Chapter Two
Chihiro's eyes were open and searching before her mind fully came to consciousness. There was a terrifying moment where she considered herself blind. To her relief, her eyes soon began adjusting to the darkness and as the adrenaline faded she could feel cool stone beneath her. Stars twinkled in the night sky and the light sound of trickling water was near. Reaching out, Chihiro felt what she was laying on (steps apparently) and above her was a statue of some kind.
It took a minute or two, but Chihiro was able to struggle into a sitting position, whole body aching.
She hurt everywhere. Her legs and arms felt like they had been stretched, then twisted in every possible direction. Her back and neck weren't much better with a wicked case of whiplash. This must be what a rope feels like during a game of Tug O' War, Chihiro thought.
Still rubbing her neck, Chihiro looked back to see the outline of a frozen toad, water gently pouring from its mouth. Her eyes followed the stream down and out over an impossibly wide river. A tall building glowed there. Its twin reflected on the river's black surface, rippling every so often from the large ferry gliding towards her.
Chihiro knew this place. It was woven into her thoughts and pervaded her dreams.
The light from the train station became too much and she was blinded. She recognized the glare of the headlights rushing towards her without second thought. She also remembered the impact and no longer questioned why she felt so shitty.
Chihiro had been hit by a car, and now she was in the spirit world.
The trembles were immediate. Chihiro looked around and her surroundings didn't seem nearly as innocent as they had before. To her right, the toad's gently opened mouth became a twisted grin. The darkness was suffocating, but Chihiro ran into it anyway. Anywhere, but the bank where the ferry, carrying what most assumed were legends, would land and unload.
|g|
Her toes were parallel to the wood planks that stretched out over the crevice separating the bathhouse from the rest of the town. The looming structure matched the image provided by her memories almost to a tee. Maybe a little more weather worn, but there was no doubt it was the same bathhouse as all those years before. It seemed her feet had led her there subconsciously.
The lamps had already been lit and spirits of all kinds had begun filing over the bridge. Chihiro looked to the bathhouse's entrance where the greeters stood as usual, warm air and the scent of fresh water emanating from it. The longing was ripe as was the need to be somewhere familiar. Would she even be able to stay? She was a spirit, she guessed, and it was a bathhouse for the spirits, but she had no money. Either way she was sure Haku would be able to help her.
Haku.
Would he even be there? He had said he would be confronting Yubaba, getting his freedom after so long. And what of Yubaba? Was she still there as well, watching Chihiro's every move, waiting for some slip up? There were so many others, Lin, Komaji, Boa.
The need of seeing them again was what ser her in motion. Chihiro took a deep, almost steadying breath, holding it and stepping onto the bridge. Her steps were quick, but careful, making sure she didn't take a single breath. She didn't want to risk being discovered before she even got a look inside.
Only a few feet away and Chihiro's heart was running a million miles a minute. Even more so when one of the greeters turned and squinted in her direction. Chihiro picked up her pace a little bit, hoping the woman hadn't seen her. Those hopes were quickly dashed when the scrutinizing eyes followed her movements. With a small laugh, she spoke to the woman next to her, "Why is her face all scrunched up like that?"
Chihiro stopped dead in her tracks.
Haha. Dead.
"I don't know. Maybe we should get Lin out here. Lin!"
The breath Chihiro had been holding left her in a rush. Lin was here, and she was coming out to see her.
"What?" came an irritated, yet smooth, voice. "What do you want?"
"There's some weird girl here and we don't know if she's a client or…"
It was then that a woman stepped out from behind a red curtain. Her brown hair was long and tied in a single ponytail down the middle of her back. The face was the same. Maybe a few more fine lines, but Chihiro considered them signs of wisdom. Lin hadn't changed at all.
"And the best way to handle it is, of course, to discuss it in front of her. Well, what do we have here? Where's your mommy, little girl?"
Yep. Lin was still Lin.
