HAKU

Haku was about to follow Michio when Megumi caught his arm.

"Let her go."

Glancing back he found the female's gray eyes sharp with shrewd thoughts.

It was obvious that she had seen something he had not.

Frowning desolately, Haku wished he shared Megumi insight.

Michio's response was utterly baffling.

How was it such a simple play could inspire such hatred!?

"Yeah, man. She's being a stick in the mud anyway. Whoa!"

Loosing his grip, Jae dropped to the ground and sprawled out on the tatami. Kenka whooped loudly as he shot up to bump the rafters. Looking between them curiously, Okesa traipsed over only to use the human as a pillow as she poured him a saucer of sake.

"Neh, neh? Drink wit me, neh Jae-Jae?"

This he accepted without pause, downing it before frowning up at Okesa.

He tugged on the hem of her sweater as if disappointed.

"Where'd your pretty kimono go, kitty-kitty?"

Okesa blinked as her brow furrowed. Jae gasped, sitting up in surprise as she changed before his eyes. In a blink the cat was draped across his legs wearing the soft sumptuous black and red silk kimono from earlier. Gold and silver foil birds danced in her piled hair as she shook her head, gazing at him coyly as she poured him another saucer of sake.

"Dude!" Kenka hushed as shock sank him down onto the tatami beside them.

Okesa relieved him of the umbrella in exchange for a cup, charming him into her power with the tiny beguiling movements of her body. Every reach of her hand, drop of her shoulder, and tilt of her head dripped with flirtations. The humans were powerless to resist her persuasion.

"Drink wit us, Kenka!"

Kenka did not argue as she laughed shamelessly and poured him sake.

"Kampai!"

Haku cringed in pity at their cheer.

The males would regret this come morning.

"Can you do that too?"

Haku blinked rapidly as he looked back at Megumi.

He shrank as her intense gaze raked over him.

"P-pardon?"

"Can you change like she does?"

Again discomfort forced him to show rather than tell.

Megumi jolted much like Jae had as Haku pulled a ruse into place. At once he was dressed as he had been on stage. Blue and gold reflected off the drab beige walls as the fantastic textiles caught the buzzing electric light. The female's eyes nearly swallowed her face they went so very wide. She shrank a step, making the long blooming sleeves of her teal kimono swing and sway. Megumi, however, did not flee as Michio had. Encouraged by that Haku offered his sleeve, holding out the brilliant cloud patterned silk. Gingerly she reached out and touched the fabric with shaking hand. Her face cleared with awe as she rubbed the sleek substance between her fingers. But her eyes turned accusing once more as they lifted back to his.

"And the dancing? Was that magic too?"

Her quiet inquisition caught him off guard.

It shocked him into answering.

"N-no…"

Dissent glittered in her frigid glare.

"I don't believe you."

Haku wilted in exasperation.

"You have seen me dance before, Megumi-san."

She crossed her arms as her face darkened obstinately.

"Show me again. Prove to me it's not just a trick."

Goaded by the way she continued to speak to him as if he was a peasant to be commanded, the wind of Haku's indignation blew through the room. She thought his performance false! The fact that she believed him to be such a liar set Haku's blood boiling. Dance belonged to the Gods. It was one of the few things left to him from the being he had chosen to forsake.

He would answer her insolent demand.

He would show her truth.

He would show her how kami danced.

Again Megumi jumped as he stomped his foot, clambering back. The impact rattled the room as he ghosted backwards weightlessly sinking onto his toes. In the same movement fluidly he drew one hand his face to call up his mask. The other he flourished over his head. Haku froze there for a bated moment, holding his fingers poised as his sleeves swung pleasingly, sending flashes of gold and silver across the drab walls. Striking out, he unfurled Okesa's fans in a crisp snicks. They appeared out of nowhere in his hands.

