Good News: I will be updating every Thursday until the arc is finished beginning February 23rd.

Bad News: I had to break this chapter up because otherwise it would have wound up being 10k+ characters. As result there are still three chapters left to go after this one!

Admistsnow: Shattered flower will be explained first thing next chapter. :)

Trastuspies: (insert maniacal laughter here).

To all of my readers, I send my love and thanks. I'm super excited that my writer's block has passed and I am back to writing daily in copious amounts. When this arc is finished, I will have a brainstorm session to see what happens but as of today here is where everything stands:

Time Forgotten has 1 chapter nearly finished for posting and 60% of the plot arc confirmed.

Playing to the Edge has 1 chapter nearly finished for posting and 85% of the plot arc confirmed.

Song of a Dead Bird has revisions needing to be done, but 25% of plot arc 1 confirmed and 100% of the final plot arc confirmed with scene notes written.

Shadow Wars cont. has 85% of the final plot arc confirmed with scene notes written and all of the prep for the final chapters in this arc has been completed. Once this arc is finished, I will begin revising the first arc and adding subtle details to pull upon in the second arc (if they aren't already in place).

Also just for the record, I don't write cliff hangers to torture you all. I simply find it easier and faster for me to pick up writing where I left off if the ending of a chapter is intense.

Chapter 34:

Chihiro reached up to touch the cloth covering her curlers, but a firm smack from the weasel on her left reminded her not to. Shooting an apologetic smile at Lin, she put her hands back in her pockets and looked out over the sea of people. The crowd along the river seemed to stretch for miles on either side as spirits from far and wide waited for the cleansing ceremony to begin. A boat from each side of the river began to move out towards the large flat platform waiting in the center. Though it was hard to see, Chihiro was shocked that Hana did not have the relics for the ceremony as she stepped up onto the platform. Yui would have been aghast if she were here, but the rain was still steadily pouring overhead. What was the koi fish doing breaking from tradition? Haku landed regally on the platform and took his seat on a cushion in the farthest corner from Hana. Bowing deeply, Hana stepped onto the tatami and took her position to begin.

"Where are the relics," Chihiro whispered to Lin. Hikaru looked over at her in question and Chihiro made a fan motion. A look of recognition crossed his face and a frown tugged at his lips.

"Apparently she told the staff sent to prepare her this morning that she didn't need the relics to do the cleansing. At their bathhouse, they don't have relics to use so she hasn't been trained to utilize them anyways," Lin offered up as the dance begun. Chihiro could not see the fine details of her movement from the distance she was at, but it appeared as if her angles were off and her stances lacked steadiness. Nonetheless Haku rose from his cushion and responded to her with an uncanny gracefulness. Watching them slowly fall into rhythm, Chihiro smirked in sadness. That should have been her up there with him. As the two finished the final movements, a gentle breeze brought moist air past them and the spirits around her gasped loudly. Chihiro didn't feel any different than she had five seconds ago, let alone five minutes ago. Turning to look at Lin, she saw the look of horror on her face.

"What's-"

"That's all they created?" Lin's whisper was nearly lost in the crowd of murmuring. Hikaru looked troubled as well as he wiped the fine condensation from his face. The feeling of unsettling acceptance crept throughout the crowd as the two spirits separated and turned away to get into their separate boats. "That magic was supposed to make it to the frontlines for the soldiers' relief, but I don't think it made past the city limits!"

"Chihiro should have performed the ceremony. It would have cast more power than this," Hikaru commented lightly as he turned to look at them.

"What do we do now," Chihiro asked quietly as she looked between them. Sharing a reluctant look with Hikaru, Lin placed her hands on Chihiro's shoulders. The weasel knew that this was not her burden to carry.

