Whaat? Aha.
Chapter 2: Because Shizuka was never one to deal with oodlesense, anyhow.
-
Kimihiro was wearing a pair of shiny green rubber boots, when he came by the temple.
It was a cold day; the mist surrounded the small district, and the wind was sweetly blowing at his already messy hair. He patted it once, and then twice, and then hit his fist at the door. He was clad in light blue shorts and a long shirt that reached his knees, beneath an even longer blue raincoat and the shiny green rubber boots. He liked his boots. He wanted Shizuka to see them.
The door opened, slowly, and out peeked a very blank Shizuka.
“Oh, it’s you.” Said the temple boy, sliding the door open even wider. Kimihiro could see that he wasn’t wearing anything weird or girly, but rather a simple looking shirt and pants. “Why are you dressed like that?” asked Shizuka, when Kimihiro had raised his gaze.
“I’m going exploring,” said Kimihiro, plainly. Then he raised his feet to show off his boots. “You like them?” He had an almost haughty sort of smile on his face.
But Shizuka wasn’t amazed. “They’re green.” He stated calmly. Then, “What are you going to explore? The streets?”
Kimihiro dropped his feet in a stomp, crossed his arms, then pouted. “Course’ not, everyone knows that the streets are boring with all the posts and stuff.”
“Then what?” Shizuka pressed, with no real expression in his tone.
“The woods, silly!” exclaimed Kimihiro exasperatedly. “I’m going to look for treasure in the woods!”
“Grandfather says that the woods are dangerous, and filled with ayakashis.” Stated Shizuka.
Kimihiro fell silent for a while, knowing full well what Shizuka meant by ayakashis. They weren’t nice transparent things. He saw them from time to time, but they never really tried coming close, not when his parents were there.
“But I wanna explore sumthin’.” Said Kimihiro, lamely. “I wanna. And I could, if only you din’t say anything about ayakashis.”
The bespectacled little boy dropped his head, and his glasses slid an inch down his nose. He looked depressed.
He looked sad.
Shizuka didn’t like seeing Kimihiro sad, surprisingly.
“I can come with you, and we can explore together.” He offered softly.
Kimihiro sniffed. He still had his head down.
“And I like your boots, too.” Added Shizuka.
Kimihiro then raised his head. “Really?”
Shizuka took his coat from the rack, wore his own pair of brown boots, and shut the door behind him. He was leveled with his companion as they both stepped out of the temple. “Yeah. Really.”
So they went exploring. A bit gingerly at first, for the fog was thick and damp, and Kimihiro wasn’t really fond of mud- but gradually they walked faster, and only stopped when they lost sight of the streets behind them, and the trees were nothing less than a canopy of hindrances.
It was Shizuka who first mentioned the obvious. “We’re lost.”
Kimihiro got to his knees, grimaced at the muck, and peeked at the distance before them. It was much clearer on the ground than standing up, with the mist looming over them that way. “There’s something over there.”
Doumeki squatted and took a look for himself, nodding. “Yup. Looks like a place.”
“What else could it be?”
“An enraged bear, or something.” Replied Shizuka. He started to walk forward. “C’mon.”
Kimihiro followed immediately, with a small hand held up a bit in front of him for safety measures. Not that it would do him some good, but a bit of safety is better than nothing. His small fingers found sanctuary in the feel of rough fabric of Shizuka’s coat, and grabbed it almost involuntary.
Shizuka glanced at him, but walked on.
The place they were headed toward was soon made out to be a battered old carnival, with the booths and benches and wheels and rides all covered in something that looked like rust, or dried blood, even. There seemed to be no one in sight- and as far as Kimihiro was concerned, no sign of ayakashis either. The two children couldn’t help but a feel even just the tiniest bit of marvel as they ventured through the old rusted carnival, occasionally pointing at rides and booths that looked oddly inviting, despite of the state the machinery was in. There were still stuffed toys hanging undisturbed on walls as prizes, and the carousel looked functional, blinking once and then twice in the darkening twilight. The cotton candy machine still had a few of its treats in glass cases, and the popcorn still looked edible. Kimihiro had never been to a carnival before, since they weren’t really rich, but he thought the whole place looked wonderful even with all the rust and dirt among them.
