Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ Spirited Within ❯ The Tests of Torture ( Chapter 8 )

[ A - All Readers ]

The sky was a battlefield over the Aburaya's healthy greens. Clouds blanketed the entire sky in a ferocious darkness. Thunderous lightning made itself known as it attacked the ground below. Within the storm, a long pale dragon fiercely sped blindly through the surrounding obscurity.

Hardly sensing his direction through his panic, Haku wrapped the golden seal in his long tongue. He knew it was only a matter of time before Zeniba came. He needed to make it to the safety of the bathhouse. Yet he knew no matter how fast he traveled; Zeniba would catch up to him.

“She has ways of traveling quickly through the air if she discovers you.” Yubaba's voice rang through his frenetic terror.

Haku worried briefly what sort of way she traveled.

If it was as fast as Yubaba claimed then he was going to be in big trouble---

At this thought, the already exhausted dragon increased his already break neck velocity. Unsympathetic natural winds pushed roughly against his body. The resistance it brought created a sense of extreme fatigue, and it made him expend even more energy to keep the pace. Harsh rain pelted on the sores he had accumulated from his frantic escape. The kitchenware and thread that had attacked him left small bloody scrapes and bruises over his body. Some of the needles had buried so deeply that they still stuck painfully in his skin. He didn't even notice the pain. Haku's full consciousness was busy forcing himself to continue his energy-draining pace.

His wind had found him instantly as soon as he had left the house. It had known immediately that he was going to need help in his escape. Spinning rapidly, it grew almost as mighty as the storm above and gave itself as a quick anchor for the fatigued dragon. Along with riding the fast air streams it gave, the pale dragon flew faster than he had ever done in his life.

With every small mile he concurred, the harsh pelting of the water droplets lessened. The irritated clouds began to calm their terror as he reached halfway past the border of Zeniba's land. Though it was still dark outside, the light of dawn had become apparent. A soft glow slightly illuminated his surroundings.

The sight of daylight calmed his hysterical mind.

Finally slowing his frantic pace, Haku let himself relax his poor broken body. His wind glided by him, blowing its worried breeze. Physically unwinding himself, he suddenly felt the fierce needles that had stuck themselves inside his skin. Growling in pain, the young dragon unthinkingly spread his thoughts to the surrounding nature for help--- The blustery plants and flowers hissed back, rudely refusing to give any aid. Haku groaned through his long clenched snout.

Of course they wouldn't help. They were a part of Zeniba's lands.

The seal remained tightly protected in his mouth. He would have expected Zeniba to come after him already---

Maybe he had truly escaped her…

His wind, hearing his cry for help, began to swirl itself around one part of his long body; making a miniature tornado. The pressure of its swirling forced the concentrated needles to gradually make their way out of him. Holding in his cries, Haku closed his eyes tightly against the pain. The wind continued for the rest of the pointy needles until Haku was free from them. Fresh blood spurted out of the now empty holes. It left stretched trails of red down his long body.

Haku felt himself growing weak as he felt the blood rush out of him. Shaking his huge head, he knew he needed to continue his journey. Knowing Zeniba could be anywhere, his green eyes searched the sky and grounds for any disturbance.

There was none.

Taking a deep breath, the tired young dragon picked up his harsh pace once more. Strength waned even more from his drained muscles.

The sky above began to welcome the daylight as the stormy clouds died down their reign of fury. The trees had just started to shake the wet droplets off of their fresh young leaves as the rain finally ceased its decent down from the mighty sky. The sun barely peaked over the eastern horizon just as Haku finally emerged out of Zeniba's swamp lands. Still unable to gather help from the stubborn nature below, he soon gave up on requesting emergency medical treatment.

Obviously the plants even on the border of Zeniba's lands were loyal to her.

Exhausted and overwhelmed, the green-eyed dragon knew he needed to keep going. His wind stayed by his side; continually pushing him forward with its mighty billows. For this, Haku was continually grateful the devotion it showed to him. He knew he wouldn't have been able to make it this far so fast without it.

