I do not own Spirited Away, the original characters and this plotline belong to me.

Chapter 9

Zaniba sat in an almost trance state, staring deeply into a silver bowl, there was a shallow ring of water in the bottom of it, light reflected from within up across her wrinkled skin. Though she was starting to feel her age a good deal more since her sister's death she was still a powerful witch. She just had to manage magic in small portions at a time.

There was a knock on the door breaking her concentration, Zaniba sighed and waved the bowl away, "Come in." She got up from the chair and was walking to the door when a familiar face appeared from the crack in the door. She blinked in surprise, "Wren, what are you doing here? Your post is at the bathhouse." She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders against a chill. "Has something happened?"

Wren entered, "In a sense my Lady." He turned and waved to someone else. "I have the honor of presenting Shaman Razmillian," Raz walked into the room and nodded to the old witch, "Lord Seriyu of the East," The dragon lord walked into the room and stood just at the door, "And Chihiro."

Zaniba's heart nearly stopped as Chihiro peered into the door and tilted her head to the side while looking at the witch, "Child, where have you been?" She immediately looked to Raz, "Is this she?"

The young spirit blinked then shrugged, "I don't remember, and I'm only twenty percent sure I'm the she you're looking for."

Raz sighed, "Yes its her, well a portion of her anyway." Raz began explaining, while Chihiro walked into the room and began looking around, then walked up to Zaniba and began looking her over.

The young spirit squatted down in front of the witch then smiled, "You look familiar, I think."

Zaniba looked back to Raz, "If what you say is true then why does she not remember me yet?"

"I think they come back to her as dreams after she's been in contact with someone who holds her memories." He smiled when Chihiro got up and skipped over to the window, "How can we hold her memories without knowing it?"

The witch sighed, "We are all connected to her by existing in her world. We may believe that this is our place of living, but it was first created by one she descends from." Seriyu walked over to stand beside Chihiro at the window and looked to the sky, each of them were wondering the same thing: what was the girl seeing that they couldn't. "The memories of all those who came before her took the place of all her previous memories, and I assume before her own memories could be returned to her the bathhouse was burned and she was killed."

"It didn't hurt to die." Chihiro suddenly said, no one could find words to reply as she continued, "I remember being scared of dying when I went to sleep." She smiled at the sky, watching all the threads of magic weaving though the air. "Lord Seriyu let me remember that."

"Minor memories are connected to minor influences in her life, I think." Raz said. He ran a hand through his hair, "Would you do me a favor and try and locate Blink? I'm sure he's got all sorts of memories with him."

Zaniba walked quietly walked up to Chihiro and gently pulled her arm, the girl turned to face her, "Chihiro," she said softly, "do you know what power you have?"

The young spirit tilted her head to the side and after a moment nodded, "Some of it, and I know what I have to do, I have to save my world. I chose it, so I have to do it." She looked back to the sky, "I get to do it." Her voice was both excited and scared at the same time.

There was a bang on the door and another red eyed spirit came into the room, he bowed quickly to Zaniba, "Pardon my intrusion, we have received information that a portion of Haku's army has diverted toward the bathhouse."

Raz groaned, "I told you we shouldn't of gone there..."

Wren bowed to all present, "I'll return to my post immediately, they will be searching for the power that sealed the gates." He took Chihiro's hand again and kissed the back of it, "If you ever have need of me call my name and I will be there." At that Wren went to the window and jumped out, his form shimmered and changed into a wind formed avian. He vanished into the sky, but Chihiro's eyes continued to follow the form of him that she could see.

"Bye bye." she said softly and waved. She yawned, and before anyone could suggest a bed for her to sleep on she curled up on the floor and fell into slumbers.

Zaniba smiled to herself, "Let the child sleep and remember," She looked to the other two men, "Come we will speak of where you'll need to go next."

"I will remain," Seriyu stated. "It is better not to leave the girl alone."

"I will sssstay by her ssside." Black serpent slithered through the door, "Thanksss for leaving me..."

Raz waved a hand, "I would of summoned you as soon. Besides you know how to get into my bag from anywhere, that's how you got here so quickly right?"

The snake didn't give a reply, he slid over the Chihiro and coiled loosely around her feet. "Go, I will keep her sssafe asss I have promissed."

At that they all moved from the room, Chihiro drifted deeper into slumber and magic began to collect on her skin, returning her skin to its soft glow.

Black Serpent watched quietly, and allowed some of the magic she gathered to fall onto him. His tongue flicked out tasting the air for danger, soon he would have his body if he stayed with her. And soon he would see Niruu again he could sense it just below his scales.