Shizuka was a little bit more cautious, though, making sure to keep his companion from darting around aimlessly without him, occasionally having to tell the younger lad off for even wanting to eat the candy corns and candied apples set on display behind glass.
“They look clean.” Said Kimihiro sourly, crossing his arms at some point.
Shizuka didn’t even bother to tell the younger boy that the food was probably infested with maggots, or rotting. Kimihiro was incredibly stubborn when overexcited.
Further down through the carnival, they spotted a tent that looked only recently propped up, and it sparked a bit of hope in both youngsters’ minds- Shizuka thinking that finally they could get help to be able to get back home, and Kimihiro thinking that he could finally ask somebody about the food and the rides, if they were still okay to use.
But before they could even raise a hand or peek inside, the tent flaps blew out by themselves and out stepped an incredibly tall and lank man, dressed in a blinding violet tux, with a remarkably tall hat that seemed impossible to come out of the tent looking as stiff and upright. The man had a funny mustache and a funny smile, the kind that could mean to seem as something good and terrifying at the same time, and his eyes were sparkling as if he had told a very funny joke. He had a long walking stick with him, dark and full of shine, and he had a purple tie to go along with his tailed coat. And his voice was deep and it went, “Haaaiii hooooee, my lovelies, and welcome to Geronimo’s carnival of fun!”
He was bent and smiling at them, but Shizuka found it a little bit intimidating. He did not falter, however.
“We’re lost.” He spoke first. “We were walking around in the woods and we found your carnival, sir, but it’s getting late and we must get home.”
“Indeed it is gettin’ late!” Exclaimed the man. “You two boys ha’ been very naughty, wandering about ta’ woods all alone. But don’ you worry, ole’ Geronimo will take good care of you for the night, you’ll see! How about we get some hot chocolate into you little knockers, eh?”
“We’re not knockers,” said Kimihiro innocently. “We’re two kids lost. And I wanna eat some candy.”
Geronimo, in all his length, got down to his knees until Kimihiro’s head was at least level to his chest, so he could only spare his head to bend and look. He winked, and his mustache wiggled. “Tha’s awright, I’ll be getting you some candy soon, don’ you fret.” And he took Kimihiro’s hand.
“But we have to go home.” Shizuka said, following the two into the tent. “Our parents are worried and-“
He wasn’t able to say much more, with him also being mesmerized by the inside of the tent.
The space around them stretched and stretched beyond the limits of what should be possible in the small place, and every single nook and cranny was decorated and furnished with expensive and eccentric looking things, like the tiger coat on the floor as a rug, and the rows upon rows of tall hats on one side. There were various chairs and tables and knickknacks, and fabrics of different colors and shapes and sizes. Kimihiro tentatively put his hand on the tiger rug on the floor, found that it was not a real tiger, and sat on it. Geronimo went further towards what seemed to be the kitchen, and Shizuka and his little friend was left alone.
“This all seems so weird.” He said. Beside him, Kimihiro was teething on the tiger rug’s ears. “I think we should get home now, something bad might happen.”
“Oodlesense, Shizuka.” Said Kimihiro. He sat back down with his legs spread before him, looking incredibly happy. “He doesn’t seem mean, he’s gonna give us the chocolates! The only problem with him is that he speaks funny.”
“Grandfather said not to trust strangers.” Shizuka stated firmly.
Kimihiro hmphed at him, and crawled inches away. “I don’ wanna go home yet.” He hugged the tiger rug. “Don’ wanna.”
Shizuka sighed, and stood. “I’ll go to Geronimo and ask him stuff, you wait here.”
“Oodlesense!” Kimihiro called behind him, but Shizuka was way out of caring, anyway.
