Chapter two up. Please review! The chapter isn't that good but I felt like tying loose ends with her original world.
Enjoy.
I wished as hard as I could to appear in my home world. Lucky for me, I wished strongly enough and landed in the place of the forest I had originally left off from. The swirls of wind and light died down and I had landed. I noticed it was night by the inky darkness of the forest. I walked onward through the trees and reached a sidewalk with a bench placed beside a bright street light. My home wasn't far.
As I walked on I realized what I was wearing; a dark-medium blue kimono style dress with lighter blue lining the neck, ending of sleeves, bottom hem and the sash tying it all together. It flowed out down to above my ankles and was tied with a much thinner obi sash than a traditional one. The sleeves were loose and under them, on my arms were dark navy sleeves up to my elbows and cutoff at the middle knuckles on my fingers. Under the dress I wore a white bandeau styled bra and loose but thin black pants witch tightened around the ankles(AN: like traditional Chinese pants). The pants were necessary because the kimono was loose for fighting purposes and would expose a lot. I had black flat shoes very similar to stylish modern flats. The entire outfit was made of silk. I must look ridiculous wearing traditional clothing when it wasn't even a festival. Then, I remembered my sword. Great, I thought. I could be arrested for openly carrying a weapon in public. It was sheathed and slung over my neck resting on my back, ninja style unlike samurai who wear it to the side.
I glanced around noticing the street deserted. I will just dash home and...WHAT was I going to tell my parents? Then I saw it, on a telephone pole. Me, stapled to it. Well my MISSING person's picture at least. I tore it down and ran home quickly.
I arrived at my front door and knocked frantically. The door opened hesitantly and standing there was my father. His stern face was smeared with shock.
"Katsumi-chan-..." He paused then looked up and yelled "COME DOWN HERE!" I heard my mother's hurried steps down the stairs. When she saw me, her eyes were priceless.
"KATSUMI... What are you wearing? Oh well that doesn't matter!", she sighed then suffocated me in a long embrace. What was I going to tell them, I thought. The truth was the only thing I could think of. It doesn't matter if they believe it... it's just something to say.
My mother continued on, "Katsumi-chan, where... what-" She was at a loss of words.
"Long story mom, I wasn't abducted... by a person...but I am fine... OH and my clothes? Well explain", I let out a nervous little chuckle.
"Let's sit and get this straightened out. Police have been searching for you for almost 8 months!" My father said exasperated.
"8 months? What date is it now?"
"April 28th." Whoa I thought... well that makes sense, I was in that world for about 8 months... time must have passed the same.
I sat down with them in the living room and told them all I could, the bell, the world... anything that supported my story. First, their expressions were that of disbelief but I constantly reassured it was true. They then explained all that happened while I was gone. I had missed almost my whole grade 10 year. Not to mention my 15th birthday in December.
"What are we going to tell the police, and the community?" my Father asked.
"I don't know... I was kidnapped, dragged to a forest then suffered amnesia and have hazy memory of what happened... then escaped and came here?" I offered that as my only idea.
"Good enough, for now. First thing tomorrow we will notify the police."
"Hun, let the girl get some sleep... It's 1 in the morning...we will discuss more tomorrow", my mother compassionately said with a sweet smile. I was sure going to miss her...Righhtt, oh shit.
"Uhh.. one more thing" reluctantly I continued, "I am not staying... I am going to continue traveling. I have an obligation".
"What?" He was fuming mad. "Our little girl just comes home and she leaves again!"
"Well-" I was cutoff by my mother calmly telling us to go to bed and continue the discussion in the morning. Surprisingly, I fell asleep fast, grateful for being in my own bed.
The next morning I woke up at around 10. After breakfast we all climbed into the car headed for the police station.
My mother was the first to speak "Katsumi-chan, why do you want to continue traveling so abruptly?"
"I..." I saw my father's waiting stare through the rear view mirror, "I think it has to do with my destiny and that's why I was given the bell."
My mother continued the questions, "But, hun, why so soon? You just got back and you worried us to death".
"I know. But, I believe it will be easier that way".
My dad now took a turn to speak. "Well I guess we can't stop you. You want to leave us so bad, then do it".
"DAD, I lo-ove you both. I don't want to but I feel the urge that I have too". I always had trouble saying the word love. I never truly felt love, hate, sympathy or anything remotely strong towards anyone. I preferred being distant and introverted, not so emotional.
His voice went softer with signs of understanding and said "Well if you are going to leave what are we going to tell people?"
I thought for a moment and got some possible ideas. "Boarding school... Living with a relative... to relieve stress of being kidnapped?".
"Good thinking", he replied.
We pulled up to the police station and my father spoke to the receptionist telling him I had come home the previous night.
"Excellent! I will bring in some of the officers to close the case "she replied enthusiastically.
I began to tell the police acting worried, overwhelmed and forgetful.
"So, you were walking home after the second day of school in September, then abducted my a masked man, blindfolded, taken underground, tortured and sexually assaulted for months and given small rations of food? He summarized.
I nodded generating fake tears, something I didn't know I could do. My mother gripped my hand playing the act.
"And you don t remember anything else?" The officer asked.
I shook my head. "Just running out of a forest before I was about to be hung from a-a tree not to far from my neighborhood".
"How did you get to the forest?"
