Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away, but I do own Sora Kasama/Kizuka, Keiko Dobashi, Ryo Tanaka, Ms. Kiyotaka, the Shadow Demons, and the plot. Do not use them without my permission. This disclaimer applies to all the chapters I write for this story.

I would absolutely love to answer any questions, so please send in any questions you've got. Responses will be at the end of the chapter.

.: .The Lost Princess.: .

CHAPTER FOURTEEN—'I'M WATCHING YOU'

by: Cecile Li

Recap.

"Is this real? Are you sure you're not kidding me?" Keiko wanted to believe, but she was too sensible to just fall for something.

"I'm not kidding. I think…I think you are the lost princess."

Keiko sat down hard, her blue eyes wide in shock. Was this possible? Could she have come from another world? Could she be a princess? She knew every little girl wanted to be a princess when they were growing up, but could this actually be possible? Could she be the beautiful, gorgeous, princess of the sky?

Remembering what Ms. Kizuka had said when she was in the hospital, she wondered if this all tied together. Or was Ms. Kizuka just crazy?

Chihiro peered at her. "Keiko. Are you okay? You're all pale."

Keiko smiled a little. "I'm fine, just a little shocked." Keiko pressed her cold hands against her face. Oh how she wanted to be the thrice-lovely princess! "Are you sure I am?"

Chihiro nodded. "You're adopted, you have the most pretty blue eyes I've ever seen, and you look just like the princess." Chihiro kneeled down, next to Keiko. "Do you want to return home?"

Keiko looked down at the faded carpeting. "It would be nice to be away from here." From Ryo.

Chihiro sighed loudly. "I guess I can take you back. Would you like to go now?"

Keiko shrugged. "It doesn't matter. You…you will tell Ryo I'm gone right?"

Chihiro looked at her ceiling tentatively. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just stay in the Spirit World too. Just to keep you company."

Keiko turned to her, her eyes filled with tears. "Will you?"

Chihiro smiled sadly. "Of course." If I go back with her, she and Haku…Chihiro shook her head to clear the bad thoughts. It would be too selfish not to bring Keiko to her rightful home and fiancé. Sora had already said; the sky princess and Haku loved each other so much.

"At least we won't smell Naoko there." Both girls laughed at that, a sad laugh that neither knew the meaning of.

Sora crouched down in the rose bushes surrounding Chihiro's house, her dark hair catching onto the branches of the bush. When she heard the two girls laugh, she clenched her knife tightly. Once they went out to go to the Spirit World, she'd strike and dump their bodies in the Kohaku River.

I should be the perfect princess, laughing and dreaming of my beloved Prince Kohaku. I should be the one! Sora thought staring intently at the two, breathing heavily. And I will be…once I kill her once and for all. This time…I'll make sure she's dead.

A sudden movement in the bush next to her startled her. A 17-year-old boy turned to look at her.

"Why, who is this but Sora Kasama? A servant of Yubaba's, if I'm not mistaken. But also a fallen Sky Dragon who sold her wings to the Shadow Demons to help murder the princess. Why are you here, Sora Kasama, traitor above all traitors?"

Sora's hands trembled from anger. "Welcome, honorable Master. As usual, you are correct in everything, except for one matter. The princess is not dead."

"That of course, is right. How must we solve this pesky little problem, beautiful Sora?"

The wily demon was toying with her, she realized. She calmed her shaking hands, and stared at him. "You already have a plan in motion."

Ryo's green eyes glittered at her in the dim light from Chihiro's house. "Of course I do. I wouldn't be the greatest Shadow Demon if I didn't would I?"

He was just as arrogant as before. What an overconfident jerk. How she would love to bring him down. "The greatest Shadow Demon wouldn't be reduced to using others' bodies, would he?" She replied off-handedly, watching Chihiro again.

She felt a sharp jab on her wrist. As she turned to Ryo, a knife cut into her slender neck. "That is just a warning, lovely Sora Kasama. Do not play with the greatest Shadow Demon." He stood up and started walking away. "We will be waiting in the woods when they come. Do not do anything stupid again."

Sora wiped at the blood dripping onto her dress. Glaring at the two girls, she felt even more hatred toward the princess. "Kanna…I'm watching you."

Chihiro now knew it was not a good idea to offer Keiko some eggnog. Especially homemade eggnog that someone had unknowingly spiked with some cheap alcohol.

Keiko's eyes were rimmed in red and she kept giggling at something in her mind. Dropping her cup in a spell of laughter, she finally stopped and smiled drunkenly at Chihiro.

Chihiro felt a pang of fear. What if Keiko was really drunk? What should she do? How could she know that Keiko would get that drunk on eggnog? She got up and tried to pry the cup away from Keiko.

"Did you know" Keiko leered unpleasantly in Chihiro's face "that I loved Ryo? And he loved me?"

Chihiro froze. She thought Keiko's family was friends with Ryo's, but she always thought that Keiko hated Ryo as much as she did.

Keiko relaxed into her chair, tilting her head back and laughing again. "Then you came. And he said he wanted to marry you. And he never told me. I can't…I can't live without Ryo. I can't live without my Prince Charming." She collapsed in a fit of newfound giggles despite the serious things she was saying. "Isn't that funny?"

Chihiro didn't know what to say. Her head was spinning with this new information. If Keiko said she couldn't live without Ryo…was that the reason she tried to commit suicide? Then if she did that because Ryo wanted to marry her…then it was all her fault?

"I know. Poor me right? Feel sorry for the poor little adopted girl who was rejected by Ryo. Before you, I had it all. I felt pretty, Ryo loved me, and my parents were even getting excited for me about Ryo. Then it all fell apart. You were better then me, prettier, nicer, and Ryo loved you." Keiko's bottom lip trembled and she looked right into Chihiro's eyes. "I want to hate you for ruining my life. I want to hate you for making me not able to hate you. Because I like you. You're the best friend I've ever had. And I can't hate you even if you are better than me."

Chihiro felt herself start to cry and reach out to Keiko. How could this happen to Keiko? How could she do this to Keiko"I'm so sorry Keiko. I didn't know anything."

Keiko closed her eyes, drained. "It's really not your fault, Chihiro. I'm just a messed-up jealous girl." She sagged against Chihiro's shoulder, falling asleep from all the eggnog and alcohol she drank.

Chihiro couldn't help but think of the resemblance of Keiko's story and hers. Putting a blanket over Keiko gently, Chihiro wished more than ever she had stayed in the Spirit World.

Author Note: I know this is short and I feel terrible for not updating sooner. ( I shudder to think of how many times I have apologized. I really am horrible at updating) But this chapter I wrote at the time was too short and I had to write more.

No responses this time; I want to get it up as soon as possible.

I'm searching for a beta that reads Spirited Away and/or Hana Yori Dango. Preferably reads Hana Yori Dango. If you want to please email me (xcecilelix or IM me through AOL (tangerinexkiss) or just review.

POLL

Would you rather me update short chapters more frequently or update long chapters less frequently?

Please answer the poll; that way I can figure out how I can update more efficiently.

Cecile Li