Disclaimer: I do not own the movie "Spirited Away" or any of its characters. I also don't own the Disney Channel movie "The Thirteenth Year.", which this story is loosely based on. I also do not own the name "Ishakari River" as it is a real river in Japan.
^All reviews welcomed, but kindly lay off any obscene, profain, or distasteful comments.^
^Flames will be used to feed my pet dragon.^
^There is maybe two or more curse words in this chapter. Would you say that's grounds for upping the rating?^
^You may notice that Yubaba seems to give up too easily, but relax, her OOC actions are part of my plot.^
^I made it long to make up for making my loyal reviewers wait so long. Oh my head, too much writing at once...@.@...^
^WARNINGS: 1)SOME PARAGRAPHS IN CHAPTER MAY BE LAME. WRITER'S BLOCK WILL DO THAT TO YOUR PLOT. 2)HALF OF CHAPTER IS MAJOR FLUFF! SO FLUFFY, IT COULD FLOAT AWAY WITH THE SLIGHTEST BREEZE!
~~~~~~~~~
REPLIES TO REVIWERS
Fire Kitsune Goddess: Thanks for pointing out my chapter error. When uploading I accidently clicked Chapter 4 instead of Chapter 5.
ringwraith9(): Okay, to answer your question, after the first visit to the Spirit Realm, Chihiro hates the human world and Haku is still stuck in the Spirit Realm. Plus she's no longer human and therefore it is no longer safe for her to remain outside of the Spirit World. Not to mention this is a AU, but it follows the events that happened in the movie.
Mika(): In looking back at my previous chapters I have come to notice that you are completely right that Chihiro seems to be taking being adopted really well. I am not adopted and I don't know anyone who was, so I am winging her reaction all the way, so I need help.
In my story, she never really felt a close connection to her parents, especially after the Spirit Realm incindent. After Reading a book called "The Face on the Milk Carton" (don't own), Chihiro had felt like this story hit home with her in a couple of places. So she searched for any baby pictures of her and found that there was none of her when she was born. After that she had started to suspect something was wrong and therefore wasn't really shocked when she found out.
But I really do want any help with Chihiro's reaction to being adopted. So if you, or any other reviwer, can help me, drop me a clue or a hint on how Chihiro should react and continue to act after hearing that she is adopted.
Cristina: Thanks for the review. It means a lot that you like my fic and it happens to be the first Spirited Away fic you read.
sweet-genie-16: Thanks for the review and the correction on Kamajii's name. Anyways, on to your question, some writers say that Lin is her name in the American version of Spirited Away, while it's Rin in the original, Japanese, version of Spirited Away. I just use Lin because that was the name I heard her called in Spirited Away.
OoAnimedreamZoO: Thanks both for the review and the compliment.
Maruken(): Thanks for both the review and the compliment.
~~~~~~~~~
*Mental speaking*
"Speaking"
'Thought'
Chapter Six
After watching Chihiro leave the Spirit Realm behind, Haku went to Yubaba for that talk. She had been so enraged by his request that he got a repeat performance of her freaking out like she had earlier that day-when she had finally realized her son, Boh, was missing.
Though she had freaked out, Haku managed to get her to give him freedom. He had to practically twist Yubaba's arm off to get it, but he did. But knowing he was free from Yubaba did not ease the terrible ache in his heart. The ache caused by not having Chihiro there with him. Though he was free he still could not leave the Spirit Realm since he no longer had a connection to the Human World through his River.
~~~~~~~~~
'It's been five years...'
Haku was leaning against the railing of the bridge, looking down at his reflection in the water below. He thought about the time that Chihiro spent there in the Spirit Realm. Then he thought of how for five years he'd been wishing that she would come back. Haku had fallen in love with Chihiro the moment he had laid eyes on her, but he was afraid to tell her.
His thought was stopped abruptly when he sensed a River Spirit coming his way. He looked up and saw a female River Spirit, in her dragon, land on the bridge, which was totally deserted, save him. She transformed into her human form and slowly walked up to him.
"Are you Kohaku?"
"Around here it's Haku, but yes," Haku replied without turning around or even looking up.
"I am Sakura," she stated softly, "I was wondering if you would train my daughter in the ways of being a River Spirit."
"Can't you?" Haku replied, not caring about any girl other than Chihiro.
"I cannot," Saku stated softly, "For if she was constantly around me, she would be in danger."
"Oh," Haku replied, still toneless, "How so?"
"She would be found by Rook."
"Rook?" Haku replied, not looking up, "Who's Rook?"