"Nothing. It's too late to fix it now. We should get back to the bathhouse and prepare to celebrate the little gift of light we have been given," Lin said resolutely. Giving her a gentle push towards the bathhouse, Lin watched Chihiro follow Hikaru's lead out of the crowd before looking back towards the incoming boat. Haku's face was indiscernible from the distance, but the weight in his shoulders was easy enough to read.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Smoothing out her lips, Chihiro admired the pink paint Lin had carefully applied. The makeup that Lin had spent hours tweaking and perfecting was finally completed. Her face was pale and flawless, and her features had been painstakingly reapplied. With her hair coiled atop of her head and Hikaru's hair pin as its showcase, she looked absolutely stunning. The kimono delicately revealed the nape of her neck in temptation and laid perfectly folded beneath her obi. Lin smiled at her in the mirror, admiring her handiwork.

"It's time, Chihiro." Standing up gracefully, Chihiro smiled at Lin and walked to the doorway. Stepping up into the sandals, she tucked the small charm that had been hanging on the door into its new place in her obi. The charm would keep her weasel identity in place so she wouldn't have to carry around her bag. "Did you want these now?"

Turning to look at the proffered hair pins that Haku had gotten her, Chihiro shook her head no. Hikaru would be at her side for the evening, there would be no need for them. Accepting her answer with a short nod, Lin placed them in a box by her vanity.

Hikaru patiently waited outside of Lin's room in his borrowed formal kimono. He had expected the stiff collar to bother him, but for some reason it felt as if wearing such a garment were completely normal. Checking the time once again, he debated whether or not he should knock. Would it be interrupting to ask how much longer they would be? Lin had told him that she would be ready to go by the start of the ball, but it was already fifteen minutes after the estimated time. Deciding to wait five more minutes before knocking, he was relieved when he heard the door open. The view before him was breathtaking and he found himself speechless as Chihiro took petite steps out into the hallway.

"Yamato nadeshiko," Hikaru whispered in awe as he quickly bowed deeply. Giggling quietly, Chihiro politely returned the bow.

"You clean up pretty nice yourself." Hikaru was grateful that she couldn't see the blush across his cheeks beneath his fur as he straightened back up. Offering his arm to her, she gently grasped his bicep and allowed him to escort her downstairs.

"Don't do anything stupid tonight you two. The whole world will be watching," Lin called after them as they slipped away into the bathhouse. Letting out a sigh, she ran a hand through her messy hair before closing the door to her room. There was still time to get ready for the staff party if she hurried.

The main hall was vibrantly decorated in honor of the formal ball. Paper lanterns of a variety of colors hung about in patterns from the ceiling giving light to the usually dim room. Bewitched platters floated about serving champagne and hors d'oeuvres and on the main stage, a traditional band was performing. The spirits present wore heavy layers of jewels and silks to express their wealth and power as they paraded about gossiping. If they were all together upon a boat, the weight of their greed would have sunk it.

Chihiro and Hikaru entered with little fanfare and politely made their way into the room. Guiding her respectfully, Hikaru kept an eye on all of the curious stares coming their way. The males were obviously interested for the wrong reasons, making their chosen dates for the evening rankled. They mocked her lack of jewelry from afar and made loud tasteless jokes asking if she were a yuna for hire. While some praised her for her beauty, many more looked down upon her lower status and turned their noses up at her. Hikaru could feel her deflating beside him as the negativity surrounded them, but her strength did not falter. She had known that this would be a tough crowd. Perhaps this was how all high class parties go? Leaning down to whisper in her ear, Hikaru asked if she would care for some of the alcohol floating by. Chihiro nodded her head yes and rewarded him with a lovely smile as he nicked two glasses from a platter. She was careful to not smudge her makeup as she sipped the sweet bubbly drink.

A few steps away, Hana swayed slightly from the rising and falling of the water at her feet. As she finished her conversation with another guest, her eyes caught sight of Chihiro. Gaping briefly in surprise, the koi fish stared at the two of them as recognition set in. Hana sneered at them before flicking her fins over her shoulder and floating further away.

"I think that's about as good as its going to get," Hikaru chuckled as Chihiro shook her head in mild disbelief.

"I almost want to make a point of going up to her, but I'm going to rise to the occasion of being the better woman. I don't want to listen to her trash when I'm wearing such a nice kimono," Chihiro replied with a saucy smirk. Abandoning her empty glass on a passing platter, she smiled at Hikaru. "Besides, why should I have to share your lovely company with her?"

