Chapter 8: A light in the dark
June was leaning against a pine tree that stood maybe about 6 feet high, looking down at her wrist watch. One heel was on the tree and the other was on the grassy ground. The long belts that were hooked to her waist belt dangled down up to her ankles as she shifted her foot back down. Her long bangs covering her face and her lips curved with a smile.
"Yes, sorta. He's listening."
Her answer came out from her lips at the wrist watch where Daiki's face had appeared through the small screen.
"That's good news... otherwise I would have been forced to do the other alternative."
"What would that be?"
Daiki closed his eyes as he spoke and when June questioned his response, he gave an irritated sigh.
"What did I say wrong, Dai?"
(Why is this child so immature? I thought Yubaba only hired for the most powerful and mature warriors there was... She looks fragile...)
June took her index finger and poked the screen. Daiki ignored her response then waved his hand at the screen.
"Nothing, go do what... you're suppose to do, darling."
A blush came across her face as Daiki closed off the screen and June only stood looking a pitch black screen. Her hands tightened into fists and were brought up close to her chest as her eyes closed and she smiled.
"He called me Darling!"
She squealed in a high pitch voice and started jumping up and down.
Haku sat resting in his human form on the ground leaning against a large boulder. He sat slouching and his legs crossed as he took in heavy breaths of air. He was after all, put through hell. His face was really pale and he found hard to move a muscle. June didn't leave him with nothing though; in front of Haku was a brown bag that held one serving of sushi with salmon wrapped between the rice. His stomach grumbled at the thought of food and he wondered if it was any type of special medicine for him in it.
With all the high pitch squealing, Haku didn't care to look up at June who finally stopped and fell to her knees in front of Haku. She leaned forward closer to him and had a wicked smile on her face.
"Why not eat? Not hungry? There's not like any poison in it!"
She said in a taunting voice.
June reached in her left hand that wore a brown leather glove over it into the brown bag and pulled out the fresh box of sushi.
"If you were in my place, would you eat the food your enemy offered you?"
He questioned as June lifted the plastic seal off the box and took the chopsticks, split it in half and picked one up, lifting it to her lips. She brushed her hair back with her right hand and took a long sniff.
"I don't think you're my enemy. It's just my job, I think of you as kind of like a doll to me. Someone I control over."
She responded back in a cheerful voice with no sarcasm and looked at him.
"You're missing out on some good stuff here!"
Squealing again, she put the sushi into her mouth and chewed on it then swallowed.
Nekura made his way towards the two, in one hand holding the staff that he used to bat away the extra branches that stood in his path. He kicked any stones that stood in his way and swung his staff from side to side until he stood only 2 feet away from June.
Nekura had no longer been wearing his cloak after he abandoned the village, leaving them in freedom and poverty when the eternal sleep would wear off. Instead, he wore a heavy white trench coat where the collar was nicely outlined with gray on the edges and went all the way down to the bottom. Around his neck, a large thick gray fabric was resting on his neck and streamed downwards up to waist level.
As the wind blew past his tanned face, it lifted the end of the trench coat up into thin air as the wind ran through it and revealed what he worn under. He black shirt that had the words painted on what looked to be blood, "Death". Two brown belts were wrapped around his stomach and on each belt, there was a small pocket holding a scroll. His pants were plain faded dark navy blue color and he looked like he had no other weapons other than his staff.
June remained crouching and eating in front of Haku. Finally, Nekura lifted a brow with a vexed look on his tanned face. He took the end of his staff and tapped her on the shoulder. Too bad he didn't say anything... Haku's eyes lifted up to Nekura and he glanced at June.
"W-what is it? What's behind me? Is it a Gremlin? A monkey!? Or is it Dai!!!?"
She squealed to Haku who was kind of scared off by the way she acting. A large anime sweat drop came to his head and he nervously chuckled. June seemed nice enough and different so maybe if he could befriend her? Words finally came from Haku.
"Just turn around and see."
He said as he hesitated to lift a sushi between his two fingers and took a bite.
Chewed for a moment. Nothing was wrong, guess she really was kind of nice.
