Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters, sometimes the setting, and a few of my own creations.
Authors Beginning Note: I am truly and sincerely sorry for the extreme lateness of this chapter. I know, its unfair to all of you-especially since this is the last and final chapter for this story. I just want you to know that it was not out of laziness or nothing like that. Now I humbly offer you this last installment of
Spirited Away 3: Deadly reflections.
Shout it outs!
Yessika: I'm glad you take so much delight in my story!
Shitza: yah, it feels weird. For sure I'm going to miss hearing your reviews for this fic. You've bailed me out on a few writer blocks-the help was always appreciated. And keep writing! I do think its good.
Aharah Musici: Well, I'm glad that it turned out okay, and that you enjoyed it. Truly-I hadn't planned on doing it, but it seemed a shame to just end the story, so I wanted to add more...of a greatness and significance to it.
Thank You Every One for Your Reviews!
Chapter52
Now and Here
Chihiro's POV
I still played the flute, breathing almost irrelevant as the music and my soul beat with one pulse.
"Rin?" I saw her on the balcony. Her face was drawn and sad.
"You know Chihiro, I came here to escape everything even then I felt like I had to get farther away. I guess, no matter how far you run, the past will always catch up to you eventually." She stood strong, until I touched her shoulder. She fell at my feet and wept.
My heart trembled. She suffered so much…but I think…in that moment…her past was just that…her past…and that is why she is here now…this is where she belongs…
I look back in my hearts eye at everything that has occurred and am in astonishment. Even the more recent events, days, months. Everything has swept through time so quickly, like a lost grain of sand through the brazen desert.
As the last note faded, so did the lights. I stood there, everything was quiet and I trembled. Then a loud out burst arose from one corner and soon the whole bathhouse was roaring with cheers. I looked down at Rin and blushed as she gave an order to the frozen worker besides her and turned to give me a thumbs up.
My attention turned to a loud whistling as I spotted Enuresis. Kent stood behind her, arm resting on her shoulder. I pointed a finger at her, telling her to get to work. She stuck her tongue out stubbornly.
"Do you think there will be an encore?" Haku whispered in my ear behind me. It sent chills down my spine.
"Hmm…not here."
"Good." He said. Even if I wanted to I don't think I could have escaped his intoxicating lips.
Aki's POV
Katsu jumped and stiffened involuntarily. His ruckus went unnoticed as everyone joined it.
That dragon of hers is powerful…and so is she…what a waste…using all of that magic on petty parlor tricks…no doubt trouble will pursue that couple all of their lives…
"You know what to do." I whispered and he disappeared. I watched as the dragon and the girl vanished, probably to not be seen for the rest of the night.
Then again…if things had been different…who's to say I would have chosen otherwise…
I looked over at the one woman who ever touched me. A cruel twist of fate. Something never again to be held.
"I say goodbye." I vanished all together.
Katsu's POV
I crept through the halls unseen and unheard. Dressed like a common delivery boy, I made my way up with the package.
Dang it…Master Aki and all his stupid errands…lazy git…doesn't do anything himself…and this thing is heavy…I don't care if I volunteered…I think he didn't teach me spell of levitation for just this event…
I heard noises and wrinkled my nose in disgust.
"Jeez. Get a room." Ignoring the fact that they already had one.
I set the heavily wrapped oblong object gently across the door. I was gone far away in an instant.
Chihiro's POV
I rolled over in bed, finding it empty and slightly cold. Drowsy, I sat up and ran my fingers through my tousled hair. A slight breeze blew through the balcony doors and the bright sun shone warmly on the floorboards.
"Haku?" I didn't receive an answer. I swung my legs out of bed. Finding something decent to wear, I put it on and tip toed to the door and leaned on its frame, finding the object of my concern. He stood, tall and graceful. Almost untouchable. The sun kissed his ivory face and the wind brushed his silk hair.
"Haku?" I gently asked. Snapped out of his reverie, he looked over at me. I smiled and walked over to lean on his arm.
"Why are you up at noon in the day time? You don't have to go anywhere do you?"
"No. Rin hasn't shackled me down with anything new. Yet. The witch." He said without malice. I smiled. They acted like siblings. Loving each other, but strongly disliking each other. A strange thing it is.
"Did you sleep well?"
"What I got of it so far, yes. Very well. And you?"
"Fine." He sighed, looking out. Today was going to be a humid day, with all this water and the sun bearing down ruthlessly. The night didn't look to be any more sweater.
"Liar." He raised an eyebrow.
"You haven't slept a whole day for weeks now. It's not just your sleeping pattern either. You've been restless." I pointed out. He stared out across the blue plains. I gave him room and time to answer, but seeing him take neither opportunity, I began to feel cross.
"I'm going back to bed." I said rather tersely. I swiveled around and left. With my clothes on I childishly pulled the covers all the way up to my chin and rolled on my side, back turned away from the door. Footsteps told me that I had not gone unfollowed. The bed sunk ever so slightly with an added weight. I steadied my breathing, pretending to be asleep.
