Title: Lost

Author: Arldetta/Knight_MysAri

Summary: Basically, how Haku came to the Spirit world.

BIG Author's Note: Well, where to begin? Let's see, I'm not much of an Anime person, only scratched the surface. Although, I'm coming to enjoy more of it now-a-days. Guess that's good. I'm also not one for first person stories, who knows this may change later on, if there's a later on. But I would like to try my hand at it just once, and since this isn't my normal fandom, I figured what the heck, let's experiment. Typically, I'm a Star Wars Fan Fic Writer, so this is really stretching it for me, but I've been itching to try something new, so this is hitting two goals I had in mind. Like I said, since I'm not much of an anime person, I'll probably be making TONS of mistakes. So if something really bothers you, please let me know so I can correct it. Because to be frank I have no clue as to what I'm doing.

Anyway, read on, tell me what you think. I have ideas for more, but since I have a few things in the works, let me know if you really, really want more and I'll do my best to appease you. In other words, I love writing, but time is a rare commodity so I need lots of incentive. If no one reviews, I guess I'll just have to write this for myself, which will be a lot slower. Hmmm, I think I'll shut up now so you can actually read something better than babbling. Enjoy!

Oh, one more thing ~~~~~~~~~ = flashbacks/memories and italics = thoughts.

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Darkness.

Floating.

Night.

Cold.

Where am I? This doesn't feel right. It didn't feel right. There should be water, flowing, cradling me and I don't feel anything. Where am I? Panic - this feels wrong. I'm stumbling through darkness, groping for something familiar. Finally, my hands graze something distinct. Grass. It's still dark. Where am I?! Frantically, I hold on to the only thing I can touch. The soft blades crumple under my grasp, sticking out from between my fingers. Suddenly, I can feel the ground below me, but it's still dark. Clutching the grass tightly, I squeeze every muscle in my body. I can feel the tension, feel the ground. And then I am aware of a gentle breeze, the smell of Spring's bouquet. Carefully, I open my eyes - I didn't even realize they had been closed. Blinking, I gaze up to see the sun floating high above in a clear blue sky.

"Where am I?" I ask aloud. Curiosity filled me, and my gaze flickered about me trying to take in every detail. Grass was everywhere, I could see that I was near the bottom of a hill. Some statues, hard to distinguish in the overgrown greenery poked up every so often. Sitting up, I turn around trying to figure out how I had gotten here, but behind me is only a dry riverbed. Riverbed? Home? Shaking my head, I'm confused, nothing is making sense. Why would I think a riverbed my home? I realized suddenly, that as much as I was confused about my present, my past was just as perplexing. My memories were hazy, at moments I felt on the verge of touching them again, but they quickly vanish in a fog.

"What's happened to me? Where am I?" And then a more horrific realization hit me, "Who am I?" Panic again, frantically, I look around me searching desperately for a clue. And for the briefest moment the haze lifts and a name springs from my lips, "Kohaku." Is that really me? I wonder. Closing my eyes, I try to remember.

~~~~~~~~~~

Some boys are playing near the water's edge. Together, they laugh and splash each other. I can barely make out what they are saying, so I move closer to them. The older boy dunks the younger into the crisp water, and I get a rush of excitement. Gasping the young boy, pops up, "Stop that Nagi!"

"Stop what?"

"You know I don't like going under water."

"Well, you're gonna have to get over it sometime, may as well be now." Nagi moves toward the younger boy again making as if to repeat his actions.

"Stop, or I'll tell mom."

"You're such a cry baby." Nagi falls back in the water. When he emerges, he looks at the boy again, "Too bad we can't leave you here, I'm sure the Kohaku River Spirit would appreciate you as a sacrifice." He laughed mockingly and the boy pouted. "Aw stop. You know I'm kidding."

Then another voice called from the bank, "Boys, come on out, it's time for lunch." Both swim to shore.

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Kohaku River Spirit? That's me - I think. But why am I here? Why am I not in my waters? Squeezing my eyes together, I push my way into the fog, looking for an answer. Pain.

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The water level has gotten so low, but there has been rain. I don't understand, where's my water? I swim along the remaining bit of stream that once used to be a flowing river. Up ahead I see a group of men and some large machines. I creep closer to hear what they are saying.

One man shouts over the roar of the engines, "The river's almost gone. We should be able to start building sometime next week."

"Good, I want to get those buildings up soon. Let me know if there are any more hold ups."

"No problem sir." And one of the men walks away.

I'm horrified. They are taking my river away, my waters, my home. Where am I to go? What am I to do? I can feel the unnatural pull in the water around me. I struggle trying to fight against it. "No!" I scream, but my voice goes unheard. "Please." I beg and my pleas fall on deaf ears. I can feel my strength fading with every drop that is taken. My memories flit by as I recall so many faces playing in my element. Happy faces, sad faces, frightened faces and delighted faces. And I know I will never see any faces again. My heart breaks, I want to live, I want to make people happy. The water's almost gone. I have no where to run and no way to fight back. With the last of my waning strength, I offer one last appeal, "Please don't take me away." But there is only nothing.

Nothing.

Darkness.

Floating.

Night.

Cold.

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With a cry born of utter grief, I tear myself away from my rebirth. Into an unknown world I had descended, banished from my home. Lost and dejected, I weep. Unwilling and unwanting to start over, I simply sink back into the soft grass and allow despondency to overtake me. If I cannot be in my waters, then I do not wish to be.

Weakness consumes me, and I tremble from the sorrow. Curling in on myself, I wait, longing for oblivion.

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Well, I hope you liked it. I feel so completely out of my element. :8} But if you enjoyed or thought it was pure crap, let me know. Reviews are great incentive to write! ;)