"Spirited Away: Chihiro's Second Story"

Chapter 1

Chihiro and her parents had been traveling for quite some time now. They had left their blue house at the end of the row a few hours ago. Chihiro had been stuffed in the back seat with many of the boxes for the new move. It wasn't like she grew for the whole week before they last moved to their blue house. She still fit, quite comfortably, like the last time. The sky was dark and cloudy that day, much like Chihiro's mood.

Chihiro had not made any friends at the old house because her school did not even start by then. She didn't get a present, or card, this time as well. That didn't matter to her though; Chihiro did not care. All she wanted was to be back with her real friends again. Lin, Kamaji, No-face, Haku, and even Yubaba, Chihiro would give anything to see Yubaba, just to make sure that it all wasn't a dream. Most of all, she missed Haku. Chihiro recalled Kamaji saying something like there was true love between them. She did not think there was anything like that between them. They were just good friends - yeah that's it, good friends. She did kind of like him but she didn't think it was love. All she had missed from her blue house was the entrance to the spirit world and the people behind it.

"Mom! How much longer 'till we get there?" pestered Chihiro trying to fulfill her boredom.

"I don't know Chihiro, try looking out the window," returned her mom in that oh so interested attitude she always had.

Chihiro slowly sat up in her seat and began peering out at the landscape. Large, rolling hills, farms, a cloudy sky, and livestock were all she could see. All these did was make her even more bored. Chihiro decided to try sleeping again. Of course, the moment Chihiro had lay down, Chihiro's father swerved harshly. This caused Chihiro to fall from her seat like a cow just tipped by some kids.

Chihiro had heard her father mumble something about crazy, teenage drivers.

"Chihiro honey, you all right," questioned her mom.

"Yeah mom, fine."

Struggling, Chihiro pulled herself back on the seat, readjusting herself. Her ponytail had become half-undone. She reached behind her head and pulled off the hair- tie. She looked at the purple tie that was just holding up her hair. It had seemed so long ago that her friends made that for her. Chihiro couldn't hold it in any longer. Clutching the purple hair-tie close, she fell asleep to the sounds of her own muffled sobbing.

Chihiro felt something tickle her nose. Pretending to be asleep, she just laid there. Then she felt wind running lightly over her body like a river. She was in a car, how could wind be running over her? She bolted upright only to take in the shock that she was laying in the field right after the tunnel that connected the human world and the spirit world. The sky, quite different to the one she was just looking at, was as clear as the bathhouse waters. Feeling the sun dancing on her skin, she wondered why she was just sitting there. Chihiro took in a deep breath, which awakened her quite well, and began running, no, sprinting to the bathhouse.

When she reached the sad excuse for a river, she leaped from rock to rock.

"Haku! I'm coming - I'm back - everyone!" cried out Chihiro not being able to hold it in any longer.

Not faltering in her speed or breath at all she made her way past the shops, up the second flight of stairs, and past the giant lantern not even glancing at them. She had only one destination in mind, her friends. She dashed across the bridge, in half the time she had ever done before, and through the blue curtains at the entrance. The bathhouse was deserted. Chihiro found this weird, because even though it was in the middle of the day, when the workers slept, someone could usually find a worker or two on a day shift.

Then Chihiro heard a scream that seemed to have shook the whole bathhouse. It came from the baths. Chihiro ran left and entered the cubical with the big bath in it. The scream was defiantly coming from inside it. She immediately started to climb the side of the bath not even thinking what could be awaiting her inside. It took a few times because she slipped once. Okay, three times.

Nothing she had ever seen could have prepared her for what she had just saw. Inside the bath was Haku writhing in pain. His blue uniform was now red from the blood that had been coming from his body. She could not tell exactly where from. He was dying; she knew it. Haku began to fall in and out between his dragon and human form.

"Haku, It's me, - I'm here now," Haku didn't show any sign of hearing her, "don't worry, I'm coming!"

Chihiro leaped into the empty bath. She was falling down but wasn't getting any closer to Haku. Was the bath stretching? She reached for Haku but couldn't reach. He kept getting further and further away.

"No! Haku!"

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story. All rights are Studio Ghibli's, Pixar's, and Disney's. Any other contents are mine (Taylor Skinner/Auburn Fox) and ask me before taking any of it. You can e- mail me at Chronotrigger413@aol.com with the subject "Regarding your Fan- fic" or else it probably will be deleted due to the amount of SPAM I get daily.