...She ran the stone stairs as fast as she could, ignoring the heavy armor rattling on her thin frame. Coming out at the top, she looked down at the impressive height and prepared her sword. There would only be one shot at this. Giving herself a running boost, she sailed over the wall and brought her blade down upon the beast's neck. Sharp as a diamond's edge, the sword made easy work of the flesh and she beheaded the beast with a flourish. Landing calmly beside the fallen corpse, she flicked the blood from her blade and smiled. The writer had finally ended the torturous animal known as writer's block. The story could continue. -What I've been doing since I last posted
Long story short, life happens. Life problems with no easy solution equals too emotional to write even if I know what I want to write. This chapter is rough and long, but I am going to continue to push at this point. There is only 3 chapters left to go before the end of the arc and I'd like to finish it before I leave for Japan in March. I send my love and thanks for your continued support.
Amidstsnow-Thanks for reviewing! I definitely can understand getting sick of the drama. As a fellow fanfic reader, Tsukiko's introduction probably would have been the end of the line for me as a reader because I have a low tolerance for drama. That being said, everything/everyone has a purpose and a reason in my writing. As these last three chapters pan out, I hope you and the other readers will continue to have patience with me as I reveal the purpose for these characters in the main plot. Also remember this is a 2 arc story-what seems pointless now will have an important purpose/use later. As one of my usual reviewers, I always appreciate your feedback and thoughts. Thanks for sticking with me and hope to hear from you again soon!
Trastuspies- You read my intentions like a book (no puns intended), but I think I will have the last laugh in three chapters.
Chapter 33:
The grey skies above released waves of summer rain, but the magic overhead kept it from hitting the land below. If viewed at an angle it almost appeared as if the rain simply disappeared into nothing about two feet above the highest tent. It was only by the convenience of this magic that the many water spirits and other wetland creatures could enjoy the festival together in one place. They brought so much water together that the air was heavy with it and fogging in some areas. Despite these grey conditions, the festival was bubbling with activity and happiness.
"Chihiro, keep up! I'm not above leaving you behind," Lin threatened over the hum of the crowd. Turning her gaze down from its heavenward view, she spotted her favorite weasel up ahead smirking at her. Skipping to catch up, Chihiro smiled at all of the vendors selling their wares. The old market couldn't compare to the strange goods for sale in these temporary stands. She could spend all day exploring the games, stands, and sights here. Catching up with the group, Chihiro looked around at the smiles on the faces of Hikaru, Tsukiko, Okita and Lin. Hikaru glanced back at her and winked before nonchalantly joining her on the other side of the group.
"See anything you like," he asked as he thrust his hands into his pockets and walked beside her.
"Better question is what don't I like,"' she laughed as she noticed Tsukiko holding hands with Okita up ahead. The small rabbit girl was smiling broadly and pointing to a bright star ornament hanging from a nearby shop. Leaning down the tanuki whispered comfortably into her ear. Whatever he said made the child's smile grow even larger and she turned around to wave her over. Excusing herself from Hikaru, Chihiro joined them at the star.
"Have you ever seen this before Chihiro," Tsukiko asked as she pointed the stained glass ornament out. Lin appeared to have continued forward without them and Hikaru had even wandered away.
"Yes, it's a star," Chihiro chuckled as she fingered the shining glass.
"Not just any star. That is a navigation star. Throw this star up into the air and it will lead you back to your home," Okita corrected. Chihiro looked at the seemingly ordinary ornament again. It didn't seem any different than it had seconds before.
"Honestly I think these are far more memorable," Chihiro pointed out the empty grey husks on the table next door. In several of the vases on display, there were beautiful flowers with a swirling fluid moving about inside of them.
"Ah, husk flowers. One touch with a bit of magic and they bloom forever," Okita nodded with a smile, "It's not surprising that you find them enchanting."
"What makes you say that," Tsukiko asked him with a child-like innocence as she began walking away from the stand with him.
"Beautiful women like Chihiro often receive flowers from their suitors. Husk flowers are special because they last forever. They aren't pretty if your magic produces a boring color, but the notion of forever is usually enough to woo most ladies. Trust me, you'll understand when you're older," he replied as he ruffled her curls. Batting away his hand with a pout, she challenged him.
"But Chihiro doesn't have anyone like that right?"
"Not at the moment," Chihiro lied with a small sad smile. The small girl mistook her wistful expression for unrequited desire.
"Chihiro hasn't been around here long enough for the men to catch her scent, but if I were a gambler, I'd place money on the fox being the first one to fall," Okita smarted as the spirit in question came up from behind to check on them. Giggling lightly, Tsukiko covered her mouth with a hand and eyed the man in question.
Tuning out their discussion, Chihiro looked closer at the husk flowers. The flowers on display were filled with an assortment of colors and each closely resembled a unique glass flower sculpture. Purchasing the star ornament and putting it away in her bag, Chihiro began walking again with Hikaru.
"Who is that for?"
