Post by jeanetteisabelle on Jul 28, 2011 18:01:59 GMT -5
Last September Chihiro was falling from the sky, in a white gown, head-first. A crow flew alongside her as she fell. She opened her eyes. "Where am I?" The crow flew close to her chest where she could reach out her arms and hug him. With his wings spread out, she embraced him. "It feels like I'm falling from the sky. It's strange. Why am I not feeling scared now?"
"Caw, caw." The bird replied.
"Are you worried about me?" Chihiro looked around. "Where am I? What is this? Everything here feels so soft and warm but I'm anxious inside. I'm not afraid," she embraced the bird closer to her chest, "but my heart feels cold."
The crow flew out of her arms, and grabbed the hem of her gown with his talons and at first flapped his wings but then stretched them out.
Chihiro shook her head. "I know you can't but that you anyway."
The crow let go of the hem of Chihiro's gown and flew away. Once she cleared the clouds, she saw she was falling toward a city.
With her head was buried in a pillow, it was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. "More clouds? I must be still in that strange dream." Her hand clinched the pillow. "What?" She sat up, looked around and saw that she was in a large bed, in a large room. "Where am I?" The sun shone brightly through the window, an indication it was in the middle of the day. She felt the sleeve of the white night gown she was wearing. "It feels rough but everything felt so soft in the dream."
She had a fever and felt achy all over. She had come down with something when she arrived in Charlton. Being too weak to move, she was brought to this place.
The door opened. There was a young lady at the door, late teens with long black hair and wings with charcoal-grey feathers. She was wearing a long skirt, a denim jacket and boots. "Oh, so you are awake." She was carrying a basket. "Sorry, we had to do some quick shopping." She stepped in.
There were other young ladies with her.
The youngest was the second to come in. She had on a pair of shorts and a hoodie. "You've been asleep for an entire day. It was amazing."
"See. I should have stayed here." A teen with glasses said. She had long blond hair tied back with an elegant red bow. Her clothes were proper and feminine.
Behind her was a teen with short hair, coveralls and either heavy-duty shoes or boots. Finally the oldest in the group came in. She had long brown hair, unremarkable features and sleepy eyes.
Several of them talked at the same time.
The young lady with wings put down the basket and clapped her hands to get their attention. "Hey, everybody! Try to talk one at a time. You're all going to confuse her." She grabbed a chair and situated it next to the bed. "I'm sorry for all of the commotion." She sat down. "My name is Gareki. You are in my room but it doubles as a guest room so don't worry about it. You can use it freely."
"You turned this guest room into your room to be more precise." The oldest said.
Gareki turned to her. "That's why I'm moving my stuff out."
The other young ladies introduced themselves, starting with the youngest. "My name is Kuu."
"I'm Hikari." The girl with the glasses said.
"My name is Kana." The girl in the coveralls said. She pointed to the oldest. "This sleepyhead here is Nemu."
The clock tower rang in the distance.
"Oh no, lunch break is over." Kuu said.
"Oh, man, this is bad." Kana said. "I have to get back to work."
"I guess today is just introduction." Hikari said.
"Gareki, you can take it from here." Nemu said.
Gareki remained with Chihiro. She got up and stretched. "Peace and quiet. It's hard to explain things smoothly with a lot of people around." She sat at the edge of the bed. "Let's see, where do you think we should begin?"
Chihiro looked at Gareki's wings and asked with genuine interest. "Are those real?"
Gareki smiled, turned to her side and moved her wings. "How are you feeling?"
"A little warm."
"You have a fever. I'll get something for it." Gareki stood up. "Stay right here." She left and came back with a wet cloth and placed it on Chihiro's forehead. "You have a fever but it will be gone by tomorrow." Gareki tied back her hair.
"We're not human, are we?" Chihiro asked.
"Nobody knows exactly what we are, if we're human or not."
"Why me? I'm just an ordinary girl. I'm sure I'm nothing special."
"We are all asking why but nobody knows anything."
In the early evening, Chihiro was still in bed. "My limbs are cold and heavy. My back twitches every time pain shoot through shoulders and sides. The sweat is stinging my eyes. I can't see anything." Chihiro tried to open her eyes. "Gareki, are you there?"
"Yes."
"My head is hot."
"You'll feel better by tomorrow. Just like magic, you'll be fine."
The following morning Chihiro got up and while still in the night gown, she took a look in the mirror and saw that the Texas humidity was playing havoc with her hair. "What is this? What's happening to me?"
Gareki, who brought in a tray with a pot of tea and some tea cups, could not help but to laugh.
Chihiro turned around. "Don't laugh!"
"Do you attract static?"
"I don't know! Is this permanent?"
Gareki handed Chihiro a brush. "It's nothing."
Chihiro brushed her hair but her hair would not behave. She dropped the brush in defeat.
Gareki poured a cup of tea for herself and Chihiro. She placed the cup of tea for Chihiro on the end table and sat down in the chair. She picked up her cup of tea as to make a toast. "On behalf of the residents, welcome to Old School."
In the guest bathroom, Chihiro was putting on her brown dress which was the only thing she had she could still wear.
She heard some kids run in the guest room. "Gareki, play with us!"
"How many times have I told you not to come into this room with your muddy shoes on?" Gareki asked.
A Hispanic boy pulled on Gareki's sleeve. "Gareki, why aren't you coming to class with us?"
Gareki knelt down. "I told you before I won't be there because I have to take care of the new girl." She noticed something on his elbow. "Oh, you have a scrape on your arm. Did you fight?"
The boy shook his head. "No, I just fell down."
The three kids ran out and Chihiro peaked around the corner.
"Are you dressed?" Gareki asked.
Chihiro stepped away from the corner. "Yes."
"I'm glad to hear that. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be able to get you to go outside. Let's go out into the courtyard. It's such a nice day."
When Chihiro stepped outside, she had to shade her eyes. She stretched as she looked around the court yard. She saw potted plants, trees, patches of grass, a clothesline and ivy climbing the walls of the other buildings.
In the courtyard, Kuu called out to Gareki. "Gareki! Good morning!"
Kuu was with Hikari, Kana and Nemu. Kana and Nemu were walking their bikes and Hikari was holding a basket.
"We picked up some breakfast." Hikari said.
Gareki waved back. "Thank you."
In the lunch room Chihiro, the five young ladies she met yesterday and the three younger kids she already met were sitting around a long table.
"You look well, Chihiro." Hikari said. "I'm so glad."
Gareki was pouring some tea.
"Yeah." Nemu said. "How's the fever?"
"Well, it was all gone when I woke up this morning." Chihiro answered.
Gareki finished pouring. "Honestly, what makes everybody think my room is their hang out? You always come in without asking as if it were your own room and that's why the kids are doing the same."
Hikari turned to Chihiro. "The truth is Gareki just moved herself into the guest room."
