Spirited Away: My Way.
Hey folks! Good ol' EGD here with my little attempt at Miyazaki's Spirited Away. A slight continuation of what Chihiro's move was meant to be, the summer's over and Chihiro's going to be starting junior high. What awaits her in this magical place we call a school? If it's anything like her summer adventures, it's going to be interesting.
Chapter 1- All things in order.
Beep beep beep! That annoying little buzzer of an alarm clock going off right in her ear. Three weeks after one of the biggest adventures of her life, Chihiro was beginning a new one. Her first day of junior high. Her short brown hair matted to one side she sleepily began a normal morning routine. Life didn't seem as exciting as it was when she was working in the bath house.
Down stairs, Her parents eagerly awaited to see their off on her first day in a new school. She came down in the school uniform; a pleated skirt, knee-high socks, and a white collared shirt with a red vest and blue blazer.
"Chihiro honey, you look so cute in your new uniform." said her mother with delight.
"I know," added her father, "If I was your age, I would ask you out."
Slightly creeped out at her father's remark she said, "Thanks. I might as well go now before I'm late."
"Get in the car, I'll drive you." said her mother.
Chihiro and her mother got into the family car. Chihiro pulled a small twig out of the seat cushion and threw it out the window.
"We still haven't gotten rid of all those vines? I swear, who ever put all those vines on our car will be very sorry when your father finds out who did it."
A few minutes of awkward silence later, her mother spoke to her again, "What's the matter Chihiro? You haven't been the same since the move."
"I'm just a little nervous. I'm going to a new school and nobody will know who I am." said Chihiro.
"Don't worry, that's part of the fun of moving. Making new friends and new experiences."
Last time she said something like that, she got turned into a pig and Chihiro had to rescue her and her father.
They pulled up to the front entrance of Nagamasa Junior High and Chihiro got out.
"Don't worry dear, you'll do fine." said her mother out of the car window.
"Thanks mom." replied Chihiro.
Her mother said that she loved her and drove off. Chihiro turned and looked at the imposing school. She sighed and walked up to her class room. Inside were a bunch of kids her age talking away. She silently walked in and sat down in seat eighteen, right by the window. She looked to her right and saw a boy with spiky blond hair looking up to the ceiling. He looked over to her.
"Hello. My name is Daniel. What's yours?" he said.
"I'm Chihiro. Nice to meet you."
The first thing she noticed about Daniel was his accent. He obviously wasn't from Japan, but he sounded like he was from somewhere east. Just then, the teacher walked into class and demanded order. The teacher looked young, almost 28, had curly black hair, and wore a tiny pair of glasses. When the children were all nice and neat, she introduced herself.
"My name is Doctor Izumi Mai. I have worked eight years to achieve my doctorate in teaching and I expect that you will give me that respect." she said.
Chihiro looked over to see Daniel furiously typing away at a translator keyboard.
"Now that you know a little bit about me, I want to hear a bit about you." she said.
She started to go down the class list and Chihiro was filled with dread when Dr. Izumi reached her name. She stood up.
"My name is Chihiro and I'm new to the city and this is my first year of junior high." she said nervously.
"Thank you Chihiro. Next up is Daniel."
The boy next to her stood up and ran his hand through his hair.
"My name is Daniel Crowe. I am here on foreign exchange from the United States and I hope to learn as much as I possibly can." he said confidently.
"I see. Your Japanese is very good for an American." complimented Dr. Izumi.
She continued further down the list until she hit a name that caused Chihiro to remember.
"Number twenty two, Kohaku."
The boy stood up and he was exactly as Chihiro remembered. A serious look on his face, greenish color hair, and a slightly pale complection.
"I'm Kohaku and, like everyone else, this is my first time in junior high." said Kohaku.
Chihiro's eyes light up with excitement. Finally someone she knew. She set herself on talking to him during lunch. At that time, Dr. Izumi announced the first assignment of the year.
"Okay children, I want you to write me a story on what you did during the summer."
Everyone in the class room groaned.
