~Vaster than the Sea, Wider than the Sky~

Disclaimer: The characters in this fanfiction belong to Studio Ghibli. Copyright infringement is not intended.

Apologies for the lateness! And yes, they meet!

It was she thought, like falling into a dream. Everything seemed to slow down and she thought she could make out each individual white crest on the waves. The good thing was Ponyo was safe – though she never expected she would be the next to fall victim to the treacherous cliff. She had been about to chase after Sen, but put her foot on a weak spot on the ground. The action had sent her tumbling down into the sea below and she squeezed her eyes shut. That was when that white shape she had seen earlier come rushing up to meet them and everything went black...

On opening her eyes however, she was no longer falling off a cliff side. Instead, she observed that she was no longer at the cliff side but sitting on a rather sunny patch in the middle of a stone path. Rhododendrons flowered exuberantly on both sides, and bees buzzed industriously. If this was heaven, Chihiro was slightly disappointed by how…domestic it all seemed. Then, before she had had time to take this in, a cool hand was feeling her forehead. She flinched, and the hand quickly removed itself from her forehead. "Be calm. You're among friends. Do you remember what happened?" the voice, equally cool, enquired. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Chihiro found herself looking into a pair of green eyes. The young man before her didn't look to be older than eighteen.

"I'm not dead am I?" she asked.

The green eyes crinkled in light amusement. "No… why would you think that?"

She shook her head dazedly. It was probably his clothes. They were blue and white. Angel colours, though he looked more like a retainer in Genji Hikaru's entourage than a celestial member. The young man had turned aside and his black hair which was cut in an interesting pageboy style slid forward, concealing his face as he wet a small towel. She sat up again when he returned, kneeling carefully on the balls of his zori-clad feet. "This will make you feel better," he said before pressing the damp cloth to her head. He was leaning so close she could feel his breath on her skin and she shivered, closing her eyes again when he tidied everything neatly and stood up.

"I must go."

She opened her eyes slowly at that. "Do I know you?" she asked, standing up as well.

He lowered his head, not answering and she gripped his hand wildly. "I don't even know your name."

For some reason, this made him look up and smile. "You already have it," he answered mysteriously before hesitating.

"We will meet again. I promise."

A few hours ago…

Haku was the first to notice Ponyo fall. With a fearful snarl, he veered sharply away from the duel and flew straight at the cliff wall – stopping just in time for her to land on him. The others followed, Yamazaki pursuing with a vindictive leer. Hold on, he warned her and then dove into the water, as Akihi kept the other two at bay. Yamazaki dove in after him and they streaked under the surface before leaping up again in a gigantic burst of spray. Haku could feel Ponyo's fingers digging fearfully into him as he made straight for the cliff and deposited her on it. For a brief moment, he was staring directly at Chihiro, her hair whipping fiercely in the wind. She had her arms wrapped safely around Ponyo and Sousuke, but she was gazing back at him steadily, her eyes clear and determined.

Sen.

A puzzled look crossed her face, but Haku didn't dare call her by her full name. There were too many spirits about, some of which would no doubt benefit unhealthily from that knowledge. He wanted so very much simply to be with her but it wasn't possible presently. And – though her eyes gazed on him with their familiar quiet strength, he knew she wouldn't remember him. The spirit world took care of its own secrets and no human was allowed to pry into it without – not without a price.

With heavy reluctance, he turned away from her, only to be confronted by a loud bellow and a brack of antlers lowered against him. He'd heard about this god. It'd been a benign creature once.

My apologies. I will bring this battle away from your haven.

With one last look at Chihiro, he somersaulted back into the fray and roared.

Yamazaki roared in return and thrashed her tail warningly but didn't dare go near. There was a god present for goodness sake. She knew better than that. Still, she bared her teeth in fury at the sight of the Enabler crouching at the feet of the human girl. How had that gotten here? She looked sharply at Akihi, dancing cartwheels around her guards. That girl has the Enabler!

What? She saw him look as well and his eyes widen in seemingly genuine surprise. I swear, I had no idea, he replied, sending his answer telepathically.

You better not. Lifting her head, she roared triumphantly.

The Enabler! So it's true. The Council has been hiding it here all along!

That is not true! Haku sent back fiercely, letting the thought sear the air.

