Recalling the Spirit Chapter #9

WOAH! LOTS OF CHAPTERS!

LOTS OF REVIEWS!

Thank you everyone who has been reviewing. I really like nice long ones, personally. I will actually sit down, and after reading all my new e-mails, read those ones again.

I LOVE writing. It's like...oh, how can I explain it? I see the story in my mind. I play it out, fixing and altering it bit by bit, until it meets my satisfaction. Then I frantically try to put it onto paper.

Disclaimer: Do-Not-Own-Miyazaki's work. However there IS a growing list of characters I do own. I added three complete characters.

Dedication: To Porifra, for MANY amazing reviews. Thank you also for the long list of Japanese names. Domo ari gateau gozimasu! You saved me! I love your nice long reviews! You drew a picture of Nile? Oh, I'd LOVE to see it! I can't wait for my website to be up! Of course, that means I'd better start it...

Did you know that: When I named Tamiko Taiko, the name struck a bell, but I couldn't figure out WHY. Then I realized that the Taiko (with a – over the o) was an overlord over the shoguns (warlord) in times long past, (Tokugara era.)

Ying and Yang

When Akira entered the room again, about a half hour after he had left, he stood at the doorway, frustrated. There was Tamiko, slowly making her way across the room, gripping onto the wall. "Tamiko!" he said, annoyed. "Hmm? Oh, you're back. Where did you go?" she smiled.

"Didn't I tell you to REST?"

"I am. If I wasn't, I'd be doing laps by now." She replied cheerfully. "Besides, who are you to talk, Nurse Akira? You probably haven't done anything to heal yourself. Have you?"

"Uh..."

"That proves my point."

"Yeah, but..."

Her mouth tightened. "What? I'm a girl, so I should rest more?" She pushed herself off the wall, towards him, and promptly her legs collapsed. She fell.

"How could you think that I'd think that? You're in a horrible condition. I'm not. That's all I MEANT!" he came over to help her.

"Well SORRY! Jeez Akira, you get on my nerves sometimes!" She pushed his hand away and sat up.

"Will you at least get some rest?"

Tamiko pretended to consider this. "No."

"Tamiko..."

"Look, I'm not a child. I'm SIXTEEN Akira! I know when I've overdone it!"

"Yeah, you know. That's not what worries me. It's that you don't CARE."

"Oh, like you do? You're injured more then I am!"

Akira ran his fingers through his dark auburn hair. "You know what? I give up! Do what you want. I'm getting a breath of fresh air." With that he turned around, and went right back out the door again.

~Hey, what happened to the 'I'll try to act nicer' thing you had going?~ her mind teased.

~Oh, go away.~

~He's the only other person here, other then Nile and our parents that know our real name.~

Tamiko stared at the door for a couple of minutes, trying to decide what to do. Then it took her another minute to stand up. With a sigh, she twisted the doorknob, and went to search for Akira. ~Jeez, couldn't he have picked a time AFTER sunset?~ she fumed, staring at the evening sun, not yet setting. ~Everyone's still asleep...~

Her bare feet brushed against the lush green grass. Taking slow steps, she made her way through the fields, looking around for her stubborn, moody friend.

She spotted a figure in the distance, standing atop a large hill, overlooking the forest and the water. From what she could tell, he was rather tall, probably three or so inches taller then herself. He looked calm, as though thinking things over. Tamiko cocked her head. Surely she hadn't seen THIS man before. Who was he? He was apparently more mature then Kyu and Akira.

~Hey, maybe he knows where Akira went!~ her inner mind said.

~Or maybe he doesn't.~ she replied.

~Well, unless you'd rather spend your time looking for the stubborn idiot...~

~I guess if you put it like that...~

She slowly began walking up the hill, regretting her choice with every step. Okay, maybe she HADN'T healed as much as she had thought, but...

As she neared, the figure sharpened, growing gradually...almost...familiar... She slowly continued walking, her footfalls muffled by the soft, thick grass. As she walked, she opened her mouth to speak...

...and tripped on a rock, hidden by the grass.

She crashed unceremoniously into the figure in front of her, sending them both toppling down the hill, rolling down the shallow slope...

...which led right into the lake.

~This just keeps getting better and better!~ Tamiko fumed, trying to stop herself, to no avail. ~Where's a stupid tree to get in your way when you actually NEED one!~

Both herself, and the person she had bumped into went flying over the crest of the shore, and into the water.

Tamiko panicked, finding herself face down in water. She floundered, fighting for air. ~I CAN'T SWIM!~

Then her hand brushed the bottom.

