'I'll cover the bridge and that building, Kaori, you cover the food area, and Amaya, you cover everything on that west side,' said Chihiro.
'Right,' said Amaya. They ran off in their separate directions.
x.x.x
'Misora! Where are you?' asked Chihiro, then gasped as someone appeared in front of her.
'What are you-' started the boy. He had shoulder-length green hair, and bright green eyes that Chihiro had seen before. She looked at him for a moment, before all the memories started rushing back to her.
'Kohaku!' she said, running to him and hugging him.
'Chihiro! What are you doing here?' he asked, hugging her tightly.
'I - I think I came here by accident,' said Chihiro. 'Oh no! My friends are all here as well!' said Chihiro.
'Did they eat anything?' asked Kohaku anxiously.
'No, thank goodness!" said Chihiro.
'They'll find their way around,' said Kohaku. 'But you know the drill now,' said Kohaku. 'Come on.'
He grabbed her arm and they hid in the same place that they had six long years ago. Chihiro plucked a berry off the tree and ate it, and she started to become solid again.
'Go down to Kamaji. I'm sure he'll recognise you. I'll go look for your friends. What do they look like?' asked Kohaku.
'Ok. Kaori's short and skinny, and she's got wavy red hair and bright green eyes. Amaya's tall and she's got long black hair and black eyes. Misora's got long blonde hair and she's tall and muscly. We're all wearing our school uniform,' said Chihiro.
'Ok,' said Kohaku. 'I'll be back soon,' he said, holding her hand briefly and then changing into a dragon and flying off.
x.x.x
'Guys?' asked Misora, looking around. The lanterns were starting to light up and the place seemed to be coming alive.
'Guys! Where are you! Don't be stupid,' she said, getting a little scared. Only a little.
'Guys!'
There was no answer. She looked around again, and now she really was scared. Spirits had started to appear. She swore and started to run.
x.x.x
Amaya swore and ran.
She outran the spirit that was chasing her, and she squatted down behind a bush that covered her completely. And with horror, she found she was becoming see-through. Or invisible. Or both. She swore again.
A large white dragon was circling in the air above her head ; she eyed it warily. Suddenly it darted down towards her and she instinctively rolled out of the way. The dragon changed into a boy.
'Come on, Amaya. Eat this,' said Kohaku, holding out his hand. In it there was a small red berry.
'Who the hell are you? And how do you know my name?' she asked, backing away from him.
'I'm Chihiro's friend. Come on. Just eat it. It'll stop you from turning invisible,' he said. He knew better than to feed her himself, as he had done to Chihiro so long ago - this girl could be vicious and was less trusting than Chihiro ever was.
'It's poisonous,' she said, taking it from him and holding it up to her eye.
'No it's not,' said Kohaku. 'Come on, just eat it!'
She didn't, but then the berry fell out of her hand as it started to lose its solidity.
Amaya swore. Quickly she picked up the berry and ate it, becoming solid again.
'Do you know where the others are?' asked Kohaku.
'Do you think I'd be alone if I did?' asked Amaya angrily.
'Follow me,' said Kohaku, standing up. Reluctantly, Amaya followed him.
x.x.x
Kaori was scared. She hid behind a bush, and watched as the transparent ghostly figures ate the food Misora had come so close to eating before.
She looked down at herself and gasped. She was becoming invisible.
Suddenly, a hand clapped over her mouth and she tried to scream.
'Shh,' said the boy who was sitting near her. He looked around her age and had dark brown hair, along with striking blue eyes.
'Eat this,' he said, holding out a berry. 'You'll turn invisible if you don't,' he said.
'It's poisoned,' said Kaori, pushing his hand away.
'Look,' he said. He swiped a hand right through her shoulder. She was not only transparent - she wasn't solid anymore.
'And if I eat this, I'll be normal again?' asked Kaori.
'Yes!' said the boy. 'Just eat it,' he said. She took the berry from him and stuffed it in her mouth. Suddenly the boy stiffened and pushed her up against the wall and the bush, backing her into a corner and outstretching his arms.
'What are you doing here, Hiroshi?' asked a particularly nosy spirit.
'None of your business. I'm on a mission for Izo,' he said.
'Skulking around the bushes?' asked the spirit.
'I'm looking for something,' said Hiroshi. 'Now go. Izo will have your head if you keep on like this.'
The spirit huffed and walked away. Hiroshi relaxed and moved away from Kaori.
'Sorry,' he said. 'It was necessary.'
Kaori didn't quite know what to say. This boy had given her something that would stop her disappearing, saved her from a spirit but he'd also just pushed his whole body up against hers without permission.
'Thank you,' she said finally.
'You're welcome,' he said. 'Now, come with me,' he said, standing up. 'There are spirits around. This is a bathhouse for the spirits. Don't look alarmed if you see them, or if they talk to you. Just stick by my side and you'll be fine,' he said. Kaori stood up and followed him - knowing that she'd be in danger if she didn't follow the instructions of the mysterious boy.
He held her hand and they started to walk. Kaori felt awfully exposed in front of all the spirits, and she knew she would be dead meat if she wasn't standing next to the Hiroshi boy.
'I-Is that a human?' asked a spirit.
'Are you blind?' said Hiroshi. 'Of course it's not a human. It's a Metamorphic spirit, you idiot,' he snapped, walking away.
'Quickly,' he whispered to her, quickening his pace. They walked up the stairs, and reached the bridge Kaori had seen before with Chihiro and Amaya.
They walked across the bridge, Hiroshi looking very cavalier, and then he tackled her into a bush by the side of the footpath.
'What was that for?!' she whispered furiously.
'Izo's up there. He of all people will know you're a human. If you don't find a job, you're dead meat,' he said, pulling a piece of paper and a pen out of his pocket. 'What's your name?'
Kaori looked at him warily.
'Kaori. Why?'
He scribbled her name on the piece of paper and gave it to her.
'I don't need this! I know my own name,' she said, looking at him as if he was a total idiot, which she thought he was.
'When you get a job, Izo will take your name. Keep this safe. Just trust me,' he said.
Kaori paused, and then took the paper from him and stuffed it in her pocket. He nodded.
