A/N: hello, fans. =^_^= I hope you like reading this.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Spirited Away or Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi.
Summery: Miyazaki says that Chihiro doesn't remember anything of the Other world. He gave hints, such as her hair band and dust/leaves on the car, though that something *did* happen. Like Zeniiba said, "you don't forget what happened. You just can't recall it." well, I as a wonderfully devoted fan to STCNK (Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi) decided to write as canon a fic you'll find on me. also, did you know that the last line in the English version Chihiro says isn't in the Japanese version? I found all this out from a really cool site! I'll let you know what it is later, if you're interested. And Haku said they would see each other again. Eh? Anyway, my summery is as my summery does: Chihiro struggles to remember what happened, because she knows that something *did* happen "in that tunnel", she just can't... recall it.
Constructive Criticism is welcome! If I screwed on something, let me know, please! And since I am for some reason unable to upload Bold, Italic, or Underlined fonts on FF.Net (I don't know why!) dreams or accented words or ANYTHING will either be between asterisks (i.e. dreams are in ***dreams***) or in caps (i.e. "CAPS LOCK, DANGIT!!!") Understand?
Genre: action/adventure/mystery?/angst?/drama?/suspense/some fluff and mush and all those misc. stuff =^o^=
Pairings: C/H
Rating: ::To Be Decided::
One month after the movie, Chihiro has just turned eleven, blah blah blah...
Chapter Started: 4/25/03
Chapter Finished: 5/1/03
Chapters: c. 5-13, with me. all of my fics are like that, you know. So my chaps may be pretty long or rather short, ya?
Third Person POV
~
Remembering Dreams
~
.
.
.
.
*** Sen ran, not knowing where she was where she was going. Her bare feet made no sound, indeed, it seemed as though they didn't even touch the ground. She was wearing her old white shirt with green stripe on it, and pink shorts. Both were too small for her now. Finally, she stopped and looked out over a fast-flowing river. She saw herself - as a little girl, first grade or kindergarten, perhaps? Glowing, see-through. Not surprised, Sen watched her little counter-part cry, cuddling her coat and shoes to her chest. Voices echoed around her.
"Once you've met someone you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Chihiro, where are you? come on, sweetheart, you'll be late!"
"Once You've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Aah! Help, mommy, daddy!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Chihiro! Chihiro, hold on, I'm coming to get you!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Don't worry, little one. Just calm down, I'll take care of you....."
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Mommy! Mommy, a dragon saved me!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Oh, Chihiro, I think you may have swallowed too much water! Come on dear, don't worry about your shoe, let's get you home and dried."
She watched herself fall into the water during all of this, and somewhere far off she caught out of the corner of her eye a pink shoe - her pink shoe - and being carried away. She knew she could have drowned.
She watched Yuuko carry her little self away, dripping wet and sniffing, looking back over at the river in confusion.
"You promised."
She turned around away from watching her mother and little self, to see who was behind her ***
However, Chihiro's "alarm clock" had other ideas, and decided it was time to wake up, even though it was a Saturday. It bounded into her room and jumped on her bed, licking her face wildly.
"Yukio! Stop that Yukio, bad boy, sit, I'm awake, stop it!" finally she pushed the little dog off her bed and rolled over.
Hadn't she had that dream before last week when she had gotten Yukio? She had had that very same dream... no. it had been a little different. Last time she had been walking up and down halls, and falling into a river or sea or whatever it was, listening to voices echoing around her. They had been different voices, too. "that's weird." Chihiro decided finally, and looked at her watch.
"YUKIO, WHY THE HECK DID YOU WAKE ME UP AT SIX-THIRTY A.M. ON A SATURDAY, EH??????!?" Yukio whimpered and backed out of the room. When Chihiro grumpily realized that she couldn't get any more sleep, she got up and dressed in a yellow shirt with the logo "Flower Power" on it and a pair of pink shorts that came to her knees and had to be tied up with a sash or belt. For some reason, Chihiro liked tying it with a dark purple ribbon.
