I just decided to write this, really for no particular reason, other than the fact that I was bored, and the thought entered my mind, I just saw Spirited Away, and I really like that movie..but I couldn't think of anything original to write about it.. Then I thought of this.. I hope you like this!
disaclaimer:
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Chapter 1: Curiosity
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A nineteen year old girl, with shining silver hair down to her mid back; put back in a braid, and deep sapphire color eyes; she was wearing normal blue jeans and a white blouse that almost seemed the color of her pale complextion, walked along a road that wasn't used too often. She loved walking around there, it was peaceful and quiet and she loved it. She only went to a certain point though, since then, and always then did she have to back. She wasn't there all the time, only when she was at a certain relative's house who was her grandmother. She was getting sickly and now had to be bedridden, she watched over her when she could..but then her grandmother let her wander off, since she didn't want her granddaughter to be cooped up inside looking after a vegetable. So to make her grandmother happy, she always went on a walk, and always at the same point, she'd turn around and head back.
This soon became a weekly routine, for her, college would start for her soon, but she would always come back to see her grandmother every week untill the day she dies. Since her parents left her as a baby, and her grandmother raised her, keeping herself, as well as her, healthy, to live a normal life. Her parents were never mentioned, her grandmother said it was a waste of time since they abandoned her, and that was true.. They didn't want a baby, but they didn't want to abort, so they just threw her out to her grandmother, who was her mother's mother. Her parents weren't even responsible enough to name her, so her grandmother did... Hoshi..Sakamoto Hoshi. Her grandmother gave her her last name instead of her fathers', since he and her mother were the ones that left her, she never let go of that grudge..
Hoshi went a little farther than she normally did, she walked in the middle of the road, seeing that there were no cars. She stopped when she saw a dirt pathway that was off road..curious, she walked into the dirt road and saw little houses along the path, and a deity. It was a circle shape, and it had a frightening face, yet it was so cheerful. Everything around her suddenly disapeared and she felt tremendous pain.. not from her.. from someone close. Something started to beep rapidly that snapped her back into reality. She looked down to her pants and pulled out her pager. "EMERGENCY" is blared "COME TO HOSPITAL"
Her eyes widened and she immediatly turned around to leave, she slightly looked back, but then turned back to the road leading home. She started to run, being in flip flops didn't help too much. She got there and ambulances had already left, she ran to the door where there was a note. "Come to St. Francis hospital" it read.
"No..Grandma.." She opened the door inside quickly and grabbed her keys to her blue trailblaizer and hurried to the hospital, once there, she hurried to the front desk to ask where her grandmother was. "Please, may you tell me what room Sakamoto Momoko is?"
"Room 353A on the fifth floor." the nurse there said politely.
She slightly bowed. "Thank you." she said quickly and headed to the elevator.
She came to the fifth floor and looked closely at each room so she wouldn't miss her grandmothers **Hang on grandma, please hang on** she thought frantically. She finally found the room and immediatly went inside. Her grandmother was hooked up to a million cords barely being supported by machine. The teenageer kneeled down to her dying grandmother, she felt tears blur her eyes as she inched her hand slowly to her grandmothers. "Grandma?" she whispered.
Her eyes fluttered open and the silver haired girl looked to her not daring to let the tears flow, since her grandmother hated to see her cry. "Hoshi.. once your there.. Always remember who you are."
Hoshi looked at her grandmother puzzled. "What do you mean, grandma.. I'll always remember who I am.. I'm your grandaughter, Sakamoto Hoshi."
Her grandma smiled faintly. "You know now, but remember, when your there, never give up.. stay there."
Even more puzzled the young teenager stood up holding her grandmother's hand. "What do you mean, grandma?"
"You'll find your way, by your power, you'll find your way." she said weakly. She then reached to the table next to her and picked up a peice of paper and handed it to her..her hand was weak and shaking, it seemed to take alot to even do that.. Hoshi turned the card over.. "Never forget who you are, Sakamoto Hoshi.." it said.
"Grandma.. what are you talking about, what power? Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her mind filled with curiousity and confusion, more than greif. Hoshi put the paper in her pocket slowly, not taking her eyes off her grandmother, who seemed to be talking crazy.
