Hey guys! Its kind of hard to for me to continue this story you know…I am at a major writers block and I don't know what else to do. I have my ideas set down and I know where I'm going but its still kinda hard. So im srry I took so long with my updating this chapter. I needed some time to get my thoughts together. Well, enjoy the new chapter!
Disclaimer: Sorry don't own spirited away. I do have it on VHS though…and I'll probably get it on DVD if I can.
A young boy, about four years old, ran through a field of wild flowers. His face glowed as he spotted a figure at the end of the field. He smiled with great joy and happiness as he dashed through the tall grass. He stepped out of the field and beamed until a tall grass whacked his face back and tickled his nose. He scratched it with his tiny hand and continued his array of delight as he approached the figure, which was sitting under a white willow.
The figure was a woman. She had long hair cascading down her back and onto the base of the tree. Her mane was a faded black in color and her face was pale. She wore a simple white and purple kimono with sandals. Her eyes were like the purest of jewels. They were emeralds of the forest. She had a kind face and a pure, loving heart. Her name was Sen.
The boy saw the woman smile at him and ran to her arms. He was met by a loving embrace, of which only a mother could be capable of giving. She drew in her son tightly, as a tear dropped onto his short hair, also the same color as hers. She loved the boy with all her heart, and the boy gladly returned it.
"Mama? Why are you crying?" Asked the boy.
The woman smiled at him and replied, "Haku…I love you…don't you ever forget that." The woman held her son closer, pushing him against her heart so much that he could hear its steady beat.
"I love you too Mama." Haku said, confused. Haku moved slowly out of the warm embrace. He felt some one walk up behind him so he turned around and saw a man.
The man was tall in stature. He was well built and strong. He had long silver hair and dark eyes. The man wore a long black robe with a golden sash. His face had gentle features, but he was capable of expressing bitterness and rage. The man also carried a sheath by his side.
Haku took one look at him and walked slowly towards him. He went to the man's feet and smiled up at him as he hugged his leg.
"Daddy! I'm glad you're back." His eyes twinkled at his father.
The father gave a compassionate smile at his son and nodded. The two then joined the mother by the tree and talked for hours. As the crisp noonday turned to evening, something happened…
The young boy, in the bliss of spending time with his parents, then noticed the sky getting darker. The clouds disappeared, the field shrunk back to the dirt, the sky turned a black color, and his parents were gone. He looked around frantically.
"Mama! Papa! Where are you?!" The boy yelled.
He searched in every direction. It seemed that all was swallowed by the darkness. But after his search, he finally came in sight of the white willow.
"Mom's favorite tree…" He said.
The tree was a young willow with white flowers growing on it. It was the most beautiful thing his mother had grown. She was quite a gardener. It was the first thing she had ever planted, so she loved that tree. With tender loving care, it grew into a fine willow. As soon as it grew large enough, it became a special dwelling place for Haku's mother.
The boy then ran towards the tree, but as soon as he was about seven feet away, it was struck by lightning. When it was struck, it shriveled up, turned rotten, and eventually sunk back into the ground as the field had before.
The boy's green eyes began to well up with tears. As he turned away from the rotting tree, he saw his mother standing alone. She stood still; her eyes were open and vacant. Haku ran to her.
"Mommy! No!" He yelled after her but she did not seem to hear. He yelled for her a second time but when he did, death took her. Blood dripped down from her chest…
Slowly removing the knife, the woman dropped to the floor, motionless. As she fell, behind her was revealed Kohaku, holding the bloody dagger.
"Daddy? How could you?" Haku burst into tears and ran away. He ran through an endless path, with voices filling his head.
It was a lie!!!
"No! I saw him! My own father killed my mother!"
He did not touch her.
"Yes but…he made her die! He made me die! I suffer every night because of what he did!"
He was not even there when she died…
"Then why do I remember him as a murderer every single night?"
Haku clenched his teeth tight and started to scream as loud as his young body would let him. The voices in his head drove him mad into confusion and anguish.
"I hate you…"The young boy turned into a shadow, as his older version took his place and began to howl out in pain. Memories began to flash around at that moment. Memories of his father treating him wrong, teaching him how to use the sword, teaching the arts and how to fight, and pushing him harder and harder until his body could no longer bear the torture all came back to Haku.
"Fight! Strength is the only thing that is worth living for! Rise, my son. I will not tolerate your weakness!"
His cold sweat ran down faster as he howled out his anguish even louder. The voices shot through his head until he could bear it no more.
"I HATE YOU!"-------------------------------------------------
Back in the pod, Haku's eyes became vacant. He stood there, holding Chihiro's body lighter than before. He shuddered as his thoughts ran by. The dream seemed all too real. He had had it before, and it caused him great pain and hatred. His sorrow was that his mother died and that his father had given him emotional, as well as physical, scars after she had left the earth.
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"You PERVERT!!!" Rin screamed as she kicked Kuja out of the pod. They had reached their destination successfully. They had finally made it to Bane City.
Rio stepped out of his pod, first placing out his staff for assurance. He then placed his legs out of the pod, one-by-one, and walked forward, with his long robe following.
"You can forget me paying you back! You just wasted forty-eight dollars!" Rin yelled at Kuja. She was fuming by this point.
