Chihiro's POV
It has been four long years since I encountered the Spirit World.
Four years since I had to save my parents from becoming pigs.
Four years since I have seen Haku.
He said we would meet again. But I wonder, will we?
I close my eyes.
I have to admit I have physically changed as well. My tiny little eyes I had as a 10-year-old grew to be big, blue and emotionless. (The kind of eyes usually drawn for girls in the manga, the big ones)
My hair, long hair, which was usually donned in a high ponytail was cut short. It was a boyish cut, even shorter than a blob cut, with my bangs even thicker. (To visualize, refer to Hotaru Imai's haircut from Gakuen Alice, but a little longer and curlier, and the hair color is brown.)
Ever since I had left Spirit World, I buried myself in study. I studied, studied, and studied, because the laboring work filled in my loneliness of being gone from the one place I felt where I belonged the most.
"Chihiro! English is starting!" shrilled Anna.
I wiped the tears that had surprisingly spilled from my large aqua eyes, and pushed the curly brown side hair out of my face.
After I had left the Spirit World, I had earned my way to Star Academy, so that I can prove that I am a wonderful person.
"Darnn it, my tears are ruining my uniform," I sobbed. My uniform was expensive, costing me 300,000 yen, as the uniform was for a school for the brightest of the brightest. It was a white, long, knee length skirt, which was thicker and tougher than leather. My top was consisted of two layers, the inner layer was a black shirt with a black collar, and the outer layer was a white coat with black linings on it, with the collar almost identical to the black collar of the shirt, only bigger, and was underneath the black collar, like it was outlining the black one, and the outer collar (for the jacket) was white. The cuffs had snap on buttons that were pure silver. And the buttons on the outer coat were silver as well. Then at the bottom of the elaborate inner and outer paired collar was a big red bow with the ends trailing down. The shoes were laced up boots that went to my knees.
"Coming, Anna!" I called over my shoulder.
I grabbed my book bag, which with my uniform, was personalized for only for the students of Star Academy.
I tapped down the hall, not caring if I accidentally went past my friend. I couldn't let her see my tears at all.
In Spirit World, not Chihiro's POV any more
Lin stretched up from her work. It was much more peaceful since Yubaba had no control over the bath house anymore.
Yubaba had been thrown out of control over the bath house, and Zeniba was in charge, things were more fair now.
The workers got bigger rooms and better meals, and were treated better. Of course, the bath house got lots more of prosperity of gold and jewels as ever, but the workers felt a bit more appreciated.
But Lin was missing someone. Of course, everyone was still gloomy, as they all missed Sen.
But for days, now weeks, then months, and now years, Lin couldn't take it anymore. She ran to Zeniba, who was having a nice chat with some workers, and begged her, along with several people, to make Sen come back.
"Zeniba! It has been four years since Sen left! We all miss her! Can you bring her back?" Lin pleaded. Her friends, and other workers nodded their heads, protested that it was unfair that they haven't seen Sen for years, or agreed with pumping fists in the air.
Zeniba sighed, "I don't know, dears. I can sense that her whole personality changed. I fear that the little girl I have instructed to call me 'granny' might not even believe in spirits. I hope that her parents didn't try to push the idea that spirits are fake."
Haku had stepped into the room quietly when he heard this. His eyes widened when he heard Zeniba's words of Chihiro. She couldn't have changed that much, could she? He worriedly thought. But for the meantime, he kept his head down.
He moved to the corner of the room, a perfect spot in the room that will neither get him noticed by any of the workers in the bath house, and neither obstructs his view of the conversation about Chihiro between Lin and Zeniba.
Back to the conversation, Lin wouldn't stop pleading about finding a way to get Sen back to Spirit World, even reasoning that she heard that it was almost summer break for humans, which lasts three months. Lin wanted Sen to come visit, or even better, stay here.
Zeniba finally gave in, but decided to use her crystal ball to locate Chihiro.
When she finally located her, she projected the display onto the wide wall for everyone to see.
What was shown shocked everyone, Haku the most.
