Chapter 21
"Hello, my old friend..." the elderly man's comically oblong head bobbed as he hobbled towards her.
"Do I know you?"
"Oh, yes... we have known each other for many millennia, but your memories have been lost. Too much time in the human world will have that effect."
"I... I don't think I understand."
"Benzaiten, I must ask a favor of you."
"Huh... but my name isn't-"
"My book, it was stolen from me long ago, but now, it is on its way back to me. However... it will need your help to get here."
The young girl furrowed her brow in confusion.
"The sorceress Zeniba has obtained it, but she does not know where to find me... you will."
"Who are you?"
The old gentleman gave a weary sigh, "Oh, beautiful girl, it is worse than I imagined... My name is Fukurokuju, and there is more to yourself and your life than you could fathom. You will know with time. When you receive the tome, open it and you will understand."
Chihiro's dream faded into hazy consciousness, and she rolled over, expecting to be greeted by Rin's slumbering form, but she was alone. The older girl must have already gotten up to start her rounds for the day. Just as she stretched and was about to pull herself from the bed, there was a knock at the door. She hopped out of bed, and crossed the room. Haku stood outside, a rare smile lighting his features, looking much better than he had the previous night.
"Good morning," he greeted her, "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thanks," she stepped out of the doorway, nearer to him, "I hope you did."
He nodded and took her hand, placing a light kiss to her knuckles, "I'm glad to have you back here, Chihiro, but we need to talk about something very important."
"What is it?" she inquired.
"Perhaps you should be sitting down for this," he motioned towards the room.
She led him in and they took a seat at the table in the corner. Haku scooted his chair a bit closer to her, clutching both her hands in his, a heaviness plainly visible in his eyes.
"I need to tell you what Fate told me about our future together," he began, but the girl stopped him.
"I told you, I don't want to know. Whatever it is, it can't be worse than not being here at all," a lump of worry formed in her throat at the thought.
"I fear that if I don't tell you, there will be no way to stop it... but if you know, together we may be able to figure out a way to change it," he paused for a moment to let her respond, but she stayed silent, so he continued, "He told me that a year from now, we would be married, and then four years later, we would have a child..."
"Well, that's not a bad thing, I don't understand..."
"He said that because of your human nature, your body would not be able to contain the essence of a spirit child," he let out a heavy sigh, "You'll die before the infant can even take its first breath."
Chihiro's lip instantly began to quiver, her eyes glazed over, and her hands shook like leaves. Haku tightened his grip on them, trying his best to steady her, but he knew that there was no stopping her from breaking down. Her head dropped low as she slumped forward, large teardrops splashing onto her bare knees.
"What can we do?" she choked a whisper through her sobs, "That's not enough time. I knew there was no way I could live as long as you will, but... it's not supposed to end that way."
"It won't, I promise," Haku went to kneeling on the floor in front of her, urging the girl to raise her eyes to his, "Chihiro, I will do everything in my power to make sure you live as long and healthy a life as possible. If that means never having children, that's a sacrifice that I'm willing to make."
"Something tells me it won't be as simple as avoiding the situation," she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the hem of her night shirt.
He took a deep breath, pushing himself up to stand, "You're probably right... but we've got the next four years to to form some kind of plan. Until then, at least for the moment, lets try not to dwell on it too much."
Chihiro stood as well, pushing the hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ears, "You're right. Four years is longer than it seems. I just got back here, I'm not ready to face my mortality just yet... I'd rather see what you've been doing for the past few years in your new position, boss."
She forced a grin and he returned it half-heartedly, "Alright, I'll wait outside while you get ready."
He leaned into her, caressing her cheek lightly and grazing her lips with his. Every time he kissed her, it sent a tingling sensation through her entire being. He wasn't the first boy she'd kissed, but he was the first one that she had true, honest feelings for. He was the first one she'd really wanted to share such intimate moments with, and they were better than she could have ever imagined. He left her to privacy, so she dressed quickly, throwing on the handmade dress she'd worn the day before, and whipped her hair into a high ponytail before joining him outside to start the day.