Once dressed, she put her hair up in the usual pony tail with her special hair band - she couldn't remember where she had gotten it. a gift from one of her friends, most likely. Downstairs, her mother had already gotten Breakfast started (both she and Akio her husband had been woken up by their daughter's yell and Yukio.). sometimes Yuuko wondered why she had ever gotten that silly little dog for their child's eleventh birthday.
To help her get settled in, of course. Hmph. No matter what they did, Chihiro continued to hate her new home with a passion.
"Good morning, Chihiro," Yuuko said brightly as she entered her kitchen. Chihiro grunted in response. "my, it's great to have a nice weekend, don't you think, Chihiro? These past few weeks have been quite busy. How're you getting along at you new school?"
Chihiro grunted again. She was outcast - she didn't look like namely dress like any of the towners, and she gloried in being herself, different. If they didn't like the way she wore her school uniform or hair, then oh well. She was going to continue breathing their air and taking up their space, and there was nothing they could do about it. So far, she had managed not to open her mouth at all - not once in school or public had she lifted her head from where it studied her shoes or pull apart her lips, which seemed to be glued together.
Yuuko and Akio had both noticed this, and both had different results; in Akio's opinion, his daughter was being a bit too much of a brat and if she didn't pick up her act (and grades, which had dropped remarkably in the short amount of time) soon, then she would be punished. Yuuko thought that she was lonely (hence the dog) and missed her familiar surroundings and friends, too shy or embarrassed to make a peep in public, which she avoided. Yuuko's closest coworker and almost-friend had listened sympathetically to Yuuko's problem, and proposed that her daughter was maladjusted and there was an asylum just west a few miles. Akio had told his boss, who had seven sons of his own, and he had insisted that Chihiro was being a lazy good-for-nothing and pathetic. She would be ship-shape after a couple of nights with he and his sons, no doubt.
Chihiro, for the most part, was well aware of what false facts her parents were growing, but ignored them; if worse came to worse, she could always threaten with something to harm herself, run away, or become a temporary selective mute. They would all work - and besides, Chihiro just didn't want to talk. She wasn't mentally ill or anything.
And Yukio made her smile self-consciously whether she wanted to or not. He really was a sweet dog and friend, Yukio. Small, cute, and fluffy. Perfect. In every way. His bright green eyes were rare for a dog, and her mother had gotten him at an unfair price. Yukio's eyes reminded her of somebody's, though she couldn't remember who. Somebody she had met a long time ago, probably. A babysitter? Friend? Yuuko and Akio had gone through plenty of them in the first five years of her life, but after she had almost drown herself in a river, they decided maybe one of them should stay home in shifts. and in such a short time, while spending the entire week playing with Yukio, Chihiro knew almost everything there was to know about Yukio. And he already knew the largest majority of her secrets.
They were bosom companions.
"Okaasan[1], after breakfast can I take Yukio to explore the city?" 'Again?' Chihiro added mentally.
"Only if you put him on a leash," Yuuko replied, spreading three plates with eggs, bacon, toast and chocolate chip pancakes. Akio walked in with a yawn and sat at the table across from Chihiro.
"Why are we up so early on a Saturday?" he asked sleepily.
"Good morning, Otousan[2]," Chihiro mumbled obediently.
Yukio bounced (as only he could) into the room and onto Chihiro's lap. She grinned and stroked his soft fur.
"Out," Yuuko scolded. "dogs are not meant to eat at the table."
"Yukio, kaeru." Chihiro whispered gently, sending the little thing out.
The Ogino[3] family ate in silence, and after brushing her teeth and washing her face, then a quick shower just for the heck of it, Chihiro attached a long blue leash to Yukio's collar and called a swift "bye Okaasan, Otousan! If I'm not back by lunch time then call the cops!"
Yuuko and Akio laughed a little bit.
"I'll admit," Akio said finally. "the dog was a good idea. And she'll learn responsibility this way, too."
"Mm-hmm." Yuuko agreed, washing the dishes.
