By〜 HannieNannie

I, The Sacrifice

Chapter I

〜Our Past〜

(AU) Every village has a God they must appease. For Chihiro, she lives in the dreadful village of Shiroryu with an unpleasant past. As if things couldn't get worse, the village is attacked during the sacrificial festival! Whisked away when trying to escape, Chihiro stumbles into the hands of her village's River God – mistaken as a sacrifice. Thereafter awaits a mass of predicaments.

In ancient times feudal Japan, villages rely on their own reigning God for life. Whether it be a sun, water or wind deity, without their complete satisfaction your village may suffer until death. Their demands – mainly sacrifices, are carried out by special rituals heard only by the village's Oracle.

In one particular village – there is no food, no water, the soil is as dry as the air. The River God wasn't happy and forbade the village from its resources. They weren't allowed the river's water, nor the animals who were allowed. All plant life was dying, withering as the God sent the rain away. The people survived by merchant trades whose duty was inherited to them through generations. All the villagers were left with an explanation from the Oracle. "He says"-the old woman announced-"those who yearn must learn." That was all the God had said to his people.

Some say the God is cruel and demon-like. A steely-eyed, monstrous dragon whose personality's sadistic for human pain and agony. His home – unseen by the human eye is rumored to house human slaves who've disobeyed the God in the past. Being tortured and probably eaten! Although they were merely horrible rumors, the first Oracle being the only one who had ever laid eyes on the God during the village's creation hundreds of years ago.

。。。。

To be caught, whether by a fellow villager or the God himself (highly unlikely), endangered the lives of her family. At seven years old and growing weaker by the day, Chihiro wandered away in search of food. Everything was dying along with most of her village; the sun was always shining without the slightest chance of rain. The cicadas buzzed one after the other, intensifying the heat you could see in the atmosphere.

Using the trees to navigate, frail and limber legs traveled through the forest. She could hear the river off to her side and hoped the further she wandered from her home, the less likely she was to get caught. The Oracle warned them, the God had forbidden all use of the river, the edible plants and the animals who lived off its water. Chihiro herself didn't know why they were being punished but wished the suffering would end.

Her stomach ached and growled as she licked her dry and cracked bottom lip. Being poorer than the others, her family could barely afford to trade their belongings for food and water. So secretly Chihiro set out in search of something that wasn't already dead and dried for her family to eat.

The further she walked the louder the river's current roared in the distance, it was like she was heading straight toward it... Lost, Chihiro stopped to think about which way to go, but with the sudden silence, she heard from behind a slight rustle! Swinging her body around, her eyes scanned between the trees looking for any signs of life. When she spotted nothing peculiar Chihiro exhaled in relief and took a shaky breath of air as she walked on, all was calm until from somewhere behind—

Snap!

A twig broke! Without looking Chihiro ran in fear of her life. Her hands smacked against the trees as her body flew through the forest. The river's rhythm grew louder as she did closer. Though it was too late to turn around; Chihiro stopped behind a tree with lungs heaving for air. Green foliage all in bloom surrounded the pasture before her like a majestic wall of trees. The terrain was so open– so large that the clouds roaming above left their colossus shadows illuminated upon the earth. In the distance, blue mountains decorated the horizon line on land Chihiro would never be able to venture to. The long blades of grass dancing to the sudden wind caught Chihiro's attention as she leaned against the tree.

The immense Nushi River separated the valley, nurturing the nature all around Chihiro. This place where she stood, was not allowed for those in her village. Though too exhausted to care, Chihiro simply stared at a boy gawking her way. The realization of what or who she was looking at never fully registered, her apprehension was amiss. Taking another step forward the world started to spin as she fell unconscious to the grass. The boy stared with surprised eyes, his short hair in a flurry to the sudden raging wind.

. . .

A cool soothing sensation filled her mouth and without thinking, Chihiro swallowed. The feeling caressed her throat gulp after gulp. It was relieving, a feeling she treasured. Still to drowsy to comprehend what was going on, Chihiro lied still as she heard gentle footsteps fade into the distance... When the realization finally sank in that she wasn't alone, Chihiro jolted upright with eyes wide like a child in trouble! Her heart pounded in her chest and afraid she would be seen she picked herself up and ran into the forest without even a glance around her.

Heaving for air as she took off in a sprint, her energy hastily faded. Taking a quick look back the way she came, Chihiro didn't see anyone and turned her head back arou—

"Oof!"

Repelling backward to the ground, Chihiro bounced off her bottom wincing in pain. Snapping her eyes back open – she stared up full of bewilderment at a boy who shared the same expression. With her mouth agape, Chihiro had never seen him before to know if she was in danger or not... His flabbergasted face calmed seeming to become almost angry. "You shouldn't be running around like that, you're weak." The words fell on deaf ears as Chihiro rudely gawked at him, but a moment later and he to became quiet – returning the rude stare she was giving.