"A Dark Spirit," she replied, "One that is obsessed with spilling the blood of anyone tied to me, either by blood, marriage, or even friendship."
"I see," was all Haku said, before finally looking up at her.
His eyes went wide in shock as he looked at Sakura. She looked almost exactly like Chihiro, minus her hair, which was the same dark blue as his own. If Haku hadn't of know that Chihiro was a human, he would have sworn that the woman, the very one standing in front of him, was an older version of her, possibly even her mother. Suddenly Haku didn't feel very comfortable standing there.
"So where is she?"
"She was looking for you," Sakura replied, "But I called for her, so she should be here any minute."
"What's your daughter's name?"
"Well, she has three that I know of."
"Three?"
"First off her name is Ishakari, but everyone knows her as-"
"Mother!" a familiar voice, slightly changed, yelled, interrupting Sakura.
Haku's eyes went wide in shock once more as he recognized the voice.
'Could it be?! Is she really here?!'
Haku slowly turned around and almost stopped breathing. His heart fell when he saw, not Chihiro, but a beautiful young woman, who instantly caught his eye. Quickly, Haku mentally slapped himself for thinking of another young woman, in that way, when he had Chihiro.
"Well," Sakura stated, sounding stern, but the smile on her lips said she wasn't serious, "Aren't you going to say hello to Haku? After all, it's been five years since you've seen him, am I right, Chihiro?"
Haku's eyes widened in surprise, as he gazed at the older Chihiro. She was even more beautiful than Haku had ever imagined her to have ever become. In fact she was so beautiful that Haku thought her to be a dream.
"Chihiro?!"
"Haku!"
Without a second more, the ran toward each other. Haku stopped half-way across the bridge and stood there with open arms, which Chihiro ran into. As Haku closed his arms around her, he finally knew that she wasn't a dream. He was holding the real Chihiro in his arms. Chihiro leaned her head against Haku's chest, wanting to hear his heartbeat.
They were reunited once more and nothing would break them apart. Haku felt incredible, he felt-well-he didn't know what he felt. But suddenly, something in the back of his mind snapped. The river he had held back all these years came rushing forward.
Chihiro felt something gently strike the top of her head. It had felt like a raindrop, but there was no clouds. She was surprised when she looked up and saw that Haku was crying. She had never seen him cry before and it tore at her heart. As she gazed into his sea-green eyes, she realized that the tears made his eyes sparkle. They sparkled in such a way that his eyes looked like a river when the sun's rays hit it just right at sunset.
~~~~~~~~
Unknown to Haku and Chihiro, or virtually anyone in the Spirit Realm, in the human world there was a sudden earthquake and it seemed that the very ground would give way. The humans had just finished demolishing the aparment buildings-the ones that had been built over what was once Kohaku River-which were now old, run-down, apartments.
The ground, which had never truly been stable, actually did give way. What ever was left of the demolished buildings was swallowed up by a raging river, which had run, constricted, under the ground for numerous years. People gawked at the river, which seemed to be only big enough for light traffic.
This occurance seemed to be a sort of miracle that made believers out of a few people and returned somes' belief. Some of the elderly people believed the ground giving way was the work of the Spirit of this hidden river. They believed that the Spirit had come back to reclaim its river.
Also they believed that the Spirit didn't like being stuck underground and so ripped the ground apart. The town officals believed the elderly people and so the River was offically renamed the Kohaku River. The humans renamed the river though it had always been the Kohaku River on or off of paper.
~~~~~~~~~
Back in the Spirit Realm, Chihiro was suddenly surprised to see Haku glowing golden. It continued for a little while before he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His eyes, oh they were a deeper, richer, green than they had been a few seconds before. Also Haku looked stronger than he had ever been.
"Thanks to you not only did I get my name back, but I got my river back," Haku whispered into her ear, his hot breath on her skin made Chihiro shiver, "I am now at my full power."
"Chihiro, it's a prophesized miracle," Sakura breathed out, "Son of the Protectors of the Wind Kingdom and the Water Kingdom, it has been too long."
"What are you talking about, Sakura?" Haku asked, confused, as he let go of Chihiro and stood next to her.
"Mother..." Chihiro started to say, but trailed off.
It finally dawned on Haku what Chihiro had been calling Sakura. Chihiro called Sakura mother, so she was Sakura's daughter, which meant...
"Chihiro, you're a River Spirit and you never told me?!"
"Don't blame her, Haku," Sakura commanded him softly, "She just became one when she turned fifteen-"
Sakura suddenly stopped and her eyes darted around.