Gareki turned to Hikari. "Excuse me, it was my room from the very beginning."
"Which room are you going to move into?" Nemu asked.
"The room on the end on the floor above."
"But there is a vacant room right next door."
"I've been using the room upstairs as my studio and I have a feeling I won't be sleeping quietly on this floor."
"You're the noisiest person whenever you get out of bed."
"I don't believe I am hearing that from someone who never even wants to wake up."
Kana laughed. "Yeah, Nemu's snoozes are really hard-core."
Though Nemu has super endurance, her friends teased her about her sleeping habits which lead to the subject of dreams. Gareki relayed the dream she had. "I remember a moonlit night and I was walking all alone down a pebble-laden path, walking."
"Come to think of it, you like to walk, don't you, Gareki?" Hikari asked.
Nemu turned to Hikari. "Yeah, and switching rooms too."
Kana laughed.
"Give me a break." Gareki said. "You made me move."
"Hey everybody, let's go for a walk." Kuu said as she stood up. She turned to Chihiro. "How about it? Chihiro, let's all go to town. Do you think you can walk?"
Chihiro nodded. "Sure."
Kuu turned to Gareki. "It's okay, isn't it?"
"Only if Chihiro wants to." Gareki answered.
Everyone except for Gareki and the kids were getting ready to walk to town.
"Aren't you coming with us, Gareki?" Hikari asked.
"No, I have to finish moving the rest of my stuff."
"Well, see you later." Hikari continued.
As Chihiro was leaving, Gareki said, "Chihiro."
Chihiro stopped and turned around.
"You should try to take it easy. You are still recuperating."
Chihiro nods. "Okay."
As they passed by their name tags by the door, they turned over their respective tags to the red side and placed it back on the hook. Everyone except for Chihiro, of course, since she did not have a name tag.
After walking a short distance, Chihiro stopped and looked around. She saw all the wind turbines on the Hill of Winds then looked at the school.
"They say it was a school." Nemu said. "It was completely deserted at some point and that's when it became a home for mutants."
"We call it Old School." Hikari continued. "It's a nice place. However, it's kind of scary at night without a lamp since half of it has no electricity."
"And now the only residents in Old School are us, the kids and the old lady who works there as a housemother. So you can pick any room you like." Kana chipped in.
"Sure." Chihiro answered.
"You're going to be hanging around us a lot anyway, right?" Kuu asked.
In town Kuu made a suggestion. "I know. Hey, everybody, Chihiro needs some clothes. Let's go shopping."
"That sounds pretty good but you mean the thrift shop, don't you?" Kana asked.
"The thrift shop?" Chihiro asked.
"The places where we can shop are limited." Hikari answered.
Inside the thrift shop, a young man was listening to music on some headphones.
Kana opened the door to a shop which had the Renmei symbol displayed. Makeshift bells, attached to the door, made a noise when it was opened.
The young man did not look at the direction of the door. He said "Welcome" as he stretched. He put down the headphones and turned off the music. He looked to see who was at the door. "Oh, it's just some of you mutants." He saw Chihiro. "It looks like you got a new face there."
"She's a new resident." Hikari answered.
"Yeah?" Chihiro smiled and the young man's demeanor changed. "All right, then why don't you pick out something you like from that clothing section over there."
As some of her fellow residents picked through clothing for themselves, Chihiro found a white sailor dress she liked but it needed an alteration.
As they checked out, Chihiro's fellow residents wrote something in notebooks which had the Renmei symbol and passed a pen around. After each of them had passed the pen, they tore out a sheet and handed it to the clerk.
"What's that?" Chihiro asked.
"This?" Kana said. "It's the Renmei notebook. We use it in place of money."
Hikari said to the clerk. "Chihiro does not have a notebook yet."
The clerk selected a clipboard from a rack and handed it to Chihiro. "Then you need to sign here."
After Chihiro signed her name, she held out the clipboard to the clerk.
The clerk took a look at Chihiro, the dress. "Oh, all right. Our extra special service."
He took Chihiro's measurements and used the sewing machine to make the necessary alterations. This was unusual. Even Chihiro was surprised.
In her new dress Chihiro bowed, thanking him.
The clerk waved at the door. Chihiro walked away with her fellow residents, carrying her old dress in a brown paper bag.
As her friends sat on some benches which lined the walkway between Main Station and the Charlton Community Theater, Chihiro caught a mouse as it ran along the front of the theater.
"Chihiro!" Kuu called out.
"Yeah?" Chihiro responded.
"We got some tea!" Hikari said.
"Coming!" Chihiro walked around the corner. "Oh, one thing. What's that Renmei you spoke of?"
"It's the Temple which guarantees our living." Nemu answered. "Soon you should be receiving a notebook just like ours."
"You jot down what you earn from your work and you use it when you buy things." Kana explained. She pointed across the street. "I work at the clock tower. You should come and see it some time."
"I work at a bakery and Nemu works in the Charlton Library." Hikari continued. "You need to find work once you get used to the town too."
Kuu stood up. "Hey, look over there."
Kana stood up and walked to get a better look. "The Toga is here."
"The Toga?" Chihiro asked.
Chihiro and her friends approached but maintained a reverent distance.
The men wore ornate brown hooded robes and a piece of cloth over their mouth.
"Renmei monks are called Toga." Nemu explained.
Another man in a grey ornate robe approached. He wore a mask and wielded a staff with symbols. Using a form of sign language, he communicates with one of the Toga.
Kana continued where Nemu left off. "The man standing next to them is the Communicator, Renmei priest. We are not allowed to speak with or touch the Toga. Likewise, the Toga would never come near us and they are forbidden to use their voices. The only person who can ‘speak' with the Toga is Communicator."
"They communicate by making shapes with their hands." Hikari continued.
As they were leaving, crows were cawing. Chihiro stopped. She did not know their language but something got her attention.
As her friends walked away, the Communicator tapped his staff on the concrete and one of the crows flew away. It flew past Kana.
"Ah, a crow!" Kana yelled as she waved her arms to shoo it away. "You dirty little scavenger!"
Chihiro caught up.
Kana continued her rant. "Look at those pitch-black wings flying away."
"You don't know if that is the one scavenging our trash." Hikari pointed out.
"I hate crows!"
As they were on the road home, Chihiro looked West. "I can see the wall over there."
"Yes you can." Nemu commented. "This town is surrounded by walls."
The sun had set by the time they arrived.
"Oh, look, the lights are off in the guest room." Kuu observed.
"I wonder if Gareki's finished moving out." Nemu wondered.
They walked in.
Kuu walked past the bulletin board and to the hooks on the wall. "Look, Chihiro's got a name tag."
Nemu referred to a new message on the bulletin board. "Look at this." She read the message. "To Chihiro, you are hereby accepted as a resident. You are expected at the Temple tomorrow morning. The Communicator."
