Beginning note: I don't own Spirited Away, I'm not making any money off it, and this is all for the funzys.

Ablution - A ceremonial act of washing parts of the body or sacred containers

Pollution

It was shortly after that revelation that they commenced their trek through Yubaba's maze, Kohaku pausing at very corner to look around the edge of it before ushering her forward. It was at one of these moments that he slowly stepped back from the turn, whispering to her. "We must turn back."

"Why?" She asked in the same soft tone.

He hedged for a moment before waving her forward. "Only get close enough to see, and then step back; you cannot let them see you in return."

Chihiro stifled the gasp that threatened to break loose when she did. "What are those?" She motioned to the dark, shadowy creatures that where moving before them. Some more like smoke, others more like sludge, but all dark, all strange.

"Do you remember the hole before Yubaba's fireplace? The one we fell down?" she nodded. "It is where she throws the dead ones. Unnatural ones. Curses and pollution that ride in on the backs of land bound spirits. They are dangerous. We must find another way."

Note: I'm going to try and be productive soon and get more written on this; I'm having a write-night with The Hatter Theory sometime soon, once I'm nolonger extremely sick so I'll get a bunch done.