Choices

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Just because I realized after I wrote this chapter that you could make conections with a Yu-Yu Hakishu episode and to Micheal Ende "Die Unendliche Geschichte"(The Never Ending Story(I've only read it in German and only am sure that it sounds like 'The Never Ending Story' when in German. Though I figure it is the same in any language, It is originally a German book and therefore credit is given in German)) I don't these either, obviously. And arn't you guys lucky I wrote to chaps in a row for this story! Happy Reading!

-Na

Chapter 7: Some Rules Are Meant to be Broken

As the first of Kohaku's tears fell and hit that, that in which he would give his life, for what is life without love? A shimmer caught Kohaku's eye and he looked down at the ebony stone that lay in his hand. A single tear drop that, that was meant to be the first of many poured from the very depths of his heart, splashed on the stone. The single tear splashed, rippled, and broke into many others as if slowed by time or their own hidden magick, and when there was a hint of a spiritual violet, a loving fire red, a happy air yellow, a prosperous earth green, and a psychic awareness that both now shared embodied in the water blue. He knew the answer, 'Wish in a place where frameless windows lay broken, A Wish from the frameless window, To see your friend for a second or ten, before you must say cheerio.' Do people not say that the heart is a window into the soul, and that the eyes mirror both heart and soul?

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Is this fair? I mean I'll do it, she always had a future and she was always my choice, but is it fair? She saved me, my soul, and stole my heart. In the end could this hurt her? But she has to realize the truth, the choice I had to face, had to choose. Why must there always be choices like this? Must I always have to choose with her can't they just let it be? I know immortal god and mortal human, but I can still die. You must have heard the stories, of gods dying killed by magick weapons, giving up immortality, It's all true yes we are immortal, but not to evil. And there is always evil, without evil there is no good. Without evil everything just is, nothing better or worse, and when you know not something better, you know not the meaning of good. But still as I tried to love as immortal to mortal I had suffered for it, for the believe, not one that I share mind you, that mortal love has been tainted. But she is no longer pure mortal now is she, to allow such nonphysical changes the first time she arrived, so Yu-Baaba could control her. With the taking of her human name, it stripped her ever so slightly of the evils of mankind, something that can not be replaced. But it doesn't matter in the end all that matters is us and when there is no us then her. So I ask again is it fair? Here I stand in the land of broken hearts. An awful place that many choose to come to, and I... if Chihiro had come but a day later. I would have chosen to stay here as well. If I had died of a broken heart here is where I would have resided. Though it is a choice many choose when facing the loss of such a great and pure love to come to the barren waste land to hold hope and memories. Instead of shedding the pain and being reborn. So here I am, I met Fate once and his twin sister/brother (has a mind to change often)Destiny. Destiny is young and playful one day a princess the next a knight she/he'll mould your path or paths, but gives you the choice, it's your own life, your own Destiny. Fate is something completely different, he is stubborn and has made up his mind that grumpy old man you can't escape him, your fate is sealed. And so is mine to end up here. Where no grass grows and dead trees stand, where orange dirt blows in the wind, against the orange dirt huts, this is no place to be and yet it's a choice. And the hope for the sun to rise, though it never will, and the hope for that one last kiss strive here and wont die. But I on the other hand know my purpose here and know where the hope, my hope doesn't die I will.

"And you're here because?" asked an incorporeal voice.

Kohaku looked around, wondering exactly where the voice came from, "I wish that you turn Chihiro back into a human. I know the rules: I come to the land of broken hearts, to make a wish from the heart, I'm allowed to see her one last time for a second before I die. Now please grant this to me."

The voice studied Kohaku, even without a body this was obvious the purpose of the silence, as if in disbelief, "You didn't go to the wise woman then? Listen young river spirit and I'll tell you, you're the only one. Most misinterpret the riddle whether their friends are coal, or paper, They all go to the wise woman who lives in the glass house. The wise woman tells them the answer except the end, these people don't know they will die and all would rather a lump of coal for a friend then to loose their own life. All except you."

"But there is only one person before that successful got changed back from coal," replied Kohaku simply believing that this has been done only once before.

"From Yu-Baaba yes, but there are others with same to similar threats. I'll grant your wish and since you love the girl I'll give you one minute," replied the voice.

"But that is 60 seconds not one or ten?" replied Kohaku.

"Enough with your buts, young one. Be grateful that I'm saving the girl," said the voice stern and powerful.

"And that I am," replied Kohaku in a low bow in the direction he was hoping the voice was coming from. The Chihiro coal began to glow white and became to hot or to cold Kohaku wasn't sure but he had to drop it to the ground.

As soon as the Chihiro coal hit the dry orange dust that covered the ground a whirl wind that surprisingly didn't include the orange dust surrounded Kohaku and the Chihiro coal. In a matter of seconds the coal grew to the height and shape of Chihiro slowly changing from onyx to the flesh tons, brown hair, brown eyes, and gray and blue dressed Chihiro. Kohaku embraced her with in seconds and held her tight his clock, their clock was ticking.

"Chihiro I love you and will never forget you," cried Kohaku.

"And I you, but what's going on?" Chihiro asked confused until she looked into his eyes. Those deep green eyes now full of emotion told Chihiro everything.

Chihiro immediately broke down and cried pushed herself away from Kohaku, she began to cry to the wind, "You can't do this! No he has suffered enough, more then a god should have! He saved my life when I was four from his waters only to loose them! He helped me escape Yu-Baaba only to be trapped himself in unfair choices! You can't do this, Take me I have nothing anymore, only him! Take me!"