"Chihiro. Don't be like that." I refused to answer, no matter the how sad the plead in his voice. He growled in frustration. Magic and strength, I found myself sitting up and facing him. I stuck my nose in the air and looked at the door.
"It's not just me who's been restless! You haven't quite been your usual content self either." He jumped up and began pacing the floor. He angrily concentrated and I watched him.
He's right…when I think about it…before…I used to be perfectly happy here…nothing changed…and I was…content…but now…
I felt ashamed. I wasn't just angry with him; I was frustrated with myself too.
"Selena brought a friend over yesterday." I said. His canine teeth showed, thinking me to avoid the subject all together. I wasn't sure that I wasn't.
"She was a human, like me. She wouldn't tell me much about herself, I don't blame her. She was famous back in the Human world, but suffered through a lot." I frowned as his pacing began to be more aggressive.
"Will you stop? You'll make a hole in the floor, and I am not going to be the one who has to fix it." He sent me a dirty look.
"You are avoiding the subject."
"If you would listen, instead of throwing a tantrum…"
"I am not…"
"-than you would hear me tell you that I am not all together human!" I shouted over him, shutting my eyes.
One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten…
I breathed out and opened my eyes. He had stopped pacing.
"I knew that."
"You-you-Than why didn't you tell me!" I exploded. I crossed my arms and looked scathingly at him.
"It seamed irrelevant to tell you in the present time. I had thought you would find out on your own by the time you were nearing the human age of 70." My mouth hung open. I felt my skin stretch as I stood up stonily and gathered a few things, opening the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I am taking a shower."
"Why?" The stupid questions men sometimes seemed to ask still surprise me.
"Because I am damned tired of talking riddles with a know it all dragon!" I slammed the door and stalked to the bathroom.
Stupid dragon…doesn't even bother…what…did it slip his mind…or was he waiting for new years…no…just until I was 70…and freaking find out on my own…seriously…
I tossed my clothes to the floor. Beast tipped his head up, as it was he who got used as a hamper at my poorly misjudged aim.
"Dragons." I said bitterly.
…of course he would know…he's a stupid…all powerful…what doesn't he know…
I knocked on the door, slipped a bath token in with practiced ease, and pulled the rope. The water tumbled through the sieve and I let it roll off of me. My hair was lathered, but in my eyes as I groped blindly for the soap. Unable to find it, I stepped forward for a towel to wipe my eyes and me being as graceful as I am, stepped on the soap bar slipping painfully in the wide washbasin.
"Chi…" Haku asked concerned, which only seemed to fuel my anger.
"I swear, if you so much as slip a toe in here, I am going to cut it off!" I yelled. He opened the door and Beast, the wonderful thing he is, roared mightily and slammed the door in Haku's face, seeing as it swings in ward. I sniggered.
It wasn't until I was thoroughly soaked the smells of delicious pancakes grabbed my attention. I turned off the water and stepped out into the steamy room. My dry clothes clung to me and my hair was impossible to work with so I slipped it into a ponytail.
Beast followed me into the kitchen, where, I saw the most wonderful peace offering there ever was. Berry pancakes were stacked gloriously with sweet fruits in dishes, a special syrup found here in the spirit realm that tasted like honey and went with everything, white silky butter cream, and juice. As if that wasn't enough, a small bouquet of flowers was set in the middle of the table.
He turned around, grinning as he set the last pancake on the plates. He knew he had impressed me. Against better judgment, I let it go to his head, something I knew I was going to regret later, but was too weak to hold out against it now.
We sat in sweet silence, listening to the waves and feeling the heat temperature rise.
"It's been a long time since I ate breakfast in the morning." I said stuffing a fork of pancake in my mouth lazily. I looked outside of the large window and smiled at the familiar feeling.
"Do you regret living here?" I looked surprised at his insecure question. I took a drink of the juice, enjoying the sweet nectar that tickled my throat as it slid down and set my glass down.
"I can't say I don't have a few regrets, but staying here to live with you and everyone else is not one of them." I poured the syrup on my second pancake.
"If you could go back, would you?" I furrowed my eyes.
"If you mean permanently no. It just wouldn't be the same, almost like denying who I am. I would enjoy a visit. Possibly to explain things to my parents. I don't know if half of my letters have gotten through to them. Mail between the two worlds is unreliable at best." I watched his mind churn with ideas. He bit into a ripe fruit that was like a delicious combination of a peach and a pear. It wasn't until he had completely eaten it that he spoke again.
"What do you think about Iceland."? I raised my eyebrow.
So that is what he been getting to…"Iceland in general or the idea of going to see your river?" He popped a grape in his mouth.
"Both."
"Well, I guess I've never been to Iceland so I can't really say much about it." I placed another fork full of pancake in my mouth and watched him eagerly take in my opinion on the matter.
"And?"
"Is that why you have been so restless?" He sighed as I was 'being a woman' so he calls it. Not off of the subject, but not on it. I'm still not sure if that's completely an insult or a compliment.
