Back to Normal?
Summary: Chihiro and her parents have to adjust to the news that they had been missing for months even though it felt like only a few hours had passed since they had came and went from the abandoned theme park.
Prologue
Okay, so I got this idea after noticing at the end of the movie how time had obviously passed while they were in the spirit world with the leaves covering the car and the forest having taken over the building. Basically this story continues right off from the end of the movie, and will actually include the last few bits in this prologue to get things rolling. Haven't seen a fic with this done before so I'm doing it.
Also, as stated by Miyazaki, Chihiro has 'lost' her memories of the Spirit World since she exited the tunnel. This story will play off of that as well.
Her feet echoed off the plaster walls that surrounded the three as they walked, sounding rather ominous to her ears even though they were approaching the other end of the tunnel and could see a bright light ahead.
"Hey, what happened?" her father had just stepped into the light and was leaning forward as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Chihiro was momentarily blinded by the light when her and her mother stepped out from the building. "What is it?" her mother asked, causing Chihiro to blink open her eyes again and see the car infront of them, covered in leaves. The statue infront of it overgrown with moss, grass reaching out from between the layered pieces of stone that served as the road. She was just as confused as her parents at the sight. What had happened?
"Gah." She heard her father groan as he pushed leaves and broken off branches from the front of the car. Slowly she turned to look at the building they had just exited. Moss had grown over the plaster as well, leaves spilling forth in all directions from plants that had grown alongside the wall, merging with it. "It's all dusty inside too." The mutter from her father barely reached her ears.
"Is this someone's idea of a joke?" Her mother's word weren't as hard to hear but they seemed to slip away as she stared down the tunnel they had come from. Trying to make sense of the situation herself.
"Looks like it." Her father agreed with her mother. It did seem the only reason, but who would go through all the trouble of staging this? It just didn't feel right. Just like how the wind coming from the tunnel didn't feel right. The way it seemed to push any plants away, to stop them from growing inside, as if it was keeping everything that didn't belong out.
"I told you we shouldn't have stopped." Her mother was clearly blaming her father for this act of vandalism.
The slamming of a door came from behind her but she still couldn't tear his gaze away from the entrance. Even when the rumble of the engine came to life, she only leaned forward ever so slightly, trying to see something-anything-at the far end of the tunnel, though it was impossible to do so.
"Come on Chihiro! Let's get to our new home."
Another door closing much more softly than the first. "You're not scared are you?"
"Don't be afraid honey, everything's going to be okay."
She felt reassured at the words, turning away from the tunnel she ran back to the car, opening the backseat door and climbing in before closing it behind her. Watching as the tunnel entrance got smaller as they drove away, leaving two twins trails of grass pressed into the ground from the car wheels.
When it was out of view her father found a spot to turn the car around in and went back down the road they had come in on, much more slowly than the last time.
"A new home and a new school. It is a bit scary."
She smiled lightly at her father's words. "I think I can handle it."