"Tsukiko. She seems to get lost a lot so I thought I would surprise her," Chihiro replied as she looked over her shoulder at the husk flowers. Hikaru noted her lingering interest on the flowers as they continued browsing.
"Do you like flowers Chihiro?" Smiling at Hikaru, she nodded and continued looking at all of the wares. Black pottery from the South, un-melting ice sculptures from the North… there were things from all over the Spirit World on display all within steps of each other. "It seems a shame that they die so quickly."
"Their beauty may be fleeting, but the memories they hold last forever."
"Turning into a poet, are you," Chihiro mocked with a mischievous smirk. Hikaru rolled his eyes and put his chin up in defiance.
"Not in the slightest." They walked together in silence for a while as the others kept pace ahead. The murmuring of the crowd reminded Chihiro of babbling brooks trying to talk over each other. Everywhere she looked there were spirits from all over the lands, come together for the festival. Tomorrow everyone would crowd around the river again to witness the cleansing ceremony and celebrate its success at the ball. A familiar voice cut through the noise and struck her from behind.
"Pardon me Chihiro, I believe you dropped this." Turning around to look for the man that the voice belonged to, Chihiro's jaw dropped as she took in Haku's position. He was down on one knee in the trampled grass and holding up a grey slip of husk to her. Before her eyes, the husk filled out into a blooming rose and solidified its form. The slow churning of blue inside reminded Chihiro of his river far below their feet. Speechless at his romantic display, she had to take a few moments to find words. If she hadn't been so taken with his sudden appearance she might have caught the tight lipped frown on Hikaru's face. The rest of the crowd kept moving without notice, but a pair of eyes from up ahead watched the scene with sadness.
"When did you get here," she stuttered out as he smirked triumphantly. Carefully wrapping her small hands about the thorny rose, he stood up and wiped the clinging dirt from his knees.
"Not long ago. I was escorting Hana to the dressmaker and couldn't help but notice a husk flower display. Since she is preoccupied for a bit, I thought there would be no harm in hunting you down to deliver this." Chihiro looked down at the rose and felt herself blush even deeper.
"It is absolutely stunning, Haku. Thank you." The smile the two shared made the rest of the world melt away.
"Is her dress for the lotus party tonight or the ball tomorrow," Hikaru asked with a stoic expression. Chihiro looked at him questioning why he would bring something like that up. Shrugging his shoulders at Chihiro's reaction, he continued. "What? Since he's taking her as his date to both events it shouldn't be a problem to ask."
"The ball I believe. Her dress for the lotus party should already be ready to go," Haku admitted reluctantly. Chihiro bit her lip gently in annoyance and turned her eyes to look down at the flower in her hands once again. It didn't quite seem as meaningful when Hikaru put it in that light. He was still going to both events with the koi fish, something Chihiro would prefer to forget. "I wish I could ask you to attend with me, but it's too dangerous even if the fox is nearby."
"I know," Chihiro sighed as she ran a hand quickly through her hair and began shifting her bag around to put the rose inside of it, "but I can still have a dance at the ball right?"
Haku looked down at his feet with guilt. He had already agreed to escort Hana to the ball tomorrow evening well before Chihiro's confession. The hope in Chihiro's gaze diminished quickly as she realized the truth in Hikaru's earlier words.
"I will be attending the ball with Hana. I'm sorry Chihiro, but I thought you would go with Lin to the staff party downstairs." Haku back peddled as he tried a different strategy. "It's going to be boring at the ball and not worth your time to attend."
The silence that met his remark did not go unnoticed by either male. Adjusting her now closed bag on her shoulder, she tried to come up with something to say. Noticing her failing mood, Hikaru wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight.
"I was going to wait till later to bring this up but, I actually got two tickets for the siren's concert tonight if you would like to go with me." Chihiro looked at Hikaru and evaluated whether he was bluffing or serious. The sheepish look on his face and the paw awkwardly smoothing wrinkles out of his pants was enough to tell her he wasn't kidding. "I'm sorry I didn't speak up earlier. I was waiting for the right moment."
"It sounds fun," Chihiro replied as she quietly agreed. A shout of anger rose above the crowd in front of them and everyone's attention directed towards the argument. Brushing past the others, Haku hurried towards the altercation with Hikaru and Chihiro hot on his heels. A familiar palanquin hovered at half height as its occupant peered out through the mesh curtains at the weasel glaring at her. Hikaru's hand instantly shot to the dagger on his belt and he wrapped his hand around Chihiro's arm with the intention of moving her far away from the scene at hand. Planting her feet, Chihiro refused to move. It didn't matter how she felt about Haku or Hana at the moment, she was not going to leave her friend there.
"I said I haven't seen him," Lin retorted angrily as Hana stepped out onto a wave in front of her palanquin. The water kept her a lift from the ground. Nearby spirits in the crowd backed away in worry, but the weasel was not intimidated by her display.
