Wow, I love the small town vibe of this chapter, particularly with how vibrant the supporting cast members are! Gossips abound and secrets can be heard if one listens carefully in the silence between the sentences. Like how Charisma Thug paled immediately seeing his kid being just saved from drowning and simply scrammed. I think there's a deeper issue at play instead of just him shirking responsibilities.

This is also an interesting way for Haku to gain an adult form, albeit it's not a completely unexpected one. Chihiro immediately twigging that there's something more _interesting_ in Kiri's background is fun. Also, I get as curious as a gossipy fishwife at Suzume's history with Reika. So many skeins of stories to pull at an try to untangle! Heh heh heh.

On the upside, Haku would feel less insecure when it comes to Hidé, now that he can easily walk alongside Chihiro in his newest form. Of course, emotions aren't always rational, so who knows what will actually happen?

*Makes popcorn and sits down for the long haul*

"Ridiculous...he'll love it"

Ha! That made me chuckle. I love Cinna the most of all the gods large and small! (Well, sure, Haku rates higher, but he's not an OC). There's something blunt but honest about her that I find really comforting, even if she's rough around the edges. Then again, I'm a cat person.

I can recognise Suzume's grief now. If I had been Chihiro's age, I wouldn't be able to see it. I still feel sad for him, though. He's dealing with his pain in the only way he knew how, even if it meant lashing out at Chihiro. Haku's a reliable guy here when she's confused at Suzume's outbursts and I like him for it. You've captured his quiet steadfastness very well.

I grinned at 'was he a dragon or a Vulcan?!' thought. Yeah, that's Haku to a T alright. I like the little hints of her interests and hobbies while she grew up.

And yay for both of them settling in at Hakuryo onsen!

When Hide's father was said to have left while there was virtually no mention of his mother, I already suspected that she'd have to be a denizen of the other side of Japan, not the human side one/ningen. I've been wracking my brain, trying to come up with a mythological/folkloric being that might have siren-like effects (I have my suspicions on what seemed to be Chihiro's rather intense attraction to him).

And here she outright appears in front of Chihiro! A land goddess! Man, that's enough to make me back away from any potential love interests that I'm not that close to yet. That's one mother-in-law you don't want to cross.

That was...far heftier than I suspected. I do hope that Chihiro and Haku's friendship would get past its rough waters soon. I think they need each other-as friends, really, I didn't mean anything further yet. How many people can Chihiro actually talk about when it comes to her responsibilities as the land's owner? Haku clearly also needed to find his footing in this new bathhouse and this new place too.

You've captured perfectly well that mythological dragons are creatures of storm and rain and not simply a human that can occasionally be a giant lizard. I like the scent of rain that hovers around Chihiro when he's nearby, as well as the storms that reflected his emotions.

As for the destruction of the old bathhouse...it's bittersweet to realise that even freedom has a price. But it feels realistic, and that's one of the things that Miyazaki's work doesn't shy away from, so even that fits well here.

I like both Cinna and Suzume from the moment I figured out that they're youkai, in case it wasn't clear. Suzume's now tied to Chihiro's line, isn't he? The poor guy had just realised it when he tried to go against her command.

The beginning of this is _beautiful_.

Oh, it's not an easy start, no. Instead of stepping right into an adventure, what we're following immediately instead is Chihiro's tiredness, of her being completely fed up with her cheating (now ex) boyfriend. It's not a nice headspace to start at, but it does give the impetus for her to cut away the detritus of her previous life.

The description of the changing path towards Chihiro's parents' house, the sense of unease built up over the torn torii, the statues, the forest...it all culminated in the torn up 'old amusement park'. And suddenly Chihiro felt as if her heart was torn out of her chest, even if she didn't know why-and we the readers feeling that loss keenly along with her, with the added pain that came from our knowledge.