"Why don't we go there together? Hikari suggested.
"Okay. But how did they even know my name?"
Kana laughed with a maniacal laugh. "I'll tell you why." She turned around. "Because the Renmei is an organization which uses frightening magic!"
"Knock it off, Kana!" Hikari protested.
Kana continued her evil laughter.
"Ah, really?"
"You wrote your name down when we went clothes shopping." Nemu said.
"Ah. Oh, right." Chihiro removed her name tag from its hook and turned it over.
"Oh, lighten up." Kana said. "Chihiro's so quiet I was just trying to cheer her up."
"Oh, come on." Hikari said in disbelief as they walked down the hall.
"You're exactly like Gareki use to be, acting just like her."
"Oh, rats." Kana walked off.
"Kana's just trying to make you feel welcomed in her own way." Nemu said to Chihiro.
After they all said good night and split up, Chihiro opened the door to the guest room and walked in without turning on the light. Some light was coming through the windows. "I wonder if Gareki is in her room." She placed the brown paper bag on the bed and saw Gareki sitting at the desk.
Gareki turned and saw Chihiro standing by the bed. "Oh, Chihiro. So, how was it going into town?"
"I had a lot of fun being there." She showed off the dress she was wearing. "I also got this today."
Gareki stood up. "Really?" She turned on a lamp. "Did you eat?"
"I caught a mouse."
"Oh, I see."
"Oh, I'm sorry, were you waiting for me?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. I don't feel much like eating after inhaling all that dust.from cleaning the rooms."
Chihiro approached the door. "I'll make you some tea."
"Oh, thank you."
Chihiro left to go to the lunch room.
Gareki heard a loud crash coming from the lunch room and ran inside. "Chihiro?"
Gareki found a tea kettle and Chihiro on the floor. She approached Chihiro.
"Well. . . ." Chihiro started to say.
"It's okay. Just rest. Sorry, I should've known."
"It's strange. Until a minute ago I was just. . . ."
"Too much emotional strain. Are you all right, can you walk?"
"Yes."
Gareki helped her up, helped her to the guest room and into bed.
Gareki sat down on the chair next to the bed and yawned.
"You haven't slept. Gareki, I'm fine, so please go to bed."
"I will when you are asleep."
Chihiro closed her eyes. "I already am."
Gareki got up. "Good night, Chihiro."
"Good night, Gareki." Chihiro said as Gareki walked out.
The following morning Chihiro walked halfway up the stairs. As she stood on the landing, she looked up. "Wow. The uninhabited area is really scary, just like a haunted house." She finished climbing the stairs. "I'm pretty sure this is the right floor."
A board fell, making a loud crashing noise.
"That was close."
Chihiro walked to Gareki's room and noticed a black trail going to the door. She was about to knock but heard a scream followed by a crash. Chihiro opened the door. "Gareki!"
The room was full of stuff and doors, going to the two adjoining rooms.
"Gareki?" She went to one door and opened it. "Gareki?" She saw Gareki on the floor wrapped up in a blanket.
Gareki was breathing hard and she broke out in a sweat.
"Gareki!"
Gareki turned around as Chihiro ran to her and knelt down.
"I'm sorry but I let myself in because I heard a loud noise."
"I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm such a restless sleeper and I fell off the bed again." Gareki touches the tip of her wings. "These wings are pretty useless, aren't they?"
They walked into the middle room. "Sorry about the mess. I use to use it as a studio before it became my bedroom but it's going to be a lot of work to clear out the junk."
Chihiro saw an easel covered up with a cloth. "Are you a painter?"
Gareki sat down in the chair. "Yeah, but I'm not a real one though."
"Can I see?"
"Sorry, it's not finished. Besides, there is not much to look at."
"Oh." Chihiro looked at the other door. "And the studio is over here?" She took a step toward it.
Gareki was quick to respond. "Don't!"
Chihiro looked at Gareki.
"It's really . . . quite a big mess in there."
"Oh, sorry."
Gareki got up. "It's okay." She walked to the window and looked out.
Chihiro remembered why she went upstairs. "Oh, I forgot, breakfast. You were the only person missing so I came to get you."
"I'll eat later."
"Okay, I'll be going then. I've been called to the Renmei Temple."
Gareki turned around. "The Temple? By yourself?"
"No. Hikari said she would come along with me."
"Okay. Well then, you take care."
"I will" Chihiro left and closed the door behind her.
Gareki just stood there. "The same dream again."
On the road to town, Hikari said to Chihiro, "You're worrying too much."
"But I came into her room without knocking or asking." Chihiro replied. "Maybe she was offended."
"Gareki would not think like that. The guest room you are using now was Gareki's to begin with but it was turned into a guest room because we hung out there so much so you shouldn't even worry about it."
"I don't know."
"Gareki's always grouchy when she wakes up and she's a light sleeper." Nemu said as she walked with them. "You know, we used to share a room together and the two of us always fought."
"Really?" Chihiro asked.
They reached a fork in the road.
"We're going this way." Hikari said.
"What, the Temple isn't in town?"
"Well, it's kind of located on the far outskirts of the town."
"Well, take care." Nemu crossed the bridge going to town.
Hikari and Chihiro arrived at the Renmei Temple. It is an old building, and a part of the wall, with a beautifully maintained garden in the court yard.
They walked into the garden approached the Communicator.
"Your name is Chihiro, is it not?" The Communicator asked.
"Yes." Chihiro answered.
"Chihiro, you are hereby accepted as a member of the Federation. This will serve you as proof." The Communicator gave Chihiro a notebook which bore the Renmei symbol.
Chihiro accepted it and the Communicator continued. "It guarantees your daily life. In return for what it provides, you are to work in this town. For your self, for your dwelling place and as an example to the younger residents, you must become a good mutant. We are here if you need us. Come here when you are in trouble. Is there anything else?"
"No." Hikari and Chihiro answered.
As they were walking back, Chihiro saw Kuu by one of the wind turbines. "Oh, there's Kuu." She called out to her. "Kuu!"
"What?" Hikari asked.
"I saw Kuu just now by the windmill over there." Chihiro waited. "That's strange. Maybe she didn't hear me."
"That's probably it. I heard those windmills are electric generators. The Hill of Winds is a nice place to be on a sunny day but those mills are very noisy."
"Really?"
"I have to go to work now in the bakery in town. What about you?"
"I think I'll go back to Old School for now. I better see Gareki."
"You worry too much."
Chihiro nodded. "But I. . . ."
"Well, see you in the evening then."
"Okay, thankyou."
When Chihiro approached Old School, she saw Gareki chasing some of the kids. "Come back! You kids haven't finished your lunch!"
The kids ran past Chihiro.
Gareki stopped when she reached Chihiro. "Back already. So, are you all finished?"
