"Will I ever see you again?"

"Sure you will. Now go and don't look back."

It was a promise.

So she reluctantly let go of his hand. His warm hand, he who had protected her, he who had risked everything for her; he had saved her in the end.

Thank you, Haku.

Chihiro made her way steadily, yet hurriedly across the soft green plains, towards the opening of the dark tunnel. A strange sense of urgency plagued her, as if she did not quicken her pace, she would not be able to safely escape the boundaries of the spirit world that had imprisoned her and her family. Shortly, she caught a glimpse of her parents in the distance and emotion suddenly choked her, stealing her breath away. There were her parents, waiting for her, human and whole again. Safe.

Yet, behind her was Haku, her majestic white dragon, her lovely savior. Her hurried steps slowed until her feet had stopped moving altogether. Involuntarily, her head started to turn, but she caught herself at the last second.

"Don't look back."

She clenched her fists. Haku had always been right, and he had promised her that they would meet again. So she would listen to him, obey his words as she always had. It was how she had survived her time in the spirit world. She caught sight of her mother, waving her hand at her. The eleven year old gathered all her resolve and looked forward.

Coming, mother.

Chihiro ambled over the last few stones before the open tunnel and latched onto her mother's arm. Immediately, warmth flooded her and she was suddenly content. Her parents were here, they were alive and human.

Although she had left Haku behind, they had shared an unforgettable adventure during her time in the spirit world. That time had passed. Surprisingly, for an eleven year old, she was deceptively mature. After having witnessed the things she had seen in the spirit world, there were much more things about the world that she came to understand. She was human, and she did not belong here, as Haku could not be with her. A sad smile graced her small lips. She accepted it with reluctance but understanding. Already, she knew that she would miss him dearly. She had her family back and it was time for them to move into her new home, something she had dreaded for so long. For some reason, she couldn't remember why she had harbored so much disdain towards moving. Now she could face the world with an open mind and welcoming arms.

Chihiro smiled gently. She had so much to thank him for.

The eleven year old was content for now to have her parents back and the normality of human life. As she and her parents exited the tunnel, Chihiro turned her head and peered into the darkness of the tunnel. The wind rustled around her, as if expressing its disapproval against her leaving. Her ponytail held firm with the sparkling purple band that her dear friends had woven for her. Behind her, her disgruntled parents grumbled over the mysteriously disheveled appearance of their car.

"Come on, Chihiro," her mother called.

Feeling a tad melancholy, but full of hope, Chihiro faced the tunnel. With one last glance at the gateway to the spirit world, 11 year old Chihiro said a silent goodbye.

I will never forget you.

.

.

.

I wonder what would have happened if I looked back.

.

.

.

6 years later

Chihiro woke up tired and disoriented. Rubbing sleepily at her eyes, she sat up gingerly, mindful of the dull headache pounding at the back of her head. Her hand fumbled with the alarm clock as her fingers clumsily tried to click on the button to illuminate the clock in the darkness of the early morning.

3:39 AM

She sighed. It was the dreams again.

Always, she would dream about a tunnel. A dark, gaping tunnel that seemed to lead into nothing. But instead of being assaulted by feelings of foreboding and fear, she felt a strange pull and desire to step into the darkness. Perhaps there was a light at the end of a tunnel. Perhaps if she reached the light, she would also regain her memories.

The dreams had been plaguing her ever since that day she had woken up in the hospital, two years ago. Scared and confused, she had bolted upright in the hospital bed screaming, "My name is Chihiro!"

It was the only thing she remembered about herself. Everything else was gone. It was a product of trauma to the head. In fact, the doctors had told her, she was very lucky to have escaped death with only amnesia. They had marveled, really, over how she had survived at all. Her parents had not been so lucky. They had perished, tragically, in the same car crash that she had so miraculously survived.

Chihiro remembered nothing of it. She was just told that she was in a terrible car crash that claimed both her parents' lives. The hospital spared her the details when she choked out that she didn't want to know anything more.

She had no memories of her parents, her life before the car crash, nothing.

"My name is Chihiro," she said aloud.

Giving up on falling back asleep, as she never could after being awakened from that particular dream; she climbed out of bed, her right hand coming up over her night stand to grab her beloved purple hair tie.

"I am 17 years old."

Ambling clumsily over to the mirror, the young girl started pulling the messy strands of her hair back into her familiar ponytail.

"My favorite color is green."

Her reflection stared back at her from the mirror. She was plain looking, Chihiro deemed herself. Ordinary looking, brown hazelnut hair with eyes that matched. She did have a rather slender face, but her whole figure was slim as well. The fringe from her bangs grazed the top of her eyelids. She puffed a small breath of air and her fringe parted along the middle for a second and then resumed their original messy position over her forehead. Still, she found her appearance startling, as if she didn't expect herself to look this way. There was still a faint scar on the side of her cheek where scrap metal had torn into her flesh. Slender fingers traced the light indent.

"I like bangs."

She had fallen in the habit of reciting facts to herself. It was a way of calming herself when she felt panicked or agitated after a dream or when she felt she could not handle the emptiness inside of her head as well as her chest.