Meanwhile, Chihiro was jogging along the road in front of their house wearing a light pink wind breaker jacket in the chilly morning air, Yukio panting as he dragged her down the steep hill in front of her house and cut a left along a road ridden with weeds and rocks that used to lead into a small forest. The town wasn't far away, and the streets and side walks were mostly bare; this town was so tiny, that by the time half the population was up the sun was going down. While jogging with her chin tipped down to keep a close eye on Yukio, Chihiro made a mental note to tell her mother to get her some new shoes next time she went shopping. Her own were too tight and hurt, and Chihiro knew that she would have blisters if she kept on like this.
Halfway through town, Chihiro finally slowed, and sat down on the side walk, watching the heavy clouds over the town slowly disappear. Yukio sat with her, eyes a thick, hard green, almost gray. He understood Chihiro very well, and knew that this seemed important to her for some reason. She was thinking, like always.
In his humble opinion, his Human Girl thought too much and didn't play enough. He had known her barely one week, and had almost human characteristics.
Chihiro was still pondering over her dream. She had never had the same dream more than once before, and the details had already slipped through her fingers like fog. Something about forgetting and remembering, she guessed. Something was... not wrong, but... strange. No. she shook her head. Such befitting thoughts for a fifth-grader! She was just homesick. No matter how much she tried, Chihiro just could not like this place. and it really was a sweet town, with the smallest majority of sweet, kind people. There was nothing wrong here - so why did she feel so... disconnected here? Weird.
"Hey, kid, you lost?" asked a voice. Chihiro jumped, not realizing she had dozed off. Yukio growled, front paws thrown forward and back arched downwards, hackles raised. There were cars and people on the streets and sidewalks, and the sun was pretty high in the air. Chihiro checked her watch and sighed. "No, thank you," she said, standing up and dusting herself off. "I'm sorry if Yukio and I are in your way at all." She bowed quickly to the old man and took off at a jog home. Yukio was swift to jump ahead, almost pulling her, head held high and tongue lolling out. In this way, they reached "home" in less than ten minutes, panting.
"Chihiro, we were starting to get worried," Yuuko said, glancing up from her desk. Akio was off at work.
Chihiro didn't say anything as she took off her small coat and undid Yukio's leash, hanging both up on the coat rack, then removing her shoes.
"I need new shoes, next time you go to the next town," she said quietly. "these ones are too small." She then scampered upstairs and took another, more lengthy shower.
While deprived of a victim to waste his slobber on, Yukio had no other choice but to A) sit obediently on Chihiro's bed, B) scratch at the bathroom door and howl in misery, C) annoy Yuuko, D) take a nap, E) go explore, or F) visit his other world to see if they were open for a bath. He really hadn't explored at all except to run around town twice in just three hours with Chihiro, and the thought of doing something on his own was a mighty one to pass up.
Give the little guy some credit; he had tried to wait for Chihiro quietly in her room, on her bed, but a squirrel had come and shouted some nasty things at him from the window, so he tore downstairs and ran into the door repeatedly until Yuuko let him out.
After some thought, Yukio promptly turned around and destroyed the door before Yuuko let him in again, and he toughed it out on Chihiro's bed. Go figure. She'd play with him when she wasn't wet anymore.
That night, after a dinner of pork and salad (A/N: bleh) Chihiro took Yukio outside to play.
Currently, she was teaching him new tricks, marveling at how quickly the little dog latched onto her every word. She had read somewhere that dogs like him couldn't (wouldn't) learn that quickly, but Yukio must have been an exception. Or maybe he had some gene from a different breed of dog?
Whatever.
"Roll over, Yukio-chan! Play dead, Yukio-chan! Sit! Stand! Beg! Dance!" Chihiro laughed and took Yukio's paws in her hands and danced around the yard with him. Or hopped was more like it.
"Chihiro, bedtime!" Yuuko called from a window. Chihiro sighed and dropped Yukio's paws, standing up. "But Okaasan! Just five more minutes?"
"That's what you said five minutes ago. Bed!"
Chihiro gave a disappointed sigh and scowled at the house. "C'mon Yukio- chan, let's go get ready for bed."
