Chapter 22: The War

Haku threw his body to his bed. He knew it'd be useless to try to break free and escape from the prison spell Yubaba had made. It'd only slough off his power and waste his time, he wouldn't do that.

Damn it! I only asked them to lock up Chihiro, not me! Well... I shouldn't have trust them blindly.

He sighed. Then he closed his eyes.

So, what now?

He took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind. He realized that he had been pessimist and negative. There must be a way to break free from Yubaba's prison spell.

Now he sat up, then recalled the spell Yubaba said, making sure that he wasn't wrong. Once he did, he searched amongst all spells and magics he had learnt, for another spell that might against it.

He winced his eyes as he found it. He hesitated. For the prison spell made the prisoner powerless, that meant he could do no magic, the spell against it must be done from the outside. How could he do that?

Haku snorted and shook his head. He jumped out his bed and went to the door.

He knew he might be out of his mind. Though he knew the rule but, hey-! We would never know if it's true until we try to break it, right?

Haku placed his palm on the door. Once again, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Cleared his throat, he played out the spell that might save him. And...

Nothing happened.

"Uhh..." he mumbled. "I wasn't focused," he said to himself. "Okay, let's try once again,"

This time he tried to pull it out harder. He could feel the energy inside his body moving and vining to his hand. When it reached his fingertips, it went back flowing to his body. Haku couldn't believe all this was happening.

"No way!" he yelled to himself. He tried it once again and the same thing happened.

"Damn! It's true!" he sulked. He punched the door, not to break it, only to let out his frustration.

Haku sighed. He had never experienced pain on his fist after punching something, but this prison spell really made him weak. How could Yubaba did this to him?

He stepped back, thinking. If the door was a big deal, then he still probably could deal with another thing that more breakable. Then he turned to his window. Without another doubt, he walked to it and punched it.

"Argh!" he roared. Damn it! He shook his head. He shouldn't use his fist. Then he turned to the other side and took some steps away from his window. Took a deep breath, he focused all his energy and put aim on his elbow. He moved aside fast, banged his elbow to the window with all powers he got.

The window cracked. "Seriously, only a crack?" he protested. "I hate being weak,"

Then he walked, grabbed his wooden chair from his desk. "Dear damn chair, I hope you could get me out of here," he mumbled. He lifted it up above his head and threw it to the window.

Turned out it worked very well. Through the recent crack Haku made, it broke through the window. Haku smiled widely before something odd happened. The chair wasn't dropped and dragged by the gravity. Instead it was being held by the prison spell, like it was an elastic rubber shield.

Haku cocked his eyebrow. "What the hell?"

Before he could realize, the prison spell bounced off the chair, it swooshed back to his room, straight to him. It hit him and so on he was thrown off and crashed against the door.

The next thing he knew he was trying to sit up from all the pain on his body. He opened his eyes and his wooden chair was broke down to pieces and they scattered everywhere around him.

"CURSED YOU, OLD HAG!" he cursed Yubaba at the top of his lungs.

Now Haku stayed sat there and leaned his back on his door. He was very angry and confused. He didn't want to let out his anger anymore because it would change nothing. What should he do now? He couldn't think clearly and straight. It all brought him back to think about Chihiro. He really wanted to talk to her, ask for apologies, and probably ask for her help… But he just had no courage to contact her. She must be upset and mad with him. He knew it, he could feel what she felt right now.

Haku shut his eyes. Oh, Chihiro….

"Haku…!" suddenly she contacted him in a perfect timing. "Haku, can you hear me?"

Haku took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Chihiro," he answered.

"Haku! Haku, where are you? The war, has it already begun? Lin and Q locked me up in my room! Please help me, Haku!" Chihiro said it at one blow.

Haku didn't know what to say. He just felt guilty and failed… in everything.

Chihiro was confused. Why didn't he answer? "Haku…?"

"Chihiro, I… I'm sorry," he said.

Chihiro's eyes widened. Now she could feel anger, pain, and sadness from him. "Oh no!" she uttered. "Haku, are you hurt? Where are you?"

Haku felt his guilt grew bigger as she worried about him. "I'm okay, Chihiro. Please forgive me,"

Chihiro didn't like this. "Haku… is something wrong…?" she asked getting more worried.