"I am an orphan."

She fiddled some more with her bangs. She would have to cut them, they were getting too long.

"Once you've known someone, you never really forget them."

She had heard this from somewhere. Hundreds and hundreds of times, she had repeated this worn out phrase to herself. She would stare at photos of her parents while chanting to herself. Sometimes, a memory would resurface, but she would feel uncomfortable. It was like she was watching her past on a screen, like it didn't belong to her. They were all so foreign.

"I will remember, someday," she told herself quietly. She didn't worry too much. The emptiness was bearable, for now at least.

But she could never shake off the feeling that she was forgetting something very important. Something very dear to her.

There was always the feeling of something missing, and the intense need to go looking for it.

"Don't look back."

Those three words, always ingrained into her mind.

.

.

.

What?

What am I looking for?

.

.

.

Haku stood straight and tall, solemn as he stared across the grassy plains. Here, the young river spirit had sent away Chihiro, six years ago. Dark, shoulder length hair caressed his elegant cheekbones as the wind rustled restlessly around him. It could taste his apprehension. Slender, long fingers clenched into tight fists.

He didn't understand; he had watched Chihiro's retreating back and never did she turn her head to look back. She had stopped, almost halfway through the border and his heart had caught in his throat. He had to consciously refrain himself from calling out to her. Only when she resumed walking forwards did he let out the breath he had been holding. If she had looked back, she would have been trapped in the spirit world forever. The court would have claimed her spirit as theirs and she would have never been freed from his world.

His handsome expression was strained as his emotions conflicted within him. As much as he missed Chihiro, she did not belong here. He valued her happiness and her safety so much more than his own. But still, her safety was endangered.

Two years ago, he felt two familiar presences enter the spirit world.

Involuntarily.

To his horror, he had recognized them as Chihiro's parents. With a pressing sense of foreboding, he had pushed back his fear to find the emotion replaced with anger. Why had the court decided to take Chihiro's parents?

His face turned hard. He prayed that Chihiro was taking it well; she was strong, but he knew she was also deceptively fragile. His expression turned pained when he recalled her tears as she wept for her parents who had been turned into pigs by Yubaba.

Infuriated by the turn of events, he had immediately shifted into his dragon form and arrived at the palace of the royal court, demanding their presence in the arrogant and cold manner that the bathhouse identified him with. Shortly after, the court had agreed to meet him, some amused, others annoyed with his abrupt and rude behavior.

"Chihiro did not look back. She did not surrender her spirit and her parents' to us. Why did you take them?" he demanded, confused and outraged.

"They belong to our world," one elderly spirit said. "They existed on our realm's substance and tainted your bathhouse with their existence. They are ours to claim."

"They are human!" Haku retorted viciously, defending Chihiro's parents.

"Humans die all the time. It was all a matter of arrangement," another elderly woman spirit spoke with a hint of boredom.

"You had no right," Haku said, provoked even further. Many spirits did not see human lives as any significance; there were so many of them that they felt they could arrange the numbers at their will. Haku had always found this notion repulsive, understanding that every single human life was significant in some way. Chihiro had taught him that with her unfailing loyalty and devotion to her parents.

"Boy, this honorable court has debated over this subject for many years. We have pondered and argued and have come to the careful conclusion that those three humans lives are entitled to us by the laws of the universe. They are ours to add to the spirit world."

"The laws do not allow you to…," Haku's voice trailed off as all the color drained from his face, leaving his complexion even paler than before.

"Three?" he asked, choking on the word after realizing what the court meant.

"We have been unsuccessful so far in our efforts to retrieve the girl's spirit."

The river god immediately surged forwards, disregarding the royal guards that sprang into his path to block him from reaching the court.

"You will not touch her," he hissed, venom laced in every word. Every muscle in his tightly sprung body tightened further, his reaction spurred by his growing fear for Chihiro's life and anger towards the court.

The head of the court stood up and angrily pointed his finger at the dragon.

"Do not take that tone of voice with us, boy," the elder warned.

"I will not let you take her," Haku said, his eyes narrowing in defiance.

"There is nothing you can do, dragon."

The young river god's fists clenched. "I will do everything in my power to protect her. You are wasting your time," he spat. Then, immediately, he turned and stormed out of the palace, leaving in his wake an irritated and offended court. Not knowing what to do, he had sped in his dragon form to Zeniba's dwelling.

"The human world and spirit world have to be in harmony in order for the two to coexist," Zeniba explained to him, gently and sadly. "When Chihiro and her family crossed the boundary, they upset the harmony. After existing in our world, to go back upset the harmony even further instead of righting it. The court believes by claiming their lives, they are righting the balance and saving the two worlds. They are bound by the law to keep the harmony."

"Don't you dare take their side," Haku spat, turning away. "I don't accept it."

"Neither do I," Zeniba said, smiling. Haku regarded her with narrowed emerald eyes.

The old witch's smile smoothed out. She stared silently out the window of her humble cottage. "The hairband I gave her has been protecting her so far against the advances of the court. Unfortunately, it was not strong enough to extend that protection to her family," she said sadly.