"Don't play dumb. We both know you're the spy in the bathhouse. You were probably on your way to the barrier to give crucial information over to the Tainted." Gasps from around the crowd were heard at her claim. Hissing loudly, Lin showed her teeth and her ears perked up out of her normally flat hair. The tension was high in the air as people around them moved away, but watched on rather than interfering. The situation was rapidly falling out of hand. "Or perhaps you have captured the dragon and are preparing to hand him off."
"That's enough," Haku commanded as he broke through the crowd and approached them. Upon spotting him, Hana all but flung herself into his arms. Giving her back a gentle pat, he stiffly removed her from his side.
"Oh Kohaku! I was so worried. I came out of the dressmaker's to ask your opinion and you were nowhere to be seen! I knew something must have happened since you would never leave me alone like that."
"I had an emergency come up back at the bathhouse that needed attending to. I was just on my way back to you," Haku lied easily as Lin settled down.
"Then let us be on our way now that you have returned safely. There is a jeweler down the way that has a package waiting for me," Hana said dismissively as she began to strut her way through her water towards the palanquin. The crowd was not subtly murmuring questions about the weasel before them.
"I believe you owe this lady an apology," Chihiro said loudly. Pushing Hikaru aside, she entered into circle and stood beside Lin. Chihiro wasn't going to let her get away with publicly defaming Lin for nothing. "You just falsely accused her of crimes that could tarnish her name and get her into trouble. Apologize."
"You're an idiot. It was going to be fine," Lin hissed under her breath to Chihiro. What neither of them had been expecting was Hana's cruel laughter ringing out about them.
"Well isn't this precious. How does it feel to be defended by your little sister? No backbone of your own?" Lin looked away and ground her teeth rather than dignifying the statement with a response.
"Hana, didn't I mention how protective I am of my staff members? I don't take kindly to people that insult them," Haku subtly threatened. Pouting and putting on airs, the koi fish began laying on her charms thickly.
"Oh Kohaku, you know that I didn't mean any harm. I was just pointing out that such character flaws are why she can't enter high society and sets a poor example for her outspoken sister. It must be a comfort to know they are always welcome to remain below the stairs in servitude."
"It is not for a lack of manners or grace that we choose to not attend the upper class gatherings," Lin quietly replied. Haku and Chihiro could tell that she was holding her tongue from whatever crass things she wanted to say to the fish.
"Exactly. Don't worry Hana-chan. I will be making an appearance at the ball since invitations aren't necessary for that." Chihiro retaliated. No matter how much Hana hated it, she couldn't prevent them from attending that.
"That's true," Haku commented with a smirk.
"Don't be silly," Hana giggled, "It's not like anybody would be willing to take a weasel spirit of your status. You would stick out like a sore thumb without a date."
"I will be escorting Chihiro to the ball tomorrow night. You can count on seeing us there," Hikaru spoke up as he silently moved out of the crowd to join the girls. Hana rolled her eyes with disgust at his appearance. Though she had to admit he was fairly handsome and his fur spoke of good Northern breeding, the battered work clothes he wore yelled poverty.
"If you let this weasel and fox attend tomorrow night, they will be a disgrace to you and the rest of the bathhouse Haku."
"The ball is open for everyone. I will not make exceptions based on status or formalities," Haku countered as he shifted towards the palanquin. Chihiro smiled at Haku which was not missed by the koi fish. Turning her attention back to Hana, she put up her chin the slightest in defiance.
"The only disgrace that will be there is you with that attitude." Chihiro replied tartly. Twisting around at the speed of light, Hana's hand shot out to slap Chihiro's face. However the koi fish never made contact with her flesh. Centimeters away from touching, her hand rebounded from an invisible shield and began to blacken. Hana let out a scream of horror as she pulled her burned hand back. A low pitched growl resounded from Haku as he instantly moved between them. Hikaru's snarl was barely masked as he took a similar stance.
"I told you that she was under my protection," Haku roared as Hana shrunk back in shock, "Chihiro is bound under contract to me and I won't have you damage her."
Haku's body relaxed as he smelled the pungent smell of fear and burnt flesh coming from Hana. The protective magic he had placed in the hair pins had saved Chihiro twice now, making the bloodlust that ensued upon activation seem a small price to pay. Hana glared at Chihiro with all the hatred in her heart, but Haku stepped into her line of vision.
"Come with me back to the bathhouse and I will heal your hand. I hadn't thought there was a need to warn you of the protection contracts I've placed, but it seems I was wrong." Pursing her lips, Hana gave him a short nod and got into the palanquin with all the dignity she could muster. Together they hurried away and the stagnant crowd began to dissipate back into a flow. Letting out a sigh of relief, Chihiro could tell from the matching looks on Lin's and Hikaru's faces that she was about to get the lecture of a lifetime.
After a stern talk on safety from both of her favorite friends, they found Tsukiko and Okita waiting for them up a ways. Greeting them quietly, Chihiro kept walking forward. The magic of the market seemed dull now after seeing Hana here. It felt like she had lost more of that argument than she had won.
"Where were you guys," Lin asked as they began to continue shopping.
"We were watching from a safe distance. I knew you would handle it just fine," Okita replied.