"We're being watched."
"Yubaba?" Haku asked softly.
"Rekou," Sakura replied.
Haku didn't really know who Rekou was, besides that he wanted Sakura and anyone-damn-that meant that Chihiro was in danger!
"Damn," Haku hissed for no apparent reason.
Chihiro looked at him in surprise, as she had never heard Haku curse before. Suddenly she felt someone grab her.
"HHHAAAKKKUUUU!!!" she cried out, her voice echoing as she was taken away.
"CCCCCCHHHHHHIIIIIIIHHHHHHIIIIIIIRRRRROOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
~~~~~~~~~
Minutes before...
Up in her office, Yubaba suddenly dropped the gold nugget that she was examining. She felt four presences that she knew meant trouble. One was Haku, the other two she didn't know, which meant trouble with a capital T, but the last one sent shivers up her spine. It was Rekou, a Blood Spirit, known assassin, and warrior for hire.
He was known for never have once missed a target. Once he was paid to go after you, you never got away, at least alive. His price was an outragous sum and all of it in gold. He used any dirty trick or method if it meant getting the job done faster. Yubaba had heard stories about Rekou that made a full blood Demon sound like an Angel.
"Who could have-" Yubaba started, muttering to herself, "Who in their right mind would have hired-"
"CCCCCCHHHHHHIIIIIIIHHHHHHIIIIIIIRRRRROOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
Haku's tormented scream cut her off in mid-sentence.
"Not again!" Yubaba yelled, as Boh, her five-year-old son, woke up and began to trash his room.
She ran to the curtains that separated her office from his room, and stuck her head through them.
"Calm down! Momma's coming!"
She pulled her head back out of the curtains.
"That girl is going to pay for all the misery she put me through," Yubaba said under her breath, "I'll tear her soul apart, starting by disposing of the one that holds her heart-my ex-apprentance Haku."
Yubaba began to cackle, as all the evil thoughts of what she would do to crush Chihiro's spirit danced through her head.
"Oh I don't think I will ever have had so much fun!" she stated maliciously and grinned, "That girl will wish that she had never found the Spirit Realm in the first place!"
Just then Boh heard her and began wailing twice as loudly as he had been before. He knew exactly who she was talking about and didn't want one of his very few friends hurt. Plus he wanted all of his momma's attention to be on him and not on others.
^All reviews welcomed, but kindly lay off any obscene, profain, or distasteful comments.^
^Flames will be used to feed my pet dragon.^
^There is maybe two or more curse words in this chapter. Would you say that's grounds for upping the rating?^
^You may notice that Yubaba seems to give up too easily, but relax, her OOC actions are part of my plot.^
^I made it long to make up for making my loyal reviewers wait so long. Oh my head, too much writing at once...@.@...^
^WARNINGS: 1)SOME PARAGRAPHS IN CHAPTER MAY BE LAME. WRITER'S BLOCK WILL DO THAT TO YOUR PLOT. 2)HALF OF CHAPTER IS MAJOR FLUFF! SO FLUFFY, IT COULD FLOAT AWAY WITH THE SLIGHTEST BREEZE!
~~~~~~~~~
REPLIES TO REVIWERS
Fire Kitsune Goddess: Thanks for pointing out my chapter error. When uploading I accidently clicked Chapter 4 instead of Chapter 5.
ringwraith9(): Okay, to answer your question, after the first visit to the Spirit Realm, Chihiro hates the human world and Haku is still stuck in the Spirit Realm. Plus she's no longer human and therefore it is no longer safe for her to remain outside of the Spirit World. Not to mention this is a AU, but it follows the events that happened in the movie.
Mika(): In looking back at my previous chapters I have come to notice that you are completely right that Chihiro seems to be taking being adopted really well. I am not adopted and I don't know anyone who was, so I am winging her reaction all the way, so I need help.
In my story, she never really felt a close connection to her parents, especially after the Spirit Realm incindent. After Reading a book called "The Face on the Milk Carton" (don't own), Chihiro had felt like this story hit home with her in a couple of places. So she searched for any baby pictures of her and found that there was none of her when she was born. After that she had started to suspect something was wrong and therefore wasn't really shocked when she found out.
But I really do want any help with Chihiro's reaction to being adopted. So if you, or any other reviwer, can help me, drop me a clue or a hint on how Chihiro should react and continue to act after hearing that she is adopted.
