Chihiro and Haku, Melissa Nichols [readnow TXT] 📗

her parents were moving to a new house in the town near the gateway when her father took a wrong turn and they ended up at the train station. Chihiro and her parents made their way through the gateway, with it having been open at that time, and wandered into the spirit town surrounding the bath house. Chihiro’s parents had smelt food and had greedily gorged themselves, while Chihiro restrained, knowing it was wrong. While Chihiro was panicking, Haku had found her and had helped her to not disappear by feeding her a berry from the spirit world before he told her how she could get her parents restored to human form. He told her to get a job at Yubaba’s bathhouse, working for Kamaji, the boiler man, because he wouldn’t ask a contract of her whereas Yubaba would. The next thing he knew, Chihiro, renamed Sen, held a contract with Yubaba as a worker. He was impressed she had gotten so far, but he couldn’t let it show. He hadn’t known what Yubaba would do if she knew Haku was even remotely feeling anything for the new worker, so he hid it. And when he saw how Sen was struggling, and then improving and learning, he was quite proud. He had a feeling she would be a great girl. But then he had been given a mission from Yubaba that resulted in him almost dying. The only reason he was still alive was because Sen had purified a fellow river spirit and he had given her a very potent food that would cleanse all that ingested it of any negatives, such as, in his case, the controlling slug Yubaba had planted in him, as well as the golden seal he had stolen on behalf of Yubaba. It wasn’t until he woke up that he found what had happened and discovered that Sen had gone to return the seal and offer her apologies on his behalf. Knowing she would be in danger from spirits who hated humans, he first struck a bargain with Yubaba. If Sen past a test, then she and her parents, returned to human form, could leave in peace. If she failed, she and her parents stayed. After having secured the means for her escape back to her world, Haku then transformed into a dragon and followed her, catching up to her at Yubaba’s sister’s hut, finding her safe and sound, and accompanied by a mouse, a mini bird, and a creature named NoFace. Seeing her safe, and, judging from her exuberant hug, she was as glad to see him as he was to see her. After that, he took her, the mouse and the mini bird back to the bathhouse to face her test. On the way, Sen told him his real name, Kohaku of the Kohaku River, which Yubaba had stolen as a means of controlling him. Knowing his name now, Haku was freed of his contract to Yubaba. As if it needs stating, Sen passed her test, picking out her parents from a group of 10 pigs…none of which were her parents, so Chihiro and her parents were allowed to go back to the human world. Before her departure, however, Haku promised her that he would one day see her again. He had meant it. By that point, he had already fallen in love with her, though he wouldn’t admit it to himself.

For spirits, loving a human was a gamble, and one that more than likely wouldn’t end well. A human could live in the human world, forever apart from the one who loved them, or they could live in the spirit world, risk death to prejudiced and hateful spirits, and still age as they normally would, leaving the pair a very short time together. Haku, however, was willing to take that risk if Chihiro wanted to be with him. He was a rather powerful spirit and so he knew he could protect her. As for the heartache he would suffer when she died…well, he’d rather suffer and mourn her then be apart from her, but only if she wanted him as well. If she wanted to be in the human world, then he’d let her go. To him, her happiness was more important to him than his own happiness was.

That’s why he was desperate to see her, or hear even a word about her. He didn’t just miss and love her, he needed to know how she fared. Did she dislike her world and wish to be with him? Or had she forgotten about him and has been fully integrated into her own world? Or, worst of all, was she dead?

That last thought brought a great deal of pain, causing him to whimper a small amount even as he redoubled his concentration on the gateway.

For yet another two weeks, he stood watch. The gateway did open a few times, when the bathhouse was opening for business, but at no point was Chihiro there. For a total of two weeks, Haku watched the gateway, hoping to see her. When he didn’t the morning fourteen days after his arrival, he flew off to his river.

Chapter Three

As for Chihiro, she was at the gateway on another visit, but this time was different. This time, she had brought supplies for a campout. She had remembered the first time she had been here was late in the afternoon. Perhaps she had been leaving too early and so missed the gateway opening?