Haku prepared himself to surrender with everything she'd throw to him. "Listen… That wasn't Q and Lin," he started. "That was me,"

Chihiro winced her eyes. Now he talks about them? "Wait, Haku… You mean…?"

Haku sighed. "I asked them to lock you up,"

Then there was no answer from her. He could only feel that she was angry and disappointed.

"Chihiro, I know you're angry with me, but-"

"Why did I call you?" Chihiro said regretting that she asked for his help.

"Chihiro, please-"

"Really, Haku? You made this selfish decision in a time like this?" Chihiro threw out her anger. "I really am disappointed, Kohaku."

Selfish? He had been so selfish? He was only wanted what's best for her. If only Chihiro would understand… But Haku couldn't tell her that, now he needed her to cooperate.

"I'm terribly sorry, Chihiro. You know I really am," he said. "I wish I could come to you and get you out, but now I got myself locked up too,"

Chihiro sighed and folded her arms. "Oh, instant karma. Sweet," she said sarcastically. "Now, what are you gonna do, Dragon?"

Haku smiled bitterly. He thought he deserved it. He stood up, turned around and facing his door. "Uhh… Can you do magic, Chihiro?"

"I can't," she answered short. "I tried, but it won't play out," she said again.

So, Q used the same prison spell to her room, he decided. "Can you?" she asked him in return.

"Neither can I. Seems like they used the same prison spell that makes us powerless," Haku said. "Even I can't turn into dragon," he said again.

Chihiro sighed and rested her head on the wall. "So, what now?"

"I don't know," he said. He placed his hand on the door, as if Chihiro was right at the other side of it. "But I'm just glad that we could still be connected," he said again.

"Yea…" she said. But then she realized something, Haku had just dinged the bell. Chihiro lifted her head up. "Wait! That's it!" she said eagerly.

Haku was confused. "What?"

"We could still be connected!" Chihiro repeated his sentence.

Haku didn't get her point. "Yes, and…?"

"The prison spell made us individually powerless, yet, we're still connected," Chihiro started. "I'm saying that, what if we could do magic together?" she asked excitedly.

Haku thought for a second. "You're right! It's worth to try. Why haven't thought of this before?" he exclaimed. "You're a genius, Chihiro,"

Chihiro grinned. "How about that Garwa spell you made?" she sparked an idea.

Without any other words, Haku played out that 'exchanging eyes'. The next thing Chihiro knew was she was seeing Haku's door and sure Haku must be seeing her door.

"It works!" Chihiro cheered.

"Great!" Haku uttered. "Now, Chihiro, I want you to center your focus on me,"

And Chihiro did so. Then the dragon inside was roaring, she felt it like it was herself. But no, it was Haku. He's turning into his dragon form!

"Good Dragon!" Chihiro said happily.

Haku took some steps back. "Let's see if we can do this,"

Chihiro smiled. She knew what he was going to do. "We can,"

The dragon moved fast forward, with Chihiro's favor to play out her magic to him, he floated and flew straight to the door. Now he's about to bust out, they both closed their eyes, praying.

Haku felt his head and antlers hit his wooden door and broke through it. The next thing welcomed him was a burning pain all over his body.

"The prison spell!" he squealed.

Chihiro swiftly deliver him a hand. "Baayooh!" she casted a spell.

Then the burning pain slowly faded and turn into mild breeze soothing him.

"Thank you, Love," Haku said.

Chihiro smiled. "Yea, turns out some spells I learned by myself aren't ill-starred,"

"Yes!" the dragon roared. "Chihiro, I'm already out now!"

"I know. I'm proud of you," Chihiro said. Then she took a deep breath. "Now, come and get me out of here, Dragon," she ordered.

"Mikayo!"

The girl who finally woke up from her recent swoon turned to the voice that called her name. With her blurry eyes, she saw a lady with cherry blossom pink hair and a very soft-hearted looking on her face, which she recognized her as her birth giver.

"You're finally awake!" the lady said again. She tried to touch her daughter's hand.