"Pardon me, I don't believe we've met before. You are," a rich tenor voice interrupted from behind them. Turning about, the pair was surprised to see the siren from the night before and what appeared to be his twin sister. Though it was obvious that Hikaru was there, the singer was completely focused on Chihiro as his sister looked on with disinterest. Like them, the pair was surprisingly void of a plethora of gemstones and seemed to have settled into the mockery about them.

"Chihiro," she supplied softly and he gave a polite bow.

"You may call me Kitsune-san. I'm Chihiro's date for this evening," Hikaru said matter-of-factly. His smirk at the subtle challenge did nothing to dissuade the siren's interest.

"My name is Hiroshi Mizushima and this is my sister Mai." Upon hearing her name, his sister gave a polite bow and turned her attention towards Hikaru. Looking him up and down in curiosity, the expression she wore made her thoughts obvious. Why was a white furred fox in these lands? Was he not far removed from the roaming ice dunes of the North? "What a beautiful kimono you are wearing! It's nice to see something so traditional in this sea of rocks."

"The cherry blossoms suit her," Mai commented quietly in a voice that reminded Chihiro of chimes in a wayward breeze, "Delicate flowers for a spirit that appears to be a wisp of the imagination."

"Indeed she does look beautiful tonight," Hikaru stated warmly giving further darkening to her prominent blush. Chihiro felt her fears and worries melt away as she soaked in the compliments. The irony of the situation did not get past her. Here was she was, a short lived human, amongst spirits that lived for hundreds if not thousands of years. Chihiro was indeed the short bloomed flower amongst them.

"You look very cute this evening as well, Mai-chan. I wish I could have seen your performance last night. I heard it went quite well."

"It did, but nothing came of it," she replied as her eyes drifted to a commotion behind Chihiro. Hiroshi's eyes looked past Chihiro and focused in on the dragon making his entrance. The wistful look in Mai's eyes and Chihiro's expression when she turned to see what was going on, did not go unnoticed by either male.

"It seems the dragon lacks interest in women of a higher quality," Hiroshi commented roughly as he put his chin up proudly. Chihiro knew he was probably speaking of his sister, but couldn't help the feeling the weight in his words. The heat of Hikaru's gaze on her side didn't help her self-consciousness coming back to the forefront.

"Don't judge him so harshly, brother. You know how it is with spirits in power. They get so tangled up in their lies and manipulation that they fail to see those of us on the outside. It's like they are trapped in a game of intrigue… a shadow war that we cannot comprehend. As the master of the largest bathhouse in the Eastern lands, he is undoubtedly a key player in whatever regional circumstances are at foot."

.-.-.-.-.-…-.-

Haku waited patiently for Hana to join him on the balcony. It had been surprisingly difficult to make his way through the crowd of well-wishers and gossips to the fair koi fish and whisper in her ear hole. The way her face had blushed in excitement was sickening to him, but he kept his composure well. As he made his way towards the balcony, Haku spotted Chihiro greeting some of the other guests near the edge of the dance floor. He was brought to a complete standstill by her appearance and almost changed directions to head to her. Chihiro was smiling happily at the fox beside her, making Haku want to growl and intervene, but the brush of Hana's fin ghosting by was enough to keep him moving. The box in his pocket weighed heavily against his thigh, reminding him that he needed to see to this matter first. There would be time later to steal a dance with Chihiro and tell her how stunning she looked tonight.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Chihiro watched as Haku made his way about the room while still keeping an ear in on the conversation at hand. It was almost as if he was specifically avoiding her area of the room or looking in her general direction. Feeling a bit miffed, she considered her options. Going up to him in a room full of gossiping spirits like this would be dreadfully obvious, especially when he hadn't shown any interest in her. There would be no easy way to bridge the gap between them if he wasn't trying, especially not with these judgmental spirits around. Deciding to bide her time, she hopped back into the conversation while giving an occasional glance to the moving dragon. When she saw him discreetly look at her before stepping out onto a balcony, Chihiro knew it was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Leaning over to Hikaru, she whispered quietly into his ear.

"Wait here. I just saw Haku step out onto the balcony and I want to speak with him alone for a moment."

