:::Chapter 11:::
The weather was in tune with his emotions, it seemed. Dark gloomy clouds loomed over his head as he flew below them, knowing better than to get caught in one of the lightning strikes. He knew he should not be out, rather, he should be sitting beside her as she rested. But Haku needed to release his pent-up feelings. From happiness to anger to sadness then…to something that was very dark and dangerous. God, how much he wanted to kill the person who actually dared to harm Chihiro. Oh, how much he actually wanted!
The clear liquids fell onto his dragon form, breaking him out of his thoughts. Had it actually rain without him knowing it? Yes, it had. Without another split second, he turned and flew back to the bathhouse. To the room where Chihiro was in. To be beside her when she woke up.
Landing with a soft thud, Haku walked into the entrance, where all the greeting women had gone inside to shield themselves away from the rain. Such weather seemed to keep customers away from the bathhouse, which made his life much easier, not having to attend to duties so that he could help Chihiro as much as he could when she woke up.
He walked up the staircase and turned round a corner, finally stopping in front of the room. It was the same room that Chihiro had last slept in when she was a child and had ventured into the Spirit World. Oh, the memories, both sweet and bitter at the end when she had to leave for the human world.
Collecting his thoughts, he knocked on the wooden door, before deeming it proper to enter. There she was, laying on the futon that was spread out at the right side of the room. The balcony windows behind it were left open, letting the air in and cooling the room.
Haku watched her closely as he sat beside her. Her face was pale, the bruises were a stark contrast and thus, making it appear darker than it was supposed to be. Zeniba had tried to heal as many of the bruises as possible, but some was just so…impossible to heal with magic. It had to heal on its own.
And now, it was the time to begin his vigil beside his beloved. But did she have the same feelings for him? He dismissed the thoughts. He would tell her his when the time was right.Praying, for the very first time in his entire river spirit life, that she would be okay and that the bruises would hurt a lot when she woke up.
Night turned into daylight. He only knew this by the light shining inside the room. Had he actually spent the entire night watching over Chihiro? The other women had left to be with her privately as they went to sleep in another empty room; that being the boiler room. He did not care.
It was only when the sun was high up in the middle of the sky did Chihiro's eyes fluttered open. Then within a second, she winced as the pain from all the bruises and cuts she had rushed through her.
" Hey, you woke up. Don't try to move. I think the bruises still hurt badly. Hold on, I'll get Kamaji and Rin for you."
She turned her head slowly and caught sight of the person turning around and heading for the door. It took a moment for her sleep brain to pinpoint who it was.
" Haku! I've really gotten into the Spirit World! It wasn't a dream! I missed you all so much!"
Haku turned back and smiled at her. " No, it wasn't a dream. I miss you too. But for now, don't talk so much. You need to conserve your energy."
Then, with a final smile, he turned back to the door and walked out, intent on the finding Kamaji and Rin –which wasn't so hard to figure out where they were) and finding some food for Chihiro.
And that was when the nightmare for Chihiro began…
He had only just walked back and was only three yards away from the door, with Rin and Kamaji behind him, when he heard it. Sobbing. Pitiful cries that he knew were coming from Chihiro.
Passing the bowl of soup to Rin, he ran into the room, only to see Chihiro cuddled in a ball as she hugged herself. Throwing himself beside her, he wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to comfort and ease the tears away from her eyes.
" Shh…Don't cry. I'm here, Rin and Kamaji are here too. We will not like the guy who hurt you come near you again. Shh…"
" H-ha-k-ku?" A timid voice came from beneath his arms. He released her only to pull her arms away from her face. The red puffy eyes that stared back at him displayed fear, pain and sadness.
" I-I thought you were just a dream! I always thought you were there when Renshi was having his "session" with me! An illusion. And then I thought I really had succeeded in coming to the Spirit World. I had woken up and saw you there. But when I looked around, I saw that it was empty, and I thought it was just the dream that I always wanted to happen," Chihiro said, her eyes tearing at the end, as Haku, Rin and Kamaji hugged her tightly to them.
" Here, have some soup. We were worried about you, you dope! We thought you were dead when we saw you pale and covered with all those nasty blue-black!" Rin handed her the bowl of warm soup and a piece of cloth to wipe away her tears.
Kamaji came forth and placed a bowl of hot water beside the soup, " After finishing the soup, mix these," He placed the two small sachets next to the hot water. " with the hot water then drink it. By the time you've finished the soup it will have been warm. The medicine in the sachets will help to ease away the pain."
Looking over at the three of them, she obediently drank both the soup and the medicine, wincing as the wound on her jaw protested against the movement. ' I'm here! Here in the Spirit World! Oh God, I'm really right here in the bathhouse!' Her hands shook with relief and the others noticed it when the bowl trembled against the floor when she placed it back down.
" Thank you for taking care of me. I really appreciate it."
" You are our friend. A very close one of mine. Come, I've got to bring you to Yubaba now that you're awake. Believe it or not, she was the one who suggested that you g et a contract with her to work in this bathhouse so that you are able to stay in the Spirit World. That is, if you want to?" Haku asked worriedly as he helped her to stand. Rin had gone to the kitchens to wash the bowl while Kamaji went to prepare a bath for Chihiro after her visit to Yubaba's chambers.