Kayo jerked. She immediately sat up and took a backtrack away, she patched herself to the wall at the other side of her bad. "Mama, please don't touch me!" she squealed.

Sakura looked surprised. "I don't want you to get hurt, Mama," Kayo said again, before her mother get her wrong.

Sakura burst into her soft smile. She climbed up the bed and got into her daughter's side. "It's okay, Little Flower," she said. She tried to hold her hand again.

At first, Kayo was still scared and about to eschew, but then Sakura finally held her hand. Kayo shut her eyes hoping something would happen, but nothing did. "See? It's alright," Sakura assured her.

Kayo smiled a little, she felt relieved. But as soon as it happened, her smile washed off and turned into frown. Then all the bad things happened yesterdays, all the havocs she had done, all it came into her head and flooded her with emotions and fears of sin.

"Mikayo… It's alright…" Sakura said. She caressed the cheeks of her daughter who was now crying.

Kayo's cry erupted. "Mama…!" she uttered between her cries. Now she didn't hesitate to throw herself into her mother's arms.

Sakura embraced her tightly. She petted her back and nosed her head. "There, there," she said. "It's okay, you may cry and let go all your sadness,"

Kayo nodded her head and hugged her mother even tighter. This was the only thing she wanted to have since Hakuro started and everything went wrong. But now everything's fine, she was home. I… am free…, she thought. She took a deep breath and curled out of her mother's arms.

"Are you feeling better?" Sakura asked.

Kayo nodded. "Mama… How long I've been fainted?" she asked.

"Six days," Sakura answered.

"Six days!?" Kayo repeated in surprise.

Sakura nodded and smiled weakly. "Yes, My Dear," she said. "We were so worried. You didn't even move any bit. We thought we lost you," she said again while stroking her daughter's hair.

Kayo sighed and smiled bitterly. "Where's Papa?" she asked again.

Then the look on Sakura's face was changed. "He left," Sakura answered shortly.

Kayo wrinkled her eyebrows. "Where did he go?"

"I'm not certain, but do you remember when you came here in your peculiar condition," Sakura stopped to gulped. "You mentioned some names abruptly. If I wasn't wrong, they were Yubaba, Chihiro, and…"

"Haku," Kayo said, completing her mother's words. She was scared about where was this conversation going to.

"Oh, yes, that's it," Sakura said. "Your Papa is looking for them. He will make them pay for what they did to you," she said again cautiously.

Kayo's eyes were widened. "Oh no,"

"Wait, who is this Haku? Is he a new boy you met during your quest?" Sakura asked got in the wrong focus.

Kayo shook her head, not answering her mother's question. She jumped out her bed and went to the window instead.

"Mikayo?" Sakura asked, she raised her eyebrow.

Kayo didn't answer her. She was thinking, with her eyes kept looking to the west.

From the very first… I came to Yubaba's bathhouse. Everything was fine, though soon there was a little crazy lovey-dovey problem, that shouldn't be a big deal for me. Then Yubaba sent me to Hakuro's place to deliver him a box that I have no idea what's in it. The next thing happened; he was messing with me… no. He deceived me. So, I ran away back to Yubaba's bathhouse, I meant to quit because I knew Hakuro's power that has been induced into me is everything wicked. Well… I could've told Yubaba about this, but I thought it wouldn't change anything. Then that thing happened, when I was so close to quit and leave politely, that power took over me and made me raged all over the bathhouse. Though there's not much I can remember, I'm pretty sure I caused a huge damage there. But hey…. That wasn't me…!

Now Kayo folded her arms.

And then I guess Hakuro purposely let my inner desire to combine and so I kidnaped Haku. Yeah, that part… I blame myself for it. That time I thought I succeeded, but everything was wrong. I got Haku with me, but I wasn't freed from Hakuro's power. I remember I tried to ask for Haku's help, but then Hakuro controlled me again. That's when Chihiro came to save Haku.

Yes, I was angry. And my anger got upgraded by that wicked power, that I meant to kill Chihiro. I wouldn't do it if I was just me. Chihiro was lucky that Yubaba appeared and protected her, and now… she's dead. Oh my God… I took my own boss's life!

Realizing that she might couldn't bare the guilt of taking someone's life, she bit her thumb finger.

