Underwater Savior

Chapter 20: Awaken

by: LadyRainStarDragon

Not mine. I can only wish. If you've seen the movie, then you know which characters aren't in it. Hey, at least the plots in my stories are mine!

Koji, Yuukio, and Akio had been taking turns for the past month in sitting beside Chihiro, hoping that she would wake soon. Little Lily and the rest of the Tanaka family had visited every day. The police never had figured out what had separated the doting grandfather and much beloved granddaughter that fateful day, but speculations had been made about the possible connection between the grisly murder at the Mahou residence and the attack on the Ogino's. Due to the nature of the crimes though, they were just that, speculation.

The combination of the two head blows had left the child unconscious for this whole time, and the police had lost hope in ever hearing the girl's testimony. The girl had several close calls with a flat-line, even though there seemed to be no physical reason for her to come so close.

Currently, Koji sat by the bed worrying. He had not been able to find were Kohakunushi had killed Greed, and had not been able to stir the dragon one bit. It seemed that somehow he had gone into the Sacred Spring, but the Spring god refused to tell him how the river's dragon was doing. All he could get from the stubborn spirit was that he was resting and badly injured.

Needless to say, because of this, the final site remained uncleansed.

A moan floated through the room, causing the man to rip his eyes from the line of fresh earth where the river once played.

"Chihiro? How are you honey?"

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital honey. You got hurt."

"Oh. How'd I get hurt grandpa?"

"I don't know dear."

A soft click echoed through the room, like a cog on the great wheel of fate moving one space. A nurse came in, in the quietened manner one assumes when entering the room of an Alzheimer's patient or someone who has something equally serious.

"Finally awake are you Miss Ogino? I'm glad, the staff was all worried about you. I need to check your vitals honey."

The woman did as she said she would. Then proceeded to see if there was any possible brain damage.

"So, how old are you dear?"

"I'm 3!"

Koji flinched at that. She had celebrated her 4th birthday three months ago now. He wondered just how much of her memory had been wiped out.

The nurse made some notes and left.

"Can I go play with Kohaku now?"

"I don't think so honey."

The child got out of the bed, paying no heed to the machines that had been monitoring her.

"Why not? I feel fine, and it's such a . . . pretty . . . day? Where'd the river go?"

"It's gone dear."

Large tears streamed from her eyes as she surveyed the brown, ugly dirt where her friend's home had once been. How could this have happened? Just the other day they had been roaming the woods together, he playing music for her to dance to, no cares in the world except for a few mosquitoes.

"What happened?"

"Progress dear."

Chihiro didn't miss the sadness in his voice, sour and bitter as medicine.

"Is Kohaku ok?"

"I don't know."

The child drug herself back to her bed, drooping and swaying like the weeping willow in a breeze. Her eyes deepened in their brown color, the light extinguished, not even a trace of the grey tones that they took on when she was close to her nature.

"Suddenly, I'm very tired now Ji-chan."

Deep below the Spring, Nushi, the aspect of the River Lord that retained his older and wiser parts, had also awoken from healing sleep. He had found himself in fresh robes, surrounded by some of the waters that would have fed his river. The healing magics used in the room left the air heavy with the smells of the elements, most notably the water that he was.

He was aware of the loss of the river, feeling buried beneath the tons of earth and debris deposited in his water-form's body. He was also vaguely aware of a sense of loss that did not emanate from himself. It had a feminine signature to it, and he wondered if it was possibly the little girl who he had nearly given his life for.

'Chihiro.'

He still didn't feel completely whole, and wondered why until he remembered looking down at himself as a child just before the verge of pubescence. It was a frightening thought, that he had lost not only his physical vessel, but his innocence as well. To him though, it was worth it, some small measure of what he cared for would hopefully live its life.

Small splashes sounded as his friend entered the chamber he was in. The spring dragon had never been one for subtly, instead always choosing to make himself known in the simplest of ways. It wasn't that Ten couldn't move through the water without sound, it was just that he liked commotion.

"Good to see you back. You faded in and out so many times I thought you were going to fade from existence completely."

"Good to be back."

His words barely cleared his lips, despite the fact they were far from parched. His body may have been healed, but that did not mean that his energy reserves were anywhere near normal.

"There's still part of your presence missing I see. What happened?"

"How is Chihiro?"

"Resting comfortably in the hospital. With as many times as you called out for her, I figured I'd better know before you woke up."

The river dragon's eyes closed, meaning only to signify his relief. His body had other plans for him though, as from there he slipped back into slumber.

"Guess I get to wait a bit longer for my answer."

Kamaji had been dismayed at the extent of the injuries, and did what he could for the young Lord who's name was unknown. No one had been able to identify the boy, any more than that he was important.

What frightened the spider spirt most he could not tell. Was it the injuries themselves, or the fact the boy would sometime fade out of view, as if he was passing into the realm of death and then being pulled back. Each time this happened, Kamaji could faintly see a thread of white energy wrapped around a red fate-string, tugging and pulling.

Kohaku had long been moved into the boiler room, both to chase away the perpetual chill he had and so that the healer / boiler man could keep a constant eye on him. Lin had made sure that his robes were washed and mended, and it was in these serviced clothes that he awoke.

"Chihiro? Are you ok?"

'He's been calling for this person every day. I wonder if he had been with this person when whatever happened, happened.'

The boy sat up, grimacing as one hand went to his chest. After a moment, his surroundings sunk in.

"Where is she? Where am I?"

'So this Chihiro is a she.'

"I don't know any Chihiro, but I can tell you where you are. You are at Aburaya. The radish and carrot spirit found you and brought you for healing."

"I have to get home. Chihiro is in trouble!"

The boy shot to his feet, only to fall again as so much water without a bucket.

"Not like that you aren't. I'm sure that she's already gotten help. You've been here for a month now."

"No! I must get HOME! I have to perform my DUTY!"

The boy got to his feet again, this time not only keeping them, but finding strength from somewhere to leave. He winked out of sight only to have a smallish white and green dragon standing in his place. Kamaji listened as the child left, flinging doors open to slam behind him. The small door beneath the cabinets opened, and Lin came in with food for Kamaji, broth for the unknown boy, and the food for the susuwatari.

"Where's the kid?"

"Said he was going home, something about duty."

"Any idea what happened to the kid?"

"Nearest I can gather, he was with some girl called Chihiro when he got hurt. He said she was in trouble."

"Why didn't you try to stop him?"

"He may still be weak, but there's no way I'm foolish enough to try to stop a dragon."

"The kid's a dragon?