FicWad

What had begun as friendly shadows in Chihiro's room when she had entered it with Haku turned malicious the moment she heard his footsteps fade. They had spent a perfect afternoon together in the garden and Haku had reluctantly kissed her goodnight and left her alone. Since she had had the conversation with the woman she now knew was her real mother, she had begun to remember more and more and had spent the afternoon telling Haku about them, hoping he would remember everything as quickly as she was. Though he hadn't remembered it all he was slowly regaining them, and since he had worked at the bathhouse for so long he was able to tell her about the abilities of air spirits since she now knew she was one. He explained how they were able to sense danger and how they had incredibly strong minds and with that, memories. He told of their remarkable wings were both agift and a curse; they were admired for their beauty but feared for the same reason. But now that he had left her alone, she felt a familiar darkness and astrong sense of danger.

Chihiro hurries to her bed and quickly lit the lamp beside it, only making the shadows come to life. Trying to clam herself she began speaking her thoughts aloud. "Why am I being so paranoid? There aren't monsters hiding under my bed, so why do I feel like this?" With a sigh she threw herself on her bed and tried to ignore the feeling she was just paranoia.

As she lay there, listening to the drumming of her heart, she noticed another sound in her room. There were heavy footsteps nearing her from the shadows that had frightened her so. And then a deep, hushed voice reached her ears. "Perhaps the monsters took to hiding elsewhere my dear."

Recognizing the voice immediately she leapt off the bed and ran as quickly as she could to the door, only to discover that Kusiro was there in the shadows. He had anticipated her reaction and placed himself in her path. As she ran straight into his waiting arms she let out a scream that was immediately cut off by his hand. "Now Chihiro, my love, you will finally be mine. You will have to make it up to me though for playing hard to get. How could you ever have thought that I would just let you go without a fight, when you were promised to me?"

Sensing Kusiro's distraction, she managed to slip from his grip, using her wings to loosen his hold on her. She ran across the room to the window and threw it open, but then realizing her room was too high and her wings were not yet strong enough to fly, she cried out for Haku. Before she could get anymore out, Kusiro clubbed her in the head, forcing her into a crumpled, unconscious heap in the floor, a slow trickle of blood flowing from her head.

Haku, who had been in his office talking to Ayame, felt his heart stop as he heard Chihiro's scream, and Ayame turned a ghostly white as the blood drained from her body. Both ran from the room knowing what had happened already, just from the fear in Chihiro's voice. To them it seemed to take an eternity to reach her door, but from the silence they heard within they knew they were too late. Chihiro was gone. Kusiro had kidnapped her leaving only a small trace of their struggle behind. The few feathers and blood stain on the floor did nothing to help calm them enough for logical thought. The fear that had clenched both of their hearts now had them in a rage, not only at Kusiro, but also at themselves for allowing her to be taken.