Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away…don't rub it in…
A/N: I'm not going to leave my To be together story alone, I just need to write a different one. I find myself needing a different story from Spirited Away so I'm writing it. So please, don't fret about To be together, I promise I will finish it. This first chapter will be introducing the scene, a little background and building the characters. It will probably seem a little slow, so please just stay with me. And I realize that the college, while a name of an actual college in New Zealand, the way I describe it is made up as well as the courses.
The rising sun crept slowly over the mountain, illuminating a young woman's face. She has waist-length chocolate brown hair. Her coffee colored eyes look out over a gorgeous landscape. They are searching, yet sad. She looks about twenty years old, but her eyes look much older. She sits straight up, her back in a straight line, yet she does not look uncomfortable. She has an air of grace about her, almost regal. She is alone, sitting on a rock wall near the college that she attends. She was born in Japan and lived there for eighteen years before going away to New Zealand for college. Her name is Chihiro Ogino, and this is her story.
After her adventures in the Spirit World, Chihiro was never the same. She never, ever, mentioned what she saw. She was afraid that if she spoke of any of it, the magic would fade from her mind. She was also afraid of it being it rejected as just a childhood fantasy, and she herself did not want to think that, so she never told anyone.
Chihiro had never forgotten the Spirited World however, and she had often tried to go back. She had walked that road that went trough the woods by her house every day for two months, after that, her walks dwindled until they were once a week. She would always find the statue staring at her, with its queer little smile, but never the tunnel. Each time she did not see it, she felt like she had to leave it all behind all over again.
Chihiro had become a little more introverted and she daydreamed a lot, about her friends at the bathhouse…and him. But despite her parents' worries, she did well in school and even took up ballet and piano. She felt that she needed to do something that would keep her mind off of the Spirit World. Ballet took a lot of focus in order to keep her balance and her form perfect. And as long as the piano piece she played was complex, her mind did not wander.
Although most of the time she was a quiet individual, she had a quicksilver temper and was not afraid to speak her mind. Her temper had gotten her in trouble in school sometimes but for the most part she stayed out of serious trouble. And until she was eighteen, Chihiro had been a dutiful daughter.
In her senior year of high school, Chihiro had started to change her mind about what she wanted out of life. Initially she was going to keep up with the piano lessons, drop the ballet lessons and major in science. She was going to go to college in Tokyo and come home every weekend and all of the holidays. Her parents had always expected the best from her. The best grades, the best performances, and the best behavior. They had been the ones guiding her through life and telling her what to do with it. At eighteen, Chihiro had had enough.
She had looked at other colleges and other things she could major in. She wanted to drop both piano and ballet, knowing she would not want to go anywhere with them. And truth be told, there wasn't much more she could learn about piano and she just liked ballet for the distraction it allowed her. She found a college in New Zealand that had excellent courses on world mythology and literature. And because her school had offered English classes, she would be alright language wise. She filled out all the forms without her parents knowing and sent them her test scores. It was only when she got her acceptance letter that also entitled her to a full scholarship, that she brought it up with her parents.
They were sitting down and eating dinner when Chihiro finally got the nerve to say something.
"Mother, Father, there is something I would like to speak to you about," Chihiro said, being the ever-respectful daughter.
"Yes?" they answered in unison. Chihiro took a deep breath and began.
"I have been thinking about, well about changing what I want to do with my life. I feel as though science is not where I want to have a career in and piano is not my passion. And I feel as though I should leave it to those whose passion it is. I have found a college in New Zealand that I have been accepted to and received a full scholarship from. I would be majoring in world mythology and literature." Chihiro finished and looked at the stunned looks that were on her parents' faces.
"But Chihiro dear, you've always wanted this. Since you were in grade school," her mother said with a confused and concerned look on her face.
"No, you have always wanted this for me. And up until now I thought it was what I wanted as well," Chihiro kept her voice level, with effort, but her voice was firm. Her father started to frown at the sound of his daughter talking to his wife like that.
"Chihiro, this is not up for discussion. And you know better than to talk to your mother like that," her father said raising his voice slightly. It was at the sound of refusal and determination to squash her idea in his voice that made Chihiro snap. She looked straight into his eyes, something she never did and was suddenly very determined.
"Father," she started slowly, "I realize that you think this is what I should be doing. And yes, it might be better for a career, but it is not what I want."
"Chihiro, this is not up for discussion," her father said again, his voice dangerously low.
"And why not?" Chihiro asked, her voice rising, "It's my life isn't it? Should I live it for myself?" Chihiro asked angrily. Her father looked taken aback; she had never talked back to him.
"Chihiro," her father started but Chihiro was too worked up to let him go any further.
