~Summary:
*Chihiro knocked on the door quietly. On the other side could be heard movements.
"Hurry up and get out." whispered Haku. "I don't want her to know about you yet."
The woman he was taking to let out a snort of disbelief, but left the room.
Chihiro crossed her arms and felt the feeling of betrayal in her stomach.*
When we live such fragile lives,
It's the best way we survive,
I go around a time or two,
Just to waste my time with you…
~All American Rejects; Dirty Little Secret
~LTME~
~Chapter 1: Midnight Demon~
Hoof beats could be heard in the distance. Someone looked at the clock then screamed, "The Midnight Demon is upon us!" That was when all hell broke loose.
"Quite down!" Haku ordered but was quite shaken up himself. She just can't be here. Why now of all times? he thought to himself.
"Haku," Chihiro whispered in his ear, "What's the midnight demon?" she asked.
"It's ..." he started, but never got to finish.
As the horse gallops came even closer, most of the crowd fled the scene, not wishing to be there any longer.
Soon enough, the only people standing at the end of the bridge were Haku, Chihiro, Yubaba, and her son, Boh, who had started to whimper slightly in fear.
A few moments pasted before the figure approached the starting of the bridge. The figure atop the massive horse jumped down and walked to the very edge of where the bridge began.
The horse whinnied and let out a snort. "Bow to the river dragon" the figure commanded. The horse glared at Haku, but did as it's master commanded of it.
"Haku, it's so nice to see you again. I take it you are doing well?" the figure asked politely, while nodding to the horse as a signal to stand back up.
"Why are you here?" Haku asked directly, no kindness in his voice. The figure visibly flinched backwards and the horse reared up with a loud 'neigh' of protest.
"Haku!" Chihiro cried. "That was rude."
"Hush Chihiro. You know nothing of my predicament. Do not get yourself involved." Haku ordered.
Chihiro scowled and looked towards Yubaba, who had visibly paled.
"Haku, the human is right. Be a bit more kind to the-"
"You stay out of it too, Yubaba!" Haku snapped.
As Haku's attention was towards Yubaba, Chihiro took a step towards the figure and the horse.
*Oh man! That horse is a beauty!* Chihiro though.
The horse let out a slight snort and bowed its head.
"He is flattered by you, little one." the figure spoke, directing Haku's full attention once again.
"Don't speak to her, in fact, don't even look at her." Haku hissed, but Chihiro was having none of that.
"Haku, grow up and show some manners to this … person?"
The figure chuckle and drew back the hood of the riding cape. It was by no mistake the figure was a woman... and it was someone who looked strongly familiar to Chihiro...
"S-Sakura?" Chihiro whispered.
Haku's head whipped around at the mention of the name.
"You know this low-life, Chihiro?"
At the question, the horse let out a full-fledged snarl and started pawing the ground, indicating that it was about to charge.
"Calm yourself my friend." the woman said gently to the horse, patting its mane gently.
The horse snorted and the woman answer back in kind.
"You're so low, the only friends you can possibly have are animals." Haku said in anger. The horse reared up in anger and charged at Haku. Once he was in front of him, the horse swung its front legs up and tried to hit Haku.
"You dare speak to her that way!" a deep voice warned. Chihiro was a bit alarmed, but stood her ground.
The creature was so large, that even though Haku was now standing quite a ways away, the horse's tail brushed along Chihiro's shoulder.
The horse looked at Haku for a moment before turning and bending down in front of Chihiro. To say Chihiro was startled, would be to say a snail, at it's fastest paste, could outrun a cheetah. It was simply not accurate, not even in this Spirit World. Snails were just made to be slow and cheetahs fast.
*Does the horse wish for me to ride it?* Chihiro thought to herself. The question was soon answered when the horse pushed its head into her stomach softly and the gestured towards it's back.
Chihiro casted a sidelong glance at Haku and saw that he was unresponsive. Chihiro was slightly worried, but climbed on the back of the horse, nonetheless. The horse stood up once it was sure that Chihiro had a good grip around its neck and started its trek towards the figure on the other side of the bridge. As the horse approached its master, it halted in its tracks and turned its head towards Haku, who was only making grunting sounds. As soon as the horse was fully across the bridge, Haku swiftly transformed into his dragon and roared a huge roar that made all the water in the area churn up in aggravation.
"GIVE HER BACK!" he roared, but took no approach towards the figure or the horse, upon which Chihiro still sat.
The figure gently took hold of the hood that covered her head and pulled it down.