"Lin…" Chihiro mumbled, almost in disbelief. Lin straightened, the hands that had been on her hips falling limply to her sides.
"Chihiro?"
They were hugging before any sound of confirmation left Chihiro's lips. Lin smelled much like the rest of the bathhouse. Clean, with a touch of herbs and incense. It calmed her, and she hadn't realized she had nearly fallen asleep until Lin pulled away. Lin was almost babbling with excitement, which pleased Chihiro to no end, as their friendship hadn't faded. Soon enough the questions started to arise as to why Chihiro was even in the spirit world.
"Geez, Chihiro. It looks like you got hit by a bus."
"Feels like it too," Chihiro returned with a bitter smile.
"Oh, oh, Chihiro."
She was enveloped in another hug, this time out of sympathy. Tears welled in her eyes, but Chihiro swallowed the lump in her throat. She wasn't safe yet.
"I need somewhere to stay, Lin. I don't know what happened exactly and…"
It didn't take a lot to make Lin understand. With a sharp nod and a quick swipe under her also damp eyes, Lin led Chihiro through the front entrance of the bathhouse.
"We don't need to sneak like the last time," Lin explained with a wink. "You don't smell like a human so there aren't so many red flags. There may be some curiosity, yes, but since you're with me no one will question it."
Lin's words held true. Chihiro was able to walk beside her with only a few stares, none of which contained objection.
"What did you mean by, 'Since you're with me'?" Chihiro inquired as they hopped on one of the many elevators.
"Oh, right. You wouldn't know," A sort of devilish smile tweaked the corners of Lin's lips. "I got a promotion."
"Are you serious?" When Lin only nodded in reply, Chihiro nearly suffocated her in a hug.
"That's amazing! When? Why?"
Lin shrugged. "They finally recognized my true potential. I haven't needed a manicure in years."
Still waggling her fingers, the elder stepped out of their elevator and after a quick stroll, right onto the next. Chihiro took the opportunity to take in her surroundings. Baths separated by screens dotted the floor beneath them. Steamy air slightly clouded her view, but she could still see the multitude of spirits being pampered, staff bustling around them.
Chihiro wondered what position she'd be in after all of this.
A few more elevator switches and she was staring out at the highest floor. A light hand was placed on her shoulder as Lin leaned in for a half hug and to whisper, "You've done it once, you can do it again. Good luck, kid."
Chihiro was able to stop herself from being abandoned before she asked one last thing.
"Lin! What about Haku? Where is Haku?"
"Ugh, not Haku. First time we see each other in how long?" Came the complaints, but there was an odd glint in Lin's eyes that Chihiro didn't know how to interpret. "I'll tell you when you come back down. So stay alive until then! You hear me?"
The elevator doors closed and Chihiro was left alone. It didn't take long to walk to the two large double doors that led towards what was either her future of her doom. What took a few, very long, moments of gathering herself was actually reaching towards the handle. Right before her fingers touched the cool brass, Chihiro remembered something. She should knock. Holding back the nervous giggle, Chihiro did just that and before she could do it a second time, the doors parted. All of them, and Chihiro walked, numbly, but she still moved and that had to count for something.
The last door came too soon, and though Chihiro had prepared herself she was still surprised by what she saw as she rounded the corner.
Instead of the curved frame of a woman and a shock of white hair, Chihiro found the tall lean figure of a man in front of her. A man with long, flowing, blue hair. Her gasp was beyond audible and it was what finally caught the man's attention. When he finally turned around, Chihiro was almost sure she would have gasped again if she had even been breathing.
Standing in front of her was a face that she had dreamed about for years.
"Haku?"
Chihiro didn't take the time for him to respond as she practically tackled him. This wasn't in her head anymore. He was there, warm, breathing, and in her arms…
A firm hand pushed her away, and it was only then that Chihiro noticed the confusion and suspicion in the deep blue eyes.