"But, I want you to blow it completely out of proportion. Make it seem like the most outrageous thing that has ever happened." said Dr. Izumi.
The children cheered and they started their assignment. Chihiro's was entitled: Spirited Away- The Tale of One Girls Journey Through the Spirit World. She began wirting furiously a story about a girl that lost her parents and went on a quest through the spirit world to get them back.
When lunch came around, she and the others handed in the assignment and went to the cafeteria. Chihiro walked by table after table when she heard, "Chihiro! Over here!"
It was Daniel sitting alone at a table. Chihiro thought that she could put talking to Kohaku off for a little while. She sat across from him.
"Hi Daniel. How's your first day?" said Chihiro.
"It is going very well. The people here are very nice. Though I haven't quite gotten the hang of eating with chopsticks." he said.
He tried the foreign classic pincer method and his bit of chicken went flying across the room and it stuck to the wall. Chihiro giggled and Daniel turned red. He slammed his head on the table out of embarrassment. He said something in English ("Damn it.") that Chihiro couldn't understand.
Meanwhile, one of the older girls was walking by and she purposely bumped into Chihiro. She went face first into the spicy chicken curry they were severing that day.
"Hey new girl, you better watch where I'm going." she said.
The girl had black hair with red streaks done up in two high pony tails. She had very tan skin and wore white make-up. She had an arrogant sound to her voice.
"Who do you think you are?" said Chihiro.
"I'm Hayate Natsu, and you better watch your tongue newbie. You don't talk to the queen of Nagamasa Junior High that way." she said.
Chihiro mumbled and went back to cleaning the curry off her face. Daniel got up and stopped Natsu.
"I might be talking out of turn but I think you should go back there and apologize to Chihiro." he said.
"Shut up foreigner! You're just as pathetic as she is." said Natsu.
"What is the term to describe people like you? Oh yes, self-absorbed drama queen." said Daniel.
"You don't talk to me like that! Nobody does!" she said.
"There is a first time for everything."
Natsu stormed off and Daniel sat back down.
"Thank you Daniel." said Chihiro.
"You are welcome Chihiro." he said.
The bell rang and they went back to class. After what seemed like a normal routine day, Dr. Izumi stopped Chihiro when she tried to go out the door.
"I wanted to talk to you about your wirting assignment today." she said.
"What's wrong doctor?" said Chihiro.
"I loved your wirting. But tell me, did you actually get separated from your parents and meet Kohaku?" said Izumi, "He mentioned nothing like this in his piece. In fact it's nearly blank."
"I know you won't believe me but, it is a true story."
"So your telling me that you and your parents somehow got into the spirit world, they got turned into pigs, you signed your name away to a witch that forced you to work in a bath house, and Kohaku is actually a river spirit that saved you from drowning and he helped you turn your parents back to normal?"
"Yes."
"Wow. Your story seemed so out there, but I actually want to believe you. A little girl that couldn't make something like that up on the fly. That's all I have to say, you can go now Chihiro."
She exited the class room and walked up to Kohaku, who was talking to some other guys.
"Can I talk to you for a second Kohaku?" she asked.
"Sure. What do you need Chihiro?"
"I just wanted to know if you remember me." she said.
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Boom! A cliffhanger! Right in your face! I want to know what you think about my take on Miyazaki's masterpiece. So the standard Read and Review applies here.
Bonus Stuff-
Behind the characters.
Daniel- based off of a friend of mine (Viable-Solution). He demanded to appear because I star in his Armored Core fiction as Ares, and my finely made core Steel Wing. (S class in almost all areas, except mobility, which is C class. Brag, brag, brag.)
Natsu- Actually based off of my chocobo in FFXI (yes, they now have chocobo breeding). You could say I have a Major Huges complex when I get to mention her. She's just so cute! ooo (p.s. I had no intention of making her a ganguro girl.)
New Profile and Forums-
Great news! I now have forums dedicated to stories, general stuff, and a new Role Play. First five entries get the spots and become main characters. Post like the wind!
