"R-Rin?"

"Still a big dope I see..." the woman said, a smile gracing her features as she looked down at her old friend. Chihiro smiled back as Rin helped her back up to her feet. Once she was standing again, Chihiro flung her arms around the other woman. She looked and acted exactly the same as the day she left the Spirit World eight years ago. Though she was suprised to find her friend unchanged over the years, she was glad for the familiar face in the time of her emotional struggling.

"I've missed you," Chihiro said quietly, tightening her hold around Rin.

"I missed you too. It's been a while huh?" Rin said, hugging her back. Her brown eyes widened suddenly as she remembered something, "Oh! And you'll never guess who else is here!"

Pulling out of the embrace, Chihiro only needed one look on the spirit's face to know exactly who else was in the Spirit World.

"Is it a girl with black hair, blue eyes, a bottomless stomach and constantly acts like a child?" Chihiro asked, anger at her younger cousin seething into her voice.

Rin smiled grimly, "Yeah."

Chihiro sighed, starting towards the stairs, "Where is she? My mother's worried sick about her, we need to go home soon."

"Wait! You can't go yet!" Rin cried, suprising the younger girl by blocking her path with an arm. Brown eyes frowned at the arm in front of them before moving to gaze at the spirit. Chihiro studied Rin's face for a little bit and began to feel a sickening sort of feeling in her gut.

"Rin, where's Yumi? Is she okay?" she asked, lowering her voice as her gut feeling told her she should do.

The older woman bit her bottom lip and took hold of the girl's arm. "Ryumiko's fine, she's with Haku and the others... I'll explain everything once we get back to my place," she said, missing the way Chihiro flinched at the mention of a certain dragon's name.

Haku let the wind cool his aching head as he led the other two dragons back to Rin's home. After many debates, they were returning to a location closer to Yubaba's bath house before they decided on what they were going to do next to save the kidnapped Ryumiko. Retsu barely spoke a word and remained nearly as emotionless and stoic as Haku, if not more so, while his sister was restless and perpetually muttering to herself. It left Haku wondering if he preferred Ryumiko's endless commentary over the dragon siblings who were acting strange.

More than anything, Haku wasn't sure what would happen to him if Chihiro ever found out that he'd let Yubaba get her wrinkled hands on her cousin. And from Ryumiko's many discussions about her life with Chihiro, he suspected that the two girls were more like sisters than cousins.

Another throb of pain ebbed at his temples as he imagined what could be happening to Ryumiko at that very moment. There seemed to be many possible things that could be happening at that moment where the girl was...

One. Ryumiko managed to talk Yubaba to death and escaped.

Two. She had been forced to sign a contract with Yubaba, getting her enslaved.

Three. Ryumiko's identity as the last of the Noble dragon spirits had been leaked, then number two occurs.

Four. And also the one he didn't want to think of, Ryumiko could be seriously injured or dead.

It had been eight long years since he'd seen Yubaba, and he didn't know what had changed in the witch in those years. If he was lucky, the witch had remained the same personality-wise. If not, then Yubaba could have gotten much crueller over time... And to what extent, he didn't know. The saying, "Keep your enemies closer than your friends" was beginning to show its value now...

When Rin's home came into view, he took a deep breath. Actually, right now, he feared Rin's reaction to the bad news more.

Then again, he didn't know that Rin had a visitor...

"I'm going to ask you for the last time. Where is Chihiro?" Yubaba screeched.

Ryumiko just smirked at the witch, clearly age was a touchy subject to mention. Her cheek stung from slap she'd received earlier from the sorceress, though she was sure it wouldn't have hurt half as much if Yubaba wasn't wearing those heavy rings on her fingers. She knew one of the jewelled rings had cut the side of her cheek as warm blood had begun to stain the carpet beneath her, but she was not going to risk Chihiro's life just because she couldn't handle a single slap in the face.

"Do you want me to get Rin here to answer for you then?"

Ryumiko hissed through her teeth, "Of course not."

"Then answer me now!"

"I don't remember you being quite this sadistic, Yubaba. Chihiro made you out to have a little more heart than that. I mean consider my situation for a second. I've been kidnapped, I have invisible ropes bruising my wrists, ankles and ribs, I'm being interrogated while having my face pressed into this god-awful smelling rug and being subjected to physical abuse by the ugly rings on your wrinkly fingers. Do you really think I'm just going to open up to you and tell you all I know just like that?" Ryumiko said, sarcasm heavily laced in her tone as she fixed icy blue eyes on the witch.

