AN: Again, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I'm alive! ALLLLIVE! Er, yeah. Anyway, to address a few things...
I know Rin is officially fourteen in the movie, but she looks older than that, and besides, it's been twenty-five years. ^_~ I never specifically stated what her true age was, just that Sen thought she looked to be around twenty-five (which she does). Also, I WILL be explaining everything that's happened in the Spirit World during that time, as well as more on Chihiro and her husband, but that won't come till later. This is gonna be a looooong story, folks, so don't worry. Everything will be explained in due time. Also, in regards to the mysterious girl at the end that Sen seems to know, that'll also be explained, next chapter in fact. Now, on with the fic!
*****
"Sen, don't forget your lunch! Oh, hurry Sen, you're going to be late for school..."
"I won't mom! I promise, I'll get there on time! Bye mom, bye papa! I love you!"
"I'm sorry, Sen, but your parents..."
"What? What about them? Has something happened?"
"A... car accident. I'm so sorry. Your parents are dead."
Dead...
Dead...
Dead...
Sen? Sen, wake up. Sen, you have to wake up now. Sen!
Someone was shaking my shoulder, whispering my name. I groaned, rolling over and attempting to fall back in to a hazy sleep, but whoever it was wouldn't let up. Finally I caved in, blinking my eyes open.
A figure, leaning over me, was backlit by the sun, so I couldn't really make out who it was. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, then sat up. The person leaned back a little, and I recognized Haku. So, he'd come to wake me up.
"What time is it?" My voice was a little gruff from sleep, and I winced at the sound of it. Clearing my throat, I asked again.
"Seven fifteen in the morning," Haku answered, a distant look on his face. I wondered what he could be thinking.
Flipping the covers away from my body, I scooted over to the edge of the bed, then slid off. My legs wobbled, and I almost fell, but found myself caught up in a pair of arms. I looked up at Haku, but had to look away, my cheeks heated. He was staring at me, with those intense green eyes. What did he want?
A knock at the door startled me, and him as well, and we jumped back from each other. I straightened my uniform, giving it a disgusted look, then walked to the door. When I opened it, Rin was standing on the other side, with a tray of food.
"Here, Yubaba sent this. Said you'd be needing your strength, for what you're going to do."
I took the tray, bowing a little. Rin patted my shoulder and smiled at me. "You'll do fine, kid. Don't worry. I have faith in you." With that, she left, closing the door behind her. I walked over to the desk that was up against the wall, next to the bathroom door, and set down the tray, rubbing my arms a little. I hadn't done much since... the accident, and that tray was heavy.
I looked it over. It seemed to be an assortment of meats, cheese, breads, and fruits. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. I turned my head, searching out Haku, but he was standing in front of the window. Not paying any attention to anything. What was his deal, anyway? I grabbed up some of the food and started eating, as fast as I dared. It was only a few minutes before I'd had my fill. I then walked over, grabbing up my satchel. I took out my school books, but kept my diary and a pen. I felt I had to, though I didn't know why. I also took out my empty lunchbox, putting some of the food inside, then closing the delicately laquered lid and putting it back in. I wished for a change of clothes, but there was very little chance of that happening.
"Haku? Haku, are you ready?"
No answer. I frowned, then walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Haku, are you okay?" He looked at me, startled for only a brief second, then that cool mask slid in to place. It pained me to see that. Why was he being so cold and distant with me? What had I done?
He turned away from the window, shrugging my hand off, and walked over to the door. I hurried after him, grabbing up my satchel and shoes.
We made our way out to this small tub thing. I guessed that it would get us across the water to the tracks. Haku helped me in, suprising both myself and Rin, who was already in the boat. He then got in, a petulant look on his face.
"Why does Yubaba insist we go by train? Why can't I just fly us there?"
Rin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she wants you to observe the occupants on the train"
Haku just sighed, looking away from both of us, out at the water.
It was only a few minutes before we reached the tracks. I managed to crawl out with my satchel in one hand and my shoes in the other, and not fall head first in to the water. I started walking along the submerged tracks, figuring that Haku could catch up, lost in thought again.
Mom... Why aren't you here now? Did you really die before your time? How I wish that could be true... I want it to be true, so badly... And why is Haku like this? Was he like this with you? Why does it hurt when he's cold and distant? Why can't I just ignore him, like I have everyone else since you left me?
I didn't notice we'd reached the platform, or that Haku was right next to me, until I heard the train behind me. I hopped up on the platform, quickly, shaking off my feet and hurridly putting my shoes and socks on. I slanted a glance over at Haku, but he himself seemed lost in thought.
The train pulled up, and Haku stepped up to the door. It opened, and he handed two tickets to the man standing there. He must have gotten them from Yubaba. The man took the tickets, shredding them up, then moved to allow us to pass. Haku got in easily, and, suprising me for the second time that day, helped me up. He immediately dropped my hand after I was in, though, and made his way to an empty spot on a bench. I sighed, turning to look for a seat. There were a multitude of spirits on board, just black shades, but you could still tell the outline of who they once where. Which is why, when my eyes settled on one in particular, I gasped, my eyes widdening and my satchel dropping from numb fingers.
