Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. ::Pout:: Nothing's ever mine. It's not faaiirr!
Author's Notes: Um...yeah. I'm not too sure about this one. The idea for a Digimon/Spirited Away fusion thingy was brought up a while back on the boys_inc ML and I'd actually almost forgotten about it. Then I started listening to an mp3 of the song "Shiroi Ryuu" (which is gorgeous, BTW) and got all inspired. I'm probably not going to follow the movie exactly, or at least I'm gonna add some stuff since just doing the movie word-for-word would be dull. However, this will obviously contain some spoiler-ish things for the movie, so if you don't want to know, wait to read this until after you've seen the film (or at least, don't yell at me if you get spoiled. I don't like being yelled at.) Anyway, read, review and such. (And if you think it sucks, please don't tell me. My ego is fragile >_
"Are we there yet?" Motomiya Daisuke asked as he stared out the car window and tried to reposition himself so that his legs weren't quite so cramped.
"Watch it! You kicked me." Daisuke's older sister Jun kicked his leg away. "Mom, are we there yet? I can't take being cooped up with him much longer."
"Oh yeah? You should try being cooped up with you," Daisuke shot back, sticking his tongue out at her and putting his feet on her lap.
"Don't be immature," Jun said, slapping at his feet. "Geez, your stupid sneakers stink! Stop taking up all the space!"
"You're the one taking up all the space with your stupid spiky hair!"
"Who's the one with the spiky hair?"
"Enough!" Mrs. Motomiya said from the passenger seat and both kids shut up immediately. She turned to look at them. "It won't be much longer, so try to keep from bothering each other until then, okay?"
"Hmmph. I'm not the one who wanted to move," Daisuke pouted. He glanced back out the window and fingered the goggles sitting on his head. They had been a gift from a friend of his before he left. The card was stuffed into the pocket of his shorts, and Daisuke undid his seatbelt and squirmed around a bit trying to pull it out, accidentally kicking Jun again.
"Stop that! Can't you just stay still?" Jun said.
"I'm looking for something!" Daisuke said. "You're already takin' up more space than me anyway!"
"I am not!"
"Are so!"
"Am not!"
"Would you two stop fighting?" This time Mr. Motomiya turned to glare at them.
"Honey, eyes on the road!" Mrs. Motomiya snapped, and he turned back to the road just in time to take a wrong turn down an old dirt road. The car rolled over a large bump and Daisuke found himself tossed into Jun, who squawked indignantly and pushed him off.
"What's with this road?" Daisuke muttered as he tried to get his seatbelt back on. A particularly large bump sent him flying again, this time falling forward into the seat in front of him as the car rolled to a stop.
"I think you took a wrong turn," Mrs. Motomiya said to her husband, who had pulled a small map out of his pants pocket and was trying to unfold it. "We should probably go back."
"No, no, I think it'll be okay," Mr. Motomiya argued. He pointed to a spot on the map. "See, I think that if we just keep following this road, it should take us to the new house."
"It would probably be best if we just go back. We don't want to get lost," argued Mrs. Motomiya.
"We could go back to our old house," Daisuke suggested hopefully, and both his parents shot him a withering look. He sank back into his seat and pouted. "It was just a suggestion...."
"Look, see, this is the road we're on." Mr. Motomiya pointed to a spot on the map. "So if we follow it all the way--"
"That's a coffee stain," Jun said, leaning between the two front seats to look at the map.
"Let's turn around," Mrs. Motomiya said. "I don't think this road is even on the map."
"No, no, this'll be fine." Mr. Motomiya waved off her objections and started the car again. "I'm certain that this road will take us to where we want to be. Maybe even quicker! This could be a shortcut that nobody's ever heard of."
"Yeah, a shortcut to being lost in the woods and dying of starvation," Jun muttered as she sat back down. She glanced over at Daisuke, who was still pouting. "What's with you? I thought you liked adventure."
"Getting lost isn't adventure," Daisuke mumbled. "Why'd we have to move anyway? If we'd stayed where we were, we wouldn't be lost right now."
"We're not lost," Mr. Motomiya snapped as the car began to move forward.
"Not yet, anyway," sighed Mrs. Motomiya. "Dear, are you sure--"
"We'll be there in no time," Mr. Motomiya promised. In the backseat, Jun and Daisuke exchanged looks and sighed. Daisuke went back to looking out the window.
The car continued to trundle lazily along the dirt road and Daisuke stared out at the countryside. There seemed to be nothing for miles except cows and grass. Just as he was beginning to think that they were going in circles, the road curved sharply, and they drove into an old forest.
"This is kinda creepy," Jun said in a hushed tone.
"I think we should go back," Mrs. Motomiya added.
