Hey there! I realize that this is a really fluffy story. Lol. I wanted it to have a light fluffy feel to it; after all, it is a Miyazaki film. Very family oriented… He doesn't really do drama and angst, except in Mononoke Hime, and maybe Tales of Earthsea.

–Kero. (5/11/09)

Chapter 7: Long Long Way to Go

Chihiro scowled at the downpour from underneath her tent. The dripping lines of water fell like a beaded curtain of crystals, disappearing into a muddy puddle on the floor just outside the tent doorway and awning. She wrapped her blanket closer around her shoulders to keep out the chill. The purplish clouds covered the sky and nighttime stars with a thick layer of gloom. Chihiro's spirits definitely matched the scenery.

The minute they had ventured out of the Zeniba's domain, which was also protected by her magical wards, they encountered inclement weather and more obstacles. If it wasn't a downpour, it was flooding. If it wasn't flooding, it was a fallen tree obscuring their path. Chihiro wondered if they would ever reach the mouth of the river at this rate. What she wouldn't give for an all terrain vehicle, or even a burro. Kaonashi, who was sitting next to her, fascinated at the droplets of relentless water draining from the roof of the tent, looked at his sullen friend. He reached one of his shadowy, skinny arms over to pat her on the back as if consoling her. Humans, after all, were always in such haste. Unlike spirits, who had all the time in the world.

"Thanks, Kaonashi. I'm okay. I'm just a little worried about Kohaku. I can't help but feel that time is of the essence," she sighed. Kaonashi nodded in agreement. Bo and Yu Bird tended to the small portable fire and foot warmer in the center of their large tent. If it wasn't so soggy outside, Chihiro might have been enjoying the camping trip. She couldn't remember the last time she and her parents had gone camping in Kyushu, but she remembered it was fun. They always had the habit of taking their only daughter with them for any vacation. Chihiro sighed, wondering if her parents had put out a police report on her disappearance yet.

The four of them, keeping dry in the tent, were by no means uncomfortable. The interior of this tent was richly furnished with Persian carpets, sitting cushions, a low table and waterproof lining. It was a donation from Yubaba. Zeniba had provided some dried meats and sausages, unbreakable tea cups and dinnerware, as well as the heating lamp and a pot. They even had their own sleeping bags. She had no intention of letting Chihiro "rough it" in the wilderness. Amazingly, everything folded up nicely into a backpack that Kaonashi usually carried. Through some magical charm, the backpack was much lighter than expected and even Chihiro could carry it. A magic spell made the tent much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Still, not even these comforts were enough to raise her spirits at a time like this.

The previous night, she had dreamt of Kohaku, and in her dream she saw that he was battered and bruised from fighting. There was such a lonely look in his eyes that made her heart cry. She wanted to call out to him but didn't know what to say. They were standing in a large stone hall, tall high ceilings elegantly carved with large stone pillars created by old magic, centuries past. Chihiro had the distinct impression that this was under the sea in the Dragon King's palace. The light through the colorful stained glass windows wavered and waned like the sun's rays through moving waters. He looked past her as if she were invisible. In silence he walked away from her and she tried to call his name. He didn't answer. She tried to follow him, but found him already gone. In her dream, she heard herself say, Why do you always leave me behind? Can't I follow you? Then she woke up.

"Chihiro," squeaked Bo the Rat, who had been very quiet at his corner of the tent as he was pouring over the map with a magnifying glass as big as he was that he pulled out of god knows where.

"What is it, Bo?" she asked.

"I was thinking about the path we're taking. Since the river we're following right now winds around so much, I thought it'd be faster traveling in a straight line. But, since that's not possible because of the soggy terrain, and the fact there are no bridges, I thought maybe we should get a boat and take the river down to the mouth. It would be wetter, and I can't swim, but definitely faster." Both Yu Bird and Kaonashi shook their heads in disapproval in unison.

"Wouldn't it be dangerous, Bo? We'd be riding the rough rapids and you admitted that you can't swim…," said Chihiro. Both Yu Bird and Kaonashi nodded their heads to agree with her in unison.

"But you're so sad right now…I just thought maybe it'd be better if we just got there quicker. You could see Master Kohaku and be happy again," sighed Bo sullenly. Chihiro looked at the fat purple rat and couldn't help but smile. She scooped him up and gave him a kiss.

"Thanks, Bo. But I want everyone to get there in one piece. We'll go the safest route, the long way," she replied, putting him back down on the low table. Kaonashi seemed to heave a sigh of relief.

