~Vaster than the Sea, Wider than the Sky~
Disclaimer: The characters in this fanfiction belong to Studio Ghibli. Copyright infringement is not intended.
"It was supposed to be a nice little outing! You promised!" Fujimoto thundered. Risa flinched.
"You never said there were spirits there! You in fact said it was nice! Quiet! Relaxing!" she yelled back.
Trumped for a second, Fujimoto could only glare at her in impotent fury. "Alright! It was an accident. Had I not found out earlier…" he toppled weakly into a chair. Ponyo patted her father's knee soothingly. "S'ok," she said. "Nobody got hurt."
Her father glowered at her. "Is that blood I see on your arm?" he demanded. Ponyo held up her arm and examined it closely. "Where?"
"There!"
They all leaned in to look.
"It's only a scratch," Risa and Ponyo protested together.
"Knowing you two, you'll admit it's an injury only after you're already unconscious," he muttered and lay back moaning. "Oh my poor head!"
Risa shook her head. "Your head hurts! What about us? We were nearly gored by a deer, attacked by who knows what -,"
She stopped mid-rant, having remembered something and lowered her voice conspicuously. There was no telling how much Chihiro knew at this point. "Didn't you say you had a dragon as a guest?"
"I never did," Fujimoto whispered and then pointed at Sousuke. "He probably was the one."
"Where is that dragon?"
"How should I know?" he all but groaned.
She frowned. It wasn't like it had been him who had been there. Her chief concern was her guest. That girl had been staring out of the window since they had arrived at Ponyo's and Risa was worried.
"Chihiro?"
The girl twitched as though she had been electrified and turned round vaguely. "I'm sorry, what were you all saying?"
Risa shook her head. "Are you alright?" she asked gently. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"
Chihiro managed a smile. "I'm fine. Maybe I'm just tired…" She touched the elastic band in her ponytail. "I'm… just…" She sighed wistfully. "I think I hit my head just now," she admitted. The nurse in Risa reacted instinctively and she pursed her lip in disapproval after conducting a brief check.
"Then you are most definitely not fine. Come on, I have no doubt Fujimoto would have a medical kit somewhere. I need to get that swelling on your head down before I get you to a clinic."
"Oh, there's no need," Chihiro protested feebly, only to have it brushed aside firmly.
"Absolutely not," Risa replied crisply. "There's no telling if you had a concussion unless we get you examined."
Chihiro sighed but submitted to being ministered anyway. From her experience, nurses often got their way. The good ones anyway, and Risa was definitely good at her chosen profession. She kept up a stream of innocuous chatter that while mostly inconsequential, had the calming effort of soothing her patient's nerves. She snipped bandages expertly, cleaned the bruised area, made Chihiro hold a cold compress to her head and then wound the white cloth tightly around her head and pinned it. Looking up finally as she mopped her brow, Risa saw Fujimoto standing by the doorway.
"How's Ponyo-chan?"
"She's out like a light; didn't even have time to complain. The moment her head hit her pillow she fell sound asleep."
"That's good," Risa replied. Sen, who had crawled up onto the table nosed the bandage roll curiously. She nudged the animal out of the way. "Out of the way, cat. These things need to be kept clean."
Sen sniffed disapprovingly and then scuttled back onto Chihiro's shoulders like a furry scarf. The girl laughed and stroked her. "That tickles," she said as she watched Risa return the remaining items to the white medical kit.
"Hmm. Déjà vu."
"Sorry, did you say something?" Risa asked and Chihiro shook her head quickly, not quite meeting the sudden interested look Fujimoto-san was giving her. The older woman gave her a friendly pat. "Up you get. I should go find Sousuke. Thanks for the supper, Fujimoto," she said. The wizard nodded.
Chihiro had gotten up to follow her out when Fujimoto raised one hand. "One moment," he said. "I was hoping to talk to you in private."
Risa looked at the both of them curiously but when Chihiro nodded, she gave a little nonchalant wave. "Sousuke and I will wait for you in the car," she said before striding off.
Fujimoto didn't waste time beating about the bush. He leaned back into the wall. "I was wondering young lady, if this was the first time you've been to this village."
Chihiro couldn't see where this conversation was going but she nodded cautiously. "No, it isn't, but it has been some time since I was here."
"Beach cleaning with your classmates?"
She nodded, again puzzled and then frowned with recognition. "You were that oji-san sitting on that rock!" She laughed suddenly. "I wonder why I didn't recognize you!"
