Author's Notes

Sorry this took so long everyone but during May I had finals and driver's ed classes for two hours a night three nights a week so there really wasn't much time for this. And since summer started I started summer school. I'm taking one of these junk courses my high school requires for graduation but that I can't fit into my schedule during the year. But thank you for all of the reviews! I've never had so many reviews on any fic before. I might actually get to one hundred!

Review Responses

Kerei Kitsune - interesting good interesting bad, interesting where the heck are you going with this? Thanks for your review.

Mitsuko Maxwell - I'm glad you think it's cute. I know I'm kind of going off into the deep end of weirdness with this but hang on, I do have a plan.

escawing - Thank you! I'm sorry this chapter took so long. Life kept getting in the way.

dAfOoNi - I'm actually fifteen. I'm old for my grade because my birthday is in October. Thanks! I love knowing I have potential better than I like knowing that what I wrote was good because potential means I can get better.

Tsukomi - Thank you! I love being able to write Kohaku in plural.

The Clueless - Thanks for your review! I know, I do miss Kohaku but the whole character development plot thing insists this happen.

GoldenRat - Thank you! Someone got it! Yes, part of Kohaku is missing, take note of the first little section of this chapter.

baka-onna2003 - Yes, Ko is the brattish one. He just kind of wants to dump his problems on everyone else so he doesn't have to deal with it. I'm sorry it took so long to update.

Lady Tetsu-Maru - Why did Kohaku split? Good good question. Stick around for the answer!

Jessica - Sorry, Kohaku's not getting back together yet.

Lady Moon3 - Yeah, I like Haku better too just because he's more fun to write. What does the enemy have to gain from this? Well, two Kohaku's wasn't exactly what they were intending.

Einstein09 - Yes, this story is on dozens of bits of paper. It's actually kind of sad, I don't even know where some of them are. And when I went through my school papers, I found all this other stuff I had written about the story. Yes, sad.

Katana Midori - Sorry! I didn't mean to do a cliffhanger. I'm also sorry about taking so long to update. I'll try to do better next time.

Kira R. Chan - That's so nice of you! Thanks so much.

jia - well, this chapter was asap, unfortunately that was two months time.

Ukchana - Thank you for your review! This story kind of continues as I think of worse things to put Kohaku through. I think he's died or almost died three times already? I actually didn't know that was what 'Ko' meant, which makes me feel kind of stupid but thanks so much for telling me!

Theresa L'Anne - Here you are, sorry this chapter is a bit short.

Linay - Thank you! Everything I write is driven on some odd idea that popped into my head. I know that the writing isn't always the best, but I do try on the imagination end.


Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away. But maybe for my birthday...


Chapter 11: All the King's Horses and all the King's Men

"Where am I?"

"You're nowhere. You're everywhere. You are a million worlds away, you are as close as your own mind."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about whatever you want me to talk about."

"Fine. I want you to talk about how I get out of here!"

"You can't do that."

"What?"

"You have to wait for now."

"I understand...I think...."

"But you have the will to change that."

"Huh?"

"You have the will to do anything."

"Then why can't I leave?"

"Because you don't want to yet."

"What are you talking about?"


Somewhere within the past two days of being worried out of her mind about Kohaku Chihiro had decided something. She needed a direction. Running around like a chicken with its head cut off wasn't helping her make sense of anything people were telling her. Honestly, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. So she had decided that she needed to talk care of Kohaku. That was what Kawa-kami had basically told her before, right? And she decided that she had to talk to him about the whole lost spirit incredible power warrior for the council thing. She couldn't imagine dealing with that, and if Kawa-kami was right, if Kohaku didn't know yet, well then she wanted to be there for him when he found out.

Still, coming to all of these wonderful conclusions hadn't helped the fact that Kohaku was gone and Ai was breathing down her neck.

Then Lin had told her he was back and she was happy, but she had kind of wondered why he hadn't come to see her first. But then she had gone up with Lin to see him and then...