The lonesome spirit No face came over to hover by Zeniba. "Uh, uh," he muttered, distressed that the band he had helped to create could not protect Chihiro entirely.

Haku hesitated for a moment and then nodded slowly. "I need to help her," he said, silently begging her for help. Every bone in his body screamed at him to find Chihiro now and to spirit her away to somewhere safe.

Zeniba nodded as well. "I will do anything to help you help Chihiro. What did you have in mind?"

Haku shook his head, at loss of words. He had no idea how to help Chihiro.

The old witch lifted a hand to her chin as she pondered over what help the two of them could be to Chihiro.

"The court took Chihiro's parents by manipulating events in the human world," she informed Haku.

The dragon ground his teeth together in anger. "Yes. They murdered them."

"You must go to the human world to protect her, Haku."

The river god turned to her in surprise. It had crossed his mind, but such a thing was surely impossible to do. He alone was not powerful enough. Unless the witch was suggesting that she had the power to send him to the other world. The young god stared at her, waiting for her to explain.

"It's a spell I've been working on," Zeniba explained to him. "If cast correctly, it will successfully you give you a human body that can exist in Chihiro's world. You will be able to eat their food and come into physical contact with things."

Haku waited; there was bound to be risks that Zeniba had not explained. The old witch regarded him with wizened eyes and sighed tiredly. "Yes, there are risk," she said, reading his thoughts. "If I do not cast it correctly, your spirit will be lost forever in the space between this world and the human's world. You will lose your spirit, your entity, all your memories. Furthermore, I am unsure if my own powers enough to keep you in the human world. We would have to ask Yubaba for help."

The young spirit blanched. Ask Yubaba for help?

Zeniba chuckled at his expression. "Yubaba and I may have our differences, but if it's one thing that you've learned about her from your time under her control, you would know she will do anything to gain profit. Offer her the bathhouse back. She will be unable to resist."

Haku narrowed his eyes. Yes, now that he thought it over, the greedy Yubaba would be unable to decline his offer. Six years ago, along with releasing Haku, the conniving witch had been forced to hand over her position in the bathhouse to the young dragon. The enslaved workers in the bathhouse had been furious with her behavior towards Chihiro as well as themselves and they had all teamed up against her, backed by the dragon's support. Unable to do anything against the turn of events, she had reluctantly handed over her lease on the bathhouse to Haku. Haku had allowed her to take up residence in the bath house, if only because of Bou, who had become a dear friend to Chihiro.

"She may be tempted to betray me," Haku said mirthlessly, aware of the witch's grudge against him. He had forced her to give up her very source of wealth.

Zeniba laughed. "Don't you worry about that. If she gets rid of you, the whole bathhouse would commit mutiny. She knows she needs you to keep them under control."

Haku nodded. "I will speak to her. When can you cast the spell?"

The witch shook her head. "There's something else. As you are a spirit, you need spirit energy to sustain yourself. Human food will sustain your human body but not your spirit. As a consequence, your spirit will lapse back into the spirit world for 17 minutes every day at sunset to replenish itself. During that time, your body will become a hollow shell. If something were to happen to your body during the time that you are gone…" Zeniba trailed off.

No face moaned in dismay, turning away from the pair.

"I won't have a body to return to," Haku finished solemnly.

Zeniba nodded, turning her massive head away. "Your spirit would be lost between the two worlds."

Haku considered this for a short moment. There was a possibility of helping Chihiro and no matter how risky it was, the young dragon felt inclined to go through it no matter what. Chihiro had freed him from Yubaba's clutches. She had healed his loneliness and stopped his aimless wandering. She had given him a home.

"I still want to do it," he told Zeniba, with a small smile. "I owe Chihiro a lot," he said softly.

Zeniba returned his smile and put a grandmotherly hand on his shoulder. Her twinkling eyes looked into his as she spoke gently, with much humor.

"Oh dear child, I think this is much more than just repaying a debt."

Haku frowned. What had Zeniba meant by that?

The wind around him moved again, picking up its pace. His beautiful emerald eyes closed. The twin witches would cast the spell on him tonight. Uncertainty clouded his mind as all the things that could go wrong with the spell flashed through his head. The notion of wandering again, forever lost without knowing where to go, frightened him.

Hazelnut eyes and a sullen face flashed through his memories. Without meaning to, Haku smirked as he remembered the spoiled brat that had stumbled through the gateway to the spirit world, effectively disrupting and saving his life. As he thought of the spirited and lively Chihiro, the thought of her lying silent and still in death shook him.

Haku realized his fear for Chihiro's safety far outweighed his fear of losing his spirit. Emerald eyes opened. Grim determination was etched into every feature of his handsome face. Resolve colored his eyes.

Silently, he prayed that all would go well. He pushed all thoughts of failure from his mind and focused only on his memory of Chihiro's smiling face. With one more glance at the green rolling hills that separated him from Chihiro, he shifted into his dragon form and flew away towards Zeniba's humble cottage.

The wind tumbled and danced restlessly through the soft strands of grass after his departure, as if mourning his absence.