Chihiro glanced at her school time table. Ugh. What a boring semester this was going to be. How could having Social, Math, Gym and Science ever be fun? Wasn't there some kind of law against this sort of torture.
The young brunette sighed and slipped off her bed. Her room was adorned with pictures of her and her friends at parties and gatherings. She had a few stuffed animals sitting on her bed to show off the more childish side of her that still existed. But other than that, all she had really was dragons. Lots and lots of miniature statues, pictures, and books on dragons. Ever since the incident six years ago, Chihiro could not take her mind off of them.
"Chihiro! Come on!" came a cry from beyond her rooms walls. Her mother stood at the door, her hands on hips and face contorted into a frown. Chihiro rolled her eyes.
"Please mother, don't get all worked up. I still have two minutes until I have to leave."
"Two minutes until you have to actually be on the TRAIN!" she shouted, pointing at the clock. Chihiro sighed and grabbed her book bag. She then exited the house, her mother following close behind before being cut off abruptly by the door slamming in her face.
Chihiro walked down the street at a slow pace. She was in no hurry to get to school on time today. A quiet rumbling could be heard getting closer and closer. The train passed her, and she gave it no acknowledgement. Chihiro continued on down the street, looking at her feet and kicking the occasional rock out of her way. The sky was clear and the cars were all out busily getting to and from their destinations. A few business men walked quickly past her, heads straight forward, eyes focused. Chihiro hoped she never grew up to be like that.
It had been six long years since the incident at the bathhouse. Haku had never fulfilled his promise, as she had not seen or heard from him since. She lived then happily with her mother and father. Her dad was a busy business man who was constantly up to his neck in work and never really got in much family time. Chihiro's mother was a nurse at the local hospital but was home for most of the day until the late evenings where she worked night shifts.
Chihiro longed to go back up to the bathhouse. Every night she dreamed of going back there, and seeing all her old friends. Kamaji, Lin, No-face and especially Haku. The only thing stopping her was fear. Fear that Haku and all the others had forgotten about her. She had been up to the tunnel, standing at the entrance. But every time she was about to advance in the tunnel, her mind wouldn't let her. It would scream at her to turn back, to not go in. And every time she obeyed it.
About 30 minutes later, Chihiro appeared at her school. First period was almost over so she didn't even bother going towards that end of the school. She instead decided to wander towards her second period class. The hallways were unusually quiet today. No one was out and about on their spares, and no teachers were roaming the halls either.
Chihiro just shrugged it off and continued the walk to her next class.
"So, Chihiro, did you study for that giant Bio test yet?" Sakura asked. She was one of Chihiro's friends. They had grown on each other after a couple of weeks.
The young brunettes eyes widened and she began choking on her sandwich.
"What?" she asked, slapping her chest hard, trying to get the food to go down. She looked at her friend incredulously. Sakura nodded her head, taking a small delicate bite in her sandwich.
"You didn't know there was a test today?"
"NO!" Chihiro stood up and grabbed her book bag. She shoved her binder and texts into it as fast as she could. Sakura looked at her strangely.
"Where are you going?" She asked, sipping at her juice box. Chihiro looked at her in wonder. Her friend was sitting here, all calm and composed. As she was close to having a heart attack and was probably getting deathly pale.
"Going home to study for my spare!" she said quickly, flinging the bag over her shoulder and bolting it out of the school.
Chihiro managed to run about a quarter of the way home and then had to stop for a rest. She fell down to her knees, trying to catch her breath. How could she of not heard about this biology test? A small bird chirped next to her and she looked up sharply. Soon Chihiro managed to figure out where she had taken a rest. Right on the path near the tunnel. She looked down the twisted road, trying to spot something out of place. She then looked forward and noticed all the small little houses.
"Some people think little spirits live in there."
Her mother had told her. Chihiro stood up and slowly walked towards the small houses. They didn't look any different then they had six years ago. She knelt down and brushed her fingers lightly on the top of one.
A swift breeze blew by Chihiro, pushing her hair in front of her face. She quickly stood up and brushed the offending hair out of her eyes. When it was gone she found herself facing the path.
"Well I guess it couldn't hurt to check it out." The brunette then began the long walk down the path. So many memories began flashing through her head. Her walking through the tunnel with her parents. Seeing Haku at the bridge. Chihiro smiled lightly at the thought of the boy she had once loved. She didn't know for sure anymore if she did love him or not. He hadn't come back to see her once, and six years was a very long time.
