1Spirited Away- My Way
Chapter 5- Play the Game
"This island is very disturbing." said Daniel.
"I think it's fascinating." said Higashi, "In a strange, creepy, 'going to eat your soul' sort of way."
The group heard a moaning, Higashi's favorite post was coming out of her paralysis. Natsu looked around and started to panic.
"Where in the world am I? What are you freaks doing here?" she shouted while running around.
"Natsu, relax." said Dr. Izumi. "We're here helping Chihiro get her parents back from and evil warlock."
"Guah! That's even worse! How am I supposed to watch TV, or go to the mall, or... or..."
"Take a shower?" mentioned Daniel.
"He's right! We're stranded on this island without running water or indoor plumbing!"
Natsu started to cry. She hadn't been outside of the city in her life and wasn't used to 'roughing it'.
"I'm never going to get home. It's not like I had anything to go home to. Mom and Dad always arguing over every little thing. Dad's drinking and mom's getting sick all the time." she sobbed.
"Look Natsu, we'll get out of here when we find a plant called Bloodthorn. If you want to get out of here, we need to work together." said Chihiro.
The group split up into two teams of Higashi, Daniel, and Chihiro, and Kohaku, Natsu and Dr. Izumi.
Higashi, Daniel, and Chihiro
The trio searched the tropical jungle that seemed to harbor no animal life. The only sound was the plants growing and the group going through the jungle.
"Chihiro, I want to tell you something..." said Daniel.
"What?" said Chihiro, looking through the undergrowth.
"I've wanted to tell you... that... ever since I saw you, I thought about it and... I think I love you." said Daniel.
Both Higashi and Chihiro were startled at Daniel's sudden confession.
"Daniel... I don't know what to say. But I'm sorry. I only like you as a friend." said Chihiro, blushing madly.
Only as a friend. Those words echoed in Daniel's mind.
He gave a false smile and said, "Okay then. I guess I was a little insane."
They continued on and Daniel continued to put up the same false smile. Only as a friend.
Izumi, Kohaku, and Natsu.
The doctor, Natsu, Kohaku trudged through the forest.
"It sounds like your parents have issues they need to work out." said Kohaku.
"They do. The only reason they stay together is so that I can have a proper childhood. They always try to buy my love with expensive gifts and vacations. I don't know whether or not its actual love." said Natsu.
"Be thankful that they love you enough to stay together." said Izumi, " I didn't have parents. I was a trouble maker. A nasty little brat that did what ever she wanted. Until somebody showed me what would happen if I continued on my self destructive path. I never got his name, but he helped me get where I am today."
"I've had it worse. From what I'm told I was a river spirit that lost his memories when my river was destroyed to make an apartment. Then I was a servant in a Bath house until Chihiro helped me. Then I left and lost my memories again." said Kohaku.
"Looks like we all have our stories." said Natsu.
Back at their unofficial base camp, the group meet up again unsuccessful in their search for the plant. They decided to call it a day (It's hard to tell when the island is in eternal night ) and go to bed for the night.
While they were sound asleep, something crawled out of the forest. It was at least five and a half feet tall and it's back was covered in pointy spines. It's face almost skeletal, and it's body covered in a thick grey fur. It pulled out one it's spines with a sickening noise a just touched it on each of the group members. The effects of the spine could be seen almost immediately. Each person reeled back and started to move like they where having nightmares. And they were.
Daniel
He found himself in Owari's citadel. And its ominous lord looking down on him. He took a step back and there was Chihiro, heaped up on the ground. He got up and ran over to her. He looked at her, shook her, and called her name. Nothing. Chihiro was dead. His eyes started to mist and he spun around to Owari. He started to laugh at Daniel's pain.
Natsu
She woke up in her bed room. It's walls were painted red and gold and her mahogany furniture stood out. She thought it was all a dream. The creepy island, Chihiro and her freaky friends. She walked downstairs and found the black figure of Owari. He seemed to disappear with a maniacal chuckling. She looked for her mother and father. There was no one else in the entire house. Only Natsu and the laughing of Owari. The only reason she made fun of others was to cover her own pain of possibly losing her parents. Now they were gone and she was all alone.