"See Chihiro, he had faith in me."
"Alright, alright Lin I get it," Chihiro sighed as she picked up her pace slightly.
"Chihiro, why did you put yourself out there like that? You could have been hurt," Tsukiko asked as she grabbed onto Chihiro's hand. She could hear the worry in the young girl's voice.
"It was the right thing to do," she replied with a soft smile for the girl, "I would do the same thing for you."
Tsukiko looked at her with curious eyes and Chihiro felt herself blush in embarrassment. Sometimes it was easier to show emotion than explain it. Chihiro slid her bag around to pull out the gift and nervously handed it to her before shoving her hands in her pockets.
"Here. I got this for you. Now you won't ever have to be lost again." Removing the packaging, the girl recognized the navigation star inside and looked back at her in surprise. Ruffling the girl's curls as she began to profusely thank her, Chihiro moved to the other side of the street to examine the tanks of small underwater flowers on display. As if struck by an idea, Lin stopped midstride and yanked Hikaru down to her level so she could speak quickly into his ear. Chihiro felt Hikaru's gaze on her back as she halfheartedly continued to browse. Tsukiko flitted about nearby talking, but Chihiro couldn't help ignoring the small girl. Her attention was caught by the odd sight of a familiar face moving quickly amongst the tents with a look of concern. Aogaeru, the frog who had stopped her and Haku on the bridge years ago, was moving as if there was a No face stalking him. Dismissing it as nothing, Chihiro turned her attention back to her friends at hand.
.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-..-
Chihiro felt as if she were moving in a daze as she walked through the layers of the bathhouse upward. Everywhere she passed staff members were fluttering about serving guests that would be attending the lotus party or the outdoor concert that evening. Most of the guest rooms were open so that the occupants could speak across the halls to each other as they got ready with styles more gaudy and outlandish than the next.
"Do you think I should wear the pearl necklace or the diamond choker tonight?"
"I think the diamonds would catch his eyes more. Dragons are known to have a soft spot for jewels," a shrill female voice chortled back. All of it made Chihiro sick and at the same time insecure. She knew that she had promised Haku that she would not attend the lotus party and Hikaru had tickets for the siren's concert, but secretly Chihiro wanted to stake out the party and see how Haku managed all of these women. They all seemed absolutely nuts to her. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she ascended the last lift and threw open the door to the flat. Hikaru silently closed the door behind him and followed her into the living room as she flopped down on the sofa with a frown.
"Are you feeling ok?"
"Yeah just a little tired. I think I'll take a nap for a bit before I get ready for the concert," Chihiro replied as she closed her eyes and relaxed into the soft cushions. If only she could shut out the images of those shallow girls out of her mind…
"Well if you don't mind, I'm going to step out for a bit. I'll be back before dinner to wake you."
"Sounds good." Chihiro didn't actually think she would sleep, but she didn't exactly feel like opening up to Hikaru about what was on her mind either. Something in her gut told her that he and Haku still had a bone to pick with each other and that getting in the middle wouldn't be pretty.
"Make sure you don't leave here without me. Ask Lin to come get me or something, ok?" Mumbling a sound of agreement, she heard him hesitate before leaving the flat. Curling up in a ball, Chihiro turned her back to him and let out a long sigh.
All of her worries about the next forty-eight hours seemed to drag her further into the sofa. The lotus party was tonight and if that wasn't enough, the formal ball was tomorrow night. From what she had gathered from the rest of the staff, none of them attended the ball in favor of attending a casual drinking party in the kitchen. Everyone seemed to have some excuse: nothing of quality to wear, stiff overbearing guests, traditional dances. Lin had spewed at least a dozen excuses over the twenty minute lecture she gave Chihiro on why she shouldn't bother attending. Yet the competitive spirit inside of Chihiro had been incited at the brief meeting with Hana and Haku this morning. She was not going to be put off by that damn koi fish or Haku's half-heartedness. She might not have anything formal to wear in the borrowed wardrobe that Haku provided, but by hell-or-high-water Chihiro Ogino was going to go to the formal ball tomorrow night.
Meanwhile in the water-filled rooms of Hana and Shoko, the two fish were discussing the latest gossip and news from among the many women visiting the bathhouse. Their attendants swam about preparing last minutes waxes and polishes for the evening's events.
"I'm not sure how much longer my father is going to buy it, Shoko. I need to get the dragon to marry me... or at least visit my father with a marriage proposal."
"It was your idea to tell him that Haku had shown you favor."
"I had to come up with something to postpone the miai. He was going to marry me off to a tuna spirit from the South! I would have been the laughingstock of all the Eastern lands."
"And one of the wealthiest in the Southern deserts. Surely that would have made it worthwhile."