"Yes."
They walked past the main building.
"Do you cook all the time for the little ones?"
"Yeah, sometimes we get takeout. Other times the old housemother and I cook. Nemu and Hikari drop in to help us when they have time to spare. Sometimes not."
"Must be hard work."
"It's supposed to be my job but the little brats have no regard for the trouble we go through. Some of them ran away because the old housemother decided to serve carrots with their omelets."
"Why don't you let me help?"
"All right, if you want."
They walk into a smaller building. Gareki continued. "The places where we can work are very limited so I think you should go visit the places each of us work and pick the one that suits you best."
They heard the kids moaning as they walk into a class room.
"You're late!" The housemother said. "Where are the brats?"
"Got away." Gareki answered. "I'll give them a good talking-to." She approached Huck. "You're still at it? Why don't you want to eat the carrots?"
"Because they're bitter." Huck answered.
"Bitter!" The Hispanic boy next to Huck said.
"Rats, now they are good buddies at a time like this."
The housemother holds out a plat to Gareki. "At a time like this, the teacher must set for them a good example."
Chihiro laughed.
Gareki took the plate and handed it to the laughing carnivore. "You do it."
"What?" Chihiro asked, holding the plate of carrots.
Gareki made an announcement to the class. "Today our special guest teacher Chihiro will show how to eat carrots. So everybody watch carefully."
Chihiro sat down next to Hana, the only kid who ate her carrots. "I just have to eat this, right?"
"Right, just act like you are enjoying them."
"Gareki, go eat them yourself."
"Come on, it's your first job. Work hard."
Chihiro picked up the fork and took a bite.
"Eat with a smile."
"Wow." One kid said. "Amazing." Another one said.
"See. Hana and the older residents are really terrific. Okay then, now it's your turn to eat them."
Gareki goes to a girl who was not eating her carrots. "Come on, you won't grow big and strong unless you eat them up."
"So what!"
"If you are a bad girl and don't finish your carrots, a huge scary carrot monster will come to get you in the middle of the night."
This scared the rabbit girl and she hid behind Chihiro. The rabbit girl noticed something unusual about Chihiro and sniffed her. "She smells just like cake!"
"Hana, don't lie."
"I'm not lying."
Gareki went to Chihiro. "Let me see." She sniffs Chihiro. "No, she doesn't."
"Yes she does! I can smell it! She smells like pancakes!"
Huck and the Hispanic boy ran over
"I want some pancakes!" The Hispanic boy said.
The kids then chanted. "Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!"
The housemother tapped her cane on the floor to get everyone's attention. "Only those who clear their lunch plates will get pancakes for a snack."
The remaining children then quickly gobbled up their carrots.
Gareki signed. "Then what did we go through all that trouble for?"
"You hold the carrot with a stick." The housemother answered. "Don't forget to get me some too."
"So this whole thing was just because you wanted some pancakes?"
Chihiro approached. "I'll go get them."
"You're sure?"
"I can get them at Hikari's bakery. I wanted to visit there anyway."
As Chihiro walked her bike, the kids who had ran off walked back to school.
"So, you are the carrot-haters, aren't you?"
"What?" A boy asked. "Who told you we hate carrots?"
"Unless you go back to the classroom and apologize to Teacher Gareki and your housemother, there will be no snacks for any of you."
"What kind of snacks?"
"Pancakes!"
"The sweet kind?"
"Yes."
The kids ran back to class.
"Hey, Chihiro!"
Chihiro looked behind her and saw Kuu, who was now wearing a hat, running toward her from the school. "Oh, Kuu."
Kuu stopped when she reached Chihiro. "Where are you going?"
"A little trip to the bakery. Oh, that's right. Kuu, do you know how to get to the bakery where Hikari works at?"
"What, you don't know it? Then why don't I take you over there?"
Chihiro peddled as Kuu rode on the back.
"You were walking on the Hill of Winds this morning, right?"
"Oh, yeah. I went into town to pick up this hat."
"Wow. It looks nice."
As they walked through town, Kuu said, "Because you are the newest resident, I've now become your senior but I'm still the smallest among the older residents. Chihiro, I wanted to let you know, and please don't get mad about this, but I was first hoping you would be like a little sister. After I thought about it for a while, I realized you would be put with the younger residents if you were any smaller than me, so what I am trying to say is, I am glad you are bigger than me. That way we can still be together."
"That's a great way to think. I'm glad that I have a senior like you to guide me, Kuu."
They came across a man who was shaking his broom at some crows. "Hey, get out of here! How many times do I have to tell you birds to leave?"
Kuu and Chihiro stopped at a distance.
"Kana hates the crows and she always calls them ‘scavengers.'" Kuu said. "But I don't think it's true. I think the crows really just want to be our friends."
"Huh?"
"What we think as trash, the crows think of as food. I think they just want to be friends with us. They're asking for us to leave them our trash. I just wish we could talk with the crows."
Chihiro nodded. "Yes."
Kuu continued as the two of them continued to walk. "You know, the bakery where Hikari works at, is the only bakery in the city of Charlton where any of us can work."
"Oh, then it must be a special store with a very good reputation."
"No. It only means it is the only bakery that works with the Renmei Temple."
"Oh."
They walked in.
"Are you friends of Hikari?" A lady at the counter asked. "She's working in the kitchen. You just have to go that way."
Chihiro bowed. "Oh, thankyou."
They walked into the kitchen as a baker removed a pan of croissants from the oven and handed it to Hikari.
Kuu and Chihiro stood out of the way.
"This is great." Kuu said.
"We better not disturb Hikari."
The baker saw them standing there. "Oh, you must be friends of Hikari?"
"Ah, yes." Chihiro answered.
The baker called out to Hikari. "Hey, your friends are here."
"Oh, hi." Hikari said.
"We came to buy some snacks, little treats for the kids."
"Really?" Hikari asked. "Then you can pick whatever you like."
"It must be hard work." Chihiro said.
"I don't do much." Hikari motioned to the bakers. "They start working at 3:00 in the morning and they are standing on their feet all day. I only attend the register and do little things like this."
"Now, now, you don't have to act so modest, Hikari." The head baker said. "Look at this." He approached with what looked like large donuts or bagels. "She came up with the idea for these all by herself. Try one. Be careful. They're hot."
"Thankyou, so much." Chihiro replied.
"Hikari, this is great!" Kuu said.
The baker continued. "She brought in an interesting frying pan the other day so we experimented with it.
At Old School, as the sun was setting, the kids were eating the ring-shaped cakes.
"How would they like it if I made them carrot cakes?" Gareki wondered.
"You can't eat carrots either, can you?" The housemother pointed out.
"I can eat carrots just fine if I close my eyes."
"That doesn't count as eating them. Honestly, you grew taller but haven't matured a bit on the inside."
