1Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything related to the movie!

Summary: Chihiro has returned to the Spirit World, unaware of the trouble that awaits her. She reunites with her friends and faces the evil awaiting. C&H

'Thoughts'

Chapter : Back to the Beginning

A young woman stood outside of an abandoned train station. Her long brown hair swayed softly in the light wind that seemed to be coming from the other end of the train station. A hand rested on the statue next to her. Her eyes were closed as if trying to remember something although a soft smile played on her lips. She stood there, looking out of place in the middle of the forest wearing a knee-length white strap summer dress. Her white flat shoes had grass stains and dirt makes on them. On her wrist was a scrunchy which she had ever since she was 10 years old. With this, she tied her hair into a ponytail and stood there. Her eyes open to reveal her hazel eyes, staring intently at the station. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she heard the station groaned, or so she thought.

Her mind drifted to the time when she was 10, about the adventure and the friends that she had made along the way. She also remembered the enemies she had made as well. Her family had no clue at what had happened, and this was a secret that she wanted to keep to herself. Her teacher wondered why she was so quiet, while her classmates thought she was cold and harsh.

Her mind drifted toward a certain boy that she had met during the adventure. She remembered his emerald eyes, staring at her intently, as if trying to learn her secrets. He haunted her life, her dreams, her thoughts, and her mind. 'Haku'

The station groaned again and shook her out of her thoughts. She blinked as though roused from a dream. The woman took a step froward and hesitated. She knew that there was no going back after this, and that her family would mourn for her. However, she knew that she did not belong in this world, but in the world of another. The smile fell from her face and was replaced by a worried, yet, serene face. She went forward and her feet took her to the other side of the station.

A grassy plain met her, the wind blowing, and the sweet scent of flowers flowed around her. She breathed in deeply, savoring the fresh air that she had not breathed in for such a long time. Her eyes scanned the land and found some weird shapes along her sight of vision. Following her instinct, she moved toward the shapes.

She came upon a small riverbed where a small, thin stream of water flowed. The woman carefully chose her stepping stones to cross the river. When she crossed the river, she looked up to see a large town looming over her and empty of people. The dark stores and houses gave a sinister look as the sun started setting. The woman smiled in spite of the empty town. 'Home sweet home,' she thought. 'This place hadn't changed a bit since I left.'

She walked quickly, as though she had finally realized the threat the town was to her. She ran up the steps and saw bridge, leading to a bath house. A train ran noisily under the bridge. The smell fo salt water was overpowering, yet. . .soothing at the same time. She stood there admiring the bridge where her adventure had started and where she had first met the boy. But surely he had grown up somehow even though he was a spirit. 'Immortal spirit' She stopped at the edge of the bridge and took a deep breath. The woman walked across the bridge, her heart pounding and her pulse racing. The bath house ahead was quiet and still, except for the smoke rising from the boiler room.

Chihiro, for that was the woman's name, walked up to a small trap door and crawled through for she was no longer as small as she used to be. She walked down the flight of stairs that led to the boiler room. She opened the door quietly and slipped through. Chihiro eased the door to snap shut quietly. She walked on to a door way that lead to the boiler room. There she heard voices and little squeaks. She smiled brightly and peeked inside the room.

Inside was a spider-like man grinding herbs in the little boat-like-bowl in front of him. He was sitting and working on a high stage. "Faster you sootballs," the man yelled. Tiny, angry squeaks were heard from little dots of black on the floor. Some of them were carrying rocks and others were getting more rocks. They all threw the rocks into a fire that provided warmth upstairs.

Chihiro revealed herself and stood by the man. "Kamaji?" the man named Kamaji grunted and continued to work. The sootballs, however, recognized her and dropped their rocks and rush over to her. They all crowded around her feet and some were jumping while she was giggling at their reaction. "Get back to work!" Kamaji yelled. He had not yet turned his head to look at her.

"Don't tell me you don't know me Kamaji," Chihiro said teasingly. By now, the sootballs were standing still and watching him. After a few moments of silence, kamaji stooped what he was doing and turned his head slowly in her direction. Chihiro got a good look at his face then. The man was a little on the bald side and had a bushy white beard. He also wore thin, round glasses. She stood there smiling softly and waiting. Kamaji looked at her, squinting his eyes and trying to figure out who this woman was. He felt like he knew her from some time ago. Kamaji looked at her and as he was about to give up, he looked into those familiar hazel eyes.