"When we meet again.. You'll see.." she said. Hoshi heard a blaring screech coming from the moniter. She backed away. "Grandma.." she whimpered
Doctors rushed in there and tried to revive her, and the young girl only went farther back, the noise was still blaring and the line wasn't moving, everything around her was going so fast, the pushing and shoving, the move asides and everything.. blocking her mother-like figure from her.. Her grandmother was gone.. Hoshi ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face, doctors and nurses around her, only glanced.. feeling sorry for her, even though they weren't told, of course they knew that another poor soul died in their hospital. Hoshi dashed into her car and got out of the hospital area, she got back to her house and looked at the house.. It would be empty now..
She head started to throb as she closed the door of her car when she got out. She took a step and fell to the ground. She saw a flash of something passing swiftly by her.. something.. white.. she couldn't make it out at all, if it was long or short, big or small, all she saw was white. She grabbed her head in pain and using her car as support, she slowly got up. **I need to walk it off** she thought weakly, she felt her tears getting crusty on her face. She tried to wipe them, off, but she knew she was being stupid doing that.
She soon came to that same passage way.. She saw the Deity there again **I need to get my mind off what's happened** the teen thought sadly. She started to walk the path. Soon she was getting amused by the delightful scenery around her. She walked that path for quite a bit now, she saw a little deity here and there, but other than that, she saw nothing. She always just looked to her side, she didn't notice the thing infront of her that gave her an abrupt stop and tripped her over. She rubbed her now bruised shin and looked at the thing that tripped her...A deity. **These things are everywhere**
She looked ahead of her and saw a huge tunnel. "Wow.." she awed **What's a tunnel like this doing in the middle of no where?** Hoshi got up and dusted her self off she limped slightly to the entrance of the tunnel. She saw darkness ahead and only a dot of light at the end of the tunnel. Curious, she followed the light down the tunnel. Feeling goosebumps crawl upon her skin as she got further through the tunnel, it was dark and she couldn't see much. She heard a train ahead of her. **A train? Out here? I never heard trains before..** She thought as she came close to the end of the tunnel. She stopped dead in her track when she reached the end of the tracks.
"..A train station... What's it doing here?"
She walked out of the train station and looked around, there were more Deity statues and houses, that were normal size. "Weird.. what is this place?" She asked herself as she kept moving. The scenery around her amazed her and was surprised something like this was here.. Around where she lived.. She came ahead to what looked like a drained river or stream.. She went acrossed it and smelt a certain delicious food in the air. She followed the scent untill she came to a small abandoned town full of restraunts. She found piles of food at a restraunt, she looked around for a person, but didn't see anyone. **I don't want to take it.. I don't have money..**
She bit her lip **It looks so good though.** She walked towards the food slowly. **I am hungry..** She took one peice of the food that looked like a small peice of chicken. She took a bite.. There was a sensation going through her mouth. **Incredible!** she thought taking another bite. She was tempted to take another, but she didn't, afraid someone would come out and yell at her. She kept walking untill she saw a place where there was smoke coming from a pipe. **I thought this place was abandoned..**
She stepped on the bridge cautiously and crossed it slowly. Nothing was rotten, everything seemed so new.. She wondered why she could never see this place from her house. She came closer, to the door. "What are you doing here?" asked a males voice coldly.
She looked around and saw a boy who was her age, hair tied back in a pony tail and wearing clothes that weren't normally worn by people on times where there was nothing special happening. "Get out of here! It's going to be night soon!" he yelled
Hoshi looked to the sky, the sun was soon to set. Confused of why she had to leave by night, she looked back to the boy. "Why, what is this place?"
"Just get out.. They're going to be coming soon. Cross the bridge and go across the river," he said and turned away from the silver haired teen.
Hoshi looked at the bridge and sighed, "Ok.." she said looking back, but he was gone. **Weird..This place gives me the creeps** she walked acrossed the bridge and past all the restraunts as it started to get darker. She came back to the river.. but.. it was actually a river now.
"How did.. What?.. I thought.." She leaned down and dipped her hand in the water. "..It's real.."