We'll see about that, Yamazaki sneered. Gentlemen, it's time we wrap this battle up. She had formed a plan already and as her two guards hovered uncertainly, she roared again. The girl is expendable. Be careful not to shed any blood on the earth.

"Run!" Akihi yelled to the others.

Risa didn't need a second warning. She bundled Ponyo and Sousuke before her and herded them to the gap in the trees. What in the world was going on? A voice had appeared out of nowhere and ordered them to escape. The sky overhead was filled with thick clouds that had seemingly risen out of the sea and a wind was blowing unnaturally in all directions. This was likely the work of spirits – but she didn't know which of them, or whether they were friendly or not. "Come on," she urged when Sousuke stopped suddenly.

"Chihiro's still there!" he yelled. Turning back, Risa bit back a curse. A golden dragon had appeared, seemingly out of thin air and was approaching rapidly. It didn't look very friendly. To Chihiro, staring out at the whirling sky, it looked as though a dark shape had detached itself from the rest and was rushing at her. It was too much like the nightmare she had when she was younger and too late when she finally got her feet to work. With a harsh snarl, the dragon swooped down, its dark shadow blanketing the grass under, only to come to an abrupt halt when Haku darted between the two of them.

This is sacred ground! You forget yourself, Master of the Yamazaki River, he snarled, forgetting in his haste that to Chihiro what he was saying sounded a series of terrifying roars. Yamazaki's eyes hardened in impotent fury. Don't tell me what to do. Her lips pulled back in a malicious snarl. You will come back with me, she informed the Enabler of a Thousand Desires. Sen shivered from her perch beside Chihiro. "I'm not going with you!" she said loudly. Haku's eyes never left Yamazaki's. Why? He asked. The ferret hunched up, suddenly reticent. It wouldn't surprise him if she had been unpleasant to the little spirit. You cannot compel others to do as you wish, he said to Yamazaki. And the Council has a right to investigate if you have been abusing the powers of magical objects.

And why should I trust this Council which has stolen from me in the first place? Her eyes glittered maliciously. The circumstantial evidence is quite substantial.

He knew she was manipulating him, and the thought angered him. I will find out the truth, Yamzaki-gawa, and if I find that you have orchestrated this… This time she laughed. How, little dragon? How? Before that, I'll already have what I desire, she answered, and lashed out suddenly, her tail leaving a trail of blood on the ground. The deer god bellowed in anger as Yamazaki raised her head in malicious pride. Haku bit back a curse. He had never known a spirit with a greater propensity for chaos.

Things might have gone terribly then, for all involved, but then, a ray of light broke through the clouds, and then another.

"Halt."

The wind died down. Yamazaki's scowl vanished, to be rapidly replaced by one of awe.

"Milord," she said meekly.

Small in stature, and robed in a shabby brown cowl, the dragon that floated down the beam of light didn't look like he warranted the address. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, his voice ringing clearly across the crashing of the agitated waves. With one look, he quelled them, and in the sudden quiet, he surveyed the assembled cast grimly. No one, human or dragon or mage quite dared to move. "My brother would be grieved if he were to see this."

"Who's his brother?" Akihi asked in a whisper as he alighted next to Haku.

"The Ryu-shi," Haku replied.

"Oh."

There didn't seem to be a need to say more than that. The dragon lowered his hood, revealing an impassive face framed by a fall of silver hair and mild lavender eyes.

"They don't look very much alike," Akihi whispered again. Haku decided to ignore to him. In the hush, Yamazaki swept forward, spreading her hands out in a gesture of appeal.

"Lord Kakita, this dragon has conspired with the Wizard's Council to wilfully conceal the dragon court's treasure for their own purposes. He should be tried by the court."

Lord Kakita's gaze travelled from Master Yamazaki to Haku and then back. "Correction. The Ambassador is only answerable to the jurisdiction of his Council. As an exile of the dragon court, he is no longer privy to our rules, for good or ill."

For one brief moment, Master Yamazaki's nostrils flared white in anger but when she spoke again, it was with evident calm. "Indeed, milord. Then perhaps we should detain him and the Enabler of a Thousand Desires until a suitable representative from the Council may be informed."

"In fairness, I was about to offer my cooperation," Haku answered. "But I cannot speak for the Enabler herself."