"Sen?" he whispered. Chihiro looked down, but she was still smiling. "That was my name, yes," she answered. "But that was not my real and true name. I go by the name of Chihiro now. This is the same name that Yubaba took from me and now I say to you. Please call me by my true name and not the one Yubaba bestowed on me." She looked up to find Kamaji looking down with amazement in his eyes.

"Why have you come back?" he asked her. Chihiro took a deep breath and said softly, "I don't belong in that world anymore. Not since my stay here. I found that I miss this place. I. . .I miss everyone and this world. I belong here, in this world, for in the other world I have no purpose to fulfill except to fulfill my parents' dream. Here, however, I have no purpose to fulfill except my own."

Kamaji smiled at her, "You have truly grown up, Chihiro. You have grown from a clumsy child," at this Chihiro pulled a face, "into a graceful woman. I am truly proud of you. How long has it been since we last met?"

"Eleven years," she answered. "But I must know what has happened since I've left. As for now," she turned to the sootballs, "you have to get back to work. I must say, you guys have not changed the least."

Chihiro walked to a side of the room and removed her shoes for one side was cement while the other was hardwood floor. She sat down on the hardwood floor and talked to Kamaji as he worked.

Hours stretched on as they continued talking. 'Yubaba has changed a lot," he said, "but I have an idea that it is not Yubaba, but her sister Zeniba. You see, when you left, Yubaba was upset that a human, such as yourself, could beat her at her own trick. So she locked herself in her room, where even Haku himself, could not have entered. The, early in the mourning, Haku said that he saw a flash of light from outside, when he was flying of course, coming from her room. So he went up to knock, only to find her perfectly okay except for her attitude. He said she was nicer and that he thought it was Zeniba. After he said this to me, he got quiet and left. Rin, on the other hand, never changed. She still has a temper, yet. . .she is not that easy to anger anymore."

Chihiro sighed, "So much has changed, yet it all feels the same."

"Kamaji! Dinner!" a voice yelled from behind a small door. Chihiro gasped and said, "Please don't tell anyone I'm here yet." Kamaji was about to ask why, but thought better of it and shut his mouth. He nodded and she smiled at him, hiding behind the stage.

The door slid open and a woman with long brown hair that was tied in the middle with a ribbon crawled through. "Uh! What reeks in here Kamaji? I haven't smelled this since Sen came here." kamaji answered her, "You are imagining things Rin. Now what do have for me?" Rin opened the basket she carried with her to reveal a bowl of rice and large fried shrimp. She then moved to the sootballs and fed them their food.

"Is that Rin?" Chihiro whispered to Kamaji. He nodded his head while the woman looked at him weirdly. "What or who are you nodding at Boiler Man?" she asked him. Chihiro took a deep breath, "He was nodding at me, Rin." She stepped to look at the other woman. The woman was wearing the worker's clothes that consisted of pink clam diggers, pink long sleeve shirt, and flat pink shoes. The woman looked at her shocked. "Sen?" "At least someone remembered me," Chihiro said to Kamaji. He shrugged his shoulders.

Chihiro gave Rin a watery smile as her eyes filled with tears. She nodded quickly and said, "My real name is Chihiro." Rin placed her basket next to her and opened her arms to hug Chihiro. And as Chihiro stepped forward, Rin slapped her on the side of her head lightly, although it still throbbed a bit.

"Why did you come back you dope!" Rin said loudly. Chihiro was about to answer when Rin stopped her with a big hug. "I miss you so much." "I missed you too Rin," Chihiro said back. "Why are you back anyway?" Rin asked her once she let go of Chihiro. At this, Chihiro looked away. "I. . .have my own reasons." Rin sighed and nodded. "What are you going to do now? No one knows you're here."

Chihiro paused before answering, "I was going to see Yubaba first." Kamaji said, "Rin, go and bring her to Yubaba." She nodded and made a motion to follow.

The way up to Yubaba's place was quiet and tense. The elevator stopped on the top floor and opened. "Thank you, Rin," Chihiro said to her. Rin nodded as she stepped off. The elevator's doors closed, leaving Chihiro alone in the hallway. She walked up to the gigantic doors and knocked.

"Who is it!" a sharp voice demanded. "It's me. . .Chihiro Granny," Chihiro answered softly. The multiple doors swung and she walked quietly through the hall. Her shoes were making soft noises that seemed to echo in the empty hall. She came upon a large comfortable room where a small woman was sitting at the desk. The old woman was wearing a blue dress and white hair that was tied into a bun. Her face had many wrinkles, but she seemed pleasant enough.