"I tried to sound shaky, "I-I was blindfolded, taken out of the cellar and driven to a spot. Then he dragged me and blinded me"-sob-"and grabbed a rope. He hit me then when he turned his back to tie the rope I ran as fast as I could. I remember hearing him but after that I remember arriving at my doorstep."
"So it wasn't far from your home?"
"Only about 6 minutes running- I think."
"All you have told us is all you remember? You have no Idea where you were and who the man was?"
"N-no."
"She is suffering from slight amnesia and shock" The officer told my parents.
"She doesn't want to stay here because it reminds her of the trauma. She wishes to live with her aunt in America. It will be a good change", my father had stated.
"If that's what she wants" I nodded at the officer. I was surprised at how well I acted. I was never a superficial plastic or a drama queen.
He told my parents to tell him anything else if I remember. He also said he would find the culprit.
As we turned out from the parking lot my father began to speak "Great. Now the police are going to go out and waste their time finding a culprit who doesn't even exist."
"Yes, but maybe with their eyes open they will find an actual kidnapper hoping it's 'Katsumi's kidnapper'."
"Yeah.." I responded to my mom's comment.
Once we got home I called all my friends. They all came to my house over-whelming me with "Are you okay", "What happened!" or "Did you get raped?" I told them all the things I told the cops and said I would be leaving early tomorrow to my aunt's. After a few hours they hugged me goodbye . Once the last of them left I faced my parents.
"I'm leaving soon", I spoke without emotion. I hurried upstairs and grabbed a bag putting changes of clothes, things I could trade in other worlds for money, toiletries and changing into my battle outfit, katana and all. I didn't know if I really needed the things I packed but I thought it was safe to be prepared.
I walked to the backyard with my parents following. I summoned the bell after long hugs from my parents. They both had tears in their eyes as I tried to hold back my own. "Come visit often!" "Don't forget us!" My parents yelled. And with a final farewell I shook the bell hoping I would land some where safe.
I appeared in front of a strange looking house surrounded by many skyscrapers. A boy with black hair, blue eyes and spectacles not too much older looking than me, walked out of the front door. Following him was a little black manju bun shaped creature with long rabbit-like ears and two young girls. The rabbit-like thing had a big blue jewel on it's forehead, one girl had long blue hair and the other had short pink. "Weird people", I thought.
"Welcome to the shop" spoke the boy timidly.
"Shop?... Where am I?"
"Japan"
"I live in Japan..."
"It's a different one"
"Oh."
"Yes, this is a shop, it formerly could grant any wish with an equivalent price but that was before my employer passed away."
"Oh, I am sorry. I didn t even mean to come here, just happened to land here."
"No" he paused, "Like my employer said, nothing is a coincidence only Hitsuzen (inevitable)."
I had heard that before in some philosophy book. I also remembered the voice I heard when I picked up the bell. "Yeah, I heard of a quote like that once. Well If I am here for a reason then what is it?"
"Not sure, Yuuko would have known" he sighed.
"Yuuko... was she the former owner?"
"Yes. She died recently... A strange death. She just disappeared, not even her body was left behind. It was consumed in darkness then her time flowed again and she was gone..." A sad expression crossed his sweet face.
"Time flowed again?"
"Yeah, her own biological time was stopped right before she died. Then she came to this world and lived as a witch granting wishes. She was full of knowledge. Then her time flowed and she continued the death that was stopped by a powerful wish... she told me something like that in a dream before she died". I was quiet. For some reason I wish I could've met this witch, Yuuko.
The boy began to speak again "I am Watanuki Kimihiro, written like April first. I came hear more than a year ago wanting the wish of me seeing oni and spirits to disappear granted. My price was to work as a personal help around the shop. The wish was never granted, but I don't see the spirits negatively anymore."
"Oh, I don't have a wish but I travel dimensions with this magic bell". It materialized in my hand.
"To people from other worlds, Yuuko-san was known as the Dimmensional Witch. She could send people on journeys for a high price. I try to continue the business in the power that I have, but it is no match to Yuuko's. I can only grant really small, simple wishes."
"In your power... as in magic?"
"Yes. I discovered it some time after Yuuko-san passed."
"Well... I guess I have a wish."
"Yes?"
"To travel meaningfully. I don't want to just wander worlds aimlessly."
"I know the perfect travellers for you to join."
"Oh yess~! Then you will meat the other Mokona!" the little black thing said excitedly.
"Other Mokona?"
"Yes, I am the black Mokona Modoki, you will meet White Mokona." I couldn't help but smile at the cute little Mokona.
"Moro, Maru, please get Yuuko's magic circle from the storage." Watanuki commanded the two girls.
After a few minutes they returned with a large circular board with intricate designs on it (AN: the board looks like Yuuko's magic circle, It's hard to describe). He held it up and it glowed a purplish-pink he put his hand on it. I noticed the same pattern on the board appeared under my feet.
"Yuuko was better at this, she could do it easily without aid of a board. I am going to send you to where the travellers are." I didn't really want companions, I was independent. I guess this kid knows better than me though so I'll trust him.
Remembering something about equivalent price I asked, "What about the price?"
"I'm not quite sure how to accept price yet. I'm sure it will be paid eventually though." Similar to how my bell worked, the magic swirled around me and I began to feel lighter. Below were Watanuki, Mokona, Maru and Moro waving. Everything went black and my journey began.
