Chapter 17: Home

Day 5

Kayo blinked and then shook her head. "No, no. This is all not real," she said to herself. "Just close your eyes and take a deep breath, and soon you'll wake up from this damn dream," she said again.

And she did so. And to make herself more assured, she patted her cheeks several times. Then she opened her eyes. "No way! This is real!" she yelled to herself.

Of course this is real, Mikayo, My Dear.

Kayo snapped. She instantly looked at her surrounding to search for the speaker. She swore to God that 'that voice' was the last thing she wanted to hear.

What are you looking for, My Dear?

Kayo winced her eyes. He spoke again, but she found no one with her at the moment. "Hakuro! Where are you!?" she said angrily. "Come out now and let's end this properly!"

Then she heard him laughed. Oh, Mikayo. You hurt my feelings. Don't you realize that...

Suddenly Kayo couldn't move her body. And with that happened, Hakuro finished his sentence with his deep voice, loud and echoing.

... I'm in your head.

Then her feet moved by themselves, walking eagerly to unknown under none of her purpose. "Hey! What are you doing!?"

We're going for a walk. Let me lead you.

Kayo snorted. "Stop it! Let me go!"

Hakuro laughed wickedly. You know I can't.

Now she walked in the forest. These cherry blossoms, she got a bad feeling about them. Her eyes searched around for the red haired little girl.

Hana is not here. She doesn't belong here.

"What do you mean!? Where are you taking me!?"

You'll see.

Meanwhile she kept walking towards the end of the forest. "Let me go! I will NOT ended up with you in your such cursed place!" she shouted. As if she could felt him smiled, she gritted her teeth.

Not so fast, Mikayo. I still need you to do something for me.

Then a familiar view came up at the end of the forest. A small, yet beautiful white castle stood there. Kayo's eyes widened. "No! Stop! I will not going there!" she said. And it seemed Hakuro losen his control of her on purpose, she could stop walking and turned around.

Oh, come on. I thought you missed that place.

Kayo winced her eyes and balled her hands. She would not let him toying with her even further. She moved her hands and made them punch, hit, and smacked her head. "Get out! Get out, you, Cursed Imp!" she cursed him while kept smiting her head.

Hakuro laughed again. That's useless, My Dear. Don't hurt yourself.

She didn't care. She kept on doing it. Now she went on a tree, about to bang her head on its stem.

Okay, that's enough.

Hakuro stopped her right before her head hit the stem. Kayo felt something choked her throat and now she couldn't move again.

"Please... don't... make me going... there," Kayo said hardly.

Shut it.

And her mouth was immediately shut, she could barely open it.

I'm in full control of your body now. You will do everything as I want.

Now she's turning back, heading to the castle. There was nothing she could do, only prayed to God to take her life anytime now.

Meanwhile Hakuro enjoyed her fear and anger, gave him more power to do even more wicked things.

Are you ready, My Dear?

Now they're getting close to the main gate of the castle. Her paces were getting heavier as she tried to fight him back.

Don't fight it, Mikayo.

And he choked her throat again. And this time was tighter that she could hardly breathe.

Now they had arrived at the gate. Sure, the guards recognized her as Mikayo. But as they realized that her eyes were black, they knew something was wrong and wouldn't let her in.

Simply, Hakuro made her flicked her finger. The black magic spread out and immediatly made the guards fainted. Then she walked through the gate just like that.

Mikayo cursed Hakuro over and over inside. Yes, she kept trying to fight him back. But it only made him more amused and fun.

Now, go straight to that door and knock it.

She couldn't say no anymore. So she walked. It would be no use to slow down her pace, because soon or later she would get there. And now it's in front of her, she knocked that wooden door.

Whatever it was, to hurt anybody inside that castle was the last thing she wanted to do. Someone inside opened the door. A lady with cherry blossoms pink hair and purple eyes came out. Her eyes widened to see who was on her door.

"Mikayo!" the lady said.

Kayo hugged her immediately.

"Mikayo... you're back!" the lady said again. She hugged Kayo back so tight.

"Mama..." Kayo whispered.

"Honey, who is it?" said a man inside.

She eagerly turned to him. "It's our daughter!"

The man ran out to them. "Mikayo!" he said as he came out. Then he hugged her daughter. "Mikayo, we missed you so much,"

"Papa," Kayo said. Then she looked up.

Both the mother and the father surprised to see their daughter's eyes were black and that her face was pale.

He grabbed her shoulders. "Mikayo! What happened to you!?"

The mother closed the door behind them. Meanwhile Kayo's mouth was shut, she walked further into her house. "Mikayo..." her father called. Now the three walked together. "Honey, what's wrong...?" her mother asked her.

She kept walking and shook her head. Her father stopped her and stand in front of her. "Mikayo, tell us what is going on with you," her father asked.

Kayo shook her head again. Not that she refused to tell them, but she shook her head to the order inside her head.

