Rivers Never Die

by LadyRainStarDragon

Chapter 11: Nushi's Bad Memory and Real Beds At Last

I don't own Spirited Away or any brand names that may pop up. This story is just a result of too much psychology research, my cat knocking over a book, and my fascination with spirituality. Professor Arack, I blame you and my cat, but I'm dedicating this to my husband for all his encouragement.

There is no excuse for BlowingWind, Ryu, Ten or Haku's lost spirit piece. That's all me.

Now, on with the story. I'm escaping while I can.


Back in Ten's spring, Nushi was beginning to pace rather restlessly. He had spent some time in Ten's library and thought that he might have an idea as to what he could do to fix his situation. Part of the solution he was really nervous about though.

He had good reason to be nervous too. All the books that he could find that had remedies that applied to his condition suggested one of two things. He could either have intimate relations with someone whom he had given his love or he could let himself fade. If he faded, he wasn't sure that Chihiro would be safe. On the other hand, he was skittish about the whole idea of 'relations'. Especially if he would technically be having it with not only his chosen, but especially if he was outnumbering her. It just weirded him out far too much.

There was also the problem of impregnation with that solution, raising a whole new problem. He was positive that, even if he were able to pull off the mating, she would not be ready for a child.

In short, he really hoped that he could disregard the suggested remedy. This was Ten's library after all. He had found a lot of strange things in there, and not all the spells worked either. However, that still left him with a very real problem. Just how the hell was he supposed to fix this mess? Even if this idea that he had would work, did he deserve her after he had failed her that night?

He remembered seeing the child's eyes, pleading with him to make it better. The stab of the sword as it cleaved his heart in two, leaving him always feeling empty was still fresh for him. If he would allow it, he would still be able to smell the ashes of the spirit who had almost taken her forever.

"Nushi, quit pacing. One of these days you're going to wear yourself a channel in my floor. If you do, I'm filling it with water. Do you really want to be the guardian of a puddle in the middle of my floor?"

The pacing only increased in pace, and a frown began to crease his face. Even so obviously worried, he was still intensely attractive, even though it never occurred to him. Even as close as a century ago, women would offer themselves to him. He had always turned them down. He was young, and unready, taking any woman meant he would most likely have meant watching his children grow. He was quite content just taking care of those near his banks and in his waters, they needed him more. Most of the girls just wanted him because he was the River God anyway, not because they wanted to BE with him. He still felt unready, but part of the growing process would be to choose a Lady and for her to accept. He could hardly get near a woman, much less actually talk to one. Something was too easy about that solution, but it was the only thing that he had found so far. Nushi's head began to ache from the intensity of his thoughts.

'Dragons, do they always have to prowl so? I really hope that they finish the river for him soon. I really don't think I can take this much longer. He gets more restless by the day.' Ten could only shake his head at his friend. He looked like he was about to speak, but not entirely on what was bothering him.

"I was reading one of your books a short time ago, and this loosened something for me. I think that I might have figured out why the split occurred. Although the river itself was taken from me, the family of the Shrine Keepers was not. Koji has been making offerings in his home this whole time the river has been gone and before, as had his father and so on. I should have died, completely crossed over. I think that the offerings are what gave me the strength to survive in this separated state. Kohaku left much of his power here tied to the river course and the statue, fleeing to the Spirit world to seek healing in a last attempt to escape. I have a fuzzy memory of one of the workers who had drained me and filled me. I had felt so betrayed, I had provided so much for that family. It was Koji's boy, Chihiro's father."

Ten stood silently absorbing the information. He now understood why Kohakunushi had been so badly injured mentally and physically now. It would be a great blow to have a member of your Shrine Keeper's family do that to you, no matter how long there had been no Shrine Building. It would also explain why he always seemed so sad. Not only would his psyche have to be mended, but he would need some kind of proof that it would not happen again.

Ten reached a difficult decision at this time. If Nushi didn't speak to Chihiro, then he would. In fact, he thought he would go have a nice chat with the maiden anyway, as soon as he could. He would have to wait for her to come to the spring though. As good of friends as they were, he could still imagine Nushi disemboweling him for trying to seduce her. For such an easygoing dragon, he was still very possessive of his little Chihiro.

Squaring his shoulders, Ten stepped out of the shadows for the first time in about nine or ten years. His tall body was rather stocky, and laughing brown eyes regarded his friend's still pacing form. Ten's skin was an earthy brown, and although his face was rather round, it was still attractive. His brown hair stuck up in a manner reminiscent of a bubbling spring and his robes were black with a blue trim. "Just go to her already! You already know that the relic is going to be at the Shrine, so meet her there. You can get further than the surface of the pool now."

"And do what?" Cool green eyes regarded Ten seriously. "Say I'm the missing part of the river and I need you figure out how to fix me? Tell her that her own father was one of those who destroyed her favorite place to play as a child? How about I have an idea on how to fix myself, but I need her to do something really personal for me?"

"Well, that wasn't exactly the topic I intended. I was thinking more along the lines of idle chatter, like finding out the things she likes, her hopes, what she did with her life after you lost contact, that kind of thing. Getting out more would be good for you."

"I don't know what to say to a girl. I never paid attention to all of those lovers along my banks. I was too busy playing with the children. If it wasn't that, I was making sure that the water flowed in the required manner for the rice paddy guardians to receive."

"Or maybe you were just too young, eh?"

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

Ten took a deep breath. "Nushi, didn't he also help with the restoration? Some days he would dig, some he would haul rock. He went with Chihiro to many functions necessary to getting the project going. Our dear Futoi even convinced his dear Barabara to allow Chihiro to participate in the project in the first place."

"Yes Ten, he did. Thank you. I'm tired, so I'm going to go rest."

"Nushi? At least go play your flute for her in her dreams. It will help both of you."