After remaining in silence for a short period the boy spoke up. "What is your name?"

Awestricken by his cleanliness, he bared not one smear of dirt anywhere on his body. "Chihiro," she finally answered.

"My name is—Haku." Pausing momentarily before stating his name, Chihiro didn't seem to notice.

"...Where're you from," she asked.

Looking up to his downcast gaze Chihiro blossomed a dangerous curiosity. Haku looked different from the other children in her village; his clothes were formal and made of silk. "I'm not from around here," was all he had to say. It was as she suspected, no one so clean and alive was from her village, at least not now. Having looked away Chihiro flinched when an outstretched hand appeared in her peripheral vision. "I'm not going to hurt you." His voice was stern though held a sense of trustworthiness to it. Chihiro looked up at his small smile and stared into a pair of green eyes fixated on her brown ones. Shakily she raised her forearm and placed her dirt crusted hand on his palm.

Once on her feet, his hand disappeared as silence overcame them. Haku looked angry, his eyes squinting in thought. "What are you doing outside your village's territory?" Chihiro's heart skipped a beat in anticipation, his tone darkening.

"I"-pausing a moment Chihiro looked down to her feet-"I was looking for food—for my family." She blurted and showed a face to Haku that softened his intimidating demeanor. "Please don't tell anyone!"

Staring desperately into a stiffened face, Haku never responded to her plea. Instead, he took hold of Chihiro's slender hand and guided her back to the valley. Silently she followed, her heart pounding all the while.

Never once did she take her gaze off the back of his head. Short strands of hair stuck up as he walked. Staring at those short hairs they turned green when the sun shone on them through the leaves. They matched the color of his eyes, both a shade of green. It reminded Chihiro of someone she didn't know well in her village. She spent hours swimming every day in the river until her dark hair started to turn green. Chihiro wondered if Haku was a swimmer too.

When they emerged from the trees, Chihiro squinted her eyes from the sun's blinding light. The clouds had all passed leaving the sky a deep blue all the way to the mountains. It was beautiful. She had no clue such a place was so close to her village. Chihiro never wandered around the village until recently when the God began his punishment. Leading to the day she left altogether. Though she mostly snuck away whenever the opportunity arose.

The hand held onto her own lifted as they stopped mere feet away from the river. Peeking her head around his arm, Chihiro watched as he pulled out a wooden bowl from the inner folds of his shirt and asked, "What is that for?" Haku remained silent as he crouched down to the ground. Anxious Chihiro leaned away as he scooped up the river's water. "D-don't do that!"

Rushing forward, Chihiro smacked the bowl from his hand sending the water spiraling through the air. Surprised at first, the boy stared in astonishment. "The Oracle said we can't touch the water..."

Haku gazed down at the ground until finally looking her way. Chihiro frowned seeing his angered face, then instantly regretted her rash actions. "...Nothing will happen, no one would harm a child." His tone was serious though Chihiro knew this outsider wouldn't understand.

Shaking her head she backed away while Haku deliberately scooped up more water. Chihiro stared in awe, surprised anyone especially someone just a little older than her would defy a God! "See, it's alright," he ensured taking a sip for himself. "Nothing will happen, drink it. You're dehydrated." Chihiro furrowed her brows in anger, ignoring the ache from her dry throat. Seeing she had no intention of taking a drink herself Haku nudged the bowl toward her mouth.

Pushing it away, Chihiro yelled in his face. "I won't drink it! My parents are... how can I...?" Her eyes sparkled with moisture. The bewildered boy backed away from Chihiro with eyes bright. It was silent for a while, both not looking at one another. The wooden bowl sat idly on the grass.

"If you do something for me, I won't tell anyone you wandered off." Relaxing his held back shoulders, Haku looked down to a weak little girl. Whether she did his favor or not he wouldn't tell a soul about the girl he met today. "Only if it rains—I want you to meet me here tomorrow afternoon."

"Um... but—"

Cut off, Haku crouched down to pick up a beige lumpy sack hidden in the tall grass a few feet away.

"Take this," he said. Caught off guard Chihiro threw her hands out as the heavy sack collided with her chest. Taking a look inside, there were at least a dozen persimmons! Bewildered, Chihiro looked back up to thank the boy she had just met, though he was nowhere in sight.

Holding the gift tightly, Chihiro looked around. Even the wooden bowl was gone... 'Where'd he go?'

。。。。

The next day the entire village was running around frantically! Having just woken up, Chihiro was faced with delighted smiles from her mother and father. They had every bucket and container placed outside to be filled with water. Getting up from her futon, Chihiro slowly walked over to the shoji —a latticed sliding door leading to the outside of her home, and slid the door open.

