A Spirited Reunion
By: Starlight Rose
Email: starlighto_rose@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi a.k.a. Spirited Away belongs to Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki, and Disney. I'm just borrowing their characters and world and making no profit off of this.
A.N. I've finally written something in over four months, granted though it's not what most of my readers want to read and I'm not promising I'll be any better about writing this story than I am about my other stories so be patient with me if I never update. I have a busy life that fanfiction does not play a very large or important role in. Either way though, I hope everyone enjoys this story and reviews.
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A young boy sat on a set of stone steps looking out over a dry river bed. The wind blew his tea brown hair back from his lonely face. His leaf-green eyes stared off into some distant point as he lost himself in memories.
"What is wrong with that boy?!?" A young woman with long dark hair asked in an annoyed voice as she watched the boy.
The small green frog next to her replied gently, "Give him a break Rin. Master Haku misses her."
"We all miss Sen!" Rin snapped at the frog. "Sen was like a little sister to me. I loved her too, but I'm not sitting on those steps starring out to the human world everyday."
"But you don't love her like Master Haku does. I think she means a lot more to him than any of us can understand."
"If he loves her so much then he should do something about it!" Rin yelled back at the frog.
At that statement Haku jerked his head around and glared at the young woman. Instead of backing away from the boy's intense glare, Rin just glared back at him. "Don't you think I want to go after Chihiro?"
"Of course you want to go after her, but why you don't is what I'm wondering." Rin yelled back at him.
"I can't! I'm a spirit Rin, just like you. Even worse I'm a river god without a river to protect. If I leave this world I will disappear just like Chihiro would have disappeared had I not helped her." Haku told her in his soft sad voice.
"You're also a sorcerer's apprentince. Surely you can find some way to make it so you can go to the human world." Rin retorted.
At that Haku stilled and hung his head in thought. "I don't know any spell that might allow me to become human, but I might know someone who would."
"You don't mean Yu-baba, do you? That old witch wouldn't help you especially after how you caused her to lose Sen and then the way you quit." The woman asked him startled.
"No not Yu-baba, Zeniba. Zeniba loved Chihiro like her own grandchild, enough to forgive me for stealing her seal. Maybe she'll help me for Chihiro's sake." Haku said preparing to turn into his dragon form.
"Good luck then Haku. When Sen first came to us, I always wondered why she was so obssesed with you. Kamaji had to tell me that she loved you. When I saw how she watched over your unconscious form, I knew he was right. It's not something I can say I really understand since I've never been in love, but I believe you love her too. Take care of her or else I'll make you regret it. Sen was like a sister I liked."
"Thank-you Rin." Haku told her before his form shimmered and a great silver dragon stood in his place. With a great bound the dragon lifted off the ground into the air. As he traveled to Zeniba's cottage Haku reminenced about the last time he had made that trip. It was to go get Chihiro and Yu-baba's baby, Bou back. He had only cared about helping Chihiro having felt like she was a link to a home he had forgotten. Little had he known that Chihiro would help him much more than he had ever been able to help her. She gave him back his name and released him from Yu-baba's spell. Because of her, he was free.
As the sun set over the horizon and Haku knew the river between the spirit world and the human world began to fill up again, Haku reached Zeniba's cottage. He wasn't surprised to find the old witch waiting for him with No-Face standing protectively behind her.
"So you finally came." Zeniba stated calmly. "It took you long enough. You know in two years she might have forgotten about you since you took so long."
Transforming back into a human Haku smiled at the witch. "Chihiro would never forget. You even told her that nothing that happens is ever forgotten, even if we don't remember it."
Zeniba let out a cackle of laughter. "You have become much nicer since leaving my sister's service. What are you doing now?"
"I am still working at the bathhouse just not as Zeniba's apprentince. There was no other place I could really go to since my home no longer exists."
"But the bathhouse is not your home is it? The humans have a saying, 'Home is where the heart is.' If that's true then I think your home is with Chihiro."
Haku considered it for a bit. "I suppose you're right. So will you help me?"
"I can help you, but have you truly considered everything. It has been two years Haku and Chihiro has probably forgotten all the things that happened here, if not then she would have had to just push it to the back of her mind where all childhood dreams are eventually sent." Zeniba warned the young river god.
"It doesn't matter. Even if she doesn't remember me I remember her. Just like last time and I'm sure like last time she will remember." Haku replied confidently.
"Alright then come into my cottage and I'll see what I can do." Zeniba said sighing. Young people were so impetuous, but at least the boy had learned to love something that Zeniba had hoped would happen since she didn't really have much against him for stealing her seal. How could she if Chihiro cared for the boy so much.