"YOSHIKO!"
I know Rin is officially fourteen in the movie, but she looks older than that, and besides, it's been twenty-five years. ^_~ I never specifically stated what her true age was, just that Sen thought she looked to be around twenty-five (which she does). Also, I WILL be explaining everything that's happened in the Spirit World during that time, as well as more on Chihiro and her husband, but that won't come till later. This is gonna be a looooong story, folks, so don't worry. Everything will be explained in due time. Also, in regards to the mysterious girl at the end that Sen seems to know, that'll also be explained, next chapter in fact. Now, on with the fic!
"Sen, don't forget your lunch! Oh, hurry Sen, you're going to be late for school..."
"I won't mom! I promise, I'll get there on time! Bye mom, bye papa! I love you!"
"I'm sorry, Sen, but your parents..."
"What? What about them? Has something happened?"
"A... car accident. I'm so sorry. Your parents are dead."
Dead...
Dead...
Dead...
Sen? Sen, wake up. Sen, you have to wake up now. Sen!
Someone was shaking my shoulder, whispering my name. I groaned, rolling over and attempting to fall back in to a hazy sleep, but whoever it was wouldn't let up. Finally I caved in, blinking my eyes open.
A figure, leaning over me, was backlit by the sun, so I couldn't really make out who it was. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, then sat up. The person leaned back a little, and I recognized Haku. So, he'd come to wake me up.
"What time is it?" My voice was a little gruff from sleep, and I winced at the sound of it. Clearing my throat, I asked again.
"Seven fifteen in the morning," Haku answered, a distant look on his face. I wondered what he could be thinking.
Flipping the covers away from my body, I scooted over to the edge of the bed, then slid off. My legs wobbled, and I almost fell, but found myself caught up in a pair of arms. I looked up at Haku, but had to look away, my cheeks heated. He was staring at me, with those intense green eyes. What did he want?
A knock at the door startled me, and him as well, and we jumped back from each other. I straightened my uniform, giving it a disgusted look, then walked to the door. When I opened it, Rin was standing on the other side, with a tray of food.
"Here, Yubaba sent this. Said you'd be needing your strength, for what you're going to do."
I took the tray, bowing a little. Rin patted my shoulder and smiled at me. "You'll do fine, kid. Don't worry. I have faith in you." With that, she left, closing the door behind her. I walked over to the desk that was up against the wall, next to the bathroom door, and set down the tray, rubbing my arms a little. I hadn't done much since... the accident, and that tray was heavy.
I looked it over. It seemed to be an assortment of meats, cheese, breads, and fruits. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. I turned my head, searching out Haku, but he was standing in front of the window. Not paying any attention to anything. What was his deal, anyway? I grabbed up some of the food and started eating, as fast as I dared. It was only a few minutes before I'd had my fill. I then walked over, grabbing up my satchel. I took out my school books, but kept my diary and a pen. I felt I had to, though I didn't know why. I also took out my empty lunchbox, putting some of the food inside, then closing the delicately laquered lid and putting it back in. I wished for a change of clothes, but there was very little chance of that happening.
"Haku? Haku, are you ready?"
No answer. I frowned, then walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Haku, are you okay?" He looked at me, startled for only a brief second, then that cool mask slid in to place. It pained me to see that. Why was he being so cold and distant with me? What had I done?
He turned away from the window, shrugging my hand off, and walked over to the door. I hurried after him, grabbing up my satchel and shoes.
We made our way out to this small tub thing. I guessed that it would get us across the water to the tracks. Haku helped me in, suprising both myself and Rin, who was already in the boat. He then got in, a petulant look on his face.
"Why does Yubaba insist we go by train? Why can't I just fly us there?"
Rin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she wants you to observe the occupants on the train"
Haku just sighed, looking away from both of us, out at the water.
It was only a few minutes before we reached the tracks. I managed to crawl out with my satchel in one hand and my shoes in the other, and not fall head first in to the water. I started walking along the submerged tracks, figuring that Haku could catch up, lost in thought again.
Mom... Why aren't you here now? Did you really die before your time? How I wish that could be true... I want it to be true, so badly... And why is Haku like this? Was he like this with you? Why does it hurt when he's cold and distant? Why can't I just ignore him, like I have everyone else since you left me?
I didn't notice we'd reached the platform, or that Haku was right next to me, until I heard the train behind me. I hopped up on the platform, quickly, shaking off my feet and hurridly putting my shoes and socks on. I slanted a glance over at Haku, but he himself seemed lost in thought.
The train pulled up, and Haku stepped up to the door. It opened, and he handed two tickets to the man standing there. He must have gotten them from Yubaba. The man took the tickets, shredding them up, then moved to allow us to pass. Haku got in easily, and, suprising me for the second time that day, helped me up. He immediately dropped my hand after I was in, though, and made his way to an empty spot on a bench. I sighed, turning to look for a seat. There were a multitude of spirits on board, just black shades, but you could still tell the outline of who they once where. Which is why, when my eyes settled on one in particular, I gasped, my eyes widdening and my satchel dropping from numb fingers.
"YOSHIKO!"