Little Chi-chan.

C

Chiemi

Guest
Original poster
Ayuu... *the small girl whined, weaving past the endless forest she seemed to be lost in. She had long, almost white hair and her eyes were an odd shade of reddish orange. Chiemi wore but a simple oversized tee shirt, which in her small stature, acted as a nightgown or dress of sorts. In her hand she held a doll by it's paw. It was a cat plushie, made with a black and white checkered fabric. It's eyes were red stitched X's.*
 
Black and white swung by its arm, its rhythm going along the small girl's momentum. It squirmed. Pulsed. So weak the girl could barely noticed. Its eyes were red stitched X's, not like it had a need for something like that. It "sees", although not in the way a human would "see".

However, existence was never a one-way lane. To exist, you must know that you exist. To exist, others must know that you exist.

It purred. Slowly. Weakly. So weak the girl could barely noticed. So it decided to purr once more. Stronger. Stronger. Stronger until it turned into a meow.

"Meow~" it sounded. Its mouth was lines made by stitches, not like it had a need for something like that. It "sounds", although not in the way a human would "sound".
 
A lone man stood in the forest, far away from the aimlessly wandering girl, much too far away for him to see her, yet his steel gray eyes still followed her every move relentlessly. He only stopped following her when his shoulder-length, black hair occasionally got in his eye, but continued following her right away as if his life depended on it. However, he was merely interested in what would happen to her, interested in the strange aura she emitted. Even though he had lived for far longer than he should have, he never saw any human like the girl.

Suddenly, the book tied to the man's belt began to rattle as if it wanted to open its chain-bound covers. The man immediately took the book in his hands, freeing it of its chains and opening its covers. He then smiled as he saw letters appear on the first empty page of the book, forming into the sentences of an incomprehensible language. But the man understood their meaning perfectly well, and when the page finished writing itself, closed the book, then focused his mind.

A change occured in the air around him as the darkness of the forest turned into red light, exposing the man's black trousers, black pullover and black trenchoat, as well as attracting the girl's attention.
 
*She blinked her large eyes and held the doll out in front of her, head tilted curiously as she held it by it's paws.* Meow... *she looked around quickly as the darkness turned crimson, turning to face the area behind her, hugging the plush to herself. Her lips pressed together nervously, taking a silent and miniscule step backwards as she spotted the far-off sillouette of a darkly clothed man. The faintest wind reached through the trees, blowing her light tresses into her face briefly as she gazed at the black form.*
 
There was still disbelief, but the girl noticed. It silently purred. Happy. Happy that its existence succeeded in burrowing its way into this world. Its "eyes" looked back into the girl's twin big orbs. Not like the girl could notice, as its eyes were only red stitched X's. It "sees", although not in the way a human would "see".

For example, even without moving its "eyes", the way a human "sees", it could perceive another existence similar to the girl. Or perhaps not. Existence which the girl noticed as well. His disturbed the girl, or so it thought. The girl's clothes pressed firmly to its body made of black and white fabric, the thing human perceived as its "skin". Not like it had a need for something like that. It "feels", although not in the way a human would "feel".

It remained silent. The girl was disturbed enough, it need not make it worse. Or, more like it didn't care enough to intervene. After all, concept of "feeling" was alien to it.
 
In a cautious movement the girl's oversized clothing swayed as she slowly stepped foreward, bright eyes trained on the man in the distance. She instinctively stroked the top of the feline doll's head, as if to comfort it. The leaves cracked under her feet, but as they are both aware of each other's presence there was no need for complete silence. She was still very weary though, approaching the man, leaving a long enough distance between him and herself.

From this distance, more could be made of the girl. On the left side of her neck, her hair had blown to the side an uncovered a small scar. It was of an odd shape, almost like a cross of sorts, but angled in some unusual direction. One of her eyes held a more golden color, the other a darker red; both a shade of orange, yet quite different. Her pale skin was light, as if she had never gone outside a day in her life. Her lips parted and she spoke in a hushed voice.

"Wh.. Who are you, why are you here?"
 
The man smiled at the girl, revealing his teeth, which were inhumanly and impossibly white.

"I have been called many names, but I currently go by the alias of Moira," said the man, then bowed before the girl. "As to why I am here... you, and the doll you hold in you hand, intrigue me. That is my sole reason for being here. But what about you, little girl? While names mean nothing for me, they are important for you. What is your name, and why are you here, in this area, why did you choose to exist here, at this point in time, and pique my interest? Or do you not know the reason for your being here? Do you not know the reason for your existence?" said the man, to which the book rattled against his side.

"Silence, Forver," said the man, tightening the book's restraints. "I am trying to talk to someone, and your interference is not needed."

Suprisingly, the book heeded the man, and went silent, knowing that the man's attention was elsewhere.

"So, little girl, what is your answer? Or has your voice failed you because of the fear, which resonates in you oh so clearly?"
 
She stared at the man for a moment before attempting to shake off the fear he had called her out with. He seemed odd to her... powerful even. Why would he bother lingering around her?

