Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ Kohaku's Quest ❯ Kohaku's quest ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

By: Sassa

Chapter five; Finding Chihiro.

Previous: Kohaku has decided to find Chihiro, still insecure about want he really wants but eager to find her. He's leaving with Zenibas blessing, beginning his quest of finding his place. For the moment, he is to find Chihiro, his only true friend in the human world.

/ Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi /

Kohaku walked along the path barely visible in the long green grass downhill. The definitive about his decision made negative thoughts gobble in his mind, but he knew the danger and tried as hard as he could to push them away. The red gate to "the theampark" with the tunnel threw its shadow on the ground; it was afternoon. In order to pass Kohaku had to wait until the very moment before the sun was setting, while the gate was opening. Zeniba told him that humans could go through the gate in by daytime but not by night, and leave only at daytime and under special circumstances. Even if they hadn't eating the food, Chihiros parents wouldn't be able to leave, not until permitted. When Kohaku objected and referred to Chihiro, Zeniba reminded him that "special circumstances" covered people like her. People with gifts of some kind. After all she could see the Kaonathi, couldn't she? And the gods rewarded her, everybody helped her. Stupid dragon. Anyway, the gate was normally used by gods moving from their ordinary place to the Spirit Realm. Everyone had portals nearby who all led to the gate, and by passing out the tunnel, they warped back. It did of course work night time only, god time only. If Kohaku used it by night, he would appear nearby the old Kohakugawa and as a god, not fully materialised in the human world. Would he use it during the day he would enter the human world as a human only. Therefor he had to pass through the tunnel just when it shifted from human pass to gods pass. Then he would enter the human world as the between - two - worlds - god he was.

And the sun was almost setting. Kohaku took a deep breath, filled his lungs with the clear air of the Spirit Realm and began to move. The tunnel first softened the light shiny blue in his clothes, then swallowed him entirely in its darkness.

<It's beautiful in here!>

Kohaku was surprised by the appealing impression the empty, cold room gave. The fountain or whatever it was still dripped silently in the light of the coloured window. The stone was sound isolating and for a second, Kohaku was aware of the soft sound of his blood streaming through his veins. Then he remembered he had to be quick. With a sight of disappointment, he took a final look around and continued through. The last part was not as beautiful, just a broad corridor made of stone and a quite low roof. Kohaku used his new length and speeded up. Somehow it seemed he wasn't moving unusual fast, even thought he should. But fast enough for sure. In a blink he was out and was met by moonlight and stars, blinking over the old forest. Haku blinked back, startled. The air in the tunnel had been warmer than the nightly air in the human world, witch made the human part of Kohaku chill and shiver for a moment.

Puzzled, Kohaku began to think how far the tunnel had to be in order to make sunset into night. Then Kohaku remembered; he had to adjust to this new order of time. It could have been anytime out here, it was just a coincidence that sunset there was followed by night here. And maybe it was only good it was night, then he could search without being spotted.

Kohaku looked around. No path was to be seen and no houses. Only a well - grown forest and a seemingly surfeit vegetation.

Kohaku shifted shape into his real one, feeling his compressed flesh stretch out as it should. Even if the transformation was quick Kohaku felt every part of it. The shells, the whiskers, his mane, ears and antlers. The long tale and the backbend bones and - wings?
Surprised, Kohaku turned his head inspecting himself. There, where had been a serpents slim back was now two broad and strong wings. His back was not as slim no longer and his tale had thicker shells. The legs was not as weak anymore but strong and ended up in deadly sharp claws. They had kept their shape and was also covered by shells. But he was still white, the wings were white and the mane, now longer too, was flaming blue-green. Kohaku tried to see his front but couldn't see much. Confused but not at all mispleased, he tried to understand what happen.

Once again, Kohaku looked himself over and became more and more friend with himself. Indeed, the wings truly made him look like a creature more than a serpent. He wondered if Chihiro would ever recognise him in this shape, but then he remembered:

More and more pleased, Kohaku tried to flap his wings and was surprised when he immediately lifted a few meters up in the air. By one single flap. Then he tried to fly without using his wings, but even if he could remain still in the air without using his wings, he could not move without them. Backslap. Dammit. That meant he had to use his strength and not his magic only while flying.

Kohaku battered his own mind for not solving the puzzle, for he could feel that he had the solution somewhere in his mind. When not concentrating, he slowly declined to the ground, unaware of the silly impression it made. A mighty white dragon, a beast with impressive muscular declining to the ground with the movements of a swirling leaf. Graceful yes, but still silly. Instinct took over and his landing became a obvious contrapuntal. His rare legs first, taking the whole weight then lowering his front body, softly and muscle by muscle moving the weight forward. His wings followed the move through by folding ever so little as his head lowered. Half through the moment, Kohaku had been aware of the shifting position and felt with excitement these new possibilities this body offered.

Suddenly not as pleased and with an increasing anger roaring within, Kohaku turned back into his human shape. Now unaware of the chilly wind he stood straight, gazing at the stars and wondered if it was true as some humans believed; that all the answers were to be found in the stars. Because in that case he had to rearrange a few of those.

Kohaku took an overlook and discovered that a few animals had gathered around. Bunnies, birds, squirrels... all small animals who ought to flee from him. Dragons eat meat and hunts when being without servants, whether in human shape or dragon.

Kohaku felt how his humour changed his mood and lay his unanswered thoughts aside. "Why" and "what" could wait `til later. The only thing important is now. Now is the human world, now is the night and now is the longing of a long lost friend.

