The Spirit Garden

[Luna]

A long, drawn out sigh came from Alani's lips as she gazed at the flowers in Yubaba's garden. She had planned to finally go to the bath house, but her courage failed her at the last possible moment and she ran away. She couldn't even make it half-way across the bridge...why did she even want to go anyway? She didn't really need a bath, nor could she afford it. Perhaps she really just wanted to know what the big deal was--what made this bath house so popular?

She flinched when a particularly loud squeal reached her sensitive ears. While the pigs had been easy to ignore for the most part, every so often one would make a fuss. That usually resulted in the others shrieking as well, and giving Alani an aching pain in her head.

"What's the m-matter?" she questioned softly, the stutter simply part of the way she spoke. She walked towards the pens, staring with slight disgust at the large pink animals. "W-why are you making such a...a fuss? I-I'm not scary!" she tried to calm them down somehow. Were pigs just especially stupid animals? Why weren't they listening to her? Most other animals did. She decided to simply ignore them and go back to the garden. Plants were much better company anyway.

Alani sat in front of a patch of daisies, smiling fondly at them. She liked daisies; they always made her smile. They were simple, and most people weren't fond of them, but she liked them nonetheless. She reached out a delicate clawed hand, softly carressing a flower. Sapphire eyes stared at it, catching and memorizing every detail about the flower. She took mental note of how soft it was, how fragile it was. She could easily crush it--not that she would. She would never do such a thing.

The pigs were at it again, only this time there was a chorus of squeals from the mammals. Another sigh escaped Alani. "Wh-what is it now?" she demanded softly, frowning. She stood up and turned to say something to the pigs, but froze when she noticed another being.

"Who's th-there?"

[lunaflower]

Walking along a path Kyana had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that her feet where telling her to go. Since the time she woke up and found herself in a flower field all those years. She couldn't stop moving. Her feet where always driving her never staying any where long enough to make a friend. She though of all the places she had bean and all the humans and spirits she had met. But not one of them wanted to be her friend. Or she didn't stay long enough in one place to make a friend.

So lost in memories Kyana was not paying attention to where she was going. She passed several spirits who greeted her but she never once even noticed it. It wasn't until she spotted a pen filled with pigs that made her stop when she heard the squiel softly.

Not knowing why Kyana decided to stop. She bent down and looked into the eyes of one of the pig's and tilted her head. "Hello," she said softly. The second that word escaped her mouth all the pig's began to squill. She jumped back and frowned. She couldn't even make friends with a pig. With a sigh she turn around and started to head off when she heard another voice. Her light blue eyes darted around looking for the source. She spotted the girl before she spotted her. She looked to be fourteen or fifteen but knew better to know that she was probably older like herself.

Stepping out from behind a bush that was blocking the girl of seeing her she tried to smile but failed. The sadness was just to deep. "Sorry I did not mean to scare you. I was just saying hello to the pigs." Kyana looked up and met the other girl's eyes than quickly looked down. She felt antsy and wanted to be on her way but she also wanted to make a friend real bad. She was torn between leaving and trying to make a friend with this girl.

[Luna]

Alani relaxed ever so slightly as the new presence made itself known. It turned out to be a girl, the little wolf noticed. She was very pretty, but her smile wasn't quite right. Alani smiled kindly and began to twiddle her thumbs. "Ah, I-I wasn't sc-scared," she lied quickly, not to make herself look better but to make the other girl feel better. She was so sad Alani could feel it radiating off of her, and didn't want her to feel bad for "scaring" her. She reached up tentatively and pushed some of her silver hair behind her ear. "I'm afraid th-the pigs aren't v-very good company! You, you can t-talk to me if you wa-want." She paused, flashing another smile before looking down at her feet. "Ah, um...I guess I'm n-not too fun to t-alk to either, though. But if you rea-really wanna..."

She faded off, looking over at the pigs. "Th-they're not very h-happy. I won-wonder what's wrong with them." She didn't really notice the other girl's discomfort. She merely listened as the loud pigs quieted, seeing there was no threat to their health. Alani liked them much better when they were quiet.

The sun was high above them, making Alani assume it was about noon. The sun was bright, burning her pale skin slightly. She took time to look the older-looking girl over (since, of course, she wasn't very sure who was older). She looked down at her arm, then over at the other girl's darker arm. Then she looked at her pretty white, long hair. Without her conciously knowing it, her hand reached up and touched the tips of her own hair. Finally, her analytical eyes looked into the stranger's eyes, finding them a slightly darker shade of blue than her own, but pretty nonetheless.

