Recalling The Spirit Chapter #7

Disclaimer: All right. This is my twenty-second chapter. I've been writing the same disclaimer over and over! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT'S CHANGED!!!!!!!!! I'M NOT SAYING IT AGAIN!!!!!! (I don't own the story of little red riding hood either)

Disclaimer: Jo-chan does not own any Miyazaki characters!

MAJOR mistake in last chapter, for those who didn't notice. When Akira and Nile were in the bathhouse, and Nile was talking about Haku, I accidently put Tamiko.

Porifra: Yes I have heard of Demon Diary. LOL "You're a GOD?"

IMPORTANT! I've decided that I'm going to do Recalling the Spirit in two parts. One taking place now, when Tamiko is fifteen, and part two when she is older. (Around twenty.)

Coming Soon!

Mortaled Away

Type: Spirited Away

Status: Coming soon.

Plot: About eight years after Spirited Away, Haku accidently travels to the human world. He desperately tries to not rouse attention (-___-;;) while he searches for Chihiro. But will a spirit be able to blend into a mortal world, without magic? And will he be followed? Chihi/Haku. Humor/Romance/Suspence

Dedication: I dedicate this chapter (which I hope will be really good and live up to her really high expectations) to RidingGirl, who has been reviewing every chapter of every story I ever wrote on fanfiction, and laughing at me every step of the way. (*glare*)

I've actually had some pretty dark ideas for this fanficts, so please tell me if I should go ahead with them (I probably will or won't depending on what I think but...)

MAJOR NEWS BULLITON! I'M GOING TO BE STARTING A MIYAZAKI/ TAKAHASHI FAN WEBSITE! Lately, I've been making...GET THIS...a MANGA of Recalling the Spirit! Once I have it running (I'll tell everyone in a later chapter) I'd love to have Fanpicts and fanficts. Also, I'd like to see what everyone thinks all my original characters look like! So (when I have it running) I'd love to see pictures of Nile and Tamiko and Akira and Umiko and Kimiko and.. BULLITEN #2 My friend, who is a better drawer then me by far, is manga-ing (I know it's not a word) Spirited Again!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been BUSY!!!

Recalling the Spirit

Silence echoed in the boiler room. Nile's knees gave way, and she fell, landing on the wooden floor with a thump. Akira stared at Tamiko, as if he didn't know her at all. And Tamiko herself was bent over her father, small pieces of hair escaping her blue ribbon, which matched her kimono.

"Tamiko? You're not Tamiko! She's FIVE! You..you LIAR!!!" With furious rage, Nile swung back her hand connected it with Tamiko's face.

Tamiko raised her hand to where the blow had hit, but then set her jaw. Fine. She lowered her hand.

Akira came over hurriedly beside Tamiko, making sure she was all right. "What kind of a stupid spirit are you? Humans AGE!!!"

Nile put her hand to her mouth, and her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of a silvery glitter of scale on a gold chain around the girl's neck.

"Tamiko...Tami...I'M SORRY!!!!!!!" Nile burst out crying and hugged a rather shocked and surprised Tamiko.

"Why aren't you crying?" Nile asked.

"I don't cry when I'm hurt physically, only emotionally." She smiled. "You should remember that, at least. Remember when Yuki was spinning around with a rock in her head and it hit me in the back of the head?"

Nile smiled, recollection brightening her face. "And you never cried a single tear."

"It was a BIG rock too." Tamiko said wryly.

"How old are you now?" The Egyptian river spirit begged.

"I'm fifteen, turning sixteen tomorrow."

"I'm..." Nile frowned, thinking. "Around 4000, 5000 years old?"

Tamiko gaped.

"I'm a full spirit, remember?" she said smiling.

Tamiko nodded. "What about Dad?"

Nile frowned. "He'll be fine."

Tamiko smiled sadly. "He's dying. You forget, I'm not that little, easily fooled five year old."

"Look. I'll be taking care of him. If you find Chihiro, then he might live. She can save him. But you can't do that right away or you'll be trapped too. Set yourselves up in the bathhouse, and bide your time. Haku's tough. He can survive for a while."

Tamiko smiled.(~A rare occurrence.~ smirked Akira) and bowed. "Meet you outside." she said cheerfully to Akira.

Akira gave a look of bewilderment after her. ~She's...cheerful? AHHH!!!~ He looked at the Egyptian spirit. "Yourselves? As in plural?"

Nile grinned. "You'd better go and catch up with Tami there."

