~*~ The Day the Dream Ended ~*~

Chapter 1 ~ Reflections

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was always that same dream, that same moment that I had once childishly hoped to last forever. My hand in his; his gaze on me; his lips curved up in a smile so tender and full of care that I had not known he was capable of; that softly spoken promise that must have meant so much to us both. I was ten years old. An ignorant little child, no better at taking care of myself than I was at understanding much of what happened around me, or why things there had meant so much to me…

My eyes opened dreamily to meet with the beautiful blue sky, dotted with long graceful stripes of silver-white clouds. Silver-white and graceful…just the way he was… Suddenly I sat up, angry at myself for daydreaming about…those things…again. It had been seven long years since I had ventured into the land of the spirits—a place I was neither supposed to go, or belonged in.

A girl-child does not belong in a land where spirits and witches exists in, where the only form of entertainment was a big bathhouse only for those who were wealthy enough to afford such a luxury…I guess it was a cruel world there, after all...everyone just worried for themselves and cared for nothing more than the golden spark of a moment. Sighing deeply, I thought to myself as I laid there on that beautiful little hill, surrounded by the green grass of spring. To think that I had somehow once thought that I belonged there…to think that I meant anything to them. After all, I was only a human child, as special to them as the many pigs in their barn, awaiting the day they were to be eaten.  Wanting to distract myself, I sat up and looked around me as a gentle breeze blew by, ruffling my shoulder-length hair.

Seven years had gone by, and the round-faced child seemed to have disappeared from the world. Instead, standing in her very shoes is a tall, slim, simply but stylishly dressed seventeen-year-old girl. Gone was the dull brown, short-chopped hair and the equally dull and flat eyes. Instead, they were replaced by the currently slightly windswept light-chestnut hair and warm honey-colored eyes that seemed to glow with interest as they took in the beautiful scenery around them—a perfect window to reflect the girl's very heart and soul, which she had unknowingly hidden from herself. Once a girl growing up in a big city, it was to the surprise of many that Ogino Chihiro would adapt to living in such a laid back and ancient little town so quickly. Whenever she was asked what it was that made her love the countryside town so much, she would smile her sweet little smile and say "It's because the forests are so beautiful and mysterious…they just have a way of making me fall in love with them." Secretly, Chihiro knew the reason why she always feels attracted to the town was because of its closeness to the land beyond that forest, beyond that mysterious tunnel and even beyond that "old theme park"…it was because living here had made Chihiro feel like she was closer to Rin and Kamajii, to Granny and Kaonashi, the friends that she had made in her short time spend in what seemed like a miniature world at the Aburaya. And most of all, the town, with its never-ending view of the blue sky that she had once shared with a certain someone, made her feel closer to him even though she could never see him. Haku…

However...as time goes by, people change, no matter how much they might will themselves to stay the same. The Ogino Chihiro that had once ventured into the world of the spirits no longer seemed to be there anymore. Oh sure, she was still a little bit clumsy at times, just like she was back in the day, but personality-wise…even her parents would tell you that Chihiro was a different person. Colder, more uncaring of others, more reserved about her emotions…it was almost as if she didn't want anyone to know how she actually felt, or that she wasn't the ice-queen that they had made her out to be. Maybe it has to do with the fact that she had to keep up that "status", after all, she is the most popular girl in school—in her whole town, even. She had plenty of friends to go around, and even more boys flocking after her, fighting for her attention, to catch a glimpse of her smile. But as each day goes by, Chihiro found herself growing more and more into this…different person—one that the society she lived in certainly accepted and loved…but not the person she knew she was, deep down inside. She was growing further and further away from the person she was in the land of the spirits, and it was killing her inside.

It was killing her.

She didn't understand why.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…okay, that definitely wasn't a very good start…but it'll get better and more interesting, I swear!! So…if you have anything to say about it at all…PLS REVIEW and TELL ME!!!!

Oh, and also…if anyone knows what the name of "that place" is that Chihiro went to, pls tell me! I feel like an idiot saying "ze land of ze spirits" everytime I try to mention it!!

Well, until (the hopefully soon) next time then XD

~Aqua Sunshine ^^*