"Don't take long. I'll miss you," Hikaru replied with a small smile. Rolling her eyes at him, Chihiro excused herself from the conversation and began making her way towards the glass door she had seen him walk out of. Picking up two flutes of champagne from a floating tray, she smiled as she thought about how surprised Haku would be to see her dressed so nicely. Chihiro sipped her champagne as she went through the door. Hours of beautification and preening could make any girl feel confident and tonight could not be more perfect. A breeze swung the curtains out into the doorway making it difficult to see past, but she calmly parted them to see the awe-striking sky. Stars were twinkling above and there wasn't a cloud to be seen for miles, despite the gentle rain that was still falling against the barrier.

Chihiro spotted shadows moving on the other end of the balcony. She strutted slowly forward only to realize that Haku was not alone. Stopping dead in her tracks, Chihiro watched as her dragon offered out a ring box to Hana. As the koi fish opened it, he gently caressed her face and bent down to whisper into the earhole closest to Chihiro. Chiriro's mouth gaped open and shut wordlessly as she imagined the exact expression Hana's face was surely making if it were not hidden by the angle of Haku's head. The scene was so unbelievable to Chihiro that it felt as if she were watching the scene from outside of her body rather than actually being there. The intimacy of the moment was not lost on her and she felt her gut wrench in confusion. Doubt crept into the corners of her mind as she whirled about to put them behind her. Chihiro knew it was an act for him, but by hell it still hurt to see it. Was this how the rest of tonight would be? Watching Haku make doe eyes at Hana and Hana making not subtle passes at him? Drinking the last of her champagne in one swallow, Chihiro chugged the flute she had grabbed for Haku as well before making her way back to Hikaru. Wrapping her arm around his, Chihiro steered him towards the doors and ditched the glasses on one of the many floating trays.

"Where are we going," he asked confused at her sudden hurry. The tight lipped neutrality of her face was a stark contrast to her earlier smile. There was a suppressed uneasiness in her eyes. She was not going to put up with any more drama tonight. Tonight was her night to shine after all the efforts that Lin had gone through to make her beautiful. If Haku was going to spend it ignoring her and pretending to be in love with Hana, then she was going to go to the staff party. They could talk after he was done playing around.

"To the real party. Champagne is just not hard enough to cut it tonight."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"I was surprised you didn't come by my room to get me before the ball. Did the ceremony wear you out as well," Hana said softly as she fluttered over to the railing. It was a beautiful evening and Hana already knew that she was the belle of the ball. Spirits may have been talking about that dolled up weasel, but she was still no competition. In fact, many of them were discussing how the girl was likely a gold digger attending the party with the intention of seducing a rich spirit into becoming her husband. As Hana had warned Haku time and time again, there is no class in a low-bred servant trying to attend high class events. Haku should have simply forbid her.

"No, I was simply trying to find the right words to convey to you my thoughts," Haku said simply as his fingers wrapped around the box in his pocket. Pulling it out, he offered it up to her. Hana's eyes went wide as she looked at it excitedly and as she began to open it, he caressed her cheek softly. Bending down as Hana finally saw what was inside, Haku let the coldness in his voice come through.

"I know exactly what you and Shoko were trying to pull last night," Haku whispered. Hana trembled at the sight of the Damiana leaf inside of the box and her complexion paled in fear. The water in the air around them seemed to polarize towards him in his barely contained rage. "I expect you gone first thing in the morning. Neither of you are welcome here anymore."

"Kohaku look, I can explain-"

"The use of the Damiana leaf without consent is punishable by twenty years hard labor by traditional law. You either leave quietly with your dignity intact or I will make this public and you will suffer for the poor choices you have made." Hana's head dropped in defeat as tears welled up in her eyes. The box dropped from her hands and she looked at the shaking fins in horror. Her shoulders bobbed with the force of her suppressed sobs before she began laughing.

"You can't send me away now. You need me to help you identify the spy. I can find them if you let me stay," Hana replied desperately. Both of them knew she was grasping at straws. Picking up the box and pocketing it, Haku looked down at her without an ounce of mercy. His eyes were unmoving stone that showed no doubt or pity in his decision.