Content with his "clearing of the mind" (in fact the repressing of the mind), Kohaku turned his back to the tunnel, facing forward towards the animals and the trees. The night seemed to be young and he had no need for sleeping or eating. The forest invited him for a nightly walk and the transformed, half-reincarnated dragon accepted it with a free feeling heart.

Afternoon. People sat in the few restaurants and cafeterias talking and laughing while the golden sun set in the west. Couples with baby carriages walked by the main street as did all kind of people. The town had grown but was still small considering. At least there were now a large mall where everything could be founded and some miner stores who sold daintiness made of family recipes. A heart-warming town for children, families and adults but not for action hunting youths. There were not even any karaoke! However that was not and instinct possessed by the young man leaning against the bakery wall. A handful of young girls sitting at the cafÃ© opposite giggled every time his eyes fell on them- and when he shifted position. It would be a lie to claim that they whispered, because they simply didn't. They deliberately talked loud enough for the young man to hear.

"He must be new in town, I would have spotted him years ago otherwise!"

"I wonder how old he is? He must be an university student or maybe even working. But he has strange clothes."

"Maybe he is one of those new rich modern company owners. You know, internet and stuff?"

"Is likely. Maybe he's searching for a new place. This town does really need to upgrade!"

One of the girls, a black-haired young thin beauty sat silent while the others tried to make up the best origin for this unknown man. She did not join in the laughers or the jokes, but kept her gaze fixed at the man as the rest. Her eyes reviled that she was thinking and thinking hard, but no one noticed, not even the youngster. After a while the young man decided to continue his walk and a chorus of disappointment was heard from the hoard of girls. Just as he turned left onto a miner road, the silent beauty excused herself and followed him. If the other girls noticed, they did not show. Their conversation went on undisturbed.

"Wait! Please, sir. Sir, please! Sir! Wait!"

Kohaku glanced back when he finally realised that the eager voice alluded on him when calling for "sir". He had been Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi for several thousands of years, then turned into Haku-sama and finally into plain Haku. Now his name was Kohaku, even though Haku was still accepted. San or sama would be on its place, but nor sir. The neat girl panted a little after her run and her cheeks blushed in a light golden red tone. Her black eyes were wide open and revealed a depth beyond her age, as a pond of perfectly still, dark water deeper than the surface ever could reveal. Kohaku felt that this girl was something special and that alerted him. Hadn't Zeniba said that Chihiro was special? Since Kohaku no longer believed in coincidences he kept a careful distance as he fully turned and answered.

"You called?"
The girl stood a few feet away from Kohaku, seemingly calm but a closer look reviled that she was uncomfortable. But her voice was soft and smooth as she spoke in her normal tone.

"I apologise for disturbing thy like this, being a stranger and all." The girl quickly bowed and continued; "My name is Tamako Ayo and I think I can help thy find what thy are searching for."

Kohaku valued and re-valued the girl as she mixed old and polite language with modern.

"You are apologised, Tamako-sama. Now, what do you think I am searching for and how can you help me?"

Kohakus voice was still filled with the wind's breath as it had been then. Normal speech gave the impression of a whisper even though it wasn't and Tamako heard it clearly. She could hear why too; Kohakus voice echoed within itself while he was still speaking. But Tamako ignored the spell of Kohakus voice and gazed into his shifting green blue eyes as she plumped straight into a forbidden subject.

"I think thy are searching for miss Chihiro and I know where to find her."

<What? Have Chihiro told people about me?>

Before Kohaku founded a proper answer in his confused mind, Tamako continued.

"Don't worry, she hasn't said a word. But I can see more than others, and I know where she was while missing, but I have not been there myself. I can only see. I have guarded her for many years as far as I have been able- she's elder than me so it's not that easy, but I knew you- thy- you - would come. Or at least I knew someone would come. She was waiting, you see, for many years she was plain waiting. Then she tried to fit into this world and forget the other. She succeeded quite well."

Kohaku raised his hand in order to end the stream of information she had embedded within herself and tried to sort out what had been said so far.

Kohaku decided that why had to wait. Every minute counted and his useless walks through the village the latest days had been in vain.

"I want to know why you did this in due time, but now; where is she?"

Tamako seemed reviled not being asked to explain and quickly answered:

"She owns a small apartment a few miles from Tokyo."

Kohaku made a move as if he was prepared to run to Tokyo this instant, but Tamako grab him by his arm and he halted. She quickly let her grip go and pressed her hand against herself as if she was burned. Her eyes showed panic but no pain. She studded when she spoke, ripping the floating sound of her voice apart. Under repeated bowing she cried out;

"Domendo sai, kami! I did not mean to pollute thy brightness - I am terrible sorry! I am only here to serve you and your kind; please, forgive me!"

"Calm down, be quiet! You're making a scene none of us wants! Of cause I forgive you; anyone can touch me in this shape or in every shape I have. It's plain nonsense you're up to now!"

Tamako calmed down and sniffled and snorted, near to tears as she was. That's when Kohaku realised he could not leave this girl without talking with her.

Then he gazed at Tamako once again and valued her. She couldn't be elder than 16 and was already divorced from the ordinary world - had probably been since she was a baby yet. It couldn't be easy for her to see, to know so much more than others. And she couldn't flee into a false memory as Chihiro seemingly did.

Kohaku sighted and placed a firm hand at Tamakos slim shoulder.

"We'd better go somewhere else to talk. Perhaps somewhere we can sit...?"

Tamakos ponds became wells as her mind realised that she was about to have a private and quite long conversation with a god. And at the same time she felt a sorrow. After this meeting she would no longer be able to hide her gifts. It would show, everyone would notice the change. Tamakos hidden years was over. Kohaku's quest had claimed it's first victim.