"I am Chiemi Noratsuki; at least that is what they've told me. Occasionally I was addressed as Subject 3. I am here, searching for a way out. I didn't choose to exist here, it just turned out to be in my way. I originate from Onikado, building B." Her gaze moved away from the man, watching a bird scouting a dead patch of grass for food. "Have you heard of the place? Just out of curiosity... I'm yet to find any who know of it's existance."

She continued to stroke the doll she held in her arms, still somewhat anxious.
 
"Chiemi Noratsuki... Very well, little girl, you are now amongst the ones I know and have that name, but never have they offered me a second name such as Subject Three. And yes, little girl, I do know of a place called Onikado, however, it has been a very long time since I visited there. So long ago, that I probably would not recognise it if I was there now," said the man, to which the book rattled against its chains, so he was forced to address it again.

"I do not care about you, Forver. Can you not see that I am... Little girl, just tell me, what have you done," said the man as he scoured his surroundings. "There are people here, people whose intentions are unclear and mad, people who are searching for you, and want to exact on you an act of vengeance," said the man, and despite telling the book to remain still, he took it in his hands, opened its chains once again, but instead of letting the book write itself, turned the pages faster than the human eye could see until he ended up reaching one full of strange symbols.

"Little girl, I am willing to take you to a safe place, because you intrigue me, but you must answer me truthfully. Do you really not know the reason for your existence, the reason why those people are coming for us?"
 
"What do you know?" Her expression grew serious as she looked over the man and his book. "And what do you mean, 'us?"

She somewhat took another step back, contemplating on whether to trust him or not. He could be one of those searching for her. This "safe place" could just mean back to hence she had just escaped from. But on the other hand, he might actually be able to help. He seemed to have knowledge of the institute she was held at. It sparked a hint of curiosity in her.

"Furthermore, why would you 'visit' that place? Onikado... The name means 'demon gate. What business could have brought you to such an institution?''
 
It "listened". Its ears were patches of cotton, covered by the skin made of black and white fabric. Not like it needed something like that. It "listens", it "hears", although not in the same way a human would "hear".

Incomprehensible facts. Rather, useless facts, as far as his concern was at hand. The girl's anxiety was more of a current importance to him. The man scared and intrigued the human girl at the same time, giving him mixed reasoning.

Enemy? Ally? Neither piqued its interest anyway. What he considered the most was the girl's safety. Should he derive the 「Equation」?

No. It twitched, but that's it. Slowly, gently, out of the man's prying eyes, it rub closer to the girl's body trying to give her calmness. Like a cat rubbing to its master, it reassured her that she's not alone.
 
The girl felt the slight movement in her doll, softly stroking it's back. She had knowledge of the doll's living for a while, but never fully accepted that something like this was possible. It made her feel better though, somehow, she knew she could not be the only being there.

In fact the doll was carried with her everywhere she went. Anyone who even tried to touch the doll or, God forbid, take it away had recieved a spark of unhappiness, to say the least. Her small stature does not handicap her from being able to protect herself or her doll companion. It has been her main possession for quite some time.

She was never alone, she realized. She never allowed the doll from her sight, rather, she was never out of his sight.
 
"I know of many things, little girl, for example, I know that the people coming after you have already associated me with you, thinking that I am helping you escape. I also know why I exist in this world, although that matter is best left undiscussed," said the man as he put a finger on one of the book's pages, and started tracing its edges. "But the knowledge of others, little girl, you should not care about. It is your own knowledge that matters, it is your knowledge which shapes the world around you."

"However, when I last visited Onikado, it was a mere village, about to be absorbed in an endless forest. It had no future nor past, nor present, and now you tell me that its name signifies an institution bearing the name of the gate of demons? Little girl, names are very important for your kind, and should not be played with lightly. Now tell me, little girl," said the man as he tore out the page from the book. "Are you coming with me, to a place somewhere far away from Onikado, a place far away from your pursuers?" asked the man, then he closed his book, and started to fold the page.

"Or are you staying here, only to be taken back to whatever place held you, to be held an eternal prisoner against your will?" continued the man as the page slowly took the form of an hourglass. "I can wait for your answer eternally, but you do not have that leasure. So what will it be, little girl?"
 
She stared at him, almost in disbelief before lowering her gaze. He was right. Time is growing short, and she needed to go, fast. Almost hating that she had admitted that, she looked a tad frustrated before tightening her hold on her beloved doll. The time that passed in this moment felt like forever to her, even if it was only a matter of seconds. There were a lot of questions, but there was no time for that now. It's a risk she needed to take.

She looked up to the man, her oddly colored eyes had the expression of her certainty of the choice.

"I have to go with you."
 
At the girl's words, a smile slowly spread across the man's face, although it was not the earlier, strange smile, but a more genuine one, and stopped folding the hourglass. He then tore the paper to shreds, however, instead of falling, the small pieces of paper started floating around him, and gathered in his hand, forming a small compass.

"I am glad that you chose the sensible option, little girl," said the man as he looked at the compass. "Follow me, and I will lead you to a place where these people will not find you," finished the man, then turned into the direction the compass pointed, and begun walking slowly, so as to not leave Chiemi behind.

