Sorry, I updated a bit late :P Ha! Now this is long. It won't be this long if I don't get a lot of reviews :]
Disclaimer: I'm not worthy (for Spirited Away AND Anastasia)!
Declaration
Ever since her little underwater expedition, Chihiro didn't have a chance to investigate further into her connection with the Spirit World. What with paparazzi, Himeka badgering her on and on about her songs, and her concert looming up ahead, Chihiro was surprised she had time to sleep. She didn't exactly look forward to sleeping either. All her dreams were murky, yet they made her toss and turn. Her thoughts, which were once overstuffed with contemplations of the Spirit World, had now been plagued by those of her parents. Quite frankly, she did not miss them at all, she wasn't even too sure that she loved them anymore. She knew that they didn't have any affectionate feelings for her anymore though. Around three years after she had come back from the Spirit World, she had started her career as a Pop idol. Slowly, her parents grew used to all the money that poured into them, through her. They started treating her like a golden-egg-laying goose. They rarely ever spoke to one another, though her parents did pop in from time to time (once every 5 months of so).
"Well, I suppose I should give them a call. Just because they aren't good parents doesn't mean I should be a bad daughter," Chihiro said to herself.
As she pressed her new cell phone to her ear, she wondered what she would say. Before she had a chance to think it through, her mother picked up.
"Hello!," Greeted Chihiro's mom in a surprisingly fake, cheerful voice.
"Hi mom, it's Chihiro. I just kinda wanted to talk. What's up?," Chihiro asked hesitantly.
"Oh! Chihiro darling! My darling, sweet, sweet Chihiro. I'm so glad you called! I have been so terribly stressed this morning. I felt as if my life was going to end!," Her mother cried.
"My god, what happened mom?," Chihiro asked frantically.
"You wouldn't believe it, I chipped my nail!," Chihiro's mother mourned.
"Oh, I see. Disastrous. Go to a nail doctor," Chihiro stated kindly; trying to hide her sarcasm.
"Yes. I must get a manicure! Goodbye Chi-!," Her mother hung up before she even ended the sentence.
"Well, that went well! I suppose that I'll just tell them that I don't wanna be a pop idol anymore after my charity concert. I think it'll be a nice way to leave the stage world," Chihiro muttered.
Yes, she had finally decided to give up on her blessed-and cursed- diva life. If she wanted to execute her plan without any silly errors, she couldn't continue being a pop idol. She also terribly wanted to see her parents' faces after she'd tell them. She was almost laughing with glee. She plopped down on her bed and smiled blissfully. The smile disappeared as soon as it came. What if the Spirit World didn't open? She had planned carefully. "The last time I entered was during a solstice. This time, it will also be during a solstice. This is the crudest, simplest plan ever. If it doesn't work, I'll have to come back saying that I was hoodwinked or something," Chihiro thought doubtfully. To erase all her worry, Chihiro grabbed her car keys and decided to go to Starbucks. Hot cocoa was a most precious ingredient in her life. Chihiro loved it so much, she actually bothered to endorse Starbucks. This was one of her many unusual feats. There was also a time when she had worked with Arrowhead Bottled Water, to bring down Aqua Bottled Water. Being said, she knew-without being full of herself- that she would be a missed laugh from the music world.
After she got to Starbucks, she ordered her "usual", which was known by the workers as a large hot cocoa with a jam pastry. Though people still stared wide-eyed when she came into Starbucks, the more common visitors just gave her a friendly nod of respect. Finally, after her hot cocoa and pasty came, she allowed her muscles to relax, and took a long, well-deserved sip.
"Hey Chihiro!," A slightly high-pitched said loudly in her ear.
Chihiro opened one eye, ready to give her obnoxious fan a deathly annoyed glare, but instead managed a gaping mouth and a double take-which caused her lovely tray of "usual" to crash to the floor. She could have cried if she wasn't so stunned.
"Mia?! By the death of hot chocolate and jam pastries, is it really you?," Chihiro asked, her eyes wide.
"Duh! Does anyone in this world look as fabulous as me? OH HEY, SMEXY WAITER! YES YOU! TWO CUPS OF HOT CHOCOLATE AND TWO JAM PASTRIES!," Said Mia, screaming the last bit.
"Anyways," She said, ignoring her loud announcement, "We have loads of catching up to do! I mean, I missed you a lot, but I actually thought you'd forgotten me, with all this pop business!"
"First of all, I could never forget my sista from the otha motha. Nor is the pop business that great. The only thing remotely great about it is the singing," Chihiro said, smirking.
"What do you mean? Pop stars get everything! Fans, trendy stuff, fame, fortune, and you can't forget all the hot guys!," Mia gushed excitedly.
Chihiro laughed, "You also get no privacy, forced into the latest scandals, stalkers, and daily criticism".
Mia snorted, and then smiled flirtatiously at the waiter who handed them their cocoa and pastries.
"Well, nevermind all that. You can get stock up on cute guys right now!," Mia exclaimed.