Yubaba looked furious for a while, then her features seemed to relax, until she looked positively amused by something. The smile the sorceress sent at Ryumiko sent shivers down her spine and chilled her body.

"What do you know about heart, child? Such a silly thing gets in the way of things you need. I need power, and your cousin Chihiro, is in the way of that goal. You may call me disillusioned, but you will eventually see that I am right. When Haku was my servant, people respected me... but when a mere human bested me, and freed two of my servants, that changed. I had just collected the Dragon Clan's power when Haku left his service, and now I have no dragon in my control to use that power. Without power, you can achieve nothing. Now, I will ask you one last time. Where is Chihiro?"

Ryumiko could feel her lip curling back in a grimace as she heard Yubaba's miniature monologue. She sounded like the typical supervillains one saw on TV, power-craving maniacs with one too many sheep loose in the top paddock... Clearly nothing Ryumiko could say was going to persuade Yubaba of anything else. She sighed. Things were beginning to make sense now. Yubaba was furious because she had finally gained some great powers, but because she is not a dragon she couldn't use them. So she was going to have a dragon in her control to use that power, but Chihiro clearly ruined that plot... Though that wasn't really an excuse to start kidnapping people...

But if Yubaba needed a dragon spirit to use the Dragon Clan's power, then Ryumiko figured that she should avoid revealing her true self at all costs. Besides, she still didn't know why Yubaba needed power.

"Well?" prompted the witch, glaring at the girl who currently stared fixatedly on the carpet.

When she finally lifted her head, she addressed the sorceress, "I don't know where she is. And that is the truth. Don't you dare harm Rin because I'm not lying!"

"Then why are you, Haku and those dragons conspiring with my sister?" Yubaba screeched.

Ryumiko rolled her eyes, "Isn't that obvious? We were planning a splendid surprise tea party to celebrate No-Face's birthday. Duh!"

Her grin didn't last long as the ropes suddenly tightened, cutting off circulation and her ability to breathe properly.

"Watch your words, human. I won't hesitate to make them your last," Yubaba sneered, glowering at Ryumiko who was gasping for air on her carpet. "Maybe tomorrow you'll be more willing to speak civilly and honestly."

And with those words and a flick of a wrinkled wrist, Ryumiko found herself in a silent room darkened by thick curtains, unable to see anything other than a thin stripe of light where the fabric danced just above the floor. For a moment, she wondered if there was any chance of getting free from the dark prison.

Chihiro stared wide-eyed at nothing in particular as Rin finished her account of what Ryumiko had been up to in the Spirit World. She nervously fiddled with her hair as she wondered if her cousin had found out if she were human or not by now at Zeniba's. Apart from the incident with the strange bird spirit that had attacked, Chihiro was relieved to know that Ryumiko hadn't had her name stolen from her or worse. In fact, she was sure her cousin was having a grand old time, probably playing games with No-Face right about now.

"You okay?" Rin asked, handing Chihiro a cup of tea.

She nodded and sighed. Of course she knew that one day, Ryumiko would probably end up here, but it still set her on edge to think of the dangers her cousin could be getting into.

Her thoughts were broken by Rin, who cleared her throat loudly.

"So, what have you been up to since we last talked?" Rin asked, sitting down across from the girl.

And there it was. The question she'd been dreading would arise.

"Um - actually... I was trying to forget everything that happened here. I'd had enough of waiting, and I was pretty much ready to move on, until my bird-brained cousin decided to run off. Don't get me wrong Rin, I still love you and all my other friends here, but after eight years, it was getting a bit ridiculous," Chihiro explained.

"I understand kiddo! I'm surprised you had faith that long. I would have given up after the first year," Rin comforted, laughing lightly, though failing to mention the curse that prevented them from leaving the Spirit World to see her anyway. Something told her that she should wait a bit longer until she divulged that little detail.

Haku, Retsu and Yukaoi landed on the grass with a loud thud. All three looked nervous as the full weight of returning without Ryumiko began to settle on them. So much, that Haku could only stare the front door, not really having the mental strength to just walk into the house as if nothing was wrong... as if he hadn't made a mistake.