"Part of it. It's…hard to explain." He seemed at a slight loss of words. I pushed my plate away and sat back.
"Try me." He watched the waves outside for a moment and I waited to hear him elucidate his situation and feelings. He turned, looking me in the eyes.
"It's like… a part of me I never knew I had, is far away. It never mattered because I didn't know it was there, but now that I do know, I want it back. Or, like I need it back." He seemed confused with his own feelings.
"Your river was reborn, you said." He nodded. I sat there, wanting-no yearning to hear more. He hadn't talked about his river much since we came back. It was almost like that part of him was closed-even to himself. I could feel his fear and uncertainty, even though he seemed completely in control of himself. He hadn't known what to do.
"Aikia did me a favor, even if he only did it out of the intention of using me. My original river was rerouted and became a decaying pond. I was dieing because my river was so far gone neglected. Then, he moved me into another place so I could…be reborn, so to speak." I knew he was trying to explain everything as simple as he could, but I still couldn't grasp it fully. It was mind-boggling. There were no words to describe what he was feeling.
Its strange…thinking of him being reborn…there is just so much to think about…in that one simple concept…
"In Iceland?"
"In Iceland."
"Why Iceland?"
"There are rivers constantly being reborn there and he needed the job done fast. It was the only place to be accomplished in the human world." I too popped a few orange grapes in my mouth and waited for everything to sink in.
"But Haku! How much energy will that take? If you use up too much, than what?"
"I'm strong enough." I gave a grim look his way.
I know he's powerful...possibly one of the most powerful...but can I let him do this...can I not let him...there are so many 'if's and what not...It's scary...A new adventure…but then again...I think… he truly needs this…I know he needs this…and maybe…so do I …"So when do we leave?" I saw his face brighten.
I suppose…the only way to fully understand…is to see his river…and it means a lot to him…I can't say I wouldn't enjoy the trip…and it should be interesting…finding out something new about him…
"You really?"
"I'm not letting you out of my sight for at least another six months, so you'll just have to bring me along. The real question is do we leave today, or tomorrow? Or…" I felt my lips being crushed by his passionately, and he pulled away, leaving me breathless.
"Right now."
"Right now, but we still have the dishes to do and packing, and…"
"Done." He whispered. I looked over his shoulder and saw the table had been cleared and in its stead were two traveling bags.
"Let me just leave a note for Rin or who ever else should dare come look to see if we're still alive so they don't send out a rescue party." He crossed his arms in a pouty fashion. I raised and eye.
Always so impatient…Despite myself, I quickly wrote a simple message saying we went on a holiday and opened the door.
Something heavy slid and landed right in front of my foot. It sounded metallic. Haku strode over to it and picked it up, quickly unwrapping the cloth.
"It's Aki's sword." I whispered, thinking back to the very blade that had nearly killed Rin as it had for Ahrima.
Haku held it in his hands and stared at it.
"What's wrong?"
"There's no way of destroying it." He let a finger trail it. The blue gems lit up passionately. He stood like ice, not daring to move.
"Haku?" He looked painfully at it, as if it were a curse.
"If he had kept it, he could have used me just as Ahrima did. He used my river to forge this sword."
I closed my eyes, reminiscing for a moment as a breeze stroked my cheek.
"Than he is alive. And maybe-he has started a better life." The words tasted bitter, thinking of how he had left Rin and done so many horrible things. Looking back though, I think I saw some kindness in him, if buried deeply. I can't fully hate him, but I can despise what he has done.
Haku held the sword up, feeling it and shaking his head.
"Too many questions. At least this way it will be easier to travel across the border." I wrapped myself around his arm, trying to comfort him.
"We have someplace we can start, ne?" He looked into my eyes. Lost, confused, scared, but finally, hopeful.
"Yes, my little one, I have that, and more importantly I have you." The sword was magically sheathed and placed at his hip. He held me in his arms, his lips kissing my forhead and his hands stroling my hair. I could feel his magic surround us as we began to take voyage to the link between the two worlds.
So many questions…so few answers…and neither of us surely knowing who we are…I guess…that's what adventures are for…
I smiled as I felt the last chapter end and the new begin.
Authors Ending Note: There you have it. The end. I really wish I could have doen mroe with it, but...I dunno. I guess it pulled together okay.
I want to thank all of you-my precious readers and rare reviewers-for giving me hope in writing this story, and the patience it takes to stick with it all the way, through and through.
I know the ending is a hopeful sequal to this-unfortunately, I don't think this will come to pass. I have only 4 more stories I want to complete, One is a SP fic- the Christmas Dragon- which had been put on Hiatus, the Inuyasha version- Christmas Dolls, the completion of my Inuyasha fic, and hopefully-HOPEFULLY-something I've really had the desire to do-write a worthy Escaflowne fic.
However, if there is soemone motivated enough who wants to continue to use this story-kinda pick up where I left off-leave a review and I will get back to you.
And again, thank you! You have made reading this fic all the more pleasureable.