She turned around, looked up to see a Nekura annoyed and looking down at her. Probably wondering what she was doing with the so called prisoner. She jumped to her feet and stood straight up.
"Oh you're back so soon and what a nice get-up!"
She complimented as Nekura felt uneasy and took a step back. He cleared his throat then spoke.
"I'm prepared now so when we do take off?"
"Take off? My clothes?"
Haku couldn't help but chuckle with his mouth full of sushi quietly as he watched them.
"Don't play with stupid with me before I kill you."
The chuckling stopped and June's sly smile faded from her face that turned a bit pale. She scrunched her nose and stomped down on foot as she held her hands to her hips. Her eyes showed some seriousness and the tranquility snapped in to pieces of grain.
"We move by sunset and don't you dare threaten me."
She marked as she made his way around him. Her eyes leered at him and sent a telepathic message.
(Because you'll be the one to die first in a battle)
(Not if you stay the way you are)
He sent a telepathic message back with his lips to a grin and he ignored a glance at Haku as he kicked the box of sushi at Haku. It was sent flying to his face and his clothes that were now not just covered in dirt. Haku clenched his teeth together and his hands into balls of fists as he jumped at him with his last spite of energy that he still had. Nekura lifted his staff and poked it into his chest to knock him back down. He forced Haku down against the stone and looked down at him.
Haku lifted his two hands to the grab the staff and slowly, his hands were turning into the dragon claws as he scarred off the wood from the sides. Nekura jerked the staff back but next thing you know, Haku turned into the dragon form as he snapped his large jaw onto the end of the staff and put on a little tug of war game as he snapped the end of the wood off. Haku whipped out his tail, almost like a leg sweep, putting Nekura off to his feet.
"So you're that stupid dragon!"
Haku backed off and remained down on the ground where he growled quietly, revealing his sharp teeth at him.
"... Get the hell away from me. You got no business with me so stop trying to start something. You'll lose anyway."
Haku barked out, slowly as the form faded, putting himself back to a human.
".... You'll be killed; I have no use for you. Mark my words."
He said as he walked off in utter silence.
(You're not even the one in command.)
Haku thought.
~~~~~~~~~
That night, he was left sleeping in the forest again and he knew he was being closely watched, just didn't know by what. He sat quietly, leaning against the boulder and trying to fall asleep. The crickets cricked and the night owls hooted through the night. When he looked up, all he was were branches of tree that covered the moonlight, not letting it shine upon him. He saw no light... and placed his hand over his chest.
No surprise.
No heart beat.
He felt real lost.... No one would help him and even if they wanted too, how? Even if he felt sad, he couldn't shed tears but only may he express madness. He was a doll, June's little string puppet, tomorrow when they would enter into the real world, where Chihiro is.
"Chihiro..."
The words came from his mouth.
"Who is that...?"
He started to question. With his heart and soul fading quickly, her name faded from his heart too...
~~~~~~~~~~The Next Morning~~~~~~~~~~
Haku slept on the ground as usual and woke up dirty and smelly with a pair of feet before him; black leather high heels together and a shadow that covered his back along with a dark figure that stood before him. He woke up with a groan and June casted a look upon him. She had knelt down to one knee, fixing the boy up, dusting off any marks on his face and wrapping some ace bands around his wrists and ankles where it was mostly sore.
"That sin committing man, I hope he goes straight to hell. He can't even spare one bit of kindness to a lady."
She grumbled under her breath as Haku looked at her with his eyes half open. A luminous light had shot into his eyes and he realized it wasn't the sun; it was coming from June's hand. The light was intensive and he held his hand flat and placed it over his eyes.
"What is that?"
He asked backing away from her.
She leaned forward and grabbed a hold of his wrist and drew him back in. She placed her index finger in front of her lips for a gesture to keep quite. Haku glanced around and realized the sun was barely even up yet.
"You know you have a terrible stench on you, right?"
She snapped at him, cupping her hand around his wrist tightly.
"Yes, but what are you goin-"
Before he finished, she dragged him by the arm off the ground.
"You're going to freshen up, kiddo. I can't travel with someone like you, you smell like crap."