"Ah! You're s-so pretty! Where d-did you-" she cut herself off abruptly, her crystaline orbs widening considerably and her hands flying up to cup her face in shock. "Oh! H-how ru-ru-rude of me! My name's A-Alani! It's nice to meet you! Wh-what's your n-name?"

[lunaflower]

Kyana's blue eyes where constantly darting around. She wanted to get moving so bad but forced herself to stay. When she heard the girl speak he eyes locked back on her. Again she tried to smileand succeeded some what. The corner of her pale pink lips lifted slightly. Though it never reached her eyes. Why was she so sad if only she could remember what happened before she had woken up that morning all those years ago.

She could tell the girl was scare by the way she stuttered. But she semed nice. Maybe if she was lucky she would make a new friend today. She froze when the girl brushed a strand of hair from her face. No one had ever done that before. Was that something normal people did? Should she do the same thing back. Her hand twitched but she wasn't sure what to do. "Are you sure if I did, I had not meant to." She took a step forward and her hand twitched again. Her hair was almost the same color as her. It was pretty. But she looked sick her skin was so pale. "Are you ok? Do you need any help," she said softly in a sad voice.

Her eyes darted back to the pig's and the corner of her lips lifted slightly again. "You are right they are not much company. They can talk back to you. Not like you can." Kyana's eyes quickly looked to the ground afraid she had said to much and took a step back. Stupid she was so stupid she shouldn't of let her feeling's get out. She should have kept on walking like her her body wanted her to do.

"I-I'm not that pretty not when I not even able to smile. N-Not like you." Kyana scufffed her bare foot in the short grass. It tok her a second to be able to speak up again. "I'm Kyana it is nice to meet you Alani." Kyana pased a few minutes still not looking up at the girl. "Please finish your question. "Where did I what?" Her eyes quickly glanced up than looked back down at the ground to scared that she might have said something wrong.

[Luna]

A soft, pink hue dusted Alani's cheeks at the compliment. Nobody had ever called her pretty before. It felt nice receiving such kind words from someone like Kyana. "R-really? Hm, that makes me ha-happy," she replied, unconciously trying to dust some dust off of her clothes, trying to appear more presentable. "You are, really! An-and smiling isn't that hard! I bet you'll b-be gorgeous when you fi-figure it out!" Her smile widened, showing off pointed canines. "You're name is Kyana?" she asked, reaching up and placing two fingers on her lips, as if feeling the name as she tested it. "Th-that's a pretty name!"

The young spirit wondered why Kyana wouldn't look at her. Maybe she was shy? Alani understood that--she was kinda shy too. Alani hoped that after they talked for a while she wouldn't be so shy anymore.

"D-don't worry! You did no-nothing wrong! I always t-talk like this!" she assured the taller girl, waving a wand in the air in a careless manner, a habit she picked up from watching humans. They did that sometimes, as if they were waving away their problems. Sometimes it was simply used for emphasis.

Then she was reminded that she didn't finish her question and giggled slightly. "Oh, s-sorry! I was wondering wh-where you came from," she finished. Then she frowned because that sounded kind of rude. "I me-mean, we kinda l-look alike; we could a-almost be sis-sisters. I was thinking may-be we were from the same place. I-I don't remember where I came from, so if we-if we are from the same p-place, then maybe you c-can help me remember!" The explanation was choppy, Alani stumbling over her words as if they were difficult to say. That, of course, was natural. Her theory was that she had forgotten how to speak correctly, too, when she lost her memory.

Alani would be okay even if Kyana didn't know. She didn't really care one way or another; she was happy the way she was. But it would be nice to know about her history, if only a little.

[lunaflower]

Kyana glanced up at Alani her eyes staying on her for a bit longer. "I am glad I am able to make someone happy when I can't even make myself happy let alone know why I am so sad," she whispered. She slowly raised her hand and brush a strand of hair that had drifted in front of her left eye back in place. She watched as Alani held her fingers to her mouth as she said her name for the first time. She liked it and thought it was funny but kind of cute at the same time. She had a weird feeling inside her stomach. Something she can't remember ever feeling before. She wasn't sure what it was but it made her smile. And for the first time that she could ever remember it reached her eyes and a soft bell like noise came out of her mouth. Quickly she clapped her hand over her mouth and the smile disappeared and her eyes dimmed. "What was that? What happened to me?"

Kyana was still wondering what that feeling and noise was but had her attention brought back to Alani. "Are you sure? If I did you can tell me I won't mind."