No longer caring whether or not the human was watching, Haku's blood sang with elation as the bells rang in his chest like a peel of sunshine. Floating on the sound, hardly feeling the touch of the kiss of ground for he moved so lightly, he cut the fans through the air in an undulating motion, letting them become the waves of the sea. Strange that the ocean should inspire him now; but distantly it soaked him through. He could taste the salt on his lips. He could feel the kiss of the frigid wind on his skin. Making music with ever move, he rocked the center of his body, ebbed and receding like the fickle tide, until he drew and gathered back into a whirling twirl.

Then he sprang high like a breaking wave flashing blue and silver.

Leaping from the ground, only to crash on the imagines shore.

Gliding forward as the wind beneath his heels let him drift uncannily.

As he flowed to stillness the same wind broke over Megumi, making her hair billow. She shrank from him as a human might flee the hissing foam of a breaking wave. As he stood over her triumph surged in his heart; because she was looking at him the way a mortal might see a God: with complete and utter awe.

Megumi was trembling from head to toe.

But as with Michio it was not with fear.

Jealousy glittered in the female's pale eyes. Her lips drew into a grim line as she tossed a hand over her shoulder as if directing him toward the location of her past. She chewed on every word as if they cost her great shame, spitting them angrily under her breath.

"Everything you said in the studio was right. I'm mechanical. Perfect technical skill but no emotion. No feeling. My brother used to call me the wind- up ballerina.

A self-derisive sneer eroded her tight lipped primness.

It left her red nosed and with the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"I've studied my whole life at the best studios in the world! I've had the best teachers! And still I can't get it right! I don't know what I'm doing wrong!"

Here envy flooded her face as she looked up at him.

Gone was all the accusation and doubt she turned on him before.

"But you... I've never seen anything like you... You're everything I could hope to be and so much more! I don't understand how you can be real!"

Haku shrank from her vehemence, struck dumb by her pronouncement. Never in a thousand years did he expect such a compliment from Megumi. But in this moment, as he stared at her open face, he felt as if he was seeing Megumi for the first time. Not as what she put herself forward to the world, but the person she hid behind her judgments and haughty assumptions. Looking at her now was like looking at himself. He found in her a shadow of the dragon he had been. They were the same: lonely and lost yet drowned by their own pride.

Haku jerked, yanked from his thoughts as she seized his sleeve.

All that was left in her now was desperate hungry wanting.

He knew that look far too well.

She bent beneath its weight.

"Show me how to dance like that! Please?!"

It was the first time she had asked him for anything.

Not commanded, or order, but sincerely entreated his help.

Haku pushed up his mask letting it fade with the rest of his ruse.

Silently he studied the hope flickering in her eyes.

He knew not even where to start or even if such a thing was possible.

But for her sake he would try.

Coming to stand beside her, Haku settled his weight forward onto his toes, swiveling slightly as he centered himself there perfectly balanced. Heat climbed into his cheeks as Megumi studied him with intense focus, immediately imitating his form. Though she was an image of grace poised in her teal kimono, already she was failing. She had not centered herself, but not due to lack of skill. He could see the fear in her. She kept glancing at him sideways, verifying again and again that she held herself correctly. As a result she lost track and became unbalanced.

Such an effort was folly. She could not find center by copying him. She needed to look inward, not outward at him. But as Haku straightened, frowning as he pulled at the fringe of his hair trying to think of what to say, anger and frustration flared in her face. Before he could reassure her Megumi broke form throwing up her hands in despair.

"See!? I'm hopeless!"

"Megumi-san…" Haku began gently but she cut him off.

"Save it! I'm an idiot for still trying!"

She snapped furiously as she stormed for the door.

Megumi was not listening anymore.

Haku realized then that she had never been listening.

For some reason she refused to hear him, giving up without trying.

Whatever he chose to say would be useless.

Better then that he show her.

Haku flicked his fan, making the bell ring commandingly.

The sound swung her around.

Her face drained of color as she returned to her place beside him

Smooth and fluid, her hands followed his to the ready position.

One high and one low; elegantly poised like the sun and earth.

With another flick of the fan he guided her to center.

Together in perfect unison they floated forward on the tips of their toes.