The air was heavier, mustier; it grew even more so as he journeyed deeper into the tent. The displays around him seemed to have lost a sense of friendliness, and occasionally Shizuka would see something rather grotesque to be hung on the walls. He saw a cockroach or two scuttle about, and with his eye brows furrowed he stepped on every single one of them. He didn’t like cockroaches. They made him itch.
He raised a hand to support his weight as he leaned to the left, and found the walls covered in something thick and warm.
He withdrew his hand and saw the redness of the liquid underneath the dim light.
There was also a low rumbling somewhere in the darkness, a sort of wheezing sound as if whoever was breathing that way was having sharp things shoved up his lungs. It was frightening, so to say- and Shizuka gripped himself, for his and Kimihiro’s sake. He prayed the little boy was safe where he was.
There was a blinking light bulb swaying over them, to and fro, to and fro…
And saw whatever was before him.
It was Geronimo. He was hunched over something, broad shoulders moving as he moved his hands, munching sounds eminent in the slim space.
Shizuka could smell rot and rust, and he didn’t like it. Also, there was a dark feeling of dread mixed with fear creeping up to his heart, enough for the stoic little boy to take a step backwards.
He turned and ran, as quietly and as quickly as possible.
He found Kimihiro waiting impatiently a little through the front; grabbed his arm, pulled with all his weight, and dragged the complaining boy behind him. They ran as much as they could, pushing past through the mist and trees, ending up where they wanted to be.
Shizuka was panting when Kimihiro kicked his leg, but not as much as to hurt.
“Why’d you do that? You jerk!”
The young monk only returned his companion’s heated gaze, which prompted the little Kimihiro to let off a little more steam. Fortunately for Doumeki, however, Kimihiro was easily distracted by the lamp post flicking to life, and the darkening skies of gray.
“I should get home now,” said Kimihiro, plainly, dropping the little fists he had balled before him. He turned to walk back towards his apartment, turning to look at Shizuka only when he was a couple of steps away.
“Don’ get all smug, ‘cuz you were still rude!” He called, before running off into the streets.
Shizuka was surprised there weren’t any ayakashis around to terrify Kimihiro, at the least.
-
When Watanuki did get home, nobody was there to greet him. All he had to hear was the continuous tick-tock of the grandfather clock somewhere in the living room, and the creaking of the door he had opened. He looked left, then right, wondering if it was the right apartment he had entered, or if he had gone through Kaikei-san’s odd little place again.
Everything was set as it were; this was obviously his house, and that was his frog mug sitting on the dinner table. There was a singular plate with spaghetti on it, beside his mug. With a small smile, Kimihiro approached the table and sat, and began to eat.
After eating he switched the television on and watched various shows his parents would normally restrict him. He couldn’t understand why grown-ups enjoyed shows with lots of shouting and explosives, anyway. At some point, the television crackled and the screen went to static, muffled eerily by laborious breathing and distant shouting. Kimihiro quickly turned the television off, frightened.
He sat back, and stared. The wind was blowing through the window; it made lots of weird melancholic noises too, not the kind of sweet whistling he was used to, and Kimihiro would’ve wanted to shut the windows closed because it was getting cold and he was getting more frightened, but he couldn’t. The windows were stuck where they were.
He assured himself that it was just going to rain- but that didn’t work, because he never liked the rain anyway.
He got ready for bed instead.
Brushed his teeth as quickly as he could (because the bathroom smelled and felt funny),
And climbed up his bed (only now that it seemed a bit taller, this time).
He hugged the bed sheets closer to his chest, lied down, and listened to the howling of the sky.
As he was drifting off to sleep, there was a soft clunk that woke him, and he immediately sat up and looked around. The room was dark, and the noise was still there, but besides that nothing else was about. He looked at the mirror his mother had given him, the tall full-body length one, and stared. There was a little boy on the other side, looking terribly like him- but the boy was smiling, even if he wasn’t. He was also holding the plush giraffe Kimihiro had thrown at the bottom of the mirror the night before.
He suddenly felt very lonely and very frightened, and his smiling look-alike was only making it even worse.
