Author's Note: Special thanks to Amidstsnow & dv36muskan for your thoughtful reviews and words of encouragement for my past two chapters. I cannot express how much your words have impacted me. Thank you both so much! This chapter is dedicated to you!

As a side note: A big thank you to everyone who has read this story decided that it was worth a damn and marked it either as a favorite or follows it. Kisses and hugs have been sent your way!

As another side note: Online, I am really shy... * blushes uncontrollably* Again, Thank you everyone for baring with my personality defects and still enjoying my story.

Chapter 3 - A Familiar Cottage

Jasmine … smoke from a wood fire….something sweet?

Those were the scents that greeted Chihiro as she woke-up. After becoming aware of the smells, she kept her eyes closed and focused on what else she could learn about her new situation.

A feeling of peace and security wrapped her in a blanket. She knew that these feelings couldn't be hers… but somehow she knew she was safe ... at least for now. She was lying on a bed of some sort, soft clean sheets, her wounds just felt mildly aching and her head was no longer throbbing.

"Come on now Sen, it is time for you to wake-up now. There is still much to do and I know you have questions that need to be answered."

Sen?

Chihiro opened her eyes. And then she blinked a few more times. She was staring at the spirit fairy grandmother from her children's stories. Zeniba?

"Yes, its me. It is so good to see you again Sen, oh wait that's not your real name, Chihiro...It is so good to see you, Chihiro."

Chihiro had no idea that she had spoken the name out loud.

The soft loving smile, the royal blue dress, oversized head with the mole on her large nose, brilliant eyes, everything down to the delicate embroidery on the sleeves of her dress. The woman in front of her was the same woman from her imagination that helped Sen and Haku on their journeys in the Spirit World.

"How can this be?"

"Well, I guess that depends on what you are asking. There are many miraculous things here in the Spirit World and back in your home, the human world. But first things first, please dear heart, let me put this other band of protection on you. Let your dear Grannie protect you a little bit longer."

Zeniba held out a small purple hair band in her oversized hands.

A flash of recognition….she had something similar that she always wore… always…. Shifting her weight, Chihiro used her arms to sit-up on the bed. In the back of her mind, she still couldn't believe that she was still alive and that she didn't hurt as much as she should. She had been shaken off a friggin dragon above the cloud line. Something magical was happening here. She knew this wasn't a dream.

Once Chihiro was upright, she reached to touch her head with her left hand and noticed that her ponytail was gone, her mid shoulder length hair was a in a tangled mess. This meant that somehow during the night she had lost her favorite purple hair band.

Tentatively, Chihiro reached out her hand. Zeniba gently placed the slightly sparkling item into Chihiro's waiting palm.

A flash passed through Chihiro the second the new hair band touched her skin. Not memories per say… but feelings flowed through her. She felt lost, young, confused, scared, determined, trusting, hopeful... and…. loved? She knew that at one point in time she had been greatly loved by the people here. Instinctively she knew that in one point in time those emotions were her own.

"I have been here before." Recognition and acceptance.

Zeniba kept her loving gaze on the daughter of her heart. Chihiro looked away and took in the room . Her mind was going a thousand miles a minute. This room, that she could not remember ever being in...was the same one she had illustrated countless times before in her stories. The simple wooden farm table, the spinning wheel, the hearth with the cooking fire.

"I have been to the Spirit World before…this is real."

"Uh-Uh."

Chihiro turned and saw the same black see-through creature from before.

"No-Face…" Where had that name come from?

"That's right, dear, No-Face found you, once we knew you had been hurt, and brought you here."

"Thank-you, No-Face." Heartfelt with a head bow. She turned to look at Zeniba, when the door flew open.

"When I get a hold of that girl I am going to kill her!" A beautiful woman stood at the doorway dressed in simple work clothes. "Hey Zeniba…" her voice trailed off as she looked at the young woman bandaged sitting-up on the bed situated next to the fire.

"Sen." Whispered from her lips.

The next thing Chihiro knew was that she was enveloped in a tight hug. Chihiro was too shocked to fight her off. Especially when she felt the woman's tears on her shoulder. "Stupid dummy! When I heard you had tried to fight the Black Dragon, I feared you were dead!"

Her words tugged at a more recent memory..."Black Dragon… Aki!" Chihiro began to struggle How could she have forgotten! She needed to rescue her son! "I need to leave! I need to rescue Aki!"