Yukio whimpered, sensing Chihiro's unhappiness, but followed at her heel as she trudged inside.
After a hasty good night to her parents, Chihiro went upstairs and brushed her teeth and hair, washing her face and hands. Next she giggled while trying to get the mud off of Yukio's paws. Then she retreated to her room, and closed the door, like always. Yukio whimpered and howled until Chihiro let him in.
"Oh, Yukio-chan," she sighed, changing into her night shirt. "I really do miss my old home in Tokyo. And my friends haven't written once. I guess they don't miss me." she climbed into bed and clicked off her lamp. "I wish I could move on as fast as they did." She continued as Yukio hopped up and made himself comfortable at her feet.
*** Sen wandered up and down the streets of her old home, Tokyo, not knowing where she was going. Her bare feet made no sound, indeed, it seemed as though they didn't even touch the ground. She was wearing her old white shirt with green stripe on it, and pink shorts. Both were too small for her now. Finally, she turned down a familiar street and looked up at her old school. She saw figures - children, playing. They were all glowing, like ghosts, and were see-through. Amazingly enough, Sen wasn't worried or shocked or surprised in the least bit. She looked out across over them, watching them all play on the school equipment. After a moment, she recognized one of them as herself, as a first grader. She had been home- schooled for kindergarten because she could say her ABC's earlier then any other kid. So? That's why she was a year younger than all of her other class mates. She remembered the feeling of loneliness and fear her first day, at this recess. She saw herself hunched over by the wall, looking out fearfully at the rest of the school. Sen began to hear voices - familiar voices, echoing as though from a tunnel, one at a time.
"Once you've met someone you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Hey, you! kid, new girl! What's a kindergartner doing out at lunch recess? You should be home with your mommy!"
"Once You've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"I go to school here - I'm a first-grader."
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"No you aren't! hey, Hiroshi, this little kindergartner is lookin' for trouble! Shall we show her not to talk back to sixth graders?"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Leave her alone, brats!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Oh-ho, witty-bitty second grader sticking up for the kindergartner? Ooh! C'mon Rumi[4]-chan, go play with your other little friends! We're busy!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Hi, my name's Rumi. Never mind those two boys, they're just jealous because you're probably smarter than they are."
Sen watched Rumi - her best friend - help her younger self up and pat dust off. "Call me if you need me," Rumi said, then she, and all others - everything - faded off. Sen looked at her younger self, just standing there, so close to tears. Then there was a boy behind her, older than her. He was shadowed, so Sen couldn't see who he was, but she saw her littler self hug him tightly when he wrapped around her in a comforting embrace.
Sen started toward them, wanting know who the boy was, but suddenly everything went pitch black and she fell into a black nothingness. Startled, she screamed, and saw a river - no, it seemed more like an ocean or the sea - loom up before her, and she hit it with a splash.
It closed around her, clear as day, then a light, murky blue. Somewhere far off she caught out of the corner of her eye a pink shoe - her pink shoe - and being carried away. She knew she was going to drown.
Yet - something carried her - she was riding on something, and it carried her to shallow water. Coughing a little, she pulled herself to her feet, and looked over her shoulder. Nothing but a great expanse of ocean - or sea?
"You promised."
She turned around ***
"CHIHIRO! Wake up!" Chihiro jumped, startled, and glared hotly at her father standing above her. "you slept in," he scolded. "now get up and get dressed - hurry, now! You're going to love what I've got ahead for you."
"What is it?" Chihiro asked, filing through her brain, trying to snatch the important details of the dream before they slipped out of her grasp.
"It's a surprise," Akio told her. "now hurry up, and eat breakfast!" he left.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A/N: okay, I'm not so sure if that was good, but it's a start!
[1] Okaasan is Japanese for 'mother' in a manner of speaking
[2] likewise, but for 'father'
[3] Chihiro's last name
[4] at the beginning of the movie, there's a card on Chihiro's bouquet that says 'good luck, Chihiro' or something like that. Anyway, it's signed by ''Rumi''
Ask if you have any other questions!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Spirited Away or Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi.
