Shades of Gray

Summary: Haku never tried to see Chihiro but once she decides to return to Spirit World the night that her parents die she receives a less than warm welcome from him since his attention is on another spirit like himself.  With nowhere left to turn, Chihiro calls upon the promise of a childhood friend, Serena.  Together, the two are prepared to show Haku and the other members of the Aburaya that just because they're human doesn't mean that they should be taken at face value.  The question is, will Haku ever see Chihiro for the wonderful person that she is?

Disclaimer: I own nothing off of Spirited Away (wish I did though)!  The only thing I own is the plot and any and all original characters and creatures.

Chapter 3:  Stand Together, Always…

A bath, food, and a few hours of sleep had Chihiro and the others reenergized and alert for the new day.  Or at least, that's how it looked to Haku.  They had finished eating breakfast a little over an hour ago and were now going through some light stretching exercises or that was what it supposed to be.  The girls were all lying down on their backs with one leg in the air and had one of the guys lying in between their legs, slowly pushing that one leg back until it touched the ground above their head.  After holding the leg in place for a minute they slowly pulled it back down and repeated the process with the other.

That's supposed to be exercising?  Haku thought with a snort.  Yeah, right.  But he still continued to watch them.  It was easy to see that the guys were enjoying their positions and were ribbing the girls about it.  Finally, Serena and Chihiro both glanced a one another, looked over at Kitty, and then as one they all flipped the guys over their heads using their legs.

"Oops!  Sorry about that, mon amours."  Serena said sarcastically as she leapt nimbly to her feet.

"A hand, Serena?"  Kitty asked and held her hand up to the already standing girl.  Serena laughed softly and gripped her hand and pulled her to her feet.  She then offered her hand to Chihiro and pulled her up as well.  It was obvious that the girls were very close to one another from the sisterly attitudes that they had towards one another.  The only odd thing about it all was the way that Serena acted and was treated by the group.  It wasn't obvious that she was the leader but she was, despite the fact that she was probably the most playful of them all.  Well not always.  Haku amended as he remembered last night.  Most would either think that Ace was the leader for the guys, which he was, and that Chihiro or Kitty was the girl's leader with Ace being the top dog.  It was interesting how humans could do things a totally different way than what was expected.

"It's so hot."  Kitty murmured.

"Yeah, too bad we can't go swimming."  Chihiro agreed.

"Wait a minute, ladies."  Diego requested as he climbed to his feet.  "Why couldn't we swim?"

"Uh, good question."  Serena said softly and looked over at Chihiro.  "Well it's not like there's not enough water."  She said and nodded her head towards the river.

"Yeah but do you think it's safe?"  Kitty asked.

"I have no idea."  Chihiro answered honestly.

Serena nodded and grinned evilly and tossed her hair back a bit before looking over her shoulder, straight at Haku.  "What's your opinion dragon boy?  Would we be breaking any rules?" 

Haku blinked for a moment in surprise.  How did she know?  He wondered but leapt to the ground.  "It's fine if you wish to swim in the river; there are no rules that forbid it and there are no monsters that will harm you."  He answered honestly.

"Thanks!"  She said cheerfully and started to walk away.  "Come on Chihiro, Kitty!  We need to find our bathing suites!"  She called and the girls followed her.

"Hey!  Wear the string bikinis!"  Diego called.

"Hey man, that's my sister."  Chaz said warningly.

"Yes but unlike you, she is very beautiful."  Diego said snidely.

"Play nice you two."  Ace told them and looked over at Haku and studied him for a moment, well aware that Haku was doing the same to him.  He wondered if the river spirit ever regretted his decision to break his promise to Chihiro now that she'd grown up.  He'd seen Sakura and while there was no doubt as to her beauty, he found Chihiro to be more attractive.  She was honest and open with who she was and she'd never hurt anyone intentionally.  Sakura, she was a sly little vixen; a fact that he'd seen in her eyes when she'd come for Serena and Chihiro the other night.  But where Chihiro was sweet and open, Serena was cool and collected, and together, they made one hell of a team.

He wasn't sure about how much he liked or disliked Haku.  Personally, he believed that Chihiro really was in love the guy but if he loved her how could he turn to another?  According to Serena, Chihiro hadn't dated at all when they were younger and Chihiro had told them herself that she'd never really been interested in the dating game.  Perhaps it's time to change all of that.  Ace mused to himself.  "Would you like to join us, Haku?"  He asked politely and a grin slid unto his face.  "I'm pretty sure that the view will be incredible."

