Choices

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away or any of its characters.

Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait on the update. Went to Self Defense Camp, came home from Switzerland took a week to unpack, went to Mass for a while and then a family week long cruise to Bermuda my first chance to write I swear. Please forgive me. Happy Reading!

- Na

Chapter 9: Where She Lies

Chihiro found herself in a very strange place and if possible it was more devastating then the Land of Broken Hearts. Not a barren wasteland of sorts but the Land of Lost Souls had its dangers. Soul Devourers, and monsters of that sort, feasted and tormented the inhabitants of the land. For the inhabitants were the Lost Souls of the Human and Spirit World alike; those who committed suicide, those who betrayed their gods at the moment of truth, and those who sold their souls to not the devil but this lands keeper. This was a place that was home to the Damned, yes I mean the creatures that resemble the commercial Vampires of the Human World. (A/N: Not real vampires do not wish to offend anyone. I'm talking the ones from television like Dracula. For those who don't know there is a difference.) Evil blood suckers dripping of distain and malice for their jailers, who keep them in this world of sorts without food a land of the dead where no blood courses through veins.

Though the land did not favor the Damned its weather seemed to mimic or tease them, sulfur clouds of blood red cover the sky day and night blocking the suns rays from ever touching the ground. Lightning and thunder cracked in their endless dance. The rain was of fire, while wind stirred not the unburnable Snarling Black Wood trees that created every forest. Trees that were twisted and dead looking of a black color, something that you would only expect to see in a scary movie. Every tree leafless year round, and yet brown leaves covered the forest floor, hiding the smaller but more poisonous nasties. Each and every tree moaned and whined what had they done to disserve to live in a land without fresh air, or water. A land of two and a half elements which were, Earth, Fire, and Air as the half. Mountains that not even the Damned in a bat form could fly over. A direct result is from the snow less tops climate, a temperature averaging, - 95ºC (about – 140ºF if my math is correct). For in a bat form these creatures face two problems: The bodies are too small to sustain 'life' (they live forever until rescued or formally killed in a coma like state.) and the second that the only Magick that they hold in bat form is to transform. But a three-day walk (rather fast creatures) was not impossible to clear the mountain.

Luckily for Chihiro she lay at the base of the mountain on the opposite side as the Damned, who had immediately smelled the blood and began their four-day journey to her. As also for her luck a weak force field of magick (to a living being) protected her from the lesser creatures that would wish to feast on her soul, sadly it would only delay the bloodsuckers.

And of course Chihiro was oblivious to her horrific surrounding, and had never laid eyes on her true surroundings. For she believed that in another time and place was where she laid.

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"Well..." Kohaku said as he paced in Zeniiba's kitchen, "That lady would not be stupid enough to bring her back. She would give Chihiro over to a twisted torturer, who hated people who wanted to be where (s)he (the torturer) believe they don't belong."

Zeniiba sat at the table a nervous worried wreck, her hair a mess, as Kaonashi set a cup of tea down in front of her. Zeniiba when in the right mind would have thanked him, but instead she sipped her tea. Chihiro was missing, and the world was changing for the better but the Evil would not enjoy it, war was approaching. Zeniiba's old hands shake as she sipped the scorching drink, the sound of Kaonashi closing the cupboard door jumped poor Zeniiba in to spilling her drink, "Damn!"

Kohaku was shocked to hear that from Zeniiba's mouth, but a thought entered his brain, "The Damned!"

Zeniiba looked confused but then smiled as her strange and most likely magickal aliment lifted, "Yes Kohaku, She is lost is she not? She is with the other betrayed and lost souls, Go and with great hast before something feasts on her."

"But how?" asked Kohaku ready to go to the end of the earth, to hell (well this wasn't far from it) and back for her, but how does a living mortal as himself, find such a land?

Zeniiba frowned, "..."

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Chihiro sat on the edge of a large bed she had been told by her friend Haku to stay there till he returned. After he brought he through the maze of unknowing workers and elevators they made it to Haku's private quarters. He was a Master of some sort she remembered hearing. Chihiro smiled deep in the bores of her soul she knew that Haku would be there to help and protect her, forever in this strange magickal place.

Haku slipped through the door baring a solemn look. As he looked up at the smiling girl he too could not help but smile, "Sorry that took so long Chihiro. I hope you don't mind but we will have to share a bed, if one of us sleeps on the floor and someone enters they will wonder why one sleeping spot is 'empty'."

Chihiro's expression didn't change, "No that's fine, it'll be like a sleepover."

Haku gave a look of confusion, sleepover (?), he smiled once more, "I must work I'll be back rather late, you should get some sleep."

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"I've got it!" said Zeniiba.

"What?" asked Kohaku relived that there was at the very least an idea.

Zeniiba smiled, walking to the other room and returning with a small wooden box, She opened it to let Kohaku see the shinny palm sized rounded corner rectangular stone that was a soft milky green, a strange weightless stone, "A Rare Traveling Moon Stone," said Kohaku as he gazed wide-eyed on the shimmering beauty that was as older than Yu-Baaba and so legendary that it was forgotten by most.

"We are in luck my boy, this can only be used on a Full Moon in the ruins of Moongate the mountain city four days flight east of here. The full moon is on day five, you'll have a half a day in the ruins. When the sun falls behind the westward mountains, and lights the sky no more, make your wish. Say: 'I wish to go to Chihiro Ogino, please.' Then you will be transported there, you will stay there for an hour and as long as your touching Chihiro at the end of the hour than she'll return with you to Moongate. Now let me pack you previsions and you'll be off," said Zeniiba in a monotone voice as she packed Kohaku a bag full of food and water.

Kohaku's spirits lifted but then fell, "Zeniiba I'm mortal, a Human."

"Well I guess I'll have to take you," replied Zeniiba with a smile.

Kohaku was confused, "But how?"

Zeniiba shook her head in amused disappointment, "Kohaku, Kohaku my dear, dear boy, you don't honestly believe that my twin sister is the only one who can transform into a bird, do you? And beside I just thought that my paper birds would carry you.... I hate transforming into a bird, it doesn't feel right."

Author's Note: Evilly short am I right? Well it is also a wonderfully perfect chapter, do you agree?

- Na