'Don't move Chihiro…it's okay. I've got you.'

Chihiro's eyes opened wide and all she saw was darkness. She was a motionless puppet drifting in space. Her mind was filled with emptiness and she felt nothing. All she could do was listen to the faint voice in the distance.

'Chihiro…why did you look back? Now you will suffer her wrath…there's only one way out of this, you need to fight back.'

Chirping sounds came from outside Chihiro's window. The young girl opened her eyes and discovered a beautiful, bright sun kissing her. She opened up her eyes and felt the warm, gleaming golden rays.

She yawned softly. "What happened?" Chihiro leaped off her bed and wondered how she got in her room.

"Chihiro! Are you awake?" said Yuugo as she came up the stairs.

"Yes mom. What's going on? What happened?"

"Look at all these bruises and cuts! Honey, I think you should lay down a little while longer." Chihiro's mom said with deep concern. Chihiro looked at her in confusion.

"Don't you remember? There was a thief in the house. He broke through the window and attacked you. Honey…"

"Shouldn't I be in the hospital then? Why am I still home?"

"You were taken to the hospital but they only took a short while. They said you would be ok…but I don't know. Doctors these days are so ignorant."

Yuugo stepped up towards Chihiro and placed her hand on her cheek. She lowered her head to Chihiro's level and said, "Really Chihiro, how are you feeling? Do you think you can make it?"

"I'll be okay. I feel fine anyway." Chihiro said as she smiled at her mom.

"I'm glad." Yuugo gave a cheerful smile to her daughter. "Well you're off punishment just so you know. You are free to do whatever you want, after you EAT, okay? Oh, and don't forget to take out the trash."

Chihiro nodded and dashed down stairs for breakfast. She ate a hearty meal of pancakes.

After Chihiro took out the trash, she went into her room to get dressed. She looked in the mirror to see that her face had a scar on her right eye.

Did it all really happen or am I going totally insane? If it really did happen, who saved me? It must have been that guy from the woods... Wait, what did he mean when he told me not to look back? Darn it! This must be what he meant!

She looked back in the mirror…the scar was leaving…vanishing slowly off her face.

Chihiro's thoughts rolled out and she couldn't contain her fears. But as her mother had always told her, "Face your fears head on or they will own you."

Chihiro walked out. She grabbed a pop tart and some energy bars on her way out, and stuck them into her pocket. She just wanted to make her mom happy and sure she would eat something.

She went deep into the pink forest again. She wandered off through the same path as before, wishing she had some kind of weapon to protect herself.

As she came to the same small, wooden shrine, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. All the steps had made her weary. She slowly walked up to the shrine and slid the door open all the way.

She looked around the room and heard a sound from behind the other door. It slid open. And there he was: A tall, pale young man, perhaps about 17 years old. He was quite handsome and built. His hair was a faded greenish black color that turned into a silver shade in the sun. It was short but long enough to cover his ears.

His eyes showed rage. Chihiro felt sadness behind it, though.

Chihiro closed the door and stepped up towards the boy. He closed his door, walked up to her in the same way and stared dead into her eyes.

"You are the one called Chihiro, yes?"

"Yes," she replied. "Thank you for saving me but…who are...?" He cut her off.

"Your welcome…you have caused me trouble. Do you know that? A strong force threatens your life." he stood still, thinking for a moment.

"I might as well kill you myself." He looked at her through the same violent eyes constantly.

She looked at him in disbelief. She expected a Savior…and instead she got a threat.

She then turned her anger and concern on him and said, "Kill me? I haven't done anything wrong! I know I brought all of this upon myself by looking back, but don't I deserve another chance? Please, isn't there a way for me to…" The boy cut her off by a slap on the face. It took her by surprise.

"Foolish human! Do you really think I care for your kind? A selfish insignificant race that cares about nothing but themselves?! You are mistaken. I only saved you because I was called to do so. The only thing left now is how to deal with getting rid of you. "

The boy stepped away from her and looked at the wall, trying to figure it all out.

Chihiro recovered from his blast and slowly opened her mouth to speak, "You told me…" Chihiro paused for a second to put more emphasis on what she was about to say.

"You told me to fight back! Now that I decide to do just that, you put me down?" she looked at him earnestly and he answered back even more violent then before.

"Listen you little spec, I tried. I really did. I warned you first in the woods; I tried to take you out of the house before the creature came but no…you had to resist! You flipped over before I even had the chance to help you escape." He took a step towards her and came close to her face. His eyes stared deadly into hers.

He continued, "Yet you still do not understand…foolish mortal…you beings are so…retarded."

Chihiro burst out in rage. She moved up closer to him and got all up on his face, "Okay…I see how it is now! You saved me. Yes! You warned me. Yes! You had compassion on me, and now you call me a retarded mortal! What is wrong with you?! Don't you think I deserve to get some say? How was I supposed to know you were trying to save when you grabbed me with huge claws?! I still have bruises and scratches on my waist!"

Animosity was flying in their eyes. You could see it clear as day. She continued, "Tell me what is going on here right now! Starting with your name!"