'Easy, Easy Chihiro.'" Zeniba's voice broke through her panic. "I need you to drink this, then we will talk

"Who is Aki?" A puzzled expression marred the beautiful woman's face.

Zeniba, ignoring the new woman, worked on coaxing Chihiro to calm down and place a cup of tea before her. Chihiro started drinking the tea that had been placed in front of her lips without question. She was too lost and confused to put up a fight. She needed their help to tell her what was going on, and hopefully tell her how to rescue Aki.

The tea must have had something in it, because almost immediately, she felt her panic subside. She sent a questioning glance to Zeniba.

"Just a simple spell to calm your nerves and aid your healing." Zeniba answered her.

"Help me. Help me please, my…." How did someone explain legal guardianship in the Spirit World? Did that even exist?… Chihiro faltered off.

Why was she being so stupid?! She roared at herself. Aki was kidnapped and he had to be rescued! For all intents and purposes he was her son! That was all that mattered.

"My son was kidnapped and given to a black dragon… I don't know why he was taken, but I have to get him back!" Chihiro continued where she had left off.

The room was silent and all eyes focused on the weary human woman. No one had been expecting that to come out of her mouth.

Tears came pouring out of Chihiro. In vain she tried to hold them back.

"Help me please," she said hiccuping through her stubborn tears. "Aki was kidnapped. He must have been drugged and he...and he was given to the black dragon! I wasn't strong enough to save him. I tried to. I really… Really I did! Please. Please help me. He is only a little boy. He has been through too much he doesn't deserve this too!"

The sobs roared through Chihiro's body. She was losing herself to her panic and fear. She knew that she was barely making any sense.

"Hush now." Zeniba held Chihiro in her arms and soothingly rubbed her back.

Chihiro took some gasping breaths trying to force her body to stop crying. What was that trick she had learned in group sharing sessions at rehab when she was sick of crying with everyone... Stare up and count things on the ceiling? Glancing up Chihiro tried trick that now. Stupid ceiling had nothing on it to count! Her chin quivered and she continued her body racking sobs.

MInutes passed. Then more. Zeniba continued to hold Chihiro, but now rock her back and forth as if she were a frightened child. In many respects, she was. But then again, she wasn't; she had her own child to rescue.

Finally Chihiro felt exhaustion start to overcome her. Exhaustion she could use. Through experience she had learned it is pretty much impossible to panic when you have no energy. After one last wheezing sob, her tears changed from frantic and hot to a slow steady stream.

Zeniba hel her in her arms.

Chihiro focused on her breathing and Zeniba's heartbeat. Spirits had heartbeats. Who knew?

Three more deep exhales later, Chihiro was finally able to speak again.

"I went home because Aki...my son... had a visit scheduled with his grandmother. She was also mad at me for something, well, she is always mad at me for something or another...but..she...she filed some legal paperwork to make sure that Aki and I would be there. When we made it to my parent's house, she must have been watching because just minutes after we arrived she broke into his bedroom and kidnapped him!"

The spirit woman pressed her hand on Chihiro's arm also expressing her support.

Chihiro refused to make eye contact with anyone knowing that if she did, she would break down again.

"At the time I didn't know it was his grandmother, but I saw Aki being carried towards the woods and I gave chase. I could never catch up to them, but I made it to a tunnel and once I made it through, I saw her lay Aki out like an offering, and this gigantic black dragon emerged from the water! I didn't really think about what I was doing….I just reacted. He's my son. I told him it was my job to protect us! My job to protect him!" She crumpled inwards. The reality struck her. She had failed him...She had failed him.

Chihiro stopped paying attention to others in the room. She was losing herself to her familiar self-hatred and regret that she had battled years ago...

The younger spirit woman sighed dramatically with her arms raising up in defeat, stood-up turn around and faced Chihiro with her hands now on placed on Chihro'ss head in exasperation. Her actions snapped Chihiro out of her inner turmoil.

"Well, I guess I cannot give you too much grief for taking on the Black Dragon... If I had been in your situation, I would have probably done the same if I were in your place."

Her words and touch were enough.

Chihiro felt her lips mirroring the spirit woman's rueful smile. She couldn't help it.

"We were once close weren't we?"

"Yeah kiddo, but I still consider us close. Souls and spirits that have connected… those ties don't change. They are not temporal. I will help you get back your son back. I know where the SOB who stole your son is, and frankly he owes me some payback for a couple years of grief. I thought working under Dragon Boy and Yubaba was bad, the Black Dragon, is what he is known as, he's a real piece of work."

