You people are so close to guessing right! (I got banned from using the computer on weekdays by my parents so I can't update as often.. Note the cruel and unusual punishment…)

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"that BAKA!" something cried out.

Lin gasped. "is he awake?" they all huddled around Haku, awaiting for a second response but there came none.

Kamajii was looking directly at him as if he had just robbed a bank. "Sen," he began. "did Haku say or do anything to you?"

Chihiro bowed her head, unsure if she should tell him. Goosebumps crept up on her arms as she swallowed hard. "yes…" she croaked.

"what was it?" he leant in closer, making her feel terribly uncomfortable.

"he was… acting strangely…"

"how?"

she turned her head to her side. This was not going to be easy at all. "he dragged me away to the gardens," she sighed. "there he was… overpowered, I guess, by… passion… that's where he did his Jekyll and Hyde act, claiming he had no idea what was going on."

Kamajii hummed more, lost in thought. "I think you need to talk to Zeniba, Sen," he suggested. "she knows a great deal about Haku's past."

"I can't! I can't leave Haku like this!"

"calm down!" he urged, wondering why everyone was acting like this today. "Lin, you go contact Zeniba. Tell her she's needed urgently."

She sighed. "nag, nag, nag, work, work, work… I should ask for a raise…!" she stomped off through the little door way.

"good luck…" he muttered sarcastically, climbing back onto his stand. He rang the bell at the soot balls, fussing about how little they do. After they had been called back, a few gathered around the sleeping Haku. Some jumping on his firm chest, wondering if he would awaken. Chihiro weakly smiled at them, fighting her tears. How did they ever get to be so carefree? Probably because they're soot. No mother or father to worry about, just a master to wait on.

She sighed. Don't they feel fear, or sadness? Joy, love? If only I could be one of them, she thought.

"you don't know how lucky you guys are…" Chihiro whispered to them, hoping Kamajii's hearing was as old as he. They all seemed to stare at each other as if to say 'is she mad?'. "I mean, you have no problems. You have nothing to fear. And you always have someone beside you."

Within about fifteen minutes, Lin returned. It seemed she was taking her time. "Zeniba said she'd be here soon." With that, Zeniba appeared in a twister of purple smoke.

"thank you for the introduction," she smiled, looking over at Chihiro and Haku. "tell me, Sen, how has Haku changed since your last visit? Lin has told me all I need to know but I just want to be sure my theory is correct."

Chihiro found her voice. "well, when I was ten, I remember Haku being more… loving and kind. Now… now he seems to want to protect me but failing in a battle against himself…"

Zeniba made the same face Kamajii did earlier and hummed the same way too. Must be a spirit thing, Chihiro thought. Zeniba had reached her verdict. "if I'm not mistaken, I'd say it's Katsu," she suggested.

Chihiro stared at her in confusion. Who? "what on earth are you talking about? Who is this Katsu? What has he done with my Haku? Has he harmed him?" she fired her questions like a gun. The witch looked at her in sympathy, then to Lin and Kamajii.

She hesitated slightly. "well… I don't think I should be the one to tell you this… Haku would rather tell you himself."

"but he can't! can you see he's unconscious?!" she yelled in frustration. "I need to know this now!"

Zeniba paused for a while, unsure what to do. "alright…" she inhaled deeply. "… before Haku was born, his father, Isamu, was possessed by an evil spirit called Katsu. Isamu was married to a beautiful young maiden named Masami. She did not know about Katsu, so it was a real big surprise when she found herself baring Isamu's child.

"then, after Haku's birth, Katsu struck again. This time more vicious than ever before. Sadly, Masami could not take it anymore and… well… it was suicide. Isamu tried to protect his now four-year-old son but that proved difficult with Katsu around, so he had no choice but to leave Haku at the Kohaku river. But Isamu found that the only way to vanquish Katsu was to vanquish himself. Katsu was clever. He did not stay any longer but Isamu didn't know that."

Chihiro wanted to cry for Haku's sake. Why hadn't he told her this himself? Was it too painful? Was he trying to forget and move on?

"luckily, Haku already knew how to fend for himself. He stayed at the Kohaku river until the apartments were built over it. That's how he got to the bath house. But now I fear Katsu has weaselled his way into him too…"

Chihiro swallowed. The soot balls stared up at her, waiting for a reaction. "… h… how do we get rid of him?"

"we can't." she said solemnly. Chihiro glanced at Haku in sorrow. "but Haku can."

"what? How? Can he get rid of him now? Why isn't he?" she started up again.

Zeniba lay a finger on Chihiro's lips, she soon hushed. "revenge…" she explained simply.

Chihiro released a single tear. She lowered herself to Haku's level and softly kissed his cheek, sighing. "why can't you just let go…?" she whispered.