Chihiro was even hungrier than she thought when she first started feeling her hunger. Any longer without food and it would have started really hurting. She had only noticed that Lin left after Lin returned, carrying white bandages.

"Do you mind?" Chihiro shook her head and, with the help of Lin, got her shirt off and Lin started replacing the bandages, "You're pretty lucky, for a human."

Chihiro sighed, "If this is being lucky, I don't ever want to know what it's like to be unlucky."

Lin chuckled before pausing for a moment, seeming to hesitate to continue talking, "Sen… Er, Chihiro, I haven't really explained what's going on, huh?"

Chihiro found herself cocking an eyebrow at Lin, "Yeah…"

Lin tilted her head slightly, "So, uh, why are you so calm?"

Chihiro sighed and shook her head, "I'm not, but I'm managing to keep my sanity by thinking this is all a dream. I mean, I somehow teleported to a river that would take half a day to drive to, almost drowned and got this," She motioned to her wound, "Saw a dragon, now I'm speaking to a fox who turned human, I'm now in a world I created through paintings, not to mention all the other weird things. Oh, and there's a guy who seems to be trying to kill me. Wait, I take back the part about saying it's a dream, it's definitely a nightmare."

Lin went quiet for a long moment, lowering her head to the wooden floor once she had finished tightening the bandages, "I wish it was, Sen."

Chihiro jumped a little at being called Sen for the second time, "So… This is… Real? Really real?"

Lin nodded, "Yeah, it is. Your memories were erased when you left here, the last time. I was pretty surprised that you were able to paint so much unciously. Haku said that it looked like you didn't forget, the spell didn't work, you only convinced yourself it was a dream, or visions, or whatever you thought they were."

Chihiro stared hard at Lin, "Haku, huh? Also… I know you saw the paintings when you came into my house as a fox, but you seem to know more about me than you should, since it's apparently been so long."

Lin made a very obvious and very nervous gulp, "Well… I wasn't personally keeping an eye on you all the time…"

Chihiro groaned and fell back onto the futon, flinching a little at a stab of pain, "So, not only did this spell that Haku," She had purposely put venom in her tone as she spoke his name, "To erase my memories kind of fail, but he also had people watching me all the time?" Chihiro could see Lin nod from the corner of her eye, "Let me guess, people like Hisashi are not weird, it's just the first time somebody like him has been able to get that close to me."

Lin seemed to flinch a little and nodded once again before speaking in a louder tone than before, "It was for your own protection! You aren't just any human girl! As for the reason Hisashi got so close… Haven't you noticed? Haku isn't here!"

Chihiro frowned and sat up a little, "So?"
Lin let out an exasperated sigh, "Okay, listen, it's way too long of a story to tell right now, so I'll tell you once we get to Zeniba's tomorrow."

Sighing and falling back onto her pillow, Chihiro spoke in defeat, she didn't bother asking if it was the same Zeniba in her paintings, "Promise?"

Smiling softly, Lin stood up and nodded, "Promise." Before turning and waving her hand. Chihiro wasn't really sure how, but the action caused the lights in the small room to blacken. She couldn't see, but she could hear Lin open the door and close it again.

Chihiro mumbled to herself in frustration, turning onto her normal uninjured side, "She better keep that promise;" soon finding herself unable to keep her eyes open any longer.

Chihiro opened her eyes to find herself standing in the field, facing the door of the abandoned train station. She glanced around the field in confusion before a large gust of wind nearly knocked her off her feet. After another strong gust of wind, she willingly dropped to her knees.

As she sat in the grass and flowers, the wind became gentler, and soft whispers could be heard, as if coming from invisible fairies. Although Chihiro couldn't entirely tell what the whispers were saying, they were comforting; welcoming her home after a long and difficult journey.

We missed you, Chihiro! We're so glad you came back! Please stay this time! We love you!

Chihiro found herself falling back into the grass and closing her eyes as she listened to the light and bell-like voices. As human as she was, she felt like this field in the spirit world was more of a home than the human world was; she belonged here. Maybe Hisashi had killed her and, being a spirit now, she had nowhere else to be. That would be alright to her.

Chihiro wasn't sure how long she was lying there, long enough to doze off at the very least. Sleeping while in a dream, could anything be more blissful? Unfortunately, her dozing was interrupted by a sudden burst of warm air. In complete confusion she sat up, the voices had stopped as she did. Glancing over her shoulder she let out a small gasp.

Haku was lying behind her, in his full dragon form, the emerald fur along his back flowing in the gentle wind. Chihiro would never, ever get used to seeing him like this, even if it was a dream, it was realistic enough that she didn't care.