"No father, I have always done what you've wanted. For the past eighteen years of my life I have been an obedient, dutiful daughter. I never argued when we first moved here, I have let you decide my life for me. And up until now I was going to let you decide the rest of my life! But no more. I'm tired of feeling unhappy with where my life is going, I'm tired of having to fit in where I don't belong, and I'm tired of feeling different and having to change myself to fit in!" Angry tears were welling up in Chihiro's eyes, "And if finding somewhere that I do fit in means having to leave this wor-country then I am prepared to do so." Chihiro had almost slipped and mentioned the Spirit World. Chihiro took a shaky breath and clamed slightly.
"I have a full scholarship," she began, "and on August 2nd, I will be taking a plane to New Zealand and going to college. There is nothing you can say to change my mind." Chihiro's voice softened. "I don't want to leave on a bad note, but if you can't accept that I am going, then I will." Chihiro stood and gracefully walked out, leaving her parents stunned in the dining room.
Chihiro ran up the stairs to her room. She paced agitatedly for a few moments before stopping at her favorite painting. It was a white dragon with an emerald mane. But unlike his eyes, the painted dragon had coal black eyes that some days seemed to stare straight through her. She had found it when she was twelve, in a small mountain town her parents and her had been visiting. Ever since then, it had hung on her wall. She would often look at it for long periods of time before tracing her finger over the dragon's form and walking away, which is what she did now.
Chihiro quickly turned away and pulled her hair up into a simple ponytail with the purple band her granny and her friends made for her in the Spirit World. It had never broken, frayed or grown dull. It was still that shiny purple it had been the day she had received it. She pulled on her tennis shoes and slipped on her jacket. She then went to her open window and climbed down the trellis that held the ivy her mother had planted. She had often snuck out this way; it was much easier than having to explain why she would go for runs in the middle of the night to her parents.
She jumped the last few feet and started running. She didn't pay attention to where she was going, she never did. But she found herself running on the dirt road that ran through the woods. She stopped, breathing hard, in front of the squat little statue. There was no tunnel, there never was, not since she was ten years old. She sank to her knees, not noticing that her cheeks were wet with tears. She had never forgotten, and on the outside no one was the wiser, but on the inside there was a big hole, a part of her that felt empty in this world, something that made her feel as though she would never belong.
She had always felt different than everyone around her. She had witnessed, and been apart of something magical. She had stepped into a different world altogether, and because of this…she had felt so alone and apart from everyone else. She had never had any friends; she had made excuses for her and her parents. They came easy, ballet was taking up her time, or piano lessons were, and she had to study and get good grades and help around the house, so there was no time for friends. But really, she felt as though the only friends that she could ever have or want, were those she met in the Spirit World.
Chihiro's spirit had been broken, her time here in the human world had not been easy, she was always struggling to fit in or to be happy, but she just could not. Her heart knew that she no longer belonged here; this was not her world anymore. With this revelation, and with the knowledge that she might never see the Spirit World again, her crying intensified. Sobs racked her petite frame as she leaned on the statue for support. She pulled her knees up to her chest and just let herself feel everything. It hurt, more than anything ever had, but she couldn't ignore it anymore.
Afterwards, when the tears had stopped, she felt empty and tired. She leaned her head back against the statue. Her eyes were closed and her breathing steady. After some time, she slowly got to her feet and looked down at the statue.
"You promised. You promised we would see each other again. But you may have meant at the end of my life," tears sprang back in her eyes.
"I didn't. But…" she faltered, unsure of what to say. "I miss you," she finished sadly. She turned around and looked at the road in front of her.
"Goodbye," she whispered. She walked slowly back up the road and back home.
Her relationship with her parents was never the same, they barely spoke anymore. None the less, in a year, she graduated with honors. During the summer she got a job and saved to buy a plane ticket to New Zealand. She still helped around the house, and ate dinner with them, but the atmosphere was cool at best. Her mother seemed to be slowly warming up to the idea; at least she talked to Chihiro. Her father had not spoken to her since that night. He seemed that he would have liked to forget her existence.
It made Chihiro sad, that her and her father didn't talk. Before they moved here when she was ten, she used to tell her father everything. After those three days in the Spirit World however, she had grown distant from him. And now, they did not speak at all. The stony silence was deafening to Chihiro. She was almost happy to be leaving.
The day she was leaving, her mother had offered to drive her to the airport. She was packed and ready to go, but first she had to visit the statue…one last time. She walked down the dirt track, taking her time, deep down hoping the tunnel would be there.
It wasn't, and Chihiro's shoulders fell. She knelt down next to the statue and placed her hand on top of the statue's head.