"But you never did it before when we went to the other villages."
"That's because this is out of this WORLD, another world."
"Okay... but I don't see a difference and why are you being so nice to me? Aren't you supposed to be a very evil villain that... does really bad things?"
Haku questioned and with that said, it ended with a light chuckle.
"Because.... Because..."
She repeated in a whisper and couldn't get the words out of her mouth. Her eye brows arched downwards and she retorted the following line.
"A kid like you doesn't have to know now... come on before the sun really comes up and then we need to get going!"
Before he knew it, Haku found himself running away with June to her hotel. As they ran, the leaves of wind whipped up and down in a spiral motion that made its way up towards about 6 feet and less. The image blurred and then a hand reached out, palm faced up holding onto a white orb that glowed intensively. Slowly, the body of Nekura was revealed with his raging red hair flowing behind him. His eyebrow arched downward and he widened his eyes into madness.
~~~~~~~~~~
Haku was in his old dirt stained clothes (after his shower) and down on his knees in front of a nicely decorated table that had a picture of a dragon inscribed into the surface with a face of a maiden was pressed closely to the dragon with her arms wrapped around him, filled with plates of food. He stared blankly into at the table of food, recalling that memory but it was so faded that he just spaced out. June stood straight up with a perfect posture and her arms hanging freely at her sides. Finally, she cracked, she didn't want to be caught for doing this but she felt like she needed too before they went to the real world and out of the spirit one.
"Haku"
She whispered through her lips as she jabbed her finger into the side of his head. He cringed and jerked back, landing on his tushie and shaking his head from side to side.
"Ow, what is it?"
He responded with a calm tone of voice. A calm voice, something new that came from him, compared to what the workers at the bathhouse said about Master Haku, she thought he was someone like Daiki or near. Haku seemed tensed though when he responded, like a forced response, something she wanted to hear. She wasn't sure but now wasn't the time to think about that.
She pointed to the window where Haku looked out. The sun gleamed in and she looked at him without a word.
"It's almost time, aren't you glad to travel out from this spirit world?"
She urged and scratched the side of her neck.
"Sure, I guess."
He responded with an uneasy tone. June sensed the tenseness from him when he said that, it was like he was starting to forget who he was.
June then shrugged as Haku walked himself out the door.
(I guess he's starting to forget about that girl.., that girl that left the bathhouse. She must have been very special to him... I pity him that he's going to forget her... Forget his whole life, his past, especially her. Maybe... I'll do it later, sorry Master Dai but, it's hard.)
The words ran through her mind as she stepped out as well, finding Nekura waiting for her with his well toned armed placed over her shoulder.
"Where have you been all this time, June?"
He asked in a dominated tone as June could sense this... aura from him. His eyes darted at Haku who looked, clean and he looked better than yesterday, full of more energy. He could tell that June had done him some good and that this "leader" had feelings after all, even if it was for the wrong side. June shoved him away immediately and drew her dragger swiftly within a blink of an eye and next thing Nekura knew, it was at his throat and June's eyes became sharp.
"We're leaving now."
She stated in a serious tone.
Nekura didn't finch.
"If you keep that sharp and keen attitude, maybe people like me, wouldn't look down at you so much and why, why would you help Haku? He's our enemy."
He responded as he cupped his hand around her wrist and twisted her arm back where June was locked closely to Nekura, leaning against his chest. She became silent to his words and her heart beated wondering what Dai would think if he had heard.
"Withdraw that and open the portal"
He commanded and as he loosened the grip of June who elbowed him away.
"You're right...."
She hissed, being honest, and sheathing the dagger. Without another word from anyone, she held out her right hand where a black net wrapped around her forearm made out of dark energy, made its way to her enclosed palm. The dark light emitted from her hand and become larger at the second. She took a step back, and swung out her right arm, opening her palm that shot out a long beam of laser in the mid air. The energy swirled in a circular motion as June nodded her head for them to proceed into the dark portal that sparked out black electricity, out of the Spirit World and into... the Real World.
