The Path of Water
By Arlia'Devi
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.
The Path of Water
by Arlia'Devi
LIV: Numb
There's much to be said for feeling numb. Time passes more quickly. You eat less, and because numbness encourages laziness, you do fewer things, good or bad, and the world's probably a better place for it.
~ Doug Coupland.
The rain pelted down on her. The sky looked normal for night, one black sheet of black stretching across the sky, and Chihiro would have thought no different of the night time sky had there been any trace of the moon or the stars dotted in the sky. Instead, it was a thick layer of black storm cloud that had descended upon her hometown, and she stood at the highest peak in the surrounding hillside, looking into the sky and waiting for the lightning to strike.
"Raijin!" Chihiro screamed into the air. In the distance, thunder rolled. "Raijin, it's me, Chihiro!"
She spat water from her mouth and shaded the rain from her eyes.
"I need your help!" she cried. Lightning struck in the distance, illuminating up the entire sky in a haunting show. "Please, Raijin!"
She stepped forward, scanning the skies for any sign of the white-haired, purple skinned thunder god. There was only darkness and thick clouds.
"I think something terrible has happened to Haku – I'm worried," she cried. "Please, I need to talk to someone."
She called for what seemed ages, until she was soaked to the bone and she realised no one was going to respond to her. With a huff, she eventually made her way back down the slippery slope, the rain pounding on her back all the way home.
She kicked off her muddy gumboots by the back door, hidden behind a rack so her parent's wouldn't get suspicious. She couldn't tell if it was the rain, or her own tears that was making her vision all blurry, but she quickly stripped off to her underwear once inside. The clock had just hit ten, and Chihiro ran up the stairs to draw a bath.
She heard her parents arrive home not too long after as she went to her room to get changed. Her mother was complaining about the horrid weather outside as she climbed the staircase, her heels left outside to be washed tomorrow.
"Hey darling, how was your night in?" Yuuko asked as Chihiro emerged in fresh, warm pyjamas.
"Good," she said. "The movie finished, so I decided to have a bath – give my hair a treatment."
"That's nice – want a cup of tea? I put the kettle on."
Chihiro shook her head. "Sorry Mum," she said. "I think I'm just going to head to bed. I'm kind of beat, anyway,"
"Did you drink all this wine?" Yuuko asked accusingly, pointing to the half-empty bottle of wine on the servery. Chihiro offered her mother a sheepish look. "Chihiro!" Yuuko cried in mock-outrage. Chihiro laughed and ascended the stairs for bed.
This place wasn't like all the other dreams she'd had. And Chihiro knew she was dreaming, because she didn't know how she'd gotten here, and like the movie had said tonight, she probably wouldn't remember how she left.
But this place, this space, was completely white – like a post-modern version of an artistic alternate dimension of nothingness. She took in a breath. The air was ice cold.
In the distance, she saw him. He was dressed in a white tunic and pants combo, the only thing she identified was his moss-green hair falling in straight sheets from his hair and fanning out around his shoulders.
Chihiro approached him slowly, her bare feet slapping against the ground as she took a step forward. She looked down to herself – her skimpy pyjama pants and tank; of course she couldn't be wearing something a little more elegant. This was her dream after all.
He turned to her, and his green eyes looked glassy. They looked like marbles. She wasn't sure if he even saw her, or if he did, did he recognise her.
"You're here," he murmured after a moment and Chihiro sucked in a breath. He was speaking to her – he could see her! Who cared if this was a dream –
She only had one question to ask him.
"Haku, are you dead?"
Haku smiled gently down at her and brought his hand up to caress her cheek. Chihiro leant into his touch.
"Oh god, you're dead aren't you?" she wept into his hand.
Haku shook his head with a small chuckle. "No."
Chihiro frowned and shook her head. "I don't understand. You said you'd come back for me – don't you want me anymore."
"No, that's not it at all, Chihiro."
"This is the most contact I've gotten from you in seven weeks, and I can't tell if I'm delirious and this is all a figment of my rotting imagination."
Haku was about to reply, but a gasp suddenly escaped his parted lips. His eyes looked shocked and a little pained.
Chihiro looked at the hand that was caressing her cheek. It was slowly disappearing against her skin, just like she had when she first visited the spirit world.
"I can't stay much longer – the human world is pushing me out," he gasped, finding it hard to find words. "Meet me at the gate in the forest, tomorrow night at sunset. Don't be late."
Chihiro nodded. "I will, Haku, I will – please, tell me what's happening with you."
"I will tell you then, there is not enough time…" his chest was beginning to disappear.
"Should I get my things? Do I need to-,"
"Chihiro," he interrupted harshly, startling the woman. "Please be there…," he felt himself about to disappear. "I love you."
And then he was gone.
Chihiro woke up startled. Her body was cold and numb.
The sun filtered into Chihiro's room, passing through the thin curtains and bathing the small space in late morning sun. On the dishevelled bed of kicked-off-sheets and thrown pillows, Chihiro cracked her eye open and groaned. She rolled over to check the time – 11:02am, and huffed. She never usually slept in, but the last few hours of sleep she'd gotten had been her best few since she could remember.
