Disclaimer – "Default Chapter" saids it all ^^*

`````All characters' thoughts from now on will be in bold-italics…I finally got them working~!!`````

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~*~ The Day the Dream Ended ~*~

Chapter 8 – Stranger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Haku…" she whispered to herself one more time upon seeing her rescuer, almost as if needing the assurance of hearing the name again.

They stood there, halfway across the room from one another, neither of them saying anything else or taking the initiative to move. For Chihiro, it was as if time stood still—and her heartbeat along with it.

There he is…after so many years, after all that time missing him and trying to make myself forget him…there he is. But… Chihiro bit her lips in thought as she stood there, eyes never leaving the boy before her. But something's not right…why do I get the feeling that something isn't right…?

"Chihiro…I've missed you so much." He said, finally breaking the silence, in gentle tone which did not belong to him.

Certainly, in the midst of her thinking and worrying, this was not something the girl had expected to hear. Upon hearing his words, Chihiro audibly gasped, unable to keep herself from expressing her surprise. Blinking once at him, Chihiro crossed the distance between them in a few quick steps and threw her arms around him, showing just how glad she was to see him. The boy smiled at her as warmly as he could muster, wanting to keep up his charade.

Although, he had to admit, he was having a hard time of it.

For all that this girl is someone that provokes some sort of…strange feeling…from me, she is still merely a human. He found himself thinking through the now almost gritting smile, threatening to reveal its true nature. A fragile human; a pawn…someone I could discard of anytime I wish to.

But not before I find out why I feel so…so strange around her.

Because I can't have her ruining my plans now, can I?

Face buried in the clothes of the boy who looked like an exact replica of Haku, Chihiro was not able to see the sinister grin on his face.

Nor could she tell, despite appearances, just how different the two were from one another.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sun…sunlight?

Opening his eyes slightly, the boy almost went blind at the long forgotten sight of the bright rays of sunlight shinning down upon him, drying his wet clothes and warming him up at the same time.

Moaning slightly from stiffness, he turned himself around. Feeling the warmth of the sun on his back, he tried again to take in his surroundings—carpets made of blades of shimmering green grass, wet from yesterday's rain, and lush trees made up the thick forest which he was currently in. Overhead, the sky was clear and blue, promising a beautiful, while the sun shone brightly upon everything below, as if smiling upon them. Birds greeted one another in their song-speech; the quietness of his surroundings and the position of the rising sun telling his sharp instincts that it was early in the start of a new day.

Puzzlement was evident on the young man's face as his eyes searched his surroundings and found nothing even close to familiar. Standing up, the river spirit began to walk around almost fervently, desperate to find something which would tell him where he was and what was going on. Somehow finding his way out of the forest, he finally stopped short suddenly in his mad dash at the edge of the land filled with thick trees—at a place whose existence was long forgotten by its residential humans.

The dark, dusky tunnel filled his vision, sending him feelings which completely contrasted that given off by the warmth of the sun. Beyond the tunnel, strong magics could be felt through the air, and the smell of a magical storm that he was so familiar with was thick. Taking all this in, Haku felt his eyes widen in shock as he remember something Chihiro had told him, years ago…about how her family had stumbled upon a dark tunnel and had ventured into it, which had led to his world. A tunnel which connected the two world…and he was on the side where there was no magic.

He was in the humans' world.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

She did not know how long they stayed like that, with her embracing him tightly, head buried right underneath his chin—and him just standing there, almost as if becoming more stiffened more with every passing moment.

"Listen to your heart…"

Huh? Chihiro thought to herself in surprise. It's that voice again! The voice I heard just before I came back to the Majou no Sekai…the one that had guided me here!

For a moment, the surprise and joy at being reunited with Haku again subsided a bit, and Chihiro suddenly had the strangest feeling that she was being blinded to the truth…that something was not right.

In her mind's eye, the hairtie that bonded her with the land of the spirits flashed a bright pink, as if clearing her inner visions—and Chihiro was able to see the dark evil of the aura which shrouded the entire room, visible in spite of the darkness that has covered the entire spirit world. Gasping, Chihiro's eyes snapped opened and she looked up quickly, to the surprise of her host.

Just in time to catch a glimpse of that sinister grin and the wrongness evident in those eerily glowing blue eyes that inflicted fear over her entire being.

Jumping back from him, Chihiro found herself backing away unconsciously from the boy as he slowly advanced toward her trembling form.

This can't be…he can't be Haku. Chihiro thought to herself as she to unconsciously slowly back away from the boy before her. But…but what if he really is Haku? What if he had changed, or this is who he's always been? What if the Haku I knew…or thought I knew…was only someone I had made up in my mind, to help ease the hard times?

"Why are you so afraid of me, Chihiro? I thought you would be glad to be by my side…after all," he grinned menacingly, "you even showed me yourself just how glad you were to be here with me, just a little while ago, remember?"