(Just so the readers know, the next chapter will be delayed till around May's first week due to a lot of testing and project, I barely have any more free time anymore __)
June was leaning against a pine tree that stood maybe about 6 feet high, looking down at her wrist watch. One heel was on the tree and the other was on the grassy ground. The long belts that were hooked to her waist belt dangled down up to her ankles as she shifted her foot back down. Her long bangs covering her face and her lips curved with a smile.
"Yes, sorta. He's listening."
Her answer came out from her lips at the wrist watch where Daiki's face had appeared through the small screen.
"That's good news... otherwise I would have been forced to do the other alternative."
"What would that be?"
Daiki closed his eyes as he spoke and when June questioned his response, he gave an irritated sigh.
"What did I say wrong, Dai?"
(Why is this child so immature? I thought Yubaba only hired for the most powerful and mature warriors there was... She looks fragile...)
June took her index finger and poked the screen. Daiki ignored her response then waved his hand at the screen.
"Nothing, go do what... you're suppose to do, darling."
A blush came across her face as Daiki closed off the screen and June only stood looking a pitch black screen. Her hands tightened into fists and were brought up close to her chest as her eyes closed and she smiled.
"He called me Darling!"
She squealed in a high pitch voice and started jumping up and down.
Haku sat resting in his human form on the ground leaning against a large boulder. He sat slouching and his legs crossed as he took in heavy breaths of air. He was after all, put through hell. His face was really pale and he found hard to move a muscle. June didn't leave him with nothing though; in front of Haku was a brown bag that held one serving of sushi with salmon wrapped between the rice. His stomach grumbled at the thought of food and he wondered if it was any type of special medicine for him in it.
With all the high pitch squealing, Haku didn't care to look up at June who finally stopped and fell to her knees in front of Haku. She leaned forward closer to him and had a wicked smile on her face.
"Why not eat? Not hungry? There's not like any poison in it!"
She said in a taunting voice.
June reached in her left hand that wore a brown leather glove over it into the brown bag and pulled out the fresh box of sushi.
"If you were in my place, would you eat the food your enemy offered you?"
He questioned as June lifted the plastic seal off the box and took the chopsticks, split it in half and picked one up, lifting it to her lips. She brushed her hair back with her right hand and took a long sniff.
"I don't think you're my enemy. It's just my job, I think of you as kind of like a doll to me. Someone I control over."
She responded back in a cheerful voice with no sarcasm and looked at him.
"You're missing out on some good stuff here!"
Squealing again, she put the sushi into her mouth and chewed on it then swallowed.
Nekura made his way towards the two, in one hand holding the staff that he used to bat away the extra branches that stood in his path. He kicked any stones that stood in his way and swung his staff from side to side until he stood only 2 feet away from June.
Nekura had no longer been wearing his cloak after he abandoned the village, leaving them in freedom and poverty when the eternal sleep would wear off. Instead, he wore a heavy white trench coat where the collar was nicely outlined with gray on the edges and went all the way down to the bottom. Around his neck, a large thick gray fabric was resting on his neck and streamed downwards up to waist level.
As the wind blew past his tanned face, it lifted the end of the trench coat up into thin air as the wind ran through it and revealed what he worn under. He black shirt that had the words painted on what looked to be blood, "Death". Two brown belts were wrapped around his stomach and on each belt, there was a small pocket holding a scroll. His pants were plain faded dark navy blue color and he looked like he had no other weapons other than his staff.
June remained crouching and eating in front of Haku. Finally, Nekura lifted a brow with a vexed look on his tanned face. He took the end of his staff and tapped her on the shoulder. Too bad he didn't say anything... Haku's eyes lifted up to Nekura and he glanced at June.
"W-what is it? What's behind me? Is it a Gremlin? A monkey!? Or is it Dai!!!?"
She squealed to Haku who was kind of scared off by the way she acting. A large anime sweat drop came to his head and he nervously chuckled. June seemed nice enough and different so maybe if he could befriend her? Words finally came from Haku.
"Just turn around and see."
He said as he hesitated to lift a sushi between his two fingers and took a bite.
Chewed for a moment. Nothing was wrong, guess she really was kind of nice.