"No amount of money would have been enough for me to marry that vile desert dweller. He can't even command water! How am I supposed to preserve my bloodline then," Hana fumed as she tossed a wave against the wall. Twisting the water about her, she sighed in frustration as she thought about the argument that had led to this situation. Invoking Kohaku's name had seemed like a good solution at the time. Her father had always thought highly of the bathhouse master and was ecstatic when she returned home each time to report good news of a progressing relationship. However the letter her father had sent with the kimonos asked her to urgently move the relationship forward before the war took him and other potential marriage candidates away to fight. It seems there had been several battles close to home that had put her father in a hurry to marry her off. He would not wait much longer, making the stakes higher for her than any other marriageable candidate staying for the festival. Hana needed to make the lie a reality and if Haku's kiss was anything to go by, she was almost there.
"I overheard Lady Serena and those shellfish she swims around with claiming your kiss is simply a rumor you invented to draw attention to yourself." Hana sniffed in disdain at the mention of the rival and frowned at her close friend. Though Shoko was also supposed to be vying for Kohaku's hand, she hadn't shown much fight over it yet. Perhaps their years of friendship meant enough to keep her on the sidelines and leave Hana the victor.
"You can't possibly believe her over me, now do you?"
"Of course not," Shoko exclaimed as she put a fin through her hair, "but I also find it a little hard to believe as well. He has not shown you any favoritism from what I can see... So why don't we speed things up a bit and roll the dice this evening?"
Pulling out a small box from her luggage, Shoko swam over to Hana and floated before her. The look of confusion and desperation on Hana's face melted into a smile as Shoko revealed the contents of the box.
"Is that…?"
"Yes. If what you say is true, then this will have your marriage proposal by morning."
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Hikaru grasped Chihiro's hand and pulled her gently towards the front of the crowd. The erected stage was similar to that of the ship wreckage they had seen on the opening night, but more elaborate. Eventually they reached a point where they could no longer push forward any further due to the tight crush of spirits around them.
"Is this ok for you," Hikaru asked her as he gave her hand a squeeze. Coming back from whatever trip around the world her mind had taken, she seemed to notice him for the first time since they left the bathhouse. More specifically she had looked downward at their connected hands in confusion. When had they started holding hands she questioned as she gently disengaged her offending appendage.
"This is perfect," Chihiro replied as she admired how close they were. All of the spirits around them seemed restless as the lights began roaming from their holsters on stage. The tension was high as everyone waited eagerly for the performer to appear.
"Oh I almost forgot," he said as he shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out four small pieces of pink coral. Offering them out to her, she couldn't help but look back at him in confusion. Hikaru smirked at her cute expression and tried to explain what they were, but the crowd rose up cheering as the siren appeared on the planks above. His voice was lost in the roaring sound. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Hikaru placed a piece of coral in each of his ears and motioned for her to do the same. Giving him a look of skepticism, she placed the crunchy shards into her ears and waited as he dug through his pockets for a small piece of paper and a pen.
"Sirens have enough magic in their voices to force those listening to do unspeakable things. Just in case anything happens, we should wear these. They will block out the majority of the magic," he wrote down. Chihiro read it and shook her head in understanding. Looking up at the stage, she took in the tan, muscled man prepping his guitar with great care. His dirty bleached hair, sun-faded clothes, and relaxed pose gave the impression that the stage was as comfortable for him as a seat on the front porch of his seaside villa. He didn't strike her as particularly attractive, but the fangirls screaming all around spoke differently. Picking at the strings and slowly beginning a tune, the man finally looked up to gaze over the crowd below. The smile he gave brought another round of shrieks, but Chihiro couldn't care less about that. She looked over at Hikaru gauging his reaction to the siren and he seemed just as infallibly calm as usual.
Rolls of music began winding like waves before the siren finally opened his mouth. His voice came first as a gentle hum before transitioning to incoherent mumblings. The plucked strings quickened their speed and his muttering shifted into words in a raspy tenor voice. Chihiro was astounded at the strange sensation of the music going right into her, as if she were physically tuning into it. The siren had a lovely voice and when he finally came to real words, the spirits around her seemed to throw back their heads in enjoyment and move their bodies freely. His music moved her, but Chihiro wasn't about to dance like many around her were doing. Perhaps it was the earbuds fault for her lack of departure from reality, but she enjoyed the music nonetheless.
The concert went by too quickly and Chihiro was near voiceless after all of the cheering she had done by the end of it. Together Chihiro and Hikaru walked back hand-in-hand to the bathhouse to keep from getting separated in the crowd.
"The whole reason he agreed to come perform tonight was because his twin sister wanted to attend the lotus party. I heard some yuna talking about how it was such a scandal that she was not offered an invitation as a guest, but rather as a performer," Hikaru relayed as he tossed his earbuds into a nearby trash bin. Plucking hers out as well, Chihiro followed suit and they entered the bathhouse.
"Seems kind of rude."
"I think it has more to do with the fact that the twins are new money rather than old money. Their unknown bloodline doesn't bother their hordes of fans though."
"Who would think there would be a day that I would attend a siren concert with a fox in the Spirit World," Chihiro murmured in awe. Hikaru smiled at her as they piled into the elevator up. Even from there they could hear the muffled cacophony of the lotus party in full swing in the garden. The slowly filling bathhouse seemed to echo the sounds. Thinking about the lotus party made Chihiro's smile slip just the slightest bit as her thoughts turned grim.
