Neighbors: Epilogue
by Siren & SpelCastrMax
Authors Note (Yes there's 2 of us for the price of one): Everyone has seen Spirited Away and EVERYONE wanted a longer ending, so here's our rendition. Enjoy.
By watching dense forest fly passed, Chihiro drowned out her parents bickering about the length of time they had been exploring the tunnel and whether or not they'd missed the movers .
With every bump in the road, she remembered someone else from her adventure. Lin, the hard talker who kept her safe during the time she spent in the Spirit World. Next, Kamaji and her first encounter with him. Then there was poor Noh Face and Baby Boh. Of course, she could never forget the twin sorceresses Granny, Zeniba to everyone else, and Yubaba.
Last, but not least, was Haku; her truest friend and greatest protector. He would be the one she would remember the most. Although at times he was her loyal guardian, he could alienate her as well. Yet, his eyes, unlike the rest of his face, were always full of emotion. The blue reflections which mirrored what he really was.
In dragon form he was both Yubaba's thief and Chihiro's savior. The girl thought of the number of times she had saved him - they added to three.
"How many times did he save me?" She pondered it for a moment. "Hmm, I owe him a couple."
Chihiro's father shouted over his shoulder, "You're really quiet back there. Don't worry, I know where I'm going."
Chihiro's mother stated cuttingly, "That's what you said earlier!"
Their daughter smirked, imagining what might have happened to them. They were still as noisy as pigs, that was for sure.
Her father let out a victory shout as the car turned onto the correct street leading to their new house. They approached it slowly to have a full view of their new home. The blue paint and white trim reminded Chihiro of her best friend. Still, it seemed so tiny compared to the tower of a bathhouse she'd just left. There was no moving van outside, which her mother immediately pointed out.
"I told you we'd miss the movers!" she shrieked to her husband, who shrugged apologetically.
As they pulled into the drive, Chihiro realized that she was finally back in the real world, but none of it had been a dream.
Chihiro glanced out the window at her neighbor's house. It was similar to hers, only yellow instead of blue. It was such a cheerful color, one she couldn't remember seeing for a long time other than her shoes.
Farther down the road a group of ordinary kids with indistinct faces were kicking a ball around. "See," her mom pointed out, "They look about your age. You'll be able to make friends in no time."
Her dad was the first one out of the car, stretching his arms and inspecting his key ring, trying to find the right one to unlock the front door.
As her mother climbed out, she told Chihiro, "Don't forget your bouquet."
Chihiro turned to comply, however found only the brown, dried remains of the once beautiful arrangement. Somehow she didn't mind and left it there.
Upon approaching the door, the family found a note reading, "You were late, we left the furniture inside. Signed Swift Moving Company."
Her father grumbled about how they weren't *that* late, while her mother just shook her head in an "I told you so" way.
On the other side of the door, every possession was piled in mass at the center of the largest room. After they kicked off their shoes, her parents once again stated their opinion. This time they swore, then informed Chihiro that she didn't hear that.
While her parents squabbled about what was to be moved first, Chihiro went upstairs in search of "her" room. It was in the front of house with a picture window bathing the room in light. The room was average size with a walk-in closet to her left and a perfect space for her bed where one wall slightly indented. It was a big and pleasant change from the room she'd shared with countless others.
Chihiro went back to the window. She had a perfect view of the mysterious hillside. For the first time since she climbed in the car she looked back at that road.
She wandered back downstairs, dragging her feet to the sounds of her parents constant arguing. She was in no way frightened, far from it she realized, but loneliness was beginning to creep up on her. Without her noticing, her hand reached up to check for the sparkly hair tie. It was still there.
Smiling at the familiarity of her parents' yelling, Chihiro wandered into the kitchen where her father was attempting to lift an obviously heavy object onto the counter under her mother's supervision. The girl affectionately wrapped her arms around each of them, surprising them.
"I'm going outside for some air," she informed them with a grin.