She saw her reflection blurred in the water and then she saw her own shadow because of lights behind her. She turned around and saw the restraunt were starting to turn on their lights. **Why was that guy telling me to leave when everything's starting to open?** she thought as she got up to go back to where all the restraunts were. She immediatly stopped though, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Everywhere around her, were black shapeless figures walking around, sitting the restraunts.. She backed away from the town when she heard a horn. She turned around and saw a baot that had mroe black shapeless figues..but with more color in them. She ran to hide. **What's going on?**
She heard her beeper ringing again and reached to her pants to see who it was. "Please come to hospital.. Thank you" it said. She frowned and closed her eyes so she wouldn't cry thinking of the incident that happened earlier. She hugged her knees **What's happening..?**
She thought back to what her grandmother said '..when your there, never give up.. stay there.'
**what did she mean by that?** Hoshi thought as she wished her grandmother was there with her. Her pager started to ring again, she picked it up and looked at what it said.
"Where are you?
- Kibou"
Ri Kibou, her best friend.. She must've of seen what was going on and called Hoshi when she wasn't home. There was no way that Hoshi could call back without a phone. **I could try swimming acrossed the river..yeah right.. I'd drown.. Well, everything weird happened at night.. might as well sleep 'till morning..but where?** she thought getting up. Since on a hill, she tripped and fell on her but, with her legs strait out in front of her, she realized that she was starting to disapear. She gasped and scambled to her feet. "What's going on?!" she cried but quietly in a way. She looked at her hands that were barely there.
She fell to her knees. "I'm disapearing!" Something then blocked her air way. She couldn't breath anymore, she grabbed her neck trying to get a breath out. **What's happening?!** She struggled on the floor as the ghosts around her didn't even glance at the suffering human. She looked around for something sharp but then her vision started to go white and her head started to trob like crazy. **I..need..air..!!**
She saw her hand completely disapearing and her whitened vison turned back and she saw an old lady, unusually large head, a gigantic nose, and was incredibly short. She had gray hair put up in a bun and she wore a blue dress and many jewels. The lady came closer to her. "Your name is now Byuhl." she said in her cracky, voice..
Hoshi gasped and opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around her. She was still in the same spot, the teen took in a deep breath and saw that she could breath. She looked at her hands.. she was solid. She stood up and saw that the ghosts and creatures around her now were glancing at her.
She started to walk the streets again and looked around.. she felt light headed, she wanted to see a normal human again.. She came to the bridge and stoped before stepping onto it. Many ghosts were going across, and a small frog, jumping up and down welcoming them.. saying "Welcome to the bathhouse."
Hoshi looked up at the tall building. **This is a bath house?** she thought as she steped onto the bridge and went acrossed, but then she stepped back. "I don't have any money to take a bath.." she whispered. "..But I've always wanted to work in a bath house.. Maybe I could get a job.."
She walked on the bridge and everyone stared at her, or just slightly glanced. Hoshi came to the end where the frog was jumping up and down. "Well, hey there pretty lady, what can I do for you?"
"..Um.. I want to get a job here, are there any positions open?" she asked feeling weird talking to a frog.
The frog stopped jumping. "You didn't come to take a bath?"
Hoshi shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have any money, so, are there any positions open?"
"Well, you'll have to go up to Yu-baba for that." he said.
She bowed politely. "Thank you.. Where is Yu-baba, sir?"
"On the top floor.. Here, Haku's back, so you can ask him." he said pointing behind her
Hoshi turned around and was face to face with the boy she had seen earlier. She slightly gasped and backed away. "Haku, can you show this lovely lady to Yu-baba's office?"
"Sure." he muttered as if annoyed and walked past both of them. Hoshi got the clue to follow and followed the boy. **He's so cold..** she thought. **I wonder why..** They came to an elevator and both of them stepped in.
**..I think I'm being too mean to her..Don't be mad..it isn't her fault..** Haku thought looking over to the silver haired girl. "What's your name?" he asked in a warmer tone.
Hoshi a little shocked that he wasn't being so cold, decided to answer. "..Um.. I'm Sakamoto Hoshi."
"If your going to work for Yu-baba, you don't forget your name."
**Grandma..said the the same thing..** "How come?" she asked thinking it was the most appropriate time to ask.
"That's how she'll control you."
