Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away. They are the soul property of Hayao Miyazaki and I will never own them. Why do we need this stupid disclaimer anyway?
A young girl called Chihiro was laying down in the back seat of her family's car. staring emptily at the bouquet of flowers that she had received. Attached was a card that said: "I'll miss you, Chihiro. Your best friend, Rumi."
"Chihiro," her father, Akio, said, "Chihiro, we're almost there."
"This really is the middle of nowhere, I'll have to go to the next town to shop." Yuuko, who was Chihiro's mother, told them.
You see, Chihiro and her parents were moving to a new location in their home country of Japan, and Chihiro wasn't too happy about the whole experience. She was a spoiled little ten-year-old and was very whiny. She didn't like new things at all and was grouchy that day.
"we'll just have to learn to like it," Akio said, ending all of the thoughts of complaining. Then he pointed out the window to the right. "Look, Chihiro, there's your new school. Looks great, doesn't it?"
Chihiro rolled her eyes lazily and sat up, looking at where her father pointed. "It doesn't look so bad," said Yuuko, trying to convince her daughter.
Chihiro narrowed her eyes angrily at the school out the window and stuck out her tongue childishly, then laid back down on the seat. "It's gonna stink." she said, "I liked my old school... Mom! My flowers are dying!"
Yuuko looked behind her and saw how Chihiro was holding the pink carnations. "I told you not to smother them like that. We'll put them into water when we get to our new home."
"I finally get a bouquet and it's a good-bye present," Chihiro lamented, "that's depressing."
"Daddy bought you a rose for your birthday. Don't you remember?" Yuuko asked.
"Yeah, one. One rose isn't a bouquet."
Chihiro's mother began to get annoyed of her daughter's complaining, so she said, "Hold on to the card that Rumi gave you, I'm opening the window. And quit complaining, it's FUN to move to a new place... It's an adventure."
Chihiro wasn't really listening, she was just staring aimlessly out the window. Akio slowed the car and took a right turn. The road suddenly stopped and instead of a concrete road, there was a dirt one. He halted the car. "Wait, did I take the wrong turn? This can't be right."
"Look," Yuuko said as she pointed up the hill, "there's our house."
"Huh?"
"It's the blue one on the end."
"Oh, you're right." Akio said, "I must have missed the turn-off."
'That's how it all started,' Chihiro thought, 'that's how I met Haku.'
As Miedo was packing all the necessary items for the both of them, Chihiro was wondering what Haku would think of her. Would he not want Miedo there? Would he like her? What would her reaction be when she found out he was a... No, Chihiro would tell her before she would have to witness it.
"Okay, I'm ready when you are, Chihiro." Miedo's voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Can I ask why you're coming?" Chihiro inquired.
A shadow fell across Miedo's face. "I'd rather you didn't,"
"You're right, all I need to know is that I'll be with my best friend in the whole world."
The companions smiled and gave each other a big hug, then came apart and headed out the door. Miedo's parents weren't home, so there was no need to go out the window or use any kind of stealth.
They found the old dirt road that Chihiro's parents accidentally drove down so long ago and walked, walked until they came to the old building, then Chihiro stopped. "Are you okay?" asked Miedo.
"Yeah," Chihiro said, "I was just looking at this building. It looks exactly the way it was."
They both looked at it thoughtfully and continued on. Miedo was a little scared and clung to Chihiro's arm as they walked. If she was scared, all thoughts of seeing Haku again chased her fear away and she patiently dealt with Miedo's clinging. After all, she'd done the same thing when she first came through the tunnel.
Miedo and Chihiro arrived into the train station room where there were benches and stained glass windows. Miedo heard the train and got excited. "Awesome! Are we almost there? I want to see this 'Haku' that you speak so highly of! I wonder what he's like? You have a crush on him don't you, Chihiro?"
Chihiro blushed and said, "Why are you so hyper now?"
Miedo smiled creepily. "The coffee's kicking in."
"Oh, great..." Chihiro groaned, but smiled too.
Miedo began skipping behind her and humming. There was light at the end of the tunnel now and they both began to run, ending up in a lush, green field with the same freaky looking monkey statues that Chihiro remembered.
Miedo was mesmerized by the beauty of the field and was no longer coffee-drunk. When she had calmed down a little more they set off again through the old restaurants. Chihiro had already told Miedo that she couldn't eat the food of the spirits, so they stopped and ate the food that they brought with them. While she took a bite of apple, Miedo looked to the right and saw a bridge. "Hey, Chihiro, is that the bridge you talked about?" she asked with her mouth full.
Chihiro looked where Miedo was pointing and gasped,. It was! And it was also almost time for the train to run under the bridge. She stood up after hurriedly packing away all of the food, besides the apple Miedo was eating, grabbed her hand, and pulled her off towards the bridge.
For a moment they both forgot why they were at the bridge in the first place; they were too busy leaning against the railing and admiring the beauty of the sunset. "Chihiro?" Miedo asked.
"Yes?"
"Will you answer me truthfully if I ask you something?"
Chihiro thought a moment before answering. "Sure I will." Why wouldn't she? Miedo was her best friend, after all.
Miedo looked her friend in the eyes before continuing. "Do you love Haku?"
Chihiro gasped and blushed, but smiled too. "I... Uhh..."
The companions were unaware that they were being watched. "Yes, Chihiro," a voice asked, "Do you love him?"
They turned slowly around to look at the person and Chihiro screamed with glee.
Sorry, a cliffy! I hate these too! I need at least one review before continuing. :)