Only to wheel in a circle, gliding and ghosting on a wind of his making.

It rustled their clothing as they floated back to their origin.

She began to fight as the shock wore off, turning her head toward him.

With a flick of his fan he directed her gaze forward.

"Do not look at me," he instructed quietly, "I am not here."

Sinking lower over his heels Haku used the bell to force her to focus inward.

"Remember the umbrella, Megumi-san. It is as your feet left the floor."

Haku placed a hand on his lower stomach.

"Search for the sensation of weightless and hold it here."

She blinked rapidly as her hand followed his motion to rest on her obi. As she nodded shakily Haku broke form and stepped backwards so she could not see him. He studied her from behind; watching her perch on the edge of balance. Folding his hand he slowly withdrew his hold, leaving her teetering there.

"Lift your hands." He instructed gently.

She complied, gracefully lifting her fingers into a perfect replica of his motions. This time she did so without help, sinking low over her toes as she wheeled round. In a testament to her true ability Megumi floated through the movements he had shown her, performing beautifully by human standards.

"Good! Very good, Megumi-san!"

Haku found himself smiling until Jae swore beneath his breath.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ!"

He had completely forgotten about the males! Haku spun on his toes only to find Jae and Kenka were staring at him much like Megumi. They were looking at him the way a mortal might see a God: with complete and utter awe. Earlier he wanted this; wanted to prove to Megumi that he was no liar. But now Haku flustered in embarrassment under their scrutiny as heat flooded his face. He shrank into the wind of his disquiet as Megumi seized his arm and wheeled him around.

"W-what did you do to me!?"

Throwing up his hands in supplication Haku made the bell on his fan ring.

"It is only as you requested," he returned quickly, "I showed you how."

"Show us next!"

Kenka was on his feet, hauling Jae upright as they scrambled over to take up position where Megumi once stood. With a heavy sigh Okesa forsook her sake bottle to scoop the pancakes from griddle to plate, daintily holding back her sumptuous sleeves.

"Tch! Why y'gotta spoil my fun, kitten? We wuz drink' 'n' now we's dancin'!"

"Ha!" Jae laughed as he hung on Kenka to keep from falling over, grinning back at the cat, "That's t'great thing 'bout parties, kitty-kitty! We can do both at the same time!"


CHIHIRO

She slipped in the snow, catching a branch to keep from falling.

The stacked zori were not meant for mountain climbing.

Neither was her gorgeous kimono.

Breathing hard thanks to the climb, Chihiro made slow progress. At least she was warm now. Well, warmer. As she carefully picking her way through the dense trees she tried not to get it caught on anything. Would Onsen be pissed if she got mud on it? Chihiro fervently hoped not. The pitch black forest around her was completely quiet save for the crunch of snow under her feet. The silence was super creepy, making her feel like all kinds of things were watching her. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the ebb and hiss of the ocean. That freaked her out even more.

Glancing ahead she could see the trees thinning.

Suddenly light gathered over her head, pale and warm.

Looking up Chihiro gaped at Chouchin as she drifted high; illuminating an enormous stone torii gate loomed over the path. Chihiro hadn't even seen it! Slowly the true moon emerged from behind cloud as Chihiro nervously crept out from under the stone archway. A clearing opened around her as the filtered light of the lantern slowly seeped through the trees. It caught on the pluming cloud of her breath, settling like snow on the score of stone monuments previously hidden by the dark. It took her a moment to recognize the grave markers. She gritted her teeth as more and more resolved out of the dark around her.

Great. Just great.

Of course she'd stumble right into the middle of a graveyard.

What a great way to spend New Year's Eve!

Chihiro shrank with a gasp as something moved in the periphery of her vision. A cold sweat froze on her upper lip as her heart surged into her throat, throbbing in her ears. Whirling toward it, she struggled to see through the dark as again the shadow glided by. Chouchin thumped right into the side of her head quivering in terror. Chihiro caught the obake in her arms, holding it close as her skin crawled.

The ghost looked over its shoulder.

