Chapter 3: Surprises in the Dark
When the students finally returned to the hotel later that night, after they had managed to make a meal from the little festival food stands and local street cart delicacies around town, Chihiro still felt restless. She told Sachiko that she was going out for a walk outside the lodge's premises. Sachiko advised her not to go alone in the dark and offered to accompany her, but Chihiro assured her friend that she would not go far. Since it was almost bed check time, Chihiro convinced Sachi to stuff pillows under the sheets so Ms. Matsui would think Chihiro was already asleep.
With that, Chihiro left for the shrine once again. For some reason she couldn't get enough of it. She felt strangely drawn to that place…and drawn to Haku. She wanted to see him there again. Something had awakened the restlessness within her.
The night was unusually cool for summertime, with stronger winds than yesterday. No one was about. The festival patrons were long gone and the lanterns had gone dark. The shrine was empty, but Chihiro lingered between the darkness and lamplight. She tossed some money into the brass platter before the altar, and gently rattled the bell. She pulled out the fortune she stuffed into her pocket after Haku had read it to her and squinted at the writing.
Hopes will be fulfilled,
A stranger who is an old friend approaches
And blessed amongst mortals you'll be
When the moon is full
Receive your fortunate destiny.
"What silly nonsense. There's not even a full moon tonight. The priest must've been drunk when he wrote this," frowned Chihiro. "I wonder if the other drawers say the same thing?" She was reaching for another drawer when she heard footsteps and harsh voices coming her way. Instinctively, fear clutched at her heart. Looking around for someplace to hide, Chihiro resolved to hide under the tablecloth of the wooden altar.
"The old crone said that there was a gold statuette behind the altar," said a rough voice with a strange accent Chihiro could not place. There was a slightly gutteral sound to his voice that made her skin crawl.
"Here's the altar," said another voice. Judging by the sound of their footsteps there were at least three men approaching. Chihiro held her breath.
"It must be behind here," said another. She heard them tamper with the wall behind the altar. "Got it!"
Chihiro heard something metallic being dragged out of a wooden slab. "This statue will sell for a pretty penny," snickered one of them.
"Dummy, it's what's inside that's important!" scowled the one with the accent. "We have what we came for. The Master will be very pleased."
They're going to steal the statue from a shrine? How low can you go? she thought to herself.
She paused to think of ways she could get help. As their footsteps faded away, Chihiro quietly climbed out from under the table and ran back towards the hotel. She couldn't tell her teachers since she was supposed to be in bed and it was way past curfew. There wasn't a local police officer in sight. Was the front desk still open? Who could she tell? Was Haku working here tonight? These thoughts raced through her mind as she approached the hotel.
"Haku please be here," said Chihiro as she ran as fast as she could into the side entrance near the onsen. There, she found Haku folding guest towels for the shelves.
"Haku!" she cried out when she saw him. For some reason, she was very relieved that he was on duty at this late hour, though she wasn't exactly sure what he could do to help. Haku spun around and looked very surprised and concerned for her.
"Chihiro-san. What's happened? What's wrong?" he asked, dropping the towels and catching her as she nearly ran into him. She looked at him desperately, gasping for air and trying to speak at the same time.
"These guys….took the…. At the shrine….the gold statue of the river god…..it's gone!" She blurted out the last words and leaned over resting her hands on her knees to better catch her breath.
"They stole the statuette?" he asked incredulously. "From a temple? Who would do that?" he asked.
"Exactly, right? I don't know who, but they're getting away. Is there something inside the statue? They seemed to think there was something valuable there."
He pursed his lips for a moment. "Legend has it that there were seven demons who were vanquished by the river god. He placed the remains of these demons in separate statuettes of himself and sent them out over the land. Even in death, the demon remains still held great power. So he sealed them in the statues so they would do no harm. In time, whichever village or town kept the statuette would have good fortune and be blessed by the river god for as long as they protected the statue. Should the statue be removed, ill fortune will befall the village, therefore the statues are usually hidden. The relics inside the statues also have the power to undo the river god's spells, or unbind the sleeping demons. I suppose that whomever collects more than one statue can use that power for more difficult spells."
"What an archaic legend," said Chihiro, finally catching her breath. "It sounds like something out of a really bad manga."
"It's true," said Haku. His look was so earnest that for a moment, Chihiro almost believed him.
"It can't be-" she started.
"What if it were true? Just think of the possibilities and potential for evil if those relics fell into the wrong hands," he said. Chihiro fell silent.