"Maybe he was just busy… for six years. Yeah, six years." Chihiro frowned at the thought. Haku couldn't of possibly been that busy. It was inhumane to work someone like that.
Chihiro didn't realize she was getting closer to the tunnel until she abruptly stubbed her bug toe on something hard. She cursed out loud and grabbed her foot, hopping on the other.
"Stupid rock. Who puts one in the middle of the road anyways?" Chihiro's eyes widened suddenly. She let go of her foot and stared at the stone. In the middle of the road. The one where her father had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting it. She then looked up and saw the tunnel. Big, hollow and staring at her. As if daring her to come in. Chihiro lifted her chin a little higher and began walking through the tunnel.
Once on the other side she felt warmer. More as if she was back home. The grass blew freely in the wind, as if dancing with it. A few clouds drifted lazily above her. She could see the peculiar stones protruding from the ground. And just up ahead a little was the town. Chihiro swallowed hard and began walking towards the small town.
No one was in it. The sun was up, which meant everyone was asleep. No spirits inhabited the restaurants surrounding her. It was vacant. Except for her presence. The bathhouse looked the same as usual. The steam was shooting out of the top of the building. The flag blew lightly in the wind. Windows along the side of the building rattled with the vibrations of the bathhouse. Chihiro quickly looked along the bridge for a sign of someone she knew. But like the town, it was empty.
Looking around, Chihiro didn't quite know what she was doing here. Her bio test started soon and she didn't know jack about the subject. She couldn't possibly get another job here. One reason being her parents worrying about her and another being the fact that Yubaba would never ever let her work there again. Especially due to the fact that instead of making money, Chihiro lost money.
She was thinking of turning back until she felt something glow upon her. She turned around and gasped. The lights were turning on. It was nearing night time, which meant everyone was waking up to get the bathhouse ready for the spirits. Chihiro ran back towards where she came. Running down the steps she felt a familiar presence once again.
"Water again!" she yelled, turning back around quickly. This couldn't be happening. She needed to get back to her world. She had things to do, tests to take, people to talk to!
Chihiro had no choice but to walk back towards the bathhouse. Maybe someone would take her in. Preferably someone nice. Like Kamaji. It was almost as if a light bulb went off in Chihiro's head. Kamaji!
"He'll help me!" she said, smiling. Chihiro then began to run towards the bridge. She stopped abruptly though, remembering that the spirits would see her if she didn't hold her breath while crossing it. She stood at the very edge and took a few deep breaths before taking her last, and running across the bridge.
A few seconds later she was across and unseen by the spirits. Crawling on hands a knees, she quickly scuttled through the small door near the steps to Kamaji's boiler room. As soon as she was through, Chihiro remember her last incident with the steps. She had stepped on a loose rotting one and was sent sailing down the stairs until a brick wall had aided in her abrupt stop. Chihiro laughed weakly at the thought, and this time, decided to take the steps quickly. She was down about ten seconds later, trying to collect her thoughts.
A faint clanking could be heard from inside the boiler room. Kamaji was probably telling the soot balls to either hurry it up or else stop because food was there. Chihiro stalled for a moment. What was she going to tell him? She couldn't just ask for hospitality without working there and Yubaba wasn't going to give back her name very easily. It wouldn't make very much sense if she just told him she'd stumbled into the world either. That would create a lot of trouble and cost time for everyone else to get her back.
Chihiro sighed, knowing there was really only one option she had. To ask for a job and then work to get it back.
"I am so dead when I get home." She mumbled, opening the big steel door and stepping inside. She could see six long shadows moving around furiously, trying to get everything all done at once. Chihiro felt a little bad for bothering Kamaji at this time. It being the beginning of the day there would be lots of bath tokens coming around.
Reluctantly, she took a few steps forward. Kamaji clanked his wooden mallet on the counter and Chihiro noticed all the soot balls rush back into the holes. She gulped once more and walked forwards.
"Kamaji?" she said weakly, hands in front of her and her feat neatly beside one another. The six armed man did not look up.
"Stupid human, leave before I tell Yubaba you're hear. We don't need anymore." Chihiro gasped. There was another human here? She didn't know anyone else knew that this building was here.
"Kamaji, it's me Chihiro, I mean.. Sen." Kamaji stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her. His mustache twitched a little bit.
