Watashi ni modotte tobu (Fly back to me)s

A fan novel:

Willa Filer Field

Spirited away:

Prologue; 2002:

The dark haired boy stood there at the top of the stairs leading to the Human World as the brunette girl faded from his view with weary green eyes and a heavy heart. Haku knew this was for the best but his heart cried out, because this might be the last time he would get to see the beautiful ten-year-old girl. The boy breathed deeply as a tear falls from his cheek, turning his back on the past and looking to the future. But deep in his heart, something hurt, like a piece of his heart followed Chihiro home, and maybe, it did. Haku sighed again, walking back where Zenilba's cottage set, he knew that walking there would take days, but he welcomed the time to think. Chihiro is a special creature, once whiny and lazy, now sweet and agreeable, she touched everyone here but did she reach him more than others? She would just smile, and Haku would almost melt, she would say his name, and he would remember each time. He wouldn't figure it out; they were friends, yes, but there was something more to their relationship, what he wasn't sure.

"It's love." A familiar kind voice stated. Haku whirled around to see Zenilba's ancient face smiling at him.

"Love?" The twelve-year-old asked, confused.

"Yes, Kohaku-chan, love. That is what growing in your heart."

"But Miss Zenilba, we only knew each other for a couple days and I'll never…see her again." Haku replied sadly, turning his eyes to the spot.

"Ah, I beg to differ…" The old woman smiled slyly, causing the boy to return his gaze back upon her short, chubby frame questioningly.

"Well, first off, you knew Sen—that's her name here, alright dragon boy?" She said when he was going to interrupt; he rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut, "As I was saying, you knew her before this adventure, you saved her from drowning in your lake, and she helped you remember it. Second, we'll see her again, for that is her fate." Zenilba explained, brushing imaginative dust off her blue dress then look up to see Haku staring at her with confusion written all over his young face, causing the woman to chuckle as she walked towards the preteen, resting a tender hand on his broad shoulder; "Just trust that you'll her again, Kohaku, someday and somehow Sen will find her way back to us, to you." The old witch patted Haku's shoulder before walking from him. The boy stood there for a few minutes, staring up at the sky until Zenilba's voice called to him. He sighed again and smiled a small smile as he ran after the old woman. Yes, she was right, if Chihiro found the Spirit World once, she will surely find it again. His smile slowly turned into a grin. And then, she will be his and he hers.

Outside of the tunnel, Chihiro looked as the only place she felt herself disappeared from her gaze, a single tear rolled down her slightly chubby cheek. She turned around, sitting down right, and wiped the tear away. Her parents were clueless to her breaking heart but she was thankful for that, Chihiro didn't want to worry them, this is hers to deal with. They reached their new house, her mother cooed about how cute it was and he father helped the movers move the heavy stuff into the right room. She excuse herself, the tears were threatening to spill over, and locked herself in her new bedroom. She slid down the door to the cold hardware floor; hot teardrops stinging her brown eyes, the memories were still fresh in her mind, and she will keep them like that, no matter what. Chihiro cried silently a few minutes more before she crawled to a box that was open; she kneeled and dug in it until she found what she was searching for. It was a diary she had gotten for her ninth birthday; she didn't find any use for it…until now. She smiled down on the flowery cover as she saved her bare legs from the cold floor.

"I will not forget you, Haku; I will not forget the Spirit World. I promise you that." The ten-year-old whispered barely audible as she set the diary down on the desk that housed her school books above on the built-in bookshelves. She ran a finger absently down the cover as she walked to the door, with one last smile, she rejoined her parents.

Back in the other world, Haku sat beside No Face, drinking tea. Zenilba watched the boy closely as the two continued to sip in silence, then an idea came to her; she smiled and got up from the table. The two didn't notice her disappearance until a thick book flipped down in front of the dragon. Jade eyes met coal black ones, "What's this, Zenilba?" Haku asked, turning the pages but they were completely blank, his brows furrowed in confusion, graining a chuckle from the kind old witch, the midnight-blue haired boy shifted his gaze back to her.

"It's a journal I never used; I figured that you could use it to document what you are doing as you age. That way, she would know and you'll save your voice when you two meet again." Zenilba explained, smiling kindly, patting the young man's hand. Haku dropped his eyes to the journal again, a smile on his lips.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me, dragon, now you better be going. You must tell my twin that she no longer owns you." This caused the boy chuckle; he stood and walked towards the door.

"Yes you're right, I'll come visit soon with Boh-can." He said as he moved outside. Once their goodbyes were uttered, Haku changed into his dragon form and flew into the night sky. On the way back to the bathhouse, Haku wondered what he will do now; he would want to still work there but Yubaba probably put up a fight but was it wroth it? The wind blew through his light green mane as he smiled his dragon smile, yes it is. He had friends there, he made memories there, and most importantly, he got to meet the girl he saved all those years ago while working there. Working for Yubaba may be hell, but the hot springs was his home, and besides, it will be easy for Chihiro to find him. If she did remember the adventure she had, his worst fear, her forgetting her friends, forgetting him. But somehow, he knew she wouldn't let go of her memories of this place, of her new found friends, and of him. He lined a few inches from the huge building and saw Lin, wearing the female version of the bathhouse uniform and a sad smile on her full lips, standing there. The boy changed and walked until he was facing the young woman.

"So, Sen's where she needs to be for now. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, I suppose." Haku replied, shrugging. Lin squeezed his forearm comfortingly, "We'll see her again soon. I'm sure of it." She balled her fist and punched the air trying to lighten the boy's mood, and it worked, the action earned a heartedly chuckle from his lips. Lin grinned as she walked to the entrance of the bathhouse, Haku raced until he was walking besides the dark-haired woman in a comfortable silence; Lin was first in, Haku stood there with a grin.

"Till we meet again, my Sen."' With that, the boy disappeared into his home…..

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