Her mother's face changed to concern as she placed her hand on her daughter's forehead. "Are you feeling okay, Chihiro?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Chihiro replied. As she waved off her parents' worry, she showed a more mature attitude than her years.
The two watched Chihiro with their mouths hanging open as she calming pulled on her shoes and walked out the door.
The dad turned to the mom, his knees wobbling under the weight he held, and asked, "Did I miss something?"
Chihiro strolled to the curb with her shoulders back and arms hanging loosely. Although she had no destination, she walked with purpose. The children down the street caught her attention, yet she felt no desire to join their game.
The late afternoon quiet was rudely disturbed by the frantic words, "Watch out!"
Chihiro ducked as a brightly colored rubber ball zoomed over her head. The object bounced once, then rolled down the drive stopping directly behind her yellow shoes.
She turned to grab it and was met with a calm, familiar voice. "Sorry. The ball got out of hand."
She stood keeping her back to the person as if in shock. She could feel his eyes on her while he continued to speak. "Uh...are you going to give us our ball back?"
"It can't be him," she thought and let out the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding.
A little disappointed, she pivoted around, muttering, "Here's your ball." Chihiro kept her eyes on his plain, white t-shirt, avoiding his face.
The boy suppressed a chuckle and in a straight forward, monotone asked, "Chihiro, why are you staring at my shirt?"
Both of Chihiro's eyes sprang up to find his face...Haku's face.
The two blue eyes were dancing. "Don't worry. I'm not fading away."
Unable to hold it back, Chihiro hopped up and hugged him, dropping the ball. He hugged her back, commenting, "We've only been separated for an hour."
Chihiro didn't know what to say, only smiled up at him as she pulled back. He took her hand and swept up the ball into his arm. Without much force, he tugged her over to the group of kids and the game started again.
_________________________
How did Haku get there? Will Chihiro ever see the others? Is she ever going to repay those times he saved her and even the score? Will her parents ever stop fighting? Review and maybe we'll write more. (Insert evil laugh here)
by Siren & SpelCastrMax
Authors Note (Yes there's 2 of us for the price of one): Everyone has seen Spirited Away and EVERYONE wanted a longer ending, so here's our rendition. Enjoy.
By watching dense forest fly passed, Chihiro drowned out her parents bickering about the length of time they had been exploring the tunnel and whether or not they'd missed the movers .
With every bump in the road, she remembered someone else from her adventure. Lin, the hard talker who kept her safe during the time she spent in the Spirit World. Next, Kamaji and her first encounter with him. Then there was poor Noh Face and Baby Boh. Of course, she could never forget the twin sorceresses Granny, Zeniba to everyone else, and Yubaba.
Last, but not least, was Haku; her truest friend and greatest protector. He would be the one she would remember the most. Although at times he was her loyal guardian, he could alienate her as well. Yet, his eyes, unlike the rest of his face, were always full of emotion. The blue reflections which mirrored what he really was.
In dragon form he was both Yubaba's thief and Chihiro's savior. The girl thought of the number of times she had saved him - they added to three.
"How many times did he save me?" She pondered it for a moment. "Hmm, I owe him a couple."
Chihiro's father shouted over his shoulder, "You're really quiet back there. Don't worry, I know where I'm going."
Chihiro's mother stated cuttingly, "That's what you said earlier!"
Their daughter smirked, imagining what might have happened to them. They were still as noisy as pigs, that was for sure.
Her father let out a victory shout as the car turned onto the correct street leading to their new house. They approached it slowly to have a full view of their new home. The blue paint and white trim reminded Chihiro of her best friend. Still, it seemed so tiny compared to the tower of a bathhouse she'd just left. There was no moving van outside, which her mother immediately pointed out.
"I told you we'd miss the movers!" she shrieked to her husband, who shrugged apologetically.
As they pulled into the drive, Chihiro realized that she was finally back in the real world, but none of it had been a dream.