"Sen, what are you doing back?" he asked. Chihiro looked down. She didn't think she could tell him the truth of making the mistake of coming in here. She decided to go down a more pleasing path.
"I wanted to see you guys again."
The door to the bathhouse opened and in emerged Lin, the young woman who had taken Chihiro in six years ago. Her eyes widened considerably when she saw the girl standing before her. Chihiro never felt more like a burden in her entire life.
"SEN!" she yelled, putting everything on the ground and literally leaping on the poor girl. She wrapped her arms around her tightly and squeezed the life out of her.
"You're back! We all missed you so much!" Chihiro desperately tried to pry the arms of Lin off of her.
"Lin.. you're.. killing me." She gasped. Lin immediately let go. She quickly picked up what she had put down but wasn't finished with Chihiro.
"What are you doing back here? You know you have to work again right? How have you been? You got a boyfriend yet?" Lin winked at the last comment and nudged her in the side. Chihiro looked at Lin stupidly.
"Of course not! Don't you remember the promise Haku made to me? I haven't forgotten about that yet.'' Lin looked at her a little uneasily, but quickly changed it.
"Well, come on then. We've got no time to waste, you have to get a job here." Lin said, pulling Chihiro along.
"See you later Kamaji." Chihiro said to the boiler man before ducking to exit the room. Kamaji just waved and went back to tending to the tokens. Chihiro followed Lin all the way up until she couldn't go any further.
Chihiro was soon found standing in front of the doors that lead to Yubaba's chambers. She gulped and suddenly remember the last time she was here. Quickly grabbing the door knocker, she hit the large door with it three times.
"You again? What do you think you're doing here?" the knocker asked her. Chihiro jumped back, not expecting it to say anything. She didn't reply.
"I asked you a question!" it said, looking very annoyed. Chihiro paled.
"Umm.. I need another job here." She said, not really knowing how to word it out properly.
"I already have one useless human here. I don't need two." The knocker spat. Chihiro decided to drop the scared and vulnerable act.
"I need a job here Yubaba. I'm older now and I'm pretty sure I'm worth a lot more than the other human here." She said firmly. The knocker was silent for a moment.
Great Chihiro, now look at what you've done.
"Whatever. You know what you have to do. Go find Lin. You're hired."
"Don't I need to sign something." Chihiro asked, confused. The knocker laughed.
"I don't need you to. Your other contract will work for this one. You're name is now Sen again and I expect no problems. Now get out of my sight."
Chihiro bowed to the door, feeling kind of stupid and then quickly ran away towards the elevator.
Once back inside the room where she was supposed to sleep, she found her uniform and quickly changed into it.
"Who are you?" came a voice from across the room. Chihiro turned around to face a girl. She looked about one year younger than herself and had black, shoulder length hair that was held back with a ribbon. Her eyes were a shocking blue and her skin was flawless. The young girl had on the same uniform as she did.
"I'm Sen. Are you the other human here?" the girl nodded and took a step towards Chihiro.
"My name is Ryoku, I suppose you just got a job here?" Chihiro nodded.
"Well good. I'll show you how everything is done around here." Ryoku turned to lead Chihiro out of the room. The brunette, although, stood rooted on the spot.
"No that's ok. I've worked here before, I know all I need to know already." Chihiro said, walking towards the door. Ryoku frowned.
"You've been here before?" she asked, as if not believing Chihiro's story. She crossed her arms arrogantly.
"Well then I guess you know all about Haku then don't you." She said sarcastically. Chihiro was loving this.
"Yes, in fact, I do know who he is. And he made a promise to me six years ago that he would come and find me." Chihiro said smugly. Ryoku took her turn to gloat.
"Well that's too bad for you then because when I got here, Haku told me he had been here since he could remember."
Chihiro's eyes widened at that. She didn't like the way this girl was talking one bit. Chihiro shoved past her towards the bathhouse baths.
"Whatever, I have work to do."
A few hours later, Chihiro was working a bath for a spirit when she heard that oh so familiar high pitched voice. She shuddered and turned around.
"There she is!" said Ryoku, pointing right at her. Chihiro gave her a funny look and turned back around, ignoring the stupid girl. That is until she heard an even more familiar voice.
"Sen?"
TBC
Haha! I am evil.. EVIL I TELL YOU! coughs
Well.. sorry about that. I'll update soon but please review! This is my first Spirited Away fic and I'm working on it!