Hoshi, now really confused, wished she didn't ask. She wasn't even sure why she was taking a job.. She was only going to stay untill morning, then she could leave. Something was holding her back though.. curiousity, she was so curious about this place..it was as if she had stepped into another world... And also, since the boy seemed to have said something that her grandma said something similar to, she wanted to stay.. Her grandmother said they would meet again when she was there.. Hoshi believed that she would meet her grandmother here.. So she HAD to work here. She had a instinct..that she wanted to follow, if it meant that she would be able to see her grandmother healthy and walking..
"What is this place anyway?" She asked, not meaning to, but it had slipped.
Haku looked back to her. "It's a bath house for spirits."
Hoshi smiled, half believeing it and a bit shocked, but she was happy because that might be what her grandmother meant.. **I have to stay here somehow.. If I work here.. I know grandma will come here and take a bath.. Ok Hoshi.. You HAVE to work here.. no matter what.**
The elevator finally stopped and Hoshi stepped out into a incredicbly fine hall way. She turned back around. "What was your name again?"
"Haku." he answered bluntly.
She bowed. "Thank you."
Haku smiled. "If you really want a job and stay here.. Don't let her refuse you,"
The elevator door closed and it went down. Hoshi looked to the magnificant doors. **It's now or never..**
The door opened by itself and she was forced into the office of the person in charge. An old woman appeared from behind the desk. Hoshi's eyes widened. **It's the lady from my dream!**
The old woman walked up to her. "I've been expecting you." she said in a tone that send a chill down Hoshi's spine.
Hoshi took a step back. "I-I was wondering if you can give me a job here."
"Why is it you want to have a job here?"
Hoshi bit her lip and thought about if she should tell her the truth.. She didn't want to.. she'd tell her the other truth. "Well, I have always wanted to work in a bath house, and if you may give me a job. That would forfill the dream that I wish for."
Every word of that, except a little bit was true. She wanted to work in a bath house..and she wanted to see her grandmother. Hoshi held her arm and hoped that she would get a job.
"Fine..hold on.."
**That was easy.. Why did Haku make it sound so hard?** The lady.. obviously Yu-baba, came out with a peice of paper. "Sign this contract."
Eager, Hoshi signed it and gave it back to the old lady. Yu-baba looked at the contract and smiled. "Hoshi, a nice name.. Now that your working for me.. Your name is now Byuhl. Do you understand, Byuhl."
Hoshi bowed. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
"Now get out of my sight. Haku, find her a job,"
Hoshi turned around and saw Haku in the room. She left the room with Haku and the doors closed behind her. "Um.. Thank you."
Once they were on the elevator, Haku had a billion questions running through his head, he wanted to ask Hoshi since she was from that world. "..Do you know who Chihiro is?"
Hoshi's head perked up at the familiar name. "Chihiro? Yeah, that's my best friend's cousin. She's my friend too, we go to college together..do you know her?"
Haku looked down. "Yes.. If you ever return to your world..can you tell her that I'm sorry."
"..Sorry?"
**Haku, Haku..why does that sound so familiar..?** She thought trying to trace her memories back to her childhood when she met Chihiro here when she moved around where she lived..she slightly remembered what Chihiro always talked about..how she wanted to talk about it since she didn't want to forget it. "I promised her that we'd meet again."
**It's all repeating..but from a different mouth.** she thought looking at Haku who was still looking down. "Well...Chihiro said she wanted to come back..but she wanted to take one of us, since we didn't believe her.. she never went.. I wasn't sure why."
Haku nodded. "Thank you.."
"No problem.. Chihiro still loves you." Hoshi said, thinking that he was sad because he thought that Chihiro forgot about him.
He suddenly looked up to me, shocked. "She does, she's stayed away from all guys.. She didn't want to forget you, so all she had were small crushes on guys.. When I go back.. whenever I do, I'll come back and bring Chihiro with me."
"Thank you." he said again.
Hoshi smiled. "I'll do this for both of you, since both of you are equally suffering."
They reached the bottom and everyone looked at Hoshi.. Hoshi feeling awkward trailed behind Haku, who was taller than her, so she didn't have to worry about people looking at her from ahead of them, and since she was looking into Haku's back, she wouldn't be able to see them. She was set up with a worker named Rin and she was let to sleep for the night.