Akira nodded, shrugged in bewilderment, and left.

+++

"Haku?" Chihiro said, looking around, feeling queasy. "HAKU!" ~Please be okay.~ she prayed.

"Chihiro?"

Chihiro turned. "What's going on?" she demanded of her husband, who blinked. "Thanks for the greeting." He replied. Chihiro shrugged. "I was in the office. Not my office, but..."

"The spirit world. I think we're in the spirit word."

They were both silent, letting the information sink in.

Chihiro spoke first. "When we get home, I am going to get Tamiko and...TAMIKO! What happened to her?"

Haku and Chihiro looked at each other, horrified.

+++++

"Tamiko, WAIT!"

Akira was panting as he reached Tamiko. "Jeez, fool, why don't you WAIT!"

Tamiko shrugged. She looked over at him. "You don't have to come, you know."

Akira smirked. "Sure I do." But he frowned, suddenly serious, thinking.

Tamiko looked over. "You okay? What's on your mind?"

Akira shrugged. "Forget it. Now, where are we supposed to look?" Tamiko frowned, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Akira strongly felt like saying "Duh." but restrained himself, instead saying: "For a job.?"

Tamiko shook her head. "We'll have to set ourselves up in the bathhouse. Otherwise we'll never be able to look for my mother."

Akira looked at the sky as the last rays of sunlight vanished. "We've got plenty of time, anyway. Where are we supposed to go?"

"...The...bathhouse..." Tamiko said, looking at him as though he wasn't thinking straight.

"I KNOW THAT! WHERE IN THE BATHHOUSE TAMIKO!?!"

Tamiko gaped at him, eyes wide.

"Oops!"

"Yeah, OOPS! NOW WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GO?!?!"

Tamiko rolled her eyes. "And you call ME hot tempered."

Akira stopped whatever comment was about to come out of his mouth next. It was true. During the last five minutes he alone had raised his voice. Tamiko had been completely calm. He stood there, baffled, his mouth wide open. She was acting.mature. Seven days (I might not have accounted for them all, but if I didn't, feel free to insert some uneventful days) ago, when they had first met, she would have completely lost it. But now...

Tamiko squirmed and frowned. "Stop looking at me like that! It's scaring me! STOP!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!" She glared at him.

Akira sighed. ~So much for that.~ Embarrassed by her sudden outburst, Tamiko hastily stated: "Why don't we just go through the front door?"

Akira looked at the bridge thoughtfully. He suddenly took in a deep, shaky, breath. He was quivering, and yet his voice was calm. "Well, you remember the story of little Red Riding Rood?"

"...yeah..." Tamiko replied, unsure of where this was going. They were now approaching the area near the bridge.

"Well, what if the wolf was waiting for them on the MAIN path, instead of on the shortcut?"

Tamiko was utterly lost, and said so. "I don't see a wolf!" (*sweatdrop*)

Instead of getting frustrated, Akira just pointed.

Fading in and out of vision a dark shape stood. Tall and large, it was a wonder that nobody noticed it. Its face moved slowly, surveying the bridge, looking for something. Or someone. Tamiko shivered, catching a glimpse of white.

"Oh kami" she whispered, trying to keep her voice even and calm, but there was a small shake to it. She made her hands into fists, and hissed at Akira. "Great, wise guy. What do we do now?"

Akira's triumphant smile faded. "Uh..."

Tamiko shook her head, unbelievingly. "You do have a plan, right?"

"Erm...thing about that is..."

Tamiko looked over her shoulder. Nothing but the rough, pocketed bathhouse wall, leading up to vast amounts of windows on the higher (but for some reason, not the highest) floors, overlooking the lake.

That gave her an idea.

"Akira, have you ever gone rock-climbing?"

He looked away from her gaze. "I'm afraid of heights." He muttered.

She gaped at him. "You're afraid of heights?" she whispered. "Seriously?"

Akira looked down, embarrassed. "Yeah."

He looked up, expecting to see her fighting back laughter, but she was...

~Smiling?~ he thought, astounded.

It wasn't a cruel, teasing smile either. It was a soft, kind smile, the like of which Akira had never expected to see on Tamiko, EVER. (What a nice person Akira is.)

"Akira, I'm really sorry, but we have to do something involving heights." She said comfortingly. Her voice, soft and low, continued. "You help me with water, and I will help you with your fear."