It wore a sad mask of white that reminded Chihiro of a Noh play.

It beckoned before pouring like smoke between the ancient standing stones, disappearing further into the cemetery. Dancing from foot to foot uncomfortably, Chihiro hesitated as her knees shook. Kami were one thing; but ghosts were something else entirely! But something was different about this specter. It obviously wanted to show her something. Curiosity burned in her frozen blood. Breathing a shaky breath, finally she released Chouchin and forced herself to follow. Sidling down the hill, Chihiro peered ahead into the dark as she caught sight of a blue light.

But it wasn't periwinkle orb.

This floated and bobbed like an otherworldly moon.

There was no mistaking the fox fire.

Chihiro watch as beneath the single orb of flickering fire Suzume bowed over his hands in silent prayer. Looking like a ghost himself, the fox was dressed in a plain white kimono and hakema. His ragged ebony hair hung in an uneven mess around his face. He kneeled on a mat in front of a massive family complex of grave markers. It had been swept clean. Offerings of sasaki leaves, rice, and sake were placed in front of a brand new stone marker stood out against the weathered pillars.

Again Chihiro startled at movement in the peripheries of the dark.

Staring from the corners of her eyes she froze as the world came to a standstill.

The foxfire stopped flickering.

The smoke from the incensed froze.

Chouchin locked into place midair.

Eerie silence fell over the clearing until all she could hear was her furiously hammering heart. Dark seemed to bleed from every corner of the courtyard. It pooled around her like water, bring with it a bitter, bitter cold. Slowly, as if soaking up all the shadows in the clearing, the ghosts appeared. The taller held tightly to the hand of the little ghost in the sparrow's mask. Forlornly the child watched Suzume as if all she wanted was to join him.

Slowly the big ghost reached up and removed her mask.

Chihiro held her breath.

She'd seen a photo of Manami.

That was the only reason she recognized the ghost.

As if she's just climbed out of the bay her long black hair flowed down her shoulders wet and plastered to her body. She faded away into nothing just about at the knee. As Chihiro's heart throbbed in her ears she gritted her teeth again a bone-rattling shiver. Because Amano's dead wife was looking right at her with clouded white eyes. Under any other circumstance Chihiro would've ran right back to the shrine. But the ghost wore an expression of sadness that displaced any fear her appearance inspired. At once Chihiro was babbling, trying to say something that would help.

"I'll take care of him, okay? Please don't worry."

That didn't help. If anything Manami looked even more troubled as her clouded gaze slide sideways to focus on her instead. Chihiro's chest tightened with apprehension as premonition hung over her head like the ominous shadows pooling at the ghost's feet. Manami looked like she wanted to say something. Her lips moved, but Chihiro couldn't hear. Taking a step closer she strained her ears. But still; there was only the sound of her furiously beating heart.

"I… I can't hear you, Manami!"

The ghost bowed her head in despair as she faded taking Reika with her.

Chihiro utter a squeak as abruptly sound and movement flooded around her.

The fox fire overhead guttered loudly, making the shadows dance.

"Child," Suzume growled, "Have you not spied upon me enough today?"

Stammering wordlessly, she pointed a trembling finger at nothing.

The ghosts were gone.

All the same Suzume cocked his head to the side.

"So we have had a visitation."

He muttered the word irritably as if terribly annoyed.

With his back still to her Suzume explained quietly.

"They cannot stay in this world after tonight. Manami seems to think hiding Reika from me will make this parting easier. It will not."

His voice gentled as he spoke the old woman's name.

"The boundaries between the worlds are thinnest at winter and summer solstice. Unfortunately that means they will not be able to return again for some time."

With tender care the fox sat up on his knees to touch the newest stone memorial.

Here he grew wistful, talking to himself now.

"I look forward to dancing with them at Obon."

Chihiro stared at him as worry soaked her through with cold. But before she could come over and sit down beside him again the fox fire guttered. Chouchin shrank with a sparking hiss, darting to hide behind Chihiro's back. Sinking back onto his heels Suzume tightened his hands into fists against his knees. They were still black, stained with the marks he'd earned when he tried to lift Sengen's curse. Suzume was sad when he spoke next; really, really sad.