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It's kinda like the movie, but just that first part..or that one part.. Yeah, tell me what you think, and if I should continue, thanks!
~*CosmicMoon
disaclaimer:
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Chapter 1: Curiosity
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A nineteen year old girl, with shining silver hair down to her mid back; put back in a braid, and deep sapphire color eyes; she was wearing normal blue jeans and a white blouse that almost seemed the color of her pale complextion, walked along a road that wasn't used too often. She loved walking around there, it was peaceful and quiet and she loved it. She only went to a certain point though, since then, and always then did she have to back. She wasn't there all the time, only when she was at a certain relative's house who was her grandmother. She was getting sickly and now had to be bedridden, she watched over her when she could..but then her grandmother let her wander off, since she didn't want her granddaughter to be cooped up inside looking after a vegetable. So to make her grandmother happy, she always went on a walk, and always at the same point, she'd turn around and head back.
This soon became a weekly routine, for her, college would start for her soon, but she would always come back to see her grandmother every week untill the day she dies. Since her parents left her as a baby, and her grandmother raised her, keeping herself, as well as her, healthy, to live a normal life. Her parents were never mentioned, her grandmother said it was a waste of time since they abandoned her, and that was true.. They didn't want a baby, but they didn't want to abort, so they just threw her out to her grandmother, who was her mother's mother. Her parents weren't even responsible enough to name her, so her grandmother did... Hoshi..Sakamoto Hoshi. Her grandmother gave her her last name instead of her fathers', since he and her mother were the ones that left her, she never let go of that grudge..
Hoshi went a little farther than she normally did, she walked in the middle of the road, seeing that there were no cars. She stopped when she saw a dirt pathway that was off road..curious, she walked into the dirt road and saw little houses along the path, and a deity. It was a circle shape, and it had a frightening face, yet it was so cheerful. Everything around her suddenly disapeared and she felt tremendous pain.. not from her.. from someone close. Something started to beep rapidly that snapped her back into reality. She looked down to her pants and pulled out her pager. "EMERGENCY" is blared "COME TO HOSPITAL"
Her eyes widened and she immediatly turned around to leave, she slightly looked back, but then turned back to the road leading home. She started to run, being in flip flops didn't help too much. She got there and ambulances had already left, she ran to the door where there was a note. "Come to St. Francis hospital" it read.
"No..Grandma.." She opened the door inside quickly and grabbed her keys to her blue trailblaizer and hurried to the hospital, once there, she hurried to the front desk to ask where her grandmother was. "Please, may you tell me what room Sakamoto Momoko is?"
"Room 353A on the fifth floor." the nurse there said politely.
She slightly bowed. "Thank you." she said quickly and headed to the elevator.
She came to the fifth floor and looked closely at each room so she wouldn't miss her grandmothers **Hang on grandma, please hang on** she thought frantically. She finally found the room and immediatly went inside. Her grandmother was hooked up to a million cords barely being supported by machine. The teenageer kneeled down to her dying grandmother, she felt tears blur her eyes as she inched her hand slowly to her grandmothers. "Grandma?" she whispered.
Her eyes fluttered open and the silver haired girl looked to her not daring to let the tears flow, since her grandmother hated to see her cry. "Hoshi.. once your there.. Always remember who you are."
Hoshi looked at her grandmother puzzled. "What do you mean, grandma.. I'll always remember who I am.. I'm your grandaughter, Sakamoto Hoshi."
Her grandma smiled faintly. "You know now, but remember, when your there, never give up.. stay there."
Even more puzzled the young teenager stood up holding her grandmother's hand. "What do you mean, grandma?"
"You'll find your way, by your power, you'll find your way." she said weakly. She then reached to the table next to her and picked up a peice of paper and handed it to her..her hand was weak and shaking, it seemed to take alot to even do that.. Hoshi turned the card over.. "Never forget who you are, Sakamoto Hoshi.." it said.
"Grandma.. what are you talking about, what power? Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her mind filled with curiousity and confusion, more than greif. Hoshi put the paper in her pocket slowly, not taking her eyes off her grandmother, who seemed to be talking crazy.