"Rats. So today's carrot lesson was really aimed toward me. It wasn't for the kids."
The housemother chuckled. "Well, I guess you grown up enough not to run away."
"Give me a break."
Jeanette Isabelle
"Caw, caw." The bird replied.
"Are you worried about me?" Chihiro looked around. "Where am I? What is this? Everything here feels so soft and warm but I'm anxious inside. I'm not afraid," she embraced the bird closer to her chest, "but my heart feels cold."
The crow flew out of her arms, and grabbed the hem of her gown with his talons and at first flapped his wings but then stretched them out.
Chihiro shook her head. "I know you can't but that you anyway."
The crow let go of the hem of Chihiro's gown and flew away. Once she cleared the clouds, she saw she was falling toward a city.
With her head was buried in a pillow, it was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. "More clouds? I must be still in that strange dream." Her hand clinched the pillow. "What?" She sat up, looked around and saw that she was in a large bed, in a large room. "Where am I?" The sun shone brightly through the window, an indication it was in the middle of the day. She felt the sleeve of the white night gown she was wearing. "It feels rough but everything felt so soft in the dream."
She had a fever and felt achy all over. She had come down with something when she arrived in Charlton. Being too weak to move, she was brought to this place.
The door opened. There was a young lady at the door, late teens with long black hair and wings with charcoal-grey feathers. She was wearing a long skirt, a denim jacket and boots. "Oh, so you are awake." She was carrying a basket. "Sorry, we had to do some quick shopping." She stepped in.
There were other young ladies with her.
The youngest was the second to come in. She had on a pair of shorts and a hoodie. "You've been asleep for an entire day. It was amazing."
"See. I should have stayed here." A teen with glasses said. She had long blond hair tied back with an elegant red bow. Her clothes were proper and feminine.
Behind her was a teen with short hair, coveralls and either heavy-duty shoes or boots. Finally the oldest in the group came in. She had long brown hair, unremarkable features and sleepy eyes.
Several of them talked at the same time.
The young lady with wings put down the basket and clapped her hands to get their attention. "Hey, everybody! Try to talk one at a time. You're all going to confuse her." She grabbed a chair and situated it next to the bed. "I'm sorry for all of the commotion." She sat down. "My name is Gareki. You are in my room but it doubles as a guest room so don't worry about it. You can use it freely."
"You turned this guest room into your room to be more precise." The oldest said.
Gareki turned to her. "That's why I'm moving my stuff out."
The other young ladies introduced themselves, starting with the youngest. "My name is Kuu."
"I'm Hikari." The girl with the glasses said.
"My name is Kana." The girl in the coveralls said. She pointed to the oldest. "This sleepyhead here is Nemu."
The clock tower rang in the distance.
"Oh no, lunch break is over." Kuu said.
"Oh, man, this is bad." Kana said. "I have to get back to work."
"I guess today is just introduction." Hikari said.
"Gareki, you can take it from here." Nemu said.
Gareki remained with Chihiro. She got up and stretched. "Peace and quiet. It's hard to explain things smoothly with a lot of people around." She sat at the edge of the bed. "Let's see, where do you think we should begin?"
Chihiro looked at Gareki's wings and asked with genuine interest. "Are those real?"
Gareki smiled, turned to her side and moved her wings. "How are you feeling?"
"A little warm."
"You have a fever. I'll get something for it." Gareki stood up. "Stay right here." She left and came back with a wet cloth and placed it on Chihiro's forehead. "You have a fever but it will be gone by tomorrow." Gareki tied back her hair.
"We're not human, are we?" Chihiro asked.
"Nobody knows exactly what we are, if we're human or not."
"Why me? I'm just an ordinary girl. I'm sure I'm nothing special."
"We are all asking why but nobody knows anything."
In the early evening, Chihiro was still in bed. "My limbs are cold and heavy. My back twitches every time pain shoot through shoulders and sides. The sweat is stinging my eyes. I can't see anything." Chihiro tried to open her eyes. "Gareki, are you there?"
"Yes."
"My head is hot."
"You'll feel better by tomorrow. Just like magic, you'll be fine."
The following morning Chihiro got up and while still in the night gown, she took a look in the mirror and saw that the Texas humidity was playing havoc with her hair. "What is this? What's happening to me?"
Gareki, who brought in a tray with a pot of tea and some tea cups, could not help but to laugh.
Chihiro turned around. "Don't laugh!"
"Do you attract static?"
"I don't know! Is this permanent?"
Gareki handed Chihiro a brush. "It's nothing."
Chihiro brushed her hair but her hair would not behave. She dropped the brush in defeat.
Gareki poured a cup of tea for herself and Chihiro. She placed the cup of tea for Chihiro on the end table and sat down in the chair. She picked up her cup of tea as to make a toast. "On behalf of the residents, welcome to Old School."
In the guest bathroom, Chihiro was putting on her brown dress which was the only thing she had she could still wear.
She heard some kids run in the guest room. "Gareki, play with us!"
"How many times have I told you not to come into this room with your muddy shoes on?" Gareki asked.
A Hispanic boy pulled on Gareki's sleeve. "Gareki, why aren't you coming to class with us?"
Gareki knelt down. "I told you before I won't be there because I have to take care of the new girl." She noticed something on his elbow. "Oh, you have a scrape on your arm. Did you fight?"
The boy shook his head. "No, I just fell down."
The three kids ran out and Chihiro peaked around the corner.
"Are you dressed?" Gareki asked.
Chihiro stepped away from the corner. "Yes."
"I'm glad to hear that. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be able to get you to go outside. Let's go out into the courtyard. It's such a nice day."
When Chihiro stepped outside, she had to shade her eyes. She stretched as she looked around the court yard. She saw potted plants, trees, patches of grass, a clothesline and ivy climbing the walls of the other buildings.
In the courtyard, Kuu called out to Gareki. "Gareki! Good morning!"
Kuu was with Hikari, Kana and Nemu. Kana and Nemu were walking their bikes and Hikari was holding a basket.
"We picked up some breakfast." Hikari said.
Gareki waved back. "Thank you."
In the lunch room Chihiro, the five young ladies she met yesterday and the three younger kids she already met were sitting around a long table.
"You look well, Chihiro." Hikari said. "I'm so glad."
Gareki was pouring some tea.
"Yeah." Nemu said. "How's the fever?"
"Well, it was all gone when I woke up this morning." Chihiro answered.
Gareki finished pouring. "Honestly, what makes everybody think my room is their hang out? You always come in without asking as if it were your own room and that's why the kids are doing the same."
Hikari turned to Chihiro. "The truth is Gareki just moved herself into the guest room."
Gareki turned to Hikari. "Excuse me, it was my room from the very beginning."
"Which room are you going to move into?" Nemu asked.
"The room on the end on the floor above."
