Edge of The Ocean
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or any of its characters.
A/N: From here on end it should get a bit more interesting… Enjoy!
Once again Chihiro sat in her car, but this time she stared at the ever flowing river that pilled at her very soul so strongly. She got out of the car, listening for the beep that told her the car had locked and when satisfied made her way down to the river's banks.
"Hello again…" She said to the river, smiling at it and waiting as if it would answer back. "Sorry I haven't visited in a while…" She said and sat down near the water, idly running her fingers along it, creating ripples where her hand went.
"Why do you draw me so? Why do I keep dreaming of you?" She said to it but not really asking it the question. She asked the question but she did not know just who she was asking it to. "Those green eyes... who is he... why does he remind me of a... childhood friend? Is that who he is? But... I don't remember having childhood friends... I know I dreamt of a fantastical land... but that was a dream... right?" she said.
For the first time in eight years she was unsure of herself. Two years after the "incident" with her parents she had began to forget things, like where the "spirit world" was... when she tried to go back to it she always ended up going through the tunnel and ending up in more forest... nothing like a field or a theme-park she remembered.
She had tried several times during those two years but never again could she get to her destination. She had decided that it was best left alone... best forgotten... and with that decision her heart hardened and her mind closed... and she forgot the people most dear to her.
She always felt ashamed of her decision but she never knew why... it was after all just a childish fantasy ...right? But now... something pulled at her heart, forced her to go to the river she spent most of her life restoring and... and what? What did it want? What did she want... what did HE want? The boy from her dreams... the boy that had... promised her... Her eyes widened with a sudden memory.
She was standing on a hill, overlooking a vast amount of lush, green, grassy fields that had once been filled with water, keeping her from going home. On the other side was her way back to her parents who were waiting for her.
"There's no water here! I can walk across now..." Ten year old Chihiro said with a hint of regret. A boy - no older than fourteen - with neatly combed black hair and smooth porcelain skin held her hand as he stood by her.
...The same boy from her dreams...
The boy smiled a ghost of a smile, also not really liking the idea of his beloved friend leaving.
"...And I can't go any further." he said and turned to her; his face was solemn and serious. "Just go back the way you came, you'll be fine. You'll have to promise not to look back. Not until you've passed through the tunnel." Her ten year old self turned to the boy, sad and doubtful.
"What about you? What'll you do?" She asked him. The boy smiled before answering.
"Don't worry - I'll go back and have talk with Yubaba. I'll tell her I'm going to quit being her apprentice. I'm fine... I got my name back!" he said, stepping a little closer.
"Will we meet again some time?" She asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly. The boy smiled again and responded in a softer, soothing voice.
"Sure we will." He answered.
"Promise??" She asked him.
"I promise." The boy said and pulled on her hand. "Now go... and don't look back..." he said softly. They parted, there hands reluctantly pulling apart as they drifted away from each other...
For some reason the softness in his voice didn't seem like something that would be there all the time. Chihiro felt tears sting her eyes. "Kohaku... Kohak... Haku?" Chihiro had meant to speak again to the river, ask it about the sudden memory of this boy "Haku" ...her friend... he was connected to the river in some way!
But she was all of a sudden over-come with fatigue and she felt something tug at her, forcing her to fall on the grassy banks of the river. Once she fell and her eyelids shut she fell into unconsciousness.
The river overflowed a bit, lifting her off the ground and pushing her deeper into the waters. Chihiro floated harmlessly on the waters as they pulled her down stream. If anyone where to be watching at this moment they would be alarmed to find the river speeding her down and toward a small world-pool.
Chihiro felt herself floating calmly at first but then the water speed picked up and she felt herself chocking. Suddenly she was going very fast and spinning around. Before she knew it she felt her body being sucked into something; she tried to open her eyes – to open her mouth and cry out for help but she couldn't.
She felt her body tensing, expecting to feel water fill her lungs but… no… instead the water pulled her into something and she was spinning and spinning, round and round, very quickly…
And then… there was nothing.
Yubaba had been having a rough time ever since "Sen" had left; people just didn't seem to have the "spirit" in the job anymore. They worked sure but they never really seemed as cheerful. Yubaba couldn't understand how a lowly human child could have brightened them so but then again, she too had found a tiny soft spot for the girl – not that she'd ever admit it to anyone.
She flew over the river that belong to her former apprentice and idly wondered where he was; was Haku part of his river again? Or just roaming the world looking for something to do? She was snapped out of her thoughts when she spotted something on the banks of said river.
"Hmph… it's probably some human who got lost in the spirit world again." She mumbled to herself but suddenly she stopped and circled back around to get a better look at the human, or rather, a better smell at it. "That human smells familiar!!" she said in shock and landed near it. She peered down at the unconscious form and crept closer.
"It can't be… can it? I thought she left…" She muttered to herself as she pushed the human over to get a look at her face. Once she did she gasped and recoiled in astonishment. It WAS Sen but …older… "Hmm… she doesn't look like she's been here for long, or she would have started disappearing." She said aloud and then a wicked grin crossed her wrinkled face.
"Looks like I found myself another apprentice…" She said and laughed to herself. She looked over at her pet the Yu-Bird and with a flick of her wrist tripled its size. Yu-Bird squawked in shock. "Yu-Bird! Grab ahold of this human and take her to my office!" She barked. Yu-Bird blinked down at the familiar smelling human and carefully took hold of her shoulders.
"Get going." Yubaba said again as she looked over the river. As Yu-Bird flew off Yubaba crouched by the river; inspecting it. Then she saw what she was looking for. She "Hmph'd" once more after catching sight of the dissolving world-pool and sneered at the river. "My, my, you just have plans of your own now don't you? Bringing a helpless human into the spirit world… Where is your master I wonder?" She spoke to the river. The river gurgled in response, making Yubaba's brow rise from the answer.
"My sister? Just-Nevermind… I don't care to know." She said and spun on her heels, ready to take off again. "Tell your master this. If he ever wants his precious human to stay free than he should consider coming back to me." Said the witch and with that she wrapped her cloak around herself once more and took off.
End A/N: Hmm… I wonder what Yubaba has planned? Do you think she feels scorned after loosing her apprentice? Humm… now she might have something to get him back! –Gasp- omigosh! Blackmail?? Well… maybe… maybe not… you'll just have to stay tuned to find out ;D