Chapter One

Years had passed since anything interesting had occured in the bath house, Yubaba had become ever richer, even with the loss of Haku as her apprentice. She being the witch she was always decided there was another fool who would search for power, long for the knowledge she could give them. Yubaba leaned over the railing watching her baby boy, not so much a baby anymore directing spirits though the bathhouse assisting his mother. The witch had great plans for her son when he grew old enough to run the bath house himself.

She lit one of her cigerettes and inhaled deeply, "Just as I like it calm and with great income." she said with a smoke filled sigh. Yubaba headed for her rooms, the day would soon come and she would be on her way while the bath house slept and the spirits guarded their homes.

A chilling breeze slipped through the heat and seam of the bath house, many froze at sensing this sudden presence. Several guests scurried away, leaving before they had even bathed. The hairs on the back of Yubaba's neck stood on end. Slowly the mistress of the bath house turned, standing in the doorway was a black cloaked form.

The whispers crawled through those who remained, though none stood in the figures way. It's face was covered in a deep blackness, its body wrapped in shadows. "Death spirit."

The spirit walked past them and went for the stairs, Yubaba's child sheilded away from this one as well, a coldness, and numbness followed this one. Spirits began pouring from the bath house, fearing they were the one it had come for. Yubaba studdered and stumbled over her words as it approached her, "Welcome most honored guest, what may I ask brings someone of such, high asteam to my bathhouse?" It was common knowledge that Death Spirits, while a common occurance in the spirit world, for every one died at some time or another, did not frequent places where spirits grouped together, most death spirits were both loners and killers of only humans. Spirits were already dead, but should there be a need for it, older spirits were some times removed so younger spirits could take their place.

The spirit slowly pulled down its hood, behind the shadows was half a young women's face, deep black eyes and ebony hair, skin bleached to near transparency, the other half of the creature's face was a skull, covered in black tattooed magic symbols. Her eye stared unblinkingly at Yubaba, "I search for the one called, Chihiro."

Light flickered and danced off the purple band in her brown hair. Her dark eyes flicking across the words on the page, she wasn't getting any of the information off the page. Chihiro's mind was elsewhere. She slid the book down and continued the sketch of a long empirial dragon, faded in the sky behind it was a firmilar form, she wondered if Kohaku still looked the same or if he, like humans aged. Chihiro shook herself mentally, no, he was a river spirit; and his river was gone, he'd be the same for the rest of eternity. While she was now in high school, five years ago she'd taken a most amazing adventure, witnessed things no one would have believed her if she had even spoken it.

She'd kept the story to herself, but she'd written it down, everything, Kimagi, Rin, Yubaba, Zaniba, Kuhaku, everyone, and everything she could remember; and she missed them all dearly. She reached up and touched the purple band her friends had made for her again for the thousandth time since she'd returned to the human world, they were still with her in her heart, and in her memories. Her dreams were filled with them, it made her heart ache to see them once more, she would give anything to see them all again.

"Chihiro!"

She shot up out of her chair, "Yes sir?" The rest of the class laughed, clearly the teacher called her name multiple times and had just caught her attention.

He sighed and shook his head, "Out in the hall please, I'd like a word with you."

The young women bit her lip and returned her things into her bag and desk then walked out of the classroom, closing the door behind her. The class continued without her, this had gone one many times before it didn't bother her, her parents on the other hand were starting to get sick of the letters coming home, and the teacher meetings. Chihiro rested with her back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling, her face slowly spred into a smile as she thought about the rich river spirit.

Sen...

A gentle wind came from down the hall. Blinking the girl began to walk after the wind, none of the windows down this hall opened where would a breeze be coming from? Again the wind brushed against her face and made her school uniform tremor. Glancing over her shoulder at the classroom door she proceeded down the hall.

There was a flicker of what looked like firelight from within a classroom that she knew was abandoned. Curiously she pulled the door open.

The door didn't contain a classroom, the flicker was of candles that circled the round room. In the center of the room was a figure cloaked in white sitting before a brass basin, the head rose to look in her direction, "We don't have much time Chihiro, I have come to warn you."

Chihiro left the door open and sat in front of this form, "Who are you?"

"Who I am is of little importance, what is is that you are being hunted by a death spirit. You must avoid death when ever it is possible." The spirit waved a hand over the brass basin, the water within trembled and darkened then revealed the half faced- half skulled spirit. "This one will not stop until her quarry has been found; stay away from graveyards, hospitals, anywhere where death is frequent. She will have spies and other creatures searching for you." The water trembled again, within it she could see the bath house, night had fallen, yet no smoke rose from the smoke stacks. The windows were dark, "She has followed your trail to this place, here she is waiting for you."

Chihiro gasped, "I have to help them!" She moved to stand, but the spirit's hands shot out and took hold of her arms, "Let me go, those are my friends!"

"You cannot reach this place as you did before," it stated, "The way was shut behind you, for you at least."

She bit her lip, "How can I get there then?"

The form's head rose suddenly, "We are being watched, you must go." He waited for a moment before repeating, "She is there now, she is waiting for you. For now, were I you Chihiro I would remain where you are."

Her vision wavered and she was standing in an empty room. Chihiro bit her lip and walked back to her classroom and waited for her teacher, new thoughts running though her mind. She blinked and looked back toward the open classroom door, "Kuhaku? Was that you?" She had to wonder, but she hadn't felt the same around this white cloaked person as she'd once felt around Haku, it couldn't of been him.

A moment later her teacher came out to speak with Chihiro about her behavior in class. She nodded at the appropriate moments and apologised to the teacher while promising to try and do better. Her mind was elswhere though, she had to find a way to go help those at the bath house.