"I know Reika brought you here to comfort me. Do not think me ungrateful, child. But I… I am so very lost at the moment! I would rather be alone than be unkind to you."

Chihiro hesitated.

This was the closest thing to an apology that she'd ever get from the fox.

Chihiro would've ignored his request.

Chihiro would've gone over and sat down next to the fox.

Chihiro also regularly pissed Suzume off.

But Sen knew better.

Chouchin followed uncertainly as Chihiro turned and left the clearing. Clumsily she picked her way through the trees in the lantern's dim light, walking right into every mud puddle, tripping sticks, and low hanging branch. She hardly saw them, too caught up in the mess of thoughts inside her head. Even though Suzume had asked her to go depression weighed on her like a physical burden.

And she couldn't not think about Lin and Kiri.

Not knowing what to do was just as bad as not knowing what had.

Even worse was the terrible thought that there might not be anyone to look for.

Tears pricked her eyes as laughter, music, and light filtered through the trees. It rolled in waves off of the shrine grounds as she clambered down the hillside. But she hardly heard or saw it now. Earlier she'd been all kinds of excited about coming into town. Now all she wanted was to get out of her constricting obi, have a bath, and then fall into a pile of futons. She thought about going to find the others to tell them she was going home. But Haku'd probably insist on coming home with her. He looked like he was having such a great time with Cinna.

She didn't want to ruin his fun or anyone else's.

She wanted them to have a normal evening for once.

Well… As normal a night as possible for them.

Who knows when they'd get another chance?

Utterly exhausted, Chihiro turned her back on the festival and made for the front door to the shrine residence. The lantern followed in her shadow like a dog, bumping into the back of her head as she sighed heavily. The bath tile was still hanging from a nail tacked into the slider's frame. It snapped to the door like a magnet as she pulled it open. Blissfully silent the dark kitchen yawned ahead of her. A shiver of magic crawled across her skin as she crossed the threshold. Shutting the back door on the gleeful sounds of the festival Chihiro shuffled across the kitchen heading for the bath wing. But as she pushed through the split curtain she came up short as dim light filtered down the hall from the great room. Peering through a crack in the doors she found the yokai seated at the massive table that ran the length of the room.

A sea of shells was strewn across the table.

They gleamed in the candle light like bits of ivory.

Bozu scratched his tonsured pate, searching the table with deep concentration.

Flipping two of the shells over, he revealed the painting inside.

One was of an oni mask. The other showed a smiling woman.

"Bah!" The goblin sank back on his heels in defeat.

Abruptly one of the shells flipped back over without him touching.

Another further down the table flipped over revealing another smiling woman.

It was a matched pair and the shells jumped.

Bozu scowled with his single eye as they joined the growing pile opposite him.

Clutching his tiny fist he hit the table top.

"Stupid house is cheating!"

As the house creaked and snapped indignantly she withdrew with a grin. Regardless of what Cinna thought of the goblin, Chihiro was glad.

It looked like Onsen had found some company.

As if repelled by the moisture Chouchin drifted away Chihiro trudged into the bath wing. Flicking on the lights in the woman's changing area and carefully extricated herself from the gorgeous kimono. Naked and shivering, she scooted over to the storage closet where the yukata were kept. As she opened the cabinet she blinked. Haku's thickly padded green kimono neatly folded on the top of the pile. It was completely out of odds with the rest of the indigo fabric. A lick of heat kindled in her cheeks as she remembered they'd left it on the floor last night. Onsen must have cleaned it and put it away with the others. Remembering how soft it was she shook it out only to pause as something fell from the folds.

It bounced off the floor only to roll.

She startled from the bright flash of the mirror.

It circled, clattering softly as it tipped over on the tiles.

Chihiro stared at it trying to breathe as her heart thundered up into her ears.

She'd forgotten all about it.