"Oh." She said, embarrassed, standing up. The water came up to her knees. She blushed, realizing how foolish she must have looked. ~At least no-one saw that.~ she said, while her mind was laughing it's face off.

The figure that she had knocked over stood up near her. Tamiko bowed. "I am so sorry. It was an accident!" ~At least he's a complete stranger!~

"It's all right, don't worry about it."

She muttered, her head still down. "Even still..."

She stood up straight, but diverted her eyes.

The man opened his mouth, bit down on a comment, and smiled. "You just yearn to go against what I say, don't you, Tamiko? Or are you just restless?"

Something nudged her mind, trying to get her attention. "I'm a tad restless, I guess you could say."

"What brings you all the way out here?"

Whatever was trying to get her attention was waving its hands and poking her mind. "I was actually looking for a friend. His name's Ak...Kir. Have you seen him?"

The piece of information that was trying to get through to her shrugged, and pulled out a mallet, frustrated. It pulled back a non-existent arm and...

~How does he know my real name!~ The thought was sudden and sharp. ~And he said that I went against what HE said...~

Realization dawned, and she looked up in surprise. "A...Akira! Oh my gosh, is that you?" Her blush darkened, realizing that he had seen her pathetic scene.

Akira nodded once, completely calm, though his mouth twitched into a small smile at her embarrassment. "And what are you doing out of the healing ward, 'Taiko'?"

"I was looking for you!"

"Yes, I know that already. WHY did you come looking for me?"

"Um...er..."

She frowned, and stared at him for a moment.

He took a step back. "What?"

She turned away, flapping her hand in an 'oh-it's-nothing gesture. "It's just...you look so..." She coughed, quickly searching for another word. "...Mature...uh...Not that you're normally immature! I mean..." ~Jeez! Open mouth, insert foot!~

"Yeah, well you look a lot...older too. Like...less temperamental...calm. Very..." he stopped himself, flushing lightly.

She turned. "You've only ever seen me mad or calm, right?" she asked. "Never anything else? Excited, for example?"

"No."

"Hyper?"

Akira snorted with laughter at this. "Definitely not."

"Really?" There was a mischievous glint in her eye he had never seen before.

"Er...no..."

She looked him in the eye. "Boo."

And with that she shoved him into the water.

He emerged ten seconds later. "What was that for?!?"

"For calling me temperamental!" Then she bent over, her face cupped in her hands. Her shoulders began to shake.

"Tamiko, what? I'm sorry if I..." he was cut short as the black haired girl took her hands away, to clutch at her sides. She was in fits of laughter, fighting to breathe. "Your face..." she managed to gasp. "So funny!" She started to laugh again.

It caught on. Akira began to chuckle, softly at first, but then he began to laugh in earnest. Meanwhile, Tamiko was fighting to stay upright. Seeing her unbalance as an opportunity, Akira reached out, and lightly poked her shoulder, which sent her toppling into the lake.

~This means WAR!~

From under the waist-high water (they sort of drifted out) she grabbed his leg and pulled, causing him, to put it bluntly, get soaking wet.

They both stood up, and circled around each other, ready to move. Tamiko stuck out her tongue and growled. "Grr!"

Akira stepped back, trying not to laugh, leaving himself open. Tamiko rushed forward...

...and lost her footing.

"WOAH!" She made a huge splash as she fell.

Akira rolled his eyes, laughed, and walked towards the shore. He turned around to talk to Tamiko, when he realized she wasn't behind her. Panic flickered across his face, as he began wading out quickly.

Father out, Tamiko's head shot up above the water. "BOO!!!...where'd you go?!?" she added, bewildered.

Emotions flickered across Akira's face. Concern, frustration, anger, and amusement. "Don't DO that! You SCARED me!"

They both began walking towards shore, Akira waiting for Tamiko. Once there, they began to ring themselves out.

A completely unwelcome voice echoed through the comfortable silence.

"Taiko! I've never seen you with your hair down...or wet. It looks nice, very...mature. I like it!"

Tamiko rolled her eyes. "Kyu."

"Why are you awake so early? Early bird, huh? Morning gal?"

Tamiko nodded, although somewhat hesitantly. "I wake up early to do martial arts."

"Oh! And thickhead here's your dummy. That's ironic, isn't it? Well next time, wake me up and I'll help you practice."

"I practice alone. I don't need help." Tamiko's voice was cool and hard.

"Show me what you do."

Since it was evident that Kyu wouldn't leave until he wanted to, Tamiko shrugged. Settling into her stance, she began her routine kicks and punches. She was completely focused. Her strong kiai (spirit cry used in many martial arts) echoed. After two minutes, however, her footwork became sloppy, and she fought to stay up. Sadly, she failed, and collapsed, sitting, on the grass.