Sen shrank back at having the attention of the Ryu-shi's brother fixed on her. "I will not go with any of you," she yelped.

"Certainly," Master Yamazaki continued sweetly. "Lord Kakita, this is a clear sign that the Enabler is in cahoots with this renegade. You can see, I am sure, what an ingrate it is, despite what I have done for it."

The dragon's pale lavender eyes narrowed. "What is quite clear to me is this creature's reluctance to acknowledge you as its master."

Struck speechless, the dragon guardian of the Yamazaki River could only gape. Sen blinked. The Lord of the Kakita River smiled slightly at her.

"Having said that, we would be very glad to have you back where you belong," he said.

Sen glowered back. Typical! Who was to say where she belonged? Or who she owed her loyalty to?

"I'm not your slave!" Baring her teeth defensively, the little ferret turned tail and vanished abruptly into the forest.

"Sen!" Chihiro yelled. She had no idea what had just happened but the shadowy thing that had been pursuing her desisted in its actions. For a brief second, she had a glimpse of white scales and fur intercepting it, but then Sousuke and Ponyo both were frantically dragging her away and seeing the fear on their faces, she hastened to follow. Then, Sen had yelped angrily at something in the air and scurried into the woods and she knew she had to go after it.

That however, was before the very ground beneath her crumbled and the sea opened up beneath her. She had had barely time to shout a warning when the white shape returned, nipping the waves as it flew almost vertically toward her…

Blinking slowly, Chihiro sat up, groaning to the sound of gulls crying above. Her head felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton wool. Looking blearily around, she found that it was twilight and for one heart-stopping moment, she couldn't identify her surroundings. Then, she remembered that they had been in the forest picnicking when Ponyo had disappeared, lured away by a stag that had stood watching them from the edge of the woods. At this thought, she leapt up hurriedly. Over by the trees, Sousuke was sitting up as well, rubbing his eyes in confusion. A loud yell brought their attention to Risa. "It's so late already!"

That was quite the understatement. It had been quite bright when they left for their picnic. She ran a hand shakily through her hair as Risa packed hastily, throwing everything into the large hamper haphazardly. "Where's Ponyo?" Sousuke demanded, drawing his mother's attention to her absence. A gust swept past them, bringing with it the ominous sharp tang of a storm. It was just as well that before they could panic, a small shape stumbled clumsily out from the trees. It was Ponyo, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "'M sleepy," she mumbled as Risa scooped her up. "There we go," she said. "Tired are we? Then we'll go home."

Neither Sousuke nor Chihiro were in disagreement. While neither of them could quite put a finger on it, they all sensed the foreboding atmosphere of the woods and they all hurried back to the car. Once safely ensconced and they were on its way back to civilization, Chihiro risked a glance back as she absently stroked Sen's fur (the ferret had been found, curled up on top of the car bonnet when they returned, fast asleep as well). There had been someone who had called her by that name.

Haku watched as the small pink car backed out onto the road and make its way back to civilization. He let go a sigh of relief. Safe. They were all safe. She was safe. He turned back to where Akihi was waiting for him. The mage had sustained some injuries and the bruises were starting to show. Still, Akihi grinned. "That was some brawl."

"Yes. Humans are involved."

The mage's golden eyes flickered, sobering. "I do wonder," he said lightly, "how that girl came to have the Enabler. From what it looks, she has had it for some time. At least, time enough to gain its confidence."

Exactly. Haku remembered uneasily what the Granmamare had said. I've a feeling you're meant to be here, she had said. "We'll just have to get to the bottom of it," he replied. "Will you have to arrest me?"

The fire mage chuckled. "Not yet. As far as I can see, you can't possibly have known the Enabler was here all this time. I put myself on your tail because I trust you."

Haku smiled wryly as they floated down to the woodland path. "That is a funny way to show trust."

"That's because you, our Ambassador, have many enemies, and it's best if you have an alibi at all times."

"I see," he said, and wondered which of them - Zeniba or Yubaba had put the unfortunate fire mage up to it. Akihi laid a conforting arm on his shoulder.

"Whenever you are done moping after her," he said, and grinned again. His grin widened when a trace of colour appeared in the dragon's pale cheek. "After you," Haku said, transforming back into his dragon form and chasing after the brightly flaming wisp before him. They had met again, against the odds. And they would meet again. That he was sure of.