Akira nodded, slowly. He wasn't used to this side of Tamiko. What had happened to the bad-tempered girl? The one who had always disagreed to everything? Her frequent outbursts? What had happened to the temperamental girl? Even like this, Tamiko was strong, and stood up for herself, (he could still see that she was stubborn, too) but...

A stray thought wandered through his head. ~Maybe this is the real her.~

"Come on!" she whispered, grabbing his hand. Breaking cover, they both ran to the wall. Tamiko crouched, motioned for Akira to as well.

"I know it will be hard for you, but you have to trust me. Akira..." she said bluntly. "We have to climb this wall."

Akira's head rose, as his eyes traveled fearfully up the obstacle. His hands began to shake.

Tamiko looked at him. "You don't have to do this. You can go find a different route. Go into the forest, or try to go home. I don't want to force you to come with me, Akira. This, on top of everything else, is asking to much of you..." her eyes traveled to the burn marks on his hand, which were on the way to becoming scars.

Akira snorted, acting braver then he felt. "Come on. You really think I'm going to back down from a WALL, after all I've gone through already?"

She turned away from Akira, facing the wall. "I'll go up first then, so you can see where sturdy footing is and everything. Okay?"

"Right." Akira said, not trusting himself to say more then one word without his voice soaring into higher tones. Nevertheless, it came out hoarse and shaky.

Tamiko stood, and walked up to the wall, looking for foot and handholds, which were illuminated by the full moon. She turned her head. "Akira?"

He raised his eyes, and looked on in shock as he saw hers glistening with tears. She smiled. "Thank you for staying. I'm glad that I don't have to do this alone."

Akira blinked, touched and surprised. Surprise took over. "Tamiko, what has gotten into you?"

She shrugged, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, why are you being so...so NICE? It's scaring me." He said, his voice matter-of-fact.

She glared. "Because you're afraid of heights, and I felt bad for making you do this."

"You're one to talk! YOU can't SWIM!"

Tamiko took a step back, hurt. "Fine." She said softly. "And to think I..." She turned away, towards the wall.

~Was it something I said? We always fight like this...~

"Look, Tamiko, I..."

"Forget it. Just forget it." Her voice was harsh, as she hoisted herself up, using the dents in the wall for positioning her hands and feet. Swiftly she climbed. Akira, being to distracted by Tamiko's coldness. He too pulled himself up. "Tamiko...I didn't mean it the way it came out..." She ignored him, climbing further. Akira looked down. The sight made him dizzy. He didn't realize how fast they had climbed. They were halfway up the wall. He tore his eyes away from the sight, and continued upwards. Tamiko was pulling herself up onto a balcony. She looked around. Seeing the place was deserted, she climbed over the railing, and onto the ground. Akira came up shortly after her.

"Oh, come on, you aren't that sensitive. Look, I didn't MEAN it like that..."

Tamiko turned away from him, tilting her head up to stop tears sliding down her cheeks. What he had said had cut very deep.

(Ten Years Before)

"Come on." Came the woman's comforting voice. "You won't fall. Just grab onto the edge of the life-jacket."

"But I'll miss it and drown!" the dark haired five year old said fearfully.

"No you won't. Come on."

The raven-haired girl winced. "But..."

"GO!"

The girl grabbed, and sure enough, her hands slipped off the lifejacket, and she was underwater, floundering, out of breath...

...six years later a young woman, around eleven, stood by the side of the pool. "Jump in!" The girl shook her head. "I can't swim."

"YOU can't SWIM?"

*** Tears were streaming down Tamiko's face. Akira saw them glistening in the moonlight, feeling horrible. He reached out and touched her shoulder. Tamiko brushed him off. "Akira, please just leave me alone." Her voice was neutral.

"Tami," the nickname came without Akira thinking. "I'm REALLY sorry." As he looked at her face turned away from him, the world shot into a prism of colour.

Tamiko turned at the choke in his voice, and was shocked to see Akira's eyes brimming with tears.

"Why are YOU crying?"

"I'm sorry Tami. I didn't know you'd take it so badly..."

Her eyebrows knitted together. Then she began to laugh. "I'm sorry Akira." She gasped. "But you're not acting like usual. And it's FUNNY! YOU HAVE A NICE SIDE AFTER ALL!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"...YOU CALLED ME TAMI! YOU'RE SCARING ME!..." Tamiko grinned mischeviously.

Suddenly a noise startled the pair: Footsteps in the open room behind them.

"Is someone there?" a stranger's voice called.

+++

CLIFFHANGER!!