"I'm so confused, I don't know what is going on..." Chihiro trailed off. She looked back at the teacup she held in her hands. he room was becoming fuzzy. She had been drugged. Zeniba's words echoed in her head, she knew that she had been given something more than a "spell to calm her nerves and aid her healing." Sending up a final accusing look at Zeniba. She had trusted her!

Zeniba took it in stride as she tucked Chihiro into bed."Hush, hush, dear one, do not fret. You are safe. Right now you need to rest-up and with Lin's help, I will try to determine why the Black Dragon stole your son."

As she spoke, Chihiro slipped back into a deep healing sleep.

This time, it was Chihiro's ravenous stomach that woke her up. It was night again.

When she went to move, Chihiro was surprised, but at the same time wonder why she was surprised, the soreness and stiffness had left her body. This was also the first time that she noticed that her clothes had been changed. Instead of dirty ripped up jeans and a soft knit wool blend sweater, she was dressed in a billowy, soft, flannel, long nightdress with frills. Something she most definitely didn't own.

"Good Evening Chihiro. Did you sleep well? Why don't you go wash-up." Zeniba pointed her overlarge head towards another door off the the right. "I have taken the liberty of washing your clothes. They are hanging up behind the door in the washroom."

Chihiro nodded, steadily made it to her feet, and crossed the hall. Maybe the spell induced sleep really did heal her.

Closing the door behind her, she saw that Zeniba had washed all of her clothes, including her bra and underwear. She flushed with embarrassment; she hadn't realized she had been going commando. Shrugging at herself to get over it, she decided that she was being too prude.

Walking to the sink, she stared at herself in the mirror hanging above it. With a swooping movement she pulled her borrowed nightdress off over her head. Naked, she stared at herself. Well, naked except for the purple hair band that was around her wrist like a bracelet. She didn't remember putting it on. But she didn't remember a lot about the last few days.

Ribs more exposed than normal, most likely due to not eating since who knew when, her fingers trailed over skin making note that she still had her slight muscle definition...she was sore, but after checking her muscles and joints of her ankles, knees, hips, back, shoulders, neck, elbows and wrists... rotating them, twisting them, and testing their flexibility;, she was able to determine that besides the yellowing of bruises mixed with old scars scattered across her body with the admonition of faint scabs covering her forehead; she was physically fine.

Emotionally, that was something else. The weary guarded expression in her large brown eyes, under her grimy disheveled hair let her know that she was fighting off another onslaught of tears.

Aki.

His name whispered in her heart.

Bottling her emotions, she slapped her face hard. The sound reverberated throughout the room.

She could not fall into to another emotional breakdown. No! She did not have the luxury of tears right now. Later, once Aki was safe back home, then she would lock herself in her room and cry for days to heart's content, she promised herself.

Chihiro turned away from the mirror to face the surprisingly the western style claw foot tub filled with warm water and flower petals. She stepped in, let the water cover herself. and worked on washing the her terror and doubts away.

Obviously she had survived the Spirit World before. and she would again. Plus, considering everything she had been through in the last ten years, she was more than strong enough to do what needed to be done. She and Aki would be returning home safe and sound. There was no room for doubt.

None.

She refused to let her mind go down that dark path.

Sniffing hard and bottling-up the tears that had made their presence known by the sharp prickling sensation in the corner of her eye, Chihiro ducked under the water one more time before getting up to leave the tub. She didn't have time to break down again. It was time to face whatever was in store for her.

Once cleaned and dressed, Chihiro left the washroom dressed in her newly cleaned clothes, with her wet hair falling between her shoulders blades. She kept the hair tie on her wrist as she joined Zeniba in the main room. The others were still gone.

Chihiro open her mouth to start asking questions, but Zeniba masterfully placed food in front of her and informed her that she would not have her questions answered until after she had eaten everything.

With Chihiro's stomach grumbling loudly, she acquiesced, and tentatively starting eating the bowl of porridge in front of her. After the first bite touched her tongue, Chihiro's eyes became wide. This was delicious. The buttery and nutty notes of the grains were completely satisfying. Greedily she dug in. She hadn't realized the full extent of her hunger.

As she was finishing her last bite, the front door swung open, and in can No-Face and Lin.

No-Face did not give any sign that they were bringing good or bad news, but Lin's expression was grim, and Chihiro felt her stomach drop. She was beginning to regret eating, and wishing she had insisted that they take her to Aki last nigh; even though she knew she had been in no position to do so.

