Chapter Thirteen: Rin

This chapter is dedicated to German Mickey and Suils Saifir!

Thanks to: MariahDezie, xYuna, Archon Dragon, Kdec1225, Mizaka, LM Kitsune, yOur-DoWnFaLl, little obsessions, Mardahin, GoDrinkPinesol624, TakariFan8816, Janettelle,

I feel so loved, you guys- even though I've left you hanging without any updates for a while. For this story, I have 11 favorites and 31 story alerts. I'm on 12 favorite authors lists, 6 people have me on their author alert, and this story has 45 reviews. I need to get going on this story to keep from disappointing you! Or, well…work on it as much as I can. I try to thank everyone who contributes in any way to my story. Thanks again! I really hope you all like it- I think you will. Let me know!

A few days later, Chihiro had finished making battle plans with the final numbers that Haku had given her. She was currently staring in trepidation at the tall female spirit standing in front of her.

"And another thing- if you idiots get caught, I had nothing to do with this! Do you understand? Nothing!" the woman called Rin lectured harshly, looking back and forth between Chihiro and Haku.

Chihiro sighed internally. They had gotten through introductions and their plan to overthrow Yubaba, but Rin cut them off before they ever reached the part about contacting someone in the human world. Haku hadn't been exaggerating when he said that Rin enjoyed irritating him.

The problem was, right now she was irritating both Haku and Chihiro, and she was wasting time doing so when any minute an outsider could stumbled upon their suspicious-looking meeting and run to Yubaba.

Chihiro knew she had to cut Rin off before she could catch her breath and continue her tirade. "Yeah, yeah. That's great. We won't rat you out if you won't rat us out," she grumbled, purposefully speaking more brashly than she was used to. "We need to get down to the real business."

Rin raised an eyebrow at the little human woman. "Huh," she said. Chihiro frowned and put her hands on her hips. "What?" she demanded. Rin gave her a wicked smile.

"You've got more guts than dragon-boy next to you there," she said. "He would have cowered for another hour, letting me yell at him, just 'cause he feels guilty about how he used to be an asshole way back in the day."

Chihiro was unable to hold in her giggle; it sounded out of place after her harsh tones a few minutes ago. Rin just grinned at her. The pretty spirit woman glanced at Haku, who was busy avoiding their eyes and hiding the faint flush on his cheeks. "I like her," she said bluntly. "Don't screw it up."

Haku looked up at her, surprised, before he turned his gaze on Chihiro. "I wasn't planning on it," he murmured. Rin let him ogle for a moment longer before she made a loud gagging noise and caught both Chihiro and Haku's attention again.

"So," she drawled, sprawling over half of the sofa, "What is this 'real business' that you speak of?" Haku remained standing as Chihiro sat down to face Rin. Her face was very serious, but it held a badly hidden hope.

"We need you to perform a huge favor for us," she said solemnly. Rin raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the earnestness of the human woman's statement. "Go on," she beckoned to Chihiro.

"There's an exiled spirit in the human world that we need to contact," Chihiro said firmly. "If I can reach her, she could provide priceless resources for our side." Chihiro gestured at Haku though her eyes never left Rin's.

"Once we have made contact and set a place and time, Haku has assured me that it is no trouble at all for him to allow her back into the Spirit World without being detected. It is only the process of contacting the spirit that he is unable to perform."

Rin looked back and forth between the human woman and spirit man. "What's in it for me?" she asked, leaning back in the cushions. Haku and Chihiro looked at her. "My unending gratitude," Chihiro said flatly, slightly irritated.

Rin stared back at her before her face erupted into another wicked grin. "Sounds good to me! What the hell- I'll do it!" Chihiro smiled back and Haku finally relaxed and let his arms- which had been crossed over his chest since Rin arrived- fall to his sides.

"Thank you," Chihiro said sincerely. "Let me know- or rather, let Haku know when you can do it. We need to contact her as soon as possible." Rin shrugged. "What's wrong with right now?" she asked.

Chihiro was taken aback. "Er-well, nothing. I guess," she stuttered. "Um, okay. Sure. Right now works." Rin laughed. "Er, um, okay then," she mocked Chihiro, who scowled. "Write down what you want me to say. You won't be able to speak to her; it's a one-on-one kind of thing."

Chihiro pouted a little but only Haku noticed. He rested his graceful fingers on the back of her neck and squeezed gently. "You will see her soon enough," he reassured her. Chihiro looked back and up at him and smiled gratefully. "You're right," she said, and stood up. To Rin, she said, "Stay there. I'll be right back with what I want you to say."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It took Chihiro at least ten minutes to figure out what she wanted Rin to begin with, but from there it flowed. Two minutes after she began, she was finishing her "letter" with a list of supplies that overflowed onto the back side of the paper she was writing on. She walked into the main room, unnoticed, as Rin was busy teasing/irritating Haku.

"You like her, you liker her," Rin trilled in a sing-song voice. Haku ignored her in favor of staring longingly out of the window. Rin frowned, but was soon speaking again.

"You know, with all of the contact I've made with the human world over the years, I learned the most wonderful little song. I think I'll sing it for you- I'm sure you'll appreciate it," Rin rambled disarmingly before launching into verse.