"Thank you for a wonderful night tonight, Hikaru. I had a lot of fun," Chihiro said softly as they reached the flat. Haku's office seemed dimmed as if ready for the sun's evening arrival. The emptiness of the flat, the low lighting, and the handsome fox standing less than an arm's reach away was not lost on her.
"Any time. I hope you will enjoy tomorrow's entertainment even more. We will give that koi fish the middle finger when we waltz on by." Grinning at the image, she nodded her head in agreement. A breath passed between them as they looked at each other in waiting. Averting her eyes, Chihiro excused herself for the evening and with a quick bow left him standing there. Retiring to Haku's room, she felt her heart drop as she looked over at the canopy bed. The space felt empty when he was gone and even the fire seemed diminished as if sensing that its usual occupant was missing. Sighing quietly, she walked over to the bed and laid back on it. Why did things with Haku have to work out this way? What could she do to improve their relationship? Letting her hands scrunch up the comforter, she was startled by the sound of paper crinkling. Releasing her grip, Chihiro pulled back the blanket to find a small note written in Lin's handwriting.
"Ditch the fox. Meet me in my room. Don't make me wait up for you.– L"
Chihiro tossed the note into the fire and slunk over to the door. Peering through the space under the door she saw no one inside. Opening the door slowly and as silently as she could manage, she peeked out at the empty living room. Chihiro stealthily made her way over to the office door and glanced underneath. She spotted two white fox feet protruding from an office chair. There was no way she was escaping out that way. Feeling like a fugitive, she considered her options. Hikaru didn't go to bed early if his late rising this morning was anything to go by. It was unlikely that she would be able to talk her way out of his accompaniment either if she passed by him. With a heavy sigh, Chihiro made her way to the nearby balcony. As she had feared, there were pipes between the balcony and the next floor down. A sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her, but she attributed it to her fear of heights. Chihiro grasped the old pipe and slid down it to the next level. Climbing quickly and carefully avoiding looking down, she made it over to an open window. The foreman snored loudly from his futon in the corner as Chihiro slipped into his room. Only throwing a glance in his direction she made a beeline for the door.
Lin was not surprised when Chihiro showed up minutes before she was about to give up and go to sleep. Taking a look in either direction to make sure she wasn't followed, Lin yanked her into the room and shut the door. The weasel's bed was covered with boxes in an assortment of sizes.
"You sure took your sweet time getting here," Lin muttered with a yawn. Brushing past her, Chihiro stood next to the bed patiently waiting for her.
"Let's just say that Hikaru was guarding the exit and I had to get creative to get down here," Chihiro commented as she eyed the packages skeptically. Lin gave her a tired smile in understanding and locked the door. Crossing the space in smooth graceful strides, the weasel spirit placed a tentative hand on the largest box.
"As I told you this morning, there is no way in hell that I'm going to the ball tomorrow night. I have no desire to be around a bunch of snobbish waifs, especially when I could be downstairs drinking with everyone else. That being said, the fox is willing to escort you if you are still determined to go…Are you sure you want to attend the ball? I'm telling you all the real fun is going to be at the staff party."
"Yes I'm sure," Chihiro replied with a small smile. It would undoubtedly suck to see all of the visiting women all over Haku, but at least she would have Hikaru there with her. If all went well, she could probably steal a dance with Haku and stick it to the koi fish in the process. There was no backing out of the challenge she had put down today. The gauntlets had been thrown.
"Then as a representative of us here at the bathhouse, you better stick it to that bitch and make us all proud. We all chipped in to get this for you, everyone except Haku that is," Lin said as she removed the lid off the largest box. Inside of it, a vibrantly alive kimono rested in perfect folds. The embroidery on it depicted cherry blossoms growing every which way. The box lids were all removed showing the thought and time put into every piece of the outfit until finally only one box remained. Noticing Chihiro's curiosity in the final unopened box, Lin picked it up and handed it to her to open. "Hikaru got this for you. He spent some hours this afternoon working for Taka carrying whiskey barrels from the river to the storehouse."
Chihiro lifted the lid away and felt her jaw drop at the kanzashi inside. The silver hair comb had a bundle of cherry blossoms at its top and several longer flower strands tumbling down from its knot. Lifting it up carefully, she took a closer look at the delicate craftsmanship and saw that each petal was a thin cut of pale pink opal centered around dark pink pearls.
"This is too much…this is all too much. I can't accept this," Chihiro started, but Lin put a hand over her mouth.
"You will accept it and wear all of it with pride. If you are going to go to the ball, then you will go and make that damned koi fish eat her words. I won't have it any other way." Chihiro giggled as a few tears ran down her cheeks. She was so grateful and overwhelmed by their generous gift. Lin rolled her eyes and wiped her tears away as she squeezed her cheeks. "Now get out of here before I get all emotional. You need some sleep if you are going to stay up late tomorrow night. Be back here after the midday meal to get ready."