"When we meet again.. You'll see.." she said. Hoshi heard a blaring screech coming from the moniter. She backed away. "Grandma.." she whimpered
Doctors rushed in there and tried to revive her, and the young girl only went farther back, the noise was still blaring and the line wasn't moving, everything around her was going so fast, the pushing and shoving, the move asides and everything.. blocking her mother-like figure from her.. Her grandmother was gone.. Hoshi ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face, doctors and nurses around her, only glanced.. feeling sorry for her, even though they weren't told, of course they knew that another poor soul died in their hospital. Hoshi dashed into her car and got out of the hospital area, she got back to her house and looked at the house.. It would be empty now..
She head started to throb as she closed the door of her car when she got out. She took a step and fell to the ground. She saw a flash of something passing swiftly by her.. something.. white.. she couldn't make it out at all, if it was long or short, big or small, all she saw was white. She grabbed her head in pain and using her car as support, she slowly got up. **I need to walk it off** she thought weakly, she felt her tears getting crusty on her face. She tried to wipe them, off, but she knew she was being stupid doing that.
She soon came to that same passage way.. She saw the Deity there again **I need to get my mind off what's happened** the teen thought sadly. She started to walk the path. Soon she was getting amused by the delightful scenery around her. She walked that path for quite a bit now, she saw a little deity here and there, but other than that, she saw nothing. She always just looked to her side, she didn't notice the thing infront of her that gave her an abrupt stop and tripped her over. She rubbed her now bruised shin and looked at the thing that tripped her...A deity. **These things are everywhere**
She looked ahead of her and saw a huge tunnel. "Wow.." she awed **What's a tunnel like this doing in the middle of no where?** Hoshi got up and dusted her self off she limped slightly to the entrance of the tunnel. She saw darkness ahead and only a dot of light at the end of the tunnel. Curious, she followed the light down the tunnel. Feeling goosebumps crawl upon her skin as she got further through the tunnel, it was dark and she couldn't see much. She heard a train ahead of her. **A train? Out here? I never heard trains before..** She thought as she came close to the end of the tunnel. She stopped dead in her track when she reached the end of the tracks.
"..A train station... What's it doing here?"
She walked out of the train station and looked around, there were more Deity statues and houses, that were normal size. "Weird.. what is this place?" She asked herself as she kept moving. The scenery around her amazed her and was surprised something like this was here.. Around where she lived.. She came ahead to what looked like a drained river or stream.. She went acrossed it and smelt a certain delicious food in the air. She followed the scent untill she came to a small abandoned town full of restraunts. She found piles of food at a restraunt, she looked around for a person, but didn't see anyone. **I don't want to take it.. I don't have money..**
She bit her lip **It looks so good though.** She walked towards the food slowly. **I am hungry..** She took one peice of the food that looked like a small peice of chicken. She took a bite.. There was a sensation going through her mouth. **Incredible!** she thought taking another bite. She was tempted to take another, but she didn't, afraid someone would come out and yell at her. She kept walking untill she saw a place where there was smoke coming from a pipe. **I thought this place was abandoned..**
She stepped on the bridge cautiously and crossed it slowly. Nothing was rotten, everything seemed so new.. She wondered why she could never see this place from her house. She came closer, to the door. "What are you doing here?" asked a males voice coldly.
She looked around and saw a boy who was her age, hair tied back in a pony tail and wearing clothes that weren't normally worn by people on times where there was nothing special happening. "Get out of here! It's going to be night soon!" he yelled
Hoshi looked to the sky, the sun was soon to set. Confused of why she had to leave by night, she looked back to the boy. "Why, what is this place?"
"Just get out.. They're going to be coming soon. Cross the bridge and go across the river," he said and turned away from the silver haired teen.
Hoshi looked at the bridge and sighed, "Ok.." she said looking back, but he was gone. **Weird..This place gives me the creeps** she walked acrossed the bridge and past all the restraunts as it started to get darker. She came back to the river.. but.. it was actually a river now.
"How did.. What?.. I thought.." She leaned down and dipped her hand in the water. "..It's real.."