"I don't need the help of someone like you."

"I just wanted you to love me. We could have been happy together." Haku regarded her for an instant with a piercing gaze before turning his back on her. With measured strides, he walked away.

Haku moved through the crowd trying to catch a glimpse of Chihiro or the white furred fox. It seemed like everywhere he went he was being stopped to converse. Time was slipping away and before long, Haku was convinced that she must have slipped away from the party without greeting him. Trying his best not to offend any of the spirits demanding his attention, he kept up appearances and did what had to be done as a representative of the bathhouse. As Haku passed close to an open doorway to another balcony, the curtain moved with the breeze to reveal a rabbit woman with curls staring at him with harsh eyes. His heart dropped as he recognized her. Bowing low, he addressed her and the large wolf standing beside her.

"What an honor it is to be visited by the Seer of the Capital! I didn't receive notice that you would be coming out this way. I hope the ball is to your liking?" Tsukiko looked at him with a pinched frown before motioning for them to walk along the outskirts of the main hall.

"No need to bother with formalities dragon. We both know I'm not here on a social call."

"Then pray tell, why you would make the journey out here to my bathhouse," Haku inquired as they slowly began walking together. Folding his clenching hands behind his back for good measure, he tried to appear relaxed despite his internal fear.

"We have a bit of a situation on our hands at the Capital, Haku. The general leading our forces on the Western plains has been gravely injured and must be replaced immediately. The Elders intend to send the Captain of the Guard to take his place."

"That seems to be quite a predicament, but I don't see why that would be of importance to us here at the bathhouse."

"The Elders would like to bestow upon you the honor of becoming the next Captain of the Guard."

.-..-.-.-..-

Chihiro slammed the empty cup down onto the rough wooden table as people cheered her on. Nimbly flipping the cup over on the first try, applause resounded about the room. Wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she smiled victoriously as Okita shook his head no.

"You win," he shouted over the loud music playing and put his half-finished mug down. Hikaru smirked at the tanuki's loss before putting back the rest of his beer. Several of the frogs had challenged Okita to a drinking game not long after they had joined the staff party and Chihiro had all but jumped to join them. She had sat neatly on a cushion beside the table of choice looking far too refined and beautiful to be taken as serious competition. It hadn't taken her long to crush all of the frogs and eventually the reigning champion tanuki.

"Would you like to dance," Hikaru asked as he set aside his mug and let the liquid courage fill him. Smiling up at him, Chihiro gave him her hand and rose to stand. She was way overdressed for this sort of party, but none of them would let her leave to change. It wasn't every day that their resident human looked like this. There would be no short of dance partners or compliments here and not a frown to be seen. Hikaru couldn't tell if the twinkle in her eye was from her happiness or the amount of alcohol she had consumed. Whatever had been eating at her mind earlier was far from sight. Pulling him swiftly onto the dancefloor, Chihiro's laughter was lost amongst the crowd.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Haku kept his face neutral while he considered the implications of her words. He had no desire to move to the Capital and protect the Elders in their sealed palace. Everything he wanted was here at the Eastern Bathhouse among his friends and staff.

"I regret to inform you that I have no interest in such a position at this time and will respectfully decline. Please send my sincerest apologies to the Elders."

"They had a feeling you would say that," Tsukiko said with a detached cold smirk. Haku came to a halt as if he felt his suspicions rise. The seer regarded him as if he were an object rather than a spirit. "That's why they sent me."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Chihiro stumbled as her legs refused to obey her, giving Hikaru the opportunity to right the crooked girl. Thanking him with a sloppy smile, she leaned against him and together they made their way outside. The sounds of the party still raging behind them began to die away as they finally escaped out into the garden. Taking a long swig from the mug clutched in his other hand, Hikaru was not surprised when Chihiro took it from him and finished it. Both of them were decidedly inebriated past the point of no return as they flopped down on the edge of the walkway overlooking the garden.