[End of Chapter 2]
-
Kimihiro was wearing a pair of shiny green rubber boots, when he came by the temple.
It was a cold day; the mist surrounded the small district, and the wind was sweetly blowing at his already messy hair. He patted it once, and then twice, and then hit his fist at the door. He was clad in light blue shorts and a long shirt that reached his knees, beneath an even longer blue raincoat and the shiny green rubber boots. He liked his boots. He wanted Shizuka to see them.
The door opened, slowly, and out peeked a very blank Shizuka.
“Oh, it’s you.” Said the temple boy, sliding the door open even wider. Kimihiro could see that he wasn’t wearing anything weird or girly, but rather a simple looking shirt and pants. “Why are you dressed like that?” asked Shizuka, when Kimihiro had raised his gaze.
“I’m going exploring,” said Kimihiro, plainly. Then he raised his feet to show off his boots. “You like them?” He had an almost haughty sort of smile on his face.
But Shizuka wasn’t amazed. “They’re green.” He stated calmly. Then, “What are you going to explore? The streets?”
Kimihiro dropped his feet in a stomp, crossed his arms, then pouted. “Course’ not, everyone knows that the streets are boring with all the posts and stuff.”
“Then what?” Shizuka pressed, with no real expression in his tone.
“The woods, silly!” exclaimed Kimihiro exasperatedly. “I’m going to look for treasure in the woods!”
“Grandfather says that the woods are dangerous, and filled with ayakashis.” Stated Shizuka.
Kimihiro fell silent for a while, knowing full well what Shizuka meant by ayakashis. They weren’t nice transparent things. He saw them from time to time, but they never really tried coming close, not when his parents were there.
“But I wanna explore sumthin’.” Said Kimihiro, lamely. “I wanna. And I could, if only you din’t say anything about ayakashis.”
The bespectacled little boy dropped his head, and his glasses slid an inch down his nose. He looked depressed.
He looked sad.
Shizuka didn’t like seeing Kimihiro sad, surprisingly.
“I can come with you, and we can explore together.” He offered softly.
Kimihiro sniffed. He still had his head down.
“And I like your boots, too.” Added Shizuka.
Kimihiro then raised his head. “Really?”
Shizuka took his coat from the rack, wore his own pair of brown boots, and shut the door behind him. He was leveled with his companion as they both stepped out of the temple. “Yeah. Really.”
So they went exploring. A bit gingerly at first, for the fog was thick and damp, and Kimihiro wasn’t really fond of mud- but gradually they walked faster, and only stopped when they lost sight of the streets behind them, and the trees were nothing less than a canopy of hindrances.
It was Shizuka who first mentioned the obvious. “We’re lost.”
Kimihiro got to his knees, grimaced at the muck, and peeked at the distance before them. It was much clearer on the ground than standing up, with the mist looming over them that way. “There’s something over there.”
Doumeki squatted and took a look for himself, nodding. “Yup. Looks like a place.”
“What else could it be?”
“An enraged bear, or something.” Replied Shizuka. He started to walk forward. “C’mon.”
Kimihiro followed immediately, with a small hand held up a bit in front of him for safety measures. Not that it would do him some good, but a bit of safety is better than nothing. His small fingers found sanctuary in the feel of rough fabric of Shizuka’s coat, and grabbed it almost involuntary.
Shizuka glanced at him, but walked on.
The place they were headed toward was soon made out to be a battered old carnival, with the booths and benches and wheels and rides all covered in something that looked like rust, or dried blood, even. There seemed to be no one in sight- and as far as Kimihiro was concerned, no sign of ayakashis either. The two children couldn’t help but a feel even just the tiniest bit of marvel as they ventured through the old rusted carnival, occasionally pointing at rides and booths that looked oddly inviting, despite of the state the machinery was in. There were still stuffed toys hanging undisturbed on walls as prizes, and the carousel looked functional, blinking once and then twice in the darkening twilight. The cotton candy machine still had a few of its treats in glass cases, and the popcorn still looked edible. Kimihiro had never been to a carnival before, since they weren’t really rich, but he thought the whole place looked wonderful even with all the rust and dirt among them.
