Underwater Savior
By LadyRainStarDragon
Rating: PG-13 / T for violence, occasional coarse language, and dangerous situations.
Not mine. I can only wish.
Chapter 1: Watery Meeting
Chihiro had turned three today. To celebrate, her family had rented a boat to ride on the river. Lily and her parents were to be there too. Grandfather was sick today, and so wasn't going, although he sent his love. She was very excited about her big day.
Usually, her parents kept her as far from the swift-flowing river as possible, especially when it had rained. She made it a point to wander down to the banks every time she could though. Something there just drew her, like bees to honey or a moth to a flame. Today however, she would be going out on the river.
"Chihiro, hurry up honey."
Chihiro grinned and ran for her mother. Looking up at the brown-haired woman from the general vicinity of her waist, she thought that there was little so beautiful as the brown-eyed woman above her. Wrapping tiny, chubby arms about one long leg, the child buried her face into the cool fabric. Her mother in turn hugged her then placed her in the boat.
"Here are your shoes. Hold on to them so they don't get lost."
Chihiro held tightly to her shoes and wondered why her mother only spoke to her to tell her what to do. Lily's mom talked to her all the time and told her how she loved both Lily and Chihiro. Nary a word about love come from her own mother like that though. Maybe Mommy should take some time off from her job. A sudden jolt brought the child out of her musings, and she looked at her plumping father as he spoke.
"Well, we're all here, we're off!"
The sturdy and reliable boat nosed out to the middle of the river, and the two families went down the river to enjoy the view. Lunches had been packed for a picnic at their landing point. Chihiro looked at her mother and noticed how calm she looked. 'Huh? I wonder why mom doesn't trust the river. She sure hides it good.'
"The rains sure have risen the water level this year. The rice farmers downstream of here should have a good year." It was Mr. Tanaka, Lily's dad, who was American by birth, which was a long story in and of itself. Blond hair twinkled in the sun as grey eyes admired the view around him.
Chihiro leaned her head over to peer into the water. It felt like something was watching her. For just a moment, she could have sworn she saw two surprised jade green eyes blink up at her. This was followed by a quick flash of silver. Surprised, one of her shoes fell into the river.
"My shoe!" She reached to grab for it, before it was swept away from her.
"Chihiro! No!"
"Chihiro!"
"'Hiro!"
Splash! She must have reached too far, because she was underwater. She didn't know how to swim, her mother had always made it a point to do her best to keep her away from any water larger than a bathtub. Air bubbled up out of her nose and mouth, but for some reason, she wasn't scared. Water never scared her.
The green eyes came back, and they reminded Chihiro of the necklace her mom wore on special occasions. As they grew closer, she saw a hint of worry in them. She then saw what those entrancing eyes were attached to. A white water dragon! She had seen one recently in one of her grandfather's books of stories that he would read to her sometimes. This dragon looked exactly like the one in the book! What had the dragon been called? Oh yeah, Nigihayami Kohakunushi.
The dragon pulled up beside her, and then slipped beneath her. Instinctively, she grabbed his horns. It was a male, although she didn't know how she knew. Her legs clamped around his sides to further hold on, and he seemed to shiver. Maybe he wasn't used to human contact. Grandfather had said that dragons often hid from humans now.
They were headed up towards the surface, and finally her head broke above the water. The dragon had only from his eyes up above the surface, to see where he was taking his young charge. Faintly in the distance he could hear the shouts of her family. Putting on a burst of speed, he reached the bank. Getting out of the water, he turned into a young man and carried her from the shallows to the shore itself.
Eyes that were jade pools filled with relief turned on her as he set her down, and she realized she had seen this man before somewhere. There was something about the intricacy of his clothing that screamed he was more than not normal, as if being a dragon wasn't abnormal enough.
His clothing was in the formal old style, and so ornate as to leave no doubt in the child's mind that he was an important personage. Rapids chased over his arms and chest, laced about the collar and end hems with fields of gold and green waves. Hakama that were an ever changing shade of blue gently flowed around his legs, stirring slightly in a non-existent breeze. A glimmer of amethyst winked at his waist, an obi to keep his clothing in proper order. Wooden sandals were all but unnoticed as they graced his feet in simple elegance. The midnight river itself seemed to flow down his back, silky smooth, and Chihiro was hard pressed not to reach out and touch it. In one hand, he held a simple wood staff, and the other grasped a tiny and very dry pink shoe.
"You should be more careful, Chihiro. Shoes can be replaced, but your parents would never be able to replace you. The river is running swifter than usual because of the rains you know."
With that, he handed Chihiro her shoe.
Chihiro blinked. When had he gotten her shoe? She accepted the offered shoe, dazed an not fully taking in anything around her, producing a rather disjointed effect for her consciousness.
"Thank you. What's your name? How did you know my name?"
"I am called Nigihayami Kohakunushi. Kohaku or Haku is fine. I have known you since you were very small. Your parents are coming."
"My mom doesn't want me to be anywhere by myself. Can you sit with me until she gets here?"
The young man nodded and sat down beside her. Chihiro felt very safe. After a while, she saw her parents and her friend's family.
"Chihiro! O, thank the Kami you're okay!" Her dad was suddenly very emotional, and it unnerved her a little to see that.
"Chihiro! What were you thinking? You could have drowned!" Uh-oh, mom sounded pretty mad.
"It's ok mom and dad. Kohaku saved me and brought me to shore."
She turned around to point at him, but he was gone.
"But . . . he was right here!"
The adults shook their heads and muttered something about hallucinations and washing up on shore. The picnic was taken right there. From the shallow, hidden in the swirls of water, a white dragon with piercing jade eyes smiled and watched.
'It has been a long time. You have certainly grown, Chihiro.'