"Calm down Sen, and don't get any crazy ideas. Your son is alive and safe for the time being."

"What do you mean; where is Aki?"

Lin sighed and raked her fingers through her long brown hair. "He is in the top tower of the Western Bathhouse."

"Bathhouse?"

Zeniba explained. "The Western Bathhouse is one of the most powerful bathhouse in the Spirit World. Lin works there. Spirits and kamis come to be purified and return to their jobs… The Western Bathhouse used to be controlled by the witch Yubaba, consequently my twin sister, and later the White Dragon, Kohaku joined her in ruling the Bathhouse." Chihiro got the distinct impression that both woman were waiting for recognition to come from her. When there was none, Zeniba continued. "But that was years ago. Kohaku left, and the Bathhouse was overtaken by the Black Dragon almost two years ago. My sister has been imprisoned in the bowels of the bathhouse ever since."

"Dragon Boy was a fool. Because of his arrogance and stupidity, Yubaba was left vulnerable, and all of us have suffered." Lin interjected. There was no mistaking the disgust in her voice.

"Lin, please stay focused." Zeniba reprimanded.

"Sorry. Anyways, I learned that a human boy is being kept in the Black Dragon's personal chambers, he even forced Yubaba to provide spelled spirit food to the boy so he wouldn't disappear."

"Hmm…" Zeniba seemed to be lost in thought.

"Did you see him?" Chihiro's anxiety reverberated.

"No, but I spoke with someone who did. He's unharmed and doesn't stink too bad for a human. The boy was given food and then placed in spell to encourage sleep and healing."

"How do you know it was Aki and not someone else?"

Lin faced Chihiro square on. "Thats a good question, but the reality is that so few humans make it to the Spirit World now, plus the Black Dragon was seen carrying him to the top tower room the same night you re-entered the Spirit World. It's almost impossible for the boy in the top tower room to be anyone else than your son."

"I still am not sure if I understand…. but why was he taken?"

"I can only think of three reasons why the Black Dragon would kidnap a human child."

Chihiro felt her heart stop. She didn't like the tone in Zeniba's voice.

"The first reason would be because the Black Dragon was craving the taste of a human child, but because Aki is still alive and not eaten right away, plus he has him in a healing sleep... I do not believe that is the case. From what you have told me, the Black Dragon somehow must have gotten to his grandmother... so those two must have a history together. There is no other way she would have been able to cast that spell on you."

"Spell?"

"Yes, you had the remnants of dragon magic on you when No-Face brought you to me. It would explain why you had such difficulty moving and following after her while she carried your son away that night."

Chihiro took a moment to digest this information. Looking down, she began to play with the purple hair tie with her thumb and forefinger.

"So what you are saying is that Aki was kidnaped for a specific purpose. If the Black Dragon had wanted the flesh of a human child, there were easier children to kidnap and eat. He somehow got Mrs. Fujimoto to file worthless pleadings in court knowing that I would return with Aki to try an negotiate with her. You're right. He must be specifically after Aki...But why?"

"The leads to my second reason, but first, I need to know something. Chihiro, I need to ask you a delicate question, was Aki conceived through joy or sorrow?"

"How was AKi conceived? What does this have to do with anything!?" The sharpness in her tone even shocked Chihiro.

Zeniba was undeterred. "It matters a great deal, our spirits are formed and imprinted at the moment of conception, for me to know why Aki was chosen, I have to know the circumstances of how he came to be."

Feeling her jaw working and her chin trembling. Damn it! She had already promised herself that she wouldn't cry! The room was silent as everyone watched Chihiro struggle to compose herself.

"Sorrow…" Chihiro's voice as barely heard. The silence in the room was deafening.

Chihiro refused to meet anyone's eyes.

Rei. Her heart clenched. Again the guilt ate away at her soul. She had been a horrible best friend. If only…. But if she had...would Aki even be alive? Would Rei still be dead? For a moment, Chihiro felt that she was only left with the dead and their accusing eyes glaring at her.

When it was evident that Chihiro would not offer any more information, Zeniba continued and Chihiro snapped back to the present. She would not go down that path again. Not now. Aki's life was at stake. She had to focus.

"Since Aki is a child of sorrow, his death on the upcoming midwinter's moon, in less than six-weeks, will create a huge powerful increase for any entity that is able to absorb his soul. The second reason why the Black Dragon would want Aki, would be because he plans to sacrifice him to use Aki's soul to increase his power, which would then allow the Black Dragon to be able to fully dominate the Western Bathhouse, kill Yubaba, and maybe even set himself up as a new kami in the Western province. If the Black Dragon did that, even if we were to get help from the Spirit Capital, we would not be able to compete with his power."

