Okay then, we all know I don't own anything here 'sep the story plot.
Spirited away and all related characters and titles are, of course,
Miyazakis, and the song is 'Girl's not Grey' from AFI. You know the drill.
Key: "..." = quotes ".. Italics ..." = whispers *...* = lyrics '....' = thoughts
Thanks to: Lost Dragon'Kin, for being my first reviewer and complementing me on my summary, which I thought sucked, and was going to change, but now I will leave it as it is. Thank you so much ^.^
Nora, for being my beta reader, and hopefully many chapters after this. She gave me many helping tips and editing advice. Thank you!
And so it continues.
=====================================================
Chihiro stood there with wide eyes, a blank stare gazing down the dark tunnel. So many thoughts where running through her mind, but she couldn't move. She was too overwhelmed, exited, scared, happy, emotionless, to do anything.
Her scarf and long straight hair whipped in front of her face, seemingly being pulled in to the void before her.
"Should I go?"
*I'll lay me down tonight Much further down Swim in the calm tonight This art does drown*
Chihiro then snapped back to reality, remembering her walkman was still on. She recognized that her mix CD was playing some AFI, so she sang along,
*What follows me as the whitest lace of light Will swallow whole, just begs to be imbrued What follows has led me to this place Where I belong, with all erased*
She let the words sink in. It was true, she did belong there. She had accepted all its weirdness and embraced her journey, and, to be honest, was happier there than in the real world. Everything seemed so boring and colorless here.
So then, her mind was set. She began walking into the tunnel at a controlled pace, containing her excitement. As Chihiro entered the large room, she took a seat at one of the benches, letting the wind cool her face as she dried her cheeks from previously shed tears.
The first thing she decided to do was to go and see Kamaji. She wondered how things had changed in the Spirit World since she had been there last. Maybe they were better, perhaps they were worse. All she knew was she had to see them.
Chihiro got up, and walked out of the plaster building. Everything was different - unrecognizable and white. Mounds of snow that concealed small hills and statues surrounded her, and she easily found her way to the food market, retracing every step she took when she was there before.
It was still light outside, but she crossed the bridge anyways. She walked over to the barren bushes that used to be covered with beautiful flowers. The sun began to set, and she prepared for everything to begin changing.
Lights turned on, faceless spirits appeared, and a large lighted ferry drew closer to its dock. Chihiro decided to get where she wanted to go before she disappeared. The directions Haku had imprinted in her mind so many years ago were still fresh, not a fading memory like so many other things. But she was grateful for her minds competence, and made her way to the steep, broken stairway.
As she looked down at the wooden steps, she realized it didn't frighten her at all. They were white and covered with snow, and mere accumulations of matter that were solid, firm, and defyable.
Before she placed her foot on each step, she gingerly brushed the white powder off. With careful maneuvering and precise balance, she managed to get down the stairs and avoid the large gap she had created 5 years earlier.
Once Chihiro reached the bottom, she looked up and found that the same window was still there, only now there was no nicotine-induced frog poking his repulsive head out.
After finally managing to get to the door of the boiler room, she calmly walked in, going strait towards her destination. Chihiro saw the flickering light, and the shadow of the spider-like man.
Chihiro turned the corner and found - - - soot. Enchanted soot in the shape of Kamaji, a kind old boiler man who had helped Chihiro so much.
She was outraged. So many angry thoughts ran through Chihiro's head she began to feel dizzy. She ignored her lightheadedness and remover her socks and boots. Small soot balls gathered around her discarded footwear and dragged them off into tiny holes in the wall.
"Thank you, my old friends"
Chihiro exited the boiler room via a small 'secret' passageway used by the faculty of the bath house. She decided to bring this issue up with Yubaba, and to hopefully find news of the whereabouts of Haku and Rin.
Chihiro entered an elevator, and pulled the lever to the right.
**flashback**
"D'you wanna lose your nose?"
**end flashback**
She smiled to herself, remembering her first meeting with Rin. The elevator gave a slow stop, and a large frog carrying a large basket filled with linens and a few bottles of bath salts with the label 'bath and spirit works'.
The frog was far too occupied to notice Chihiro, or the peculiar sent of human that lurked around her. Nor did he notice the odd music. Chihiro had not felt the need to turn off her walkman, it kept her company. It was comforting. She knew more than anyone how hard loneliness can be.