They saw a tall girl, still a bit shorter than Haku. It had been just her birthday, and she was walking through the halls going toward the gates, to home.
"Chihiro! Wait up!" a frantic long-haired girl yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Onee-chan, you're loud! I'm trying to go home!" Chihiro bluntly said while covering her ears, like earplugs.
"Chihiro, I found a guy who likes you! He said he would like to see you!" The girl said, oblivious to Chihiro's comment.
"No. I. Don't. Want. To." Chihiro said, almost giving off a dead aura.
"Come on!" the sister tried to drag her little sister, but Chihiro snapped her hand out of the grasp.
"No, Sayori-nee-chan. I have an end of course project for English project to turn in to sensei, she said I could turn it in early, and then I want to go home and decide what I want to do with my summer, since mother and father said that we aren't going anywhere," Chihiro firmly stated.
Sayori was getting on Haku's nerves, when that girl screamed, "Chihiro, you are going to come with me and that is final!"
Irritated, Chihiro flung her arm at Sayori, unknowingly pulling up water with her, a thick band, and turning it into icicles, which froze Sayori's feet to the ground, preventing her from getting a hold of Chihiro's arm.
The room was silent.
Haku couldn't believe it.
Lin was wide-eyed.
Zeniba was speculating how the girl did this.
"Nee-chan! I am so sorry!" Chihiro went up to Sayori and banged her arms on the icicles, hoping that they would break.
It failed, so Chihiro kicked it, and succeeded in freeing both feet.
"How did you do that?" Sayori breathed.
"I-I don't k-know!" Chihiro silently sobbed, her hands covering her face as she wept.
Sayori took a deep breath and gave Chihiro a hug. "I'm sorry for forcing this on you. I thought you would be happier if you had someone by your side."
"But nee-chan, I'm not ready," Chihiro sobbed even louder, shaking as she did.
"Hmm, it looks like Chihiro possesses power. Looks like she is a spirit like us," Zeniba concluded.
That did it for Haku. He stepped out of his corner and questioned Zeniba his growing question. "What do you mean by this? What kind of power does she possess?"
Everyone was shocked when he suddenly came out of nowhere (for them), but stayed to the point of the question.
"She owns the elemental powers of Fire, Air, Water and Earth. She even owns the sub-powers, which are powers that come with the elemental ones. The sub-powers of Water she owns are ice, healing, and bloodbending. The sub-powers of Fire she owns are lightning. The sub-powers of Air she owns are windstorms. And the sub-powers of Earth are seismic sense and metal bending. So to conclude it, she is a pretty powerful person, just like you Haku. And it seems that she had this power her whole life, but it only became stronger when she met all of us, especially you, Haku," Zeniba concluded.
Haku was so shocked. No one had seen him showing a shocked expression toward anyone, so it was new for them to take in.
"What?" he asked, "How did you find this out?"
"My detection power. I can detect if a person is a spirit or a human. And if that person is a spirit, what kind of powers he/she may possess," Zeniba concluded.
"So if she is a spirit, is she….?" Haku started but couldn't finish his question, due to the shock of the news.
"Yes she has the power of immortality. But she can stop aging when she wants to stop aging. Normally, this would be the right time to ask her to stop her aging, so I think that it is best if we convince her to come here," Zeniba said, sympathizing with Haku, who is trying to absorb the shock.
But that was enough for Lin. Lin jumped up and down at the thought of Chihiro coming back, and several others followed as well.
Then the attention shifted back to the projection which showed Chihiro and Sayori as they broke the hug.
"Come on, Chihiro. I will walk you to sensei's office so you can turn in the project, and then we will go home. Dinner will be tomato soup and grilled cheese, allright?" Sayori asked.
Chihiro who was shocked by the recent accident, nodded, wiped off her silent tears and the two proceeded on. They turned in Chihiro's project to the teacher, and then went home.
Zeniba cut off the projection, and everyone whined, but she said she doesn't like cutting into someone's life too much. Which was true.