"Let's just go a little farther, okay? Just a little farther." Mr. Motomiya continued to follow the road.
"I don't like this," Jun whispered to Daisuke, who ignored her, still intent on the window. "Hey, what're you looking at?"
"There was a statue thingy over there," Daisuke said, glancing back at her. "Didn't you guys see it? It was in the middle of the woods; we just passed it a second ago."
"What kind of statue? I don't see anything." Jun pushed Daisuke to the side a little, trying to look out the window.
"I said we already passed it! Move over, you're squishing me!" Daisuke pushed her away and stared back out the window. He couldn't see anything but trees now.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.
"Huh?" Daisuke glanced up at his parents. "Why'd we stop?"
"There seems to be a...a building or something," Mr. Motomiya said, turning off the car engine. Daisuke stared out the front window and realized that they had stopped in front of a large structure covered in peeling red paint. There seemed to be a small tunnel right ahead of them, and there was a statue in front of the tunnel.
"That's like the statue I saw before!" Daisuke exclaimed, pointing.
"So what is it?" Jun asked. "I mean, what kind of building would be in the center of a forest?"
"Let's go out and take a look," Mr. Motomiya decided, getting out of the car.
"Hey, wait for me!" Daisuke pushed his door open and tumbled out onto the grass. He stood with his father in front of the tunnel and peered inside, trying to see where it led.
"Is this really a good idea?" Mrs. Motomiya questioned as she and Jun also exited the car.
"Maybe the tunnel leads somewhere we could get directions," Mr. Motomiya said. "It's better than waiting around here, anyway. Come on, let's go see where it leads."
"Dear, I think we should just go back the way we came," Mrs. Motomiya objected. "And what about the moving van?"
"If the van beats us to the new house, the movers can just move everything in and leave it until we get there," Mr. Motomiya said dismissively. "Daisuke, you want to see what's at the other end of the tunnel, don't you?"
"Um...I guess..." Daisuke said slowly, still trying to see inside.
"There, Daisuke agrees with me, you see? We'll go and check things out, and you two can stay behind with the car. Come on, Daisuke." Mr. Motomiya grabbed Daisuke by the arm and started down the tunnel, dragging the boy behind him.
Mrs. Motomiya and Jun stared after them for a moment, then exchanged tired glances and followed.
"We shoulda brought a flashlight," Daisuke muttered as he stumbled over a rock.
"We're almost at the end," Mr. Motomiya urged from ahead of him.
"Can't we turn back? It's all dusty in here!" Jun complained.
Several moments later the four emerged in what appeared to be an old train station at the other end of the tunnel.
"This place looks like it's been abandoned for years," Mrs. Motomiya breathed.
"So much for getting directions," Jun said to Daisuke, who had turned away from her and was walking off in another direction. "Hey, where are you going?" Jun ran after him.
"Look." Daisuke pointed to another open door on one side of the station. Through it, the two could see green grass and a clear blue sky.
"What sort of place is this?" Jun wondered aloud as their parents walked up behind them.
"Well, let's see if there's anyone out here, then." Mr. Motomiya pushed past her and headed outside, followed by Mr. Motomiya. Jun and Daisuke ran after them.
"My, it's so nice out here," Mrs. Motomiya said as they began to walk up a hill. "Can we go back to the car now? We really should get back to the main road."
"I've got it!" Mr. Motomiya snapped his fingers triumphantly.
"Got what?" Jun said curiously.
"I know what this place is. It's an amusement park!"
"It doesn't look like an amusement park," Mrs. Motomiya sighed. "Dear, maybe you should lie down."
"No, no, it's okay. Remember, a few years back when the economy was good and all those amusement parks were opening? A bunch of them shut down afterwards because they ran out of money. I bet this was one of them."
"Then it's abandoned," Mrs. Motomiya said. "So we obviously won't be able to get directions here. Let's go back."
"But there's smoke coming from over there," Daisuke spoke up, pointing.
"Hey, he's right!" Jun said. "So maybe there is someone till here!"
"Let's go check, then." Mr. Motomiya led the way again. "Come on troops."
"I should've worn older shoes," Jun muttered as they followed. "These are going to get all muddy."
"Be careful, kids, there's a lot of water over here," Mrs. Motomiya called back as they came to what appeared to be a very small river filled with large rocks.
"Definitely should've worn better shoes," Jun moaned as she picked her way over the rocks. There was a loud splash to her right, and she turned to see Daisuke sitting in the middle of a puddle.
"I told you to be careful," Mrs. Motomiya scolded the dripping boy.
"I was careful!" Daisuke objected. "The rocks are slippery."
"Stay away from me, you're all muddy now," Jun warned as they continued on towards what appeared to be a small plaza filled with empty shops.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Mr. Motomiya called. No one answered.