' A close friend? Only a close friend? I thought…I thought we were more than that? Weren't we? Or was it all my imagination? May be it was only wishful thinking on my part. A person like Haku can get anyone. Why me? Why me, now that I've been abused by Renshi? Why?'
" Chihiro? Chihiro? Are you all right? Where does it hurt?" She looked up to see the same golden knocker that was on Yubaba's door. Ah, that time when she was only ten and had been dragged inside this very same room. She wished she could go back to that time when at least she thought she was loved by Haku… Dreams were sometimes a better world to live in rather than reality, where everything crashed down on you.
" I was just…woolgathering. That's all."
" Who's out there? Hmm…Haku, Chihiro, please, come in. But don't make so much noise. My baby's still sleeping," The knocker's mouth opened and the voice came out of it, echoing in the silent hallway.
The twin doors burst open, one by the other, the lights lighting up to show the way. They both walked inside, Haku having his arms around Chihiro to support her. They walked slowly and as they turned the final corner, they saw Yubaba sitting on her desk, with the three green heads bouncing up and down beside her table.
" Chihiro, I hope that you are well. Zeniba had tried her best to heal most of your wounds. But some were very hard so your body had to heal on its own. It was late so she went back to tend to No-Face and tell him about you. I expect her to be back the day after tomorrow. Now, sit down," Yubaba waved her hands at them and two comfy chairs appeared right behind them.
" I'll have you know that no one who stays in my bathhouse get stay for free. And you're no customer. So, you know the rules. You'll work at my bathhouse till you feel like going back to the human world, seeing as you have your family there. As of now, why don't you sign the contract and tell me what happened. I assumed whoever who did that to you was in the human world. He also has incredible strength, almost to that of a spirit."
" Will I get to keep my name?" Chihiro asked softly as the paper settled on her lap, the fire behind her burning brightly to provide the light that she needed. She asked the next question absently," And how did you know that it was a spirit?"
" Yes, you'll get to keep it. You are one special girl, in fact you are the only girl who ever get to walk out of Spirit World still in human form- Did you say it was a spirit? How come I didn't know of it? I would have sensed it if anyone did that!" Yubaba's eyes went wide as she came to a realisation. " The spirit must have been powerful to mask his presence. I want to know everything there is to know, including what he did to you."
She spent the next hour telling them everything, once in a while wincing when she remember the pain on her body. The only comfort that she got was from Haku, whenever he soothed her wrecked emotions by stroking the back of her hand. The emotionless two weeks that she had was scary to her. She could not have believed that pain was able to shut down her mind to its presence.
Yubaba clasped her hands together on the desk, the rings shinning brightly in the firelight.
" We'll help you find him. This guy, Renshi, must be captured not only for hurting you, but also for crossing the barrier between the two worlds. He will be taught a lesson. So, after that, are you going home?" Yubaba asked softly, in fear of waking up her precious baby.
The next words that came out of Chihiro's mouth were cold, in fact, they were emotionless. " My parents are dead. Killed in a fire that was set up Renshi. I only found out on the day I arrived in Spirit World. As far as I know, I've got no relatives. Only a best friend. I've decided to stay here."
Haku spoke up for the first time, " Maybe your best friend might want to come too? Maybe you want to consider that. But, that enough for today. You will have bath then rest the remaining of the day to recuperate."
Steering her to the door, he told Yubaba," Tell Bady Boh that Chihiro's back. I bet he wants to see her."
" I can't believe Yubaba's changed so much! She's much nicer than before."
Haku smiled at the incredulous look on her face, " Zeniba's been visiting her nephew frequently. She must have rubbed off of Yubaba. Baby Boh and her are ver close and thus, Yubaba must be civil to her sister. Go down to the room on the bottom floor, where all the baths are. Kamaji has drawn a bath for you. He said that it will help to relax your muscles."
Relaxing in the bath a few moments later, Chihiro drifted to sleep. Rin had gone to check on her when she didn't respond to her call and had woken her up. That night was the only night in the past few weeks that she had sweet dreams of being in a land filled with happiness…and Haku was right beside her. The Haku that she thought loved her…
But it wasn't meant to be, she realised one week later. It had only been one week where she lived in peace. But it wasn't meant to be because unless Renshi was out of the picture, then she could never get some peace. Yubaba and Zeniba had tried their best to locate where Renshi was. But he could not be found when he didn't want to. A letter in her work clothes had confirmed that. She still didn't even know how he had managed to put the letter in her clothes.
You naughty girl,
I'll always get what I want. Don't forget that. You've been very naughty. Naught girls need to be punished.
R~.
()()()()()()()()()()()
*Yawn* Finally, it's done! It isn't boring is it? . School just started two weeks ago and it's been so busy all week long! And I even vomited yesterday in school. Yuck! Food poisoning. Hiaz, it was so painful I thought I would pass out. Anyway, see that button on the bottom left? Yesh! Review please. And since I'm sleepy, and it's late. I can't write long replies to the reviews! Sorry, but will write next time! Thanks to : Kintora, Kaoru Gal, Daelin,Singing Shadow of the Deeps, Tamara-sama, Saroku, Ujiji, momo girl, Kenshin Himura, Chihiro-loves-Haku.
*Astgal*
