"Could you write something about the moon for me?"

A small woman with a face lined by soft wrinkles gazed up at Chihiro. Her luminescent, grey eyes shown in bright contrast with her tanned skin. Tattered clothing barely protected her from the wind chill, but she smiled through her shivers, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear.

The streets were usually empty by this time. The pitch black of the night sky was fading into a pale orange as the sun rose from the east. Chihiro hesitated. She was supposed to pack up her things and be ready for Haku to take her home, but she couldn't refuse this ragged spirit. There was something about her that made her seem like an old friend.

"I sure can! Let me find some paper." She nodded to the woman and started to rifle through her satchel. She had just run out of the special rice paper Kamaji had crafted for her a few days ago, and had no choice but to use her journal. She silently reassured herself as she tore the precious paper from the binding, It's only one page.

The moon was an unusual topic to request. Most spirits wanted words about tangible, material things, like food or gold. Those requests were simple, with no deep thought behind them. But this woman was not like other spirits. Chihiro could see the profound thought lining her expression. This evidently meant a lot to her, to have someone write about something as beautiful and ancient as the moon.

Chihiro scratched her head nervously as she looked up at the sunrise, wishing for more time, "It may take a while. Is that ok?"

"I'm rather patient." The woman chortled.

"Alright, one poem coming right up!" Chihiro laughed along with her as she started to organize her ideas. It was odd. Her poems practically wrote themselves, the phrases developing in her head almost instantaneously. But this one was different. So many thoughts were buzzing around her mind. There was so much to say, and the right words couldn't be found.

Silence passed between them. The only thing that could be heard was the nervous tapping of Chihiro's fingers as she struggled to put pen to paper. Her eyes looked down at the blank page, willing the words to magically appear. The sudden writer's block put her on edge, and the spirit seemed to notice, "There's no need to be so anxious over a poor spirit like me."

Chihiro glanced up as the astonishingly smooth voice pulled her from her thoughts, "Hm?"

"You're having trouble because you feel pressured by me."

"I-I'm sorry. I guess it's been a long night. And…I really want to make this poem perfect for you."

"Perfection is not something I deserve. I'm not even sure if I can afford your asking price…"

"Don't worry about that! Honestly, I'd do this for free. Words are priceless."

"Indeed. But, there must be a reason you've asked for gold from others."

"That's…a different story. I sort of told someone I could look after myself. I…I want to provide for him like he has for me."

"Ah, this man must be special to you. You seem to work very hard for him."

"Believe me, he's the one working hard. I'm just…hardly working."

"I doubt that." The woman was not blind. She could see that Chihiro's fingers were bruising at the places where her pen rested as she wrote.

"Well, when you're doing something you love, it doesn't feel like work." Words wormed their way back into her brain. Talking to this woman seemed to bring them back. Chihiro's eyes lit up with intense inspiration.

"I'm glad to hear it." The smug look on the spirit's face made Chihiro laugh. She knew.

The pen leapt onto the paper. In her mind's eye, the words were vivid. She couldn't write them down fast enough.

In her quiet solitude

The moon shines with hope

For others who are lonely

And look to her to cope

Her compassion shines over the land

For the few who need to see

The ones who cry on sleepless nights

Who are outcasts like me

She breathed in the fresh morning air, letting the pen tumble from her fingers. She had never felt more fulfilled finishing a poem. Yet, as she reread the words, Chihiro discovered that this poem was strangely personal. She almost didn't want to show it to the woman; her heart and soul was inside each word. It's not easy to share your inner most thoughts. But, she promised her a poem.

"Here you go." Her hand shook as she passed the paper to the spirit.

"Thank you, dear."

Chihiro prayed that she wouldn't read it in front of her, but the woman seemed to be scanned the parchment already. Every hair on her arms and neck stood on its end as she waited to hear what she had to say. The unexpected glimmer of tears caught her by surprise. The spirit was weeping.

"Remember when I said I wasn't sure I could pay the price?" The woman's eyes sparkled. Chihiro suddenly recognized those tears. Happy tears.

"Yes, but you don't have to-"

"I'm sure I can now." Her thin fingers uncurled to unveil a small, silver totem. The spirit placed it on the table in front of the young girl, who looked at it with curiosity. Carefully, Chihiro picked up the charm. It was rectangular and had a radiant gleam to it. Extravagant carvings on each side depicted the moon in a different phase.

She was amazed by its beauty, but she couldn't accept it. A deal was a deal. There was no need for payment.

"I…I can't take this from you." Chihiro looked up and held the charm out to the spirit, but she had vanished. A thick fog took her place. She blinked, disoriented. Where did she go?

