Meeting at the Dark River - 2

The overcast day kept many people from venturing outdoors, although a few did stop by to do business.

Haku watched with mild interest as Hiroshi interacted with his customers. He made note of how polite some were, and those who weren't. Also he noticed things they were looking for and what kinds of people stopped by.

After a while his observation got boring.

He could be home chasing the chickens around his yard right now; a delightful activity. Haku also made note that he would not be going home. Not this time.

With a yawn Haku settled down and curled into a ball on the cart. Quickly sleep took him, for he had been worn out with his long journey and everything he had taken in that day.

Hiroshi bade farewell to his last customer and then turned to Haku. He chuckled to himself upon seeing him asleep. He took a spare blanket he had in supply and draped it over the slumbering child. A young woman stopped by his cart and smiled at Hiroshi. She found Haku cute.

"My! What an adorable little girl you have there!"

The comment was made with the best intentions.

"Thank you! Though he's actually a boy."

"Oh."

The woman smiled at Hiroshi uncertainly before walking away, a little embarrassed by her mistake. He merely sighed; that was the fourth time that day he had received that comment. He glanced over to Haku, wondering why that was.

'He doesn't resemble a girl that much...his hair is still pretty short.' Hiroshi paused and noted the child's face. His features were very delicate, 'Those big dark lashes though…and that china-doll face…makes him look like he has some noble-blood.'

Hiroshi looked out onto the emptying street, and then towards a vender a few feet away. He caught the tempting aroma of confections as it drifted on the breeze, 'Oh…that's chichi-dango over there…'

His sweet tooth beckoned. Hiroshi momentarily observed Haku.

"I'll be back in a minute..." He said quietly, before venturing over to the dumpling stand.

It was dark. Haku rolled over and bumped his head against the porcelain pot.

"Ow..." He sat up and rubbed his forehead as his eyes blinked open.

Why was it so quiet?

Haku looked around, and saw no more than an empty street and a darkening sky. He felt his blood run cold: where was Hiroshi?

"Hiroshi-san?" He called softly.

There was no answer, and Haku quickly stood up, looking around frantically. He saw nothing familiar. It was getting cold and he did not understand why Hiroshi was not with him.

'Oh no... Did a bad ninja get to him? Is he hurt?'

Haku wandered around the street in a small circle, his hands wringing together nervously. The feeling of being alone again was so overwhelming that he had difficulty thinking straight.

'I've got to find him. Where could he have gone?'

"Hiroshi-san?" He spoke louder, but received no response.

Haku paused in his circling and gasped.

What if he was injured? He recalled the agonizing end his parents had met and the sudden, partly rational fear for Hiroshi's life overtook him.

"Hiroshi-san!" Haku was calling out into the emptiness of the main avenue, darting about on swift legs.

His head was pounding and his thoughts became a tangled mess.

'Where is he? Where is he? Why did he leave me alone?'

"Hiroshi-san!" Haku's panic intensified and he scurried under the cover of trees, retracing their route along the forest path.

The woods were quiet and the grass was damp beneath his feet. 'I'm alone...I'm alone...'

"No! Please no!" Haku pleaded, "Hiroshi-san, are you there?"

He raced farther into the line of cedar trees, tripping over his own feet. After a minute of his desultory search he stumbled down to the wet earth and wailed.

'Now I'm alone. He must have found out about my power and left me.'

He pulled his knees up to his chest and sobbed. His logical functions shut down and yielded to grief once again. He had no idea of whether Hiroshi had left him or if he had become another victim of violence.

Haku's small frame rattled as he cried. He had not been able to bring himself to do it any sooner. He cried for his parents, for the dog and for himself. Why did things always turn out this way?

He heard a foreign noise in the background, despite his tears. He couldn't place it, but it was a constant, soft sound that helped him focus.

Haku sniffed and wiped his damp cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Huh?" He gazed ahead and then noticed a glimmer a short distance away. A river ran parallel to the town, flowing gently.

The sight of water was curiously soothing to Haku. He stood up, still drying off his cheeks on his scruffy shirt, and took small steps toward the body of water.

He stopped at the water's edge and frowned down at the dark water.

He recalled how his ability to manipulate water and ice had gotten him into a lot of trouble. It flowed undisturbed, as if it were mocking him, mocking his pain.

"I lost Mama and Papa...all because of..." Haku sniffled, struggling with the weight of the terrible memory.

Despite the trauma he had gone through, Haku liked the power he had. It felt just as normal as taking a breath of air or knowing how to walk. He never would have used his ability to harm anyone, if his father had only accepted him as he was.

For a moment he stood staring accusingly at the water. He was upset his parents were gone and that Hiroshi had disappeared. Was it a sign? Was he really meant to be alone?

"I am not a bad person..." Haku affirmed, "And my power isn't bad either..."

He raised his hand and watched in reserved delight as the water rose up at his command. It made him feel better.

Haku waved his hand forcefully to the left, making the thread of water fly up above the surface. The ribbon of shimmering liquid coiled gracefully as he directed it, easing his heartache.

'I like my power and I will use it to become a strong ninja...'

Smiling at the thought of one day becoming a shinobi, Haku continued with his activity…until he was interrupted.

"Whoa!"

The shout from behind him startled Haku so badly that the serpent of water that had once been airborne, splashed quickly back down into the river.

Haku turned around and faced the newcomer.

"Wow! That was awesome! How did you do that?" The boy was about his height and was incredibly loud.

Haku took a moment to regain his composure before answering.

"I don't really know. I just can."

The other boy was grinning. Haku assumed he had no idea that the power he possessed bothered most people.

"That was so cool! Can you do it again?"

"Um...sure." Haku indulged the newcomer by showing off a bit more, raising more of the water into the air. He smiled to himself proudly as he noticed the other boy's awe.

"That's really something..."

Haku observed the boy. He was a mess; there was no other way to describe him. His blonde hair was tousled and full of leaves. Dirt was smudged on his face and...just about everywhere else on him. His clothes were even more tattered than Haku's.