"Oh well I am sorry to disappoint you but I really don't know. All I remember is waking up in the most beautiful flower field I have ever seen. I didn't know who I was or where I had come from. But I found a piece of paper by my hand when I woke up and it said. Sorry Kyana. When I saw it I thought that it must be my name. I left that field and have bean traveling ever since. But since I left that field I have bean trying to get back to it. But I can not remember where it is. Until I find it I have to keep moving." Kyana looked at the ground again wishing she could help Alani. She was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend in all the time she could remember.

"I am sorry I wish I could tell you more." Kyana dragged her foot through the inch tall grass. Why couldn't she remember was something wrong with her? And why did she feel like she had to get back to that flower field so much. She felt like something or someone was waiting for her there.

[Luna]

Alani clapped, laughter coming from her as well. "See? You did i-it!" she exclaimed. "Ah, it was s-so pretty!" she was, of course, referring to the smile her new companion just showed. "I told you it was e-easy!" She paused, listening to the laugh coming from Kyana, then beamed at the girl's response to it. "Y-you were laughing! It means you're ha-happy!" she answered.

She was sad when Kyana's smile disappeared, but kept her smile on in case it inspired Kyana to do it again. What a funny girl, not knowing what laughing is!

The spirit quieted as she listened to Kyana's story, taking in every detail and memorizing it. "Don't worry about it! I'm not di-disappointed! I'm happy r-right now, so my past doesn't r-really matter!"

[lunaflower]

Kyana listened to her new friend. "Laughter I have heard of laughter but I have never herd it before. It's so pretty," she giggled softly and her eyes brightened up a little but they didn't reach the brightness that was in them before. There was still a sad look in her eyes even though her mouth smiled.

She thought about asking Alani a question but didn't know how she would take it. She didn't want to lose the only friend she had ever made. But maybe she wouldn't lose her. Shy quickly decided to ask her. "Umm Alani I-I was wondering if y-you would like to t-travel with me? This way neither one of us has to be alone any more. We can keep each other company." That last bit after the question was said in a rush. She was so nervous would she say yes? Or would she say no? Well she asked no taking it back now.

While she waited Kyana refused to look up at her scared to see the refusal in her face. She didn't want to be alone any more traveling through the whole spirit realm on her own. Always on her own. She didn't want to be alone any more. Tears slowly began to fall running down her cheeks at the though of being alone again after finely finding a friend.

"I-If you don't w-want to you d-d-don't have to. I don't want to force you to come with me." she said between quit sobs. Why did she have to cry it was showing how week she was. She shook her head shedding the tears that where running down her face.

Kyana took a quick step back feeling the need to flee before she answered. She was almost positive that Alani would say no. And that was the last thing she wanted to here. Alani was nice and was sure would be as gentle as possible when saying no but she could feel the pain and rejection in her heart already.

[Luna]

The end of the question was rather rushed, so Alani had to pause and think about the question in order to figure out what was said, repeating it several times in her mind before it made sense. Then she beamed.

Travelling, huh? That sounded fun. Alani liked to travel, or at the very least she liked seeing new things. She didn't want to be alone anymore, either, so it was great that she'd have a travelling buddy from now on. They would have great adventures, Alani could tell. It would be so much fun!

She giggled slightly, taking notice of Kyana's stuttering and wondering if that's how she sounded all the time to other people. Hmm...she'd have to learn how to talk properly, but that was a mountain to be climbed another day. For right now she really needed to answer poor, stuttering Kyana's question.

Alani opened her mouth to answer the question, but then Kyana continued so she promptly closed it and listened to the rest. She frowned when Kyana started crying; what was wrong? She hadn't even answered yet! Analytical blue eyes studied Kyana's movements carefully, noticing that Kyana had looked away from her again.

When Kyana took a step back, Alani rushed forward and took a hold of her hand. "You're not forcing me! I w-want to go! It-it'll be fun, and we can make all sorts of friends to-together!" she laughed softly, trying to move so that she could see Kyana's eyes. "Besides, we c-could be s-sisters! We already l-look alike and I've a-always wanted a sister. I heard o-once that sisters are the best of friends f-forever!" Alani squeezed Kyana's hand lightly and encouragingly. "D-does that sound fun? Do you w-want to do tha-that? Be sisters?"

Alani couldn't keep the smile off her face. This would be so great! A sister! Sisters alwasy looked out for each other and taught each other things and protected each other. They made each other smile and loved each other. They could do that, right?

The wolf patiently awaited Kyana's response.