Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ A Thousand Fathoms ❯ I'm Beat, I'm Torn ( Chapter 5 )

Author's notes: Hey, guys! My gosh, long wait, yeah I know. I had a small battle with writer's block and I had to deal with finals (which are nothing but a load of kuso, if ya ask me). But here I am! And it's short, I know, bear with me! ^_^

Thanks to Crystal-Chan for giving me my 100th review! You are awesome. And thanx to everyone else, you guys have been so supportive. I'm jumping up and down! This is ten times the number of reviews that I thought I would get. Thanks soooooooooo much! =^0^=

Please review and leave constructive criticism. Thank you. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away.

Rating: PG-13 (Ratings may change)

Summary: Seven years, one month, two weeks, four days, and two hours, but hey who's counting? Never a dream. I would never let myself believe it was a dream. "Oh God, I'm actually going through with this!" I took a step.

~*~*~*~ A Thousand Fathoms ~*~*~*~

Chapter 5: I'm Beat, I'm Torn

My head had hit the wall, hard, causing my eyes to see black and white spots. Then moments later the spine-shivering sound of skin against skin echoed through the hall. My right cheek went numb, like a bee had just stung me. Koto's God-awful slap was strong enough to send my head flying to the left.

"This is what you get for humiliating me like that." Koto hissed between clenched teeth, one hand holding my arm, the other in front of my face--pointing an accusing finger. His grip on my arm tightened slowly, pinching my muscles and nerves. Sharp pain rushed through me. I bit my cheek to keep from giving him the satisfaction of injuring me. I would go to Hell before I showed pain, let alone fear, in front of this man.

I turned my glare from the floor to look at him. I made sure I gave him my most deadly glare. "What the Hell is your problem?"

He looked surprised for a moment, as if he hadn't expected me to speak, let alone to be hostile. He regained himself, then spoke. "Humans are the disgrace of this earth. They should be nothing but slaves to the spirits!"

I laughed at him. As soon as I did the pain in my arm worsened. His grip was deadly. Still, I didn't let it show. I was stubborn that way, and almost every time I reach stubbornness something bad, really bad, usually happens to me. "Why do you hate us so much?" Silence "Just because you're a little insecure, a little afraid of me--of us humans--gives you no right to treat us, and me, like this." His eyes glared daggers at me. "Believe me, buddy," I shoved him, my voice lowered. "You do not want to be on my bad side."

A sickening sound echoed as he cracked his knuckles. "Ungrateful bitch!" His fist swung with amazing speed toward my face. Luckily, I had been expecting that sort of a reaction and ducked just in time, my old karate training kicking in. His hand met the rock-hard wall with a crunch. He didn't even flinch. I looked at the spot, my eyes widened. A gapping hole was where is hand hit. This was worse than I thought.

"What's there to be grateful for?" I stood up, just in time to avoid a mouthful of knee. However I wasn't quick enough to dodge the fist flying at me. The right side of my vision went black. I dodged another fist and used my momentum to thrust the heel of my hand upward, hoping to subdue him. I smiled when my hit landed home. I jabbed him in the stomach before I pulled away.

I studied him with my good eye as he took a step back. His knuckles were bleeding and blood oozed over the hand that he held over his nose. He glared at me with the same malice he always had. "Bitch!"

"That's what you get for attacking a girl!"

He charged again, and I remembered my sensei saying that it wasn't about the power, or strength of you, or your enemy. It was about the will to win, and I was pretty sure his will was as strong as mine--though, I had a better reason for winning, and therefore a better advantage. I wasn't blinded by rage; I was trying to save my life, and therefore had a clear enough head to think about what to do. When he was an inch away I used his momentum to throw him into the hall I had come from. He rolled and stood again, this time his right arm was pulled against him, injured.

He charged me once more, faster and more powerful then the last time. I ducked a sloppy swing from the left, crouched to floor, swung my leg in a half circle catching his legs. He toppled both sideways and backward, resulting in his head smacking against the wall.

For moments he stayed there, before he slid to the ground. He glared at me, spitting a bloody loogie toward my general direction. Ragged breaths escaped through his clenched teeth. "Go to Hell, bitch!"

"Yeah? Well, I'll see ya there!" I snapped back before he slipped into unconsciousness. Only then did I notice the metallic taste flowing over my mouth. I spit; it was red. I was bleeding. Idly, I brought my hand up to my lip, seconds later I brought my hand to eye level, my fingertips covered in blood.

"Ouch." I whined passively. I heard footsteps; a lot of footsteps, coming from down the hall. Idle chatter and laughter followed. I turned, keeping my eyes on Koto. If there was anything I had learned today, it would be to watch my back.

However, I never thought to watch my front. I never saw the wall. I could barely remember a growing dagger-sharp pain coming from my head that surpassed all my other injuries. The vision in my good eyes went bad as the world turned from colored to gray. Everything began to spin. I stumbled, trying to keep myself up, though my perception was much more worse off then I had thought.

"Great, just great timing for your clumsiness to show up, Chihiro!" I mentally snapped at myself. Wind buzzed past as I fell to the floor, a moment later sharp pain shot through my left arm and head as I hit. I remember seeing feet, hearing yelling, worried voices, my name being called…and then everything went black

Author's notes: Thanx for reading I know it was short, but hey, I wanted to get this up before I disappeared for ages.

Oh! By the way, the chapter title is a line from my favorite song by Cat Stevens. If you can tell me what song it is I'll be a very happy writer! Yup yup! ^_^

For Alotua's comment about Haku's height; let's say he bent down to her height, it works. ^_^;;;