Author's note
I wanted to write a fanfic about the movie, so that it doesn't linger in my mind for long. Ok... it was the best animated movies and i hated the cliffhanger in the end. I originally wanted to write their meeting, but i guess this came into mind so i wanted to write this first... btw, the video in you tube "chihiro and haku, the video with the song "you'll be in my heart" inspired me :) to write this one.
all the characters are not from me. it belongs to the wonderful Spirited away and its maker.
PS: all in kohaku's/haku's P.O.V and this one shot; Last part my own version
Haku's P.O.V
The moment I awoke, something bothered me. Maybe it was just the presence of the Witch, maybe she did something new. But I could not shake the feeling. I've been living here in the bath house for so long that i don't remember my life before it. All i know is that i am the witch's apprentice. I only take orders from the Witch. My loyalty is with her. The other spirits call me Master Haku, they treat me like I'm the master of the house. They give respect. Yet something is different. I am assure of it. I've been living here for so long that i could tell the difference.
I know its not the work of the Witch. But something is pushing me outside. My instincts tell me to go outside.
Go outside, Haku.
Go outside.
I went outside. The sun was just starting to set. I hear the train's horn. I went to the bridge, and stared at the sky. It was beautiful. It was quiet, i like these kinds of moments, when the spirits aren't here yet. Where I am here, alone, quiet, so that I can be what i want to be, away from all the responsibilities that the witch instills at me. But the force in my stomach was always interrupting. it forces me to become the cold apprentice again. To be at my master's side. It was strange though, the force inside was not interrupting me at all. It was even letting me be here...
then i looked at the end of the bridge.
I saw a human
A girl.
Why is she here?
"What are you doing here?"
"How did you get in here?"
It was funny though, a name flashed in my head.
The girl was confused.
"Get out of here before the sun sets. Get out of here before she sees you. Go. I'll distract them. I'll buy you some time"
I manage to convince her. I see her running. I guess she was here with her parents. How did she even get here? I know for sure that if humans get into our world, they''ll be trapped forever. Like the Witch always does.
I cast a spell on the spirits. I hope she can make it in time.
I muttered the name that flashed in my mind the moment I saw her.
"Chihiro."
The sun had already set. The spirits are here. But the sensation was still there. I can sense her. The girl. I know she is in big trouble. yet a force tells me to help her. The force tells me to defy the witch. To help the girl. It was even stronger than the force inside my stomach. And I felt... for once... free.
I searched for her. And i saw her, near the docks. near the boats, crying. Her whole being is starting to disperse into a spirit, she starts to fade.
I approached her.
I forced her to eat the red pill. At first she didn't trust me, but i guess i already helped her once, so she ate it.
She was in tears. She was shocked when her hand slipped through me.
"You'll be alright. Look."
She tries to touch my hand again. I felt relief when it didn't get through me. Then one of the Witch's watching birds flew over. I knew we were in big trouble when it sees her. I took her close to me, I shielded her with my arms. It was weird, she was warm. And somehow made me feel, different. I eyed the bird sternly...
it did not look at our direction. I sighed.
And grabbed her hand.
"It's not safe around here. We must go to the bathhouse."
"I can't stand." She managed to say.
I recognize the paralysis spell. I quickly dispel it. I grabbed her hand again and we ran towards the bathhouse. The bridge was full of spirits.
"Do not breathe so no one can see you until we reach the end of the bridge."
She grabs my arm and walked closed to me. I could feel her warmth. It was comforting. I feel...different. I wanted to protect her, to make her feel safe. To help her go back to the Human world. I knew that she was my responsibility.
But then a frog recognizes my appearance. It shocks her, cutting her concentration and she breathes. The frog sees her and i could tell it was shocked. I cast a spell on it, and quickly went to a small wooden door just at the end of the bridge, it lead to the back of the bath house.
"Go to kamajii, and force him to give you a job. With that, you can stay in the Spirit world. I have already imprinted the directions. Chihiro, be brave."
I told her and imprinted her the directions. She seemed scared, but i knew she could do it. I needed to hurry though, the other spirits were already panicking for they seem to already know about a human. I left her and quickly went inside to calm them down.