"But there is a vacant room right next door."
"I've been using the room upstairs as my studio and I have a feeling I won't be sleeping quietly on this floor."
"You're the noisiest person whenever you get out of bed."
"I don't believe I am hearing that from someone who never even wants to wake up."
Kana laughed. "Yeah, Nemu's snoozes are really hard-core."
Though Nemu has super endurance, her friends teased her about her sleeping habits which lead to the subject of dreams. Gareki relayed the dream she had. "I remember a moonlit night and I was walking all alone down a pebble-laden path, walking."
"Come to think of it, you like to walk, don't you, Gareki?" Hikari asked.
Nemu turned to Hikari. "Yeah, and switching rooms too."
Kana laughed.
"Give me a break." Gareki said. "You made me move."
"Hey everybody, let's go for a walk." Kuu said as she stood up. She turned to Chihiro. "How about it? Chihiro, let's all go to town. Do you think you can walk?"
Chihiro nodded. "Sure."
Kuu turned to Gareki. "It's okay, isn't it?"
"Only if Chihiro wants to." Gareki answered.
Everyone except for Gareki and the kids were getting ready to walk to town.
"Aren't you coming with us, Gareki?" Hikari asked.
"No, I have to finish moving the rest of my stuff."
"Well, see you later." Hikari continued.
As Chihiro was leaving, Gareki said, "Chihiro."
Chihiro stopped and turned around.
"You should try to take it easy. You are still recuperating."
Chihiro nods. "Okay."
As they passed by their name tags by the door, they turned over their respective tags to the red side and placed it back on the hook. Everyone except for Chihiro, of course, since she did not have a name tag.
After walking a short distance, Chihiro stopped and looked around. She saw all the wind turbines on the Hill of Winds then looked at the school.
"They say it was a school." Nemu said. "It was completely deserted at some point and that's when it became a home for mutants."
"We call it Old School." Hikari continued. "It's a nice place. However, it's kind of scary at night without a lamp since half of it has no electricity."
"And now the only residents in Old School are us, the kids and the old lady who works there as a housemother. So you can pick any room you like." Kana chipped in.
"Sure." Chihiro answered.
"You're going to be hanging around us a lot anyway, right?" Kuu asked.
In town Kuu made a suggestion. "I know. Hey, everybody, Chihiro needs some clothes. Let's go shopping."
"That sounds pretty good but you mean the thrift shop, don't you?" Kana asked.
"The thrift shop?" Chihiro asked.
"The places where we can shop are limited." Hikari answered.
Inside the thrift shop, a young man was listening to music on some headphones.
Kana opened the door to a shop which had the Renmei symbol displayed. Makeshift bells, attached to the door, made a noise when it was opened.
The young man did not look at the direction of the door. He said "Welcome" as he stretched. He put down the headphones and turned off the music. He looked to see who was at the door. "Oh, it's just some of you mutants." He saw Chihiro. "It looks like you got a new face there."
"She's a new resident." Hikari answered.
"Yeah?" Chihiro smiled and the young man's demeanor changed. "All right, then why don't you pick out something you like from that clothing section over there."
As some of her fellow residents picked through clothing for themselves, Chihiro found a white sailor dress she liked but it needed an alteration.
As they checked out, Chihiro's fellow residents wrote something in notebooks which had the Renmei symbol and passed a pen around. After each of them had passed the pen, they tore out a sheet and handed it to the clerk.
"What's that?" Chihiro asked.
"This?" Kana said. "It's the Renmei notebook. We use it in place of money."
Hikari said to the clerk. "Chihiro does not have a notebook yet."
The clerk selected a clipboard from a rack and handed it to Chihiro. "Then you need to sign here."
After Chihiro signed her name, she held out the clipboard to the clerk.
The clerk took a look at Chihiro, the dress. "Oh, all right. Our extra special service."
He took Chihiro's measurements and used the sewing machine to make the necessary alterations. This was unusual. Even Chihiro was surprised.
In her new dress Chihiro bowed, thanking him.
The clerk waved at the door. Chihiro walked away with her fellow residents, carrying her old dress in a brown paper bag.
As her friends sat on some benches which lined the walkway between Main Station and the Charlton Community Theater, Chihiro caught a mouse as it ran along the front of the theater.
"Chihiro!" Kuu called out.
"Yeah?" Chihiro responded.
"We got some tea!" Hikari said.
"Coming!" Chihiro walked around the corner. "Oh, one thing. What's that Renmei you spoke of?"
"It's the Temple which guarantees our living." Nemu answered. "Soon you should be receiving a notebook just like ours."
"You jot down what you earn from your work and you use it when you buy things." Kana explained. She pointed across the street. "I work at the clock tower. You should come and see it some time."
"I work at a bakery and Nemu works in the Charlton Library." Hikari continued. "You need to find work once you get used to the town too."
Kuu stood up. "Hey, look over there."
Kana stood up and walked to get a better look. "The Toga is here."
"The Toga?" Chihiro asked.
Chihiro and her friends approached but maintained a reverent distance.
The men wore ornate brown hooded robes and a piece of cloth over their mouth.
"Renmei monks are called Toga." Nemu explained.
Another man in a grey ornate robe approached. He wore a mask and wielded a staff with symbols. Using a form of sign language, he communicates with one of the Toga.
Kana continued where Nemu left off. "The man standing next to them is the Communicator, Renmei priest. We are not allowed to speak with or touch the Toga. Likewise, the Toga would never come near us and they are forbidden to use their voices. The only person who can ‘speak' with the Toga is Communicator."
"They communicate by making shapes with their hands." Hikari continued.
As they were leaving, crows were cawing. Chihiro stopped. She did not know their language but something got her attention.
As her friends walked away, the Communicator tapped his staff on the concrete and one of the crows flew away. It flew past Kana.
"Ah, a crow!" Kana yelled as she waved her arms to shoo it away. "You dirty little scavenger!"
Chihiro caught up.
Kana continued her rant. "Look at those pitch-black wings flying away."
"You don't know if that is the one scavenging our trash." Hikari pointed out.
"I hate crows!"
As they were on the road home, Chihiro looked West. "I can see the wall over there."
"Yes you can." Nemu commented. "This town is surrounded by walls."
The sun had set by the time they arrived.
"Oh, look, the lights are off in the guest room." Kuu observed.
"I wonder if Gareki's finished moving out." Nemu wondered.
They walked in.
Kuu walked past the bulletin board and to the hooks on the wall. "Look, Chihiro's got a name tag."
Nemu referred to a new message on the bulletin board. "Look at this." She read the message. "To Chihiro, you are hereby accepted as a resident. You are expected at the Temple tomorrow morning. The Communicator."
"Why don't we go there together? Hikari suggested.
"Okay. But how did they even know my name?"