He smiled. "I've… toned down my dressing somewhat."
That was true. He'd been wearing a flamboyant coat and looked like one of those American rock stars that her dad was secretly fond of. She had preferred him in that coat to the plaid shirt he was wearing.
Fujimoto meanwhile, blanched at being called an uncle. "I'm not that old," he huffed and then eyed the creature around her neck severely. To the ordinary eye, it looked like any regular ferret, but Fujimoto had had the time to take a good look at it and knew it wasn't.
"I did say in private." The ferret stuck out a tiny pink tongue at him rebelliously. "Huh. You better not upset her," it growled before slinking out the open door as well. Fujimoto folded his arms.
"Weren't you taught that it's rude to eavesdrop?"
There was the soft but distinct sound of a wet raspberry blown and Chihiro couldn't help giggling. The wizard sniffed. "Rude creature. And to think it's the cause of all this trouble."
"Is Sen in trouble?" Chihiro asked, sobering. He eyed her sharply.
"I thought you were different. You have that same look that Sousuke has." Those of the kamikakushi were always touched in some indelible way, their interaction with spirits marking them out to those who could see.
"I don't understand…"
He did. And he remembered Haku had been on the barnacle crusted beach, invisible and patient and his eyes softened at the memory of how he himself had first met the Granmamare.
"I hope you find happiness," he said simply. She was silent, puzzled, but he knew he wouldn't be the one to enlighten her. The one who could was presently absent, and Fujimoto hoped fervently that things were going in his favour...
"Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous!"
Lord Gen sucked in oxygen and prepared to yell some more. "How did you not notice the Enabler of a Thousand Desires? It was right under your nose!"
Haku bowed. This he didn't have an excuse, but he'd had time to observe some of the spy wards around Fujimoto's place. As such, it was a far less penitent dragon that raised his eyes to meet the Gen-shi's expectant ones. "I was under the impression that your spy wards would have picked up the presence of the Enabler, Gen-shi," he said. A murmur went round the table and Master Hanamori turned her beautiful leaf-green eyes on the earth elemental wizard accusingly.
"Really, Gen! How is this befitting of a council chair wizard?"
The earth elemental spluttered indignantly.
"Certainly, it must have been an oversight on Lord Gen's part. Careless, I know, but it hasn't done any lasting harm," Lord Raiden admonished lightly. "If anything, the Nigihayami is at fault here for failing in person to sense the Enabler and furthermore, escalating ill will between us and the Dragon Court."
Haku turned slightly to face the lightning elemental. "Perhaps you as preceding wizard would care to explain the electric scorch marks on the wards," he pointed out dispassionately.
Raiden smiled. "Coincidence."
Zeniba snorted. "A newborn babe wouldn't believe you."
"Then it is just as well you aren't one," he retorted smoothly. The Nishi no Kusunoki opened his sleepy eyes and surveyed them. "Irrelevant," he murmured, blinking slowly. The others fell respectfully silent.
"Either way, the dragons are bound to try and move into the village where the Enabler is currently residing in," Yubaba spoke into the hush. "It's in fact likely that they might already have someone on it."
"Then we will likely need agents on our side there," Akihi added. "I can vouch for Haku. Besides, he is already established there."
Yubaba snorted and Lord Raiden raised an eyebrow. "How admirable of you to speak for him, Akihi. But let me remind you that it is in a certain human girl's current possession that the Enabler resides in. A human girl whose presence is no doubt distracting to our good Ambassador."
Haku flushed. "It will not happen again," he said.
"Huh! That girl is trouble. I suggest you send as many agents as you can," Yubaba grumbled. "She cost me an extremely valuable employee and that only after three days in my place!"
"That I have to disagree with," Zeniba broke in with a smirk. "Chihiro is a valuable ally. She has certainly brought me luck."
"Of course you'll say that," her sister retorted tartly. "Considering how you poached my assistant!"
Not again… Haku felt he had never more understood what it meant to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Glancing at the assembled council members, he saw Gen rolling his eyes, while his more polished comrade, Lord Raiden smirked knowingly at Haku. Master Hanamori's lips were pencil thin and Akihi looked as though he was trying not to laugh. He raised an eyebrow.
"Ladies. Shall we proceed with more pertinent matters? The Nishi no Kusunoki is getting impatient again."
They both turned to glare as one at him. "Don't be rude boy! It's madam to you!" they both shouted and then glowered at each other as unable to help himself, Akihi burst into a loud guffaw and even Lord Raiden cracked a genuine smile.