"Chihiro! How good it is to see you again!" the woman said cheerfully.

"Hello Granny! Or should I say. . .Zeniba?" Chihiro teased. "Pah!" Granny answered back angrily, "That twin sister of mine was mean and on should know her. I sent her away for along trip and rid her of her powers as well. Even she doesn't know where she is. But I must ask, why are you back?"

Chihiro frowned, "Something in me. . .changed when I returned to the other world." Granny leaned forward intently, "Go on." Chihiro sighed, "I can't explain it, but I can show you." The old woman nodded her approval. Chihiro closed her eyes and held out her hand. A pen on Granny's desk floated up and sailed to Chihiro's hand. It stopped right above her hand and stayed floating in mid-air. Granny smiled.

"My dear granddaughter," she said, "you have been blessed with the gift of magic. The spirit world has accepted you. This is the greatest gift that this world could grant you. You should be happy." Chihiro opened her eyes and made the pen float back to the desk, where it landed on the desk quietly.

"I don't know what to feel Granny," Chihiro said softly, "I have other gifts, too. The abilities are far more. . .powerful than I imagined. I can not control them in the other world, but here. . .is different. I understand what I can do, and what y limits are. However, I still need some guidance and I return now for your help. I know that my parents won't understand my situation, but I was hoping you can."

"What are your abilities Chihiro?" Granny asked curiously.

"I have the gift of moving things with my mind, and the gift of foresight. The gift to change things within my own imagination, the gift of . . .healing. I can take a person's pain away, and create pain. I can probe into someone's mind, but this is a gift I do not use often for invasion of privacy. I am a Shifter. And I have the gift of spells." Chihiro answered in the same soft voice. Granny closed her eyes and nodded.

"The spirit world has granted you more abilities than I thought. You need more guidance than you think," Granny said. "Does anyone know you're abilities?" Chihiro shook her head. "Does anyone know you're here?" Chihiro nodded, "Kamaji and Rin." Granny opened her eyes and smiled, "Come now. You must be hungry. You can stay here Granddaughter and you need new clothes." Chihiro smiled, "Where's No-Face and Baby?"

"No-Face chose to stay in my cabin and Baby went with his mother," Granny answered kindly. Granny led the way to large dinning room where dinner was being served.

Dinner was cheerful and satisfying. Chihiro was happy and ful when she went to sleep. 'I guess that this is the first step to my new life. I'm back to the beginning.'

The next mourning, Chihiro woke up because of the sunlight streaming through the window. She sat up and saw that there were a pile of clothes on the foot of her bed. Chihiro saw a note attached on top and read it,

Dear Granddaughter,

I must leave today because of business. I am truly sorry for not being here on your first day back. Please forgive you grandmother. You may wander around the bath hose if you please or stay up here for the day. I will not return until late tonight so eat dinner before me and don't wait up. I do, however, have a surprise for you. I have decided that you will have a teacher for your lessons today since, or course, I will not be there. You will be pleased with who I chose. Meet your teacher at the bridge at promptly 2 p.m.. I have placed a watch (the time is based on the spirit world's time) and the alarm will ring at exactly 2. So don't be late!

Your Grandmother

(P.S. - These clothes, I heard, are famous in your world. I felt that you would be more comfortable in these clothes than worker's clothes. Shoes are next to your old ones.)

Chihiro looked at the clothes. Granny had chosen a simple black skirt, white top, and a jean jacket. She looked at the side of the bed and saw black shoes that were the same exact style as her old ones. Chihiro smiled, 'Granny sure has a good taste in clothing.'

After breakfast, she sat down in Granny's library and started to read the books. By 1:45 p.m. rolled around, Chihiro was bored. She looked at the watch and decided to go down to the bridge early. She carefully avoided the workers and stood at one side of the bridge. She leaned on the railing, letting the sun warm her and the cool sea breeze blow through her hair. She didn't remember how long she stood there, but she felt someone entering her mind. She quickly fought the other person's mind. The other mind retreated quickly.

Chihiro felt someone approaching and ignored the person. Only when she felt the person reach out did she react. She turned around and put her hand out, with her palm facing the person. Her palm glowed to a brilliant shade of white.

The person sailed about 5 feet away from her, landing on his feet. When he looked up, Chihiro recognized him immediately.

"Haku."

TBC

A/N: Please review!