After the frog had gotten off, she continued ascending. She reached the top, and the elevator doors opened to show something less than familiar. There had once been magnificent Vases, larger than Chihiro herself, multicolored wallpaper with gold trim and designs, but now there was pewter, black, and silver. There were some rather breathtaking red velvet tapestries, and there still was an enormous door, but it did not contain little Yubaba knockers.
She touched the door, which was engraved with stunning designs, and was cool to the touch. After a brief moment the doors flew open, and she was pulled though the maze of entryways.
Chihiro was launched into the room, but landed on her feet. A familiar voice greeted her:
"What is it you want, human?" came the voice of and old, several-legged man by the flickering fire place
Chihiro's eyes widened,
"Kamaji! Why are you in Yubaba's room?"
"Sen?" Questioned Kamaji
"What? Oh, yes! It's me, Sen!"
"Grand daughter!" Kamaji walked over to Chihiro to get a better look at her. "My, have you changed! My eyes are getting weak, but I am managing."
Chihiro's eyes were glistening, and there was a large smile plastered on her face, "Kamaji, you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you in the boiler room?"
Kamaji then began his story. After Chihiro had left, Yubaba had given Rin the deed to the bath house. Yubaba then went off in the direction her and Haku had gone, and that was the last they saw of Yubaba. Rin the owned the bath house for two years, but achieved her goal and got the first train ticket out of there. Last he had heard she was owning and managing Bath and Spirit Works. When Rin left, she gave him the deed, and since then he had been running the place.
"What about Haku?" asked Chihiro, her lovely smile fading.
"Haku. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but we haven't seen Haku since the day you left." He saw the fear and despair well up in her eyes, and he hated it. "Many say that they see hiss dragon form still flying in the cerulean sky, writhing and twisting as though he is being inflicted by some sort of demon. Do you know what any of that could mean?"
"No idea." She said softly and barely audible, as she sat down and a chair automatically pulled up behind her.
"You know, if you really want to find out what happened to Haku, you should talk to Zeniba, not me. Here, train tickets, on me. Swamp Bottom, 6th stop. Don't forget now."
"Swamp bottom, 6th stop." she repeated. "Thank you, for everything. I would be so lost without you Kamaji. Wish me luck."
"Good luck." He said as she exited the room.
Off to Zeniba's then.
Okay then. How did you like chapter two? Please tell me if you like longer chapters or shorter chapters better. I know, 'Bath and Spirit Works' is REALLY corny, but I was having a creativity block. Okie doez, minna-san! Love and peace!
Key: "..." = quotes ".. Italics ..." = whispers *...* = lyrics '....' = thoughts
Thanks to: Lost Dragon'Kin, for being my first reviewer and complementing me on my summary, which I thought sucked, and was going to change, but now I will leave it as it is. Thank you so much ^.^
Nora, for being my beta reader, and hopefully many chapters after this. She gave me many helping tips and editing advice. Thank you!
And so it continues.
=====================================================
Chihiro stood there with wide eyes, a blank stare gazing down the dark tunnel. So many thoughts where running through her mind, but she couldn't move. She was too overwhelmed, exited, scared, happy, emotionless, to do anything.
Her scarf and long straight hair whipped in front of her face, seemingly being pulled in to the void before her.
"Should I go?"
*I'll lay me down tonight Much further down Swim in the calm tonight This art does drown*
Chihiro then snapped back to reality, remembering her walkman was still on. She recognized that her mix CD was playing some AFI, so she sang along,
*What follows me as the whitest lace of light Will swallow whole, just begs to be imbrued What follows has led me to this place Where I belong, with all erased*
She let the words sink in. It was true, she did belong there. She had accepted all its weirdness and embraced her journey, and, to be honest, was happier there than in the real world. Everything seemed so boring and colorless here.
So then, her mind was set. She began walking into the tunnel at a controlled pace, containing her excitement. As Chihiro entered the large room, she took a seat at one of the benches, letting the wind cool her face as she dried her cheeks from previously shed tears.
The first thing she decided to do was to go and see Kamaji. She wondered how things had changed in the Spirit World since she had been there last. Maybe they were better, perhaps they were worse. All she knew was she had to see them.
Chihiro got up, and walked out of the plaster building. Everything was different - unrecognizable and white. Mounds of snow that concealed small hills and statues surrounded her, and she easily found her way to the food market, retracing every step she took when she was there before.
It was still light outside, but she crossed the bridge anyways. She walked over to the barren bushes that used to be covered with beautiful flowers. The sun began to set, and she prepared for everything to begin changing.
