Haku
I have to leave.
I can't bear to stay in this place anymore. Restless, I have to join the search. The search to find Chihiro. I have to keep my promise.
Yuri has been an exceptionally good friend. But I don't want to burden her with my own problems. It's time I took responsibilities.
Coming to the edge of cave, I plunged head first into the still lake. It caused a ripple in the lake that mirrored its surroundings. A swift flick of my tail and I was gone, journeying to the far away land.
I will keep my promise, Chihiro…
Yuri
"Murasaki! Murasaki!" Yuri stood by the bank of the lake. It was barely an hour ago that she had the conversation with Chihiro.
"Murasaki! Come on out! I have to ask you something!" she yelled again. The area of the park was deserted. Not that she cared anyway; even if it had onlookers, she would have forced them all out of the area.
The lake was tinged green at the edge of bank by the dropping willows. Reflected daylight shimmered on the surface, as water swayed peacefully.
Something disturbed the water near Yuri. A second later a scaly head emerged, water dripping in rivulets.
"What's the matter? You sound urgent," it coolly asked.
"Murasaki," she dropped to her knees. "What do you know about Chihiro?"
"Chihiro? You mean the girl? I rescued her when she fell into this lake a few days ago." The dragon cocked its head. "Did she ask about Haku?"
"Yes, she did." She sighed and flopped down on the ground. She bit her bottom lip.
The purple head regarded her for a second; then it edged closer to the bank and leaned its long neck on the bank. Using that as a support, it slowly raised itself from the water. Water droplets dripped everywhere; some landed on Yuri, but she ignored them.
"….you're attached to Haku, haven't you?" it quietly asked, curling its scale-covered body around Yuri. She nodded.
"So…you're jealous of Chihiro?" It expelled a breath through its nostrils.
"……" Yuri was silent, eyes fixed to the edge of the water, lapping against the bank lazily.
"….why does she deserve Haku anyway?" she finally blurted out.
"..She's almost the same as me…so she entered the spirit world and saves Haku…but so what??" she turned the intense eyes to Murasaki. "..So what? What makes her so special?"
"DAMN!! SO FUKING DAMMIT!! SO WHAT? DOES ENTERING THE SPIRIT WORLD MAKES HER MORE SPECIAL THAN EVRYONE ELSE!! FUK IT!! SEEING THEM TOGETHER MAKES ME WANNA PUKE!!" She screamed at the dragon.
The purple dragon let her rambled on, all the while listening calmly. Yuri gestured and shouted, until finally running out of breath and energy, stopped, breathing hoarsely through her nostrils.
"S-sorry," she said to the silent dragon between breaths.
"…you do know where this will lead you too, right? Jealousy corrupts the being. You should not let it take over you." It calmly said, inhaling a breath.
"…I don't care."
Holding a hand to her chest, she narrowed her eyes.
"I don't care. I don't care if it comes back threefold or tenfold. If that brat ever makes me angry again, she'll get it." She swore.
Murasaki was slightly disturbed by those words. She tried to advice Yuri again.
"You don't know much about these things yet, Yuri…one wrong step and you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Even if you are gifted—"
"She has already doubted my abilities today, Murasaki," she cut the dragon short. Her glare was as sharp as a dagger.
"..Don't doubt mine, Murasaki."
The purple dragon said nothing but exhaled another breath. Then it let out something similar to a human sigh by expelling air through the mouth.
"You're so stubborn." It finally said. "That could get you into a lot of trouble," it added.
Yuri snorted and raised her head to the dropping bough of willow.
"I don't care."
Murasaki
Long after Yuri had left, Murasaki brooded over the words uttered by the teen.
She's stubborn and jealous…that could lead her into a lot of trouble in life. Although extremely gifted, nature is still nature, and no matter how strong humans are, they are still nothing but specks of dust in the eyes of nature.
I have a feeling…she murmured to herself. …that something is going to happen soon…if she does not try to control the emotions of hers….
…and in this dark pool, I shall await it…
Chihiro
Haku?
Chihiro wandered through the dense forest, stumbling over thickets and bushes. It was day here, weak sunlight shone through the gaps between branches.
Haku?She called out hesitantly again. All around her were trees and green growth, almost dark with the sunlight behind them. She walked forward again, surveying the area around her.
Still no reply. Chihiro was beginning to feel afraid. Why isn't he here?? Did Nakamura find him through this too? Or did the spell go wrong?
Maybe I did something wrong….she thought worriedly, her left hand clutched at her chest. If that's so, then where am I?
She didn't know how long she wandered in the dense forest, but suddenly she caught sight of a lake between the half-dead branches nearby.
A lake? Masaka…he lives in a lake like Murasaki?...
She side-stepped the branches until a slope that lead downward to the lake. Cautiously, she descended it, one hand touching the ground for support if she should slip.
Yellowish grass and shrubs grew on the bank Chihiro stood on. The sky was pale, the sun hidden behind clouds. It looked as if it was going to rain any moment.
She tried to gaze into the lake. Its surface rocked gently, a sort of brown murkiness prevented her from seeing what was beneath. She could only make out a few small fishes near the surface, but they disappeared into the depths once she leaned forward.
Helpless, she tried calling his name.
Haku! Haku!! Are you there??
The gentle sound of the water rocking was the only response. She waited a while before calling again.
Haku! Haku!! It's me, Chihiro!! I've come to keep our promise!!
But, Haku was already gone from the lake.