She turned around, looked up to see a Nekura annoyed and looking down at her. Probably wondering what she was doing with the so called prisoner. She jumped to her feet and stood straight up.
"Oh you're back so soon and what a nice get-up!"
She complimented as Nekura felt uneasy and took a step back. He cleared his throat then spoke.
"I'm prepared now so when we do take off?"
"Take off? My clothes?"
Haku couldn't help but chuckle with his mouth full of sushi quietly as he watched them.
"Don't play with stupid with me before I kill you."
The chuckling stopped and June's sly smile faded from her face that turned a bit pale. She scrunched her nose and stomped down on foot as she held her hands to her hips. Her eyes showed some seriousness and the tranquility snapped in to pieces of grain.
"We move by sunset and don't you dare threaten me."
She marked as she made his way around him. Her eyes leered at him and sent a telepathic message.
(Because you'll be the one to die first in a battle)
(Not if you stay the way you are)
He sent a telepathic message back with his lips to a grin and he ignored a glance at Haku as he kicked the box of sushi at Haku. It was sent flying to his face and his clothes that were now not just covered in dirt. Haku clenched his teeth together and his hands into balls of fists as he jumped at him with his last spite of energy that he still had. Nekura lifted his staff and poked it into his chest to knock him back down. He forced Haku down against the stone and looked down at him.
Haku lifted his two hands to the grab the staff and slowly, his hands were turning into the dragon claws as he scarred off the wood from the sides. Nekura jerked the staff back but next thing you know, Haku turned into the dragon form as he snapped his large jaw onto the end of the staff and put on a little tug of war game as he snapped the end of the wood off. Haku whipped out his tail, almost like a leg sweep, putting Nekura off to his feet.
"So you're that stupid dragon!"
Haku backed off and remained down on the ground where he growled quietly, revealing his sharp teeth at him.
"... Get the hell away from me. You got no business with me so stop trying to start something. You'll lose anyway."
Haku barked out, slowly as the form faded, putting himself back to a human.
".... You'll be killed; I have no use for you. Mark my words."
He said as he walked off in utter silence.
(You're not even the one in command.)
Haku thought.
~~~~~~~~~
That night, he was left sleeping in the forest again and he knew he was being closely watched, just didn't know by what. He sat quietly, leaning against the boulder and trying to fall asleep. The crickets cricked and the night owls hooted through the night. When he looked up, all he was were branches of tree that covered the moonlight, not letting it shine upon him. He saw no light... and placed his hand over his chest.
No surprise.
No heart beat.
He felt real lost.... No one would help him and even if they wanted too, how? Even if he felt sad, he couldn't shed tears but only may he express madness. He was a doll, June's little string puppet, tomorrow when they would enter into the real world, where Chihiro is.
"Chihiro..."
The words came from his mouth.
"Who is that...?"
He started to question. With his heart and soul fading quickly, her name faded from his heart too...
~~~~~~~~~~The Next Morning~~~~~~~~~~
Haku slept on the ground as usual and woke up dirty and smelly with a pair of feet before him; black leather high heels together and a shadow that covered his back along with a dark figure that stood before him. He woke up with a groan and June casted a look upon him. She had knelt down to one knee, fixing the boy up, dusting off any marks on his face and wrapping some ace bands around his wrists and ankles where it was mostly sore.
"That sin committing man, I hope he goes straight to hell. He can't even spare one bit of kindness to a lady."
She grumbled under her breath as Haku looked at her with his eyes half open. A luminous light had shot into his eyes and he realized it wasn't the sun; it was coming from June's hand. The light was intensive and he held his hand flat and placed it over his eyes.
"What is that?"
He asked backing away from her.
She leaned forward and grabbed a hold of his wrist and drew him back in. She placed her index finger in front of her lips for a gesture to keep quite. Haku glanced around and realized the sun was barely even up yet.
"You know you have a terrible stench on you, right?"
She snapped at him, cupping her hand around his wrist tightly.
"Yes, but what are you goin-"
Before he finished, she dragged him by the arm off the ground.
"You're going to freshen up, kiddo. I can't travel with someone like you, you smell like crap."