Haku followed Zeniba into her house feeling slightly ill at ease with Yu-baba's twin sister. The cottage was exactly how he remembered it from when he had last entered it. The seal was right where it was before he stole it. Haku regretted his actions then, biut did not regret their results. Chihiro was returned to her world and her parents restored to human form and he was released from Yubaba's spell. Well maybe there were a few regrets over the outcome. If not then he wouldn't be standing in Zeniba's cottage asking for her to turn him human.
"No-Face, would you please get me my seal?" Zeniba requested of the odd spirit. No-Face made a small noise and fetched the old witch's seal. Taking the seal over to her stove Zeniba pressed dipped the seal into a dark red liquid. Then taking out a small pot she pressed the stamp onto the bottom of the pot. The imprint left from the seal glowed a bright red and the old witch smiled with satisfaction. Taking out a large black kettle, she poured hot water into the pot then crushed various plants into the water. Mixing the contents of the pot, Zeniba began chanting over the pot. As she chanted the imprint on the pot glowed brighter and brighter until it became blinding. Then in a flash it was gone and in the pot was merely a clearish green liquid.
"Before I give you this, I shall warn you of a few things." Zeniba told Haku seriously. "This is a very powerful potion, but it cannot turn you into a human completely. Your essence is still a spirit and it shall always remain so. The potion will merely make you substantial in the human world so you do not disappear. The potion only lasts for a year. After which you must return to the spirit world. It is possible for me to make more, but each time you use it the period between which you have to take more is shortened significantly. Also you will lose some of your powers in the human world. You can still use your magic to a limited extent, but you cannot turn into a dragon anymore. It is probably for the better because I doubt most humans would react as well as Chihiro did to you being a dragon. I can imagine her parents might not like her having a boyfriend much less a dragon boyfriend. And finally when you take this potion, it will hurt. It will hurt more than when I attacked you for stealing my seal, but bear with it for a few minutes and it will pass."
"I understand. Thank-you Zeniba." Haku told the old woman taking the bottle that she handed him with the potion in it.
"Oh, before you go, would you mind viditing my sister? I believe that in the human world you would look like a mere child and humans seem to be perculiar about children living on there own. Maybe my sister will let you take Rin with you. I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing Chihiro again. Afterall she was the one that finally got you moving." Zeniba told the boy.
"I don't think Yubaba would agree to that, and how would Rin manage to turn human?" Haku cautioned.
"My sister will agree because Rin will be going to take care of her baby Bou." Zeniba replied. "Just go Haku and take care of Chihiro. She needs you as much as you need her."
Haku nodded and once more transformed into a dragon, carrying the precious bottle in his forepaw. He lifted off the ground a sped through the air no longer remembering his last trip with sad fondness, but now with happiness knowing that he was to be reunited with Chihiro.
Landing in front of the bridge he changed back into his human form and marched through the Arubaya to Yu-baba's office. Yu-baba was sitting at her desk busy with paperwork as usual. At Haku's entrance she lifted her head to glare balefully at the young god. "What do you want?"
"I'm going to the human world and I would like Rin to come with me." Haku stated simply.
"Rin is my employee, how dare you come in here demanding she goes with you!" Yu-baba replied her hair blowing out in anger as fire spewed from her mouth at Haku as he stood his ground before her.
"Mama stop that." A childish voice called out. From the adjoining room, Yu-baba's baby, Bou, walked in. Turning to Haku he asked, "Are you going to the human world to look for Sen?"
Haku nodded calmly and said in his quiet manner, "I miss her."
"I miss her too." Bou annouced loudly. "Mama, I want to go with him."
"But dear, you can't. You don't belong in the human world and who would take care of you?" Yu-baba told the toddler soothingly.
"I WANT TO GO!" Bou shouted. "Rin can take care of me and I can turn back into a mouse. If I do that then as long as I don't go out I'll be safe."
Yu-baba glared once more at Haku then sighed in defeat. "Very well. Call Rin up here."
Haku smiled as he complied. When he returned with Rin, Yubaba explained to the young woman what she was supposed to do. Rin complained about being saddled with the care of the two boys but Haku noticed the happiness in her eyes. Happiness to be leaving the Arubaya and to get the chance to see Sen again. He wasn't sure what spell Yu-baba worked on Rin to allow her to enter the human world, but he was fairly certain, whatever it was that it was merely an illusion rather than a true transformation like his own.
The three walked out of the Arubaya and to the dried up river bed. Taking a deep breathe Haku drank Zeniba's potion. Fire seemed to run through his body followed by a feeling of being torn apart. Haku screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground startling the other two who gathered around his writhing body as it shifted from human to dragon and back repeatedly. Finally his form remained human and Haku could feel his dragon form being locked away. For better or worse he was essentially human now for a year.
Getting up from the ground he turned to the other two and asked them calmly, "Shall we go find Sen?"
They nodded, not wanting to ask what had just happened. Together the trio walked across the river into the human world. One to seek his love, another her sister, and the last his first friend.