Yukaoi saw the disheartened look on the dragon's face, that closely mirrored her brother's and went over to wrap her arms around the river dragon spirit. She rubbed up and down his back, much like the way her mother used to when she was a hatchling in need of comfort.

"It's not your fault. It's no-one's fault," Yukaoi said soothingly, saying the last part a bit louder so that Retsu would hear it as well.

Though they were interrupted by what would've been a soft feminine voice, were it not for the bitter, harsh tone that coated it, "So that's how it is?"

All three dragons turned to see that the front door had opened, revealing two women standing at the door. One was Rin, the other...

"Chihiro..." breathed Haku. He could only stare blankly at her, unsure if he was feeling overly guilty about Ryumiko or if this was real and that Chihiro was finally standing in front of him. After eight years, she had filled out into modest but pleasant curves, grew taller and her voice had altered from the high lilt of childhood to a slightly deeper but silkier tone. And though these changes had occurred, her deep brown eyes remained the same, boring straight through him. Though her gentle face had taken on an angry and hurt expression as she glared at him.

Haku quickly stepped away from the dragoness and towards the only girl - or woman now - that he'd ever loved.

"You're really here," Haku said, his hand gently reaching out as if afraid his touch would break the illusion.

Chihiro was having an intense mental battle within herself at this point. She was already angry beyond compare that he hadn't come to find her for eight years. When she'd opened the door to find him in the arms of an incredibly attractive woman, she felt like sinking to the floor in despair that his affections were no longer hers. But when he fixed those green eyes on her, as if she were the only girl in this world, she had futiley tried to silence her fluttering heart. He had changed much as well over the years. His hair was much longer, his features more angular and masculine, and he was at least a head taller than her. On one hand, she wanted to take him out with a strong blow to the head, and on the other, she wanted to run into his arms and forget the eight years of waiting for him.

Her angry half won the argument.

She slapped the hand reached out to her and turned away, certain that if he looked at her with those eyes any longer, she would probably end up forgetting why she was mad in the first place.

"Of course I'm here, idiot," she snipped.

He stopped her by taking hold of her arm, and spun her around to face him, "It's really you..."

"Yes. It's me. I'm sorry for interrupting your... business," she said, no trace of apology evident in her voice at all.

He soon realised that she had seen Yukaoi and himself hugging, and her words finally sunk in, 'So that's how it is?'

Haku frowned, "We're not like that."

"Oh really? Then what were you doing?"

"She was just... comforting me," Haku said, somewhat embarrassed by his statement. "Right Yukaoi?" he asked, only to find Yukaoi raising a perfectly arched brow at him as if to say, 'Don't involve me in this'.

Chihiro snorted in disbelief, "Sure, she was 'comforting' you. Whatever, I don't want to hear it!"

"I'm telling the truth!" Haku retorted.

Retsu, Yukaoi and Rin all watched the exchange with great interest, never seeing Haku express so much emotion in such a short period of time. It was a form of entertainment that they may never witness again in their lifetime.

Chihiro waved his protests away with a dismissive hand, "Look just let me take Ryumiko home and we can both forget about this!"

"She's not-"

"Not what?" she asked, suspicious of the expression in his green eyes.

"Not here."

"WHAT?"

Haku explained, "Yubaba kidnapped her before any of us could stop it fr-"

WHAM!

He staggered back as Chihiro's fist collided with his face powerfully. He brought a hand to his aching jaw, wondering how in the world she learned to fight like that. Chihiro too, was also quite suprised that she had done such a thing, but she'd finally snapped now and she was more than simply angry now.

"I can not believe you let Yubaba take Yumi!" Chihiro shouted, her voice bordering on hysterical while clutching her stinging knuckles.

At this, Haku retaliated, "I did not let Yubaba take her! She went off on her own against the rules!"

"We all know you were busy with other things Haku," she sneered, flicking a glance in Yukaoi's direction to make a point.

"I told you we're not-"

"Why couldn't you just put me out of my misery instead of making me hope for eight years? Huh? Why let me wait while you had already moved on?" Chihiro shouted, cutting him off. Her eyes pierced his, demanding an explanation.