Letting his mind wonder for a minute, Haku pondered what his beloved Chihiro was doing at this moment. Most likely she was tucked in her futon safely next to Rin. Haku entertained himself for a few seconds with the idea of her standing untiringly at the women's balcony staring at the orange skies of dawn searching for him. Allowing himself a smile even through his weakened state, Haku knew it was foolish to let his guard down with thoughts of her, but he couldn't help it. Whenever he shoved her away from the center of his thoughts, it was as though he was pushing away a part of himself.

The part that he had lost long ago to the bathhouse and its corruption.

The part he had just discovered.

On and on, he flew until he was miles and miles away from Zeniba's lands. Breathing a sigh of tired relief, he was just about to ask for a slower pace from his wind when he heard it

…a small crinkling noise…

It was very faint, sort of like paper.

Haku twitched his long pale ears back and forth to search for the source of the sound. It seemed to be behind him, but when he looked, the sky and grounds were clear. No sign of anything suspicious.

Perturbed by the mysterious noise, Haku pushed himself to speed up his already exhaustingly harsh momentum. All the while, the small crinkling sound grew closer and closer.

Worry grew over Haku's head as he once again searched the skies around him. Still nothing in sight.

Anxiously, the now alert dragon turned to his helpful wind below him and asked, `Do you sense anything?' The wind gave a quick high pitched whistle, which Haku understood to mean yes.

`Can you tell where it's coming from?' he inquired uneasily, looking down at his helper, and his wind pulled on his hurt long body as if to stop his flying. `What are you doing? Stop that!' Haku cried, as it tugged harder and harder on his tail. `Are you insane? Zeniba will catch me!' Haku yelled, swiping at it stupidly with one of his clawed feet. Of course, the action had no effect. It continued to ignore as it pulled even more firmly on him.

`Stop it!'

Looking up finally from his disobedient air stream, the youth's dark green eyes opened wide as he saw what was right ahead.

It was an enormous cloud of small white birds that seemed to fill every entire space of the half-lighted sky. But it wasn't birds. Haku knew better than to think that.

It was Zeniba.

It floated innocently closer and closer as he, with his own speed, was closing the gap. He had been flying right at it!

It was obviously riding the natural air currents to gain its momentum. It was using the very windy breeze that had been pushing against him his entire trip.

Screeching to a halt, Haku watched only for a second as the white cloud of birds made their forms more defined. On closer inspection, they looked more like paper dolls.

Not wanting to look further, the frantic dragon turned his sore worn body to speed the other direction.

No!

Right behind him was another massive cloud; bigger than the one in front of him.

He was trapped!

Breathing hard, with his eyes wide in panic, Haku watched ensnared between the two masses of paper as the seconds clicked by like hours. He was frozen in his fear. Unable to even think properly, the pale dragon felt as though he was observing from outside his body. Although he continually told it to move with his brain, it still stuck put. He was locked in his own frozen horror.

Suddenly, as if called by magic, light illuminated his surroundings. The sun, in all its brilliance, finally decided to make its presence known. The storm clouds had disappeared completely letting the clear sky shine its blue radiance. Momentarily distracted from the dangerous position he was in, Haku watched as the light danced with the dawn of the new day. As he studied the bright colors, he was instantly reminded of Chihiro once more. She flashed along his mind and, like medicine for his fear, cleared him of his terror for the incoming threat closing in on him

He would see her again.

Even if he had to crawl all the way back to the bathhouse.

New determination filling ever corner of his being, Haku flew forward once more into the first big cloud. He would take his wounds and still continue. For her.

Bracing himself for impact with eyes tightly shut, Haku slammed into the cloud with unbeatable force. He broke through easily as papers brushed harmlessly against his rough scales. But as he cleared through to the other side, the papers followed his path like a swarm of bees.

Several caught up to his speed and slipped through his heavy armor, slicing the soft flesh underneath with their sharp edges. Gasping, Haku whipped his body in the air in attempt to get them out. They continued, regardless, tocarving themselves into him. They dug deeper and deeper. Roaring at the pain, Haku felt the seal unroll out of his long tongue as he stretched it to vent his agony.

Down the seal fell, out of his mouth and back to the ground below. The papers immediately raced towards the falling treasure. Instinct kicked in as Haku dove right after them.