Gasping a much-needed breath, Chihiro's eyes sparkled from amazement. Looking up to the sky, her face was hit drop after drop cleaning her face in streaks. There was nothing but happy and ecstatic faces in her village; it had been a long time since those smiles were last seen... All cheered with joy as relieving rain fell from the sunlit clouds, soaking the dried earth.

After enjoying the rain for quite some time, Chihiro sat on the tatami in her home. She listened to the hundreds of droplets one after the other, the sound of the rain – it soothed her anxiety. A weight burdening her chest lifted; Chihiro felt like she could breathe again.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Chihiro remembered something strange that happened. Yesterday she met a boy she had never seen before. He gave her a sack full of persimmons that rested on the floor. Chihiro told her parents she traded a dozen of her pretty rocks for the fruit, they didn't question her more... That boy's name was – Haku. Remembering his compromise, he told Chihiro to meet him again if it rained today. 'But how did he know?'

. . .

Later that same day, Chihiro waited until the clouds passed by. When the sun finally shone she took off into the forest, her feet slapping into puddles of water. As she ran and not at a fast pace, rain dripping from the trees kept landing on her face, blinding her vision when on her lashes. Wiping the droplets away, she slowed as to not get lost. Coming to a stop and squinting her eyes, Chihiro could see the open valley stretching out for miles. Though no one was there beside her.

Stepping out into the open, Chihiro crossed her arms into a hug while looking at the dark blue and gray clouds headed to the mountains. When her gaze dropped and landed on the Nushi River, a chill vibrated her already freezing body. The river scared her... After all, it belongs to a God who has the power to control whether her kind lives or dies. The current was fast and vigorous; not knowing how to swim Chihiro would surely die if she fell in. Many of her fellow villagers have drowned in the water or said to have been eaten or even enslaved by the God himself. But Chihiro doubted those rumors and often wondered why they sounded so exaggerated.

The only sound drifting to her ears was the pitter-patter of the raindrops all around the valley. Despite her shivering body, Chihiro could stay and listen to that sound all day—

"You'll get sick standing like that."

Swiveling around, Chihiro's heartbeat hastened. Walking her way was Haku and in his hand a wooden bowl full of clear liquid. Noticing her gaze Haku lifted his hand, "Here."

Staring at him a little dumbfounded, Chihiro could only blink. "It just rained you know?" she finally said.

His soft smile faded as he waited for her to take the bowl. "Yes, but there is medicine in this water, to help you gain your strength back. Here just drink it." Wondering what he did to the water Chihiro took a small sip... It tasted the same as usual but as she drank more, her stomach felt bubbly.

She thanked him and gave him the bowl back. Not shortly after they found shelter from the rain. Even though Chihiro wanted to ask how he knew it would rain... the moment never came. The rest of the day was spent next to his side. He showed Chihiro animals and strange plants she had never seen before, a land other than Shiroryu. And even though they were venturing into another God's territory – Haku promised her it was safe. With everything around them so vivacious, how could Chihiro resist? The new tastes, scenery, and animals were all so phenomenal! It felt like a once in a lifetime experience, but it was more than that.

Almost every day for a few years Chihiro met Haku and always did something incredulous. Every time Chihiro was shown something more beautiful than the last. It didn't take long for their friendship to grow – Chihiro felt their bond would never break. Not long ago, Haku promised he would take care of her. It was one they made together. Of course, Chihiro was ecstatic but as the days went by it all unexpectedly had to come to an end. Haku needed to return back to his ill father's side...

From the day he first saw Chihiro and the guilt he felt seeing how pitiful she was – he had to take care of her, but he never imagined himself harboring such feelings after all the time that's passed. A pain centered itself in him for he wasn't able to say goodbye. Until the next time they meet, which may never come, Haku returned to his home.

。。。。

After visiting their meeting place day after day, Chihiro never saw Haku there. As weeks passed by and still no sight of her friend, Chihiro could feel the desolation happening inside her. All the happiness she felt during their time together seemed like nothing but a dream... Was he injured or killed, what could have happened for him to just disappear?

As more time passed by Chihiro still didn't know what happened. Remembering the sincerity of their friendship, she eventually came to the conclusion that Haku had somehow died. For she never saw him again. The memories they shared couldn't be so easily forgotten, she had to repress them from ever recollecting to prevent further heartbreak.

The boy who promised her a better life was gone from hers forever. Months turned into years and Chihiro moved on to become a beautiful young woman, only thanks to him. For she intrigued and enlightened his mind about human nature, in ways even Haku was surprised by. In his eyes Chihiro was pure.

Revised 6-22-16