But had that – had that dream been real? Chihiro played it over in her mind as she shuffled down the stairs for breakfast. He'd looked like some unearthly being, and she supposed he was one, really, in all his godliness. Last night, he'd definitely looked the part. He'd looked so heavenly she could have sworn he was dead.
Chihiro mulled over what he'd said as she crunched on her cereal.
Meet me at the gate in the forest, tomorrow night at sunset. Don't be late…
Chihiro huffed and washed her bowl out in the sink. There was still seven hours to kill between now and sunset. Her stomach churned a little at the wondering of what he needed to tell her – was it going to be over between them? Could they never be together?
Chihiro shook her head and made her way upstairs to take a shower. No, she shouldn't think like that. The past six months had been a delicious dream. She loved Haku, and he loved her – she wanted to be with him forever, or as long as this human body would let her. What would she do if he didn't want her anymore? Where would she go?
Back to University?
Chihiro pulled on a shirt and a pair of kahki shorts. She ran a brush through her long chestnut hair. It was a little shorter – she'd gotten it cut last week since it had gotten a little unruly and had split ends.
Of course, University was always an option. She could always go back and do a degree, and get a job out of it. That wasn't a problem.
Chihiro sighed and slumped down on the vanity cabinet, looking at herself in the mirror. She had bags under her eyes, and everything about her seemed to be a little dull – her skin, her hair, her eyes. She remembered feeling like she was glowing in the spirit world – sex with a gorgeous river god tended to do that to someone. Right now it wouldn't have surprised her if she'd lost a little weight and was beginning to look a little sickly again.
Chihiro felt her gut suddenly churn again, but this time she felt a completely different feeling. It had been six weeks since she'd last seen Haku – six weeks since they'd been together. She could barely remember his smell, let alone how it felt to be touched by hands other than hers.
Chihiro literally shivered in anticipation.
Meanwhile, in a land far away, a young frog spirit stood before his Lord, begging him some monetary assistance for the flood that had swept away their village in the high north and left them starving.
"Please, Lord Kohaku – I've travelled here by foot, my family are back in Yestop awaiting my arrival back…," he shook his head.
Haku sighed and studied the fibres of the ornamental throw under his fingers. The throne was a little uncomfortable, but it was usually adorned with many cushions and ornamental blankets. To the left of the elevated platform in the middle of the room was a golden chase with scarlet upholstery. To the right was the large mahogany desk with a few stacks of paperwork he'd have to get to later. Haku sighed and cast his eyes back down to the frog.
"My family – my wife and little ones," blubbered the small amphibian. "I don't know if they're alright… I haven't heard from them, I'm begging you, my lord-,"
"How many children do you have?" Haku asked, interrupting the frog's pleas.
The frog looked up shocked. "T-three…," he stuttered in reply.
"What are their names?"
He shook his head. "My eldest is Brit, my son's name is Eurone, and then my littlest daughter is Daisie – she looks a lot like her mother, they're all beautiful children."
Haku nodded. "I'll allocate one hundred pieces of gold to your village's reconstruction – will that be enough? Take three pieces of gold for your trip home, as well, on myself." Haku grabbed a small quill and notepad, scribbling down the details before signing the bottom.
The frog leapt to the throne to grab the piece of paper as Haku offered it to him before bowing lowly.
"Oh thank you, my gracious Lord – I will not forget this favour, and neither will my village."
Haku shook his head. "I am doing my job. Go now – give this to reception and they will allocate the gold for you, then hurry home."
"Thank you," the frog gushed. "Thank you so much."
The frog left and the large door to the Throne room was closed. Haku sighed and slumped into his throne.
"That was the last one for the afternoon, my Lord," an attending man said from the doorway.
"Thank you," Haku waved him away and peeled his body off the throne. His back had a terrible kink in it and he needed a long soak in a bath.
He managed to slink back to his quarters without being pulled over by anyone – perhaps people knew to stay away from a rather irritable Lord, or maybe he was pulling a ferocious face or growling without realising it, but he was finally happy to be alone in his quarters.
The walls were too white for his tastes. Everything was too white for his tastes, but through the French doors which opened to a lush private garden was a nice place to relax. Not that Haku got to relax very often, that was.
He made his way through the master bedroom and into the off suite, where he turned the golden faucets to start a bath running into a large ceramic white bathtub. With a groan, he added a few sprigs of juniper and a good dollop of bath oil and then heard a rapping at his chamber's door.
Who dares… He mentally and possibly physically growled as she stalked towards the doors to his chambers. When he threw them open, he was greeted by a pair of sparkling violet eyes and an impish smile. The young woman had purple hair braided high above her head, letting it cascade down her back. She was young, and she was attractive.
"I wanted to know if you needed me, Lord Kohaku," she said somewhat shyly, though the suggestiveness of her smile was nothing but that. "I am the best neck massager in High City…"
Haku recognised her from his younger days – despite her adolescent appearance, he knew the spirit to be quite old, considerably older than him, and a favourite concubine of Sar'onga.
