The boy took a step forward, and I took another step back. I was unbelievably frightened, yet drawn to him at the same time. He reached out a hand, but it went right through me. I blinked, lifting up an arm.

"What? What's happening to me?" My voice was panicked, but the look on the boy's face calmed me now. It was a strange look, of understanding, and possibly sadness. He held up what looked to be a small, red berry, and pressed it against my lips. I blushed, but opened my mouth, sucking it in. I chewed and swallowed. The thing tasted horrible, but whatever it was, it made me whole again. I waved one arm around, just to be sure, and the boy caught my wrist in his hand.

"Chihiro? Is it really you? Don't you remember me?" There was a pleading tone to his words, and a sadness so profound I felt ready to cry, though I couldn't say why.

"I'm not Chihiro. I told you, my name is Sen."

He looked confused at this, then moved his hand from my wrist to my hand, pressing his palm to mine. I was tempted to pull away, but for some reason I didn't.

"It's me, Haku. Did you loose your memory? Chihiro?"

My eyes widdened. Haku... Mom used to speak of someone named Haku. A childhood love of hers, someone who'd never come back for her, and then she'd met papa... But this couldn't possibly be the same Haku.

"My name is Sen. Sen. Not Chihiro. My mom's name was Chihiro." I don't know why I added that in. I regretted it immediately afterwards. He looked angry, then frustrated, and finally, like he was going to cry. I didn't even know him, yet I got the feeling that this was someone who never cried.

"So, it's been that long... How old are you?"

"Fi-fifteen."

He dropped his hand from mine, quickly, as if I was burning him with my touch. His head drooped, and he shook it, sadly. "Fifteen... She was only ten when she came here... How long has it been? Too long... I can't set things right now, can I?"

I looked around me again. In the water, there was a brightly lit boat, drawing nearer to shore. It looked as if it was going to stop right at the steps. I looked back at the boy... Haku, he'd said.

"Umm... Haku-san, I don't mean to interupt or anything, but could you tell me what's going on?"

He looked up at me, startled, then at the boat. "Oh. Please, call me Haku." His eyes drifted back to me, and I couldn't repress a shiver. It felt as if I was supposed to know this boy, this Haku.

He grabbed my wrist again, then started running. It felt as if I was flying. How could someone go so fast? Was Haku even... human? All thoughts flew from my head, though, as we skidded to a halt in front of a large building. My mouth gaped open, and quite a few... I could only guess that they were spirits... spirits around us started staring at me. But I didn't even notice.

In front of me stood the most elaborate and ornate and beautiful bathhouse I'd ever seen. "It- It's a bathhouse!" Stunned, I looked around, at the aogaeru and yuna who were greeting the customers, and at the customers themselves. I could hear some of them muttering 'human', and it puzzled me. What was this place? I looked over at Haku, then involuntarily took a step back. He'd been staring at me, those unnerving green eyes locked on mine now. It was then I noticed he was about half an inch shorter than me. Not really that much, but still there. I looked down, his hand still on my wrist, and half-heartedly tried to pull away. He let me, then turned his head back to the bathhouse.

"The Aburaya. We must go speak to Yubaba. She's the one who runs the place. If you're here, then..." He shook his head, quickly, then took ahold of my wrist again. I was getting tired of being dragged around.

He pulled me across the bridge and in to the bathhouse, despite cries from the aogaeru to 'keep that filthy human out of here'. I still didn't know what was going on, but I had my ideas.

Is this why you wanted me to stay away from the road, mom? Did you know that I'd find this place? Were you here before? Why did you never tell me?

Haku suddenly stopped, and I ran in to him, lost in my thoughts. I grimaced as pain shot through my nose from bumping in to the back of his head. Eyes watering, I looked up to see what had made him stop. In front of us stood a woman, no more than twenty-five. She clearly worked at the batthouse. I was suprised when she squealed and dove on me, engulfing me in a hug.

"Sen, is that really you? Oh, sorry. I mean Chihiro. It's so strange. I-"

She stepped back to inspect me, and Haku cut her off with a shake of his head. "That's not Chihiro. It's Sen. Her daughter."

The woman looked back at me, a shocked expression on her face. "Her... daughter? How could that be? It's only been-"

"Twenty-five years," Haku said, shortly.

"Twenty-five years?" the woman questioned, voicing my own thought. "But... how? Well, if she's here, then it must have something to do with all the misplacements lately."

Haku nodded his head, gravely. I looked back and forth, between the two, then finally stomped my foot, getting their startled attention.

"I think I've been pretty patient up until now. Can someone please explain to me where I am, how I got here, and how I can get back?" A hand flew up to my mouth, my eyes widdening. "My satchel! Oh no, it's still down by the rocks- er, river- er, lake... thing."

Haku put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently, and for some reason it made me feel infinitely better. "I'll go get your satchel. Rin, take Sen and explain to her what's going on. Then take her up to Yubaba's chambers. I'll be waiting for you there."

He looked at me, briefly, then took off, gone in the blink of an eye. Rin took my hand, and I was too stunned to protest. All of this was happening so fast, and I was so confused, it felt good to have an anchor, even if it was a strange woman.

"C'mon Sen. I'll explain everything on our way upstairs. Hoo boy, this is gonna be a loooong story..."