Chihiro woke up early, prepared breakfast and waited.
"Chiharu must be here in any time now." She told herself. "Today is Sunday, we could go shopping, then eat in a restaurant, and probably to the movies. We haven't enjoyed ourselves in a long time."
But the hours passed and Chiharu didn't arrive.
"She must be back by now." Chihiro said, starting to worry. "I better call Mrs. Huyo."
She took the phone and dialed the number of the Huyo residence.
"Good morning…Mrs. Huyo…Yeah, it's me Chihiro…I was wondering, is Chiharu still with you?…What?…What do you mean she was never there?…Oh my god…No, don't worry…I'll look for her…Yeah, I'll call you when I find her."
Chihiro hung up, more nervous than ever.
"Oh my god, where can she be?" she asked herself. "Where?"
She turned to the window, to the sky, it was already past noon.
"Where's my daughter?" she asked to no one in particular. "Where is Chiharu? Please, I need a signal."
And just then her eyes got on a slip of paper; the copy of the permission she had signed. She read it quickly.
"Oh my god…No…" she murmured with her hands on her face. "She can't be…There…"
.---.
Chiharu woke up when the sun was already about to set. She stood up and went to the window. Once there she saw a silver dragon flying.
"Wow…" she murmured, amazed.
And her surprise increased when she saw the dragon flying right to her window.
Once inside the dragon turned into Haku.
"Wow…" Chiharu murmured astonished. "That was amazing."
"Thank you." Haku said smiling. "Looks like you like dragons."
"I do." She said.
"Like this one." Haku passed a hand by the necklace.
"My mom gave it to me some time ago." Chiharu explained holding the dragon. "She said it was something I should have."
Haku nodded not at all convinced.
"You told me about a story your mother used to tell you." Haku said suddenly.
"Yes." Chiharu nodded.
"Do you know it complete?" Haku asked.
"I know it by heart." She answered proudly. "I just love that story, although it doesn't has a happy ending it is beautiful."
"Why do you say it doesn't have a happy ending?"
"Because it doesn't. The Princess and the Prince don't live happily ever after."
"Why? Would you care to tell me?"
"No. You see Princess Sen met Prince Haku when she was ten. But she had to leave, because she wasn't suppose to live in an enemy kingdom. The years went by but she never forgot Prince Haku, she had truly fallen in love with him. Seven years passed, until she could bear it no more. So one day she ran away from her castle, and back to the Spirit Kingdom. She confessed her feelings to Prince Haku, and he did likewise. They loved each other so much they didn't care that royalty from both kingdoms weren't supposed to be together. They began living together in the castle. But witch Yubaba never liked that, because she wanted the kingdom for herself. She had educated Prince Haku for years, and she was waiting for the moment to have all the power herself, and with the young Princess there it wouldn't be possible. The witch began bothering Princess Sen, telling her Haku didn't truly love her, that he was only playing with her, but she never believed the evil witch. Until one day. Prince Haku had to leave to arrange some business in a far away town, it was something unplanned, and urgent, so he didn't have time to tell his beloved about the trip and say goodbye. Princess Sen woke up and got afraid when she couldn't find him, she looked for him everywhere but never found him. The evil witch Yubaba went to her and told her Prince Haku had left to marry another Spirit Lady. That the game was over and things were going to be as they should have since the beginning. At first the Human Princess didn't believe, she didn't want to, but three days passed and her beloved prince wasn't back. And Princess Sen cried, and called for him all the night. Until she could bear it no more and ran away, back to her own kingdom. But her family wasn't there anymore, they had left. She found a childhood friend that offered her help, and she accepted."
"You mean she married that friend?" Haku asked.
"She married that childhood friend, yes." Chiharu said. "But she never loved him. Because she could never forget her true love. And every night she walks by a river, praying to the gods, and the spirits, that her true love will one day go back to her."
Haku was speechless.
"Why are you so interested in the story?" Chiharu asked.
"It's nothing, just plain curiosity." Haku lied.
Chiharu nodded, but didn't believe him at all. Something inside her told her there was something else.
"If you excuse me I must go see somebody." Haku said. "You better stay here, for your safety."
Chiharu nodded.
Haku nodded too and left.
.---.
Later, Haku stumbled into the Boiler Room.
"I finally know it!" he exclaimed as he entered.
"What?" Rin asked confused.
"What are you talking about boy?" Kamaji asked, as confused as Rin.
"I finally know why Chihiro left." Haku said.
"What?…How?…Tell us!" Rin yelled.
"Well, it is this way..." Haku explained everything.
"You mean that…" Rin started, she raised her fist in the air. "That damn witch! She was the reason Sen left!"
"And I shouldn't have gone without explaining everything to her." Haku said sadly.
"But anyway." Rin said. "It was mainly that stupid of Yubaba's fault."
"You can go find her and talk things out." Kamaji suggested.
"What if she doesn't want to know about me?" Haku asked.
"Then you're fried man." Rin said calmly.
"What a help Rin…" Haku murmured sarcastically.
"You'll never know if you don't go and talk with her." Kamaji said.
Rin nodded.
"I know it's just that…" suddenly he cut himself.
"What?" both Kamaji and Rin asked.
"She's in danger." Haku said suddenly.
"What?" Rin asked.
"Who?" Kamaji asked.
"Chiharu!" Haku yelled, and ran out.
Kamaji and Rin turned to look at each other, something was about to happen, something big.
.---.
Meanwhile Chihiro was running through the woods, trying to find her way once again to the old shrine.
"I know it is this way." She told herself. "I know it."
And just then she saw the little lamps and spirit statues.
"Aja!" she murmured satisfied. "This way."
And she ran into the tunnel.
She ran as fast as she could, she had a bad feeling.
"Something is wrong, something is very wrong." She told herself.
She could feel it, in her chest, a pressure on her heart, something was wrong with her daughter, she knew it.
"Please, I pray to all the gods and spirits." She called. "Please protect her. Please. I beg you." She sighed. "Chiharu…"
Hope you liked this chapter, I believed it was time for some explanations. And remember, as soon as you leave enough reviews you'll know more.