Chapter 1 : One Last Try

Beep,beep,beep. Beep, beep,beep. Oh did she ever want to throw her alarm clock across the room at this moment. She wasn't able to get get any sleep last night, for she was to anxious for today. Today marks the day that she entered the spirit world exactly 9 years ago. Every year for the past 9 years she would go down into the forest to the old plaster building in hope to cross over into the field and see her handsome dragons beautiful green eyes. She was getting light headed just thinking about staring into those eyes once again. Although Chihiro knew not to get her hopes up as this was her last time trying to get into her dearly missed spirit world. She had isolated herself from all friends and family in hopes that no one would notice her absence if she did succeed in getting through to the other side. She would admit that it was getting harder and harder to keep turning down all the guys who were constantly asking her out. Within the 9 years Chihiro had grown a lot like any other human woman would. She let her hair grow out long ending just around her hips an it wasn't hard to hide the fact that the once flat chested girl had filled out incredibly in the last few years. She was taller then most Japanese girls her age which made her feel put of place even more. She had been keeping herself for Haku if she were ever to see him again but as an adult girl there are just some urges that can't be ignored.

After she showered she headed out the door of the cottage she got built right on the edge of the forest. The city refused to let her build it in the forest itself because they didn't want to disrupt the spirits that lived there. If only they knew that no spirits actually lived in the forest, they all lived just beyond in a whole different world that everyone was completely oblivious to, except for Chihiro of course. She went down the path to the all to familiar building and prayed that today would be the day she would get in. Before she took anymore steps she double checked that she had the hair band that Zeniba, No face, Boh and Yu Bird had made for her during her first visit. After she confirmed it was there, holding her chestnut coloured locks that she quickly braided to the side before she left, she held her breath and walked into the darkness of the tunnel. Please be there, please be there, please be there, she muttered as she walked. She opened her to find that she was standing in a meadow with a small river up ahead. She had done it! 9 years of waiting and she was finally back! Now the only thing that passed through her mind was the image of her dragon and the long awaited embrace she had imagined of all those years.

As she ran over the bridge that hovered above the train that only went one way, she remembered that during the day when the sun was up most of the bathhouse workers were sleeping. She would have to wait to see Haku as she didn't know where his room was and didn't feel like getting caught by Yubaba wandering around without a job. She went down to the boiler room to see of her grandfather, Kamaji was up. As she thought she was still sound asleep but the little balls of soot were waiting for her when she got in.

Not wanting to wake the old man up Chihiro left the boiler room quietly and decided that she might as well go up to see Yubaba now. She headed towards the familiar elevators thinking that the place hadn't changed a bit. She went up as high as she could without switching elevators. When she got off she stepped into a place that barely resembled the bath house she remembered. The place looked like it hadn't been visited in years. Suddenly she heard screaming coming from above her. She recognized Yubaba's voice immediately but the second voice was one of a man. Curious as she is she ran to the next elevator thinking that it couldn't get up fast enough. She ran through the big arched doors ignoring the obnoxious knocker as she went. Chihiro twisted through they gaudy decorations covering the walls until she appeared in the office she had visited too many times during her last stay at the bathhouse.

" I do not care that you know your name! That does not mean you can burn my bathhouse down to the ground in order to get your point across!" Chihiro walked forward as the old witch went on screaming at a hidden figure in the corner.

" You cannot expect the workers to go along with your corrupt sense anymore. They have been hiding in the back hallways and smallest rooms to stay away from you now that they all are regaining their memories that you took away. Yes I may have charred parts of the bathhouse in my anger, but my intentions were not to burn it down. I wouldn't do that to these spirits who have never known anything else other then this bathhouse." The figure that belonged to the deep husky voice was now appearing out of the shadows. Chihiro looked him up down trying not to be obvious although neither the witch or the man had noticed her yet.

" Ever since that little human girl came here 9 years ago you've been a real pain in my ass Haku! When will you learn I'm still the boss!" Chihiro froze did the old hag just say Haku? Stepping into the centre of the room, now being stared at by both spirits, she looked at the young man standing in front her. Studying him for what seemed like eternity until he finally said something,

" Chihiro? Is that really you?" Stunned that it was actually him and that he even remembered her. She tried to spit an answer out, but her words just came out all jumbled. She eventually gave up and just gave a small nod.

" Oh great she's back. Just what I need right now! A thick headed dragon now a stupid human! Do they gods hate me? What did I do to deserve this?" Yubaba started rambling on as she left into another room. Once she was gone Chihiro couldn't help but run at Haku embracing the new body of the spirit she had loved since she was 10.

" Chihiro why are you here?" asked Haku as he squeezed Chihiro hard but not hard enough to hurt her. Chihiro was to busy taking in Haku's new body to answer. She could feel the toned muscles underneath his shirt. Not the ones where you want to be sick because they're so big and vein-y but the nice small chiseled kind that feel like they are made for you to rest your head on. He cut his hair a little shorter more of a boy cut now instead of the bob he had when she was younger. She was glad to see he had grown taller then her, she was afraid that being so tall in the human world that she may be tall in the spirit world as well. The last thing she noticed, though she tried really hard not to, was the big bulge in the tight pants he was wearing. Going red even thinking about it she was thankful that Haku had started talking.

"Chihiro, you never answered my question. What are you doing here? Not that I mind I'm so happy to see you! I just never imagined i would see you again! I tried for years to try and contact you but nothing worked. I felt horrible for breaking my promise to you I really did."

" Well I came through the same way I did before. By myself this time and it wasn't by accident. I've been trying to get back to you for the past 9 years. I don't fit in in the human world Haku i belong here. With you and Lin and Boh and everyone else here at the bathhouse, I even missed Yubaba!" Haku didn't say anything for many minutes. Chihiro was scared that she sad something wrong until finally he said something

" So if my understanding is correct you would like to stay here...? In the spirit world? Chihiro are you sure you've thought about this? What about your friends and family? This world is very different from yours. You weren't here long enough to realize that last time. I'm not sure if it's a good idea." She thought he may react like this when she told him she wanted to stay. That's why shes had her rebuttal ready for 9 years.

" I don't have any friends Haku I didn't make any so that it would be easy to come back. My family also hates me. They got fed up with my stories about this world and they didn't like the fact that I was always so distant from them. I have based my life around returning here. You don't want to tell me that i just wasted the past 9 years preparing for this day because you don't want me here do you?"

" I'm not saying i don't want you here Chihiro! I would love for you to stay i just feel so guilty that you threw away the prime of your life because of everyone here. It's not as easy as just showing up and staying here. You have to go through a lot of different authorities not to mention the fact that your life is so much shorter then ours. Becoming a spirit is nearly impossible!"

Chihiro stopped listening half way through his rant about staying in the spirit world. She just didn't want to listen to it.

" Haku I'm staying here no matter what you say. I'll go to Zeniba's if i have to but not you or anyone else will get me to leave. Actually I think I'll go visit her before i start my job here if that's alright with you." Haku just stood there flustered as to what to say. Eventually he told her to go see Zeniba and to have a good time and that he will be waiting right here when she gets back. Then he gave her some train tickets for there and back, since the train now went both ways again, and she went on her way.