Cristina: Thanks for the review. It means a lot that you like my fic and it happens to be the first Spirited Away fic you read.
sweet-genie-16: Thanks for the review and the correction on Kamajii's name. Anyways, on to your question, some writers say that Lin is her name in the American version of Spirited Away, while it's Rin in the original, Japanese, version of Spirited Away. I just use Lin because that was the name I heard her called in Spirited Away.
OoAnimedreamZoO: Thanks both for the review and the compliment.
Maruken(): Thanks for both the review and the compliment.
~~~~~~~~~
*Mental speaking*
"Speaking"
'Thought'
Chapter Six
After watching Chihiro leave the Spirit Realm behind, Haku went to Yubaba for that talk. She had been so enraged by his request that he got a repeat performance of her freaking out like she had earlier that day-when she had finally realized her son, Boh, was missing.
Though she had freaked out, Haku managed to get her to give him freedom. He had to practically twist Yubaba's arm off to get it, but he did. But knowing he was free from Yubaba did not ease the terrible ache in his heart. The ache caused by not having Chihiro there with him. Though he was free he still could not leave the Spirit Realm since he no longer had a connection to the Human World through his River.
~~~~~~~~~
'It's been five years...'
Haku was leaning against the railing of the bridge, looking down at his reflection in the water below. He thought about the time that Chihiro spent there in the Spirit Realm. Then he thought of how for five years he'd been wishing that she would come back. Haku had fallen in love with Chihiro the moment he had laid eyes on her, but he was afraid to tell her.
His thought was stopped abruptly when he sensed a River Spirit coming his way. He looked up and saw a female River Spirit, in her dragon, land on the bridge, which was totally deserted, save him. She transformed into her human form and slowly walked up to him.
"Are you Kohaku?"
"Around here it's Haku, but yes," Haku replied without turning around or even looking up.
"I am Sakura," she stated softly, "I was wondering if you would train my daughter in the ways of being a River Spirit."
"Can't you?" Haku replied, not caring about any girl other than Chihiro.
"I cannot," Saku stated softly, "For if she was constantly around me, she would be in danger."
"Oh," Haku replied, still toneless, "How so?"
"She would be found by Rook."
"Rook?" Haku replied, not looking up, "Who's Rook?"
"A Dark Spirit," she replied, "One that is obsessed with spilling the blood of anyone tied to me, either by blood, marriage, or even friendship."
"I see," was all Haku said, before finally looking up at her.
His eyes went wide in shock as he looked at Sakura. She looked almost exactly like Chihiro, minus her hair, which was the same dark blue as his own. If Haku hadn't of know that Chihiro was a human, he would have sworn that the woman, the very one standing in front of him, was an older version of her, possibly even her mother. Suddenly Haku didn't feel very comfortable standing there.
"So where is she?"
"She was looking for you," Sakura replied, "But I called for her, so she should be here any minute."
"What's your daughter's name?"
"Well, she has three that I know of."
"Three?"
"First off her name is Ishakari, but everyone knows her as-"
"Mother!" a familiar voice, slightly changed, yelled, interrupting Sakura.
Haku's eyes went wide in shock once more as he recognized the voice.
'Could it be?! Is she really here?!'
Haku slowly turned around and almost stopped breathing. His heart fell when he saw, not Chihiro, but a beautiful young woman, who instantly caught his eye. Quickly, Haku mentally slapped himself for thinking of another young woman, in that way, when he had Chihiro.
"Well," Sakura stated, sounding stern, but the smile on her lips said she wasn't serious, "Aren't you going to say hello to Haku? After all, it's been five years since you've seen him, am I right, Chihiro?"
Haku's eyes widened in surprise, as he gazed at the older Chihiro. She was even more beautiful than Haku had ever imagined her to have ever become. In fact she was so beautiful that Haku thought her to be a dream.
"Chihiro?!"
"Haku!"
Without a second more, the ran toward each other. Haku stopped half-way across the bridge and stood there with open arms, which Chihiro ran into. As Haku closed his arms around her, he finally knew that she wasn't a dream. He was holding the real Chihiro in his arms. Chihiro leaned her head against Haku's chest, wanting to hear his heartbeat.
They were reunited once more and nothing would break them apart. Haku felt incredible, he felt-well-he didn't know what he felt. But suddenly, something in the back of his mind snapped. The river he had held back all these years came rushing forward.
Chihiro felt something gently strike the top of her head. It had felt like a raindrop, but there was no clouds. She was surprised when she looked up and saw that Haku was crying. She had never seen him cry before and it tore at her heart. As she gazed into his sea-green eyes, she realized that the tears made his eyes sparkle. They sparkled in such a way that his eyes looked like a river when the sun's rays hit it just right at sunset.