She saw her reflection blurred in the water and then she saw her own shadow because of lights behind her. She turned around and saw the restraunt were starting to turn on their lights. **Why was that guy telling me to leave when everything's starting to open?** she thought as she got up to go back to where all the restraunts were. She immediatly stopped though, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Everywhere around her, were black shapeless figures walking around, sitting the restraunts.. She backed away from the town when she heard a horn. She turned around and saw a baot that had mroe black shapeless figues..but with more color in them. She ran to hide. **What's going on?**
She heard her beeper ringing again and reached to her pants to see who it was. "Please come to hospital.. Thank you" it said. She frowned and closed her eyes so she wouldn't cry thinking of the incident that happened earlier. She hugged her knees **What's happening..?**
She thought back to what her grandmother said '..when your there, never give up.. stay there.'
**what did she mean by that?** Hoshi thought as she wished her grandmother was there with her. Her pager started to ring again, she picked it up and looked at what it said.
"Where are you?
- Kibou"
Ri Kibou, her best friend.. She must've of seen what was going on and called Hoshi when she wasn't home. There was no way that Hoshi could call back without a phone. **I could try swimming acrossed the river..yeah right.. I'd drown.. Well, everything weird happened at night.. might as well sleep 'till morning..but where?** she thought getting up. Since on a hill, she tripped and fell on her but, with her legs strait out in front of her, she realized that she was starting to disapear. She gasped and scambled to her feet. "What's going on?!" she cried but quietly in a way. She looked at her hands that were barely there.
She fell to her knees. "I'm disapearing!" Something then blocked her air way. She couldn't breath anymore, she grabbed her neck trying to get a breath out. **What's happening?!** She struggled on the floor as the ghosts around her didn't even glance at the suffering human. She looked around for something sharp but then her vision started to go white and her head started to trob like crazy. **I..need..air..!!**
She saw her hand completely disapearing and her whitened vison turned back and she saw an old lady, unusually large head, a gigantic nose, and was incredibly short. She had gray hair put up in a bun and she wore a blue dress and many jewels. The lady came closer to her. "Your name is now Byuhl." she said in her cracky, voice..
Hoshi gasped and opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around her. She was still in the same spot, the teen took in a deep breath and saw that she could breath. She looked at her hands.. she was solid. She stood up and saw that the ghosts and creatures around her now were glancing at her.
She started to walk the streets again and looked around.. she felt light headed, she wanted to see a normal human again.. She came to the bridge and stoped before stepping onto it. Many ghosts were going across, and a small frog, jumping up and down welcoming them.. saying "Welcome to the bathhouse."
Hoshi looked up at the tall building. **This is a bath house?** she thought as she steped onto the bridge and went acrossed, but then she stepped back. "I don't have any money to take a bath.." she whispered. "..But I've always wanted to work in a bath house.. Maybe I could get a job.."
She walked on the bridge and everyone stared at her, or just slightly glanced. Hoshi came to the end where the frog was jumping up and down. "Well, hey there pretty lady, what can I do for you?"
"..Um.. I want to get a job here, are there any positions open?" she asked feeling weird talking to a frog.
The frog stopped jumping. "You didn't come to take a bath?"
Hoshi shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have any money, so, are there any positions open?"
"Well, you'll have to go up to Yu-baba for that." he said.
She bowed politely. "Thank you.. Where is Yu-baba, sir?"
"On the top floor.. Here, Haku's back, so you can ask him." he said pointing behind her
Hoshi turned around and was face to face with the boy she had seen earlier. She slightly gasped and backed away. "Haku, can you show this lovely lady to Yu-baba's office?"
"Sure." he muttered as if annoyed and walked past both of them. Hoshi got the clue to follow and followed the boy. **He's so cold..** she thought. **I wonder why..** They came to an elevator and both of them stepped in.
**..I think I'm being too mean to her..Don't be mad..it isn't her fault..** Haku thought looking over to the silver haired girl. "What's your name?" he asked in a warmer tone.
Hoshi a little shocked that he wasn't being so cold, decided to answer. "..Um.. I'm Sakamoto Hoshi."
"If your going to work for Yu-baba, you don't forget your name."
**Grandma..said the the same thing..** "How come?" she asked thinking it was the most appropriate time to ask.
"That's how she'll control you."