Kana laughed with a maniacal laugh. "I'll tell you why." She turned around. "Because the Renmei is an organization which uses frightening magic!"
"Knock it off, Kana!" Hikari protested.
Kana continued her evil laughter.
"Ah, really?"
"You wrote your name down when we went clothes shopping." Nemu said.
"Ah. Oh, right." Chihiro removed her name tag from its hook and turned it over.
"Oh, lighten up." Kana said. "Chihiro's so quiet I was just trying to cheer her up."
"Oh, come on." Hikari said in disbelief as they walked down the hall.
"You're exactly like Gareki use to be, acting just like her."
"Oh, rats." Kana walked off.
"Kana's just trying to make you feel welcomed in her own way." Nemu said to Chihiro.
After they all said good night and split up, Chihiro opened the door to the guest room and walked in without turning on the light. Some light was coming through the windows. "I wonder if Gareki is in her room." She placed the brown paper bag on the bed and saw Gareki sitting at the desk.
Gareki turned and saw Chihiro standing by the bed. "Oh, Chihiro. So, how was it going into town?"
"I had a lot of fun being there." She showed off the dress she was wearing. "I also got this today."
Gareki stood up. "Really?" She turned on a lamp. "Did you eat?"
"I caught a mouse."
"Oh, I see."
"Oh, I'm sorry, were you waiting for me?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. I don't feel much like eating after inhaling all that dust.from cleaning the rooms."
Chihiro approached the door. "I'll make you some tea."
"Oh, thank you."
Chihiro left to go to the lunch room.
Gareki heard a loud crash coming from the lunch room and ran inside. "Chihiro?"
Gareki found a tea kettle and Chihiro on the floor. She approached Chihiro.
"Well. . . ." Chihiro started to say.
"It's okay. Just rest. Sorry, I should've known."
"It's strange. Until a minute ago I was just. . . ."
"Too much emotional strain. Are you all right, can you walk?"
"Yes."
Gareki helped her up, helped her to the guest room and into bed.
Gareki sat down on the chair next to the bed and yawned.
"You haven't slept. Gareki, I'm fine, so please go to bed."
"I will when you are asleep."
Chihiro closed her eyes. "I already am."
Gareki got up. "Good night, Chihiro."
"Good night, Gareki." Chihiro said as Gareki walked out.
The following morning Chihiro walked halfway up the stairs. As she stood on the landing, she looked up. "Wow. The uninhabited area is really scary, just like a haunted house." She finished climbing the stairs. "I'm pretty sure this is the right floor."
A board fell, making a loud crashing noise.
"That was close."
Chihiro walked to Gareki's room and noticed a black trail going to the door. She was about to knock but heard a scream followed by a crash. Chihiro opened the door. "Gareki!"
The room was full of stuff and doors, going to the two adjoining rooms.
"Gareki?" She went to one door and opened it. "Gareki?" She saw Gareki on the floor wrapped up in a blanket.
Gareki was breathing hard and she broke out in a sweat.
"Gareki!"
Gareki turned around as Chihiro ran to her and knelt down.
"I'm sorry but I let myself in because I heard a loud noise."
"I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm such a restless sleeper and I fell off the bed again." Gareki touches the tip of her wings. "These wings are pretty useless, aren't they?"
They walked into the middle room. "Sorry about the mess. I use to use it as a studio before it became my bedroom but it's going to be a lot of work to clear out the junk."
Chihiro saw an easel covered up with a cloth. "Are you a painter?"
Gareki sat down in the chair. "Yeah, but I'm not a real one though."
"Can I see?"
"Sorry, it's not finished. Besides, there is not much to look at."
"Oh." Chihiro looked at the other door. "And the studio is over here?" She took a step toward it.
Gareki was quick to respond. "Don't!"
Chihiro looked at Gareki.
"It's really . . . quite a big mess in there."
"Oh, sorry."
Gareki got up. "It's okay." She walked to the window and looked out.
Chihiro remembered why she went upstairs. "Oh, I forgot, breakfast. You were the only person missing so I came to get you."
"I'll eat later."
"Okay, I'll be going then. I've been called to the Renmei Temple."
Gareki turned around. "The Temple? By yourself?"
"No. Hikari said she would come along with me."
"Okay. Well then, you take care."
"I will" Chihiro left and closed the door behind her.
Gareki just stood there. "The same dream again."
On the road to town, Hikari said to Chihiro, "You're worrying too much."
"But I came into her room without knocking or asking." Chihiro replied. "Maybe she was offended."
"Gareki would not think like that. The guest room you are using now was Gareki's to begin with but it was turned into a guest room because we hung out there so much so you shouldn't even worry about it."
"I don't know."
"Gareki's always grouchy when she wakes up and she's a light sleeper." Nemu said as she walked with them. "You know, we used to share a room together and the two of us always fought."
"Really?" Chihiro asked.
They reached a fork in the road.
"We're going this way." Hikari said.
"What, the Temple isn't in town?"
"Well, it's kind of located on the far outskirts of the town."
"Well, take care." Nemu crossed the bridge going to town.
Hikari and Chihiro arrived at the Renmei Temple. It is an old building, and a part of the wall, with a beautifully maintained garden in the court yard.
They walked into the garden approached the Communicator.
"Your name is Chihiro, is it not?" The Communicator asked.
"Yes." Chihiro answered.
"Chihiro, you are hereby accepted as a member of the Federation. This will serve you as proof." The Communicator gave Chihiro a notebook which bore the Renmei symbol.
Chihiro accepted it and the Communicator continued. "It guarantees your daily life. In return for what it provides, you are to work in this town. For your self, for your dwelling place and as an example to the younger residents, you must become a good mutant. We are here if you need us. Come here when you are in trouble. Is there anything else?"
"No." Hikari and Chihiro answered.
As they were walking back, Chihiro saw Kuu by one of the wind turbines. "Oh, there's Kuu." She called out to her. "Kuu!"
"What?" Hikari asked.
"I saw Kuu just now by the windmill over there." Chihiro waited. "That's strange. Maybe she didn't hear me."
"That's probably it. I heard those windmills are electric generators. The Hill of Winds is a nice place to be on a sunny day but those mills are very noisy."
"Really?"
"I have to go to work now in the bakery in town. What about you?"
"I think I'll go back to Old School for now. I better see Gareki."
"You worry too much."
Chihiro nodded. "But I. . . ."
"Well, see you in the evening then."
"Okay, thankyou."
When Chihiro approached Old School, she saw Gareki chasing some of the kids. "Come back! You kids haven't finished your lunch!"
The kids ran past Chihiro.
Gareki stopped when she reached Chihiro. "Back already. So, are you all finished?"
"Yes."
They walked past the main building.
"Do you cook all the time for the little ones?"
"Yeah, sometimes we get takeout. Other times the old housemother and I cook. Nemu and Hikari drop in to help us when they have time to spare. Sometimes not."
