Sorry for the wait! Wanted to keep the suspense after the cliff hanger I left. Thank you Katty4life for the review and hope you like the meeting which I have finally released! YoursAnonymous I hope you enjoy the update! Please read and review if you haven't already and disclaimer - I don't own any of the spirited away characters. The others I have made up like Akihito, if they show any similarities to another story I was not aware this is just what has come from my imagination. Anyway enjoy!
Chihiro awoke the next morning to a somber feel about the place, seeing Akihito still asleep she smiled before deciding to explore, checking the time she felt it would be safe to walk without her fan as it was still early morning. She walked around the bath house and studied all the walls and the pillars. She still couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. Frowning she walked out the house and crossed the bridge not realising till she was on the other side that she had held her breath. 'Now why would I need to hold my breath over a bridge?' She pondered, lost in her own thoughts she didn't see the man sitting in front of her until she tripped over him. "Ouch, oh I'm so sorry sir!" She stood up quickly and bowed in an apologetic manner.
"The fault is mine entirely for sitting so close to the bridge I just didn't think anyone would be up" the man bowed back to her, as they both straightened up she recognised him as the owner of the bath house. Studying him she couldn't help but notice his eyes were wet, like he had been crying.
"Forgive me if I am too forward but are you okay sir?" She asked tentatively, Haku stared at her face in confusion, she looked so familiar but he didn't know any kitsune spirits especially one of great power. Hearing her question he smiled sadly.
"I am fine. Just thinking" he muttered stiffly not wanting to reveal what he knew, "how are you enjoying your stay my lady?"
"It is quite pleasant thank you and such a beautiful bathhouse." She smiled as she looked up at it in awe before seeing a black crow circling, instinctively she flinched, but she was unsure as to why she did it. Haku studied her trying to place where he had met her before, upon seeing her reaction to the crow he frowned and opened his mouth to ask her about it.
"Dragon boy! Is it true! Is Sen really dead!" Rin ran over the bridge her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Haku, she willed him to say it was a rumour, she willed him to say no but all she saw was sadness in his eyes and she knew it was true.
"I'm sorry Rin, Zeniba told me" he looked at the weasel spirit who stood there lost. "Call me master Haku" he muttered as he thought of all the things he had said to her, he can still remember the crestfallen look on her face as he was cold to her. If he could go back in time he would never be cold to her again. Chihiro watched the exchange quietly until she heard those words, she frowned as once again her body was riddled with the feeling of hearing them words before, her mind desperately tried to grasp at the memories that were blocked behind a barrier. She winced at the pain it caused before her eyes rolled back and she gracefully fell to the floor.
"My Lady!" Rin yelled as Haku caught the female kitsune before she could hit the floor "Is she okay? What is wrong with her? Should I get her brother" Rin rambled unsure of what to do, she wasn't entirely sure as to what was making her panic.
"No we will take her to Zeniba, her brother has business he needs to attend too." Haku answered grimly before he closed his eyes and transformed into his dragon form. Rin picked up the lady before climbing uncertainly on Haku's back.
"if you drop us dragon boy, I'll never forgive you." She threatened as Shen climbed on with the lady in her clutches before Haku took off flying then too Zeniba's.
"No-face, we are about to have guests, can you lay the table for 5 people and I'll prepare some tea and cakes." Zeniba spoke as she looked up from her knitting and spoke to the masked Spirit.
"Uh, uh" he replies before setting the table, he couldn't help but wonder who would come and see them, before long there was a knock at the door and it opened to reveal Haku and Lin, in Haku's atm was a beautiful lady who was unconscious.
"Lay her down in one of the rooms Haku." Zeniba ordered after staring curiously at the girl. "Don't panic children she is fine, but she is a new spirit so the change has been hard on her. She just needs to rest." She reassured them before sitting down to pour everyone a cup of tea.
"Zeniba, because Chihiro is dead, does that mean her spirit will be somewhere in this world?" Rin asked her voice tinged with hope as her whole body sat tense not wanting to hear the answer.
"I'm afraid not dear, she was a human her spirit would go to the afterworld for humans." She sighed softly as she thought about her granddaughter and her brown hair with her wide brown eyes, she had been a thing of beauty that she was unaware of and had the heart of a saint, affecting everyone she came into contact with. "Ah our guest is awake, come our dear." She called in a cheerful voice before the door swung open and everyone turned to see her. Suddenly four cups dropped and smashed, four mouths hung open.
"Forgive me for being such trouble to you all." Chihiro said after watching the cups drop she bowed in apology "it happens sometimes when I try to remember my past." She smiled gently before frowning in confusion as they continued to stare.
"You…you are all seeing what I'm seeing right?" Haku asked his voice ripe with emotion as he stared at the girl before him. They nodded slowly.
"Sorry we are being rude, have some tea my dear." Zeniba offered before she rose from her seat and prepared her a cup of very special tea she had made herself for such an occasion. "This should help" she passed it to the lady as she sat down, taking a sip she felt slowly the barrier in her mind disintegrate.
Chihro closed her eyes as memories cane flooding through, of her human life, of her friends, of her death and of here. She opened her eyes and stared at the emerald eyes boy who she held very close to her heart. She looked at everyone around the table in turn not believing her eyes.
"Chihro?" Haku tentatively asked causing her eyes to snap back to him. She had grown so much, her face had lost its baby fat which defined her slender looking face, her brown hair hung down by her hips and her brow eyes were framed by her full lengthy lashes. Her lips were full and beautiful he couldn't help but wonder how they would feel against his lips. Blushing slightly at the thought he looked away.
She couldn't believe it was Haku before her, his hair dark hair hung to his shoulders, his muscles more defined and his whole aura seemed to be kinder, she wanted to hug him but she snapped out of it remembering the promise he failed to keep. Instead she turned to Rin who was watching with tears in her eyes.
"You're alive, I mean you're a spirit but you're here!" Rin whispered in awe as she hugged the girl she called her sister. Chihiro smiled as she relaxed in Ron's arms, she could feel Haku's stare on the back of her neck but she continued to ignore him too hurt to even try and be civil.