Light came back into his eyes. "Yes, that is good advice. I think I will." His lips curved into a true smile as he thought of playing again for her, and he truly looked as young as he was for the first time in 15 years.


Pulling up at the apartment complex, Chihiro stifled a yawn. A real bed would be a nice thing. How long had it been since she'd last slept in her own bed in their apartment? A month?

Ryu had somehow managed to tick off his girlfriend again, and so was stuck with Koji duty. Yes, Koji was still in shock. At least he had progressed to numb quietness and could shuffle now though. Ryu had thought he would have to drag him in and put him to bed. He waved to the others and escorted Koji to his apartment.

Chihiro led BlowingWind and Kohaku to the apartment that they all shared. It was a three bedroom (one had been used as a study room) one bath with a kitchen and livingroom. As they walked in, she noticed that the cleaning lady had been in that day to dust and check on the cat.

Nobody knew just how they had gotten a cat, he just showed up one day. There had been a huge yet sleek black cat with brown eyes. They turned him in, but he wasn't claimed and so they just kind of adopted him. It had taken a good half a day to name the darn thing. Finally, they had decided to call it 'Cat'. Perhaps not very imaginative, but still amusing to Ryu and Chihiro's ears. 'Cat' was just a funny sounding American word. Cat saw Kohaku and Kohaku saw Cat. Before either of the girls could stop him, Cat streaked straight for Kohaku. He had instantly attached himself like velcro to Kohaku's shoulder, causing the young god to stiffen in surprise. Turning his head slightly to get a better look, Kohaku was rewarded with a noseful of fur as Cat decided to rub into him. A delicate sneeze escaped his nose at the intrusion, but he smiled kindly none-the-less. Kohaku looked at the cat some more, studying the currents of energy tracing about the feline..

"So you are how Zeniba was keeping an eye on Chihiro."

"Meowr."

As the girls went about their checks to make sure nothing had been stolen or broken by Cat, Kohaku looked around from where he was standing. The decor was definitely draconic. There were various paintings of black dragons with red manes and white dragons with green manes which had obviously been done by two separate artists. Crystals of different types adorned shelves along with books. The fabrics in the room were a rich purple, and the walls were a soft cream. The floor was a warm pine. He guessed that this was the girls handy-work.

BlowingWind yelled across the apartment. "We could put you up for the night in the study, there's a nice soft futon in there for company. I think Chihiro's getting the blanket and pillow."

Chihiro was indeed getting the blanket and pillow. The cleaning lady had put it way down at the bottom of one of the shelves in the linen closet, with lots of fluffy (dragon motif) towels piled on top in drifts. After she had wrestled them out without making a mess, she took them into the study to set up the extra futon.

"Well, while she's doing that, I may as well show you around. This is obviously the livingroom, over there is the kitchen. The door on the left is Chihiro's, right is mine and Ryu's, and straight ahead is the study. The bathroom is the door over there next to where Chihiro was being attacked by the killer towels."

'Killer towels? Why would one want to dry after bathing using a killer towel. The humans are very strange.' Cat started purring, then perked his ear at a noise. Deciding what it was, he streaked off to help. Well, more accurately it would have been to get fur all over Kohaku's sleeping area. 'Yes. I just love it when we have guests.'

Ryu walked in the door and stalked over to the fridge, rummaging around for some edible foodstuffs. Finally, in the back he found some bottled green tea. Grabbing two, he stood up and looked over his shoulder. "Thirsty? We've got some tea."

"Thank you." Kohaku strode over to Ryu and accepted his drink, uncapping it. His eyes narrowed as he sniffed it. "There is a metallic smell to it."

"Yeah, the store was out of the glass bottles when we did our shopping, so we were stuck getting the aluminum bottles. You get used to the taste even though you still don't like it. They are better than those nasty plastic bottles though. Trust me," He lowered his voice a bit and leaned toward Kohaku. "This area's humans have a fairly decent recycling center, so they get reused. The girls are very adamant about the recycling."

"I didn't notice Chihiro drink anything today, I'd better take her one before she falls down."

"Help yourself. Our home is your home." Ryu surveyed his own drink. "I'd better take one to BlowingWind myself before I forget." With that, the males went about their task. What they found was their ladies asleep on the livingroom sofa leaning against each other.

The guys stood still a moment watching them sleep. Both dragons had the same slight upward tuck to their mouths and both stood very still. Ryu actually seemed rather like Kohaku when he wasn't being egged on by his girlfriend, or engaged in egging her on. Rumbling in their chests, the way a dragon purrs quietly, and gently lifting the girls, they said one phrase together.

"Time for bed."

Ryu carried BlowingWind to their room as Kohaku carried Chihiro to her own. Laying her upon her bed he chuckled to himself. She looked very much like the girl she once was when she slept. As he covered her, he noticed that she had done her room in white, blue, and green, with just a little purple here and there. Over on a little table near the bed was an exquisite miniature of a white dragon, which looked very like him in his dragon form and a small candle.

He whispered very softly. "You must have missed me very much, even if you didn't remember me."

In the shadows of the room, Kohaku did not notice a pair of eyes like his own watching him leave for his own futon. A gentle sigh caught his attention.

"Unnm. 'Night, Haku."

"Sleep well, my Chihiro." With that, Kohaku gently shut the door.

Green eyes glowed beside her bed, and as he faded out, Nushi began to play for the whisperer.


Futoi - what Ten calls Chihiro's dad. Thick. His real name is Akio. Nickname chosen by Ten (and used by Koji) expressing distaste with his past choices.

Barabara - Chihiro's mom. Disconnected. Real name Yuuko. Nickname chose by Tend (and used by Koji) expressing distaste with her past choices.

More fun with an online translator and a list of characteristics.