"He never came," she said to it sadly. The statue didn't respond. 'Well of course not Chihiro, it's a statue,' Chihiro chided herself. She gazed at the hill where the tunnel should be. Flowers covered the hillside, white ones mostly. They swayed gently in the breeze, nodding their heads to her. She took a note out of her pocket and dug a hole in the ground next to the statue. She covered the note and stood. She picked two flowers and laid them on the mound of dirt. She straightened and looked around sadly for what be the last time in a while. Setting her shoulders, she turned and walked back to the house where her mother was waiting to take her to the airport so she could get a fresh start on life.
"I will return"
Chihiro stepped off the plane and breathed in. The long plane ride had really worn her out, she hated sitting for hours on end. But finally she was here and she was glad. She went and got her luggage before going out and finding a taxi. She put her things in the trunk and stepped into the back seat.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
"Canterbury University please," Chihiro said in formal English. The driver nodded and started to drive. Chihiro was amazed at how green everything was here. Yes, Japan was lush in some places but this was amazing. She also was amazed at all the furry white animals, known as sheep in English, that were just grazing everywhere. After a while, Chihiro sat back and enjoyed the ride.
Her eyes never left the landscape, though her mind wandered. She thought about how life might go here. It had to be better than at home. Anticipation grew and butterflies started to grow in her stomach. Chihiro was beginning to become nervous about whether or not she would like the college. She had seen pictures, read brochures and had people tell her how great it was but she knew she would have to see it to know whether she would like it.
Students from all over the world, even ones from New Zealand, would come here. The curriculum was vast, there were all sorts of things you could major in, but it was the world mythology and literature program that caught her eye. She had always been fascinated with mythology and she loved to read. When she hadn't been busy in school, she would go to the library to read. Her high school's library was huge and she often spent her lunch hour there.
Finally, two hours later, they arrived at the college. Chihiro thanked and paid the driver and unloaded her stuff. She brought it with her when she went to the front office. She got her room assignment, cafeteria card, class schedule, and a map. With her papers and luggage in hand, she went off to her dorm rooms. She was staying in the foreign students dorms, where she would have a chance to meet others from Japan, and anywhere else in the world.
She unlocked her room to find that her roommate had already unpacked. She set her things down on her bed and took a minute to breathe. Her room had a bathroom, thank goodness she would only have to share with one person, two desks, two beds, and two closets. She looked out the one window in their room. It was a beautiful view of the spacious campus. Because she had arrived here three days early, she decided she would unpack later. She left the room, locking the door, and went out to explore the campus.
And what a beautiful campus it was. There were lush green hills and so many trees! All of the different buildings had their own style of architecture. She wandered through the grounds, passing students every now and then. She came upon a trial that led through some untamed trees. The trail followed a small laughing stream and the air smelled fresh here. There was a curved bridge up ahead where the trees gaped and you could see the sky above and river below. Chihiro thought that if the sky was clear tonight, she might just have to come here to see the stars.
On her way back, she found a beat up little trail that led off the campus. She decided to follow it. It led through some trees, across a small meadow and up to an overlook which presented the most magnificent view she had ever seen. A dilapidated rock wall sat curved on the hill. And beyond the wall were lush green hills in front of snow-capped mountain in the distance. Chihiro could see for miles form here. Chihiro sat down on the wall and just enjoyed the peace and the beautiful view.
She got back to her room around five and saw that her room mate was back. She had black hair that reached a little passed her shoulders and the most startlingly clear and bright green eyes. She had her back turned but when she heard Chihiro come in, she turned around. Her face lit up in a wide smile.
"Hi, you must be my roommate. I'm Emiko." She bowed her head slightly in way of greeting; she had a slight accent that Chihiro didn't recognize. Chihiro smiled warmly and bowed back.
"Hello, I'm Chihiro. It's nice to meet you."
"You as well. So you are from Japan I hear?" Emiko asked.
"Yes, born and lived there until now," answered Chihiro, "You?"
"Well, I was born in Scotland and lived there for twelve years before my parents, who were born in Japan and had lived there most of their lives, decided to move back to Japan. And I have lived there for four years. My parents had always taught me both English and Japanese so I am fluent in both." They both smiled at each other and settled into what had the possibility to be a good and long-lasting friendship.
Emiko had a way about her that Chihiro was just drawn to. She was so vibrant and full of life compared to Chihiro. She had an easy laugh and she had so many stories to tell. Chihiro felt like she could tell anything to Emiko. Chihiro now knew that she would love it here. She had found a friend, a favorite spot, and she loved the campus. Her future at Canterbury University looked bright.
A/N: Let me know what you think