Summery: Miyazaki says that Chihiro doesn't remember anything of the Other world. He gave hints, such as her hair band and dust/leaves on the car, though that something *did* happen. Like Zeniiba said, "you don't forget what happened. You just can't recall it." well, I as a wonderfully devoted fan to STCNK (Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi) decided to write as canon a fic you'll find on me. also, did you know that the last line in the English version Chihiro says isn't in the Japanese version? I found all this out from a really cool site! I'll let you know what it is later, if you're interested. And Haku said they would see each other again. Eh? Anyway, my summery is as my summery does: Chihiro struggles to remember what happened, because she knows that something *did* happen "in that tunnel", she just can't... recall it.
Constructive Criticism is welcome! If I screwed on something, let me know, please! And since I am for some reason unable to upload Bold, Italic, or Underlined fonts on FF.Net (I don't know why!) dreams or accented words or ANYTHING will either be between asterisks (i.e. dreams are in ***dreams***) or in caps (i.e. "CAPS LOCK, DANGIT!!!") Understand?
Genre: action/adventure/mystery?/angst?/drama?/suspense/some fluff and mush and all those misc. stuff =^o^=
Pairings: C/H
Rating: ::To Be Decided::
One month after the movie, Chihiro has just turned eleven, blah blah blah...
Chapter Started: 4/25/03
Chapter Finished: 5/1/03
Chapters: c. 5-13, with me. all of my fics are like that, you know. So my chaps may be pretty long or rather short, ya?
Third Person POV
~
Remembering Dreams
~
.
.
.
.
*** Sen ran, not knowing where she was where she was going. Her bare feet made no sound, indeed, it seemed as though they didn't even touch the ground. She was wearing her old white shirt with green stripe on it, and pink shorts. Both were too small for her now. Finally, she stopped and looked out over a fast-flowing river. She saw herself - as a little girl, first grade or kindergarten, perhaps? Glowing, see-through. Not surprised, Sen watched her little counter-part cry, cuddling her coat and shoes to her chest. Voices echoed around her.
"Once you've met someone you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Chihiro, where are you? come on, sweetheart, you'll be late!"
"Once You've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Aah! Help, mommy, daddy!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Chihiro! Chihiro, hold on, I'm coming to get you!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Don't worry, little one. Just calm down, I'll take care of you....."
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Mommy! Mommy, a dragon saved me!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Oh, Chihiro, I think you may have swallowed too much water! Come on dear, don't worry about your shoe, let's get you home and dried."
She watched herself fall into the water during all of this, and somewhere far off she caught out of the corner of her eye a pink shoe - her pink shoe - and being carried away. She knew she could have drowned.
She watched Yuuko carry her little self away, dripping wet and sniffing, looking back over at the river in confusion.
"You promised."
She turned around away from watching her mother and little self, to see who was behind her ***
However, Chihiro's "alarm clock" had other ideas, and decided it was time to wake up, even though it was a Saturday. It bounded into her room and jumped on her bed, licking her face wildly.
"Yukio! Stop that Yukio, bad boy, sit, I'm awake, stop it!" finally she pushed the little dog off her bed and rolled over.
Hadn't she had that dream before last week when she had gotten Yukio? She had had that very same dream... no. it had been a little different. Last time she had been walking up and down halls, and falling into a river or sea or whatever it was, listening to voices echoing around her. They had been different voices, too. "that's weird." Chihiro decided finally, and looked at her watch.
"YUKIO, WHY THE HECK DID YOU WAKE ME UP AT SIX-THIRTY A.M. ON A SATURDAY, EH??????!?" Yukio whimpered and backed out of the room. When Chihiro grumpily realized that she couldn't get any more sleep, she got up and dressed in a yellow shirt with the logo "Flower Power" on it and a pair of pink shorts that came to her knees and had to be tied up with a sash or belt. For some reason, Chihiro liked tying it with a dark purple ribbon.