Lights turned on, faceless spirits appeared, and a large lighted ferry drew closer to its dock. Chihiro decided to get where she wanted to go before she disappeared. The directions Haku had imprinted in her mind so many years ago were still fresh, not a fading memory like so many other things. But she was grateful for her minds competence, and made her way to the steep, broken stairway.
As she looked down at the wooden steps, she realized it didn't frighten her at all. They were white and covered with snow, and mere accumulations of matter that were solid, firm, and defyable.
Before she placed her foot on each step, she gingerly brushed the white powder off. With careful maneuvering and precise balance, she managed to get down the stairs and avoid the large gap she had created 5 years earlier.
Once Chihiro reached the bottom, she looked up and found that the same window was still there, only now there was no nicotine-induced frog poking his repulsive head out.
After finally managing to get to the door of the boiler room, she calmly walked in, going strait towards her destination. Chihiro saw the flickering light, and the shadow of the spider-like man.
Chihiro turned the corner and found - - - soot. Enchanted soot in the shape of Kamaji, a kind old boiler man who had helped Chihiro so much.
She was outraged. So many angry thoughts ran through Chihiro's head she began to feel dizzy. She ignored her lightheadedness and remover her socks and boots. Small soot balls gathered around her discarded footwear and dragged them off into tiny holes in the wall.
"Thank you, my old friends"
Chihiro exited the boiler room via a small 'secret' passageway used by the faculty of the bath house. She decided to bring this issue up with Yubaba, and to hopefully find news of the whereabouts of Haku and Rin.
Chihiro entered an elevator, and pulled the lever to the right.
**flashback**
"D'you wanna lose your nose?"
**end flashback**
She smiled to herself, remembering her first meeting with Rin. The elevator gave a slow stop, and a large frog carrying a large basket filled with linens and a few bottles of bath salts with the label 'bath and spirit works'.
The frog was far too occupied to notice Chihiro, or the peculiar sent of human that lurked around her. Nor did he notice the odd music. Chihiro had not felt the need to turn off her walkman, it kept her company. It was comforting. She knew more than anyone how hard loneliness can be.
After the frog had gotten off, she continued ascending. She reached the top, and the elevator doors opened to show something less than familiar. There had once been magnificent Vases, larger than Chihiro herself, multicolored wallpaper with gold trim and designs, but now there was pewter, black, and silver. There were some rather breathtaking red velvet tapestries, and there still was an enormous door, but it did not contain little Yubaba knockers.
She touched the door, which was engraved with stunning designs, and was cool to the touch. After a brief moment the doors flew open, and she was pulled though the maze of entryways.
Chihiro was launched into the room, but landed on her feet. A familiar voice greeted her:
"What is it you want, human?" came the voice of and old, several-legged man by the flickering fire place
Chihiro's eyes widened,
"Kamaji! Why are you in Yubaba's room?"
"Sen?" Questioned Kamaji
"What? Oh, yes! It's me, Sen!"
"Grand daughter!" Kamaji walked over to Chihiro to get a better look at her. "My, have you changed! My eyes are getting weak, but I am managing."
Chihiro's eyes were glistening, and there was a large smile plastered on her face, "Kamaji, you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you in the boiler room?"
Kamaji then began his story. After Chihiro had left, Yubaba had given Rin the deed to the bath house. Yubaba then went off in the direction her and Haku had gone, and that was the last they saw of Yubaba. Rin the owned the bath house for two years, but achieved her goal and got the first train ticket out of there. Last he had heard she was owning and managing Bath and Spirit Works. When Rin left, she gave him the deed, and since then he had been running the place.
"What about Haku?" asked Chihiro, her lovely smile fading.
"Haku. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but we haven't seen Haku since the day you left." He saw the fear and despair well up in her eyes, and he hated it. "Many say that they see hiss dragon form still flying in the cerulean sky, writhing and twisting as though he is being inflicted by some sort of demon. Do you know what any of that could mean?"
"No idea." She said softly and barely audible, as she sat down and a chair automatically pulled up behind her.
"You know, if you really want to find out what happened to Haku, you should talk to Zeniba, not me. Here, train tickets, on me. Swamp Bottom, 6th stop. Don't forget now."
"Swamp bottom, 6th stop." she repeated. "Thank you, for everything. I would be so lost without you Kamaji. Wish me luck."
"Good luck." He said as she exited the room.
Off to Zeniba's then.
Okay then. How did you like chapter two? Please tell me if you like longer chapters or shorter chapters better. I know, 'Bath and Spirit Works' is REALLY corny, but I was having a creativity block. Okie doez, minna-san! Love and peace!