Kohaku had been split in two. Chihiro didn't know how she knew, seeing two Kohakus could have just meant that he had been cloned or something. Except...it didn't feel like Kohaku. It was a spirit thing. Like how some people smelled a certain way, spirits felt a certain way. Kawa-kami felt like pounding rain, the kind you were afraid you would drown in. Lin felt like an ember, cooling on the outside but still holding in fire. Yubaba felt like gold, looking warm and inviting but cold to the touch. Kohaku felt like...well, like his river. Maybe it was because she had been there before, but Kohaku felt like his river. The two Kohakus, they felt like echos of the real one. But the echos were different.

Chihiro couldn't help but feeling bad for the Kohakus-that-weren't. They were incomplete. She moved forward to hug them.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"So are we." They replied.


After explaining the whole story to Chihiro, the group settled in, Chihiro sitting between Ko and Haku, facing Lin and Kawa-kami as if the five of them had lined up to do battle.

Kawa-kami cleared his throat. "The most important thing for us to do now," He announced, "is to get Ai out of the bathhouse."

They all nodded their agreement, even Chihiro who still knew little about Ai's espionage.

"But how?" Ko asked.

"Well..." Kawa-kami said, trailing off and looking slightly nervous. Haku's perpetual glare zeroed in on the old spirit.

"I was thinking that one of you could convince her to take a little trip. Maybe insinuate certain things..."

Ko shook his head. "No, I don't think I could do that."

They all turned to Haku.

"Hell no." He growled.

"You don't really have a choice." Kawa-kami answered. "One of you has to do it. We don't have time for coercion and games. If you find it necessary I'll make it an order." Kawa-kami looked back and forth from Ko to Haku. None of them had ever seen the river god so deathly serious. But it was his apprentice's safety after all.

"You can't do that." Ko spoke up suddenly. "We outrank you now. Apprentice or not, we're second only to Light and her guardians."

Haku looked rather smug at this statement, for once proud of his other half. Kawa-kami on the other hand, looked furious. The girls were wisely staying out of the conflict between master and apprentice that seemed to have been carefully avoided until now.

When Kawa-kami spoke his voice was low and dangerous, far from it's usual jovial tone. "If you find the formalities necessary I will have Light herself sign the order. Although I can't see why the both of you are being so pigheadedly stubborn as to refuse to do something to protect your own lives!"

There was quiet after that. Ko looked fearful, more so of his twin who was fuming at his side than Kawa-kami who was sitting across from him.

"Fine." Haku finally spat. "I will go and get the wretched little girl out of the bathhouse."

He stood up, gave one final glare to Kawa-kami and one to Ko, silently telling him to stay put, and left the room. The others sat quietly in his wake.

Chihiro slowly reached for Ko's hand as Lin and Kawa-kami also rose to leave. They were both quiet long after the other two had left. There seemed very little to say.

"Chihiro? Will you promise me something?" Ko asked suddenly, pointedly looking away from her.

She glanced at him, then looked away. "Sure. What is it?"

"Can...can you promise that....that you'll remember for me? Like before? Just in case I forget?" He turned and looked at her imploringly.

Chihiro blinked. "Of course!" she answered first. "You mean like how you forgot your name?" She couldn't look at him as she asked the question. It was just so odd. Kohaku had never asked her for help before. He had accepted her help, and he had helped her a lot in return. And while she did want to help him, it was disorienting to have their roles reversed so suddenly. She usually depended on him.

"Yes, like that, but more." Ko gestured, lifting their still joined hands up as he did. Chihiro then realized just how long they'd been sitting there together, alone, holding hands, and she couldn't help blushing lightly.

"More?"

"Yes. I-I'm afraid that I'm going to forget everything. Not just my name this time."

"But...why?"

Ko pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head down to look at her. "There's a darkness." He whispered. "I feel it when I sleep. I feel it more when Haku's far away, like now. But I don't know if he feels it yet. I'm afraid it's going to swallow me."