Kuja, face first on the floor, looked up at her and started to smile. His smile then burst out into laughter.
Rin, though taken aback, took her hand and slapped his face with great force. He had a red slap mark left on his left cheek.
"Rin!" Rio called, as he was still surveying the area.
"Huh?" She said as she had a fist held up to Kuja, ready to make another blow. "What's up?"
"Where's Haku and Chihiro?" Rio asked. Kuja started to look around, with his black eye closed of course.
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Chihiro finally managed to open her eyes. After being terribly frightened, she now was able to stop holding on to Haku. She slowly let her hands fall to her side as she looked around. The pod had stopped, so it was time to leave. She then turned back to the man holding her and saw that he was a bit dazed.
"Haku? Are you ok?" Haku's eyes were locked on the wall and as he thought more about his dream, the more he became enraged. His feelings had taken off and his temper was far from happy.
"Get out of my way spec. My battle awaits." he said as he let go of Chihiro abruptly and tossed her aside.
Chihiro gave a sour look to Haku. Was the battle the only thing he was looking forward to?
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"Hey Rio! I found them!" Kuja hollered, as he looked inside the pod's little window.
"Yo. Haku." Kuja said as Haku and Chihiro came out of the pod. "Are you guys ready?" Haku walked by him but said nothing, as Chihiro quietly followed.
"We are now in Bane City. Be at your guard always. There are many interesting characters here." Rio said.
"What do you mean by that?" Chihiro asked.
"Well, this is a VERY big and a VERY high tech society. The small crowds in the market are like the gatherings of an empire. So basically, there are all kinds of different people living here. There are many hostile people here also." Rio answered.
"But we're heading to the ruins so that shouldn't be much of a problem. Now come. I want to get this over with." Haku said, walking towards an exit.
Chihiro gave Haku another sour look. He seemed odd to her. He was acting a little different…a little more hostile.
"Alright. Let's get going, then." Rio said.
Once the team had stepped out of the building, a large, futuristic city surrounded them.
Kuja couldn't help but want to run around the place.
"I think we should stay here for a while!" Kuja exclaimed. "This place looks like a virtual paradise!"
"The ruins come first Kuja." Rio said, as he put his staff away. He rarely ever used it, but when he transformed into a Cerberus, it was needed. He always carried it with him just incase.
"Do as you will. But right now we hasten to those ruins.." Haku said.
Rin was a little taken aback by his serious tone. Taking the hint, and anxious for her treasure, she told them which way to go.
"Well, the ruins are that way. It's deep in the forest on the outskirts of town. If we go through that alley over there instead of the road we can be there in no time. Follow me." Rin walked up first and motioned for the others to follow her.
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After the team found their way through, they came to a path. The path was closed off by a huge wall, which encircled a large area, ending at the sides of a phenomenal mountain.
There was a gate to go through, but two men guarded it.
Rin looked at it and became perplexed. "Now how is this even possible? When I came here there was nothing but bare land and forest!" She said.
"Let us ask those men then. They may let us through." Rio said.
Unfortunately, the men did not let the team through. They explained a new law in the area that stated that the ruins were off limits. It was created to protect them from Baba, and hopefully seal him in there for good.
"The emperor established the law some weeks ago. Now, we're going to ask you to leave again." Said one of the guards.
As the team walked away in obscurity, Haku thought of something.
"Rin, didn't you say that the creature would leave its nest after a certain amount of time?" Haku asked.
"Well, yes…but I think we should call it quits already. If there's a law to seal it off, there's most likely a law for the fortune too. That monster is as gone as my treasure. There's no point in going after it now. Just leave it alone…there's really nothing we can do now." Rin said.
She realized it would be better not to fight at all. Risking everyone's life was not a wise idea anymore. She felt bad about it. She felt especially bad about even thinking to risk Chihiro's life. The human didn't deserve it at all. She figured that the treasure probably wasn't even that great anyway.
"No! There is a way!" Haku exclaimed. "The beast is stronger than you may think. He can go through walls of any nature. Now that he is at his nest he is strong enough…strong enough to go through that wall. He can go through that gate as well if you haven't noticed!"
"But where is that information going to get us?" Rin said, confused.
"We'll ask the emperor. With Haku's position on the council I'm sure we will be able to get passage through it." Rio stated.
"Exactly what I was thinking. And with a problem like that, I'm sure he'll gladly let us do the dirty work." Haku said. He was, at this point, anxious to take his anger out on the beast, I mean, where else is it going to go? He has got to take it out on somebody and it better be soon.
Reviews Corner:
The Griminus: Thanks for reviewing and putting me on yer fave list! PLZ keep reviewing, I need more feedback.
Fatlazicat: heehee… Enjoy the fluff! Thanks for reviewing!
LadyRainStarDragon: Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you liked the chapter. You don't think my story is slipping do you? It's still strong right?
Well, that's all for now. I'm really sorry for those of you who want more fluff but…the next chapter might get ugly…just maybe…if not it'll be in the chapter after that. I'm sorry but its all part of the plot! I need the two to fight so that they can make up you know? Well, that's just a heads up for you…but I promise the ending will be really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really fluffy!!!! Ok, maybe not that much but it will be pretty good (hopefully). See ya latta!
PLZ R&R!! I need more reviews!