"I smell something," Daisuke said.
"Over there!" Mr. Motomiya walked over to a small shop packed with food.
"That smells so good!" Mrs. Motomiya said. "But where's the owner? You wouldn't think he'd leave the food lying out like this."
"Too bad, I'm hungry," Mr. Motomiya added. "Do you see anybody we can ask about the food?"
"I don't think there's anyone here at all," Jun spoke up.
"Well...." Mr. Motomiya looked thoughtfully at the food. "I do have money with me, and credit cards too. So maybe we can pay whenever the owner comes back?"
"That sounds like a good idea," Mrs. Motomiya said. "That long car ride has made me hungry." She sat down and reached for a piece of food, taking careful bite. "Oh, it's delicious! And fresh, too. It couldn't have been sitting here for long."
"Then let's help ourselves." Mr. Motomiya put a bit of food on one of the plates stacked nearby and sat down next to his wife. He turned to Daisuke and Jun, who were still standing a ways off, watching them. "What about you kids? Hungry?"
"No thanks," Jun stated. "That stuff looks fattening. I'm going to go look around a bit, okay?"
"All right, just don't get lost. What about you, Daisuke?"
Daisuke glanced at the food and then at the retreating form of Jun. He was hungry, but he was also having the strange, nagging feeling that he shouldn't touch that food.
But that's stupid! I mean, it's just food right? Daisuke took a step towards his parents, then stopped. Right?
"I--I'm gonna go look around with Jun," Daisuke decided, and ran off, leaving his parents still eating behind him.
That was dumb, Daisuke thought irritably as he wandered aimlessly through the small empty shops. I really am hungry, too. Maybe I should go back and eat something? He shook his head. Nah, maybe later. I'd better find Jun. She's probably off doing some dumb girl thing.
He turned a corner and suddenly caught sight of a large red building situated on the other side of a wooden bridge. There was something about it that made him draw closer to it, and he stepped onto the bridge.
I wonder what that was, he thought. It looks too big to be just another shop. Maybe it was a hotel or something? Maybe everyone's in there and that's why there's nobody out here.
Daisuke heard a sound from below him and leaned over the side of the bridge just in time to catch sight of the shadow of a train flit through the water below.
A train? Why's there a train here? Is it some part of the theme park that we missed? He stared hard into the water, climbing up a bit of the bridge railing and leaning dangerously off the side. This place is really weird. I--I think I kinda wanna go back to the car now.
Daisuke sighed and straightened, jumping back onto the bridge. There was the sound of a soft gasp beside him, and he turned.
A boy stood there on the bridge beside him. He looked about Daisuke's age, though he was a bit taller and seemed a bit thinner, despite the clothes he wore, which looked as though they had come from an older time period. He had long dark hair that hung around his face, making him look a bit female, and piercing violet eyes, all of which seemed to contrast sharply with his pale skin.
"Um...hi," Daisuke said carefully. The other boy was staring at him in what appeared to be nothing less than open-mouthed shock. "Who're you? I haven't seen anyone here ever since we--"
"What are you doing here?" the other boy said sharply. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. "You--you shouldn't be here!"
"Well, you see, we got lost and--" Daisuke broke off as he caught sight of one of the lamps beside the large hotel-looking building turn on. Suddenly the sky seemed to get a bit darker and the wind rose. Daisuke felt a strange prickling feeling on the back of his neck.
"Get out of here!" The other boy lunged forward unexpectedly and pushed him back. Daisuke slipped and fell back onto the bridge.
"Hey, what're you--" Daisuke started to object, then stopped when he saw the intense look on the dark-haired boy's face.
"You have to get across the river, quickly!" The boy's tone was full of urgency. "Quickly! They're lighting the lamps already, and if you don't get back across the river, you'll be trapped here!" He turned back towards the large building, where Daisuke could now see strange dark shapes beginning to form. "Go! I'll hold them off while you run!"
"R-right." Not quite sure what was going on or what he was doing, Daisuke scrambled to his feet, running back towards where he had left his parents. He glanced back once at the dark-haired boy, who was staring at the approaching figures.
What the hell is going on around here? Daisuke wondered desperately as he ran back towards the shops. He skidded to a halt as he realized that the small shops were no longer empty. Dark blobs, barely corporeal, were staffing them now, moving about apparently oblivious of his presence. The sky had become as dark as if night had fallen in the few minutes since Daisuke left his parents behind. Oh yeah, my parents! Are they okay? He began running again, back towards where he had left his parents.
"Mom, Dad!" Daisuke turned a corner and nearly ran into the wall of a shop, he was running so fast. He sighed in relief as he caught sight of his parents still sitting where he had left them. Though they did look a little...bigger...than before. Daisuke approached them almost hesitantly. "Um, Mom? Dad?"