She shoved her arms into the green kimono, distantly noting it smelled like spicy smoke. Chihiro hastily tied it around her waist, hoisting the extra length so she could scoot over and kneel beside the circle of silver. It had come to rest polished side down. On its back was an ornate raised relief of two twining dragons. Their twisting coils became a motif of waves. The inset blue stones of their eyes glittered ominously, almost watching her.

Her insides scrambled as uncertainty ran rampant in her head. Not knowing completely trampled her resolve. It left her shaking with dread. It drove her to pick up the mirror up. The metal was so unbelievably cold it burned. Her hands shook as she remembered the way Keiichi handled the thing. The thing obviously scared the hell out of him. One look; that's all it would take; just enough to see Lin. That's all she wanted. That wasn't too much to ask, was it?

As she turned over the smooth side Chihiro stared at her reflection.

She blinked in disappointment as nothing happened.

Then a blinding flash hit her eyes like sharp shards of shattered glass.

Chihiro recoiled with a scream. Her feet left the ground as she fell backwards. She screamed again as she continued to fall, plunging through open air at a dizzying speed until she smashed through the surface of the ocean. Stunned by the shock, the salty and frigid water sucked her down, pulling her under. She struggled, thrashing as the pressure crushed in on her. Opening her mouth to scream the water invaded, stinging inside her nose, filling her lungs with heaving fire.

All the while the light remained inside her eyes, angrily twisting, digging deeper and deeper into her head; until it exploded into a flood of shapes, smells, and unimaginable impressions so intensely vivid it felt like her head was going to burst open under the pressure from the searing burning seething pain. But before her head could pop like a bubble; before the crushing weight of the water could swallow her whole; the ocean rolled her sideways into a churning spin only to smash her back against the sandy bottom.

Coughing and gagging, Chihiro sat up out the surf as the waves hissed back

The angry tide dragged at her legs, trying to pull her back under.

But frozen arms held her.

Anchoring her in the frothy liminal edge where the ocean met the shore.

His hoarse worried whisper tickled against her neck like effervescent spray.

"Okay, this's got t'be t'stupidest thing I've seen you do yet!"

Hauling in breath after breath, she sagged in Hidé's arms.

Looking out of the water she stared at the hidden harbor by the old village.

A bow of stars hung in the indigo sky over the distant snow capped walls of stone.

They blurred as she screwed her eyes shut against the burn of salt.

"I… I just wanted to know if Lin and Kiri're still alive!"

Hidé didn't scold her.

She was exceedingly grateful for that.

All the same, he paused uncertainly.

He whispered beneath his breath like he didn't want to know.

She could barely hear him over the dull distant roar of waves.

"What did you see?"

It was kinda funny that he didn't know already.

Strange actually, but in the worst kind of way.

It reminded Chihiro that even Gods didn't know everything.

And that scared her so much she didn't know what to do!

Rocking forward clutching her head, she cringed from the surf as it surged around her waist. It was so very cold; so very, very cold! She kept waiting to wake up. Because this was too terrible to real! But she didn't wake up. She was already wide awake and trapped by the hellish nightmare Sengen had shown her. Because Chihiro hadn't just seen what was happening now. The goddess had only been only too happy to show her glimpse of what was going to happen in the future. But it was a mess inside her head, jumbled and tangled forward and backwards like a snarl of string. Chihiro tried to escape the pull of the waves, struggling in Hidé's unyielding grip she recoiled from the visions, trying not to see all over again what she'd seen. Because she had seen, terrible, terrible things! She didn't want to admit how much she understood. Not yet!

"Can I change what I saw!?"

Chihiro choked on the words as her throat closed under the vice of terror.

As Hidé hesitated her hands tightened on his arm and gave a vicious shake.

"Can I change it!?"

"S-sure you can, boss," He murmured at a loss, just as bewildered as before, "Fate's not set in stone like t'stories make it out t'be."

Thankfully he didn't ask her again to tell him what she'd seen.

Again Chihiro slumped in his grip.