I knew she succeeded. I was summoned by Yubaba, my master, to take her to her new job. I told her to address me as master, so that there won't be any speculations. Her new name was now Sen. I do hope she doesn't forget her real name, so that she won't end up like me.
I feel her essence. She could not sleep. but i could find a way to comfort her. I needed to talk to her anyway. I told her that i was going to take her to see her parents. She followed me all the way to the pigpen. I showed her, her parents. But she already knew that they were pigs.
"They have lost their memories prior to the human world." I told her
She remained silent. I saw tears forming on her eyes then she shouted to her parents to not fatten themselves so that they would not be eaten. She ran outside and I saw her seat by the flower bushes, crying. It's too much for her. I can see it in her eyes. She seem very fragile and small, but i knew she could do it.
She must.
I went there and comforted her. I saved her a batch of rice balls.I knew she would be hungry, although she did not eat it at first, I forced her so that she could have strength. I also gave her the human clothes she wore when she got inside our world, and a card where it has her name on it.
"Do not forget your name, always remember it. Or you'll suffer enslavement from Yubaba."
She agreed. But then I suddenly became open.
"I never remembered my own name. But for some reason, I always remember yours."
I smiled at her. I somewhat gave her encouragement for I saw a light shining from her eyes. I remembered the errands I had to do, so I waved her goodbye. When she went away, I transformed into a dragon.
It was such a hard errand. I almost died. I managed to escape the house but the shikigamis keep following. I feel the pain inside.
It burns me.
It was too painful.
I tried to fly faster, but it was too painful. Blood coming from my mouth. Suddenly I hear a voice, similar to Chihiro. I followed it. Before i knew it I smashed into a room. i did not know where i am, all i know is that i wanted to take this golden seal from me. it was causing me great pain. I already feel like dying. I saw chihiro, but it was only a glance. I quickly went to Yubaba's penthouse, desperately wanting the pain to go away.
I'm going to die
I do not know Yubaba's intentions for making me steal the golden seal from her sister. But the first time i touched it, and engulfed it inside me, the death curse activated. The thought of death somehow pains me. I'm going to die without even knowing my name. But then i heard her voice again, calling out my name,
chihiro
it was so strange to have someone call out your name, even if its not your real one, worry for you, and being hugged for comfort. But i do not have the strength to even transform back. Her voice when she sees me in my current state was painful. I wanted to move, but i couldn't. The death curse keeps winning over me, then one of the shikigami turns into zeniba, yubaba's twin sister. She tells Chihiro of my fate.
I was right.
I was going to die after all. But i guess its okay, to die in her arms. It seems less painful.
being with her makes it feel less painful.
What a good friend I've found.
Somehow i looked into her eyes, felt her warmth, and comfort in her voice. I wanted to protect her. I began to move, Fefore I knew it
i was winning over the death curse.
i smashed the shikigami, dispelling zeniba's projection. All for the sake of protecting her. The next thing i felt was the gravity. I was falling down. But i still could feel Chihiro's warmth.
"Haku, we're falling!"
I could hear her say it.
I need to move
. I need to move.
Move Haku,
move!
For her...
I manage to fly, but only for a short distance. Everytime i move, its painful. I could even taste my own blood. The next thing i knew is that I landed on the ground. Probably in Kamajii's bolier room. But i could hear Chihiro, desperately opening my mouth in order to give me something that looked like a medicine. She eats it to assure that it was safe.
She puts the half-eaten medicine inside my mouth with her hand. I could feel her small but strong arms. She desperately shuts my mouth. And i desperately try to go away to go to Yubaba or any other place, just not here, it pains me. But the medicine quickly disperses inside me. And then I started to calm down. I felt Lin come inside and ask what was happening. And i heard kamajii say
"its something you don't recognize, it's called love"
All this time, Chihiro was holding me to prevent my escape, while i was still in dragon form. She manages to succeed.
That's when I knew she was stronger than me.
I started to feel something inside me, it was conjuring up. i felt like vomiting, and I did.
i vomited the golden seal, and some kind of worm, then the next thing i saw was
darkness.
I woke up. The pain inside me was gone. But i feel weird, the force inside me was gone.
I felt truly free.
I sat up, and found myself on a makeshift bed. Kamajii beside me, then i remembered Chihiro. I asked him what happened, where she was. She went to Zeniba, to return the golden seal, ask for apology and plead at her to save me.
