Chapter 2
Spirited Away
A second chance for love
Elesterie
Destiny Has Its Part
Chihiro nearly fainted with shock and surprise, but quickly regained her stability. The boy, who could be best described as around her age, nearly stumbled forward to help her, his eyes full of comfort and sympathy.
She looked up and gazed intently into the eyes of the boy. Those emerald green eyes...why are they so familiar?
The boy stared back at her, with the same intensity. All the warmth in his eyes disappeared, aand what remained was hostility. After staring at one another for a couple of minutes, the boy broke the silence by shouting, "You shouldn't be here. It's nearly dark. Get out of here, before they come. I'll disturb them."
Chihiro had no clue what the boy was rambling on about, but after a few seconds when she absorbed what he was saying to her, she ran off instinctively. She stopped halfway and muttered to herself, "What's his problem?"
But at that very moment, when she looked up, she witnessed spirits coming alive. Spirits. The word was engraved in her mind. Black wisps of smoke. Chihiro shrieked as they came near, and ran off, away from their grasp. Running to her parents, she shouted "Okaasan, otousan!! Come on...ARGH!!"
In place of her parents, sat pigs. Pigs in her parents' clothes. Chihiro stood there, mortified, and came to her senses by running off.
I've got to run...where though? I know, back to our car! I bet mom and dad are already there.
She made her way past the stalls which were starting to liven up with the presence of spirits. All the way to the river. She took a step and...
SPLASH
She was in water. Half of her body was under the water. She shrieked as she scrambled back on land. Water? Why is there water? There was no water when I came back here? Why? Why?
A boat made its way from the so called tunnel to the surface where Chihiro was standing, using the water in the river. As it arrived to its destination, doors flipped open and royalty took form in the human spirits that came out.
Chihiro ran with horror, nearly falling, and ran to hide behind a building for defence. She crouched down, shivering, and began hitting herself so as to wake, saying to herself "It's a dream. It's just a dream." Tears began to form into her eyes.
-- -- -- -- --
While Chihiro was experiencing daily life in the spiritual world, Haku found himself before Kamaji, talking to him about what had happened.
"I saw Sen...everything about her was the same...her smile, her eyes, her hair..." Haku said, giving a little smile.
Kamaji stopped his work, looking closely at Haku to see if he were joking "You what?! Don't mess with me son!"
But watching Haku's serious face, Kamaji stopped the assumption that Haku was lying.
"I saw her...Sen...why didn't you say hi?" Haku muttered, his fallen face almost identical to Kamaji's.
"Haku...maybe her memory was wiped away..." Kamaji said, watching with pity Haku's face.
"NO! Maybe she was just as surprised as I was...maybe she was saying hi but I couldn't hear it…or she could've been –" Haku interrupted, apparently blown away at the thought of it.
"Haku..."
"NO! NO! NO!" Haku moaned and he crouched down, holding his hands over his ears, wanting to hear no more.
"Haku, she's forgotten about you...she's forgotten every single one of us," Kamaji said, trying to comfort out his words.
Haku stared at the ground, trying not to hear what Kamaji said. For once, he realized that the floor was so beautifully polished.
"You should act as though you do not know her," Kamaji continued, "She has indeed forgotten. How could she have come back here? I don't quite know how that is possible. Hmm…"
Haku was silent as Kamaji thought. In Haku's mind, he was cursing himself. Why me? Why me? But...Sen is back...she is back to see me...she knows me...A few moments later, Kamaji spoke up with his thoughts on what was happening.
"I think time is replaying itself. But the question is why...why would time replay itself for Sen and Sen only?" Kamaki trailed off.
Haku thought carefully, treading on Kamaji's words and then it hit him.
"I don't exactly know if this is correct, but maybe...maybe destiny is replaying itself so she has a second chance. A second chance for..." Haku suddenly found a dead end. It wasn't that he couldn't think of words to finish off the sentence. In fact, he had one word in mind, but he didn't want to draw to conclusions that quickly.
"Maybe to have a second chance for love," Kamaji said thoughtfully, not knowing that was the word Haku was thinking about, "But whatever the concept that is being portrayed here, do not play with destiny, Haku. Act with utmost caution...you'll have to act as though you don't know her..." but before Kamaji could finish, Haku's voice cut in.
"Why must I do that?!!" Haku's voice was full of anger, "After years of waiting for her...5 years...it's comes to this. When she finally comes back to me I have to pretend I don't know her!!" Haku was now shouting, his heart growing with sorrow.
"I see you love her, in fact, I know you love her, but it is her part of the story. Her decision. She must choose herself, for destiny has put the decision on her to figure out on her own," Kamaji was now looking ever so sorry.