"There's no time to waste." Haku took off his work apron and headed towards the temple.
"Haku, wait!" she called out after him. His legs were very fast and as if carried by a rush of wind, he was already far ahead of her in a matter of moments. Haku paused to look back at her, offering his hand. Chihiro hurried to catch up with him, and took his hand without hesitation. In an instant they were off.
They ran fast towards the temple, and the world around them whizzed by. Chihiro never knew she could run so fast, but somehow, with her hand in his, it was possible.
We have met before, thought Chihiro to herself. A whir of emotions passed through her. In her mind's eye she was not seventeen but ten, and she was running behind a younger version of Haku down a walkway in between animal stalls and chilled meats. A giant bathhouse loomed in the distance and they were approaching a bridge high above a deep mist and another reality. There were train tracks below, for a train that only went one way for six stops… Was this a forgotten dream?
Chihiro snapped back into the present as she and Haku came to the temple. He released her hand, and suddenly, the image in her mind faded and she was once again aware of her surroundings.
What was that? A memory? A dream? asked Chihiro to herself. Haku was inspecting the location of the missing statue, holding an open palm up to the wall but not touching it. Chihiro thought that his hand started to glow blue, but she rubbed her eyes and the light was gone.
"It's gone," he said with stern eyes. He looked up and stared into the dark forest behind the temple. Haku took one of the ceremonial spears hanging on the wall in his hand. "This way," he said, holding out his other hand to her.
Who IS this person? she thought to a second, Chihiro was afraid to touch him, but her fear gave way to an inexplicable trust. Her hand found its way back to his on its own accord. Once more, they were dashing away, this time through the dark forest. There were no lights or paths, but Haku was surefooted, and it almost seemed that they weren't even touching the ground that was cluttered with sticks and leaves and gangly roots everywhere.
They came upon a clearing where three figures were muttering and whispering amongst themselves in the dark. Haku motioned for her to stay hidden behind a cluster of trees. Then, taking the spear in his hand, he ran towards the dark figures, plunging the spear head into the dirt ground, and using it as a pole vault to launch himself into the air. Chihiro watched in wonder and amazement at how nimble he was. The thieves barely had time to turn around when Haku jumped onto the leader, feet first, and knocked him to the ground. The statuette flew out of his hand and landed away from him with a dull "thud."
This is my chance, thought Chihiro, and she snuck her way around the clearing, towards the place where she thought the statue had fallen.
"What the-?" cried out the others, startled at Haku's sudden attack.
"This statuette belongs to the village. You cannot take it," said Haku adamantly, his eyes were glaring.
"Why you -" but before they finished their sentences, they were lunging after him. With kenpo-like moves, Haku kicked and punched his way through the other two. In a flash they were on the ground, gasping for air and nursing their injuries.
Chihiro saw that Haku was safe as he stood over the three huddled masses on the ground. That guy did pretty well for himself, even if he is only a towel boy. Still searching for the prize, she thought she saw a pale glint of metal under the moonlight.
"Found it," she whispered and reached out to retrieve the gold statue. But before she even touched it, she began having trouble breathing. Her vision blurred and a whirlwind of scenes raced in her mind. Her hand absently touched the stuatuette as her consciousness was overcome. She tried to gasp but the air in her lungs felt as though it was being siphoned from her. Slowly, the visions started making more sense as the whole of the scenes unrolled in her mind.
But these scenes were neither dreams nor hallucinations. Chihiro knew them to be her past memories, tucked away for some reason. There were scenes both bizarre and beautiful. There were spirits everywhere, even a radish spirit. There was a faceless and nameless spirit, Kaonashi, whom she befriended. There was Bo, who was a very big baby, but was turned into a large rat. The ugly face of Yubaba turned into the gentle face of her twin sister, Zeniba. There was also Yu-Bird, Yubaba's pet. So many memories came all at once; it was dizzying. Chihiro felt herself shudder and her face hit the soft ground.
She was only ten when it happened, lost and frightened but Haku was there to help her. He was a kind and gentle friend under a stony exterior expression, and he saved her from being turned to a pig or a lump of coal. Her ten year old heart admired and loved him, and she dared everything to help him in return when he was poisoned by Zeniba's curse.
It was all coming back to her now. Falling through the sky, she learned that Haku was the river god's son, and he revealed his true name to her: Nihiyagami Kohaku Nushi. The first time they met, he had saved her once from drowning in his river. She saved him from the curse and freed him from Yubaba's control by helping him remember his name.