He lead her through the forest, only taking a few minutes to clear the seemingly endless trees, and before Chiemi knew it, they were already in front of an old house, far into the countryside. The building was hundreds of years old as indicated by its thick stone walls, lack of decoration and small windows, but seemed no older than a few decades at most. The door, however, was brand new as indicated by its metallic shine.

The man quickly opened the lock, revealing the inside of the long-abandoned house. Dust and spiderwebs dominated everything, small cracks were spreading across the wall, and some pieces of furniture already started decaying quite visibly. The man, however, paid no attention to this, but just smashed his hands together with the compass still in them. Suddenly, a gale-force wind shook the house, clearing away all the signs of neglection, as if they were not even there.

"I welcome you to one of my homes, little girl," said the man as he closed the door behind himself.
 
"Stop calling me 'little girl,' please." she muttered before stepping forward and examining the home. It seemed much more... 'comfortable' than she had expected, for a hideout. The furniture was certainly good enough to rest in for a while. She noticed a stairway which led downwards, more than likely just a basement or storage area. She was the only ragged subject around. Not likely that this stranger would be carrying around clothing to fit children, she thought, ineffectively dusting herself off.

"Moira, you seem to travel a lot... You're involved somehow with what happened, but you could have simply left, and made no contact with me whatsoever. Why? What is it you did if you had only visited Onikado?" Her voice was always monotoned. She had grown used to keeping silent in the village, so it just came naturally, even though she figured no one would hear her outside of the house. Chiemi turned to look at him over her shoulder; in this view only her red eye was visible, and the gaze seemed almost peircing. It was somewhat unintentional, she had no immediate reason to start anything with him. As far as she was concerned he was her means of safety, and she wouldn't compromise that.
 
It "sees". A house of old. Walls covered in stones screaming its decades. One of the places a man known as "Moira" called home.

The same man which grew intriguing the longer it "sees" him. Something separated him from the girl. In its long slumber within this vessel, nothing sparked its interest other than the girl. Was he not a normal human? Rather, was he not a human? Not to mention the book he held. A living book containing power not of human's.

Excited. Excited. Excited. He couldn't help grinning.

A mask as white as marble. Two pronged spheres imitating eyes of blue and golden. Unchanging grin which caused insanity in the mind of unfaithful.

It grew silent. No, it had been silent the entire time.

However, it couldn't just let the girl alone with this man. So it never left her side, keeping itself lodged on the girl's shoulder. Its vessel's soft, cuddly limbs anchored themselves so it won't fell off.

It would keep its eyes on him. To ensure the girl's safety. Also, to see how the man could entertain it.
 
"As I mentioned before," said the man as he went in front of one of the bookshelves standing near the door. "Names are important, but they are only important for you, little girl. For me, calling you Chiemi Noratsuki or little girl makes no difference, they are equally meaningless," continued the man as he took two, very thick books off the shelves. One of them was quite new, and looked like a detailed world map, while the other was an old book with thick, wooden covers, smelling like parchment, with wooden rings bounding its pages.

The man put both books down on the nearest table, then opened them, and started browsing the pages.

"As for why I rescued you... I already told you, little girl. You, and your doll simply intrigue me, and that is enough of a reason for me," said the man, stealing a glance at the girl's doll, looking it square in the eyes as if he saw something. "I do not know what made you attract my attention, but I will find it," he said, while he continued browsing the pages for a short while, then put his compass onto the pages of the modern world map, but continued browsing the old book.

"There it is, little girl. As I suspected, the Onikado I know and you hail from, are different places, separated by many years, and many languages," said the man, studying the books. "Come over here, little girl, I will show you where we are right now."
 
"Right." She decided no just ignore the title, she had dealt with it for a while. She hated it simply because she didn't like being treated as a child. No use arguing anyways. He's obviously keen on not changing the title just for a personal preference of hers.

The 'little girl' steppen over to him, making nearly no sound as her bare feet strode across the old wooden floors. She pulled the doll from her shoulders gently, holding it in her arms so it still faced him and his books. Chiemi recognized the newer one, she had seen it before in the shelves of the old tavern she had once stayed in. She looked at it then to find out where to escape to, but of course she got off track and just wandered through the trees where she was discovered. The house did seem to come out of nowhere, she hadn't the slightest clue where they were currently residing.

She studied the older one, hardly recognizing the area it showed. "How old is that map?"
 
"This particular page is about five hundred years old," pointed the man to the nearly illegible date on the old map, then pointed to the new one. "The Onikado I visited was here," said the man, pointing to a lake near a river. "But the place I found you was here," continued the man, pointing to a forest, quite far away from the lake he indicated previously. "I do not know why that particular place took the name of Onikado. As for right now, we are here, little girl," he said, pointing to a plain in the middle of nowhere, only a few kilometres away from the forest.

"So, little girl, because we are not likely to be found here, I would really like to know more about the Onikado you know," said the man as he went into another room and got two chairs to sit on. "Or would you rather not talk about it, little girl?"