Otherworld

by ButterflyMiko

Haku begins to fade away and die as his tie to the mortal world—his river—is gone. At Zeneba's behest, he takes human form, and heads to the human world to find a new locale. Will he run out of time? If he does, can the dying light of a priestess save him?

5. Hair

I went into the bath alone.

Strange things had been happening. And then that dream. Had it been a vision.

It was strange, and then I felt something fall from my head into the water.

At first I thought I might be injured; that it was blood, but it was worse.

I put my hand into the water and it came back clinging to my hands: hair, long tendrils of it.

A long, choked shriek spilled out of my mouth.

I lifted shaking hands to my head; and they came away with vicious clumps.

Suddenly angry, I focused my spirit energy into a blast, decimating the tub.

The noise had called the one person to the door that I did not to see me this way: Haku.

Xxx

Haku ran to Kuri and pulled her in his arms. "It's alright. Please don't cry."

"H-How can I not cry!" Kuri stammered. "It was my beauty! I'm not vain but...as a woman..."

"It doesn't matter." Haku said.

"How can you say that?!" Kuri cried. "How can you even look at me?"

"I will look at you and more." Haku said, pulling her closer. "You are still a beautiful woman to me."

He kissed her forehead, but she lunged and met his lip in a passion. He tasted her tears as he kissed her there in the wreckage of the bath.

Then he got out a towel, making sure she was fully covered before leading her out, into the night.

Now was the time to cheer her up.