Mmm.. starting to get a little worried now, since there are only so many ways a Spirited Away fanfic can go, and I want this to be original. Oh well. I'll give it a try. Um, just a note that this chapter is a little boring. Things will get better soon (I hope).
_________________________
.: Chihiro's Return :.
(yes, unoriginal I know)
by the Dancing Hobo
_________________________
CHAPTER 2
Chihiro thought that the place seemed familiar. Very familiar. Then she sighed, realising that she had been walking around in circles. She had passed that particular statue at least twice.
Frustrated, she leant against the nearest tree and slid down into a sitting position. Bad move. She could feel the moss beginning to seep in through her t-shirt. But she didn't care. Not now anyway. It had been stupid to come out here all alone when she could have been with Yuki and the others in Tokyo instead. Shopping and laughing with her friends as opposed to being all alone in this... forest... chasing some fragment of her childhood. Why oh why had she chosen to do this during the holidays?
Chihiro stood up.
But it had to be done. This had been the only time that she had had a chance to. She would never rest until she knew for sure whether it had all actually happened. Everything about the Spirit World had seemed so surreal... to a point where she it was almost a dream. But Haku... Haku had been so real. Chihiro closed her eyes and saw the little pink shoe that had bobbed happily away from her in the river. An early memory. This, coupled with the memory of Haku in the flesh had somehow materialised her experience of the Spirit World so much more. Made it real, since even her parents remembered her falling into the river. Falling into Haku...
She had to find him. Chihiro rummaged around in her backpack until she found the little map she had bought off a street vendor not long ago. It looked accurate enough, and would have been very helpful if she had known *where* on that map she was.
Then Chihiro suddenly realised that she was lost. She began to panic, scared that she would never make it out of this place. It had looked so different the last time she came here, but then again, that had been many years ago. She kept spinning around, trying to orient herself. In her confusion, she dropped the map. She bent down to pick it up and dropped her backpack in turn. Irritated, she turned around and slipped on the map, landing her face first onto the forest floor. Chihiro felt a wave of pain sweep over her body, the smell of rotting leaves filling her nostrils.
"Haku!!!"
She screamed and buried her face deeper into the mouldy leaves. All of a sudden, Chihiro realised that she had screamed out Haku's name and felt herself blush. After all these years... She remembered all the other times when she had just instinctively called out his name whenever she was in need of help or support. And all those questions she had been asked. 'What is Haku?''*Who* is Haku?' Questions that she could never answer. After all, who was going to believe that she had been to some sort of 'alternate world'? It wasn't fair. She wanted so much to share all these feelings and memories. Share them with her friends. Share them with Haku. If he still remembered her.
Chihiro lay face down for a few more seconds until she felt the blush fade from her face. Feeling a bit more calmed, she looked up, watching the mottled sunlight dance across the statue's face. It was a rather grotesque statue, with its haunting smile forever frozen in the cold grey stone. Chihiro sighed and looked down again.
Haku...
She looked up again at the statue. There was something different about it now... then Chihiro realised that the light had changed. She got up onto her elbows and saw the stream of sunlight that was coming in from behind the statue. Then she noticed that the light seemed to shine a path, a path that she hadn't noticed previously.
Chihiro stood up, blinking, and stared towards the light. For a moment, she felt a sudden gush of hope that Haku had somehow heard her and had helped make this path for her. Made it for her so that she would find him... But then, she realised with a sinking heart, it could also have been the movement of the sun across the sky that had caused the path to appear more obvious.
Either way, she was sure that the Theme Park was at the other end. With Haku, possibly waiting for her.
Chihiro packed up her belongings and brushed herself off. Face set with determination, she gripped the brown paper package in her pocket and walked towards the light.
_________________________
.: Chihiro's Return :.
(yes, unoriginal I know)
by the Dancing Hobo
_________________________
CHAPTER 2
Chihiro thought that the place seemed familiar. Very familiar. Then she sighed, realising that she had been walking around in circles. She had passed that particular statue at least twice.
Frustrated, she leant against the nearest tree and slid down into a sitting position. Bad move. She could feel the moss beginning to seep in through her t-shirt. But she didn't care. Not now anyway. It had been stupid to come out here all alone when she could have been with Yuki and the others in Tokyo instead. Shopping and laughing with her friends as opposed to being all alone in this... forest... chasing some fragment of her childhood. Why oh why had she chosen to do this during the holidays?
Chihiro stood up.
But it had to be done. This had been the only time that she had had a chance to. She would never rest until she knew for sure whether it had all actually happened. Everything about the Spirit World had seemed so surreal... to a point where she it was almost a dream. But Haku... Haku had been so real. Chihiro closed her eyes and saw the little pink shoe that had bobbed happily away from her in the river. An early memory. This, coupled with the memory of Haku in the flesh had somehow materialised her experience of the Spirit World so much more. Made it real, since even her parents remembered her falling into the river. Falling into Haku...
She had to find him. Chihiro rummaged around in her backpack until she found the little map she had bought off a street vendor not long ago. It looked accurate enough, and would have been very helpful if she had known *where* on that map she was.
Then Chihiro suddenly realised that she was lost. She began to panic, scared that she would never make it out of this place. It had looked so different the last time she came here, but then again, that had been many years ago. She kept spinning around, trying to orient herself. In her confusion, she dropped the map. She bent down to pick it up and dropped her backpack in turn. Irritated, she turned around and slipped on the map, landing her face first onto the forest floor. Chihiro felt a wave of pain sweep over her body, the smell of rotting leaves filling her nostrils.
"Haku!!!"
She screamed and buried her face deeper into the mouldy leaves. All of a sudden, Chihiro realised that she had screamed out Haku's name and felt herself blush. After all these years... She remembered all the other times when she had just instinctively called out his name whenever she was in need of help or support. And all those questions she had been asked. 'What is Haku?''*Who* is Haku?' Questions that she could never answer. After all, who was going to believe that she had been to some sort of 'alternate world'? It wasn't fair. She wanted so much to share all these feelings and memories. Share them with her friends. Share them with Haku. If he still remembered her.
Chihiro lay face down for a few more seconds until she felt the blush fade from her face. Feeling a bit more calmed, she looked up, watching the mottled sunlight dance across the statue's face. It was a rather grotesque statue, with its haunting smile forever frozen in the cold grey stone. Chihiro sighed and looked down again.
Haku...
She looked up again at the statue. There was something different about it now... then Chihiro realised that the light had changed. She got up onto her elbows and saw the stream of sunlight that was coming in from behind the statue. Then she noticed that the light seemed to shine a path, a path that she hadn't noticed previously.
Chihiro stood up, blinking, and stared towards the light. For a moment, she felt a sudden gush of hope that Haku had somehow heard her and had helped make this path for her. Made it for her so that she would find him... But then, she realised with a sinking heart, it could also have been the movement of the sun across the sky that had caused the path to appear more obvious.
Either way, she was sure that the Theme Park was at the other end. With Haku, possibly waiting for her.
Chihiro packed up her belongings and brushed herself off. Face set with determination, she gripped the brown paper package in her pocket and walked towards the light.