Hearing his voice, which now matched his maliciously sneering eyes, Chihiro found herself wanting to scream.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Touching the barrier cautiously, Haku's suspicions were confirmed when he found himself being thrown back from the barrier; magic the color of blue formed tentacle-like whips lashed out at him, drawing blood when on struck his arm.

Hissing in pain, the silver dragon growled as he flipped himself up from his fallen position, seizing up the impenetrable barrier which stood before him firmly, as if mocking him.

There has to be a way in! He thought in frustration. I got out, did I? That means there has a be a way in again…

Looking up at the sky, the river spirit realized with a start that the clear-blue sky was starting to darken despite the fact that it was still early in the start of a new day. Unnaturally thick clouds he was too familiar with were making their presence known in the humans' world, slowly but surely covering up the beautiful sky. Seeing this, Haku once again set him mind back to business, determined to get back to the other side of the barrier before the darkness swallows up both worlds…permanently.

Looks like what Yu-Baaba said is coming true…the destruction in our world is finally taking a toll on theirs too. And at the rate it's happening…

I've got to get back to the other side…and fast…

Especially if Chihiro is there.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Weariness was evident in her eyes, as was tenseness in the way her body had stiffened upon hearing his voice. Seeing how he had provoked such reactions from her, the boy who had rescued Chihiro could not keep his face from twisting into an ugly sneer as he continued his advance on her.

Try though she might to convince herself to accept the 'reality-Haku' before her, Chihiro still could not believe that the tender boy she knew…the gentle boy she loves…was the cold-blooded monster standing before her. He…he just cannot be Haku! her mind screamed, although the girl still felt uncertain. If he really is Haku…why do I feel so…so uncomfortable around him? Why does he seem to be so…so different? So forced in everything he does, in every kind word he says? The Haku that I know is not like that…is he?

Who…who are you…?

Suddenly, Chihiro found herself cold from fear…fear for this stranger who bore such a resemblance to her gentle friend, whom she had come searching for.

And, at the same time, found herself backed up against a wall.

However, as the undeniable fear began to set its roots within her heart, hesitation gripped and froze her mind as the girl stood staring at the familiar yet strange figure before her.

But…but what if he is Haku? What if the years had changed him even more than they have changed me, and this is who he has become?

There's just something so cold and…and cruel about him. Could this be…is this who Haku really is? Is he really so fake and cold?

Somehow, as much as she told herself that she had to face and accept whatever harshness reality threw at her, Chihiro could not even begin to force herself to believe that Haku…her Haku…could be this cold stranger that stood before her at the moment. Yet at the same time, as the difference between the boy and the Haku she remembers exist, so do their similarities. Who's to say how much he's changed, seeing how much she herself had unknowingly changed also? With so many possibilities, and so much on the line, Chihiro found herself frozen to the ground, unsure and afraid in ways that she had not been for years.

Haku…please…wherever you are…help me…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Haku…please…wherever you are…help me…"

Chihiro! He thought to himself frantically. What…what's going on? Hang in there…I'm coming for you, Chihiro…just hang on….

Somehow certain that the little girl whom he had found constantly invading his thoughts was on the other side of the tunnel, Haku felt strength and resolve in him that he himself did not know he possessed. Throwing himself with all his might against the unyielding barrier, Haku yelled as loudly as his could from the physical pain inflicted upon him by the magical wall and the emotional pain of the reality that his beloved girl was suffering and he might not make it there to help her in time.

"CHIHIRO!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoa…bad ending! LoL…gomen ne, couldn't think of anything else to write for it :D But that's okiee…wow…another one down (not to mention a Chihiro/Haku chappie too, although they're apart!), and another one closer to the end ^^*

I guess another thing I should clearify/apologize for is last chappie…ppl, they haven't met yet…gotcha :P LoL…man, I tried to drop hints, but obviously I'm not as good at that as I thought I was, seeing how many of you thought they were together. My bad…^^;; But at least you know where they each are now, rite?? Dunt worrie…I dunt wanna keep them apart long…next chappie, next chappie…although I might as well mention in here…their reunion would also mean that the end is VERY near ^^*

Hehehe…that part with Chihiro and "Fake Haku" (for a lack of a better name…for now…) hugging was for you, Andiavas~! Remember what you said when you reviewed awhile ago, when you 'pushed the Haku/Chihiro dolls together in a smashing hug'?? Hehehe…they're not together just yet, so they couldn't hug…so I had a fake do the job for Haku…just thought I'd tell ya here thou, in case anyone decides to read this ^^;;

The usual, criticism, comments n' test answers (ooo…preferably that one! Social or Chemistry 30 please! ^^;;) are most welcomed~! Hopefully I can get da next chappie out soon, ne??

~Aqua Sunshine ^^*