Chapter TWO. Aren't you excited? I would really really really like to thank Liquid-Starshine, my first reviewer! I'm really Sakura centric too (:
Disclaimer: I'd be very happy if you thought I was good enough to own Spirited Away, but then I'd have to send you to a mental ward.
"Miss Ogino, are you ready yet? You're five minutes late!," Yelled Mitsumi, her costume manager.
"I'm coming! This stupid necklace just won't get on!," Chihiro called back.
Though she had told Mitsume to call her Chihiro, the woman had adamantly refused. According to her (and everyone else), only her fellow pop idols could call her by her name. Personally, Chihiro hadn't understood it at all, if that were the case, was she supposed to call Haku Mr. Nushi? "Don't think about him Chihiro, or for that matter, the Spirit World entirely. It'll just mess you up. I'm just going to focus on trying to look graceful today. No soot balls, not crones, no dragons, no spirits at all," Chihiro thought while attempting to work the clasp on her necklace. After about forever, the necklace was finally properly put on by Mitsumi. Chihiro sighed, and looked down at her elegantly traditional attire. She wore a mint green kimono-like dress with delicate flowery patterns that reached down to her knees, paired with creamy colored bangles and ears and moss green ballet flats. Her face was brought out by a small amount of make-up, and her glossy hair was pulled in her purple hair tie.
Chihiro never went without this hair tie, it was her only connection to the Spirit World. Her possessiveness towards it was childlike, but she could never let go of it.
"Miss Ogino, are you even listening to me?," Mitsumi asked, looking slightly annoyed.
"No, but I'm sure you mentioned purple flowers," Chihiro replied, smiling nervously.
"I mentioned violets, and never mind that. I had the best painters make the background scenery for the stage. I got the idea when I was looking through some of the pictures you drew. You're oddly talented at drawing unrealistic things," Mitsumi stated.
Chihiro stared at her, "May I see this scenery?".
Mitsumi lead her out of her changing room and down a winding hallway, towards the stage. By the time they were on the stage, Chihiro was sure that her vocal cords would never work again. "That would be disastrous for my career," She thought offhandedly, still in shock. In front of her was a very familiar dragon. And she would almost believe he was there, alive, if she hadn't seen a young girl, around the age of ten on his back. It was magnificently painted, but Chihiro really didn't care. Even a kindergarten version of him would strike her speechless.
"I-its wonderful Mitsumi," Chihiro whispered, her voice cracking.
" You aren't going to get all emotional now, are you? Come to think of it, I have never seen you cry, or laugh, or do anything but frown. Getting wrinkles at the ripe old age of 16 doesn't excite me at all Miss Ogino. Miss Ogino! Are you listening to me?," Mitsumi said in her sharp voice.
"Yes, I am," Chihiro said softly, her mind painfully snapping back her own world at Mitsume's tone.
"Ok, so I thought that this dragon scenery was perfect. I mean, kids love dragons, and this girl looks about ten, so they should be able to relate to it. This free kid's program thing that you're doing is really good you know. I glad this isn't just for money to you. In fact…." Mitsumi ranted on.
After being reprimanded by Mitsumi for not paying attention to her, she let Chihiro go down to meet her choreographer to take another stab at dancing.
"Come on Ogino, left, right, left, right! No! You're supposed to grapevine there, why can't you get the grapevine move right?! Okay, one more time, take a deep breath, you look dead on your feet! And this time please try not leave your hands hanging there," Daimon, her choreographer said enthusiastically.
After three more hours, Chihiro left Daimon fuming about her rather "suckish hip-hoppin groove moves", as he so articulately put it. After her 45 minute break, she was whisked away by Himeka, to practice her songs. Himeka, who found fault in about every song she sang, made her sing them over ten times each, before grudgingly letting her pack up. When she finally left the sky-scrapingly tall building, it was 9 o' clock, much later than usual.
"I'll just take a shortcut," She muttered to herself, walking quickly.
After a few minutes of walking through the dark, Chihiro felt this awful sense of foreboding, as if something bad might soon befall upon her. But, being the person she was, she locked it up in a small corner of her mind and stumbled on.
"Hey there, pretty!," slurred a voice, obviously drunk.
Chihiro's head snapped up, her eyes wide with fright. "I'll listen to the foreboding from now on. Well, it's too late now," Chihiro thought, gulping.
"Um, can I help you?," Chihiro asked, trying to mask her fright with kindness.
"Oh, yes. Loads of ways. Why don't you come over to my place for the night?," He leered.
"I actually have somewhere to go. So, maybe another time," She faked a smile and headed the other way.
However, before she took more than five steps, a strong hand gripped her arm.
"You're not going anywhere, girly," He sang.
The fear finally broke through her. She tried to pull her arm away, but failed miserably.
"Let me go! Please!," Chihiro screamed.
The man pinned her against a wall and whispered, "Not a chance".
Tears were just about ready to fall over. She knew what was going to happen now.
"No! Haku, save me!," She screeched, her usually radiant voice breaking with terror.
Then it happened. Her rubber band glowed with bright, blinding light. The light expanded around her, and Chihiro scrunched her eyes shut. She heard the man cry in anguish, and she was glad that she didn't succumb to the urge to peek (not that she would be able to see much with all the light). Chihiro kept her eyes closed for a very long time. When she dared to open them again, she found herself in her bedroom. The rubber band shined on the ground. She picked it up and held it with both hands.
"Wicked," She muttered, her eyes shining with delight for the first time in six years.
Author's Note: Is this long enough? I'm hoping to make it a bit longer, as it starts getting deeper. Once again, sorry for any spelling errors, and I'm open to constructive criticism (saying "it sucks" won't make it better). Tata and please review!
Thousand Spirited Birds