"Taiko!" Akira said frustrated. "Didn't I tell you to take it EASY!" He threw open his arms in an exaggerated gesture, and was completely surprised by the result. Pale flames flickered just above his palms. "Oh sidhe! What the...!" His eyes widened. He was scared. He flicked his hands, to no avail. He rubbed them, panicking as this made the fire larger.. He blew on them, and seeing this blow into massive flames, ran around trying to find a cure. He was trembling, scared near to death. Finally, finding none, he turned to Kyu. "Help me!"

Kyu smirked. "It's simple. You're out of control."

"HELP ME!" Akira lunged and grabbed Kyu's shirt. Kyu's eyes opened wide in shock and horror. The fire went out in Akira's hands as he stepped back, trembling, to fall beside Tamiko. She crawled over to him. "Ak...Kir! Are you all right? Speak to me!" Akira didn't reply, looking distant. Tears were in Tamiko's eyes. "Don't scare me like this!"

Kyu stood there, eyes tightly closed as if expecting something. "Oh NO..." he groaned...

...Nothing happened.

Akira blinked in surprise...

...and Kyu's shirt burst into flames. Kyu screamed in horror, fear and pain, and dived headfirst into the lake.

Where he hit his head on the shallow bottom.

He drifted to the surface, bobbing on the top. The waves slowly, lazily, almost GRUDGINGLY, carried him to shore. And there he lay, breathing heavily on the sand, with a formerly white shirt, now charred to a very dark, crispy brown.

Akira shakily stood up, and Tamiko did likewise. "Your hands...are they burned?" she reached out to examine them, but Akira pulled his hands away.

"Stay away. Aren't you afraid? Who knows? I might burn you. Look, Tamiko. I have no idea who I am, all right?" his voice was shaking with the effort of keeping it calm.

"Akira, I'm not afraid. And I won't go away either. Akira, I'm not about to give up on you. So don't give up on me. Please, Akira. LISTEN to me!"

He didn't look at her.

"Akira...I KNOW what it's like." She took in a shaky breath.

"I don't remember much from when I was really young. Bits and pieces. Last week, I was just a normal girl in a normal life. Practicing martial arts, studying for tests, doing my chores, going to school. Then out of the blue I'm whisked away to a place full of...of... pickle spirits and...I'm being hunted. Then I find that I can do stuff...that, if I'm not careful, I'll lose control of. I'll hurt someone." She looked sadly at the blades of grass picking at them. "I DID hurt someone. I don't know who I am anymore. WHAT I am. I search my mind, combing it for answers, but I have nothing! My dad's in a coma, my mom's who knows where! I've got so many questions..." she bit her lip, fighting back tears. "I just don't know..." She wiped her eyes ferociously with her hand. "But hey. Who knows? Maybe I'll find out. Maybe my life will be able to return to normal. If I ever get back home."

Akira raised his eyebrows. Tamiko had started off trying to tell him that she understood, but then...

Who knew that she was so...deep? That she had bottled up so much inside?

"Can you walk?" he questioned her softly.

"Hmm?"

"The sun will set soon. We should get back to the bathhouse before the other spirits wake. Once you're healed...we'll look for your mother. I promise."

"Akira..."

She nodded, and slowly got to her feet. Together they slowly made their way to the bathhouse, one slow step at a time, supporting each other so neither would fall.

Once in the medical ward, Tamiko went out and sat on the balcony, legs dangling over the edge. Akira joined her, and together they watched the bright rays of the sunset. A small silver streak distracted Tamiko though, and she watched it as it flew towards her. Her mouth opened wide as recollection from her mother's story came back to her. "A...dragon?"

"Hmm? Dragon? What are you talking about, Tam...Taiko?" Akira noticed the figure drawing nearer. "That's a dragon?!?"

+++

Chihiro frowned. "Haku, you've got to go and help Tami!"

"But Chihiro! You don't know if you can...but what about..."

Chihiro's eyes shone with tears. "Haku, don't worry about me! Please. Go."

Haku grasped her hand in both of his. "Chihiro, I won't go without you."

She smiled sadly. "Haku. Since when did you have a choice in the matter? Goodbye."

And with that, she focused all her energy shoving Haku back into life.

+++

Nile jumped as Haku's back arched, and he began to cough. "Haku!" She slowly tipped a glass of water in his mouth. "Haku. Ha...he's asleep..."

+++

And that's it for this chapter! A couple more chapters for part one of Recalling the Spirit, and then I'll be starting part two! (Tamiko will be around nineteen, or twenty.) Sorry about the short chapter!

Until then!

~Jo-chan~