"That won't be necessary," Haku said, clearing his throat. "Goodbye."
Haku went to close the door, but the concubine was quicker and wedged her foot between the door and the frame.
"Listen," she said seriously. "No one else has to know – I know you've had no one else in here for weeks, you must be lonely…," she smiled gently and gently touched his hand that was tightly grasping the doorknob. "You have to be many things, my Lord, but you don't have to be lonely."
Haku frowned, his anger suddenly peaking behind a cool face.
"I have a lover," he grunted. He applied a little pressure and with a hiss, the concubine removed her foot from the door. " She offers me more than you could ever hope to dream of. Do not be so presumptuous as to address me again, unless you're game with your life. I won't hesitate to send you to the houses on the edges of the city."
The woman nodded, a blank look across her pretty face. To say she was a little dazed at the sudden outburst was an understatement. Their Lord never was angr; he was always so sure and careful of himself. And Evette had been so sure he would have accepted the offer. Instead, all she got was a face full of his chamber door when it was slammed.
Haku stalked into the bedroom, seething. He was much too angry to have a bath now – he needed his anger to cool down. Sitting down on the side of the plush king bed, Haku looked out into the garden. Along the roof of the balcony, wisteria fell down in large wines of gathered flowers that smelt sweet, even after months of dormancy. There were red roses near the fountain, and sweet peas growing on the white lattice on the far side of the wall. Haku swallowed thickly and ran his hand through his hair. He looked to the right, out of the bedroom, through the parlour and into the lounge room where a number of boxes were stacked in the shadows. Wordlessly, he got up and approached them.
Chihiro…
He gently pried one box open, revealing her neatly packed clothes. They smelt of cardboard and musk – they held little of her scent anymore and Haku realised the disappointment he found in that.
He missed her. Terribly.
Chihiro had always known what to say to him… he was so lost without her. What would she say now? What was right for them. Some days he wanted to go back to the bathhouse, get her back and have everything the way it had been, but for some reason, his feet wouldn't move from the spot. They felt like lead when he looked up to the sky and thought about going to see her.
It had been weeks.
Some days he thought maybe she was better where she was…
He dug through her clothes now, remembering the days when she'd worn them - a flowery dress she'd worn when they'd had a picnic out in the cliff-side gardens and spent the afternoon in each others arms under the was a pair of shorts and t-shirt she'd worn over her swimmers, a short skirt that swayed with her hips just so when she was walking around the bathhouse hallways that made him want to run his hands up and down her creamy thighs. At least, he considered thoughtfully, he would always have these memories.
Haku's fingers brushed something deep in the box that he had not expected. He frowned and pushed the clothes out the way, grabbing the strange fabric and pulling it up and out of the box. Clothes fell over the side and into a heap as he did so until Haku held a heavy piece of clothing, covered in a wrapping of some strange see-through material.
For a long time, Haku studied the strange garment, until he realised it was folded and let the garment fall to the floor within its packaging. What revealed itself was a large, white dress. It was an expensive dress he didn't recognise, in some strange pattern and cut. It held peculiar smells and held a tiny little card was nestled against the neckline.
Many wishes on the greatest day of your life! All our love, the team at Lace & Memories: Bridal Boutique.
"Oh god."
Haku's hand covered his mouth as he suddenly felt sick. Gingerly he held the wedding gown, gently cradling it to his body with shaking hands.
What had he done?
Oh, Chihiro…
I found a way to call both stories "The Path of Water", don't ask me how, because I don't know. All I know is that I did it, but thanks to those people who left their story titles – they were really great and I was seriously considering changing the name to the offers given to me, so fantastic.
Also, fantastic job reviewing guys! I was worried a few people didn't shift over from Volume 1 when I said this would be chapter 53 onwards, but I'm glad you all read and took the time to review!
Sally, Sokka2Me, vatiekitez, fightergirl15,DSikitty2224, Pastache, Cinn, Scuffed-kicks, michelle88222, LeeshyLoo, Carly, FlutterbyBella, Kct7, Have a Nice Dream, DemonChild94, LaurenvBelladonna, Randomsam123, WhiteTiger246, Jade Mahoneysuckle, Savvyzzzz The Awesome Ninja and Superblueowl.
Thanks everyone, and please look out for an update on Thursday (Australian time), which roughly equates to a Wednesday in American/UK times, depending on where you're from. The date of update usually changes throughout the year, but it will be one chapter a week as per usual.
Also, if anyone has any spare time on their hands and is feeling creative over this festive season, I'd love a new cover art for this story. Similar to the last competition I held, I'll offer prizes of pre written chapters and worldwide recognition to the winner. Oweeo's cover to "The Path of Water: Volume One" was fantastic but it would be nice to have a different cover for a different volume, to distinguish between the two. If I have any artists out there willing to give it a shot, PM me and let me know!
That's all from me this week. Happy holidays! Please leave a review as a Christmas gift for me!
~ Arlia'Devi