The winds died down and both Kohaku and Chihiro looked at each other they were both alive, and it had certainly been a minute. The voice came again more intrigued with what it heard then anything else, "As much as a first that it was for him to figure out the riddle and truly mean his intentions, it is a first for the person who is cursed to care about the others life. And don't start in with the why's, its as simple as not to many people in love would have chosen as you have. If you had forgotten, and he returned to a river none of this would have happened. If you went to Zeniiba's house and he left Aburaya none of this would have happened. So yes it always goes back to the unfair choices."

"Does that mean that Haku and I can stay together with no consequences?" asked Chihiro hopeful.

"But it was said that I would die, you have to take life," said Kohaku although happy he was very confused.

"Again with the buts! Listen Spirit some rules are meant to be broken, and since I created them I have more right to change them. Beside always taking life gets boring, this will prove to be more entertaining. In reality to perform such magick, needs such magick. That and I'm not that nice. You might see it as a gift but only born mortals can truly handle its burdens. So live your lives wherever you choose, here or the Human world, because from now on you Haku are as mortal as she, and have paid your dues."

"How can we ever thank you... excuse me what is your name?" asked Kohaku.

"My name it comes from a language not your own, a language that gods and humans alike have alone, forgotten a language still understood by the hearts beating tone. My name is Mookáco (pronounced: Moo-kay-coe) Do you know what it means Haku? Listen to your heart?" said the voice, Mookáco.

Kohaku thought, and listened to his heart but Chihiro answered for him, "Mookáco: Nothing, No one, Nobody. But that's not true."

"Yes wise you are, but what is in a name? Haku means white, and Chihiro means A thousand fathoms. But is that what you truly are? What you only are? Or is there more to you? And with these questions I leave you, it will be hard to get to Swamp Bottom let alone Aburaya. There is no return train and no dragon magick in your veins. I never thought I would have seen another dragon lost, to a feeling he shouldn't feel. And I hope it is worth it, and don't forget the magick that was taught to you it is that even Chihiro could wheeled."

"But..." began Kohaku, but the presence of the voice was clearly gone, and the wind seemed to sigh, and Kohaku dropped the thought only to look at a goofy smiling Chihiro, "What?"

"Oh nothing," said Chihiro playfully trying to hold back the laughter.

Kohaku gave Chihiro a stern look that made her laugh, "What?" he persisted.

"You said you loved me, and I said I love you, and I remembered falling in your river, and I'm no longer coal, and your no longer dying, and neither of us are dead, and... and, I'm so happy!" replied Chihiro grinning ear to ear.

Kohaku could see that Chihiro was one of those people that would be happy after almost dying any day. That she was not one to panic and be afraid because she almost died, but to be happy that they didn't die, "And, and, and are there anymore ands that you have forgotten?"

"And your mortal," said Chihiro with a sly grin.

"And..."Kohaku baited.

"And I choose to never let go anymore," yelled Chihiro running into Kohaku's arms and hugging him.

Kohaku just smiled, "Well we should be getting home."

"And how long will it take to walk?" asked Chihiro a little worried.

Kohaku just shrugged, "Three days to Swamp Bottom and four more to Aburaya. So we should be leaving." Kohaku took a firm hold on Chihiro's hand and then slowly led her out of Muay-Tätät-Gmajj (Pronounced: M-wh-ae Ta-ta-t G-ma-ch) from Mookáco's language of the heart, Land Of Broken Hearts. Unknowingly Kohaku led Chihiro off the newly grown grass and out of the lightening sky.

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All things need love to grow. Even in such Barren Waste lands where the truth that no matter how many stars you wished upon the sun would never rise. Little did both Kohaku and Chihiro know that their hope, success, and love sprung life, the first in the area. If the two had stayed an hour more then they would have been witnessed to Muay-Tätät-Gmajj's first sunrise, and certainly not its last. The fertilization of the ground, the growth of grass and trees. If they had stayed another hour after that they would have met Kai a man that after his death believed his love Mari to have been reborn and 'followed' her. He had lived a long and lonely life, his soul knowing that there was something missing, Mari. After he decided to go to Muay-Tätät-Gmajj, where he was overjoyed to find Mari.

Some may believe that, Chihiro and Kohaku had done wrong here. But it had always been a land of choice and always will be, no more people will choose the pain of memories and loss just because the sun shines. But they did restore any fading hope. Dead or alive a person can not live without hope, especially the hope of love. Some say when you are forgotten and uncared for then all you have is hope and when you give that up then you fade away. But of course you don't believe that, and yet I know you are unwilling to test it. No matter how interesting a new striving life, and the truth of fading spirits may be, this is not our story though it may be told another time. For right now our story must continue.

Author's Note: Who saw that coming? Come on did anyone? If you honestly saw that coming, I'd like to know because I thought I found the perfect twist to my twist. So what did you think? Oh yeah and it is NOT FINISHED YET! Note about the language I used however strange it may sound I simply can speak this language as if I have known it as long as I have English. I also didn't make it up I have heard others speak it and it does hold to what I say about the heart I know some that can understand it though they don't know why. ( Language structure note: the umlauts (dots) over the a in Tätät in this language makes a short a sound like in the word 'l' (can't make the umlauts on the l with a comp so bare with the comas) pronounced lll... which means love. And the ascent marks like in Mookáco make a long a sound (not used often because long a is also made with ae or ay, long e with ee or ii, long i with ie long o with oe and long u with ue.(and not always like in Saeguertä (pronounced: Say-gua-r-ta) no direct translation can be used as a blessing or like Aman or Hallelujah)) Also strange that it is not used on consonants like the umlauts.) Wow wasn't that interesting, so I don't know Japanese, so don't sue me please there is no royalties from fanfiction.net so I'm still a broke 16 year old girl. Yes and flame me if you like, about the whole dragon immortal, mortal stuff, or anything. Well I hope you liked it, happy 'ending' and all.

-Na