Once dressed, she put her hair up in the usual pony tail with her special hair band - she couldn't remember where she had gotten it. a gift from one of her friends, most likely. Downstairs, her mother had already gotten Breakfast started (both she and Akio her husband had been woken up by their daughter's yell and Yukio.). sometimes Yuuko wondered why she had ever gotten that silly little dog for their child's eleventh birthday.
To help her get settled in, of course. Hmph. No matter what they did, Chihiro continued to hate her new home with a passion.
"Good morning, Chihiro," Yuuko said brightly as she entered her kitchen. Chihiro grunted in response. "my, it's great to have a nice weekend, don't you think, Chihiro? These past few weeks have been quite busy. How're you getting along at you new school?"
Chihiro grunted again. She was outcast - she didn't look like namely dress like any of the towners, and she gloried in being herself, different. If they didn't like the way she wore her school uniform or hair, then oh well. She was going to continue breathing their air and taking up their space, and there was nothing they could do about it. So far, she had managed not to open her mouth at all - not once in school or public had she lifted her head from where it studied her shoes or pull apart her lips, which seemed to be glued together.
Yuuko and Akio had both noticed this, and both had different results; in Akio's opinion, his daughter was being a bit too much of a brat and if she didn't pick up her act (and grades, which had dropped remarkably in the short amount of time) soon, then she would be punished. Yuuko thought that she was lonely (hence the dog) and missed her familiar surroundings and friends, too shy or embarrassed to make a peep in public, which she avoided. Yuuko's closest coworker and almost-friend had listened sympathetically to Yuuko's problem, and proposed that her daughter was maladjusted and there was an asylum just west a few miles. Akio had told his boss, who had seven sons of his own, and he had insisted that Chihiro was being a lazy good-for-nothing and pathetic. She would be ship-shape after a couple of nights with he and his sons, no doubt.
Chihiro, for the most part, was well aware of what false facts her parents were growing, but ignored them; if worse came to worse, she could always threaten with something to harm herself, run away, or become a temporary selective mute. They would all work - and besides, Chihiro just didn't want to talk. She wasn't mentally ill or anything.
And Yukio made her smile self-consciously whether she wanted to or not. He really was a sweet dog and friend, Yukio. Small, cute, and fluffy. Perfect. In every way. His bright green eyes were rare for a dog, and her mother had gotten him at an unfair price. Yukio's eyes reminded her of somebody's, though she couldn't remember who. Somebody she had met a long time ago, probably. A babysitter? Friend? Yuuko and Akio had gone through plenty of them in the first five years of her life, but after she had almost drown herself in a river, they decided maybe one of them should stay home in shifts. and in such a short time, while spending the entire week playing with Yukio, Chihiro knew almost everything there was to know about Yukio. And he already knew the largest majority of her secrets.
They were bosom companions.
"Okaasan[1], after breakfast can I take Yukio to explore the city?" 'Again?' Chihiro added mentally.
"Only if you put him on a leash," Yuuko replied, spreading three plates with eggs, bacon, toast and chocolate chip pancakes. Akio walked in with a yawn and sat at the table across from Chihiro.
"Why are we up so early on a Saturday?" he asked sleepily.
"Good morning, Otousan[2]," Chihiro mumbled obediently.
Yukio bounced (as only he could) into the room and onto Chihiro's lap. She grinned and stroked his soft fur.
"Out," Yuuko scolded. "dogs are not meant to eat at the table."
"Yukio, kaeru." Chihiro whispered gently, sending the little thing out.
The Ogino[3] family ate in silence, and after brushing her teeth and washing her face, then a quick shower just for the heck of it, Chihiro attached a long blue leash to Yukio's collar and called a swift "bye Okaasan, Otousan! If I'm not back by lunch time then call the cops!"
Yuuko and Akio laughed a little bit.
"I'll admit," Akio said finally. "the dog was a good idea. And she'll learn responsibility this way, too."
"Mm-hmm." Yuuko agreed, washing the dishes.