Chihiro felt as though her heart would burst at any moment and her other hand clutched at the grass underneath her, nearly pulling them out from their roots. Her blood was racing and Chihiro's mind reeled. Her body felt numb. Suddenly, as if to finally break the spell, a flood of tears fell effortlessly from her eyes, and she regained control of her body, staring at the statuette under her hand.
"Chihiro-san?" asked Haku quietly, approaching her. He was concerned at the way she had just collapsed to the ground. She blinked up at him with tears streaming down her face. He helped her up.
"Kohaku!" she cried out. He stared at her for a moment as if puzzled. Then his features relaxed into a silent understanding. Chihiro found the strength in her again and pulled him towards her. Kohaku stood motionless and a little surprised as she hugged him tightly and cried into his shirt. She felt like she had been robbed and didn't know it; but the precious thing that was taken was now restored and she was grateful and happy.
"Kohaku!" she called out again. His name was like a spell that conjured up varying degrees of bliss in her heart. "I thought I'd never see you again! I've missed you so much!" she sobbed and laughed at the same time. She held her childhood friend close. He was very warm.
"Chihiro," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I was afraid you were never going to remember me."
Chihiro shook her head violently. "I would never forget you on purpose. Somehow, my memories were missing for all these years, but when I first saw you here, I knew there was something about you that was familiar. I knew you were someone I could trust."
"So we meet again," he smiled.
"Just like you promised on the day we parted," said Chihiro, beaming back.
"The statuette's power must have released you from my father's spell," he said.
"Your father? What spell?" asked Chihiro curiously.
"My father cast a spell on you, to protect you from Yubaba's wrath, if she dared to find you again. You became invisible to spirits, and you were never again approached by one. He also hid your memories from you, so…"
"So…what?" asked Chihiro inquisitively.
"So you wouldn't come looking for me," he responded. "And I wouldn't go looking for you."
"Why would he do that?"
"He thought it was for your own good. And for mine," he said quietly.
"That was rather…why would he do such a thing?" She pursed her lips thoutfully. "Did you ever come looking for me?" asked Chihiro. Kohaku only smiled his usual, gentle smile, but there was a hint of a secret within that expression.
"Humans and spirits aren't supposed to mingle. These are the rules," he said. He gave her a grin and took a step back from her.
"Does this mean he'll be angry when he finds out? Do I have to forget you all over again?" she asked, hesitantly.
"No," he said. "What is done is done. Besides, my father is not here to comment on this subject nor interfere. He has been missing for quite some time."
"Missing?" gasped Chihiro. "What do you mean, missing? How does a god go missing? Did something happen to him?"
"I don't know," he sighed. "My brothers and I have been searching for him for months now. No one has seen a trace of him."
"Kohaku," she began. But then, a gust of wind blew through the clearing and clouds began to gather above them. Chihiro was startled by the flash of lighting that tore a bright gash into the night sky.
"A storm," she said fearfully. She picked up the statuette and hid it under her jacket.
"It isn't safe here," said Kohaku. He took her hand and led her away from the clearing. Chihiro looked around for the three who had attempted to take the statuette but they were gone.
"Kohaku, where did they go?" she asked.
"They were demons. They must have retreated to the shadows."
"Demons?!" Chihiro grew very alarmed and tightened her grip on his arm.
"Quickly, Chihiro, more will be coming for the statue," he called out over the wind. Kohaku suddenly transformed into his true form, a long slender dragon with pearly blue-white scales and a long mane and tail of dark, shimmering aquamarine. He lowered himself so she could get on his back.
"Kohaku, is this okay?" she asked. "I'm not as light as I was when I was ten!" She grabbed onto his horns and in a flash they were airborne, and Chihiro gave out a little yelp as they soared high above the sky, beyond the lamplight and closer towards the clouds. The statuette remained zipped up in her jacket, and with her hands she tightly clung on for dear life.
"If I didn't know better, I would have thought this was a dream," she said nervously, eyeing the dark lanscape below. Just because I can't see it doesn't mean it's not high up… She thought she saw Kohaku smile, as if he could hear her thoughts. Chihiro leaned down and laid her head upon his soft mane. His scales were smooth and cool, pearly just like the stone effigies in the temple below. He was a god, after all, worshipped by the locals. How strange she found it to be riding on the real thing, when everyone else only saw the stone likings. She leaned down and rested her ear against his long neck. She could hear his heart beat and it calmed her and made her feel very warm. Chihiro felt a flush in her cheeks that stayed with her for the entire ride.