"Must be hard work."
"It's supposed to be my job but the little brats have no regard for the trouble we go through. Some of them ran away because the old housemother decided to serve carrots with their omelets."
"Why don't you let me help?"
"All right, if you want."
They walk into a smaller building. Gareki continued. "The places where we can work are very limited so I think you should go visit the places each of us work and pick the one that suits you best."
They heard the kids moaning as they walk into a class room.
"You're late!" The housemother said. "Where are the brats?"
"Got away." Gareki answered. "I'll give them a good talking-to." She approached Huck. "You're still at it? Why don't you want to eat the carrots?"
"Because they're bitter." Huck answered.
"Bitter!" The Hispanic boy next to Huck said.
"Rats, now they are good buddies at a time like this."
The housemother holds out a plat to Gareki. "At a time like this, the teacher must set for them a good example."
Chihiro laughed.
Gareki took the plate and handed it to the laughing carnivore. "You do it."
"What?" Chihiro asked, holding the plate of carrots.
Gareki made an announcement to the class. "Today our special guest teacher Chihiro will show how to eat carrots. So everybody watch carefully."
Chihiro sat down next to Hana, the only kid who ate her carrots. "I just have to eat this, right?"
"Right, just act like you are enjoying them."
"Gareki, go eat them yourself."
"Come on, it's your first job. Work hard."
Chihiro picked up the fork and took a bite.
"Eat with a smile."
"Wow." One kid said. "Amazing." Another one said.
"See. Hana and the older residents are really terrific. Okay then, now it's your turn to eat them."
Gareki goes to a girl who was not eating her carrots. "Come on, you won't grow big and strong unless you eat them up."
"So what!"
"If you are a bad girl and don't finish your carrots, a huge scary carrot monster will come to get you in the middle of the night."
This scared the rabbit girl and she hid behind Chihiro. The rabbit girl noticed something unusual about Chihiro and sniffed her. "She smells just like cake!"
"Hana, don't lie."
"I'm not lying."
Gareki went to Chihiro. "Let me see." She sniffs Chihiro. "No, she doesn't."
"Yes she does! I can smell it! She smells like pancakes!"
Huck and the Hispanic boy ran over
"I want some pancakes!" The Hispanic boy said.
The kids then chanted. "Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!"
The housemother tapped her cane on the floor to get everyone's attention. "Only those who clear their lunch plates will get pancakes for a snack."
The remaining children then quickly gobbled up their carrots.
Gareki signed. "Then what did we go through all that trouble for?"
"You hold the carrot with a stick." The housemother answered. "Don't forget to get me some too."
"So this whole thing was just because you wanted some pancakes?"
Chihiro approached. "I'll go get them."
"You're sure?"
"I can get them at Hikari's bakery. I wanted to visit there anyway."
As Chihiro walked her bike, the kids who had ran off walked back to school.
"So, you are the carrot-haters, aren't you?"
"What?" A boy asked. "Who told you we hate carrots?"
"Unless you go back to the classroom and apologize to Teacher Gareki and your housemother, there will be no snacks for any of you."
"What kind of snacks?"
"Pancakes!"
"The sweet kind?"
"Yes."
The kids ran back to class.
"Hey, Chihiro!"
Chihiro looked behind her and saw Kuu, who was now wearing a hat, running toward her from the school. "Oh, Kuu."
Kuu stopped when she reached Chihiro. "Where are you going?"
"A little trip to the bakery. Oh, that's right. Kuu, do you know how to get to the bakery where Hikari works at?"
"What, you don't know it? Then why don't I take you over there?"
Chihiro peddled as Kuu rode on the back.
"You were walking on the Hill of Winds this morning, right?"
"Oh, yeah. I went into town to pick up this hat."
"Wow. It looks nice."
As they walked through town, Kuu said, "Because you are the newest resident, I've now become your senior but I'm still the smallest among the older residents. Chihiro, I wanted to let you know, and please don't get mad about this, but I was first hoping you would be like a little sister. After I thought about it for a while, I realized you would be put with the younger residents if you were any smaller than me, so what I am trying to say is, I am glad you are bigger than me. That way we can still be together."
"That's a great way to think. I'm glad that I have a senior like you to guide me, Kuu."
They came across a man who was shaking his broom at some crows. "Hey, get out of here! How many times do I have to tell you birds to leave?"
Kuu and Chihiro stopped at a distance.
"Kana hates the crows and she always calls them ‘scavengers.'" Kuu said. "But I don't think it's true. I think the crows really just want to be our friends."
"Huh?"
"What we think as trash, the crows think of as food. I think they just want to be friends with us. They're asking for us to leave them our trash. I just wish we could talk with the crows."
Chihiro nodded. "Yes."
Kuu continued as the two of them continued to walk. "You know, the bakery where Hikari works at, is the only bakery in the city of Charlton where any of us can work."
"Oh, then it must be a special store with a very good reputation."
"No. It only means it is the only bakery that works with the Renmei Temple."
"Oh."
They walked in.
"Are you friends of Hikari?" A lady at the counter asked. "She's working in the kitchen. You just have to go that way."
Chihiro bowed. "Oh, thankyou."
They walked into the kitchen as a baker removed a pan of croissants from the oven and handed it to Hikari.
Kuu and Chihiro stood out of the way.
"This is great." Kuu said.
"We better not disturb Hikari."
The baker saw them standing there. "Oh, you must be friends of Hikari?"
"Ah, yes." Chihiro answered.
The baker called out to Hikari. "Hey, your friends are here."
"Oh, hi." Hikari said.
"We came to buy some snacks, little treats for the kids."
"Really?" Hikari asked. "Then you can pick whatever you like."
"It must be hard work." Chihiro said.
"I don't do much." Hikari motioned to the bakers. "They start working at 3:00 in the morning and they are standing on their feet all day. I only attend the register and do little things like this."
"Now, now, you don't have to act so modest, Hikari." The head baker said. "Look at this." He approached with what looked like large donuts or bagels. "She came up with the idea for these all by herself. Try one. Be careful. They're hot."
"Thankyou, so much." Chihiro replied.
"Hikari, this is great!" Kuu said.
The baker continued. "She brought in an interesting frying pan the other day so we experimented with it.
At Old School, as the sun was setting, the kids were eating the ring-shaped cakes.
"How would they like it if I made them carrot cakes?" Gareki wondered.
"You can't eat carrots either, can you?" The housemother pointed out.
"I can eat carrots just fine if I close my eyes."
"That doesn't count as eating them. Honestly, you grew taller but haven't matured a bit on the inside."
"Rats. So today's carrot lesson was really aimed toward me. It wasn't for the kids."
The housemother chuckled. "Well, I guess you grown up enough not to run away."
"Give me a break."
Jeanette Isabelle