Meanwhile, Chihiro was jogging along the road in front of their house wearing a light pink wind breaker jacket in the chilly morning air, Yukio panting as he dragged her down the steep hill in front of her house and cut a left along a road ridden with weeds and rocks that used to lead into a small forest. The town wasn't far away, and the streets and side walks were mostly bare; this town was so tiny, that by the time half the population was up the sun was going down. While jogging with her chin tipped down to keep a close eye on Yukio, Chihiro made a mental note to tell her mother to get her some new shoes next time she went shopping. Her own were too tight and hurt, and Chihiro knew that she would have blisters if she kept on like this.
Halfway through town, Chihiro finally slowed, and sat down on the side walk, watching the heavy clouds over the town slowly disappear. Yukio sat with her, eyes a thick, hard green, almost gray. He understood Chihiro very well, and knew that this seemed important to her for some reason. She was thinking, like always.
In his humble opinion, his Human Girl thought too much and didn't play enough. He had known her barely one week, and had almost human characteristics.
Chihiro was still pondering over her dream. She had never had the same dream more than once before, and the details had already slipped through her fingers like fog. Something about forgetting and remembering, she guessed. Something was... not wrong, but... strange. No. she shook her head. Such befitting thoughts for a fifth-grader! She was just homesick. No matter how much she tried, Chihiro just could not like this place. and it really was a sweet town, with the smallest majority of sweet, kind people. There was nothing wrong here - so why did she feel so... disconnected here? Weird.
"Hey, kid, you lost?" asked a voice. Chihiro jumped, not realizing she had dozed off. Yukio growled, front paws thrown forward and back arched downwards, hackles raised. There were cars and people on the streets and sidewalks, and the sun was pretty high in the air. Chihiro checked her watch and sighed. "No, thank you," she said, standing up and dusting herself off. "I'm sorry if Yukio and I are in your way at all." She bowed quickly to the old man and took off at a jog home. Yukio was swift to jump ahead, almost pulling her, head held high and tongue lolling out. In this way, they reached "home" in less than ten minutes, panting.
"Chihiro, we were starting to get worried," Yuuko said, glancing up from her desk. Akio was off at work.
Chihiro didn't say anything as she took off her small coat and undid Yukio's leash, hanging both up on the coat rack, then removing her shoes.
"I need new shoes, next time you go to the next town," she said quietly. "these ones are too small." She then scampered upstairs and took another, more lengthy shower.
While deprived of a victim to waste his slobber on, Yukio had no other choice but to A) sit obediently on Chihiro's bed, B) scratch at the bathroom door and howl in misery, C) annoy Yuuko, D) take a nap, E) go explore, or F) visit his other world to see if they were open for a bath. He really hadn't explored at all except to run around town twice in just three hours with Chihiro, and the thought of doing something on his own was a mighty one to pass up.
Give the little guy some credit; he had tried to wait for Chihiro quietly in her room, on her bed, but a squirrel had come and shouted some nasty things at him from the window, so he tore downstairs and ran into the door repeatedly until Yuuko let him out.
After some thought, Yukio promptly turned around and destroyed the door before Yuuko let him in again, and he toughed it out on Chihiro's bed. Go figure. She'd play with him when she wasn't wet anymore.
That night, after a dinner of pork and salad (A/N: bleh) Chihiro took Yukio outside to play.
Currently, she was teaching him new tricks, marveling at how quickly the little dog latched onto her every word. She had read somewhere that dogs like him couldn't (wouldn't) learn that quickly, but Yukio must have been an exception. Or maybe he had some gene from a different breed of dog?
Whatever.
"Roll over, Yukio-chan! Play dead, Yukio-chan! Sit! Stand! Beg! Dance!" Chihiro laughed and took Yukio's paws in her hands and danced around the yard with him. Or hopped was more like it.
"Chihiro, bedtime!" Yuuko called from a window. Chihiro sighed and dropped Yukio's paws, standing up. "But Okaasan! Just five more minutes?"
"That's what you said five minutes ago. Bed!"
Chihiro gave a disappointed sigh and scowled at the house. "C'mon Yukio- chan, let's go get ready for bed."
Yukio whimpered, sensing Chihiro's unhappiness, but followed at her heel as she trudged inside.
