Coming Back
Hello all of my fellow readers! Here's chappie two! YAY! clap clap I hope this doesn't seem too short to anyone...it was long in my notebook. A special thanks to HakuDragon01 ( I hope this is the right one...my conputer deleted it...GOMEN NASAI!) for the wonderful review you gave me! It really made my day! And a special thanks also to dark chocolate princess for your great review too! And now without further adieu, here is chappie 2!
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away, its characters, plot line, anything. It is the property of Mr. Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. I just own this adorable story! Come on...who's jelous?
The wind rustled Chihiro's hair, rousing her from her sleep. ' Did I leave the window open?' She felt herself being carried by something. ' And since when did my window seat get covered in snake skin?' The scales were cool and smooth to her touch. 'Wait… it can't be…' Memories of déjà vu flooded her mind. She was flying on Haku. "You did it Chihiro! I remember now! I am the spirit of the Kohaku River!" Haku yelled to her over the rush of wind around them.
"Haku!" she yelled out, her eyes bursting open. It was his luminous ivory scales that she felt under her hands. It was his wild, untamed teal mane tickling her face as it blew in the wind. And it was him who was taking her back to the bathhouse. "Haku! It is you! But how…" She fingered the necklace absentmindedly. It answered her question in her mind. She saw herself sitting on the window seat, wishing on a star. The necklace began to glow… "Is that why you gave this to me?" she asked pointedly, looking at the back of his head. He looked back at her. She took this to mean 'yes'. "Oh Haku…thank you!"
She borrowed down and nuzzled her face into his mane, and wrapped her arms tighter around his belly. She saw red and gold lights, the lights of the Spirit World, pass by underneath. She let go of Haku with one hand and pretended to grab a small lantern, like she used to do when she was younger. She could see through her hand.
"Aaah!" she screamed. "Oh no! Not again! My hand…my hand! What do I do Haku!" Her panic seemed to speed up the process of disappearing. She fell through Haku, and hurtled to the ground. Her limbs were limp, and she looked like a rag doll, as she fell unconscious towards the ever closer ground. Haku found something within give him a surge of energy. He flew faster and faster, gathering speed to rescue her…
"-hiro?" A voice called to her from somewhere far away. "Chihiro?" Her eyes fluttered and her hand twitched. She felt a warm hand brush against her cheek. She gave a soft moan of pain, and her eyes fluttered open. She saw a hazy face in front of her.
"Haku?" She asked.
"Chihiro!" He pulled her into his arms. "Thank goodness you are okay. I thought I was going to lose you…"
"Haku…you saved me…thank you," she said, whispering the last part into his ear. His embrace tightened around her. She began to slump slightly, her body succumbing to weakness. Haku turned her around, and supported her head with his shoulder. He spooned an amber-colored liquid into her mouth. She found traces of radishes as it touched her tongue.
"I put a spell on it. It will give you back your strength," Haku explained to her, spooning more broth slowly into her mouth. She nodded and swallowed. She finished the broth and then fell asleep again, Haku still holding her. He heard Lin open the conjoining doors behind him. The creak of the wooden doors seemed to excite the soot balls. She took her basket and threw enchanted lemon candies out to them.
"She's sleeping again…Haku?" Lin asked concerned. Haku nodded. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Of course she will be. Look who's taking care of her," interjected Kamaji. Lin nodded.
"Kamaji, don't you have anything that would speed up her recovery?"
"I'm afraid not. She has to find it within herself," the boiler man replied. Haku muttered a spell.
"Htgnerts reh revocer reh pleh, em nihtiw dniw dna revir eht fo rewop eht yb… She should be alright now," concluded Haku. " I can feel her strength." Lin smiled.
"Good. I'm glad everything is going to be okay." Haku set her down gently next to him and pulled the covers up around her.
"Hey Kamaji!" scolded Lin. " Didn't I tell you to leave out your dishes when you're done eating out of them? The kitchen won't let me carry up anymore food until I give back your dishes!" Lin held out her wicker basked expectantly with an annoyed expression on her face. Kamaji, who had just been faced with three bath tokens at once, pointed to a pile of disgusting dishes in the corner. Lin looked like she was about to throw up. The sight of flies buzzing around them didn't help matters much either.
"Ya know you could at least eat all the food out of them before you tossed them," said Lin, nervously edging towards the dishes. " After all I do…" said Lin, sighing, and started loading the dishes into her basket. Haku squatted down beside her.
"I'll help you bring down some of these dishes. I have to go get some more broth for her anyway, so it's no trouble," Haku told her, taking up a collection of cups and saucers.
Walking down one of the elegantly lighted corridors, the silence was becoming awkward. As they entered a downward elevator, Lin decided to break the silence.
"I just hope the little dope is okay…" said Lin.
"As do I…I don't know what I would do without her…" Haku said, his eyes focusing on the concrete wall.
"Ah ha…I see how it is…" said Lin eyeing him suspiciously. Haku looked at her.
"How what is?"
" You like her, don'tcha?"
Haku blushed and focused on the wall again.
"Was it that obvious?" he mumbled.
"Pretty much," said Lin, matter of factly. The elevator stopped moving and the doors opened to the bustling, busy kitchen, preparing dinner for the bathhouse at the moment. Lin shoved the basket of soiled dishes to a frog-human in front of a large tub, filled to the brim with snow white soap suds, and white china dishes. The frog-human grumbled, but allowed her to pour them into the tub. Haku also placed his dishes into the tub. The head chef noticed this and called out,
" Master Haku! What a pleasant surprise! Are you perhaps here for a cup of tea for Yubaba?" Haku smiled.
"No, I'm not here for Yubaba. I need some more of that broth you made me earlier today, please." The chef motioned to one of the busy bodies next to him. He quickly poured a brownish liquid into a large, deep pot, and lit a red-gold flame beneath it. When it reached boiling point, it was transferred into a large soup bowl, and put on a tray with two smaller bowls, two spoons, and a pitcher of water. The chef presented this to Haku.
"As you requested, Master Haku. I hope it is to your liking." He bowed as Haku took the tray. Haku nodded his head. He wadded back through the crowds to find Lin, a tray with Kamaji's dinner in her hands. Lin smiled.
"Let's go back then!"
The bathhouse was dark and quiet when Chihiro awoke again. Stars dazzled in the sky outside, as Haku's eyes did in the dim light of the boiler room. She sat up slowly, and turned to face Haku.
"Good morning, I mean…er…good evening?" Haku greeted. Chihiro burst out laughing. Seeing her, Haku did the same. "So does this mean you are feeling better?" Haku asked serious, his voice concerned.
"Much better, thank you!" said Chihiro cheerily. Haku smiled warmly.
"I'm glad."
" I'm sorry to be such a bother to you though," said Chihiro, hanging her head.
"Don't be," said Haku, lifting her head up to face him. "It was no trouble, really. Here, have some soup," said Haku, offering her a bowl.
"Only if you'll eat it with me," Chihiro said teasingly. Haku smiled.
"Of course," he spooned a bowl for himself.
"Haku?" Chihiro said, in between slurping her soup. " Do you think Yubaba will give me a job here again?"
"Sure," he replied, looking at her. "Who wouldn't want such and adorable hard worker?" Chihiro blushed deeply. They sat in the semi darkness, finishing their soup together, and wondering what was to become of tomorrow.