.-.-.-.-.-
Haku looked over the murmuring tables of women from his seat on a raised platform. The garden had been transformed into a tropical escape for the evening by the magic of the young women present. A young siren girl was singing from a high platform across the garden, keeping everyone entertained and talking. The thick jungle foliage that was placed throughout the garden was moving gently with the evening breeze, providing some relief from the thick humidity of water spirits in one area. Sitting to his left in all of her regalia, Shoko sipped her cup of tea with a smug smile. Haku thought nothing of it as he sipped his own tea and listened to Hana drone on about some new ornament she had procured from the market. The koi fish had truly outdone herself in surpassing the other guests and sparkled brightly from her cushion on his right. By first light tomorrow, half the town would be talking about her breathtaking beauty at the party this evening, but the object of her attentions couldn't care less for her efforts. The garden was full of gems tonight, yet none of them would ever shine brighter than his human.
Finishing his third cup of tea, Haku politely excused himself for the evening claiming fatigue. He had been careful to keep his guard up in case of any plots against him arose, but it was draining to maintain it for such a long period of time. Shoko had been considerate enough to prepare the teapot and cups in front of him and they shared the exotic tea she had purchased from the market. It had not provided him the relaxation he had hoped for, but that was fine. He was going to go bathe in his river tonight no matter the circumstances. Bowing to each of the women, he slowly made his way across the garden towards the door to the outside. He was confident that he had avoided any of the prevalent dangers of attending the lotus party.
It was a three minute flight to the balcony of his flat and six steps from the balcony to the tub that was the entrance to his cavern. The odds of him encountering Chihiro in this small space were highly unlikely with the speeds he intended to cross it. However the moment Haku shifted into his dragon form to take to the air that distance no longer mattered. Eyes dilating close to pure black, his mind focused in on the distinctive mix of human and weasel that Chihiro had become through magic. In the back of his mind, it should have registered that something was immediately wrong as he felt his body erupt with desire to go to her. Haku lost the battle to avoid her before even soaring past the third floor. Following her scent, he flew through a nearby open window and skidded to a halt. Chihiro jumped in surprise at his sudden appearance with her fists raised high. In her usual casual clothes and messy hair, she looked to him the most beautiful women in all of the worlds. Recognizing him, Chihiro breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her hands.
"What are you doing here Haku? You scared me half to death there." Chihiro's scent fluttered in the air and he found himself walking towards her thoughtlessly. The rational part of his brain was silently sitting back watching everything unfold rather than questioning why she was alone in a hallway at this hour of evening. It didn't matter at the moment, the dragon was making his move. Shifting while walking, he was within arm's reach in seconds. "Shouldn't you be at the party still?"
Haku closed the distance between them and kissed her hard upon the mouth. Not giving her a chance to speak, he wrapped his fingers into her hair and clutched her close. Hesitant at first, Chihiro began responding back with an equal passion despite the throbbing pain she felt building in her chest. Abandoning her hair, his hands wandered down to push her curves closer to his and he groaned when he felt her nails scratch lightly into his back. Confusion and pain split the lust and desire filling the space about them, but she didn't stop returning his affections. The fire that had taken hold of him earlier was not quenched by her kisses, in fact it seemed to be gasoline and he was quickly lost in the flames of desire. Pulling away slightly, Chihiro tried to catch her breath as Haku's busy mouth worked its way along her jaw.
"Haku, are you drunk," she asked. Chihiro was more than confused with this sudden change in behavior and despite the pain, she was trying to rationalize the experience as a dream or hallucination. There was no way in hell that this was happening right now.
"Not in the slightest. I just want you. I need you in my life Chihiro." His lips worked their way towards her right ear. Nipping her ear lobe, Chihiro gasped in surprise. Haku took advantage of her open mouth and began his attack anew. Her knees gave out, but Haku pressed her firmly against the wall to keep her from melting into a puddle on the floor. The small bit of friction from him adjusting his position made Chihiro moan in pleasure and the sound sent sparks of excitement down his veins. Sucking, nipping and kissing his way down her neck towards the small valley of cleavage peeking up from the cusp of her blouse, Haku listened to the small pants she was making from his ministrations. Haku pulled away to look at Chihiro's eyes and view his handiwork. Her lips were red and swollen from their kisses and her chest pressed against him with each breath she shakily took. A beautiful blush was painted across her cheeks and her eyes were at half-mast. Caressing her face sweetly, he whispered his next words with all the love in his heart.
"Mate with me Chihiro. Let me make love to you tonight and I will be yours for all of eternity." His desire riddled mind took her shocked silence for consent and he kissed her possessively. Pushing against the old magic that kept them apart, he felt his heart fighting to escape his chest and the pain of breaking the seal. It only took him a few moments, but he was already on the verge of collapsing it. Haku was powerful and when properly motivated, as he was in this very moment, he was capable of exceeding his typical capacities. Just as he was about to penetrate the seal, Chihiro shoved him away with all of her strength. Stumbling back a few steps, he looked at her in confusion. Tears openly came down her cheeks as she clutched her chest and looked at him in horror.