After a hasty good night to her parents, Chihiro went upstairs and brushed her teeth and hair, washing her face and hands. Next she giggled while trying to get the mud off of Yukio's paws. Then she retreated to her room, and closed the door, like always. Yukio whimpered and howled until Chihiro let him in.
"Oh, Yukio-chan," she sighed, changing into her night shirt. "I really do miss my old home in Tokyo. And my friends haven't written once. I guess they don't miss me." she climbed into bed and clicked off her lamp. "I wish I could move on as fast as they did." She continued as Yukio hopped up and made himself comfortable at her feet.
*** Sen wandered up and down the streets of her old home, Tokyo, not knowing where she was going. Her bare feet made no sound, indeed, it seemed as though they didn't even touch the ground. She was wearing her old white shirt with green stripe on it, and pink shorts. Both were too small for her now. Finally, she turned down a familiar street and looked up at her old school. She saw figures - children, playing. They were all glowing, like ghosts, and were see-through. Amazingly enough, Sen wasn't worried or shocked or surprised in the least bit. She looked out across over them, watching them all play on the school equipment. After a moment, she recognized one of them as herself, as a first grader. She had been home- schooled for kindergarten because she could say her ABC's earlier then any other kid. So? That's why she was a year younger than all of her other class mates. She remembered the feeling of loneliness and fear her first day, at this recess. She saw herself hunched over by the wall, looking out fearfully at the rest of the school. Sen began to hear voices - familiar voices, echoing as though from a tunnel, one at a time.
"Once you've met someone you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Hey, you! kid, new girl! What's a kindergartner doing out at lunch recess? You should be home with your mommy!"
"Once You've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"I go to school here - I'm a first-grader."
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"No you aren't! hey, Hiroshi, this little kindergartner is lookin' for trouble! Shall we show her not to talk back to sixth graders?"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Leave her alone, brats!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Oh-ho, witty-bitty second grader sticking up for the kindergartner? Ooh! C'mon Rumi[4]-chan, go play with your other little friends! We're busy!"
"Once you've met someone, you never really forget them; it just takes a while for your memories to return..."
"Hi, my name's Rumi. Never mind those two boys, they're just jealous because you're probably smarter than they are."
Sen watched Rumi - her best friend - help her younger self up and pat dust off. "Call me if you need me," Rumi said, then she, and all others - everything - faded off. Sen looked at her younger self, just standing there, so close to tears. Then there was a boy behind her, older than her. He was shadowed, so Sen couldn't see who he was, but she saw her littler self hug him tightly when he wrapped around her in a comforting embrace.
Sen started toward them, wanting know who the boy was, but suddenly everything went pitch black and she fell into a black nothingness. Startled, she screamed, and saw a river - no, it seemed more like an ocean or the sea - loom up before her, and she hit it with a splash.
It closed around her, clear as day, then a light, murky blue. Somewhere far off she caught out of the corner of her eye a pink shoe - her pink shoe - and being carried away. She knew she was going to drown.
Yet - something carried her - she was riding on something, and it carried her to shallow water. Coughing a little, she pulled herself to her feet, and looked over her shoulder. Nothing but a great expanse of ocean - or sea?
"You promised."
She turned around ***
"CHIHIRO! Wake up!" Chihiro jumped, startled, and glared hotly at her father standing above her. "you slept in," he scolded. "now get up and get dressed - hurry, now! You're going to love what I've got ahead for you."
"What is it?" Chihiro asked, filing through her brain, trying to snatch the important details of the dream before they slipped out of her grasp.
"It's a surprise," Akio told her. "now hurry up, and eat breakfast!" he left.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A/N: okay, I'm not so sure if that was good, but it's a start!
[1] Okaasan is Japanese for 'mother' in a manner of speaking
[2] likewise, but for 'father'
[3] Chihiro's last name
[4] at the beginning of the movie, there's a card on Chihiro's bouquet that says 'good luck, Chihiro' or something like that. Anyway, it's signed by ''Rumi''
Ask if you have any other questions!