"I couldn't!"

"Well aren't you a gentleman?" she laughed, her voice loaded with bitterness.

Haku growled as he realised she didn't know the whole story, "No, Chihiro-"

"I've had enough of this," she mumbled and turned to storm back into the house. She was unable to do so however, when she felt two strong arms holding her where she stood. The hands that held her shoulders moved around her to wrap her in a tight and warm embrace. She found she was too stunned to say anything let alone move, and let herself . She knew exactly whose arms were holding her, she could never forget their touch. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

It had reminded him of the day she left, the way she turned away from him. It struck a pain in his chest that only she would be able to heal, only this time, he could stop her. So he did, by wrapping her tightly in his arms, so she wouldn't leave him again.

"Chihiro," he began softly, noticing that the girl stiffened in his hold. "I couldn't see you. No matter how much I wanted to, and trust me, I did."

"Why couldn't you come?" she asked, her voice shaky as she held back the urge to argue with him some more.

"Yubaba. She locked the entrance to spirits. I can't leave the Spirit World," he explained, growling out his words.

The girl blinked and her mouth formed a silent 'o'. So, that meant that it wasn't Haku's fault she'd been waiting... Rin failed to mention that in their little talk. It also meant, much to her embarrassment, that she'd gotten mad at him for no reason.

She was about to apologise when they heard someone clear their throat, loudly.

"Okay! Break it up love-birds!" Rin called, splitting the two apart with her hands before walking between them and into the house again. "We can discuss things inside."

The dragon siblings followed Rin's lead and passed them as well. The human girl took a deep breath. She definitely would have more to talk about with Haku, but first, some time to calm herself would be ideal. Deciding that getting away from confrontation was best, she followed the other two inside. Haku waited until Chihiro was safely through the front door, before following after, making sure no-one had followed them as he closed the door.

WOW that was a long chapter! It's my form of a semi-apology for the long wait, so sorry guys!

Haha I had a lot of fun writing that little scene with Chihiro and Haku! Though I've split the arguement between them into two parts. This is part 1 and next chapter will have part 2. Anyways, I hope you like it so far!

I did have fantasies in which Chihiro attacked Haku with various objects... but as much fun as they were to write, I didn't think they really suited Chihiro's character, so I went with a (really) censored version of many different scenarios.

ANYWAY, point of my story, is that, there will be more angry Chihiro vs. Haku in the future where she gets much more violent than just a fist to the face. *grins evilly*

NEXT CHAPTER:

More Chihiro x Haku, as well as Chihiro meeting Retsu and Ryumiko!

Many thanks to you dear reviewers!

Animala Swan (I updated! Thank you for reviewing!)

Solar Powered Pandas (Love your pen-name, I'm not gonna lie! Thank you so much for the warm fuzzies! :D)

AnimeRokkz (AHH! I'M SORRY! Haha, Trust me, your suggestion already crossed my mind several times XD Plus I love long reviews! They make me feel warm and fuzzy :3 Thank you so much for reviewing!)

KeikoMars (I'm glad that my story matches the movie's atmosphere! Woah! That'd be cool to have a name related to Haku's! Mine's a pretty old-fashioned name. I like it, but it's nothing all that unique. Anyway, Thank you for your review!)

SakuandSyao-CLAMPGirlForever (Thank you so much for reviewing! And sorry I left you on a cliffy for so long! :3)

Mr. Mysterious, aka. My anonymous reviewer (AAHHH DON'T DIE! Here's the chapter! XD)

WildCroconaw (You shall find out :P)

simplyluckystar (Ah that's fine! Thank you very much! :D)

Mysticbreeze327 (Haha! Thank you for the review!)

spirited away forever (And this is just the beginning xD Thank-you for reviewing!)

Moongirl12121 (No problem! Thank you for your reviews! :3)

InkWoven (Here's the chapter! I hope I didn't disappoint! Thank you for your review! :D)

Review dammit!

I need feedback for inspiration of Chihiro's revenge Pt.2!

AND

I need to know what you think of this chapter!

I spent a lot of time thinking and planning, and coming up with a logical reaction for Chihiro to attack Haku with so I want a response darn you non-reviewers! Fear my writer's wrath!

(People replied to in above segment are shielded from wrath)

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