Haku silently watched her with soft and gentle eyes, shifting a little as she turned around to face him. After a moment of staring at each other, she reached out and he complied by lowering his nose, closing his eyes as Chihiro gently stroked his fur. Chihiro was amazed by how soft the fur was, it was so soft it didn't feel real at all; although to be fair, who knew what reality was. It was gone a long time ago.

They both continued the peaceful silence, the only noise was the wind rustling the grass and Haku's fur. He laid his head in her lap and Chihiro struggled to hold in how happy she was. After what felt like hours, Chihiro felt a pit start to grow in her stomach, and she finally broke the silence.

"...Haku, is any of this real?" Haku's ears twitched and he opened his eyes to look up at her.

"If you mean me being real, yes."

Chihiro sighed, "I don't remember anything. I don't know if you are saying the truth or it's me just blindly hoping it's the truth." Chihiro paused for a moment, "Being here feels so natural, like I never belonged in the human world to begin with."

Haku remained quiet but lifted his head to look at her more directly as she continued, ignoring his cooling and hardening gaze, "Haku, I don't remember anything from that week so many years ago. Was I here? Did I meet everyone here before? Did… Did you erase my memories?"

Haku again remained silent, Chihiro finally noticing how cold and hard his gaze had become. The sky began to darken and the wind so cold it began to prick painfully at Chihiro's skin. She shivered, a little out of fear, as he sat up and spoke in a booming voice, "You are human, you don't belong here. You will die here if you do not leave." It felt more like a threat than a warning.

Voices joined the wind, harsh and chanting about her needing to leave, and threatening her death. Haku vanished and was replaced with growing darkness. Chihiro now began to panic, struggling to stand up against the cold wind. She screamed as loud as she could into the air, "Haku! Please, stop it!"

She felt sudden exhaustion hit her like a rock and she collapsed, pain radiating in her side just like it did when she first received the wound. Her body felt like lead, and the pit in her stomach grew. She was able to lift her head just enough to see a giant snake slithering towards her, it's eyes narrowed. She would recognize those predatory eyes anywhere, Hisashi.

Chihiro could only scream and demand herself to wake up, as the snake closed in and opened it's large jaws to show its fangs; she finally welcomed darkness.

Chihiro woke with a start, attempting to swallow a scream but some of it still managed to escape. She only hoped it was day and no guests heard her panicked scream and panting, it took her a moment to realize how soaked in sweat she was. Her throat hurt like hell, like she had been screaming for her life outside the dream too.

A moment later, the door to the room flew open and Lin stood there; a very odd looking old woman stood behind Lin. Chihiro recognized her as one of the twin witches, most likely Yubaba. She didn't get much time to think before Lin threw herself onto Chihiro, frantically lifting up the human woman's shirt to check her bandages. It was bleeding, bad. Although it didn't hurt, when Lin pulled the bandages off, it was like it had just been wounded moments ago. Shit.

Yubaba let out an annoyed sounding sigh and crossed her arms as she watched Lin rebandage Chihiro's side. Chihiro remained silent, something told her she was about to be scolded, over what she couldn't tell. Lin suddenly stood up, holding the now cracked emerald. Yubaba extended her hand and Lin dropped the necklace into the other woman's hand, causing Chihiro to panic slightly.

Yubaba let out an annoyed sounding noise and clenched her fist around the emerald before tossing it at Chihiro. Chihiro barely managed to catch it and looked up at Yubaba with a clearly confused gaze, which was returned with a snort, "As reckless as ever, I see. Can't say I'm surprised, Sen." Yubaba snorted again, "That emerald is useless now, it has no power left, which is why you had that nightmare. I can't believe I'm saying this, but go to my sister. She should have another one. Lin and Aogaeru will go with you."

Lin seemed to be dazed from shock at Yubaba's words but quickly began packing up Chihiro's suitcase, "You heard the boss, let's go."

Chihiro protested as much as she could, "Wait! Nobody's told me what's going on!"

Yubaba cocked an eyebrow but nodded a little, "We talk while we walk."

Chihiro wanted to protest more but knew that was the best she would get, so she put on one of her clean shirts and got up, following behind Yubaba and Lin as they went on ahead of her. Once they reached the elevator and got in, Yubaba began to talk, "Even an idiot would know that the spirit world is filled with beings that wish to see the humans suffer, correct?" Chihiro nodded, knowing that any other response would be bad, "Good. Then, let me tell you a warning. In order to save Haku, you will need to go on a path that will have you encounter some of the worst."