Wind gusts raced around her. She could hear a small whisper of thank you brush her ears. Then, the fog slowly dissipated, revealing Haku's form standing on the bridge. Quickly, Chihiro hid the totem in her satchel. She would explain it later.

Haku rushed to her, his eyes wide with worry, "What was that, Chihiro?"

"Well, it's probably a story I should tell at home." She slung her satchel over her shoulder and hopped over the table.

"Are you ok? Any spirits give you trouble?" Haku touched her shoulder. The serious look in his eyes made her smile. She was so lucky to have someone like him, someone who cares so much.

But then, something else about his eyes caught her attention. His green irises were fading, becoming dim and murky, as if someone was filling them with dark ink.

"I'm fine. Are you alright?" Chihiro's heart raced. Whatever was happening wasn't good.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Haku looked puzzled.

"Y-Your eyes…" She stuttered.

Haku's expression hardened, "We need to go."

"Haku…"

"Now."

"Why?"

Without any explanation, the dragon stands where Haku once stood. He bowed to her and she reluctantly hoisted herself onto his neck. Haku launched himself into the air, his breath leaving him in small huffs. It seemed like he was struggling to keep himself calm.

Chihiro could feel the panic bristling his scales, "It's ok. We'll be ok."

The dragon drew in a large breath, seeming to settle down a bit. Chihiro did the same, but the concern still festered in her chest. She had never seen Haku so worked up.

The world below them seemed to blur as he accelerated. His breathing started to become ragged once more. Low growls were emanated from his gritted teeth. Chihiro could feel his energy start to drain from his body. The pulse of his heart started to slow, growing weak as he pushed himself to his limit.

She called out to him, "I think we should stop!"

Haku ignored her plea, cutting the air with even quicker movements. The pain was the only thing keeping him conscious. Scales were starting to peel away from his figure, sickly black tar seeping from his skin.

Chihiro screamed as she witnessed his body falling apart, "Haku! Stop!"

A terrifying roar ripped through his throat. He stilled in mid-air.

And, they dropped to the ground.

Chihiro never felt the impact. She didn't notice she squeezed her eyes shut until she opened them. What she saw made her heart plummet. Haku had broken her fall, and his glassy eyes watched her in agony. His shirt was torn open and she could see a cluster of bruises forming across his chest. They seemed to throb with a dark electricity. Black liquid streamed from the corner of his mouth as he tried to speak.

"Shhhh…d-don't…" She attempted to restrain her sobs. Her thumb wiped the black fluid from his face.

Thunderclouds gathered above the pair. Rain started to pound onto the earth without mercy. Chihiro desperately threw her body over Haku to shield him from the downpour. She looked down at him and saw that he was fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Stay with me…" She begged as she looked to her surroundings. Her heart leaped out of her chest as she saw a miracle. They had landed in front of Zeniba's cottage.

"Was this where we needed to go?" Chihiro looked back at Haku. He nodded slightly, and quickly lost the battle with his eyelids as they fell shut. His body became limp beneath her.

Finally, the sobs were released as she shrieked, "ZENIBA!"

The door slammed open with such ferocity, it was surprising that it didn't break. Zeniba rushed out along with No Face and scooped Chihiro up into her arms.

"No Face, get Haku to the spare bedroom." She barked.

"Ah!" No Face raced to the lifeless boy, picking him up with ease. As he sprinted back into the house, Zeniba followed close behind them, a trembling Chihiro in her grasp.

Zeniba set her on the couch and removed the satchel from her shoulders. Her clothes were soaked, and it was hard for her to stop shaking. In a flash, a wool blanket was wrapped tightly around her. The witch's footfall was rapid as she skittered about the room.

"Stay here." Her voice was gruff as she gave her orders.

Chihiro was stunned into silence. She didn't want to disobey Zeniba, however, she couldn't just sit around when someone she cared about was in trouble.

"Don't worry." Zeniba's voice faltered. Chihiro knew she was worried herself.

Chihiro looked down, feeling utterly helpless. The last time she had seen Haku this was when he stole Zeniba's seal.

Wait. That totem from the elderly spirit. It wasn't a totem at all.

Zeniba turned on her heel, but stopped when Chihiro yelled, "I think I have something that could help!"

"What? What is it, child?"

Chihiro hurried to her satchel, the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. She rummaged through it and pulled out the silver seal, "Would this do anything good for him?"

Zeniba looked at her in wonder, "Yes!"

She made to grab the seal, but Chihiro snapped it away, "I'm coming too."