Shizuka was a little bit more cautious, though, making sure to keep his companion from darting around aimlessly without him, occasionally having to tell the younger lad off for even wanting to eat the candy corns and candied apples set on display behind glass.
“They look clean.” Said Kimihiro sourly, crossing his arms at some point.
Shizuka didn’t even bother to tell the younger boy that the food was probably infested with maggots, or rotting. Kimihiro was incredibly stubborn when overexcited.
Further down through the carnival, they spotted a tent that looked only recently propped up, and it sparked a bit of hope in both youngsters’ minds- Shizuka thinking that finally they could get help to be able to get back home, and Kimihiro thinking that he could finally ask somebody about the food and the rides, if they were still okay to use.
But before they could even raise a hand or peek inside, the tent flaps blew out by themselves and out stepped an incredibly tall and lank man, dressed in a blinding violet tux, with a remarkably tall hat that seemed impossible to come out of the tent looking as stiff and upright. The man had a funny mustache and a funny smile, the kind that could mean to seem as something good and terrifying at the same time, and his eyes were sparkling as if he had told a very funny joke. He had a long walking stick with him, dark and full of shine, and he had a purple tie to go along with his tailed coat. And his voice was deep and it went, “Haaaiii hooooee, my lovelies, and welcome to Geronimo’s carnival of fun!”
He was bent and smiling at them, but Shizuka found it a little bit intimidating. He did not falter, however.
“We’re lost.” He spoke first. “We were walking around in the woods and we found your carnival, sir, but it’s getting late and we must get home.”
“Indeed it is gettin’ late!” Exclaimed the man. “You two boys ha’ been very naughty, wandering about ta’ woods all alone. But don’ you worry, ole’ Geronimo will take good care of you for the night, you’ll see! How about we get some hot chocolate into you little knockers, eh?”
“We’re not knockers,” said Kimihiro innocently. “We’re two kids lost. And I wanna eat some candy.”
Geronimo, in all his length, got down to his knees until Kimihiro’s head was at least level to his chest, so he could only spare his head to bend and look. He winked, and his mustache wiggled. “Tha’s awright, I’ll be getting you some candy soon, don’ you fret.” And he took Kimihiro’s hand.
“But we have to go home.” Shizuka said, following the two into the tent. “Our parents are worried and-“
He wasn’t able to say much more, with him also being mesmerized by the inside of the tent.
The space around them stretched and stretched beyond the limits of what should be possible in the small place, and every single nook and cranny was decorated and furnished with expensive and eccentric looking things, like the tiger coat on the floor as a rug, and the rows upon rows of tall hats on one side. There were various chairs and tables and knickknacks, and fabrics of different colors and shapes and sizes. Kimihiro tentatively put his hand on the tiger rug on the floor, found that it was not a real tiger, and sat on it. Geronimo went further towards what seemed to be the kitchen, and Shizuka and his little friend was left alone.
“This all seems so weird.” He said. Beside him, Kimihiro was teething on the tiger rug’s ears. “I think we should get home now, something bad might happen.”
“Oodlesense, Shizuka.” Said Kimihiro. He sat back down with his legs spread before him, looking incredibly happy. “He doesn’t seem mean, he’s gonna give us the chocolates! The only problem with him is that he speaks funny.”
“Grandfather said not to trust strangers.” Shizuka stated firmly.
Kimihiro hmphed at him, and crawled inches away. “I don’ wanna go home yet.” He hugged the tiger rug. “Don’ wanna.”
Shizuka sighed, and stood. “I’ll go to Geronimo and ask him stuff, you wait here.”
“Oodlesense!” Kimihiro called behind him, but Shizuka was way out of caring, anyway.
