A/N: Ah, back in the wonderous world of Spirited Away. What can I say? I can't help myself.This is a companion piece (or "are companion pieces") to my ficA Scribe's Tale. If you haven't read that one, you might be a tinybit lost. Not sure. Anyway,it will probably be afew one shot storiesthat revolve around theAST in some way. Hope you enjoy. Thanks!

Dragon Rising

Boom.

Boom.

BOOM.

Zeniiba looked up from her knitting with a small smile. How nice. Bou was coming for a visit today. No-face, her companion of at least eleven years now, had already started brewing the boy's favorite tea and set out the cups, milk, and sugar.

Since No-face worked so diligently, she stood from her seat to answer the door. She frowned a little. Why did something feel off with him, today? Bou normally felt so differently. Now he seemed stressed.

Opening the door, she stepped out it as her nephew continued his approach. She could spot his approach far off in the distance. He was a big boy now, at least eight feet tall, and growing. No, not a boy, a young man. She never insulted him by saying that he was a child still, like her sister Yubaba did on too many occasions from what Bou had said. He wanted independence and his mother didn't want to give him an inch. Perhaps that was why his body grew so tall. It was the only growth her twin allowed.

A few long strides and the boy was before her, towering over Zeniiba. Once he reached her, he fell to a knee so that he could talk with her in a way she wouldn't strain her neck to look up. And now thanks to his new position, she could see the look on his face.

"Hello, Bou." She said, putting a tiny hand on his cheek, "What's troubling you?"

"I saw something weird, Aunt Zeniiba. Something very weird."

Her eyebrows raised, "Oh? What was it?"

"I...I'm not sure, but I think it's dying."

"Wha? Well, I think we should go check it out." She nodded to him as he stood up, "No-face, bring my kit."

She kept a collection of supplies in hand just in case something like this happened. Magical things, herbs and tonics. It didn't always help spirits, but it was worth a shot to use such things.

No-face rushed to her side, holding the kit. Zeniiba took it from him with a sad sort of smile.

"I'll return shortly. Keep the tea warm for me?"

No-face nodded to her a few times, then scurried back into the house.

"Alright, Bou, lead the way." She said, just as sad as she looked.

It wasn't a long walk from the cabin when Zeniiba and Bou reached their destination. At first approach, the large boy stood protectively in front of her, while the bird creature that looked strangely like her and her twin, hovered above them. She gracefully stepped aside so she could find what they came to find.

Darkness. It was the only way she could think of to describe it. A blob of something that wiggled around helplessly on the ground. Tentacles spread flat against the ground, moving pathetically as though trying to grab onto something solid. Something told her that even if it could, it would have been impossible.

"What's this?" she stepped closer.

Bou tried to protect her again, but she waved the dear boy off. He did as she silently told him and kept out of her way. Zeniiba made her way closer to the creature, kneeling before it once close enough.

"Help . . . me . . . " it whispered to her

At least it was there enough to speak.

"I'll try my best." She started digging in her bag to find something to heal the beast

She dug out a green-grey paste in a jar from the bag. After opening it, she dipped her fingers in. She rubbed it into one of the wounds of the thing's nearest tentacle. Then she stopped. A cross look passed over her features as she felt the hint of power that caused the wounds.

Chihiro.

Zeniiba pulled her hand away as she got whiff more of the creature and the magic surrounding it. Bou moved behind her, placing a massive hand on her shoulder as he bent behind her.

"Aunt Zeniiba?"

"I'm alright, Bou." She patted one of his large fingers then turned her attention back on the creature, "I know who you are now. SpiritEater, right? Yes, I've heard horrible things about you."

The creature groaned pathetically at her.

"Mhm. And I feel that someone near and dear to me did this to you." She leaned in a little closer, pulling Bou's hand with her. "And how do you know my dear Chihiro?"

Bou gasped behind her, "Chihiro! She's not here, we would have known it."

"You're right, she's not."

"I'm . . . dying . . . here . . . " the creature interjected; Zeniiba whacked one of its tentacles hard until it squeaked in pain.

"And die you will. How is it you escaped the Spirit World? Beings like you are bound here." She tapped her lip, "Someone helped you out, but who?"

Who could be so foolish? This was one of the most dangerous beings in their world. No one would be crazy enough to help it escape. But then again, perhaps the person had no idea. Perhaps the person was desperate to leave the Spirit World themselves? The odd thing about the SpiritEater was that it needed a vessel to get out of the Spirit World–a tether of sorts. It could help the being leave the world, but could not leave on its own.

So the question remained. Who would have helped? The answer hit her as suddenly as a slap in the face.

"Haku. Haku did this, didn't he?"

She could feel Bou's anger rising. Of all people to betray Chihiro, how could it be Haku? She understood completely why the boy became upset, but she wasn't ready to be upset herself. She needed more detail.

"Heh . . . yesss . . . He helped. Fool . . . wanted to find some girl . . . had her soul, but . . . she had power . . . and defeated me." The SpiritEater said cruelly

"But he didn't know you could leave, now did he? For shame." She looked the creature over, "Even still, Chihiro's powers couldn't affect you this way. It must be something else." Again the answer just came to her, as always, "Ahh, you reneged on a promise, didn't you? That's dangerous here. It can kill you." She leaned in even closer, "I can unbind you from your promise so you can live." She cooed, hanging the offer in front of his face with mere words.

The SpiritEater thought his over for a moment or two before he agreed. With a long drawn out groan, he answered her with a gesture.

"Alright, then..." she smiled, snapping her fingers.

Suddenly the entire area filled with light. The SpiritEater howled and howled, but then so did something else. Once the lights cleared, and the sounds of agony had faded, there were two figures on the ground: SpiritEater and Haku.

Zeniiba moved closer to Haku. He was overly bruised and battered. Something told the old witch that most of the boys insides had been badly hurt, organs and bones alike. If he survived, the healing would be long and gruesome. Immediately, she began dressing the cuts he had on his body.

"Alright, SpiritEater, you're free to go. Just be mindful of your promises, whatever they may be." He started to go, "And be mindful to stay away from those who are this loved."

Haku was thick with it. The love around the boy made it hard to breathe, but it was still a wonderful sensation. Who would have thought that the feelings between Haku and Chihiro would have continued to blossom so strongly, when the odds were against them?

Once the SpiritEater passed on, Zeniiba held Haku's head in her lap.

"Can you hear me, Haku?" She said quietly.

Haku's lips moved. His words whispered with the breeze. He did not answer her. All he could say was "Chihiro." That brought a smile to Zeniiba's lips.

"Just rest now, Haku. We'll get you well and find a way for you to find her again."

She did a quick patching of the little water dragon. Bou carried him in his strong arms.

"Aunt Zeniiba?" he said quietly

"Yes, Bou?"

"How come you could fix the SpiritEater's promise, and not Sen's . . . I mean, Chihiro's?"

She smiled up at him. It was a good question.

"She signed the contract. Your mother made it. I can only unbind the binder, not the bindee."

The rest of the walk was in silence. Once she reached her home, she and No-face got to work on making the boy better. Someday, and it might take a while, but someday, they'd find a way for him to be free for good.