not turn. She slowly walked though the portal.
"Pity she wont remember." Murmured Mei.
"Oh, but she will."
"What?!!?" exclaimed Mei.
Nile grinned a VERY reptilian smile. "Everyone will remember this time. Chihiro broke that spell the first time she remembered something of this world in another."
Chihiro sighed. "Oh joy." She muttered. Nile burst out laughing. Five minutes later she was wiping away tears of mirth, having just almost choked. "THAT was SO FUNNY!!!!!!" Everyone raised his or her eyebrows. "What's so funny?" questioned Mei, laughing with the contagious laughter. Soon, everyone had broken out in fits of laughter. Nile and actually collapsed on the ground as she fought for breath.
Chihiro blinked.
(Do not own this saying. One of my friends does.)
"I'm NOT WEIRD!!!!!" protested Nile.
Five minutes, and a lot of laughing later, it was time.
"Chihiro."
Chihiro turned, tormented, to face Haku. "Goodbye." She turned away, the pain overwhelming her. She spoke facing away from him. "Goodbye, my..." she choked on her tears. She hung her head. "There are no words to..." she stopped, unable to swallow past the knot that was in her throat.
Tears slid down her cheeks as she began her journey, down the grassy plain. She fought herself as she tried to look back. She clenched her fists in the effort.
***
Satsuki emerged on the other side. She ran up the track, up the main road towards her house. She stopped for breath, panting.
Suddenly a grip fell on her shoulders. Satsuki turned and screamed. She was whirled around to face a boy with a shock of nut brown (common hair colour) hair, and blue eyes, with dark circles underneath. "Satsuki! Where were you!" he ran his hand through his hair, making it stand on end messily, leaving the other grasping her shoulder.
"KANTA!!!!!!"
Kanta looked extremely relieved. Satsuki looked at her childhood friend. "What's going.."
"There's a search party out. You've been gone for SEVEN days! Did you REALIZE THAT!!!!!!!!"
Satsuki looked at him quizzically. "Where's everyone else?"
"Spread out, looking for you."
Satsuki decided this scene was too tense. "You weren't worried about me, were you?" she asked, teasingly. Kanta rolled his eyes. "Whatever worry I had has miraculously disappeared." He commented wryly. Satsuki grinned.
Kanta snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah!" He raised his voice. "I'VE FOUND SATSUKI!!!!!!"
A bunch of people ran over, including Satsuki's father, who looked oddly at Satsuki and Kanta, then swept his daughter into a hug. "Where's Mei and Chihiro. Satsuki winced, then replied gently. "I should explain. I will after."
***
Chihiro came through sobbing. It was all over. She would never see him ever again. EVER. The scale on her neck shone in the pale light of the midday, shining through the foliage. Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut as she walked. "I'm not upset." She muttered lifelessly. A blatant lie.
Tears streaking down her cheeks, she slowly walked the path to Satsuki's house. She felt, torn, almost. Almost as if all of her wasn't there. She walked up. "Satsuki." She called. "Kanta!" Satsuki and Kanta ran over. The latter looked at her necklace. "Where di you get that?"
Chihiro choked on tears.
Satsuki comforted Chihiro, and understood completely.
Satsuki's father rushed up. "Chihiro, we called your parents." (They don't live in the same house anymore, obviously) "You'd better call them to tell them you are okay." Kanta shuffled in his pocket, found a pen, a gum wrapper, a picture, and a cellphone. "Here."
Satsuki picked up the picture, trying to see the face of the person in the yellow kimono but Kanta snatched it out of her hand, flushing. "Give it." He said gruffly.
Chihiro called her parents, confirmed she was alright, and hung up.
Satsuki's father came over. "Where's Mei?"
"Remember Totoro?"
Satsuki went on about the story in detail, telling that Mei was half spirit now. "She can visit, but she lives there now."
Chihiro raised her head, and spoke in the depths of her misery. "But...three had to cross, or else we wouldn't have made it. Who's the third?" she said dully.
A fake cough came from behind Chihiro. She turned to stare into emerald green eyes, at the soft black hair falling softly past the person's ears. And the eyes, so familiar, so knowing, so friendly...
"Me."
Chihiro threw herself at the character, hugging him fiercely, unbelievingly. "HAKU!!!!!!!!!"
Haku rested his chin on her hair. "I got bored on the other side. So I came here."
Chihiro smiled as tears of happiness trickled out of the corner of her eyes. "I..felt alone."
Haku hugged her tighter. "You won't be, anymore."
Mei's father tensed. "My...twelve year old daughter...spirited away?"
"Spirited again." Satsuki corrected gently. "She went with Totoro once, remember? When she was five? She trailed the younger Totoro and found another pathway to the other world. Under the tree."
Mei's father sunk his face in his hands.
Chihiro came over and rested a soft hand on his shoulder. "Mei will visit. But she's needed there. She keeps everyone safe." She suddenly split a grin. "Don't worry. She'll be back to watch her anime."
Mei's father smiled weakly. "Every Friday from 10:00 TO 11:00 PM." Satsuki raised her eyebrows.
He sunk his head in his hands. "But she's so young. Almost thirteen. That's not near old enough..."
"She's fine."
Haku came over. The father looked up. "Who are you?" he said, tormented.
"I'm a friend of Mei and Satsuki's. I talked to Mei before she left. She gave me this." He held out a CD. "She said something on it." He screwed up his face. "Called it 'recording'..."
Chihiro shook her head. Training a modern Haku was going to take a while.
She sighed, and grasped his hand. "Come on, let's go to my house."
As they walked, a swarm of black dusty soot took flight, and followed them.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you to everyone who has ever reviewed this story. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! My gratitude and thanks.
Look out for: Recalling of the Spirit, coming soon.