"You are totally drunk right now," Hikaru slurred as he looked over at Chihiro's red cheeks. She was straightening out her legs in front of her and staring at her socks. At some point during their dancing, Chihiro had relinquished her sandals and her socks were now dirty from repeated impacts on the floor. Her sore feet were throbbing, but even now she wanted to return and continue dancing. Just had to catch her breath first…and fix her loosened kimono back to propriety.

"So are you," she managed as she let her legs fold off the walkway and hang above the garden floor. The fox had finally loosened up and matched her drinks after they started dancing. Somehow in all of the alcohol and dancing, the moon began weaning out. Soon the sun would rise, the town would fall to slumber and the residents of the bathhouse would have to drag their asses back to their rooms to sleep off whatever amount of intoxication they had imbued. Lin had retired ages ago with the excuse that she needed to be able to manage everyone in the morning. More likely she would be the only one without a killer hangover.

"I haven't felt this free in so long."

"Sometimes it feels better to just let your worries slip away for a while," Chihiro replied as she laid out on her back and felt the world spinning around her. It had been ages since the last time she had gotten this drunk.

"Funny you say that. I think that's exactly what everyone else is doing too. Kami, I can't believe that koi fish couldn't even summon an eighth of the magic that you regularly brought during your practices." Hikaru scooted closer to her and laid down to stare up at the ceiling as well.

"If Yui were around she would have had that koi fish massacred for such a performance. Oh the angles," Chihiro mocked as Hikaru laughed.

"I just… I feel sad that I never got to dance with Haku. I worked so hard practicing and was really excited to have someone to perform with." Hikaru looked over at her and felt his heart squeeze at the small frown on her face. Turning to lean on his elbow, he put his head on his hand. "It's like somehow I haven't finished because I never had a final performance."

"Then why don't we have our own little ceremony?" Chihiro looked at him in confusion, but he seemed calm and coherent to her alcohol hazed mind. He could see the questions forming on her lips and uncertainty clouding her thoughts. "I have no magic to give you, but I promise I will respond to any call you may send. Let me be your partner. Take me in his place."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"It's quite the beautiful bathhouse you run here Master Kohaku, but it has its fair share of gossipers. Some of the tales I've heard over the past few days have given me reasons to be concerned."

"Rumors abound in every bathhouse. Most of them are groundless slander that you should pay no mind to."

"Indeed, but this one tale is particularly interesting," Tsukiko pushed as she began walking again. Haku matched her pace as the wolf prowled behind them. "Years ago a human girl came to this bathhouse while it was still under the control of the witch Yubaba. You were her apprentice at that time, yes?"

"I was Yubaba's apprentice, but I had nothing to do with the girl. She was in our world for only a few days and returned quickly to her world after her contract was burned."

"Funny you mention that. The story that I was told recalled a particular deal you struck with Yubaba for the girl to be released. It seems odd that you would barter for the girl's freedom when you were nothing more than a glorified slave yourself... especially a girl you claim to have not known."

"There was nothing unusual about it. Harboring a human in the Spirit World is a crime and Yubaba was committing treason by doing so. The deal I made with her protected the bathhouse from the Capital's retribution and put me in a position to begin taking over. As you might have noticed, I run a much cleaner business than Yubaba ever did." Tsukiko's eyebrows lifted in disbelief but she refrained from commenting as she thought over his words. Was it hard to believe that the dragon would manipulate his master to gain power and prevent interference from the Capital? Not at all. In fact, the Elders had been pleased when the greedy witch had been disposed of. It was in poor taste that they left her there while the war continued, but Kohaku managed to take care of it for them.

"What an honorable thing for you to do. Yet that fails to explain why so many of your staff are excited that the girl has returned." Letting her words sink in for a moment, she continued. "As master of the Eastern bathhouse and protector of this region, you of course would know that already."

"No one has crossed the border recently," Haku said with assurance, "We have had several small skirmishes outside of my protection spells, but no one has crossed from the human world within the past few weeks."

Tsukiko scoffed at his choice in words. She could tell by his sincerity that he wasn't lying, but there was no doubt that the girl she had clung to over the past few days was human. It just meant that she had been here much longer than any of them at the Capital had anticipated. Letting that part of the matter drop, she switched tactics.