I was horrible. Then I ran, Haku chased me, and shortly I used the power to escape. Was that a mistake….? And when I woke up, which I thought everything's over that Hakuro was going to drag me to his place. But no… I ended up here back home. He controlled me to what…? To make my parents confused?

At the same time, she winced her eyes.

Wait. This is all confusing. Why this is all have to be complicated? If all Hakuro really wanted is me, why wouldn't he just drag me offhanded? He… used me. And with this condition right now… Yubaba… Haku… Chihiro… and Papa… this means that…

Kayo's eyes widened as she figured it out.

….I'm the bait!

"Mikayo, what's wrong?" Sakura asked again suddenly, snapping Kayo back from her thoughts. Now Sakura was standing behind her, holding her shoulder.

Kayo turned to her. "Mama, this is bad," she started. "We have to stop Papa,"

Sakura shook her head with a little smile on her face. "Don't worry, Mikayo. Your Papa will take care of everything," she said. "You have just woken up and you're home now. Be with Mama," she said again. Now she reached her daughter's arms, about to pull her closer and hug her.

Kayo shook her head. "No, Mama. You don't understand," she said, and she detached her arms from her mother's grip.

Once again Sakura tried to reach her. "Mikayo, please-"

"No, Mama!" she said with a high tone. "It's not their fault!" she yelled a little.

At the end of her sentence, Sakura's look was changed. She gave her that weird look that made Kayo confused.

"Mama, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"

"Mikayo, what's wrong with your eye?" Sakura asked, while looking closer to her daughter.

Kayo winced her eyes. "What's wrong with my… Oh, no!" she gasped. "Are they turning into black again!?" she asked in horror.

Sakura shook her head a little. "Oh, no, they're not," she said. "But your right one has just turned into gray," she clarified.

Now Kayo was panic. "Gray!?" she asked in disbelief. She was then spontaneously turned to her right, which as she remembered that's where her dresser was.

She gasped until she brought her hand to cover her mouth. Her eyes widened to check herself if she was seeing the color of her right eye wrong. Turned out she wasn't. It was now fossil gray like the ones Hakuro had. Meanwhile her left eye was still the normal purple she had. So, she was wrong. She thought she was free, but now she probably could never break free.

She could feel her body trembled now. Her eyes no more turning into black, but now it's gray. Oh no…. Now Hakuro's trying to claim me…! And he probably will turn me into what- something like him?

"Stand still, Mikayo," Sakura said.

Kayo turned to her and found her mother looked raging with her eyes glowing and her powers fluttering out of her body.

"Mama, what's wro-"

Before Kayo could finish her question, Sakura strangled her without even touching her. Now she pushed her until she crashed at the wall.

"Turns out that wicked thing isn't gone, but it has got into you," Sakura said cautiously.

Kayo couldn't move her body, yet her mother still let her to breathe and talk. "Mama! What are you doing!?" she cried.

"Hold still, Mikayo. Mama will get that wicked thing out of you!" Sakura said firmly, then she walked towards her daughter.

"Oh, no, Mama don't do that!" she cried in panic. She tried hard to move her hands.

Sakura wouldn't listen to her. Now she's right in front of her daughter, she was about to touch her daughter's head.

Kayo shook her head and finally she could get her hands moved, now they were holding back Sakura's hand. "No, Mama! You'll only get yourself hurt and that'll make everything even worse!" she yelled.

Sakura's hand still steady. "I don't know was it you or that wicked thing who was talking," she said. Then her expression became a little softened. "Don't worry, Mikayo. Mama will save you,"

And Sakura finally got her hand touched Kayo's head, then she began to pull out Hakuro's power. Kayo screamed. She could feel it, that wicked power fought against her mother's power, and it hurt her.

Kayo shut her eyes and stiffened her body. "Hold still, My Dear," Sakura said.

Kayo gripped her hand. "Mama… please, stop…!" she cried. "I'm… only the bait!" she said finally.

Sakura looked confused. Her eyes stopped glowing, her powers were no more fluttering all over her body, and she let Kayo go. With that Kayo almost fell to the ground but Sakura caught her before it happened.

"What do you mean 'you're the bait'?" Sakura asked.