Izumi
Dr. Izumi was floating in the ether and the black figure of Owari appeared again. And the evil sorcerer open a hole in the void. She saw a little girl with black curly hair. The little girl sulked and walked down the alley way when she ran into a man in a long over coat.
"Watch where you're going!" said the girl.
The man looked down at her and frowned.
"Such an attitude. Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners?" said the man.
"Shut Up. My parents are gone and dead."
"How sad. You need a little direction."
"I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help."
The girl ran away from the man. The man grabbed the girl by the shoulder.
"Girl, you do need help. Your just a little brat that needs a little guidance. Do you want to end up a bum on the streets? Or perhaps a thief, taking whatever you feel like from innocent people?"
"No. I don't."
"Well, I want you to follow me."
The girl followed the man to an orphanage.
"Why are we here?"
"These people here are willing to help you. They will help you get an education and find guidance in your life. Always remember, good things happen to good people."
The rift closed and Owari spoke.
"That was a lie you know. That small kindness he did you was only a prelude to his fate. He was hit by a truck a week later."
He laughed and Mai started to cry. Her savior was dead and she never thanked him for anything.
Higashi
The forest spirit was flying around through the trees. Until she came on to every forest spirits worst nightmare- a clear cut section of the forest. She boiled over with rage. Humans senselessly destroying natures gifts. She continued on and found out that the entire forest was cut down. The earth zoomed out and all she saw was a brown wasteland. She started to cry. All the creatures without homes, and the greenhouse effect raging out of control. Her home was destroyed.
Kohaku
It is unusual that a person that only had barely two weeks of a new life would have a fear. But he did. He was in front of his new friends and they were looking at him with judgmental eyes. He wanted to know what was going on, but they cut him off. They berated him calling him a loser, a pathetic shell, that he had no friends and family.
Chihiro
Chihiro was alone in the forest. She continued forward and found a giant pile of dark branches with crimson colored thorns.
"This must be the Bloodthorn." she assumed.
"Good observation Chihiro." came a voice.
She span around and found Owari.
She swung at him and it went through his body.
"Now now Chihiro, I only came to talk."
"Why did you send us here? Why?"
"Creatures inhabit this island that cause horrible nightmares. They are only known as Nightmare Weavers and they feed off of the fear that you generate. If I were to come, my nightmares would be so horrible, that the creatures would pass on to the physical world and hunt humans actively. Last time that happened, some humans went temporarily insane and killed people they deemed as witches. If you get the plant, I'll hold on to my end of the bargain and Kohaku will get his memories back and your precious friends and family."
"One more thing; why? Why do you want to destroy the world?"
"Humans are simply xenophobic. They hate anything that's different from them. They took one look at me and tried to kill me. All because of what marks me as an outsider."
His cape flew open and revealed an arm comprised entirely of darkness. The arm became many strands and wrapped around Chihiro.
"This might be a dream, but you can still feel it. Keep in mind, I'm watching you."
The arm completely encased her and she shot up in a cold sweat. The others were watching her.
"Chihiro. I guess you had a nightmare as well?" said Higashi.
"Yes. There are monsters that feed off of our nightmares on this island. They cause them and feed on us while we sleep." said Chihiro, "Owari came to me in my dream and I found the Bloodthorn."
"Do you remember where it is?" said Dr. Izumi.
"Yeah, lets go."
The group ran through the forest, following Chihiro. They found a pile of the weed and plucked it from the ground. When they did everyone started to disappear, and when they could see again, they were in front of the real Owari.
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Oh yeah, yet another chapter in the bag! Don't miss the epic conclusion.
Chapter 6- Win
The final chapter, the climax. Will Chihiro achieve her goal and save the world? Find out next!