The _other_ bathhouse is a delight. I like seeing Mrs. Nikkou, her homemade dishes, and the ancient kitchen and Cinna. I can almost see all of it rendered in loving detail like all Ghibli movies. It gave Chihiro a sense of déjà vu and yet different enough to make her question where the impression comes from, what with the blank in her memories. It's an excellent balance. As new beginnings go, this is promising.

Perhaps if it had been ten years ago, I might not have the patience to sit down and savour the changing landscapes around Chihiro and observe the slight shift of atmosphere that heralds the arrival of other creatures. Yet I can do that now, and thus I can conclude that I met this story at exactly the right time.

Maybe it's the directness of body language as opposed to the spoken word or perhaps you intended it but I feel like Haku in dragon form exhibits more human mannerisms than his human self. Human Haku doesn't read the book but his dragon form does. He's much less inhibited about touch. Perhaps it's because he's in his natural form.

The electricity between Chihiro and Haku sparkles! My goodness, reading the dance and feints between them is delicious.

I'm very curious to see why Chihiro survived the Forgotten's touch. It seems like Haku's love brought her back but she bore a lot between getting touched and being rescued by Suzume.

It's nice to have a calmer chapter sprinkled with domesticity and humor after the drama and action of the last few! Great backstory for the Forgotten!

Love, the most powerful magic and medicine 3

I love your descriptive style of writing. I've probably belaboured this point but I was reading Harry Potter recently and it struck me how rich your style is compared to JK Rowling's. I've heard she's not a great writer - her talents like more in creating worlds - but I noticed that her writing concentrates on describing the action in plain language while yours is vibrant with similes, analogies, and metaphors in a way that doesn't burden the flow of the plot. Love it!

Oh my, Lin! And the rest of the bathhouse workers! Sooooooo glad that they're making an appearance in your story! 3

Kiri is shaping up to be an interesting character full of contradictions. She's a temple maiden but feels uncomfortable in a place inhabited by kami and magic. She recognizes Haku for what he is but feigns ignorance that he's right on the roof, despite the fact that he must be within hearing range for him to react to her statements. I look forward to seeing what role she'll play.

It's interesting how the kami's intense emotions (maybe just the negative ones?) manifest as demons. It reminds me of Princess Mononoke. Thankfully these curses are much easier to expunge!

I'm curious why Suzume refers to Haku as a young God (and implying that Suzume is older or at least more in control). Surely Haku, spirit of a river, would be older than a fox spirit. Also, I'm perplexed as to why the onsen is named the white dragon when it is known for its fox spirits. Looking forward to reading and reviewing more! And I finally made an account so it's easier to review :D

I thought I left a review for this chapter already but it seems to have disappeared. I appreciate that you had Chihiro confront Karou on her own. It would have been easy to write Haku into the scene but it highlights Chihiro's emerging strength of character to have her face the situation alone. In real life, an abuser like Karou would be much more manipulative, controlling, and even violent, given how much money is at stake. However, it makes sense to have him exit left out of the story as it's not about Chihiro leaving a terrible relationship but the beginning of a new life that's more honest to herself. On another note, dragon Haku is absolutely adorable! That belly!

I'm glad you had Chihiro confront Karou on her own. It would have been easy to write Haku into the scene, considering how protective he's been. But it shows strength of character to have Chihiro face a controlling partner on her own. I expected a ly more resistance from Karou, though. Abusers are master manipulators and rarely let their victims goso lightly, especially if there's a lot at stake (e.g. money). However, I suppose it does make sense in the context of the plot that he doesn't take up too much space. On another note, dragon Haku is simply adorable! That belly rub!

Your description of Haku and Chihiro'a flight is gorgeous! The imagery is so richly painted without sacrificing the fluidity of the motion and movement. Love it! Also, it's pretty fun to read the boys jockeying for Chihiro's attention. Sigh, to be the object of affection for two impossibly handsome men!

Hoo, boy! Adult Haku can walk into my clinic any day! I'd be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more flustered than Dr. Sagi, though! XD