A/N: well, here i am, back again. I haven't updated for a month!sorry!I really am short on time this year, but i shouldn't be saying anything now cuz i have middle school to go through! anyways:
Thanks to my reviewers
The Imperator
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sodesne
orosai
Velf
Battle angel Kurumi
Ladyrainstardragon
Undying-Love
MaNgA-bOy-LoVeR
Shirogane Umi
FreakOnSugar
Auroratwin
Hikari Mizu
BlahBlahBlah gurl
neolannia
KatzEye
OceanicGoddess

please diregard the order. It has nothing to do with importance.

Chihiro sat, gaping at the woman that stood before her. A long flowing dress hung down from her shoulders, pitch black. Her figure was outlined expertly, and graceful curves formed a perfect body. Long auburn hair ran down to her knees, curled and streaked with gold, so shiny that it seemed real. But what Chihiro was gaping at was not the woman's body. It was her face. For she was just a girl. A thirteen-year-old girl. And one Chihiro recognized. "W-Wha…?" she stuttered. A tinkling laugh erupted from the girl's throat. " Hello, Chihiro."

Haku's POV

Huh? Where am I?

"HAKU! HELP ME! HAKUUU!!!"

Chihiro? Where is she? Is she all right? Crap, it's too dark! I can't see anything! I think I see her…. but she's too far away! Chihiro! Wait! I'm coming…! That doesn't look like a human! WHAAA? What the heck! That thing looks like a demon! I better banish it….! My powers aren't working? What's it saying? Urgh…I can't breathe! What….

The taste of the coarse and bitter sand mixed with blood as it rolled smoothly in my mouth. I groaned, and opened my stinging eyes, squinting at the bright light that soon entered them. I didn't know where I was, or who I was right then. All I knew is that I heard someone calling out to me.

Rising to my feet, I flinched at the pain that coursed up my leg and through my body. How did I get this way? The voice became louder, and I easily submitted. It was coming from somewhere in a nearby grove of trees. Following the sound, the haunting melody grew in volume until I could hear it ringing in my ears. Slowly, I brushed away the last of the foliage blocking my view.

Normal POV

"Rumi?" Chihiro whispered softly. "Yeah…. it has been a long time." The two girls smiled at each other, and Chihiro jumped up to embrace her old friend. Rumi had been her best friend for years, before and after she had moved away. " I missed you…. so much!" Chihiro whispered. They were like sisters, inseparable in both school and life. And here she was again, for the first time in three years. Rumi was back.

"So what's happened to you?" Chihiro asked. She and Rumi were sitting on the roof, gossiping and touring Rumi's new home. Rumi had gladly told Chihiro any thing she wanted to know, and they had laughed together. Just like old times. This is so great! thought Chihiro Rumi AND Haku are back! An ecstatic Chihiro turned to Rumi for a reply. " Well, you see, after you left, I became an apprentice to a witch. I believe you know her as Yu-baaba." Chihiro's eyes widened considerably. That must mean that Yu-baaba...the bug! Oh God, please not Rumi! Chihiro cut in desperately "Are you all right? Did she control you? How'd you get out?" "Well, as you can see, I managed to talk my way out with some magic. I ended up back in the regular world, and there's no place for a witch there. I decided not to tell my parents, because they'd obviously be appalled at my choice in career, nor would they believe me unless I decided to prove that I was really a witch. So I decided to set out on my own. I told my parents I was leaving home, and after a couple of fights, they agreed. I must admit, they took it better than I expected. I found this place for pretty cheap, and it was mostly abandoned. After cozying it up a bit, I settled down and took up a business to support myself and to buy new ingredients. I'm an official healer and medicine maker. It's just for the locals though."

Chihiro stared. Was the really the same girl who had been her best friend a few years ago? Rumi, so responsible and caring, knew magic!Chihiro eyed her figure suspiciously, and another question found its way out. "How can you explain that figure of yours, eh?" Rumi nearly choked as she burst into laughter. "Oh, this? It came from magic. Young witches usually have better appearances because of their magic. It restores and replenishes them." "Then maybe I should become a witch too! How about that?" Rumi and Chihiro broke out laughing again, and didn't stop until they couldn't laugh any longer. They smiled warmly at each other. "Best friends forever! No matter what happens!" "Yeah, best friends forever!" and they shook on it, happily watching the sun set together on the roof of the cottage. But little did they know, a catastrophe was about to take place…..

And once again, another cliffie. Plz review!