******The Dragon and the Glass Tower******

Disclaimer—Spirited Away and it's characters belong to Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. Copyrights are being infringed, but I, and all fans in every fandom everywhere, hope that no one minds. Please see the end of the chapter for additional disclaimers.

Note--This chapter has an illustration. ^_^ Copy/Paste the url, and remove the brackets to reach it.

And now, the fun begins. :)

******Ch. 4 – The Glass Tower******

Kohaku followed instinct to where Chihiro was; he needed no guidance. He paused at the swinging glass doors that lead into her tower, and looked up. The building stretched higher and higher above him, all metal and smooth paneled glass—like a mountain—with his love trapped somewhere near the top.

Dark haired people streamed around him, hurrying past. They barely wasted a glance on the sharply dressed young man with chin-length hair who stared upwards, calm, still, and silent. He faced the doors again, gathered courage, and strode into the Garasuyama Building in the heart of Tokyo's business district.

"How may I help you?" The bored receptionist of the 20th floor offices of Hori and Hiraga, Attorney's at Law, did not look up from her magazine.

"Does Miss Chihiro Ogino work here?" the green-eyed stranger asked. The receptionist looked up and cocked an eyebrow at the handsome young man dressed in an attractive dark olive-green business suit.

**Illustration--"Kohaku in a Suit" by (Purple)Rebecca JJ** {please remove the brackets}

{purple.mytica.net}{/art/fan/images/haku2.jpg}

"Yes, she does. Would you like to speak with her?"

"Yes, I would, please."

"Name please."

"Ah...Kohaku Nushi."

"Alright." The receptionist picked up a telephone hand set and dialed an extension. She watched Kohaku appreciatively as he stared at the wall past her. There, beyond those doors, he could feel his Chihiro. "Hello, Mr. Sato? There is a Mr. Nushi here to see Miss Ogino. Should I send him in? . . . Yes, sir . . . hold on, sir." She looked back up at him. "May I ask your business with Miss Ogino?"

"I...am an old friend."

She flipped a page in her magazine. "He's an old friend of Miss Ogino, Mr. Sato." There was a long silent pause. "Yes, sir, thank you." She looked back up at Kohaku and hung up the phone. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sato says Miss Ogino is currently assisting him with an important case, and she cannot be spared. You can see her when she gets off work this evening."

"When does she get off?"

"Oh, I don't know, around six, probably. Unless this case keeps her longer."

"I cannot stay past five. I'm sorry, but it is very important that I see Miss Ogino. Is there any way I can speak with her?"

The girl sighed and picked up the phone again. "Perhaps if you speak to Mr. Sato directly," she said, and hit re-dial.

"Pardon me, Mr. Sato. Mr. Nushi says that he cannot wait until she gets off, and that it is important that he see Miss Ogino this afternoon...I could send him back to you...uh, all right, sir," she raised an eyebrow and hung up the phone. "Mr. Sato is coming; you can discuss it with him." She went back to her magazine, but kept half an eye on this intriguing visitor. "Have a seat."

Kohaku sat down gingerly, but did not relax. There was no sound in the small, plush reception area besides the ticking of the clock on the wall, and the occasional flip of a magazine page. The door creaked and Kohaku stood up quickly.

"Mr. Nushi? I am Mr. Sato," said the medium sized, middle-aged man who came to the door. Kohaku and Mr. Sato both bowed shallowly, eyeing each other. "Uh, Miss Ogino is currently working with me on a very important case, and I cannot spare her."

"Mr. Sato, I have come a long way to see Miss Ogino, and it is very important that I speak with her. I cannot stay past 5 pm this evening. May I please see her now?"

Mr. Sato immediately did not like this young man with his intense, discomfiting gaze, and overly stylish hair. He knew a rival when he saw one.

"No," he said too quickly. "I apologize, but she really should not be interrupted. Uh, and she'll likely be working late into the night. This case may keep us both very busy for the next week. Perhaps she will be more free next week." He bowed and turned to leave as quickly as possible, avoiding Kohaku's gaze.

Kohaku thought quickly. He might as well...he pulled the pink, silk wrapped egg out of his suit-coat pocket, and crushed it. Suddenly in his hands was a plastic wrapped, brightly colored plastic case. He glanced at it, confused. It had a thin piece of metal in it, some paper, and more plastic, he could tell, but what it was and why...? But Mr. Sato was almost through the door...

"Mr. Sato! Wait!" he called. Eggshells scattered across the carpeted floor as he brandished the plastic case.

The receptionist stared at what was in Kohaku's hand. "Wait a sec...is that...?" Mr. Sato suspiciously turned around, caught sight of the flat case, and paused. "No way..."

"Is that...?!" he said. He strode back over to Kohaku in three steps. "How in the...?"

"Wow, it is!" the receptionist stood up in her chair to get a closer look. "The new He-Man/Power Princess movie, starring Keira Knightley, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and The Rock, on DVD!" she breathed with awe. "Man, that isn't even out of the theaters yet in America! How did you get that?"

Kohaku avoided looking blank. He recognized the covetous look of lust readily enough.

"Do you want this?" he asked Mr. Sato.

"How much do you want for it?" Mr. Sato said, never taking his eyes off the flashy case.

"I don't want money; I don't want lands or gold..." Kohaku said. Mr. Sato looked up at him with the barely controlled, alarmed look of a trapped animal. "I'll give it to you if you let me take Miss Ogino out of here for the rest of the day."