His parents turned to look at him, and Daisuke froze.
Pigs. They were pigs.
"W-what's going on here?" Daisuke burst out. His parent ignored him, going back to the food. Those--those can't be my parents. They can't be. But--but they're wearing my parents' clothes. And this is where I left them. And--and--
"Jun!" Daisuke's eyes widened. Where is she? She went off the other way and I lost sight of her. Is she a pig too? He glanced back helplessly at his parents. "I--I'll be back for you guys, okay?" Then Daisuke ran off again.
"Jun! Jun, hey, where'd you go?" Daisuke called as he dashed through the streets. They were filled with creatures now, mostly the strange, indistinct blobs, but others were joining them now. Daisuke felt apprehension growing inside him.
What do I do? I--I can't leave my parents and Jun here! Daisuke looked around helplessly. But I'll never find her in all of this! I--I gotta get to the river, and then I'll figure out what to do once I get outta here.
Turning around yet again, Daisuke hurried towards the river. His breath was already coming in short gasps and his legs ached from all the running. He could see the steps leading down to the river up ahead of him. He put on an extra burst of speed and promptly tripped over the top step. He fell forward and landed with a loud splash in the water...which was suddenly as deep as an ocean.
"What the heck?" Daisuke gasped as he broke the surface. He swam back to the steps and climbed onto dry land, staring back at what had been barely a river. Ahead of him was what seemed to be a vast ocean. He could make out tall buildings and lights shining from the other side, which seemed impossibly far away.
I can't swim that. I--I'm stuck here. Daisuke collapsed onto the steps, still panting and shivering from the cold water. He put a hand to his head.
"You smell funny," a small voice said from beside him, and Daisuke jumped. A little blue creature had appeared beside him, staring at him with wide red eyes. "Are you a snail?"
"N-no. What are you?" Daisuke regarded the little creature with interest.
"I'm a Chibimon." Chibimon clambered up onto Daisuke's lap. "You don't smell like a snail. Are you a frog?"
"No!" Daisuke tried to remove the little creature from his lap, but it had already moved away and was clambering onto his head, admiring itself in his goggles. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
"I like you," Chibimon said happily. "You smell interesting. Why do you have mirrors on your head?"
"They're not mirrors!" Daisuke said indignantly. "They're goggles! Haven't you ever seen goggles before?"
"No." Chibimon moved forward so that he could look Daisuke in the eyes while still sitting on the boy's head. "What are you? You're so interesting!"
"I-I'm Motomiya Daisuke," Daisuke choked out.
"You're a Daisuke?"
"No! I'm a human! Don't you know what a human is?"
"No." Chibimon tumbled off Daisuke's head and landed back in his lap. "I like you. Why're you all wet?"
"Because I fell in the river." Daisuke glanced back at the water. He could see the approaching lights of a large boat. "Chibimon...what is this place?"
"It's the spirit world," Chibimon said helpfully.
"Spirit world?" Daisuke repeated. "So you're a spirit?"
"No, I'm a Chibimon!" Chibimon squeaked angrily.
"Well, what about those black things? Are they spirits?"
"Could be," Chibimon said distractedly, playing with one of Daisuke's shoe laces.
"Well, do you know how I get out of here?" Daisuke said. He was beginning to get annoyed.
"You can't," Chibimon said seriously. "I don't know anyone who ever has."
"What?" Daisuke looked stricken. Okay, okay, calm down Motomiya. This thing... er, Chibimon doesn't seem to know a whole bunch about this place, right? So maybe there is a way back home and he just doesn't know it.
"I need to find Jun," Daisuke decided, standing up. Chibimon grabbed onto his arm and climbed back up on his head.
"What's a Jun?"
"My sister," Daisuke said. "Are you coming with me?" Chibimon nodded.
"I like you. You're fun!"
Daisuke managed a small smile and began to walk back the way he had come. He decided to try and go around the shops, and soon found himself walking through a fairly deserted area away from the main road.
"Hey, Chibimon?" he said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"My parents...they weren't really turned into pigs, were they?"
"I think so," Chibimon said with some modicum of seriousness.
"They were? Why?"
"If you eat the food put out for the guests, you get turned into a pig," Chibimon replied. "They always kick me away when I try to eat anything."
"Who's 'they?'" Daisuke questioned.
"The spirits," Chibimon said. "Daisuke, did you know I can see through your hands?"
"What do you mean by that?" Daisuke said. Chibimon pointed and Daisuke gasped softly.
He could see through his hands as well. He was fading away.
----
And that's one chapter down. It may be a little while 'till I get the next chapter out because I'm going home for winter break on Thursday and I'll be gone for three weeks, but I'll try to be prompt with updates after that. So review! (Please?)