A/N: Last chapter wasn't that short. It was just over three pages, which is pretty good for a starting chapter of a story, anyways, I am planning on making this chapter longer then my last one without getting sidetracked.

Chapter 2: Memories

"Guys, maybe we should getting going now, it's getting dark…" Chihiro told her friends.

"We're old enough to stay out after dark by ourselves," Yuki and Teran chimed, leaning over the railing and watching the train below them, "Chihiro calm down, at least try to enjoy yourself."

Something had awakened within these girls, there was no fear. Chihiro felt very fearful, she was scared, she had that feeling of deja-vu, and all she had of this place were hazy memories that she could hardly remember.

Detecting another presence, Chihiro spun around, a young girl, around fourteen or thirteen, stood there. "Kami above!" she spoke, drawing all of their attention, "What are you humans doing here?"

"Humans…?" Dia spoke. She looked at the girl, who stared back at her with equal fevor. Yuki and Teran looked around at the young girl.

The girl's eyes snapped from Dia to Yuki, she smiled, and tears flew from her eyes as she threw herself at Yuki, almost knocking her off her feet yelling, "Onee-san!"

"Err…" Yuki looked down at the girl's pale blue hair. The girl was embracing her as if there was no tomorrow.

"Yuki-chan! I thought you had abandoned me, and yet you are here with these people…" she was crying now. "Everything has changed. Aku-dono, he killed… the mistress and her son and has taken over the bathhouse! He beats us when we stand up to him! I haven't seen Masshiro-shan for a long time. This man he takes pleasure in the torturing of us."

Something must have snapped in Yuki, for she held the girl to her, "Aiso-chan…"

"They're lighting the lamps," Chihiro said worriedly. The lamps were lighting, and the shadows seemed to be moving.

Aiso snapped out her reverie, She grabbed Yuki's arm, who grabbed Teran's arm, Teran grabbed Chihiro, and Chihiro seized Dia. They ran, their feet padding heavily down on the street, soon, strange being began to flood the streets, and Aiso dragged them down a side street and into a trash filled alley.

"Are any of you disappearing?" Aiso asked, her voice slightly high.

There was a collective no from everyone, Aiso seemed relieved, "That was close. Aku-dono detests humans. But he finds them indispensible when it comes to laboring. You guys' will have to get jobs up at the bathhouse."

Chihiro moaned and cradled her head in her hands, images kept flooding through them. Some which she hoped would have remained hidden, the shadow, the enchanments, the owner of the bathhouse, Sen…

Teran wrapped her arm around Chihiro, "What's wrong?"

Chihiro leaned into Teran as her memories ended, the image of a boy with shoulder length black hair (A/N: I'm so unsure of the hair color… T.T I'll call it black, since I'm guessing here…). "Ha… Haku…" she murmured before fainting.

"Shit," Teran swore. "Now what?"

"We wait till she awakens," Aiso replied calmly. "Onee-san, why did you come back? You left without saying anything."

Yuki had pulled her knees up to her chest, and held them there, "I ran away."

"You ran away from what?" Dia asked curiously. "What's going on here? Yuki what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange sense we got here."

"It's coming back to me," Yuki spoke slowly. "I was imprisoned here in a trick. Imouto-san and I were sent here because of the debt our family owed Yubaba. We were the payment.

"I left because I needed a life of my own. I fled to the far Northern reaches of the Canadian country. I stayed there until I felt the snow shift."

"What do you mean 'the snow shift'?" Teran asked, still supporting Chihiro.

"Yuki-chan is the spirit of snow," Aiso replied. "We are two parts of a whole, ice and snow. I am ice and Yuki is snow.

"My one question is how you three," she gestured to Chihiro, Teran, and Dia, "Are able to remain as you are without needing to eat the food from this world."

"Is that strange?" Dia asked.

"For a human yes, one under the protection of a spirit or is a spirit themselves, then no. It depends on your being. Sages can survive in this realm."

"Aiso-chan, what happened to Yubaba and her son? The snow shifted in the slightest," Yuki added in.

"I don't know the details," aiso replied sadly. "Although business is better, Aku-dono has beaten many of us. And since he took over two months ago, I haven't seen Haku-sama, who stood up for us and defended us."

"Haku-sama is a river spirit so he should survive torture," Yuki replied.

Dia broke in, "Poisons can weaken even their immune systems and cause them to lose their ability to heal fast."

"I forgot about that," Yuki replied. "But that can take years to discover a recipe."

Aiso shook her head, "His body can produce this poison, it took me two weeks to heal from one of his lashings."

"So he's torturing this guy?" Teran asked, her eyes alight with animal feriousity. Teran had very good ideals, and hated people who tortured others. "We've got to stop this!"

Aiso and Yuki nodded their agreement, Dia looked at the wall, and didn't answer, her lips were stock still, Aiso spoke, "Until then we have to get you four jobs. Aku-don will not recongnize Onee-san, so she is safe, I am fearful for all of your lives…"

Chihiro stirred and pushed herself into a kneeling position before saying, "I remember everything…"

Man, there, I actually have chapter three typed and ready to go, which is VERY good, and I've already started chapter four, so be happy for me. Anyways, I think I threaten you guys once again.

(pulls out old machine gun)MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FEAR THE CRAZED AUTHORESS WITH A MACHINE GUN! (begins firing at reviewers who hide behind bullet proof metal walls, I rub out of ammo)Shit... AHHHHHH! (runs away while reviewers begin stabbing me with little pocket knives which hurt a lot) I'LL SEE YOU IF I LIVE! (continues running)