"I dare you to say that around Chihiro and Serena."  Chaz said with a grin.

Ace rolled his eyes and looked at him pointedly.  "Do I look as stupid as that?"  He asked.

"Well…  Now that you ask…" Diego began and broke off into laughter at the death glare that Ace was giving him.

"So, are you interested?"  Ace asked Haku.

Haku, who'd been more than a little stunned by the boy's offer, shook his head after a moment.  "I can't.  I have other duties to attend to."  He explained.

"I see.  Well, we'd better go change as well."  He said and the also started walking away.  When they were almost out of sight Haku heard Ace tell Diego that he had dibbs on Chihiro.  Haku was so disturbed by that comment that he never saw the two humans look back over their shoulders at him and grin at his expression.  If he'd ever bothered to ask someone probably would have told him that human males could be very very deceiving.  But he didn't and the three guys weren't about to tell him anything.

None of the girls wore string bikinis, much to the boy's disappointment but hey, they were in bathing suites weren't they?  Kitty wore a red bathing suit that had nearly no back and was meshed on the belly area.  Serena wore a black one strap bikini and Chihiro wore a blue bathing suit that didn't have a back and had most of the front cut out as well so the only thing connecting the bathing suit together was a little bit of cloth on her right side.

They guys, of course, all had on swim trunks that came to their knees.  For a while all they did was swim and do laps, as people who made their professions with their bodies they had to take excellent care of themselves.  It was ironic really, when most people thought of dancers they either thought of ballerinas or the people they saw with music artists like Brittany Spears, and when the latter was the case they expected the people to do drugs and drink and all that crazy junk.  However, the truth was a far different reality than what people assumed.

After they finished exercising the guys coaxed the girls unto their shoulders and into having a chicken fight.  As it was all in play they agreed and it was a tie between Chihiro and Kitty for the winner of the most knockdowns.

"You really need to be more competitive, Serena."  Ace complained good-naturedly to the girl on his shoulders.

Serena smiled, patted his head, and then allowed herself to fall backwards into the water.  She just couldn't work up a competitive spirit against her friends.  Too lazy.  She thought to herself and looked up at the sky as she floated on her back, only to be pushed down into the water when Ace's hand landed on her stomach.

"Hey!"  She sputtered and stood up quickly.

"Get him, Serena!"  Chihiro yelled and winked at her.

Serena, understanding perfectly, nodded and smiled mischievously at him.  Ace just stood there grinning until he noticed that the water seemed to be moving and was getting to be quite firm around his ankles.  "What the hell?"  He muttered just before the water yanked him beneath its surface.  When the water let go, Ace shot back up to the surface and glared at Serena.  "I'm going to get you for that."  He informed her and started swimming towards her.  Serena, like any smart girl, yelped and started swimming away from him.

Chihiro and Kitty, deciding to help their fellow woman, tried their hardest to slow Ace down so that Serena could get away but unfortunately Ace had a secret weapon that he used mercilessly against them.  He tickled them until they cried for mercy and promised not to interfere.

And thus the day passed.  What they all failed to realize though was that they also provided the people at the bathhouse, who moved around during the day, a source of entertainment.  Had they been aware that they were being watched Chihiro and the others would have been very amused.  For although the spirits that worked here claimed not to like humans at all they seemed to find them awfully interesting for an 'inferior bunch of louts.'

Before, things like that would have hurt Chihiro's feelings but she'd grown a thicker skin while she stayed at Zeniba's with Serena.  It amazed her sometimes, at the speed in which she'd adapted to the Spirit World.  It's as if I've always belonged here or something.  She mused thoughtfully.

"A penny for your thoughts?"  Serena asked lazily.

"I was just thinking about how much I like it here in Spirit World."  Chihiro answered honestly.

"Things are different here."  Serena replied honestly and looked up at the bright blue sky.  "Almost like time flows differently, no longer a set pattern but one that revolves around those that come."

"Do you always think like that?"  Chihiro asked teasingly.

"Like what?"

"Like there's a deeper meaning to everything?"

Serena glanced over at Diego who was making eyes at Kitty and grinned.  "Nope.  Some things, or guys, are just as shallow as they appear."  She replied, causing Chihiro to laugh.