`Go! Go! Go!' Haku urged himself as he straightened his long body and tucked in his long dragon limbs. His wind picked up his rapidly descending altitude and pushed him farther, past the natural fall of gravity. Down he flew faster than any of the papers could go. Passing them as he gained even more momentum, the determined dragon opened his mouth as he closed in on his lost prize. The seal was his once more.

But instead of rolling in his tongue as expected, it traveled down further, much further than expected in his throat…

Gulp.

Uh, oh. This is not good.

Leveling out his freefall gracefully, Haku quickly zipped back up to his normal altitude as the papers angrily continued their pursuit.

A slight cramp started to attack him in his upper stomach as he whipped through as many of the papers as he could with his long tail. Slowly and gradually, the seal made itself known in his belly as its fierce radioactive fire began to burn.

The sun beamed down on Haku's body, reminding him of his mission to get back to the bathhouse. Chihiro. He needed to reach Chihiro

Blindly, he flew on and on with the continuing help of his faithful wind who led him on the right path. His mind was in a haze of pain. The papers persisted onward, burying themselves once again past his hard scales into his soft underside. Several dips in the refreshing water washed them off, but as soon as he resurfaced, more latched to him. No matter what he did to destroy them, there was always more to take their place. All the while, the seal scorched his organs, making it difficult to even breathe. He forced his already exhausted body to follow the trail his wind was leading him, praying that he'd hear something--- anything--- that could save him from this pain.

Hours and hours later, with the noon sun raised high in the sky, hope found him at last. It was in the form of a low rumble.

The bathhouse boiler!

By this time, Haku was physically and mentally broken. His body was bruised and bleeding. Wounds of fresh blood and dried matted crusts covered him. Inside, the pain was unbearable. The seal was beginning to physically destroy his insides, making him occasionally cough the blood that continually filled his throat.

Swirling around desperately, the bleeding dragon plunged back into the cold sweet water in attempt to loose the papers once more.

Resurfacing, he found that just like before, they refused to be lost.

“Haku! Fight `em! Come on!”

No, it couldn't be.

Haku knew he must be dreaming her voice. But then he heard it again, trying to lead him.

“Haku, this way!”

Trusting the voice with all he had, Haku raced towards the angelic tone he heard calling him. And with that, Haku crashed blindly into what appeared to be a door, and beyond that, a wall.

`Owww…' Haku growled as he struggled to right himself against his now wooden barrier, his legs grasping for purchase against the slippery wooden floor. Still very disorientated, the green-eyed dragon became aware the birds that plagued him were gone. He heard small grunting as the doors tried to slide shut.

Suddenly, he heard Chihiro scream in terror as she was hit with the papers that had pursued him.

`No! Chihiro!' Haku cried and coughed up more blood in the process. Still trying to gather himself from his currently smashed position, he hissed in pain as he forced his weak legs to support his weight. `Oh, no! Please, let her be ok!'

Righting himself finally, Haku cracked open his sore eyes only to cough up more blood. This seal was killing him. The blood splattered on wood and something else… bedding?

Gazing around him, confused, Haku realized he was in the woman's quarters. His blood was everywhere, dripping off of him in miniature rivers. He had made such a mess of the room. Turning his bleary eyes onto the balcony window, Haku saw Chihiro looking back at him without a scratch on her. Her eyes sparkled with the worry she felt for him.

`I can't stay.' Haku tried to say, but just ended up spilling more blood down his chin. He wondered how much he had lost already.

“Haku.” She said, concern filling her voice. “You're bleeding.”

`I have to deliver the seal.' He tried to say again. Fatigue was overpowering his muscles. His limbs quivered with the effort to hold himself up. The seal almost made him want to collapse right there. `No! I have to get to Yubaba.'

“Hold still. Those paper things are gone now.” She tried to approach the hurt dragon.

Haku coughed again.

“You're going to be alright.”

`I can't!'

Leaping to the air with strength he didn't know he still had, Haku flung himself past Chihiro and out the crack of the open window. After several slams into the nice plaster wall, Haku finally found what he was searching for: Yubaba's balcony window.