Disclaimer: I don't own spirited away.
Sunlight, soft sparrow, laughing wave and wind chime - seven times seven, all the court of heaven -yours and mine
Beyond the doorway was the image of an open pavillion, leading out into the great, wide gardens she had glimpsed before in their tentative exploration -grander and more whimsical in its landscape than she had fathomed. The moon hanging high and heavy in the sky, casting the room in bright, soft light -as if it where midday and not perpetual midnight in this space of blurred lines and half existence.
And all around her where beings, dancing in the midst of celebration -ladies in kimono that flowed around them as if caught underwater, tiny goblins -looking like the messengers of the underworld from every picture book she'd ever read. Creatures that barely resembled the animals of her mortal world -playing instruments with their paws. Creating music that sounded like howling and pouring rain and laughter -drawing a gasp from her lips that merely blended into their songs as if created for them.
And as her dragon came forward to usher her into the room, wrapping around her in coils of shimmering white and seafoam,-a plethora of gleeful voices chorused like a crescendo of life that was slowly enveloping her, pulling her further into the space.
"Welcome, Chihiro Ogino, of the Village by the Sea, to the realm of spirits!"
Hands reached for her own, paws and fingertips and claws. Beckoning her toward the open space of the gardens, where the real celebration was to be had.
"This is for you, Chihiro Ogino - we the spirits of the land have come to thank you, and to honor your betrothal to the River." a fox told her as he bowed before her -a rakish grin curling at his lips -revealing a set of wicked fangs.
"To thank me?" she asked, both over and underwhelmed in ways she could never put into words -spinning as she tried to take in the image before that was both wonderful and terrifying and beyond belief. A sight not meant for mortal eyes.
"Awaken one god, little dog, and awaken them all." the dragon whispered in her ear, and there was amusement there -even as the words poured from his jaws like a hurricane with the implications they held. "In saving me from becoming a fallen god -in returning my name to the mortal world, you awakened the earth, and all the spirits that preside over it. From the great mountain to the sparrow. You awakened them from the slumber that would have taken their immortality and turned them into nothing more than ashes and mist and memory. This is their gift to you -little mortal. Gift, and apology, for the great wrong wrought to you in return for the act."
His words enveloped her -suffocating in their meaning, and yet infinitely freeing. Finally giving meaning to the memories that plagued her dreams with nightmares that sounded like whale song and looked like the bright flash of sharks as they circled.
And as she let them take her over, Chihiro was lost.
Note: So this chapter ended up much much longer than I anticipated it becoming. I was kind of just going to go with the approach of no dialogue - just the idea of this grand celebration with no words because gods don't need explanations. But then, your heroine isn't a god -and neither are my readers, so i expanded upon it and i so hope that you all like it. And as always, reviews are a wonderful thing to leave.