Hoshi, now really confused, wished she didn't ask. She wasn't even sure why she was taking a job.. She was only going to stay untill morning, then she could leave. Something was holding her back though.. curiousity, she was so curious about this place..it was as if she had stepped into another world... And also, since the boy seemed to have said something that her grandma said something similar to, she wanted to stay.. Her grandmother said they would meet again when she was there.. Hoshi believed that she would meet her grandmother here.. So she HAD to work here. She had a instinct..that she wanted to follow, if it meant that she would be able to see her grandmother healthy and walking..
"What is this place anyway?" She asked, not meaning to, but it had slipped.
Haku looked back to her. "It's a bath house for spirits."
Hoshi smiled, half believeing it and a bit shocked, but she was happy because that might be what her grandmother meant.. **I have to stay here somehow.. If I work here.. I know grandma will come here and take a bath.. Ok Hoshi.. You HAVE to work here.. no matter what.**
The elevator finally stopped and Hoshi stepped out into a incredicbly fine hall way. She turned back around. "What was your name again?"
"Haku." he answered bluntly.
She bowed. "Thank you."
Haku smiled. "If you really want a job and stay here.. Don't let her refuse you,"
The elevator door closed and it went down. Hoshi looked to the magnificant doors. **It's now or never..**
The door opened by itself and she was forced into the office of the person in charge. An old woman appeared from behind the desk. Hoshi's eyes widened. **It's the lady from my dream!**
The old woman walked up to her. "I've been expecting you." she said in a tone that send a chill down Hoshi's spine.
Hoshi took a step back. "I-I was wondering if you can give me a job here."
"Why is it you want to have a job here?"
Hoshi bit her lip and thought about if she should tell her the truth.. She didn't want to.. she'd tell her the other truth. "Well, I have always wanted to work in a bath house, and if you may give me a job. That would forfill the dream that I wish for."
Every word of that, except a little bit was true. She wanted to work in a bath house..and she wanted to see her grandmother. Hoshi held her arm and hoped that she would get a job.
"Fine..hold on.."
**That was easy.. Why did Haku make it sound so hard?** The lady.. obviously Yu-baba, came out with a peice of paper. "Sign this contract."
Eager, Hoshi signed it and gave it back to the old lady. Yu-baba looked at the contract and smiled. "Hoshi, a nice name.. Now that your working for me.. Your name is now Byuhl. Do you understand, Byuhl."
Hoshi bowed. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
"Now get out of my sight. Haku, find her a job,"
Hoshi turned around and saw Haku in the room. She left the room with Haku and the doors closed behind her. "Um.. Thank you."
Once they were on the elevator, Haku had a billion questions running through his head, he wanted to ask Hoshi since she was from that world. "..Do you know who Chihiro is?"
Hoshi's head perked up at the familiar name. "Chihiro? Yeah, that's my best friend's cousin. She's my friend too, we go to college together..do you know her?"
Haku looked down. "Yes.. If you ever return to your world..can you tell her that I'm sorry."
"..Sorry?"
**Haku, Haku..why does that sound so familiar..?** She thought trying to trace her memories back to her childhood when she met Chihiro here when she moved around where she lived..she slightly remembered what Chihiro always talked about..how she wanted to talk about it since she didn't want to forget it. "I promised her that we'd meet again."
**It's all repeating..but from a different mouth.** she thought looking at Haku who was still looking down. "Well...Chihiro said she wanted to come back..but she wanted to take one of us, since we didn't believe her.. she never went.. I wasn't sure why."
Haku nodded. "Thank you.."
"No problem.. Chihiro still loves you." Hoshi said, thinking that he was sad because he thought that Chihiro forgot about him.
He suddenly looked up to me, shocked. "She does, she's stayed away from all guys.. She didn't want to forget you, so all she had were small crushes on guys.. When I go back.. whenever I do, I'll come back and bring Chihiro with me."
"Thank you." he said again.
Hoshi smiled. "I'll do this for both of you, since both of you are equally suffering."
They reached the bottom and everyone looked at Hoshi.. Hoshi feeling awkward trailed behind Haku, who was taller than her, so she didn't have to worry about people looking at her from ahead of them, and since she was looking into Haku's back, she wouldn't be able to see them. She was set up with a worker named Rin and she was let to sleep for the night.
~*~*~*~
It's kinda like the movie, but just that first part..or that one part.. Yeah, tell me what you think, and if I should continue, thanks!
~*CosmicMoon