Say it.

Kayo shook her head once again. Then he grabbed her daughter's wrist. "That's okay, you could tell us anything, Dear,"

Say it.

Kayo balled her hands.

Say it!

"Yubaba," that name slipped out from her mouth.

The husband and wife looked at each other in confused. "Who is Yubaba, Honey?" the mother asked.

Now her body was shaking as the order inside her head wanted her to say the other two names. She shook her head. Her father tried to caress her cheek. "Mikayo...,"

But she moved her hands and withstood him. She began to cry and stepping backwards.

"Ch- Chihiro...!" the second name had slipped out too.

Her mother and father were getting more confused with the situation. Now she covered her mouth with her hand as the voice inside her head wanted her to say the last name.

She kept backing off and her foot tripped on a stair. She fell to the floor.

"Mikayo!" her mother immediately came to her and hugged her. "Mikayo, please calm down and speak clearly,"

Kayo only shook her head again and again. Her crying became lauder and her body shook even more.

SAY IT!

And Kayo slowly moved her hand away and said the last name. "Haku... Haku..."

"Yes, My Dear. And who are these Yubaba, Chihiro, and Haku?" her mother asked patiently.

Now Hakuro was laughing. So hard and it's echoing inside her head. She pushed her mother away. She began to smitting her head.

"Mikayo stop it!" her father shouted.

But she shook her head and kept smitting her head even harder.

"Mikayo stop hurting yourself!" he shouted again. Now he came to her and held her hands.

"Chihiro! Yubaba! Haku! Chihiro! Yubaba! Haku!"

Now Hakuro made her couldn't stop saying those names. He laughed wickedly and it made her ears hurt and she covered them. At the moment she swore she could see Hakuro was smiling at her. She couldn't stand it anymore, so she screamed.

Sleep tight, Mikayo.

And with that Hakuro snatched away her conscious. Kayo blacked out and fainted in their parents' arms.

"Guards! Help us and bring Mikayo to her room!" the father ordered.

The guards came and took her. "Keep your eyes on her and tell us when she's awake," he added.

"Yes, sir," the guards nodded and then carried her to her room.

The mother turned to him. She looked so worried and about to cry. "Honey, our Mikayo..."

And he hugged her. "I know," he said. "I will take care of this."

It was during the break time and the lovers stole some time to get out from the bathhouse. Haku had took her to her favorite place, the flowers. Now they're on the bridge, heading back to the bathhouse while having some light talks.

They walked through the wooden bridge. Chihiro, as usually she did, she let her hand travelled the wooden handhold. At the time she didn't notice a nail was sticking out and her palm unintentionally being scratched on it.

"Ouch!" she squealed.

Haku immediately pulled her hand to see her wound. Haku sighed. "You should be careful," he said. He took out his handkerchief and covered her wound.

"Well... I did," she said unsure.

"No, you didn't," he said firmly.

Chihiro frowned. "Next time, I will," she said.

"You don't understand," he said it with his face turned to serious.

Chihiro raised her eyebrow. "What?"

"Let me explain something," he said. "Everything that happens to you, happens to me too. You see?" and he showed his hand to her, at his palm there was a scar at the exactly same place Chihiro just had on her palm.

"I can see what you see, I can feel what you feel. I also breathe what you breathe," he said again. Now he was looking at her straight in her eyes. "So, if you die, I die."

At the end of his sentence, somehow his voice sounded weak and his eyes looked sad. Chihiro couldn't say a thing. But Haku knew what's on her mind and he shook his head.

"But it's different if I die," he said. "If I die... you stay alive," and he looked away.

Chihiro's expression was changed. "Hey, it's not fair!"

"It isn't,"

"But, why?" she asked.

Haku didn't answer.

Chihiro grabbed him and forced him to look at her. "Why?" she repeated.

Haku sighed. "Because that's how it works. We, dragons, would sacrifice our lives to keep our mates alive. It's our oath,"

Now Chihiro sighed. She couldn't get her mouth to say anything. She could only shook her head.

Haku smiled bitterly. And he kissed her.

And then someone inside the bathhouse called them. "Hey, Love Birds!"

They turned to the speaker that turned out was Lin. "Come back here, now! Yubaba doesn't want anyone out of the bathhouse!"

"Sure," Haku answered shortly. "Come on," Haku pulled Chihiro's hand. And she could only nodded and followed him.

hoowaaayy! this is it! sorry for a short chap, but i want it to be like this. hehe. now, how about that? Kayo's home now and their parents were about to have a finger in the pie. what do you say?

oh, yes. I'd like to thank to a misterious guest reader from Japan that didn't write his/her name while submitting the review. I'm glad you like my story :) and here you go the next chap~

Okay, then... hum, what to say anymore? well, I'm going to give you a clue of the next chap: What do you think if Chihiro could do some magic!?

-xx, moinami