"Haku and Chihiro, sitting in a tree- K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love- then comes marriage- then comes the baby in a baby carriage!" Haku twitched rather noticeably and his cheeks held that faint hint of color again.

From her unseen position by the screen door, Chihiro was having a hard time keeping her giggles from exploding out of her chest. She remembered a time on the primary school playground when she and a few others had sung that same song at another little girl and boy. They had been caught holding hands and the tiny couple had blushed furiously. What Chihiro found so endearing about the memory was that the little girl and boy hadn't let go of each other, even in the face of their peers' laughter.

"Aw, come on, Haku! Show some emotion every once in a while!" Rin whined as she tugged on his wide sleeve. "I'm sure that Chihiro wouldn't mind," she added in a lower and more suggestive voice. Haku coughed into his sleeve, pulling it out of Rin's grasp. "I'll keep that in mind," he said in a slightly strangled voice.

Chihiro closed the screen door louder than usual to alert the spirits that she was there. Haku whirled around gracefully while Rin took her time to turn and sit on the couch again. "Took you long enough," she commented. Chihiro frowned. "I doubt you had any trouble keeping yourself entertained."

Rin shrugged. "True. So, what have you got for me?" She took the parchment that Chihiro extended to her and read it out loud.

"Mayu- Let me preface this by saying that I am perfectly fine- that way, you should feel no need to freak about my current well-being. As you may have guessed, this is Chihiro.

I've missed you. Long story short, I was taken to the Spirit World and once here, I decided to pull off a rebellion along with the help of my good friend, Haku. He says he knows you. I need human world resources, and more importantly, I need your help.

In two days, bring the following items to the end of that path that goes into the forest. There, Haku will pull you back into the Spirit World. That is, if you want to come.

I love you and I hope to see you soon. Love, Chihiro."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "The spirit you want me to contact is someone that you knew before you came here?" she asked. "That's interesting." Chihiro shrugged. "Tell me about it." Haku slipped a silent, comforting arm around her shoulders and Chihiro smiled up at him again.

Rin was reading the list of items that Chihiro had written down. "As many pairs of walkie-talkies and flashlights as you can afford, enough batteries to fill all of them at least twice over, spray paint, different colored tacks and markers, chocolate…" Rin's voice trailed off as she looked up at Chihiro. "Chocolate? I'm contacting someone across the freaking worlds and you're asking me to ask her for chocolate?"

Chihiro nodded, no hint of embarrassment on her face. "Yup," she replied, cheered by the though of chemically enhanced chocolate bars. She was kind of tired of eating healthy.

Rin rolled her eyes and Haku stared with astonishment at the little human woman. She patted him on the cheek happily. "Have you ever had a Hershey's Cookies and Cream chocolate bar?" she asked him, her eyes bright.

"No," Haku said, shaking his head. "What about a Skor Chocolate and Toffee bar?" she persisted. "No," he drawled. "It sounds painful." Chihiro laughed. "Only if you eat too much."

Chihiro kept listing different kinds of chocolate and asking Haku if he'd ever tried any of them. He never had, but his replies kept her entertained.

While they bantered, Haku acting more happy than Rin had ever seen him, Rin quietly closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed until it was virtually nonexistent; beneath her eyelids, her eyes began to twitch the way they do when one is immersed in a deep sleep.

It took probably five minutes for Chihiro and Haku to notice that Rin wasn't saying anything to mock them. By the time Chihiro had darted over to Rin's side, worried about her, Rin was abruptly sitting up and stretching her arms out. "All done," she said simply. Chihiro was frozen in the act of reaching for Rin's arm; her mouth was gaping slightly.

"All…done?" she repeatedly slowly, as if testing out words spoken in a different language. Rin nodded and stood. Patting Chihiro's head, the pretty spirit said, "She'll be here in two days. And she says she missed you, too."

Chihiro blinked rapidly as Rin made her way to the exit of the room. "Thank you!" Chihiro called to her in a high-pitched voice, hardly able to contain her excitement. Rin gave her a mock-salute. "Sure thing, kid. Don't forget to bug dragon-boy for me!" With that parting remark, Rin made her exit.

Chihiro turned to Haku, her eyes bright with happiness. "Mayu's coming!" she exclaimed, as if Haku hadn't heard it for himself. He gave her a smile in return as she flung herself at him. His arms wrapped around her shoulders as her hands snaked around his waist.

"I can't wait until she arrives!" Chihiro enthused. "Then everyone I love will be in the Spirit World! It will be perfect!" Haku rested his forehead against hers. "I am very glad that you are so happy," he told her. The deep tone of his voice made his chest rumble; pressed up against him as she was, Chihiro could feel every syllable all the way to her toes.

Breathless, she looked into Haku's eyes. "I'm very happy," she whispered. The skin around Haku's eyes crinkled in a reflection of his smile. "For the first time in a long time, Chihiro, so am I. And it is all because of you."

Chihiro's brow furrowed. "Me?" she asked, questioningly. Haku nodded.

"You," he breathed, and with a very slow and gentle motion, pressed his lips to hers.