"Sakura... it really is you." Chihiro whispered
"Hello little one. It's been a long time, no?" the woman said in a sweet voice, "In this realm I am known as 'Demon'. The reason of this name is because most people don't get a chance to see me for I move so often-," the dragon said.
"More like admire you." Haku sneered with strong contempt.
Sakura snorted in disbelief.
"Why would anyone admire me?" she questioned rhetorically.
"Why? Why did you leave me all those years ago? I'm guessing that you knew about my arrival here in the spirit world too, didn't you? Why didn't you come see me?" Chihiro asked, a little upset.
As the woman opened her mouth to speak, the horse whinnied and she, in turn, replied in a language that Chihiro did not understand. After she was finished speaking to the horse, she turned towards the human that was atop her horse's back.
"I wanted to, but I just couldn't risk your safety."
"ENOUGH! GIVE CHIHIRO BACK!" Haku roared and thrashed his tail around narrowly missing Yubaba.
"Watch it you imbecile!" she snapped, but otherwise kept silent. Boh had started to whimper, but kept silent because of the furious dragon.
"Chihiro, you know me as 'Sakura', but in this world, people normally refer to me as 'Demon'. I-"
"NOW!" Haku roared.
The woman sighed but nodded. She raised her hand up to help Chihiro down. Once Chihiro was on the ground, the woman embraced her for a short time.
"We will speak later, little one. Right now your dragon is just about at his limit." she whispered and gently pushed Chihiro in the direction of Haku. Once Chihiro was within Haku's grasp, his tail whipped out and around her waist, pulling her towards him protectively.
"Yubaba, would you be so kind as to let me stay here a few nights? I'm more than willing to pay for my stay." the woman asked kindly.
"NO!" Haku roared, but Yubaba ignored him completely.
"I would be honored if you would stay here with us. I shall personally get your room ready. Now, what about your companion?"
The woman and the horse looked at each other.
"Please do not worry about that. We will work something out." the woman said politely.
Yubaba bowed and then excused herself to go and get the room ready.
"Now then," the woman said, smiling, "Boh, you may go ahead. There is no more danger," the woman said. At once, the big baby ran forward and embraced the horse, which whinnied with happiness.
The woman sighed. "You and Midnight have always seemed to get along... maybe it's your sizes?" the woman asked, referring to how physically big they both were.
"Well, let's go in now. There's no use just standing out here anymore." the woman said as she stepped onto the bridge and started walking forward, the horse at her heels. Once on the other side, Haku, who had still not moved from his position, looked up and stared straight into the woman's sea blue eyes.
After a few seconds, the spell was broken when the horse gently nudged its master and rider forward into the bathhouse. Once the woman and horse were gone, Chihiro had a momentary question run through her head... *How on earth did that huge creature fit through the door?*
"It's a spirit Chihiro. As spirits, we can twist reality to make it what we wish…" an old but wise voice called out.
Chihiro spun around and grinned.
"Granny, you're here!" Chihiro cried in happiness.
"Hello, Zeniba. My hope would be that you are here to make her go away, but I'm guessing that my hopes are in vain."
Zeniba chuckled but shook her head.
"Oh Haku, you have much to learn; starting with forgiveness. It was not the poor girls fault." Zeniba said and turned to go inside.
"Oh and by the way, you should try to be more friendlier. You and I both know your strength is nothing compared to hers." Zeniba called out behind her shoulder. And with that, she was inside the bathhouse, leaving a very confused Chihiro and furious dragon behind.
"Why were you so incredibly rude to her?" Chihiro scolded.
"Because... She chose him over me." Haku said evasively as he transformed into his human body. With his left arm around Chihiro's middle, he walked both of them into the bathhouse right after the two, now three, new guests that were inside the bathhouse.
NEXT TIME:
~Chapter 2: Tell Me Who and Why
"Chihiro!" she heard Haku shout.
"Tell the boy to stop where he is or he can and will get hurt." Sakura warned with a hard voice.
"Haku, freeze where you are. I'm fine." Chihiro called out.
"No, Chihiro come here!" Haku said franticly.
"Haku, calm down. I am fine." Chihiro soothed.
"Give my m-… human back to me!" Haku roared.
"Just give it up! You know you have no hope challenging me." Sakura said.
"Demon… Give. Her. To. Me." Haku said slowly, his anger steadily increasing.
"Make me… little b-"
"NO! I am not that. You gave up that title when you chose him over me." Haku hissed between his now razor sharp dragon teeth.
Sakura looked taken aback but refused to give in to Haku's wishes.
"What's going on?" Chihiro asked.
"… Later little one. All will be explained over time to you." Sakura whispered gently to Chihiro.