Chapter 2:
Chihiro could recall the number of times she had passed out after drinking on one hand, but never had she had any hallucinations. Maybe one of my drinks was spiked, she thought glumly, as she began to wake up. The sound of pouring water, pressurized steam, and murmuring voices could be heard underneath the delicate pickings of a koto. Wondering where she had crashed last night since it obviously was not the Western styled business suite she had reserved, Chihiro opened her eyes. The overhang of a large canopy bed greeted her and she began to look around in confusion and wonder. A night stand stood bare besides the bed, but it was the large wardrobe that caught her attention. The wardrobe was full of traditional male Japanese clothes. The open windows were wide open and a gentle cool breeze swept into the room. Did she go home with someone last night? Thinking hard all she could remember was the hallucinations of Tsukasa-san's murder, running through the woods, and then watching Nakamura-san be torn apart by a dragon. She couldn't remember anyone inviting her home from the reunion, yet how else could she have wound up wearing what appeared to be a man's shirt?
Dangling her bare feet off the side of the bed, Chihiro sat up slowly and surveyed the situation. Her clothes from last night were nowhere to be seen, but luckily the shirt modestly covered her. She took note of the lack of pain between her legs and the comforting presence of her underwear meaning she hadn't mistakenly given away her virtue in her drunken haze. Taking a few slow steps, she moved to look out of the window. The moonlight reflected gently off the large river and the small town rumbled with life before her. The sound of a train whistle could be heard in the distance. The view was beautiful, but Chihiro could only grasp the fact that there was no river for miles from town. Where was she? The sound of arguing voices breached her frozen state and she moved silently to the panel separating her room from the next. Sliding it open, Chihiro briefly took note of an empty dining table, a sofa before a fire, and a workbench of sorts. Walking towards the door with arguing voices, she listened carefully to the conversation behind it.
"She needs to return to her own world. That is the only way for her to be safe. It is too dangerous here for a human," a tenor male voice stated calmly. His voice reminded her of the voice from the dragon and of water flowing over smooth rocks.
"Haku, if you send her back there is no guarantee that she will be safe. Even if we create another charm, there is no guarantee that the Tainted won't find a way to hurt her. She is safer here where we can keep an eye on her," an older female voice chided.
"She doesn't remember anything of this world, including all of us. She has a life back there and we can't simply yank her out of it! If we put enough charms and spells on her perhaps it would be enough to keep her hidden and safe in the human world," the male voice retorted.
"And what if she gets kidnapped? Do you think the Tainted would be so kind as to let her go because you ask nicely? No Haku, they would torture her and kill her… just to get to you," a quiet female voice interrupted. Her questions were met with a pregnant silence before the older woman continued.
"I may not be the oldest spirit around, but I cannot recall a time in our history where a human has passed successfully through the void more than once. It could be a sign that she is supposed to be here for a reason."
"Zeniba, I cannot risk her life."
"Yet you would give up yours to save hers."
"I won't have her sacrificed for our cause!" A silence held for a moment before the older voice spoke with great tiredness.
"Give me time to visit the royal archives in the Capital. If there is any magic that could help her live safely in her world I will find it. In the meantime, I suggest you talk her into staying here."
"You can make her my assistant again. I'll keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble," the younger voice spoke now with a slight hint of desperation. A loud sigh followed before a prolonged silence. Counting until two hundred in her head, Chihiro grasped the door handle and gave it a twist.
The room beyond the door appeared to be a large office, crammed to the brim with overflowing bookshelves and a massive desk covered in cluttered papers. The pair of French doors were open to the breeze and revealed a large balcony with deep gouges in the woodwork. Two large velvet chairs sat occupied before the desk. In one sat an elderly lady in a blue dress and in the other sat a young lady in a salmon colored uniform. The man from last night stood with both hands planted on the desk as if to ground himself. His black cropped hair had fallen forward, but his brilliant green eyes had shot up to stare at her the moment the door swung open. His blue and cream kimono hung elegantly from his frame, highlighting the lithe muscle beneath. Standing to his full height, he made as if to come towards her before deciding against it.
"I hope our discussion didn't wake you. I thought you would sleep until sunrise. How are you feeling," he asked as his eyes raked over her guarded expression. He offered her his chair, but she shook her head no and remained in the doorway, grasping the doorframe carefully.
"Nothing some water and a few ibuprofen couldn't fix. However I have a lot of questions that need answering." Chihiro was surprised at how calm her voice sounded when on the inside she was panicking. He took his seat gracefully, but his eyes never left hers. The other two present remained silent as he continued.
"I expected as much. What exactly do you remember?"
"I saw Tsukasa-san murdered by Nakamura-san and ran from him. I tried to lose him in the woods and went through some sort of tunnel as I tried to find someplace to hide. Before he could find me, a dragon attacked and killed him…You were the dragon who saved me last night, weren't you?" The reality of a dragon shifting into a man seemed impossible but Chihiro felt it was better to put the insane thought out there in the open rather than have it fester in her mind. She needed answers, no matter how strange they might be. Plus if it wasn't the truth then she could start separating fact from hallucination.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, but your safety took priority. My name is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi and I am the owner of this bathhouse. You may call me Haku. This here is Lin, my second in command, and Zeniba, my magic consultant." His passive confirmation of her memory sent Chihiro's head reeling, and she gripped the frame a little harder to ground herself. Giving a stiff bow towards them, Chihiro introduced herself. Zeniba smiled warmly at her before speaking.
"We know who you are Chihiro. There is no need to be frightened of us. We have been good friends for a long time."
"Miss Zeniba," Chihiro started before being cut off.
"Please call me Granny." Shaking her head in acknowledgement, Chihiro started again.
"Granny, this is my first time meeting you. You must be confusing me for someone else."
"No dear, we have met before. You have actually met all of us before. You just don't remember it right now. Don't worry though, no one ever truly forgets someone that they have met." Zeniba smiled at her warmly before standing up to leave.
"Haku, I am going to leave now for the Capital. You can expect a letter with an update by the end of the week." Haku nodded his head in understanding and with a smile, Zeniba disappeared into thin air. Chihiro gaped like a fish staring at the small white paper bird that now rested where Zeniba had stood seconds before. Taking flight, the bird sailed straight into the fire where it disappeared into nothing. Suddenly a dragon shifting man didn't seem as farfetched as before.