A bell rang and the guard which Haku had met at the first meet came in with a letter on a salver. "This just arrived from the Dragon's Court, sir," he said.
"Hand it here," he said as the guard stepped back to stand next to Haku whom he eyed disdainfully. "In trouble again eh?" he said. "Always knew you would be," he said as Lord Raiden read it and then silently passed it to Master Gen. Yubaba harrumphed impatiently. "Well, what does it say?"
"The Ryuu-shi has issued a second ultimatum."
"How delightful. What I want to hear are the details," the witch continued obnoxiously.
"Seven days, Haku. That is how long they have given you to retrieve the Enabler of a Thousand Desires as an act of faith, seeing as there is no direct evidence to connect you to its whereabouts."
"They certainly came to a swift decision," Zeniba remarked.
Lord Raiden raised his hand to stem the flow of comments. "Needless to say, they would act upon their threats should the Enabler fail to be found."
"Then, if the Council is agreeable, I will commence the search with immediate effect," Haku said.
'This very instance?" Master Hanamori asked. "Isn't that a little hasty? Surely this matter warrants further debate."
Haku dipped his head respectfully. "With all due respect, Master Hanamori, dragons are involved. Humans are involved." He paused to let the impact of his words sink. "What is the Council waiting for? I may be young, but I see clearly that this is a time for us to move quickly,"
He raised his head. "Rest assured that I will get to the bottom of this."
In the next several days, the village's sole nursing home was awash with rumours. One of the nurses, Miss Fuji, was unable to become excited by this.
"They're just young men," she complained. The other nurses all giggled and she glowered at them.
"What? I didn't say anything funny."
One of the old ladies patted her. "Come now, dear, how can you say that when Aki-san singled you out to talk to the other day?"
"That's right! I saw him kiss your hand! What an old-fashioned way to behave, but oh – how romantic!"
The nurses all broke into laughter anew and Miss Fuji was left to heatedly defend herself. "Who-who in the world would like that idiot! He's a fire -," she flushed, biting her lip.
"Go on," the old lady encouraged, with both eyebrows raised.
"His-his fiery rashness," she ended lamely to more giggles. "Anyway you all can give him a shot if you want to. I don't like him."
The head nurse smirked. "Ah, then don't be upset if I decide to go out with him," she said, shaking out her dyed curls to groans from the other women.
"Oh please… Mari-san, don't delude yourself…"
Risa had appeared and she clapped her hands firmly. "Alright ladies, break's over. Fuji-chan? There's a gentleman here to see you," she said with an amused smile.
This immediately caused all the nurses and quite a number of the elderly patients to rush with abnormal speed to the waiting area where the gentleman in question was standing. "I bet it's Aki-chan!"
But the man in the charcoal suit who had been staring interestedly at the wall paintings did not have the unmistakable blond curls of the young man. "Good heavens, bishies are coming out of the woodwork," somebody muttered at the sight of the tall man with the long silken dark hair and darkly glittering almond eyes.
"Yeah, no wonder you aren't interested in Aki-chan or his friend. Your boyfriend's so good-looking."
What boyfriend, Fuji wondered dryly. She, the guardian spirit of the Fuji-gawa had no time for dalliances and this person could hardly be termed by such a pedestrian term. Still, an involuntary blush crept up her cheeks when he took her hand.
"Ryuu…sama…" she protested.
The Ryuu-shi swept her an immaculate bow. "Ah, Miss Fuji. What a pleasure it is to meet you again. I was just telling Risa here how conscientiously you have been attending to your duties."
"Oh er…" the poor dragon whispered faintly. "It's nothing er…"
Risa smirked again. "So nice of you to come down personally, Ryushiro-san. Please enjoy your chat," she said as she hustled the others away.
Fuji was the first to speak after they had gone. "Ryuu-shi-sama! What in the name of… why are you here in person?" she hissed. The Ryuu-shi sipped his tea slowly. "Why, to check on you, naturally. It's been some time since you have infiltrated the human world, isn't it?"
"Speak for yourself…" she growled. "You stand out too much."
The Ryuu-shi smiled vaguely. "Do I? But more importantly, I hope you can continue with your undercover mission."
Master Fuji nodded tightly. "Ah. You mean those two."
The Ryuu-shi's lips curved into a smile that did not reach his curiously-shaped eyes. "Exactly. We must continue to have a hand in this."