"How do you know that name? You're not an employee? I don't go by that name anymore. Only they would know something like that…"
It felt as if she was paralyzed. Shock coursing through her body, only her hands functioning properly. Or maybe not, as they were curling tighter into the fabric of Haku's dark robes. "You…You don't remember me? Y-you, don't know who I am?"
Haku arched one dark eyebrow and simply shook his head. That was the first time Chihiro had ever felt heart break, and it wasn't a pleasant experience, chest seeming to tighten as her heart snapped into two.
No, he had to remember. If she did, he must too. Their friendship was mutual. It wasn't as if she had been some poor little girl that needed help and he wanted out of his bathhouse. They were friends, had cared about each other. Hadn't they?
Chihiro grasped desperately at her own wrist, a small rush of relief when she felt the woven strands there. She pulled the purple hair tie from her wrist and started working her hair into a ponytail, Haku watching in quiet confusion and perhaps, amusement, the entire time.
"I'm hurt, Haku," Chihiro said dropping her trembling hands. "My name is Ogino Chihiro. Remember me now? And my little pink shoe?"
The recognition and surprise was evident, Haku's eyes widening, almost impossibly, the small clipboard he was holding, falling from his grasp. "Chi…Hiro?"
She nodded and stood while the silence stretched out between them, Haku collecting himself. He picked up his clipboard then sat himself in the high-backed, leather chair behind his desk. Chihiro wasn't sure if it was because of disbelief or if Haku wanted to be as far away from her as possible. With the look he was giving her…
"How? How are you here, Chihiro? You're supposed to be in the human world. Your world. Living a long, fulfilling life. What…Why?"
"I was in a car accident. I didn't make it across the street in time and I was struck."
That little tidbit seemed to be too much for Haku to take, slumping forward to rest his forehead in his palm. Chihiro wanted to move forward, ease whatever he was feeling, but she was scared she would be pushed away again.
Haku stood, restless, and walked towards her again. "If that's the case, why are you here? This is a place for nature spirits. Not your kind."
Not your kind. Had it really mattered that much before?
"That's what I don't know. I just remember the crash, then waking up here. I was hoping that I could stay here until I figured it all out. And I was hoping that maybe, you would help me?"
Haku seemed surprised at her request. He must have figured she had popped in for a little hello before moving on to wherever it was she was supposed to go.
"You would ask such a thing, even after your last experience here?"
Chihiro attempted to say something, but it seemed Haku was on a roll.
"After all that we went through to get your life back? This place nearly stole your life from you, Chihiro!"
"And what life do I have to go back to now?" Chihiro argued, stunned at Haku's outburst. "I'm dead, Haku! I don't really think I'm going back home anytime soon."
Haku refused to meet her eyes, and Chihiro sighed, gripping the bridge of her nose. This had not been what she had pictured when she thought of their reunion. She didn't know if she expected them to dance around in a meadow of flowers, getting lost in each other's presence, but she didn't expect to be at each other's throats.
"All I'm asking for, Haku, is a little time. Will you please, give me a job?" When it seemed Haku was going to argue again, Chihiro butted in, throwing Haku's words back at him. "Didn't you say you would protect me?" That stumped him. "Where is that promise now? Keep it to me, Haku. Give me a place to stay." Some form of comfort.
Chihiro swore she could hear Haku's jaw clenching, but he handed her a contract anyways. She knew he would, and she signed it quickly. He took it carefully, staring at the name written there. Her name, but not any longer. It belonged to Haku now, and Chihiro found she felt no discomfort in that fact.
"Welcome, Chihiro, no, Sen, to your new job. I hope it pleases you."
A/N: Can I just say that I'm so, terribly sorry about how late this is? I had been hoping to update it Monday, but failed horribly. The main reason is that exams were all week this week, but I also have club activities before and after school on Mondays, then after school on Tuesdays, and before school on Fridays...*sigh* So, my update date will now be every Friday. If I still miss it then you are free to track me down and beat me with a stick. I hope you enjoyed chapter two~!