Zeniba sighed and motioned for Chihiro to follow her, "As you wish, but I'm not sure you'll like what you see."

Chihiro followed her down a hallway she had never seen before. A doorway on the left was open and Zeinba slipped into it. The young girl trailed behind her, and almost instantly regretted doing so. Haku lay sprawled on the bed, black liquid dripping out of his mouth and pooling on the pillow beneath his head. He was still unconscious, and Chihiro hoped he couldn't feel the pain anymore. She winced when she heard a slight wheeze in his shallow breath. No Face had succeeded in taking his shirt off, so the bruises on his chest were now fully visible. Zeniba screeched, "His heart is being attacked!"

Zeniba and Chihiro rushed to the bedside. No Face paced on the other side of the room, "Ahhhh! Ahhhh!"

"If you can't be quiet, No Face, you'll have to leave." Zeniba's voice cracked with urgency. No Face stopped and sat on the floor, his head hanging with shame.

"The seal, please." The witch held out her hand. Chihiro gently passed the seal to her.

Her nails shimmered to life, glowing silver to match the seal. She dragged the seal around the dark wound spreading across his torso. Haku whimpered, but the bruises were fading ever so slightly. The tar-like substance draining from his lips stopped flowing. When Zeniba was finished, his skin was almost back to normal, although still slightly discolored.

"That bought him some time." Zeniba exhaled, "No Face, why don't you go bake something. Chihiro and I need to talk."

"Ahh…" No Face agreed and sulked out of the room.

Zeniba turned back to Chihiro, "How did you get a hold of Chandra?"

"Chandra?" Chihiro's brow wrinkled in contemplation.

"Yes, this is her seal after all."

"Who is she?"

"She didn't tell you? She's the moon spirit. No one has seen her in ages."

"I-I wrote a poem for her, and she thanked me with the seal. But, I didn't know she was the moon spirit!" Chihiro chirped in terror. That meant the poem she wrote was about her.

"Ah, then, she probably didn't want you to know. You must've wrote something beautiful. She doesn't offer her seal to just anyone."

"I guess…I'm just glad that it helped…"

"Protective magic is her specialty. It's perfect for defending Haku's heart."

"Zeniba, you have yet to tell me what's happening."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry my dear." Zeniba walked over to a small chair in the corner of the room and sat down, "Make yourself comfortable."

Chihiro didn't move from her place beside the bed.

The witch smirked, "If you're going to do that, the least you could do is sit with him."

"Huh?"

"On the bed, dear."

"Oh…" Chihiro warily crawled onto the bed, watching Haku's face for any sign of stirring.

"It's alright, you won't wake him." Zeniba smiled with understanding as the young girl kneeled by her soulmate, carefully curling her fingers around his hand.

"What's happened…" Chihiro shook her head in solemn disbelief.

"Yubaba is what happened."

"Yubaba? Haku said she was the least of our problems."

"He knows better than that. He most likely said that so you wouldn't worry."

"Then what did she do to him?" Chihiro snarled. Her blood was scorching her insides with unbelievable rage.

"It's a rather esoteric curse. She's the only one who can perform it. And this isn't the first time…" Zeniba's eyes seemed to water a bit as she trailed off.

"Please, tell me…" The expression on the witch's face made her uneasy.

"When someone's heart is weak, she can steal the name of that person without consent. Once she writes the name on parchment, that person's heart is targeted by black magic. It can kill a human easily…and is one of the only known ways to kill a spirit."

"No!" Chihiro's hand squeezed Haku's, "How could his heart be weak? He's one of the most powerful spirits in the spirit world!"

"Well, that pertains to something else." She clasped her hands in front of her, ready to explain.

"Go on."

"There is a reason for soulmates. Spirits and people are stronger together. The protect one another. Spirits grow stronger when the humans bonded to them find their soulmates, but there's a catch. Finding a soulmate is more than just meeting them. There's a special act that is needed to ensure that they stay together."

"And what's that?"

"The first kiss."

Chihiro's small gasp did not escape Zeniba's earshot.

"Haku didn't tell you."

"No."

"Then I will. The first kiss soulmates share initiates a 'transfer of heart'. This is like…hm…how do humans say it? When your heart finds it's missing half?"

Chihiro nodded. That was one way of putting it.

"You see, that expression is actually true. The heart becomes stronger during this act because it is no longer alone. It is complete from that moment on. Spirits do not usually need that because they are not bonded to the humans themselves. But this is not the case with Haku."

"He's bonded to me…and we haven't kissed yet…" Chihiro started.

"Therefore, his heart weaker than it should be," Zeniba finished.