"But…" Haku started but Kamaji cut in.
"She has a second chance to change her life. For destiny has its way of making things, or at least trying to make things, work out. Haku...don't let your love for Chihiro blind you to the dangers of messing with destiny. Now, you know the drill. Time is repeating itself, play your part to help Chihiro remember."
Haku bowed and left, his heart as heavy as a stone.
-- -- -- -- --
There was Chihiro, leaning against the cold hard brick of the building, her hands in her face. There was no denying that she was sobbing. As Haku ran softly towards her, he felt a great sympathy that could only be described as heartbreaking.
Haku crouched down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, so as to comfort her. She looked up with terror, fear was seen in her eyes.
"Don't worry, I'm a friend," Haku assured her. Haku would have liked to have done more than an arm on a shoulder but he remembered Kamaji's warning.
Haku gave a huge sigh, before explaining the basics of the spiritual world. He then lead her towards a back gate, opened it and whispered "You have to hold your breath while we cross the bridge," Haku then said more firmly, "Even the tiniest breath will break the spell and then everyone will see you."
Chihiro shivered even more. Her teeth were chattering and she didn't even want to think what would happen if she took a breath.
"Take a deep breath...and hold it," Haku directed, as he felt Chihiro grasp hardly onto his arm. They were to walk across the bridge, which lead to the bathhouse Chihiro had seen earlier on.
They crossed the bridge, walking at a normal pace, so Haku wouldn't look as though he were hiding anything. When they made their way three-quarters of the bridge, Chihiro began to feel a little nauseous. She needed to breath.
Haku, who realized Chihiro was struggling to keep her breath, muttered under his breath "Hang on, we're almost there..."
But as fate would have it, out of nowhere a green frog appeared and exclaimed, "Master Haku! Where have you been?" Chihiro couldn't stand it any longer. Not only was it hard for her to keep her breath, the frog had surprised her and made her gasp. She then took a tiny breath, hoping it wouldn't affect her visibility.
"Wha – a human?" In an instant, Haku had used his magic and froze it. He flew to a trapdoor, with Chihiro's hand in his.
-- -- -- -- --
Inside the bathhouse, people were running back and forth shouting the same thing, "Master Haku!"
"They know you're here," Haku muttered. But there was a question floating in his mind. Why hasn't anyone noticed it was Sen who was the human who came into our world 5 years ago? Everyone knew her so why would they be scared of her. It's like…as though as soon as they saw her, they forgot her. But that can't be possible.
"Gomen...I'm really sorry I took a breath," Chihiro apologized.
Haku, who was dazed in his thoughts, said abruptly, "No Chihiro, you did very well. You tried your best."
He took a deep breath and said to her, "Listen carefully to what I tell you to do. You can't stay here, they'll find you…" he stopped suddenly and said in a restraint voice, "and you'll never rescue your parents…"
Well, I don't want you to rescue your parents, he was telling her with his mind. Get real, Haku, he told himself firmly, as if she would want to stay with you.
He shook his head, thinking that he sounded so selfish, and continued, "I'll create a diversion while you escape."
"Iie, iie! Can't you come with me?" Chihiro pleaded.
"You don't have a choice if you want to help your parents. You have to be strong and independent," he told her.
And that's why you left the spirit world without thinking you could be with me...you didn't have a choice when it came to your parents, Haku thought miserably.
Haku, who was in between denial and reality, put the tip of his forefingers on her forehead and said, "Now, when things quiet down, go out through the back gate. Go all the way down the stairs until you reach the boiler room...There, you will find Kamaji."
Haku took his fingers away.
"Kamaji?" Chihiro questioned him. That name sounded familiar.
Haku nodded his head and said, "Tell him that you want to work here. Even if he refuses, you must insist. If you don't get a job, Yubaba will turn you into an animal."
"Yubaba, huh?" Chihiro said slowly. She didn't like the sound of that name. Now, she was certain she knew that name. Kamaji...Yubaba...what next?
"You'll see. She's the witch who rules the bathhouse." Haku explained, yet he didn't want to say much. All he wanted was to hug her and tell her it was all right.
Inside, people were running around and saying, "Master Haku, where are you?"
"I have to go. Don't forget ,Chihiro, I'm your friend." Haku stood up and when he saw Chihiro open her mouth, he knew he would have to face that question again. But the question was structured different, and had a different meaning that it was put to.
"Haven't we met before?" Chihiro said, gazing into his emerald green eyes.
-- -- -- -- --
How's everybody liking it? This version is going to be shorter than the original 15 chapters because I'll be mushing chapters together and adding in more detail and scenes. You see, in the old version, I skipped a couple of scenes which would've been best if I explained them. But in any case, please make my day and review! elesterie