So, here she was, wrapped up in her sleeping bag, sipping a cup of hot chocolate as she read a book. Every few sentences, though, she looked up. She couldn’t help it. There was something different in the air now, something that made her feel like something life-changing and wondrous would be happening tonight. It made her restless, which it why she couldn’t finish a paragraph without checking on the gateway portal.

Eventually, she put down the book and set about getting ready for bed when she suddenly heard new noises. Startled, she looked up and gasped. Before her, the platform was gone, replaced with a beautiful green field with flowers, a breeze and beautiful white puffy clouds in the sky. Her bed forgotten, she rushed forward, slow to believe that this was real. She had waited for so long and now, finally, here she was! She was back in the spirit world. Before she lost her chance, she pulled out her phone and texted Kyo and Utau, saying she wouldn’t be returning and good luck to everyone. Then she left her stuff there and rushed out into the field, laughing happily. She fell into the grass and smelled it, tears wetting her eyes and blurring her vision, before she got up and looked around. Nothing had changed. There was the town, just as it had been. But she had to remind herself to run. The light was fading and that meant this river would soon be replaced with water.

So, she ran, hoping with all of her heart that Haku would be on the other side waiting for her. What she didn’t expect was to see Haku in dragon form, rising out of the grass. She recognized him immediately. The green hair down his spine matched his eyes, and it compared to the white dominating the rest of his skin quite well. She stopped to absorb the sight of him, exactly as she’d imagined.

“Haku!” She exclaimed as she rushed forward, running as fast she could toward him. Haku roared and leapt toward, easily closing the gap in a single bound. Chihiro laughed and launched herself at him, locking her arms around his neck as she got as close to him as she could. At her back, she felt his head nestle against her spine as a rumble went through his body, almost deafening her. Yes, he was definetly happy to see her! That rumble sounded a lot like a purr from a cat.

Oh, Chihiro! Haku’s voice entered her head, light with happiness and joy. I’ve missed you so much.

“I’ve missed you, too, Haku. Please don’t let this be a dream. If I wake up, I just might die.”

Haku laughed, or as best he could in dragon form.

I agree! But I don’t think it is a dream. See? He then released her to bite at his paw. Sure enough, he started bleeding. Chihiro sighed in relief. She had been very much afraid this was a dream so she pinched herself and was elated, for once, to feel pain. It was real! Haku was really back!

With another shout of glee, she hugged him again as Haku transformed back into his human form to give her a proper hug. But he didn’t stop there. He laughed and lifted her up and spun her around, drawing another laugh from both of them. When Haku set Chihiro back on her feet, their excitement dimmed down to a peaceful absorption of each other’s presence.

After a time, they pulled a little bit away, enough to look into each other’s eyes, hands still clasped together.

“Wow, Chihiro. You’ve really grown!” Haku stated in amazement. “You’re so beautiful.” He stroked her cheek gently with his fingers, causing me to blush.

“Thanks. You’re really quite handsome as well.”

“Thanks. Your 18 now, right?”

“That’s right. You remembered!”

“Of course I did. I’ve been counting the days since you left. I may not remember your exact birthdate, but I know that each year is 365 days long. Doing the math was easy.” At that, Chihiro laughed and nuzzled against Haku’s neck. In response, he hugged her close again. “But I sure have missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Haku.”

Chapter Four

Haku didn’t know how long they stood there, embracing, nuzzling and generally rejoicing that the other was there at last. But, he did notice when the air got colder and the meadow began to fill with water.

“Water?” Chihiro gasped, having forgotten about this part. She watched the water climb higher up her legs while, beside her, Haku transformed into a dragon. This meadow would be several meters underwater shortly, and water of that depth held spirits that ate anything it found.

Come on, Chihiro. Climb on. He beckoned to her as he bent his head enough for her to grab hold of his horns and slip a leg over his neck. As soon as she was secure, he jumped into the air and took to the sky. But he didn’t land once they were safe. He just wanted a few more minutes alone with her. He could still