She tried not to cringe as another wave rolled by, lapping under her chin.

Furiously she hissed through her chattering teeth to keep from sobbing.

"Why does she hate me so much!?"

Here Hidé's arms tightened around her middle almost possessively.

"She doesn't hate you, Boss. She's afraid of you."

Chihiro blinked and blinked and blinked some more.

"Why?"

Hidé sighed gustily, kicking up a swift breeze that send the waves foaming.

"A God renounced himself so he could be with you, Chihiro. It pisses her off because it scares t'crap outta her. She doesn't get why anyone would want to be human."

Before Chihiro mull that over Hidé stood. He pulled her upright as the white capped waves lift and break around them. Before she could turn he slipped something over her head. Something hard and small knocked against Haku's scale. Chihiro jolted as the bell in her heart rang resoundingly inside her ears. Staring down at her gaping kimono Chihiro blinked the glittering blue jewel. She'd worn it once before during the summer matsuri. It was one of the three treasures of the Kumomi Shrine; the second was the mirror she'd stolen from Keiichi, and the third was the sword Hidé put in her hand.

She stared even more stupidly at the short sheathed blade.

Like the silver mirror it burned beneath her fingers.

Like the mirror, twin dragons twined around its hilt.

Their sapphire eyes glared at her suspiciously.

Just holding it made her skin crawl!

As she tried to give it back Hidé insisted, covering her hands with his.

"I won't let her hurt you but I can't promise I can do t'same for what's beyond t'sea an' that seriously scares t'shit outta me!"

She looked up as his voice cracked, nearly drowning all over again in the desperate expression in his endless blue eyes. Just as abruptly she looked away as her heart squeezed up into her throat. Even though he was all kinds of Godish he still managed to look human.

Fear was the great equalizer.

No one was immune, not even kami.

He put his hands on her shoulders, steadying her in the beating waves.

They burned against her skin, just as cold as the sword clutched in her hands.

"I can't come with you so at least take these. They're mine now, not my mom's. They're my gift t'you. Use them t'even things out as much as you can."

Chihiro's hear thrilled up into her throat as he leaned in close.

The response was so automatic it was shocking.

Screwing her eyes shut, she struggled to swallow the stab of pain in her throat.

All kinds of difficult things swam uncomfortable circles in her chest.

Because she thought she was past all this; apparently not entirely.

Shame burned her cheeks.

Her knees shook as he planted a simple kiss on her forehead.

His frozen lips whispered against her skin as he lingered for a moment.

"Stay close to t'ocean, Chihiro. I'll be looking for you."

Then a wave stuck her from behind.

She uttered a truncated shriek as it heaved her up off her feet, rushing up over her head in a gurgling bubbling cacophony that swept her forward. Buoyant and tumbling in circles, again her back hit the bottom. But this time it wasn't sand. The hard floorboards knocked against her head so soundly she saw lightning in the burbling dark. Like a stunned bit of flotsam she was left at the water's mercy. But the wave's strength was ebbing. It dwindled, depositing her on the ground and pulling at her feebly as it trickled by. Distantly she could hear it dribbling somewhere below her head.

Drip, drip, drip.

The floor vibrated beneath her back as swift footsteps jolted the boards.

Water splashed her face, making her jolt as hands seized her.

She stared up into Suzume's stricken face only to cough up a mouthful of salt water. He rolled her on her side, pounding on her back as she continued to retch, not helping at all, actually. She was forced to drop the mirror and the sword to bat at his hands, trying to get him to stop. As they clattered loudly the fox recoiled with a gasp. Finally able to breathe again, she flopped over onto her back and glared at him furiously.

He was plastered against the ruined ribs of the paper sliders.

Soaked through, his spider silk hair was a tangled mess.

With open loathing he stared askance at the jewel around her neck.

Growing more and more appalled, his eyes flashed to the sword then the mirror.

As they darted back to her it was obvious he'd figured things out.

"Child!" Suzume's choked in dismay, "What have you done!?"