"But you never did it before when we went to the other villages."
"That's because this is out of this WORLD, another world."
"Okay... but I don't see a difference and why are you being so nice to me? Aren't you supposed to be a very evil villain that... does really bad things?"
Haku questioned and with that said, it ended with a light chuckle.
"Because.... Because..."
She repeated in a whisper and couldn't get the words out of her mouth. Her eye brows arched downwards and she retorted the following line.
"A kid like you doesn't have to know now... come on before the sun really comes up and then we need to get going!"
Before he knew it, Haku found himself running away with June to her hotel. As they ran, the leaves of wind whipped up and down in a spiral motion that made its way up towards about 6 feet and less. The image blurred and then a hand reached out, palm faced up holding onto a white orb that glowed intensively. Slowly, the body of Nekura was revealed with his raging red hair flowing behind him. His eyebrow arched downward and he widened his eyes into madness.
~~~~~~~~~~
Haku was in his old dirt stained clothes (after his shower) and down on his knees in front of a nicely decorated table that had a picture of a dragon inscribed into the surface with a face of a maiden was pressed closely to the dragon with her arms wrapped around him, filled with plates of food. He stared blankly into at the table of food, recalling that memory but it was so faded that he just spaced out. June stood straight up with a perfect posture and her arms hanging freely at her sides. Finally, she cracked, she didn't want to be caught for doing this but she felt like she needed too before they went to the real world and out of the spirit one.
"Haku"
She whispered through her lips as she jabbed her finger into the side of his head. He cringed and jerked back, landing on his tushie and shaking his head from side to side.
"Ow, what is it?"
He responded with a calm tone of voice. A calm voice, something new that came from him, compared to what the workers at the bathhouse said about Master Haku, she thought he was someone like Daiki or near. Haku seemed tensed though when he responded, like a forced response, something she wanted to hear. She wasn't sure but now wasn't the time to think about that.
She pointed to the window where Haku looked out. The sun gleamed in and she looked at him without a word.
"It's almost time, aren't you glad to travel out from this spirit world?"
She urged and scratched the side of her neck.
"Sure, I guess."
He responded with an uneasy tone. June sensed the tenseness from him when he said that, it was like he was starting to forget who he was.
June then shrugged as Haku walked himself out the door.
(I guess he's starting to forget about that girl.., that girl that left the bathhouse. She must have been very special to him... I pity him that he's going to forget her... Forget his whole life, his past, especially her. Maybe... I'll do it later, sorry Master Dai but, it's hard.)
The words ran through her mind as she stepped out as well, finding Nekura waiting for her with his well toned armed placed over her shoulder.
"Where have you been all this time, June?"
He asked in a dominated tone as June could sense this... aura from him. His eyes darted at Haku who looked, clean and he looked better than yesterday, full of more energy. He could tell that June had done him some good and that this "leader" had feelings after all, even if it was for the wrong side. June shoved him away immediately and drew her dragger swiftly within a blink of an eye and next thing Nekura knew, it was at his throat and June's eyes became sharp.
"We're leaving now."
She stated in a serious tone.
Nekura didn't finch.
"If you keep that sharp and keen attitude, maybe people like me, wouldn't look down at you so much and why, why would you help Haku? He's our enemy."
He responded as he cupped his hand around her wrist and twisted her arm back where June was locked closely to Nekura, leaning against his chest. She became silent to his words and her heart beated wondering what Dai would think if he had heard.
"Withdraw that and open the portal"
He commanded and as he loosened the grip of June who elbowed him away.
"You're right...."
She hissed, being honest, and sheathing the dagger. Without another word from anyone, she held out her right hand where a black net wrapped around her forearm made out of dark energy, made its way to her enclosed palm. The dark light emitted from her hand and become larger at the second. She took a step back, and swung out her right arm, opening her palm that shot out a long beam of laser in the mid air. The energy swirled in a circular motion as June nodded her head for them to proceed into the dark portal that sparked out black electricity, out of the Spirit World and into... the Real World.
(Just so the readers know, the next chapter will be delayed till around May's first week due to a lot of testing and project, I barely have any more free time anymore __)