~~~~~~~~
Unknown to Haku and Chihiro, or virtually anyone in the Spirit Realm, in the human world there was a sudden earthquake and it seemed that the very ground would give way. The humans had just finished demolishing the aparment buildings-the ones that had been built over what was once Kohaku River-which were now old, run-down, apartments.
The ground, which had never truly been stable, actually did give way. What ever was left of the demolished buildings was swallowed up by a raging river, which had run, constricted, under the ground for numerous years. People gawked at the river, which seemed to be only big enough for light traffic.
This occurance seemed to be a sort of miracle that made believers out of a few people and returned somes' belief. Some of the elderly people believed the ground giving way was the work of the Spirit of this hidden river. They believed that the Spirit had come back to reclaim its river.
Also they believed that the Spirit didn't like being stuck underground and so ripped the ground apart. The town officals believed the elderly people and so the River was offically renamed the Kohaku River. The humans renamed the river though it had always been the Kohaku River on or off of paper.
~~~~~~~~~
Back in the Spirit Realm, Chihiro was suddenly surprised to see Haku glowing golden. It continued for a little while before he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His eyes, oh they were a deeper, richer, green than they had been a few seconds before. Also Haku looked stronger than he had ever been.
"Thanks to you not only did I get my name back, but I got my river back," Haku whispered into her ear, his hot breath on her skin made Chihiro shiver, "I am now at my full power."
"Chihiro, it's a prophesized miracle," Sakura breathed out, "Son of the Protectors of the Wind Kingdom and the Water Kingdom, it has been too long."
"What are you talking about, Sakura?" Haku asked, confused, as he let go of Chihiro and stood next to her.
"Mother..." Chihiro started to say, but trailed off.
It finally dawned on Haku what Chihiro had been calling Sakura. Chihiro called Sakura mother, so she was Sakura's daughter, which meant...
"Chihiro, you're a River Spirit and you never told me?!"
"Don't blame her, Haku," Sakura commanded him softly, "She just became one when she turned fifteen-"
Sakura suddenly stopped and her eyes darted around.
"We're being watched."
"Yubaba?" Haku asked softly.
"Rekou," Sakura replied.
Haku didn't really know who Rekou was, besides that he wanted Sakura and anyone-damn-that meant that Chihiro was in danger!
"Damn," Haku hissed for no apparent reason.
Chihiro looked at him in surprise, as she had never heard Haku curse before. Suddenly she felt someone grab her.
"HHHAAAKKKUUUU!!!" she cried out, her voice echoing as she was taken away.
"CCCCCCHHHHHHIIIIIIIHHHHHHIIIIIIIRRRRROOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
~~~~~~~~~
Minutes before...
Up in her office, Yubaba suddenly dropped the gold nugget that she was examining. She felt four presences that she knew meant trouble. One was Haku, the other two she didn't know, which meant trouble with a capital T, but the last one sent shivers up her spine. It was Rekou, a Blood Spirit, known assassin, and warrior for hire.
He was known for never have once missed a target. Once he was paid to go after you, you never got away, at least alive. His price was an outragous sum and all of it in gold. He used any dirty trick or method if it meant getting the job done faster. Yubaba had heard stories about Rekou that made a full blood Demon sound like an Angel.
"Who could have-" Yubaba started, muttering to herself, "Who in their right mind would have hired-"
"CCCCCCHHHHHHIIIIIIIHHHHHHIIIIIIIRRRRROOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
Haku's tormented scream cut her off in mid-sentence.
"Not again!" Yubaba yelled, as Boh, her five-year-old son, woke up and began to trash his room.
She ran to the curtains that separated her office from his room, and stuck her head through them.
"Calm down! Momma's coming!"
She pulled her head back out of the curtains.
"That girl is going to pay for all the misery she put me through," Yubaba said under her breath, "I'll tear her soul apart, starting by disposing of the one that holds her heart-my ex-apprentance Haku."
Yubaba began to cackle, as all the evil thoughts of what she would do to crush Chihiro's spirit danced through her head.
"Oh I don't think I will ever have had so much fun!" she stated maliciously and grinned, "That girl will wish that she had never found the Spirit Realm in the first place!"
Just then Boh heard her and began wailing twice as loudly as he had been before. He knew exactly who she was talking about and didn't want one of his very few friends hurt. Plus he wanted all of his momma's attention to be on him and not on others.