By: Starlight Rose
Email: starlighto_rose@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi a.k.a. Spirited Away belongs to Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki, and Disney. I'm just borrowing their characters and world and making no profit off of this.
A.N. I've finally written something in over four months, granted though it's not what most of my readers want to read and I'm not promising I'll be any better about writing this story than I am about my other stories so be patient with me if I never update. I have a busy life that fanfiction does not play a very large or important role in. Either way though, I hope everyone enjoys this story and reviews.
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A young boy sat on a set of stone steps looking out over a dry river bed. The wind blew his tea brown hair back from his lonely face. His leaf-green eyes stared off into some distant point as he lost himself in memories.
"What is wrong with that boy?!?" A young woman with long dark hair asked in an annoyed voice as she watched the boy.
The small green frog next to her replied gently, "Give him a break Rin. Master Haku misses her."
"We all miss Sen!" Rin snapped at the frog. "Sen was like a little sister to me. I loved her too, but I'm not sitting on those steps starring out to the human world everyday."
"But you don't love her like Master Haku does. I think she means a lot more to him than any of us can understand."
"If he loves her so much then he should do something about it!" Rin yelled back at the frog.
At that statement Haku jerked his head around and glared at the young woman. Instead of backing away from the boy's intense glare, Rin just glared back at him. "Don't you think I want to go after Chihiro?"
"Of course you want to go after her, but why you don't is what I'm wondering." Rin yelled back at him.
"I can't! I'm a spirit Rin, just like you. Even worse I'm a river god without a river to protect. If I leave this world I will disappear just like Chihiro would have disappeared had I not helped her." Haku told her in his soft sad voice.
"You're also a sorcerer's apprentince. Surely you can find some way to make it so you can go to the human world." Rin retorted.
At that Haku stilled and hung his head in thought. "I don't know any spell that might allow me to become human, but I might know someone who would."
"You don't mean Yu-baba, do you? That old witch wouldn't help you especially after how you caused her to lose Sen and then the way you quit." The woman asked him startled.
"No not Yu-baba, Zeniba. Zeniba loved Chihiro like her own grandchild, enough to forgive me for stealing her seal. Maybe she'll help me for Chihiro's sake." Haku said preparing to turn into his dragon form.
"Good luck then Haku. When Sen first came to us, I always wondered why she was so obssesed with you. Kamaji had to tell me that she loved you. When I saw how she watched over your unconscious form, I knew he was right. It's not something I can say I really understand since I've never been in love, but I believe you love her too. Take care of her or else I'll make you regret it. Sen was like a sister I liked."
"Thank-you Rin." Haku told her before his form shimmered and a great silver dragon stood in his place. With a great bound the dragon lifted off the ground into the air. As he traveled to Zeniba's cottage Haku reminenced about the last time he had made that trip. It was to go get Chihiro and Yu-baba's baby, Bou back. He had only cared about helping Chihiro having felt like she was a link to a home he had forgotten. Little had he known that Chihiro would help him much more than he had ever been able to help her. She gave him back his name and released him from Yu-baba's spell. Because of her, he was free.
As the sun set over the horizon and Haku knew the river between the spirit world and the human world began to fill up again, Haku reached Zeniba's cottage. He wasn't surprised to find the old witch waiting for him with No-Face standing protectively behind her.
"So you finally came." Zeniba stated calmly. "It took you long enough. You know in two years she might have forgotten about you since you took so long."
Transforming back into a human Haku smiled at the witch. "Chihiro would never forget. You even told her that nothing that happens is ever forgotten, even if we don't remember it."
Zeniba let out a cackle of laughter. "You have become much nicer since leaving my sister's service. What are you doing now?"
"I am still working at the bathhouse just not as Zeniba's apprentince. There was no other place I could really go to since my home no longer exists."
"But the bathhouse is not your home is it? The humans have a saying, 'Home is where the heart is.' If that's true then I think your home is with Chihiro."
Haku considered it for a bit. "I suppose you're right. So will you help me?"
"I can help you, but have you truly considered everything. It has been two years Haku and Chihiro has probably forgotten all the things that happened here, if not then she would have had to just push it to the back of her mind where all childhood dreams are eventually sent." Zeniba warned the young river god.
"It doesn't matter. Even if she doesn't remember me I remember her. Just like last time and I'm sure like last time she will remember." Haku replied confidently.
"Alright then come into my cottage and I'll see what I can do." Zeniba said sighing. Young people were so impetuous, but at least the boy had learned to love something that Zeniba had hoped would happen since she didn't really have much against him for stealing her seal. How could she if Chihiro cared for the boy so much.