"It will be fabulous! Can't you imagine it?" Zeniba glided through the ballroom as if the dancing had already begun, "Right here, we'll group the tables together like so, and against the wall over there will be a grand buffet! The musicians will set up in the opposite corner, we'll have some couches brought in for more seating over on that wall. Oh, I can hardly wait! Have you tried on your dress yet?"
Rin grumbled, crossing her arms defensively, "No... not exactly..."
The old woman spun on her heals, sending a warning glare in the girl's direction, "I've told you five times today to visit the seamstress. You march yourself up there right now and I don't want to see you again until you're covered head to toe in pink lace!"
"Why does it have to be pink?!" the woman whined, stamping the ground with one foot in a childish gesture of defiance.
"Because you're giving me such a hard time about it," Zeniba shot back, "Now, go, or I'll make you wear high heels, too!"
"Fine!" Rin grunted, clenching her fists at her sides, then turned and stomped angrily out of the room.
As she exited in a huff, Chihiro and Haku entered, the human girl giving her friend a wave to greet her.
"Hey, are you okay?" the younger girl asked, with concern.
"Not right now... I've got a tent to immerse myself in," Rin continued on without pause, huffing and puffing and cursing under her breath as she went.
"A tent? What's she talking about?" Haku looked utterly bewildered.
"I'm making her wear a gown to the ball," Zeniba's eyes light up with amusement, "Which reminds me, Chihiro, I'll need you to visit the seamstress as soon as she's finished with Rin. I've got something special in mind for you."
"Granny, this place is amazing," Chihiro twirled around, taking in the entirety of the massive space, "I've never seen this room of the bathhouse."
"My sister let it go to ruin. You should have seen it before, stored with junk from top to bottom. They've just about finished clearing it out and will be setting up the tables and such tonight," the sorceress clapped her hands together with glee, "Oh, I haven't been to a dance since I was a young girl. It brings back such fond memories."
"When will we be having this ball?" Haku inquired.
"Tomorrow night, if everything goes as planned," she started off towards some Frogs who were hefting large circular tables into the room, "Right over here with those. Space them out, but not too much. We want an intimate setting, but also plenty of room to move about. Chihiro, why don't you go check on Rin, make sure she made it to the seamstress. I don't want her dawdling any longer, there' too much left to prepare. They should be upstairs in the office. And try on your dress while you're there."
"Yes, ma'am," Chihiro bowed and swiftly took off out of the room.
Haku had leaned in, meaning to give her a parting kiss, but she hadn't noticed. His face clouded with uncertainty, and the look wasn't lost on Zeniba.
"She's not used to being loved so deeply," the old witch crossed over to him and laid a comforting hand on his forearm, "Give her time, she's still young."
"I know," he glanced forlornly in the direction the girl had left, "But the thought of losing her again plagues me. I told her not to dwell on it just yet, but it seems I'm having trouble following my own advice."
"I assume Fate revealed your future to you," she speculated, "In which case, you must remember dear... no one's destiny is sealed. You can, in fact, alter your fate, no matter what that old stick in the mud says."
Haku nodded in agreement, but his face still held its dreary cast, "There's something special about her, Granny. I can't put my finger on it, but she's not like any other human I've ever come in contact with. She has a power hidden deep inside her. I think that's why we're bonded as we are, and I think it has something to do with how she's saved me so many times. First, it was her love pulling me free of your curse, then, releasing me from the dream world... and the fall... I'm sure it was her that stopped me before I hit the ground. I just can't figure out how she did it."
Zeniba pursed her lips in contemplation, "Yes, I think you're right, son. I can feel it too."
"It's as if I've know her far longer than I first assumed," he thought back to that fateful day of Chihiro's near drowning, "I felt it before, that strange energy she holds, but I dismissed it then. Now that she's here, and I've spent more time with her, there's no denying it. I just don't understand what 'it' is yet."
"Something tells me we'll find out soon enough..."
Hi again, everyone! Sorry for the sort of short chapter, but I just wanted to get something up since I've been slacking these past few days. I can hardly believe it, but I've almost passed 2,000 views on this story! That is so crazy to me, since it has been up for less than a month. I'm excited to have finally reached the second act of this story and so glad to have so many of you along for the ride! I hope you continue to enjoy reading as much as I am enjoying writing. Thank you all so much, once again, for your lovely reviews! Much love!