Ko was silent for a moment, and Chihiro was shocked to see tears coming from his eyes. He brushed them aside quickly. "Just water." He murmured to himself as he looked at the moisture on his free hand. He took a deep, but shaky breath.

"I don't want to go back to the darkness. I remember the darkness. It hurts."

Chihiro watched him for a few minutes, trying to process the idea the Kohaku, who was always the defender, the warrior, the one who knew all the answers, was not the one that needed to be defended.

She hugged him.

"It's okay." She murmured. "I'll remember. I promise."

Ko cried.

"You'll be fine. I promise. I'll remember."

And Chihiro felt like crying with him.


Haku stormed through the corridors. If he had retained any of their magic in the split he would have had a miniature thundercloud following him by now.

Where on earth was Ai? And what possessed Yubaba to have a bathhouse with so many stupid floors?

"Oh Kohaku-darling!"

Haku cringed at the noise, the smirked. Well, how fortunate for him...

"Ai...dear..." He almost chocked on the affectionate term. But it did have the desired effect. She giggled and batted her eyelashes. "Just the person I was looking for." He continued.

"Oh really?" She asked coyly, standing next to him until he offered her his arm and they began walking out onto one of the balconies.

"Yes, you see, the ocean spirit Kasumi is holding a party to celebrate our victory over the separatists, but I won't be able to join them for a while. Would you mind going ahead of me for a bit?" Haku regurgitated the story Lin had fed him moments before.

Ai looked positively gleeful.

"But of course Kohaku-darling. Would I be wrong to assume I will be acting as your mistress?" She batted her eyelashes and missed Haku's cringe.

"Yes." He answered. "You'll do it then?"

"I would love to-"

"Good. Then get packing."

Haku stormed back up to his room, glad that at least that was over and wishing death on Kawa-kami. This had to be the prime reason he had never taught him how to make people spontaneously combust.


Ko was still in "his" room. Chihiro had left a bit ago to get them something to eat. Haku too, if he came back. He hummed quietly to himself as he waited. His breakdown had passed and he was cheered by the fact that Chihiro now knew at least some of his predicament and by the fact that Haku was coming back and that he no longer seemed to be in such a foul mood. Sure, foul was the usual mood of Haku, but compared to what it had been before it was better.

He turned and smiled as he felt Haku on the other side of the door. The door slid open.

"Keh. What are you so happy about?" Haku walked in and sat down next to Ko.

"Oh, nothing really." Ko kept smiling. He couldn't help it. He didn't feel like being scared when he had Haku and Chihiro to help him.

Haku looked at him suspiciously. Ko blinked, wondering what the scrutinizing look was for.

"You've been crying." Haku stated simply. Ko rubbed under his eyes reflexively. "No I haven't."

"You're such a weakling. I guess I should expect that kind of behavior from you by now."

"Mmm Hmm." Ko responded, not wanted Haku to get mad about his little breakdown.

Unfortunately this only served to make Haku more suspicious.

"What did you tell her?" Haku demanded.

Ko looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Haku grabbed his other half roughly by the collar of his shirt. "What did you tell her?"

"Just...just that I wanted her to remember for me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid I'm going to forget. Because of the darkness...!"

"Shut up!" Haku yelled. Ko fell silent.

"Why did you do that?" Haku's voice shook. Ko didn't answer, which was probably the wisest choice he could have made considering the situation.

"You're worrying her and you're exposing our secrets. You don't know who could have been listening."

Ko's eyes went wide. "You feel it too then? The darkness-"

"Of course I do! ....Gods! I just can't believe you were this stupid!"

"But if you feel it too why didn't you tell me? Why do you insist on being alone? Why do you make me be alone?" Ko was yelling now, pleading with his other half for some kind of answer.

Haku glared back, but Ko had finally found his argument.

"Why do you hate me?"

"Why are you so weak?"