Zeniba said she would send Chihiro a long letter, persuading her to come back to the Spirit World for the summer. She would ask her talking eagle that she sent the letter with to tell if Chihiro accepted in coming or not.
Haku followed Zeniba as she went to her office upstairs. He watched as Zeniba spent hours writing the letter, and even requested for her to add his regards in it as well. When the letter was neatly folded into a parchment envelop and sealed using the traditional way of pouring hot wax on the tip of the flap of the envelop opening and pressing in an official seal, sealing the letter closed.
Zeniba asked her eagle the request, and sent it off to find Chihiro.
Haku hoped that Chihiro would accept the letter and come back to the Spirit World.
Chihiro's Home, after dinner
"Chihiro? There is a talking eagle saying he has something to deliver to you!" her mother called over her shoulder.
"Coming!" Chihiro yelled.
She came to where the eagle as the eagle handed a heavy parchment envelope. She opened the flap, which had a wax seal, to seal the flap close, and was shocked that it was a letter from Zeniba.
She read it and decided to comply to Zeniba's request.
"Mom? Dad? Can I go somewhere by myself for the summer?" Chihiro asked.
"Sure. Where?" her dad asked.
"That place where you said was the 'abandoned theme park'," she nervously said.
"Allright, but how will you survive there?" her mom panicked.
"I just will," Chihiro replied.
"But….." her mother argued.
"No, let her go there. I think she is mature enough to handle this. But I better see you alive and safe at the end of the summer," her dad warned.
"Thanks dad!" Chihiro squeled.
"You are welcome. Well start getting packed. I will drive you there to the entrance tomorrow morning," her father concluded.
The talking eagle wanted to know if she accepted the offer or not, which Chihiro said yes to.
Chihiro went to her room. Apparently Sayori heard what was going on, and sadly said, "Enjoy yourself, Chihiro!"
Chihiro could only suppress a sad smile as she packed her small suitcase and went to sleep.
Spirit World
Zeniba's talking eagle flew at top speed to the bath house and toward Zeniba and Haku, who were surprised at the eagle's sudden comeback.
"So? What did she say?" Zeniba inquired.
The rest of the room was quiet.
"She said she will come tomorrow morning if it is all right with you all," the eagle concluded.
Everyone cheered.
Zeniba smiled, and made room arrangements for Chihiro to stay. Lin claimed that Chihiro will sleep next to her, out of pure joy.
And it was set. Chihiro was coming there.
But the hard part will be on how to break the news to the little girl that she is not human.
She is a spirit.
Chihiro's Home
Chihiro opened up her sleepy eyes after her long slumber. She went over and picked a lime green sundress and a pair of denim shorts, with red slippers. She put on a manila colored trench coat that went to her waist.
She took her suitcase, and entered the kitchen where her mother forced a huge breakfast down her throat (haha…).
Then Chihiro's parents drove through that same forest on an unpaved path with little shrines littering either side of the path.
Through the leafy forest.
Passing a smiling lion structure that was seen on the way, and stopping right in front of another moss-covered statue.
Chihiro took her suitcase and stepped out of her car.
Her mother called after her, "Chihiro, are you sure?"
Chihiro smiled over her shoulder and said to her mother, "Of course. If I want to come back, I know how to come back!"
"She's fine. She can come back if she needs to. She is a responsible person," her father confidently stated.
Her mother hesitated, but finally gave her consent, allowing Chihiro to go.
And Sayori warned her to come soon, as she can't imagine a life without her little sister.
Chihiro gave a small smile before disappearing in the entrance in the red-plaster entrance.
Spirit World (in the bath house)
Zeniba and the others were watching over Chihiro as she came to the entrance.
"She's coming! Oh my god! I want to run up to her and hug her!" Lin squealed.
Zeniba said, "Yes of course you can go, but to where the river is, for you are not allowed to cross it it."
Lin squealed with joy and said she will be the one to get to see Chihiro first, much to Haku's dismay. And with that, Lin started off to see Chihiro.
Back to Chihiro (her POV)
I feel nostalgic.