"If Kohaku were here, he'd just take my hand and speed away like the wind." Chihiro gave a little weak laugh as she held her hand up to her face. She remembered the last time he had held her hand was in the forest, as they were attempting to retrieve the statuette from a group of demons. His hand had felt very warm when it held hers.

"But that would take days on foot, Chihiro," retorted the little rat rather sulkily. "I think we would be better off going by way of the river."

"Where can we find a boat? Do you have any ideas other than going by boat? I don't even know how to steer a boat in these conditions. I've never really been river rafting or anything," answered Chihiro. "And we don't have any life preservers."

"Well…"said the rat thoughtfully. "There IS one way…" he said slowly. His little paw was holding his chin and his little nose was twitching as the wheels in Bo's head were turning. Well, he IS Yubaba's boy. Cleverness must run in the family, thought Chihiro to herself.

CUT SCENE

"IIIEEEEAAAAAAH!" cried Chihiro as she clung on to dear life. But cling to WHAT exactly?

I take everything back; Bo is as crazy as his mother! she thought to herself. Chihiro, with Bo perched on her right shoulder and Yu-Bird clinging to her left, and Kaonashi crumpled behind her were traveling in a magical bubble, being propelled by Bo's thoughts. A large splash of water and engulfed the bubble riding the waves of the river, and the bubble passed through it, leaving the inside completely dry.

"I can't believe you convinced me to do this, Bo! Are you sure this is safe?" asked Chihiro, as her hands pressed up against the bottom of the bubble. Their mode of transport was hard, as if made of clear transparent glass, with no openings. But it remained cool inside, with plenty of air to breathe. The sphere itself took the colorful sheen of a soap bubble. Chihiro had no idea how Bo was keeping it so she wouldn't suffocate. She didn't know about spirits, but humans definitely needed oxygen.

"Trust me!" grinned the little rat, completely excited that his plan was working. Chihiro wondered if he had actually known from the beginning that this bubble idea would work; or was he using them as guinea pigs? She could equally imagine them sinking to the bottom of the river in the bubble and the little rat shrugging his furry shoulders saying, "Whoopsie, sorry guys. I thought it was going to work. Tee hee hee, my bad." Upon looking closer at the little rat perched on her shoulder, she knew he was really concentrating to keep the spell active. She thought it better at this point to stop asking unnecesary questions and let him steer.

With the finesse of a seasoned mariner, Bo did manage to avoid hitting rocks and running aground. They were winding down with the river to the delta, and it was definitely faster than going on foot.

"How long before we get to the river's end?" asked Chihiro over the sound of the water rushing past them.

"I think, by the end of the day," responded Bo.

"Good, I think Kaonashi is getting sea sick…" said Chihiro, patting her other friend on the shoulder. Kaonashi's mask had turned a slight shade of green ever since they had gotten into the bobbing bubble. "Hang in there, Kaonashi. Not much further now," she consoled. He nodded warily.

"Don't puke in here like you did in my mom's Bath House!" warned Bo. "I don't have any ventilation systems of that power designed in here!"

Do you have ANY sort of system designed in here? asked Chihiro to herself, looking around at their simple form of bubble transportation.

Just then, Yu-Bird started flapping its wings wildly. Chihiro looked at it puzzlingly, wondering what it was getting worked up about. Unlike Kaonashi, she had no idea what Yu-Bird was thinking most of the time. Yu Bird started to buzz around Bo.

"Stop it, Yu. I can't concentrate with you buzzing around my ears like that!" said Bo. Again, still concentrating on steering the bubble, he managed the avoid a rather large jagged rock sitting in the middle of the continually fast paced river. Then, his eyes went as wide and round as giant discs.

"What?" asked Chihiro. She looked ahead and saw the end of the river. Not exactly the end she was looking for. The river completely tapered off as if falling off the side of a table.

"WATERFALL?" squeaked Bo anxiously. He pulled the map out of Chihiro's book bag, flinging it open and looking around widly at the twisting shape of the river.

"There ISN'T a waterfall marked on here!" he said frantically. "All hands, REVERSE!" Chihiro wondered whose "hands" he was referring to as there was no other method of steering the bubble aside from Bo's magic. But at this point, she would've gotten out of the water and pushed if need be. Unfortunately it was too late to turn around as they were already caught in the flow of the tide, pulling them closer to the end.

"It's not working!" said Chihiro equally as anxious. "Can't you fly us out of here?"

"DO I LOOK LIKE A BIRD TO YOU?" cried the little rat. Suddenly they all stopped and looked expectantly at Yu Bird, who gulped anxiously. Surely, they didn't expect him to fly them all out of here?