Chihiro glanced out the window at her neighbor's house. It was similar to hers, only yellow instead of blue. It was such a cheerful color, one she couldn't remember seeing for a long time other than her shoes.
Farther down the road a group of ordinary kids with indistinct faces were kicking a ball around. "See," her mom pointed out, "They look about your age. You'll be able to make friends in no time."
Her dad was the first one out of the car, stretching his arms and inspecting his key ring, trying to find the right one to unlock the front door.
As her mother climbed out, she told Chihiro, "Don't forget your bouquet."
Chihiro turned to comply, however found only the brown, dried remains of the once beautiful arrangement. Somehow she didn't mind and left it there.
Upon approaching the door, the family found a note reading, "You were late, we left the furniture inside. Signed Swift Moving Company."
Her father grumbled about how they weren't *that* late, while her mother just shook her head in an "I told you so" way.
On the other side of the door, every possession was piled in mass at the center of the largest room. After they kicked off their shoes, her parents once again stated their opinion. This time they swore, then informed Chihiro that she didn't hear that.
While her parents squabbled about what was to be moved first, Chihiro went upstairs in search of "her" room. It was in the front of house with a picture window bathing the room in light. The room was average size with a walk-in closet to her left and a perfect space for her bed where one wall slightly indented. It was a big and pleasant change from the room she'd shared with countless others.
Chihiro went back to the window. She had a perfect view of the mysterious hillside. For the first time since she climbed in the car she looked back at that road.
She wandered back downstairs, dragging her feet to the sounds of her parents constant arguing. She was in no way frightened, far from it she realized, but loneliness was beginning to creep up on her. Without her noticing, her hand reached up to check for the sparkly hair tie. It was still there.
Smiling at the familiarity of her parents' yelling, Chihiro wandered into the kitchen where her father was attempting to lift an obviously heavy object onto the counter under her mother's supervision. The girl affectionately wrapped her arms around each of them, surprising them.
"I'm going outside for some air," she informed them with a grin.
Her mother's face changed to concern as she placed her hand on her daughter's forehead. "Are you feeling okay, Chihiro?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Chihiro replied. As she waved off her parents' worry, she showed a more mature attitude than her years.
The two watched Chihiro with their mouths hanging open as she calming pulled on her shoes and walked out the door.
The dad turned to the mom, his knees wobbling under the weight he held, and asked, "Did I miss something?"
Chihiro strolled to the curb with her shoulders back and arms hanging loosely. Although she had no destination, she walked with purpose. The children down the street caught her attention, yet she felt no desire to join their game.
The late afternoon quiet was rudely disturbed by the frantic words, "Watch out!"
Chihiro ducked as a brightly colored rubber ball zoomed over her head. The object bounced once, then rolled down the drive stopping directly behind her yellow shoes.
She turned to grab it and was met with a calm, familiar voice. "Sorry. The ball got out of hand."
She stood keeping her back to the person as if in shock. She could feel his eyes on her while he continued to speak. "Uh...are you going to give us our ball back?"
"It can't be him," she thought and let out the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding.
A little disappointed, she pivoted around, muttering, "Here's your ball." Chihiro kept her eyes on his plain, white t-shirt, avoiding his face.
The boy suppressed a chuckle and in a straight forward, monotone asked, "Chihiro, why are you staring at my shirt?"
Both of Chihiro's eyes sprang up to find his face...Haku's face.
The two blue eyes were dancing. "Don't worry. I'm not fading away."
Unable to hold it back, Chihiro hopped up and hugged him, dropping the ball. He hugged her back, commenting, "We've only been separated for an hour."
Chihiro didn't know what to say, only smiled up at him as she pulled back. He took her hand and swept up the ball into his arm. Without much force, he tugged her over to the group of kids and the game started again.
_________________________
How did Haku get there? Will Chihiro ever see the others? Is she ever going to repay those times he saved her and even the score? Will her parents ever stop fighting? Review and maybe we'll write more. (Insert evil laugh here)