I thought that the time to see the Spirit World might've never come.
I reached the mild, sunny meadows where the sunlight kissed the ground. I continued along the unpaved, gravely path, hoping that stones might not get stuck in my sandals, when I heard my nickname being shrilled.
It was Lin.
I was so happy! I ran toward her, dragging my suitcase behind me, and struggled with crossing the river and climbing the stairs and pushed my suitcase to the side as I leaped forward for a hug from Lin.
"Lin! I missed you!" I wailed.
Lin hugged me tightly back, saying, "You've grown! My god you were pretty and now beautiful!"
I giggled, and in the most polite manner I responded, "And I thought I might never see you again!"
Lin mocked me, but laughed and ruffled my short, curly brown hair.
She then let go of the hug and I picked up my luggage and walked with her to the bath house.
"Hey Lin, it is day right now. Isn't everyone asleep?" I innocently asked.
"With your arrival, no one could sleep now, Sen. Everyone missed you!" Lin exclaimed.
"Aww!" I smiled at the thought of everyone.
"And lover boy must've missed you," Lin whistled.
"Lover boy?" I asked.
"Did you forget? That idiot Haku!" Lin emphasized.
"Oh! I am sorry! When I hear word of boys I think 'not again' because during these four years, I have got an annoying number of love confessions," I explained.
"So what did you do about it?" Lin asked, now in her matchmaker mode.
I sweat-dropped, "Um, I rejected all of them. I don't like any boys at my school, and it becomes annoying when they try to chase me down all over the school for me to 'return' their feelings."
"Aw. Poor boys. They must be heartbroken at your blunt refusals!" Lin wailed, even pulling a napkin out of her uniform to dab her tear-less eyes. Dramatic.
I rolled my eyes, and we reached the bath house.
"I get to see Yubaba again. Fun," I protested.
Lin caught this, and read my mind, "Yubaba doesn't run the bath house anymore. Thanks to the words of strength you gave us, we were able to drive her out."
"But who runs it now?" I asked.
"Zeniba, her twin. It is much more fair now that she is the one running the bath house," replied Lin.
"Ah," I replied, half-smiling.
Suddenly, when I reached the bridge with Lin, I was lifted 10 feet off the ground by the giant baby, Boh.
"Aaaaaah! Boh! Put me down!" I squealed.
"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut! I missed you!" the giant whined.
"I missed you too, but I am gonna die if you keep shaking me in the air like this!" I giggled.
The baby giggled and put me down, as if on cue.
I saw Zeniba, and ran towards her.
"Granny!" I squealed.
She gave me a big hug. "I thought that you would stop calling me that, Chihiro."
I paused, and gave her a half-look. "What do you mean? Of course I wouldn't stop calling you that!" I asked, confused.
She chuckled, happy that I remembered her name. I regained my cold composure once I broke the hug, but gave a small smile to everyone.
I was truly happy to see everyone. And I guess everyone was happy to see me, even Haku, who was trying unsuccessfully to smother it all under that façade of his.
I rolled my eyes, but smiled a genuine smile at him before Lin grabbed my left arm and my suit case saying I will be sleeping with her.
Most of the people protested, which kind of caught me off guard, but Lin argued that she knew me more than everyone else.
I gave a smile of protest to everyone, saying that I'm taken for room arrangements, and gently slipped my slippers off and packed them in a corner of my suitcase so that I can return to the Human World once my stay here is over.
Haku caught me doing this and his face became a mix of emotions. Even Zeniba gave him a stern glare to keep me from seeing his stern face.
Confused, I ignored it, and followed Lin to our rooms. I was surprised that the room space was bigger, but laid out my luggage. I peeled off my trench coat, folded it nicely next to my slippers, in my bag.
I told Lin that I would be reading for a while and would come back in time for work.
Lin nodded, and fell asleep. By this time almost everyone was tired as they sleep during the day.
But I couldn't sleep, so I took a classic book, and slipped outside, barefoot.