Kayo gasped for breath. "Yes, I'm only the bait, Mama," she repeated.

"The bait to what?" Sakura asked again.

Now Kayo gulped. If she let her know, that would make her put a hand on the pie, and that would make her life in danger. "I-i… I think I should go, Mama," she stuttered.

Sakura shook her head and grabbed her hands on the wrist. "First, you tell me exactly what's going on, Mikayo," she ordered.

"I can't, Mama," Kayo said. She shook her head and tried to pull out her hands. "We have no time for that,"

Sakura shook her head and never let her go. "You are not going anywhere before you tell me the truth," she said firmly.

Kayo felt her eyes burning and she's sure that now she was on the verge into crying. "Papa is in danger, Mama!" she yelled.

Sakura looked surprised, yet she said nothing. "Please let me go, Mama," Kayo begged. "I'll go catch up on Papa and do what I must," she said again.

Sakura looked away. "No," she said, then she turned around. "I'll go," she said again while heading to the door.

Kayo hastily stood up and ran to her mother. "No, Mama, don't go!" she stopped her. "Mama stay here, and I'll go,"

Sakura shook her head. "No, Mikayo. You said that you're the bait, then you must stay home," she said without looking at her daughter.

Kayo pulled her mother's hand and hold her. "Please, Mama," she begged. "I don't want you to get hurt,"

"You've taken too much, Mikayo. Mama will go,"

"No, Mama, it has to be me!" she yelled a little.

Sakura turned back to her. Her feelings were mixed. Kayo could tell from the look on her face that her mother's now angry and sad, also confused and scared.

"This is what I've been embroiled in, so it has to be me," Kayo said, her cheeks were wet of her tears. "Please, let me leave, Mama," she begged again. Now she knelt before her mother.

Sakura took a deep breath, as if she's making a hard decision. "Mikayo, we-"

"Mama…" Kayo cut her. She shook her head because she didn't want to hear any other refusal from her mother. She looked at her mother right in the eyes. "I'm running out of time, Mama…" she pleaded her.

Now Sakura shed a tear. She knew Mikayo was right as her eye was now gray. "We're running out of time, Mama," Kayo corrected. She pulled her mother's hand closer and kissed it. "Please, let me go," she begged again with a weak smile.

Sakura sighed then burst into a bitter smile. She crouched down to her daughter and hugged her. "Alright," she whispered. "Only with one condition," she said again.

Kayo nodded. "Yes, Mama?"

Sakura saying a spell, which Kayo thought it was a prayer, then she blew to her daughter's head and kissed her. "I put my power as a sentinel on you," she said. "With that, my Little Flower may be a little stronger than she is now," she explained.

Kayo smiled. "And everything she will experience, Mama will surely know," Sakura added.

"Thanks a lot, Mama," Kayo said, and she hugged her once again.

Sakura embraced her tightly. Hopefully, it wouldn't be the last time.

"Now, go."

As what the fortune teller had guessed, the sun really didn't rise that day. So, it was dark. Now the black mist had deployed from the hills into the town until the bridge and the bathhouse.

Q's azure eyes glowed for a second. This was it. The war.

Out of nowhere, suddenly a figure of a soldier, came to his way, sharp and running, and attacked him. Q had prepared, with his sword on his right hand, he whipped that man immediately. Q took a deep breath. That was just the beginning. The next thing coming up to the view, a huge wave of soldiers heading closer to where he stood.

"ALL BEWARE!" he shouted taking command. "FIGHT WITH ALL YOU GOT AND KEEP YOUR EYES OPENED FOR A FRIEND," Q paused his words as he realized there's another soldier behind him. Then he turned around and stabbed the soldier with his sword. "OR FOE!" he completed.

With that the war began.

The swarm of the soldiers attacked everyone there as what they had been dictated. They didn't bother to attack from the first line, some of them surprisingly appeared at the middle and the last line too.

"Q, they passed through the two lines ahead!?" Lin asked surprisingly, while she fought against the mobbing soldiers around her and troops.

Q was having a foe strangling his neck from behind. "No, they don't!" he answered Lin through the pendant. Then he stepped on the soldier's foot, lunged at his trunk with his elbow, he turned around and knocked him down. "They showed up anywhere at the same time," he explained.