"Can you make Yu Bird as big as Yubaba-san?" asked Chihiro.

"What are you trying to say about my mom?" asked Bo, rather insulted.

"No! I meant when she transforms into a bird! You've seen her right? She flies off early in the morning as a large bird going who knows where. Can you change him into that?" said Chihiro, exasperated.

"Oh, I see!" said the little rat with a nod, pounding his little fist down into an open paw.

"Okay, everyone listen. When Yu Bird transforms, I'm going to grab his neck. Kaonashi, you hang on to me. Bo, you stay on my shoulder and hold on tight. Got it?" Chihiro asked. Everyone gave a firm nod. Yu Bird broke out into a sweat.

"Don't worry, Yu, I'll make you big enough for everyone," smiled Bo.

"Have you ever done a spell like this before, Bo?" asked Chihiro cautiously.

"Nope," said Bo cheerfully. "But there's first time for everything, right?"

"Right…" answered Chihiro slowly. Kaonashi was looking greener by the minute.

Why do I have a BAD feeling about this? she thought to herself.

"But I can't pop the bubble until the very last minute. Otherwise, we'll drown in the river or we'll lose each other. This has to be timed right. Too early and he'll crush us inside the bubble with his size. Yu, the minute we reach the edge I'm going to transform you as the bubble disappears. Kick off with your feet and spread your wings immediately. Chihiro, I'm counting on you to grab on to Yu almost instantaneously."

"Roger," said Chihiro, rubbing her hands together and crouching on her feet in anticipation. Little Yu Bird looked a bit pale. The end was fast approaching.

"Here…we…GO!" cried Bo. In an instant the bubble was gone with a little "pop" sound. The cold feel of water in her shoes made her shiver as she was falling into the waves. She saw Yu Bird transform into a larger version of itself, like a giant crow. She grabbed onto its tail feathers as Yu Bird took flight. Not quite the neck hold she was hoping for. Her heart was racing as she held tightly onto the slippery feathers. The waves crested and fell, and it was a long, long way down. Chihiro felt as though she was staring down the last drop of the Splash Moutain ride at Tokyo Disney. Except, without the log. Or the rails. Or the the safety of modern technology, for that matter….

Eh he, hehe…I'm gonna die! she thought to herself as her heart leapt up into her throat.

Then they were falling. Chihiro found it hard to breathe in the air that was rushing past her. Her grip of the tail feathers was slipping. Gravity was pulling them down faster and faster. Apparently, the laws of physics worked much the same way in the spirit world as in the real world. Yu Bird fell beak first, like a missle, and then opened up its wings to slow its fall as the others caught up with him. Somehow, Chihiro managed to fall on top of Yu Bird and wrap her arms around its neck. Then, Kaonashi grabbed onto Chihiro's feet. Bo was clinging onto Chihiro's hair. But they were still falling. It wasn't until the very last minute that Yu Bird used the upward force of the air at the bottom of the waterfall and flapped hard to propel them back up and towards the sky. Chihiro looked around to check if her friends were still with her. She was relieved to find them all present. But, the sudden upheave motion really turned Kaonashi green.

Chihiro found it easier to breathe now, as they glided over the river. She looked ahead and thought she could see the river's mouth and the flat ocean beyond. Kohaku was just over that horizon.

"Whee!" cried Bo in delight.

"We're almost there, just hang on! Yu Bird, you can let us down by the side of the river, okay?" said Chihiro. Yu Bird squaked an approval and started descending towards the riverbank. Then, without warning, the group was startled by a sudden burst of light from below. A fireball flew up right past them and exploded above their heads. Then, another followed, just barely burning Yu-Bird's feathers. He gave out a great squawk of disapproval.

"We're being shot at?" exclaimed Bo incredulously. "Nobody told me we were going to be shot at!" With that, he lost his concentration and Yu Bird suddenly turned back into tiny Yu Bird.

Chihiro thought she heard Bo say, "Whoopsie," and they all went spiraling back down towards the water. Kaonashi and Chihiro crashed into the river with a hard splash. Chihiro lost sight of the other two before she fell in. Her lungs burned as she tried to breathe but remembered she didn't have any fish qualities and only water came into her mouth and nose. She felt herself tumbling along the river without any control, like a tumbleweed drifting on a strong wind current.

Kohaku, she thought. Then, darkness engulfed her.

Lol. A sudden cliff hanger... no pun intended. More to come... –Kero