Some nice hydrangea gardens had a nice stone table with stone seats so I sat cross-legged on one of the seats, and started reading.
A good 30 minutes passed before I heard soft footsteps. I knew it was Haku, because I bet he would be the only one walking around right now.
But I was absorbed in the book, as it was a summer reading assignment to read it, and annotate it, as I was doing.
Boy, books must be amazing, especially classics because I didn't remember the same soft footsteps come right behind me. A hand almost as big as mine touched me softly but firmly on my right shoulder.
I looked up, confused on who it was.
It was Haku, so I smiled at him. "Hello."
He just nodded in reply and sat on the seat across from me.
I gave him a small smile before being absorbed in the book again, and taking out my annotating tools and making margin notes on the side.
"What are you doing?" He asked me, staring at my book.
"Summer reading assignment. Can't believe it, but Star Academy gives middle school students summer assignments," I said eyeing a phrase in the book, and made a margin note on what I thought I knew about it.
"Star Academy?" He asked, clearly confused.
I nodded my head. I laid down my book, and put up my annotating kit. "Yes. I worked my way to get into the school. It is a school for the brightest of the brightest, the ones who have high aims in life. I got in there but I don't know what to have as a career in life," I shrugged it off.
His eyes widened. I sent him a confused stare.
"Anyway, this summer reading assignment is due at the end of this Summer. But don't worry. I tend to be more of an earlybird when it comes to homework and projects. So I bet all of my classmates might start near the end of this summer as a good time to start the book," I chuckled.
"So, you will go back to the Human World at the end of this summer?" he asked worried. Now I am sensing something is weird. Like I am not a human, but one of them, a spirit.
"Of course, Haku! I can't leave my parents behind! They will miss me for the rest of their lives if I make them worry this much!" I said.
I hopped off the stone bench and went to the little pond, a few footsteps away, and drew a thin band of water using my mystical (mysterious as well) ability and waterbent it around my fingers and my arms.
"How did you do that?" he asked, walking beside me.
"I do not know, Haku, I just do. I am scared of these new abilities. I almost froze Sayori-nee-chan when she was yelling at me, a day before I consented to come here. I burned some kidnappers that were trying to kidnap my sister. I secured my best friend Anna accidentally to the Earth when walking to science with her. And finally when drying my hair, I didn't need a hairdrier or anything. I was able to dry it with a huge gust of wind," I emotionlessly muttered, now my dark aqua eyes glaring at the pond, refusing to look at Haku.
What if I was a monster?
Then I could harm my parents.
Sayori-nee-chan.
Anna.
Lin.
Granny.
Everyone.
But most of all, I could hurt Haku with whatever I possessed.
My happiness had been sapped away now, and tears had started to unstoppably fall from my eyes, down my cheeks, off my chin and into the pond.
Haku noticed this, and spun me around so that I faced him and he shook me saying he was sorry.
But I wouldn't look at him.
My tears fell and fell and fell, and his saying my name became dimmer and dimmer and dimmer.
I broke out of it, but still keeping my head down and tears falling, I sobbed, "I've got to get back to my room."
It took a lot of struggling, but I finally broke out of his tight grip on either of my arms. I snatched up my book and pencilcase, and ran off into my room, not caring whether Haku was calling after me or not.
I slumped down into my cot, shoved my book in my bag, under my clothes, along with the pencilcase and yanked the blankets over me.
And I forced my weak self to sleep for now.
It was time to get up.
Lin shook my shoulder, worried, because she saw me cry in my sleep.
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Lin! I was having a nightmare!" I tried smiling it off, so she wouldn't have to worry over me all the time.
"Hmm. I love it when you smile!" Lin laughed, as she re-sized me, joking and groaning how I have grown taller and taller.
I smiled as she handed me my uniform.
I placed it on, and we went outside to the bath house. I flipped my card which had "Sen" written on it.
As soon as I assumed work, Zeniba called me to her office.
Or so Haku told me.
I looked at him for a 10 seconds of perfect stillness, letting my large aqua eyes judge him if he was telling me the truth, and then sighed, put down my mop, and told Lin that I had to go.