"I don't want to just stock up on cute guys Mia, I want to be with someone that would care for me, and be nice and stuff. I don't want to date a spoiled brat. And think of all the publicity! It would be horrid beyond imagination," Chihiro shuddered.
"You make it sound like you hate you're career," Mia giggled.
"Well, it ain't the best," Chihiro whispered.
Mia frowned, "Chihiro…?"
"I'm going to quit after my charity concert. I think it's a perfect timing too! Like, right after doing a really great thing. The only people that are going to be freakishly furious are my parents, and they don't exactly care much about me. Just the money," Chihiro murmured.
"And exactly what are you going to do after that?," Mia asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I'll run away, I know a place where the police will never manage to catch me," Chihiro smiled.
Mia reached over and squeezed her hand, nodding. She didn't question Chihiro, but Chihiro thought she saw her eyes flash with something, understanding? Knowledge? Well, she didn't know. The rest of the day passed amicably between the two long lost best friends.
Finally, after three hard, back-breaking weeks of preparation, Chihiro was ready for the big day. She'd be lying through her teeth if she said she wasn't excited, especially about her ending announcement. For once in her life, she was glad that she was being filmed.
"La la la la la la la la laaaaaaaaa," Chihiro trilled.
"Good, good. Now do you need something, a snack? Anything? I know you're getting the butterflies in your stomach. Just don't mess up. Okay? Okay, good, good," Himeka said.
Chihiro didn't bother replying, knowing that Himeka was mostly talking to herself. She was always a nervous wreck before each performance, it was rather hilarious. So Chihiro patiently continued to practice all her songs, one in particular. She had spent a whole week writing and perfecting it. At first, Himeka disapproved of it, but relented when Chihiro told her she would perform a very ungraceful jig and ruin the concert. The song was already very dear to her, and was the one she had insisted on singing last.
The mass of children below her warmed her heart. Chihiro felt delighted to be singing to such a crowd. Of course, she saw numerous parents and Mia in the distant, but paid attention only the young innocence that surrounded her, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Ahem. Can you guys hear me? Okay, lovely. You all know why I'm here. I'm not going to give a speech on how excited I am to be here and everything, though I am, but get right to business. These songs that I'll sing to you today are my favorites, except for the last one. This last song is very special to me, and I severely hope that you'll all listen carefully to that one. I really hope you guys enjoy this," Chihiro declared, beaming.
The next time she opened her mouth, it was not words, but lyrics that poured out. Everybody clapped and cheered with excitement after each song, and it really didn't seem as if only an hour passed by when she was onto her last song.
"Well, this will be my last song, after that, I want to give out a very special announcement. I hope you've all had fun so far," Chihiro's soft voice boomed through the microphone.
Talking frogs. Roasted newts.
Things I'll always remember
And a voice, warm and deep,
Once upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm
Dragons fight through a paper storm
Spirits moving magically
Across my memory
Aaaaaaa aaaaa aaaaaaaa,
Aaaaaaa aaaaa aaaaaaaa,
Aaaaaaa aaaaa aaaaaaaa,
Someone holds me safe and warm
Dragons fight through a paper storm
Spirits moving magically
Across my memory
Far away, long ago
Falling out of reach,
Things my heart,
Will always know
Things it want again…
And a voice, warm and deep,
Once upon a December
And a voice, warm and deep,
Once upon a December
The crowd cheered enthusiastically for a solid 4 minutes.
"Thank you, thank you. I'm really delighted to know that my singing is enjoyed so much. Sadly, you won't be able to take delight in it anymore. I know 16 is a rather odd age to retire, but over the weeks, I have discovered that there is so much I need to learn. So, I have decided to quit. Let someone else have the spotlight now!," She threw in a dazzling smile and left the stage before the first gasps could be heard. Of course, the moment she got backstage, she was sabotaged by her parents, while her crew workers just stared at her in awe.
"Chihiro darling-," Mrs. Ogino started, but was cut off by Chihiro.
"Don't Chihiro darling me! I am done being your goose, I've decided to leave," Chihiro glared.
At that moment, Mitsumi came in with a large leather bag, smiling impishly. Chihiro walked over to her, grinned, and shouldered the leather bag. They high-fived each other, and Chihiro walked out. Nobody spoke at all for the next hour.
Chihiro snuck away through the bushes to avoid paparazzi. She never did like flashy cameras. She ran down a familiar path to her old blue house. Upon reaching it she panted heard, coming upon realization that it was always a bad idea to depend so much on cars. She sighed, and without thinking, slid down the grassy hill that connected to that fateful dirt path. She followed it, not believing that she was actually being this stupid. Yes, the idea of what an idiot she was being had finally hit her. Finally, after what seemed to be days, she brushed past giant leaves to a clearing.
In front of her was a moss-covered lump of stone, and a very red wall.
Author's Note: That song is MY OWN Spirited Away version of the song Once Upon A December (from the movie Anastasia). I wrote it and I don't expect you to find it anywhere else (: Is it good? Tata and PLEASE REVIEW!!!!