"You want to take her out..." Mr. Sato stopped mid-panic, and then gained a small, crafty look around his eyes, and said, "All right, you have a deal. But give us half an hour for Miss Ogino to find a stopping point in her research. Then I'll send her out. You are on your own from there."

"Agreed." Kohaku bowed. Mr. Sato pulled the DVD from his grasp and scurried off, the door slamming behind him. Kohaku stood still, gazing through the shut door. Silence overtook the reception area once again.

"Hey, do you have any more of those DVD's...I've got some roommates..." the receptionist's voice cut through the tense silence.

"No." Kohaku did not look away from the door. She didn't dare ask anything else.

********

Mr. Sato went through his desk drawers in a panic. "Ah hah!" he cried, grabbed a medicine bottle from his well-stocked collection, and rushed to the kitchen.

********

Chihiro Ogino sat in her office amid piles of papers, pulled files, law books, and photographs, her computer blinking and her brow furrowed over a difficult document. She wore conservative office attire, and her customary ponytail and round face made her look 17, rather than 22. She had a biology degree, paralegal training, and a passion for fighting injustice and protecting the environment. She was a valuable employee.

"Chihiro, dear."

She looked up and smiled affectionately. "Shhhhhh," she said. "Not at the office," she whispered back at Mr. Sato, who had appeared at her door. He gazed at her with eagerness on his mild face, and brushed back his slightly balding hair with his free hand.

"I made you tea. We're likely going to have a long night."

"Oh, thank you," she accepted the steaming cup from his hand. "I don't mind staying late, this environmental case is a very important to me; I want to get it right."

"I don't mind staying late if I'm staying with you," Mr. Sato fawned. Chihiro blushed and smiled. She took a sip. He watched her eagerly.

"Humm, I think you added a little too much sweetener, sweetheart," she said.

He jumped and rushed out, saying, "I'll get you some water!"

She watched him with gentle amusement, and fingered the large diamond engagement ring that she kept hidden on a necklace under her blouse.

********

Kohaku had been staring at the wall with concern for several minutes now. He leaped up, and ran to the heavy door leading to the back offices. He shook the knob, it was locked.

"I'm sorry, sir, I cannot let you in there without permission," the receptionist eyed him warily. "She should be out at any moment."

Her phone rang. Kohaku rested his forehead against the door, his eyes squeezed tight.

"Hello, Hori and Hir--...Yes...Oh, that's not good...Yes, I'll tell him...I hope she feels better soon...Goodbye." She replaced the phone on the receiver. "Uh, that's weird."

"She's sick," Kohaku said without looking up, his voice dead. "He's taken her away."

"Uh, yes!" the receptionist looked at him with surprise. "It seems Miss Ogino's gotten ill very suddenly and Mr. Sato has taken her home himself. He called from his cell phone. Sounds like a stomach virus." She fidgeted nervously. "He said to offer you his apologies that Miss Ogino will not be able to join you this afternoon."

Kohaku covered his face with his hand. "Please," he asked. "Please, can you tell me where she lives?"

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. I'm not authorized to give that information out." But she looked at his color-less face and added, "Well..."

She pulled out a large stack of phonebooks from under her desk. "I happen to know her address and phone number are listed. So here." She pushed them over to him. "But you didn't hear it from me." Kohaku took the books. "Geh, he should at least have given you back your DVD," she said, indignantly.

********

Kohaku raced from the building. He did not need to be seen by mortals. He blended into the concrete scenery, transformed into his dragon form, and flew towards where his poor sick Chihiro was being taken in Mr. Sato's speeding car. But Mr. Sato was heading in the opposite direction from the urban apartment address clutched in Kohaku's taloned fist. Kohaku growled.

Kohaku watched as Mr. Sato carried Chihiro into his tidy condominium. He waited on edge as he felt Chihiro vomit again, and then fall into a fitful sleep. He could not just rush in there, and seize her away from that traitorous man. He would frighten her, and he could not to do that. He could not take her into the Spirit World with him yet, not without risking her life and freedom.

Kohaku ground his teeth until the lowering sun forced him away. He flew to the nearest transitionary place, crossed over to the other world, and furiously settled in a sheltered, grassy area. Mr. Sato had better not try anything, or so help him..... Kohaku's tail lashed until he fell into a restless sleep to match his love's poisoned one.

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Disclaimer #2—This fic is very mildly a comedy. :) (Well, at least I think the DVD is hilarious, even if no one else does. :) Disclaimer #3—Any and all mistakes as to Japanese culture are purely my lack of knowledge/understanding. I've referenced a few friends, some books, and quite a bit of Google, but I am not a true Otaku, I don't speak Japanese, and I have never been to Japan. I love much of their storytelling, but I'm fully aware that I'm unqualified to write in their culture. Please forgive inaccuracies and abnormalities. I do know, however, that Japan has plenty of fanboys and girls, and that is what I'm drawing on here. :) Because of my lack, I'm trying to write this fic completely in American English—given names first, 'Mr. Sato' instead of Sato-san, and 'Chihiro, dear,' rather than Chihiro-chan. The Garasuyama (Glass Mountain) Building, and Hori and Hiraga, Attorney's at Law, are purely constructs of my imagination, aided by some Japanese dictionary and name reference pages.

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