"..."

"What would the third reason be?" Lin asked after seeing Chihiro completely shut down.

"Somehow Aki means something to him….maybe a blood tie, maybe a promise made to a human vassal, or someone who once was a part of his house… Dragons are very proud and very loyal. They make sure to take care of what is theirs."

"Chihiro, who was Aki's father?"

"..."

"Was he human?" Lin continued to pry.

"..."

Lin and Zeniba exchanged another glance. They both could tell that they were on dangerous territory with Chihiro.

Chihiro swallowed hard and then began to speak. "He was a disgusting creature and I am glad he is dead. He was human. I have no doubt in my mind. He was human."

"Are you sure?" Lin gently pushed. "You did just become reacquainted with the spirit world…"

Blood boiling. If she had never met, heard of, or knew the destruction Mr. Nori Fujimoto could cause, she would never have understood that expression; blood boiling. Thanks to him she did. Because that is exactly what her blood was doing right now. If Aki was suffering anymore because of that pathetic piece of filth, Chihiro was going to find a way to bring him back to life so she could then rip off every piece of his flesh staring with his penis, until he begged for death. Then, and only then she would leave him to slowly bleed out till he died. She would not regret it. It was more than he deserved.

But Lin presented an interesting question; was he human? Yes. Yes, he had been. She knew that deep within her soul. Pity. It would have been convenient to blame his actions on some sort of demonic attribute. But no. He had been your classic sadist son of a bitch preying on those weaker than him for his own sexual gratification.

"He was human." Chihiro restated. There was no arguing with her tone.

Shit. That meant the Black Dragon was after Aki to be a sacrifice. How the hell was she going to be able to rescue him...

"How far away is the Bathhouse? Can't I just sneak in and grab him and go back home? Lin, could you take me to him? Can we go now?"

"Hold on there Sen, it's not that simple. Zeniba, help!" Lin held her arms out trying to physically ward off Chihiro's barrage of questions.

"Chihiro, Lin is correct; it is not that simple. If you were to be able to sneak in and rescue Aki, how would you prevent the Black Dragon from kidnapping him again in the human world?"

"He could come to the human world?" Chihiro felt her stomach drop.

"Yes he can. He is a very powerful spirit and he has the ability to pass the barrier; but I do not know for how long."

Chihiro's mind began rebelling against what she was hearing. The Black Dragon couldn't make it to the human world otherwise why did he use Mrs. Fujimoto and her legal filings to bring Chihiro and Aki back so she could kidnap him? There! That prove the Black Dragon couldn't make it to the human world!

Neither woman was impressed by Chihiro's reasoning.

"I don't know why Mrs. Fujimoto was used to help with Aki's abduction, but I do know that the Black Dragon is very old and very powerful. He does have the ability to enter the human world." Zeniba's calm authoritative tone kept Chihiro's panic down even though what she was saying was terrifying her.

"Chihiro, the only way for you to ensure Aki's safety is to defeat the Black Dragon before the midwinter's moon."

... Chihiro felt her world crash around her. How the hell was she supposed to defeat a Dragon?!

Chihiro move away from the table and went out the front door. No one stopped her.

Outside a cold damp breeze tangled her still wet hair. It was dark, her eyes were having trouble adjusting, but she could see that the cottage was alone off a well maintained dirt path. In some part of her mind, she recognized that she was on the verge of another panic attack. But instead of crying, clawing at her skin, or engaging in other productive freaking out behavior, she instead focused on the feeling of the cold night air nipping through the natural fibers of her clothes.

Slowly as more layers of detail became noticeable to her, she was struck by the beauty present in the night sky and all around her. She became aware that she was unconsciously running her fingers over faint specific scars on her wrists… memories beckoned on the edge of her consciousness. Her scars, that almost signaled he defeat...gave her strength.

"Hey girl." She spoke to herself out loud while staring straight out into the night. "Just hold it together a little longer and I promise that you will have the biggest freaking out session ever once we get Aki back home safe. Hell, We might even fly to Shanghai, meet back up with some friends, and party so hard I forget my own name. But until then. No freaking out. You can do this. You can do this."