"Hey Chihiro!"  Ace yelled.  "Duck!"  He added just as Chaz tackled her in the water.  Still laughing, Chihiro playfully fought back.  It was moments like this that bonded them ever more strongly together.  For now they were neither dancers nor adults; they were just children playing in the water.

"Hey!  Get back here!"  A shout could be heard throughout the bathhouse.  It was nighttime again and the bathhouse was once again beginning to get to work.  Everyone, except for the lovable troop of dancers that is.  The girls were currently running from three very irritated guys who were chasing after the girls in their boxers and nothing else.

"We are so dead!"  Chihiro wailed but didn't stop running.

"Ummm…  Maybe not…" Serena replied half optimistically.

"Nope.  Chaz has that look in his eyes.  We're going to die."  Kitty sided with Chihiro and Serena frowned at both of them.

"Up there!"  She yelled and leapt unto the balcony railing, still running; Chihiro and Kitty right behind here.  This way they got to practice balancing and they were able to avoid running into the other employees at the Aburaya.  Well that was the plan until Haku and Sakura decided to have a romantic moment out on the balcony.  Normally that wouldn't have mattered to Serena but Sakura was sitting on the railing.  "Guys!  Get ready to jump over a sitting person!"  She called over her shoulder.

"What?!"

"What?!"  They both yelled at her but it was too late.  She had already jumped and when Chihiro saw Sakura sitting she did as well; Kitty also succeeded in jumping neatly over Sakura's head and the three raced on.

Sakura, meanwhile, was clutching Haku's shirt in terror.  "T-Th-They tried to kill me!"  She stuttered.

"Get back here you cowards!"  Shouted Chaz, Ace and Diego right beside him as they ran past Haku and Sakura.

"Actually, I think they're trying to escape."  Haku replied in amusement and they probably would have too if not for Chaz.  Somehow he had managed to catch up to the girls and grabbed hold of Kitty's foot, making her lose her balance and fall off of the railing and into her brother's arms.

Chihiro and Serena both stopped quickly and launched themselves at the unfortunate guy who merely wanted his pants back.  Five seconds later the other guys caught up and to call the mess that occurred next a dog pile would be putting things very lightly.  After about thirty minutes of wrestling the guys each had a girl pinned under him and they were all glaring daggers at the girls.  "So…  Whose bright idea was this anyway?"  Ace growled, completely oblivious to the crowd of spirits that had gathered.

"Mine."

"Mine."

"Mine."  Came the three prompt replies from all of the girls.

"They're doing it again."  Diego complained.

Ace nodded and looked down at Chihiro evilly.  "You know…  There's always one who's willing to be a traitor."  He said threateningly.

            Chihiro just laughed and smirked at him.  "Bring it on."  She said challengingly.

            Ace groaned and glared over at Serena who was threatening Chaz with torture, boiling in oil, death, mind games, and about a hundred other things and said, "You corrupted her!"  His tone was so unhappy that Serena and Chihiro both laughed outright at him.

            "Give it up Ace.  They never break."  Diego whined and got off of Kitty and helped her up as well.

            Ace just shook his head and glared at Chihiro and then at Serena and back to Chihiro.  "I know it was one of these two.  Kitty's too sweet to do anything like this on her own but she just feels a misplaced loyalty to these terrors and won't tell us."  He said seriously.

            Serena and Chihiro both lifted their heads a bit to glance at each other and rolled their eyes.  "Well aren't you the bright one in the bunch."  Serena drawled.

            "Yeah."  Chihiro agreed and smiled innocently at him.  "And I can' believe you just said that Kitty has no imagination!  You're a very cruel person, Ace!"  She scolded.

            "Now wait a minute!  I never said that Kitty-"

            "Oh yes you did!"  Kitty interrupted and whacked him upside the head with his pants.

            The spirits watching all laughed at the amusing scene before them.  Things had certainly gotten more interesting around the Aburaya since their arrival.  It was then that the unruly humans finally noticed their audience and they actually had the nerve to grin at the spirits sassily.  However, none of the spirits were offended having witnessed the playful fighting scene for quite awhile.  Or at least, most of them weren't upset by it.

            "How disgusting."  Sakura said haughtily as she looked down at them.