I nodded at Haku, and walked beside him.
I felt at the top of my head, Haku glancing at me, worried if I was scared. But I wasn't. I was looking at the floor, making sure I walking even steps.
I combed my thin fingers through my small ruffled hair, and thick bangs. When we reached Zeniba's office, I knocked, and she promptly let me in.
I softly padded my way to her office, Haku as well.
I stopped before her and gave a curt nod and said, "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, my dear. I want you to know the truth about yourself," Zeniba coaxed, when she saw my tense presence.
My eyes only darkened at the thought. The 'truth' about myself is probably I am not human, right?
Zeniba had read my mind, and nodded. "How did you know?"
Haku was surprised. "How-?"
"Mind-reading powers. One of my many talents," Zeniba answered.
"Who am I?" the question was so wrong. I am not human, for god's sake. I do not know if I am normal or not, whether I should be scared or not, whether should I will to die or not, whether being the thing I am now right now is a good thing or not.
"Now, now, dear. I am sorry if you are scared. But do not be. You are an elemental spirit, who owns the four elements of the universe and the sub-powers as well," Zeniba said, patting my head.
"Spirit? Then what about….." I trailed off. This couldn't be happening to me.
"You do have the power of immortality, my dear, and I would like it if you bestow it upon yourself before it is too late," she concluded for me.
"But, I have a family, a sister, friends who care about me. If I take on these duties, become immortal, and just leave them, they will never be the same again," I sobbed, shaking now.
This is scary. This is just way too scary for me.
And sadly, this is not one where I can pinch myself out of a dream.
"It is best then if your loved ones forget about you. Because you were born with unimaginable powers that cannot be erased. You inherited powers of immortality like other spirits here. You cannot abandon your fate of becoming a spirit, Chihiro. You were meant for this because you can handle this," Zeniba said, hugging me if I needed comfort.
"How will they lose their memories of me?" my voice shook.
"I can handle that. But only if you want to bestow immortality upon yourself. Eventually you will be forced to, but if you do it now rather than later, the consequences are small. But the last minute punishments are the worst. And I cannot allow for such a thing to happen to my granddaughter, my precious jewel, Chihiro," Zeniba said, eyeing me in the face, breaking the hug.
I sunk to the floor sobbing a little louder with my hands covering my face now, and my form hunched over.
Haku, who was worried, ran across the room and hugged me to make me feel better.
But in the end of this, I gave in.
I knew what Zeniba was asking me was right.
"Please don't erase their memories of me yet. I want them to love me for who I become. Please, if it is an option. I don't want my own family forgetting who I am," I pleaded.
She gave in, and promised not to erase their memories of me.
Then with all my will, I willed myself to awaken the power and ability of immortality within me, and a bright flash of pure white completely surrounded me.
It was bright. But I was surprised that Haku, even though he cringed at the bright light, didn't let go of me.
After 5 minutes of this bright light, it died down. I opened my eyes, tears slowly coming to an end on my tear stained face.
Zeniba hugged me once more, and said she had something for me.
She said that it was mysteriously created for me, me only, with my name engraved on it.
It was a rod.
A small compressed rod.
It was a weapon.
A rod about a foot in lenth, but very thick.
If stimulated by me, I can turn it into a long, thin rod, which sends electrical impulses enough to shock both spirits and humans.
When extended and stimulated even more by my hand and will, it becomes a scythe, a long sharp scythe. It has the power of mortally wounding a spirit or human if I willed for it.
Zeniba took a leather belt, for me to fasten around my waist, and hang this weapon on.
I named weapon, Luna.
And now, Zeniba said I don't have to work at the bath house. Instead, I will personally train my new elemental powers.
She handed me my uniform, which was a pale purple outer shirt, and a pure white inner shirt and bottom (but the uniform design is the same as in the movie).
I nodded, took it, and she sent me off, saying it has been a night for me.
I agree.
Because before I came here, I was a mere mortal.
But now I am an immortal elemental spirit.