"Why do you hate yourself?"

"Why don't you realize we have to protect them?"

"Why can't you trust them then?"

"Why can't you keep your big mouth shut?"

Ko froze and looked towards the door. "Chihiro's outside." He whispered.

Haku released him. "Don't say anything to her. Or anyone else. You hear me? Anything."

Ko nodded.

Haku got up and left, brushing past Chihiro on his way out.

"Haku?" She asked, turning as quickly as she could balancing the tray she was carrying with their meals on it.

But Haku was already gone.


Night had fallen, and the restaurants outside the bathhouse had come alive with soft lights and delicious smells. Haku weaved through the other spirits, forgetting his problems by filling his head with the chatter of the busy streets. His cloak was drawn low over his face. Being recognized as the warrior for the council usually got him into a situation he didn't want to be in; whether because of people praising him or arguing with what Light was doing. Either way he really didn't want to hear their political opinions. Strange that his disguise had been a present from Kaz, who knew nothing about the word 'incognito'.

"Would you like your fortune told young man?"

Haku turned to see an spirit in the form of an ancient woman reaching forward, asking for gold as she offered her services.

"No." He answered and began to walk away, but her gnarled hand clutched onto the hem of his cloak.

"You don't feel that you have need of the future halfling?" Haku's eyes flashed and he quickly yanked his cloak from her grasp as he began walking as quickly as he could away from the old woman and the alley she had appeared out of. He wanted to run, but he also didn't want to raise the suspicions of everyone else on the street. He didn't need any more attention then he had just been given.

How had the old woman known? Could everyone tell? His eyes quickly scanned the streets. No one seemed to be paying him any extra attention. Still, he would have felt much better if he could have at least put up a shield. But since Ko had gotten all of their magical powers, he couldn't even mask his aura, let alone see if anyone else was trying to read it.

He didn't like Ko. Didn't like that he was so weak, didn't like that he had so much of their power, didn't like that without him nearby he felt weak.

And Ko didn't understand. How could Haku not feel the darkness? And how could it not frighten him? At least he didn't go crying about it. What did the idiot honestly think he was doing scaring Chihiro like that? It was their job to protect everyone, especially Chihiro. They were suppose to be strong, not dump their worries on everyone else! That was the golden rule after all. It didn't matter what everyone else thought about him, it didn't matter what he felt, what he wanted, as long as they were safe. Everything else came second. No, it didn't even come second, because it was insignificant compared to the safety of the ones he cared about.

Haku stopped and watched the spirits depart form the large ferry that took them from the bathhouse banks to the opposite shore where another city was. He had never been to the city across the water so he didn't know the name of it. It was a transit city, a city where spirits frequently crossed over from the physical world into the spirit one or vice-versa. He had been to a few transit cities during his wandering year, but in general he avoided them. They just brought up bad memories.

He started to walk back. He was still mad, but he no longer felt so ready to bubble over. He couldn't ever remember having so little control over his emotions. But he knew that being near Ko would make him feel a little better. They were a matching set after all, as much as he hated the idiot at times. Ko was probably miserable by now though, maybe even teary again just because they'd fought. And maybe because Haku had never been this far away from his other half before.

Haku was about half way to the bathhouse when the screaming started.

"Attack! We're under attack!"

"What is that thing?!"

"Someone help!"

Haku touched his sword lightly and began running. How wonderful, he was being given a chance to work out his anger.

He stopped short as he reached the bathhouse and saw the large looming black shape standing over him.

Oh yes, this was absolutely splendid.


"No...no that can't be it." Light whispered to herself, still curled up comfortably in the library. She had been searching for a long time, and was rather fatigued because of it, but that wasn't important just then.

"Will it even work?" She asked the nothingness that surrounded her and the small glowing orb she held in her hand, even though she knew they could give her no answered.

A tear fell down her cheek. "I hadn't realized he was this unstable."

A few more tears fell. She brushed them away.

"What am I going to do?"