Lin growled. These soldiers were kept coming out of the black mist that's getting thicker and thicker. "How many are they? We've been knocking down plenty but they still coming and even crowded!" she complained.

"Yeah!" Q agreed. "It's getting boring to face all their flat faces," he said again while having one in front of him and he punched him down on the face.

"Yes, I told you they're all puppets," Yubaba said through the pendant. "Seeing this, I think Ji-In intended to exhaust us all to death,"

"Damn it! The mist is awful, I could barely see anything," Lin sulked.

"Guarded up!" Yubaba commanded. "Q, I can see plenty of us has down and it will be getting worst. I'm ready to take my part anytime now," she said.

Q had just realizing it. He stopped for a moment and looked around. Bodies on the ground, some were running for their life, some were crying and screaming in pain. "Not yet! Wait for my command!" Q shouted.

"Q, what are you waiting for!?" Lin cried getting panic.

Q clenched his teeth. "Presage!" he answered. "Oh God. Lin if you hurt or need help, shout to me!" he said again to Lin.

Lin was being encircled by soldiers, then she weaponized the recent body she knocked down. She lifted him up and swung around against the cordon and they got easily down like domino lines. "No!" she refused Q, even she got injured a little but she's fine. "You shout to me!" she overturned his words.

Then there was a sound of roaring dragon somewhere in the mist. Lin was surprised. She was about to look for it but then suddenly a foe was moving fast heading to her and about to aim her head. Before that could happen, someone stroke him down. Lin turned around.

"Don't worry, Lin. I got this," said the savior that turned out was the foreman. "Go," he said.

Lin nodded. "Thank you!" she said and left him.

The couple was flying high above inspecting the battlefield. "Oh my God, it's really happening," Chihiro uttered as she rode on his back.

The dragon groaned. "It's dark and too misty, we should go low for better view," he said, and so he flew low.

Then she saw a woman figure with a long hair, was walking blindly within the fog. "LIN!" she called, hoping that it's her sister.

The figure turned her head looking for the voice that was calling her. She couldn't be wrong, that was Chihiro's voice. "Why on earth they're here!?" Lin asked.

"Who?" Yubaba responded. Meanwhile Q was only listening.

"Haku and Chihiro!" she cried, and she sped up her pace.

"So, they managed to escape. What a stupid couple," Yubaba commented.

"Haku, it's Lin!" Chihiro cried to him. Then Haku went down sharp and landed a few feet before the figure. The surrounding mist got blown away as he did, so now it's clearer and she was right. Lin was now running to them.

Chihiro stepped down to the ground and Haku shifted back into his human form. Chihiro stared at Lin in disappointment, but Lin looked away to Haku.

"I had no choice," Haku said firmly.

Lin snorted and shook her head. "Fine, then," she said. "We stick to the plan. Haku, you go to the middle and Chihiro will be with me," she commanded.

The couple nodded and Chihiro was the first to move.

"Chihiro," called the dragon.

She turned her head to him. "You know this could be useful," Haku said again while pointing their 'exchanging eyes.' At this point Lin had just realizing that now the couple had different eye color on each side, like they switched their eyes.

Chihiro merely nodded. "We should hold the fort and thus we're stronger," he stated.

Chihiro nodded again. "Sure. I'll watch your back," she said.

"No," he said. "I; will watch your back," he overturned her words.

Chihiro replied him with a little smile, a smile that he would never forget. And with that they split up, fulfilling the forecast to complete their destiny.

Hi, it's me, finally after 3 months. I know it felt like forever.

First of all I want to apologize for my overtime absence, I've been having much to deal with my life. There been ups and much downs, that was me with myself, family things, and yes, medschool life.

Then, I'll confess that it was so hard to write this chap, that I worked it so long in confusion to describe what's in my head and I was afraid that I couldn't make it. But here it is. I know that this part's something new for me, yeah this is much out of my area. But, hey! I gotta explore!

Thank you for all your support and I really appreciate those who still reading and kept reviewing. You lift me up.

I hope you still enjoying!

XX -Moinami