"Don't take me for a fool, Kohaku. You know I have the power to bring you in for a public trial. I'm willing to turn a blind eye to this situation if you agree to accept the position the Elders have offered you."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Chihiro felt the moss weep condensation beneath her feet as she stood catty corner to Hikaru. He was giving her an encouraging smile, but in the back of her mind, a little bell was ringing saying that there was something Yui had told her to remember. She just couldn't quite remember what it was at the moment.

"Just focus on me. Give me everything you got." Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, Chihiro sought the inner peace of mind she needed for the ceremony. It was surprisingly easy to find, as if her inhibitions had been rolled away. As she assumed the first stance, Chihiro saw Hikaru move into a similar stance from the corner of her eye. The moss beneath her toes suddenly became cold. Jumping in surprise, she saw Hikaru straighten up in concern.

"What are you doing," Chihiro asked in confusion as she looked back at the moss beneath her feet. It appeared completely normal as if the sudden chill had all been in her mind.

"I'm just doing what feels natural. You didn't think I would respond to you like a water spirit did you?" Chihiro's silence acknowledged that she had indeed thought he would act in such a manner. Haku and Yui had both sat quietly and only moved once summoned. Heaving a sigh, Hikaru settled back into the starting stance and stared at her. "All you need to do is focus on me and let the rest of the world melt away."

Giving one last glance at the moss, Chihiro found her center again and with a deep breath began to move. This time when the ground beneath her feet chilled on her first step, there was no surprise. Keeping her eyes on the fox, she began her dance. Magic crackled in the air about them, but Chihiro did not falter. Hikaru's movements seemed surprisingly smooth and well-practiced, as if he done this same ceremony hundreds of times before. In the fields of her vision, the world faded away to white around them as if caught in a snow storm. The ground beneath her feet felt frozen solid, yet the cold did not harm her. Chihiro could feel the water come tearing up from beneath the ice and join the snow about them. This was nothing like anything she had ever experienced before. She wanted to stop and look about at the magic about them, but kept her focus where it belonged. Her steps remained steady as she called out for Hikaru.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.

Haku was careful to keep his body relaxed and his fear under control. Everything in him was screaming for him to run to Chihiro, grab hold of her, and fly for his river as fast as he could. From the rabbit's inquisitive gaze though, it appeared that she was only hazarding a bluff. She had no proof that he was involved with a human or proof that Chihiro specifically was human. As far as he was concerned, all the seer had was a handful of rumors and suspicion. It would have been a well-played move to force his hand if he were a weaker man. Instead, Haku smiled at her.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there is nothing foul at play here. The staff have been mumbling about the return of that human girl since the day she walked away. It seems they misled you in their antics. I will not take up my sword to defend the Capital when all that I love is here. You are welcome to put me on public trial if you see fit, but that would be wasting both of our times."

As Haku finished speaking, the air inside of the room became chilled and charged with magic. Something big was brewing nearby and everyone could feel it. The pulsing magic in the air was building up and even in its infantile stage, was already pulling their impurities away. Given the rapidly growing strength, there was only one person around who could be bringing forward such a cleansing magic and she wasn't calling for him. The fear he had been holding back came undammed as he realized that the water in the air and ground was going to her beckon. Running as fast as he could, he followed the water towards the source of its movement. Haku could feel the rabbit and wolf hot on his heels as the other spirits remained shock in confusion.

Turning the last corner, Haku spotted a sizeable portion of his staff members standing about a large glass dome in the garden. It almost reminded him of a snow globe with the way that the snow and rain were fluttering about inside of it. Pushing several staff aside, he stepped down into the garden and approached the dome. What had appeared to be glass upon first glance was actually a mesh of pulsing water and ice upon closer inspection. Beyond the internal swirl, Haku could spot Chihiro and that damned fox continuing the ceremony. They were only halfway done! Taking a risk, he put his hand on the barrier to see if he could push through and interrupt them. There was too much power responding to them already and if either of them were not careful, it would consume them both in their inexperience. As if sensing his intention, the ice solidified under his touch and burnt his hand, forcing his retreat. Even if he could get the water to take to his power, the ice held its allegiance elsewhere.