The wind pick-up blasting Chihiro with its strong cold burst. Chihiro gave a defiant mental "fuck you" to her foes tormenting her her out in the night. With nothing more to be done, she turned to reenter the cottage. Now as not the time to freak out.

"How much time do we have before the midwinter's moon?" Chihiro spoke without a preamble as she walked back to the farm table.

"Less than 6 weeks." Zeniba answered. She was taking Chihiro's constantly changing moods in stride.

"What do I need to do to rescue him?"

"Well, even with our help, we are not strong enough to take on the Black Dragon."

"Who could I get to help me?" Lin was struck by how steady Chihiro was speaking. She was taking everything in and moving forward. Just as she had as a kid. She could smell the tears and panic on her skin, but Chihiro was doing a masterful job controlling her emotions and focusing on what needed to be done in order to save her son. The human woman was really something else Lin thought fondly.

"What you mean is, who can you get to help us. Right." Lin's voice interjected letting Chihiro know she was not open to argument. Lin was tired of being left out of the conversation.

"Why would you help me?"

"Ow!" Chihiro rubbed her head from where Lin had bopped her.

"Don't be such a dope! Of course I am going to help you! Stop being so stubborn! Get it through your thick head that you have friends here who are ready and willing to help you save your son!"

Chihiro's first instinct was to make a smart ass retort… but when she saw the determination, love, and respect in the sable spirit's eyes….She was humbled. What had she done in the past to merit such devotion?

"Thank you."

"Well now that your silly pride has been taken care of, Zeniba, do you have any suggestion for how we are going to take out the Black Dragon?"

"By enlisting the help of a certain white dragon of course."

"Wait, white dragon? Just how many dragons are there?"

"Dragon Boy got himself captured three years ago." Lin pondered out loud.

"Thats right, Kohaku is still being held in the Tower of the West…" Zeniba continued ignoring Chihiro.

"He's just sulking if you ask me." Lin flashed an unreadable glance at Chihiro.

"Dragons are stubborn and proud; they do not take it lightly when their honor has been besmirched..."

"That's one way to put it…" muttered Lin under her breath.

"Wait, what are two you talking about?"

Both ignored Chihiro's question and continued their discussion.

"We will need someone of his power if we are going to be able take on the Black Dragon and finally free the Bathhouse."

"But even Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi might not be be enough unless you…"

Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi had she heard that name before?

"Wait. I don't mean to interrupt, but what does this have to do with Aki? How am I going to be able to rescue him?"

The women exchanged a glance Chihiro could not interpret.

"Chihiro, does the name Yubaba or Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi mean anything to you?" Zeniba's measured tone frightened Chihiro. There was a wrong answer to her question.

She shook her head no. Those names meant nothing to her. Shit. Her son was screwed! She would never be able to rescue him because she didn't remember people she was supposed to! It was all her fault.

Zeniba seemed to expect her answer.

"Chihiro, even with my magic, I am unable to take on the Black Dragon and free my sister, however, if you can free the White Dragon from his prison, and convince him to help you on your quest, the three of us-"

"Hey!"

"Uh-uh!"

Interjected Lin and No-Face.

"Sorry, the five of us should be able to free Yubaba and together we will hopefully be strong enough to defeat the Black Dragon and free your son before he is sacrificed."

"Is there really a chance we could save him?"

"Yes dear heart, I would not give you false hope. If you can convince the White Dragon to help you, all of us together, should be able to defeat the Black Dragon, ensuring the safety of your son."

A lightness elevated Chihiro's heart. There was a chance she could save Aki. She would not fail.

"That settles it. Lin and No-Face, tomorrow you both will guide Chihiro to the Tower of the West. Chihiro, your job will be to rescue Kohaku, and convince him to help you with your quest."

"But I thought we were going to rescue the White Dragon….."

"He's both. Technically, he is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, but everyone calls him Kohaku, and he is a white dragon."

"Oh…"

"Chihiro?"

"Yes?" She looked up from her clenched hands to face Zeniba.

"You will be successful. Do not doubt yourself."

Chihiro nodded solemnly. She would be successful. She would not lose Aki.

It was decided that they would leave by daybreak. Even with Lin guiding and No-Face providing support, it would still take them three days traveling by foot to get to the Tower of the West. Once they were there, they would have to figure out how to sneak in and rescue a certain white dragon.

It wasn't the best plan; but it was what they could do.

A few hours later, after packing food and supplies, Chihiro, Lin, and No-Face, left the safety of Zeniba's cottage and headed to out to rescue a dragon.

Please review. I would love to know what you think. : )