Haku followed Zeniba into her house feeling slightly ill at ease with Yu-baba's twin sister. The cottage was exactly how he remembered it from when he had last entered it. The seal was right where it was before he stole it. Haku regretted his actions then, biut did not regret their results. Chihiro was returned to her world and her parents restored to human form and he was released from Yubaba's spell. Well maybe there were a few regrets over the outcome. If not then he wouldn't be standing in Zeniba's cottage asking for her to turn him human.
"No-Face, would you please get me my seal?" Zeniba requested of the odd spirit. No-Face made a small noise and fetched the old witch's seal. Taking the seal over to her stove Zeniba pressed dipped the seal into a dark red liquid. Then taking out a small pot she pressed the stamp onto the bottom of the pot. The imprint left from the seal glowed a bright red and the old witch smiled with satisfaction. Taking out a large black kettle, she poured hot water into the pot then crushed various plants into the water. Mixing the contents of the pot, Zeniba began chanting over the pot. As she chanted the imprint on the pot glowed brighter and brighter until it became blinding. Then in a flash it was gone and in the pot was merely a clearish green liquid.
"Before I give you this, I shall warn you of a few things." Zeniba told Haku seriously. "This is a very powerful potion, but it cannot turn you into a human completely. Your essence is still a spirit and it shall always remain so. The potion will merely make you substantial in the human world so you do not disappear. The potion only lasts for a year. After which you must return to the spirit world. It is possible for me to make more, but each time you use it the period between which you have to take more is shortened significantly. Also you will lose some of your powers in the human world. You can still use your magic to a limited extent, but you cannot turn into a dragon anymore. It is probably for the better because I doubt most humans would react as well as Chihiro did to you being a dragon. I can imagine her parents might not like her having a boyfriend much less a dragon boyfriend. And finally when you take this potion, it will hurt. It will hurt more than when I attacked you for stealing my seal, but bear with it for a few minutes and it will pass."
"I understand. Thank-you Zeniba." Haku told the old woman taking the bottle that she handed him with the potion in it.
"Oh, before you go, would you mind viditing my sister? I believe that in the human world you would look like a mere child and humans seem to be perculiar about children living on there own. Maybe my sister will let you take Rin with you. I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing Chihiro again. Afterall she was the one that finally got you moving." Zeniba told the boy.
"I don't think Yubaba would agree to that, and how would Rin manage to turn human?" Haku cautioned.
"My sister will agree because Rin will be going to take care of her baby Bou." Zeniba replied. "Just go Haku and take care of Chihiro. She needs you as much as you need her."
Haku nodded and once more transformed into a dragon, carrying the precious bottle in his forepaw. He lifted off the ground a sped through the air no longer remembering his last trip with sad fondness, but now with happiness knowing that he was to be reunited with Chihiro.
Landing in front of the bridge he changed back into his human form and marched through the Arubaya to Yu-baba's office. Yu-baba was sitting at her desk busy with paperwork as usual. At Haku's entrance she lifted her head to glare balefully at the young god. "What do you want?"
"I'm going to the human world and I would like Rin to come with me." Haku stated simply.
"Rin is my employee, how dare you come in here demanding she goes with you!" Yu-baba replied her hair blowing out in anger as fire spewed from her mouth at Haku as he stood his ground before her.
"Mama stop that." A childish voice called out. From the adjoining room, Yu-baba's baby, Bou, walked in. Turning to Haku he asked, "Are you going to the human world to look for Sen?"
Haku nodded calmly and said in his quiet manner, "I miss her."
"I miss her too." Bou annouced loudly. "Mama, I want to go with him."
"But dear, you can't. You don't belong in the human world and who would take care of you?" Yu-baba told the toddler soothingly.
"I WANT TO GO!" Bou shouted. "Rin can take care of me and I can turn back into a mouse. If I do that then as long as I don't go out I'll be safe."
Yu-baba glared once more at Haku then sighed in defeat. "Very well. Call Rin up here."
Haku smiled as he complied. When he returned with Rin, Yubaba explained to the young woman what she was supposed to do. Rin complained about being saddled with the care of the two boys but Haku noticed the happiness in her eyes. Happiness to be leaving the Arubaya and to get the chance to see Sen again. He wasn't sure what spell Yu-baba worked on Rin to allow her to enter the human world, but he was fairly certain, whatever it was that it was merely an illusion rather than a true transformation like his own.
The three walked out of the Arubaya and to the dried up river bed. Taking a deep breathe Haku drank Zeniba's potion. Fire seemed to run through his body followed by a feeling of being torn apart. Haku screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground startling the other two who gathered around his writhing body as it shifted from human to dragon and back repeatedly. Finally his form remained human and Haku could feel his dragon form being locked away. For better or worse he was essentially human now for a year.
Getting up from the ground he turned to the other two and asked them calmly, "Shall we go find Sen?"
They nodded, not wanting to ask what had just happened. Together the trio walked across the river into the human world. One to seek his love, another her sister, and the last his first friend.