            Ace glared at her and stood up and helped Chihiro up as well before he decided to rip into Sakura.  "Don't get your panties in a twist just because you're not getting any."  He said coolly and looked over at Haku.  "Man, I feel sorry for you.  I like heat in my bed rather than ice, if you know what I mean."  He added and looked pointedly at Sakura who was staring at him furiously.

            "Ace."  Chihiro said softly.

            "Yes, Chihiro?"  He asked softly, his voice quiet from anger.

            "I think we should all go now."

            "Oh I don't know about that babe."  He replied his eyes boring into Sakura's scathingly.

            "You had better take her advice."  Haku said warningly and stepped in front of Sakura.

            "Really?"  Ace drawled.  "Why's that?"

            "Ace."  Serena said her voice so icy cold in it's tone that it snapped straight through his rage.  "Let's do as Chihiro says."  She added.

            Ace turned his head slightly and his eyes met Serena's in a brief challenge.  After a few moments he nodded and stalked off.

            "Chihiro, would you mind-"

            "Don't worry.  I'll keep an eye on him."  Chihiro said reassuringly and followed after Ace.

            "Alright people!  That's all to this show!"  Serena called and the other three moved off to gently 'shoo' the spirits away.  Serena narrowed her eyes at Haku and then refocused her attention on Sakura when she finally stepped out from behind Haku.

            "You humans are all so disgusting and violent!"  She muttered.

            "And who are you to judge?"  Serena asked quietly.  The calmness in her voice at odds with the light that sparkled in her eyes.

            "I am a spirit, I have every right."  Sakura answered.

            "Wrong!"  Serena said, her voice ringing out into the night although she did not shout.  "You are nothing but a selfish child."  She continued and slowly stalked towards Sakura, who was even now backing away from her.  "What do you know of heartache or betrayal?  What do you know of seeing those you love die when you are the only survivor and not even the one you love wants you?"  She continued, her eyes burning emerald green and the gold flecks in her eyes sparking.  "How dare you judge others when you know nothing of the pain held within their hearts?!"  She growled.  "You are but a malicious child, Sakura.  A child who thinks she is better than everyone else which means that she is the one who is actually impugning the patience of her betters."  She added and then started to walk away from her.

            "And are you one of my betters?"  Sakura demanded to know.

            "No."  Serena answered and turned back around, the fire in her eyes still burning brightly.  "But I will be justice's blade should I need to be."  She warned softly, dangerously, and then walked silently from the balcony.

It's a battle of wills!  In the heat of attack, It's the passion that kills!  The victory is yours alone!  The words from the song that they had performed and sang last night echoed through Haku's mind.  These were not normal humans, their souls burned more brightly, more passionately than what they would normally.  It was that fire that allowed them to move about so comfortably in Spirit World, none of them were cowed by the unusual things they saw.  When they were challenged they met whomever or whatever that challenged them head on and didn't back down.  And they all protected one another.  He thought in his mind, a bit enviously.

That's because we're friends, Dragon boy, and friends always stand together.  Always.  He heard Serena's voice echo throw his mind.  After a moment he sighed and took Sakura's hand in his own and led her back inside.

On the other side of the Aburaya Serena leaned against the wall and listened to her friends and comrades argue about what songs they wanted to perform to that night.  Using the powers he'd been born with she had delved into Haku's heart and had discovered that he wasn't truly as bad as she had first believed.  She still didn't like him but since Chihiro loved him she was determined to either help her get him or get over him.  She smiled then as she looked at her friends, and she knew four other people who'd be more than willing to help.  Together, they were unstoppable.

Beware Spirit World!  She thought in amusement.  For thou hast been invaded by the craziest bitches and bastards that the Living World has to offer, and damned if we don't make it fun! 

Chihiro looked over at her then and smiled at her 'sister.'  "Come over here Serena and help us get our way against the guys!"  She called.  With a laugh and a light-hearted smile Serena did just that.

Is it written in the stars?

If I said yes would you believe me?

Are we paying for some crime?

No, you're not.

Is this God's experiment, in which we have no say?

No again.

In which we're give paradise, but only for a day?

Paradise is what you make of it.  The question is: Will you take the chance when it's offered to you or will you let it slip by?

Exactly.

~~~ Special thanks to animegirl-mika for letting me know that I had my anonymous review block thing on.  Thanks a mil! ~~~