"No." Her single word rocked his world. He was on fire with need and desire and she was denying him. The dragon inside of Haku pleaded with him to assert his strength and bite her. Mark her as his and give his primal urges some relief. Just a few drops of her blood in his system would be enough to finish the seal. If she could feel the red string that had already begun to bind them before his intervention, would she stop resisting and give into him? He took a step to get closer, but she took a large side step away from him. Recognizing the lust in his eyes, she began moving away from him with regular steps backwards. "I don't know what's wrong with you tonight Haku, but I won't let you take me in the hallway like some animal. This isn't like you."
"This is me, Chihiro. I don't just want some one night stand with you. I'm asking you to marry me," Haku reasoned as he took a step towards her. Chihiro frowned and shook her head no.
"It's too fast Haku. Even if you are serious and not completely off your rocker, my answer would still be no. Go take a cold bath in your river. We can talk about this tomorrow." Giving him one last quick glance, Chihiro ran around the corner out of the passageway. Haku leaned back against the wall as the recoil of the past few moments replayed through his head. The fire that had been licking at his heels tempered as her scent dwindled from the air. He could tell that she was heading up the levels of the bathhouse towards their flat. Pushing off from the wall, he began walking absentmindedly towards the bathhouse exit. He would have to take a fairly long flight to get to the other entrance of his river, but after her rejection he didn't want to risk seeing her upstairs. The scared look in her eyes haunted him and that image alone brought rationality back to the edges of his mind.
Chihiro ran straight to Haku's room and locked the door before she began pacing. What was wrong with Haku tonight? A confused mess of emotions and longing overwhelmed her. She wanted to go back to him and finish what they had started in the hallway. Logic argued that exploring a relationship with him was more important than bedding him and possibly regretting it in the morning. By that process, she had certainly made the right call. No matter what part of her mind, heart, or body she listened to it all agreed that she wanted a hell of a lot more than this current state of affairs! Pent up, fed up, and wound up Chihiro impatiently paced the room. The image of him leaving with Hana earlier this morning sprung to mind. Haku had not openly stood up for Lin and had even had the gall to walk away with the koi fish. Spotting the husk flower he had given her in a vase by the balcony, Chihiro frowned at it. The blue fluid inside of it was moving around frantically in comparison to its slow movement earlier today. Somehow this morning's events made her feel bought and played rather than loved. Even though she was making the effort to go to the ball, Chihiro couldn't help but wonder if she should give herself a break from all of the drama and just go to the staff party instead. Clenching her eyes shut, Chihiro blew out a large puff of air in frustration and slammed her hands down on the mattress. A loud electrical crack resounded in the air startling her. Looking around nervously, Chihiro slowly walked over towards the balcony. Her eyes finally found the source of the sound. Glass shards were all over the table and there was no sign of Haku's blue magic. The husk flower had shattered.
Haku was nearly to the exit when he saw Hana, Shoko and their attendants making their way from the garden towards the elevator up. Thinking quickly, he ducked within a nearby doorway and placed a reflective water mirror to hide himself.
"I wonder where I should wait for Kohaku to find me. With three cups of Damiana leaf tea in his system, he's bound to be feeling his loins on fire. I was just hoping for him to take a sip and make a public scene, but this is far better."
"I'm surprised he didn't have a reaction when we were sitting there," Shoko replied with a twirl of her fins, "Since it is a herb from the Southern Deserts, perhaps it takes a long time for it to permeate a water spirit's system."
"I couldn't tell you to be honest. The counter tea we drank beforehand did its job well. It's such a shame that the effects only last a few hours."
"You only need to bed him once to get him to marry you. A few hours is plenty of time. I'm going to retire to my room for the evening. If I were you, I'd recommend wearing something he can't say no to and dismissing your servants. Wouldn't want them drowning in the crossfire now would you?" The two of them laughed together as their palanquins loaded into the elevator and begun rising upward.
Haku tore down the mirror and nearly wretched as the bile rising up in his throat made itself known. Even now he felt the fire in his belly burning hotter by the second, begging him to hurry upstairs and take his human. The knowledge of what it was did nothing to ease the daze it set upon his faculties. He took some comfort in their costly mistake. The fish had predicted incorrectly whom his heart was inclined towards and as such, the only passion that rose in him from the drug was for the human woman upstairs. Running outside into the night air, Haku heaved the contents of his stomach over the railing of the bridge. It was no use now, the drug was in his bloodstream. He needed to find the counter tea or spend time at his river detoxing before he got anywhere close to Chihiro again. The fire would only get worse over the next few hours, especially with no outlet. How would he explain all of this to Chihiro once he did finally get clean? She hadn't given him permission, and yet he had pushed forward. An awareness of what he had been about to do earlier hit him full force and the thought of the heavy consequences to come sagged down upon his shoulders. Haku stumbled forward as the sun rose high over the ghost town.