The air was heavier, mustier; it grew even more so as he journeyed deeper into the tent. The displays around him seemed to have lost a sense of friendliness, and occasionally Shizuka would see something rather grotesque to be hung on the walls. He saw a cockroach or two scuttle about, and with his eye brows furrowed he stepped on every single one of them. He didn’t like cockroaches. They made him itch.
He raised a hand to support his weight as he leaned to the left, and found the walls covered in something thick and warm.
He withdrew his hand and saw the redness of the liquid underneath the dim light.
There was also a low rumbling somewhere in the darkness, a sort of wheezing sound as if whoever was breathing that way was having sharp things shoved up his lungs. It was frightening, so to say- and Shizuka gripped himself, for his and Kimihiro’s sake. He prayed the little boy was safe where he was.
There was a blinking light bulb swaying over them, to and fro, to and fro…
And saw whatever was before him.
It was Geronimo. He was hunched over something, broad shoulders moving as he moved his hands, munching sounds eminent in the slim space.
Shizuka could smell rot and rust, and he didn’t like it. Also, there was a dark feeling of dread mixed with fear creeping up to his heart, enough for the stoic little boy to take a step backwards.
He turned and ran, as quietly and as quickly as possible.
He found Kimihiro waiting impatiently a little through the front; grabbed his arm, pulled with all his weight, and dragged the complaining boy behind him. They ran as much as they could, pushing past through the mist and trees, ending up where they wanted to be.
Shizuka was panting when Kimihiro kicked his leg, but not as much as to hurt.
“Why’d you do that? You jerk!”
The young monk only returned his companion’s heated gaze, which prompted the little Kimihiro to let off a little more steam. Fortunately for Doumeki, however, Kimihiro was easily distracted by the lamp post flicking to life, and the darkening skies of gray.
“I should get home now,” said Kimihiro, plainly, dropping the little fists he had balled before him. He turned to walk back towards his apartment, turning to look at Shizuka only when he was a couple of steps away.
“Don’ get all smug, ‘cuz you were still rude!” He called, before running off into the streets.
Shizuka was surprised there weren’t any ayakashis around to terrify Kimihiro, at the least.
-
When Watanuki did get home, nobody was there to greet him. All he had to hear was the continuous tick-tock of the grandfather clock somewhere in the living room, and the creaking of the door he had opened. He looked left, then right, wondering if it was the right apartment he had entered, or if he had gone through Kaikei-san’s odd little place again.
Everything was set as it were; this was obviously his house, and that was his frog mug sitting on the dinner table. There was a singular plate with spaghetti on it, beside his mug. With a small smile, Kimihiro approached the table and sat, and began to eat.
After eating he switched the television on and watched various shows his parents would normally restrict him. He couldn’t understand why grown-ups enjoyed shows with lots of shouting and explosives, anyway. At some point, the television crackled and the screen went to static, muffled eerily by laborious breathing and distant shouting. Kimihiro quickly turned the television off, frightened.
He sat back, and stared. The wind was blowing through the window; it made lots of weird melancholic noises too, not the kind of sweet whistling he was used to, and Kimihiro would’ve wanted to shut the windows closed because it was getting cold and he was getting more frightened, but he couldn’t. The windows were stuck where they were.
He assured himself that it was just going to rain- but that didn’t work, because he never liked the rain anyway.
He got ready for bed instead.
Brushed his teeth as quickly as he could (because the bathroom smelled and felt funny),
And climbed up his bed (only now that it seemed a bit taller, this time).
He hugged the bed sheets closer to his chest, lied down, and listened to the howling of the sky.
As he was drifting off to sleep, there was a soft clunk that woke him, and he immediately sat up and looked around. The room was dark, and the noise was still there, but besides that nothing else was about. He looked at the mirror his mother had given him, the tall full-body length one, and stared. There was a little boy on the other side, looking terribly like him- but the boy was smiling, even if he wasn’t. He was also holding the plush giraffe Kimihiro had thrown at the bottom of the mirror the night before.
He suddenly felt very lonely and very frightened, and his smiling look-alike was only making it even worse.
[End of Chapter 2]