I was dumbfounded, thankful, relieved, afraid, and happy. I then remebered kamajii's words
"its something you don't recognize, it's called love"
So this is love, sacrificing for someone important to you. And then i remembered Chihiro's situation,
And then I remebered Boh. Yubaba's baby.
I knew what happened to him, and i conjured a plan that could save Chihiro.
I went to yubaba.
"Still not dead?".
I knew for her response that she hasn't knew what had happened.
And then everything went fast.
...
And then i was here,flying towards Zeniba's cottage.
I made a deal.
bring back her baby and then she could let Chihiro and her parents go. But i knew Yubaba will be testing her for the last time, and i know for sure that the consequences are fatal. But i did not worry about that,
all i thought was Chihiro safe in the cottage.
I arrived at the cottage. But i could feel that the witch was aware of my presence. For after a few minutes, Chihiro came rushing from the inside, colliding with me, hugging me, stroking me, while i was in my dragon form.
I felt comfort, and happiness.
I felt her warmth.
When she broke off, i bowed to Zeniba for apology.
Chihiro sat on my back, along with the bird and boh, and then we flew
although no face stayed behind, for he finally found a home.
...
While we were flying, Chihiro told me about a memory she had concerning me.
It was blurry at first, but at this moment, her memories were restored.
She fell in the kohaku river when she was young, because her shoe fell and was trying to reach it. She told me that it might be me who saved her.
In that instant moment, i remembered everything. My dragon form began to dissolve, that left me in my human form, chihiro, and her two friends falling.
I held her hand,
both hands
and told her everything. My home river had apartments built all over it, leaving me without a home, and took refuge in the spirit world.
I was happy.
Chihiro released me from being Yubaba's apprentice,
now
she released me totally from Yubaba's grip.
I was so terribly happy.
I saw her cry tears of joy.
I came closer to her and we bumped each other foreheads, we both closed our eyes, enjoying the moments we had while falling.
We were free.
I eventually brought her back to the bath house, when everyone was waiting for us. Boh transformed, even warning his mother not to let Chihiro cry. Yubaba gave her her final challenge.
I was little scared for her not succeeding, but after remembering the times that she succeeded, i was given hope that she will win... and she did.
She was released.
I grabbed her hand and we ran to the entrance of the spirit world. Surprisingly, the water was dried up.
"Go on now."
"Wait, will we meet again? she asked me
"We will. Someday. I promise"
I saw a glint of sadness on her eyes.
"Go on now. Don't look back, or you'll be dragged back to the spirit world."
I slowly let go of her hand.
And then she ran.
I am thankful that she appeared here. She helped me through my dark times. She set me free from this world. Now, there was only one pain that i will be facing, maybe for the rest of my life.
Suddenly, kamajii appeared.
"You made it up, don't you."
"Made what up?" My voice became groggy
"Never look back, and you'll be dragged in this world again. Why?"
"Who knows? But Its better that way. Besides, she'll forget the memories she had in this world."
"Really? Its better that way? Oh, but you're wrong my boy, memories are not forgotten, they are just difficult to recall"
"I know."
Kamajii looked at me. For i could not take it anymore.
I felt hot tears coming down from my eyes down to my cheeks. But i managed to say:
"Its better for her to not see me like this. She doesn't need to feel the pain. Only i am intending to consume the pain. I want her to live and move on. Don't worry Kamajii, besides these tears are a mix off happiness and sadness."
Kamajii remained silent.
But then he asked something painful.
"The promise you made for her, you don't intend to break it do you?"
"Of course not. I would go to the ends of the world just to see her again. But it isn't possible now. The only moment for that to happen is when she turns into a spirit... when she is dead. For humans and spirits are of different dimensions now.
But she will always be with me"
I cried tears of sadness, but mostly tears of joy.
I will never forget the one person who made me feel different. She melted my once cold and confused heart.
The person who sacrificed so much for me, and vice versa.
She set me free.
She gave me hope.
She gave me light through my darkest times
she was my friend, but she was more than that.
She made me feel different things. made me feel human.
But the strongest feeling that will forever remain in my heart is...
love.
Happy writing!