"Why didn't he tell me?!" Her eyes pleaded for answers.

Zeniba guessed, "He's sensitive to your feelings. I think he didn't want to pressure you into anything. That moment is supposed to be voluntary, not forced."

"If he only knew how much I've…wanted to…" Chihiro gazed at Haku, tenderly stroking his cheek with her hand.

"Chihiro, focus." Zeniba snapped her fingers.

"Sorry. How can this curse be lifted?"

"You must destroy the paper baring his name."

"Alright! That sounds easy enough."

"No, that's what she wants you to think. She wants to kill you too."

"Why? What have I done to her?"

"It's nothing you've done. It was centuries ago." Zeniba covered her mouth, regretting what she had let slip out.

"What?"

"Well...I suppose I can't keep this from you. Once upon a time, when the world was good and pure, Yubaba and I were good friends and even better sisters. Back then, the humans and spirits lived in harmony. Everyone knew about bonding and soulmates. Nothing was kept secret. We started to notice we were not like our fellow spirits. We were like Haku, who required only one bonded, a human bonded. Being twins was not easy in any aspect, especially when it came to love. We were completely different, but fell in love with the same man. Both of us competed for his affection, but there was only one winner. I had won his heart, and he had won mine, but we waited for the first kiss. There was no reason to rush, until it was too late. Yubaba had learned powerful black magic in her jealous rage and cursed my beloved. He was human, so it killed him almost instantly. From then on, Yubaba and I were sworn enemies. She claimed a deep hatred for humans and their capacity to love. The only thing that filled the hole in her heart was gold. I ran off to this cottage, to live out my days alone. It's because of Yubaba that humans and spirits are separated. She was sure to spread her disgust for humans throughout the land, which forced the humans out of our world and into their own. Gold and greed became the new way of the spirit. Until you came. You started to spread joy and friendship, even true love. And that is why Yubaba hates you so much. You remind her of that time and the love she never had." As she finished her tale, she wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"Oh, my god…Zeniba…I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be. You remind me off that time as well, but the good parts are all I see when I look and you and Haku."

"I…I don't know what to say…"

Zeniba's eyes darkened, "Well then, let me say something. I need to warn you; the curse comes with a price for Yubaba too. If that paper is destroyed before Haku dies, she will forfeit her life instead."

"You mean…I'll kill her?"

"Yes."

"But…she has a son…"

"Bo? No…she adopted him."

"Won't he miss her, though?"

"Well, that's certainly a thought to consider…"

"I…I don't know what to do…"

"Well, there's no rush. The seal's magic will protect him for a while. We can talk more about it tonight."

Just then, a clattering of pots and pans was heard from the kitchen. Zeniba chuckled and lifted herself from the chair, "Oh goodness! I forgot about No Face. I should get him a step stool for those high shelves."

As she walked out of the room, she added over her shoulder, "Think about it. You may even want to get some rest."

"Easier said than done."

"I know, sweetheart. I know." And off she went.

Chihiro laid next to Haku, placing her head on his shoulder. Her heart still raced at the thought of the choice she had to make. Either way, someone would lose their life. Although, as she looked at the ugly darkness staining his pale chest, her anger returned. This woman wanted both of them dead, for the sole reason that they shared true love.

She trembled. Anger wouldn't help anyone. Maybe concentrating on rest would clear her head. Chihiro placed her hand over his heart, just to make sure it was still beating. Zeniba said he wouldn't wake, so she was stunned when his eyes blinked open. Their color had returned.

"Chihiro…"

"Haku…you don't have to speak…save your energy…" She attempted to remove her hand from his chest, a little embarrassed by the gesture now that he was awake. His hand gently covered hers and kept it close to his heart.

"Please…stay here with me. If you go to Yubaba, she'll kill you." His voice was strained.

"How much of our conversation did you hear?"

"When you touched my cheek, I could feel myself start to wake. I wanted to reach out to you, but I could sense Zeniba in the room. I know what she wants you to do. You can't…"

"Haku, you sound terrible. Please…"

"Let me die knowing you're here, safe."

"That's enough…" Chihiro whispered against the curve of his neck, "It's not your choice."

Haku brought her hand to his lips, "You're right. It's not."

Her hand was brought back to his heartbeat, and she sighed, content in that moment, "I'm never going to leave you."

Haku nodded thoughtfully. Chihiro watched as his eyelids fluttered slightly. He fought with himself, resisting sleep in vain. She ghosted her lips over his ear, whispering soothing sweet nothings until he gave in. His head lay heavy on his pillow as Chihiro nuzzled his shoulder, pondering an impossible decision that meant life or death.