Chihiro gulped. "She… WHAT?" She put Nezumi in her shirt pocket and stood up, quickly catching up to Haruto. "What do you mean she sewed his mouth shut?"

He didn't look at her. "He talked too much and that was his punishment. Along with other things."

Her heart was racing and Nezumi was moving around, trying to get comfortable so he could sleep.
"What other things?"

He kept walking, either not hearing her or refusing to acknowledge the question.

They look exactly the same. Except Haruto can speak. I'm so confused. What is happening?

"So, where is Yubaba now?"

Haruto glanced at her, "Well, she's dead. Did something nasty to too many people and finally, someone didn't like it. They crept into her home and murdered her with her own magic."

Chihiro had trouble breathing at that moment and rested a hand against the wall. "So did… everyone just… leave?"

"No one was attached to this place anymore. So they… dispersed. Went to their families, to other towns. Not even the shadows can own this town anymore. It's a waste land."

"So, what are you doing here?" And why did you attack me?

"Well, I've been here a long time. I was closer to Yubaba then people thought, but had to keep that a secret or else they would have killed me. The boy that got his lips sewn up, he was attacked also. Just for being associated with that she witch of a woman. He was brutally hurt. Some people tried to help him, because they knew it was his doing that weakened Yubaba by helping that girl. People tried to stand up for him, but sometimes people stay bitter."

Haruto stepped into a strange elevator and beckoned her in. She stepped in carefully, eyeing the contraption.

It descended. She felt like she was going into the bowels of hell at that moment. Chihiro couldn't describe the feeling.

"So… what was this boy's name?"
Haruto coughed softly. "I cannot tell you."

She cringed, "Why?"

"Because that's part of his curse. His name is his curse. If a person can break it, then he will be freed to do what he wants."

This puzzled Chihiro. "So why doesn't anyone just say his name? Are people that cruel? What about those who stood up for him?"

"They do not want to get caught up in that. It has to be spoken by the girl. The girl he saved. Which, there is no chance of that happening. She will never return."

Chihiro chewed her lip viciously, her thoughts swirling and entangling her.

"Sen, look. It's best to just not think about it. You should worry about going home. Not being here. It's never safe here for humans."

Chihiro nodded. The elevator came to an abrupt stop, causing her to stumble into Haruto. The moment she made contact, her skin went cold and her heart nearly stopped. He looked down at her, his face filled with shock and loathing. She was faced with a cruel-looking dragon's face. Just his face had transformed, his body remained that of a boy.

She felt her eyes roll back into her head and the world fading, but she gulped down that uneasiness and quickly stepped back.

"I..I'm sorry…" She stuttered. Haruto's face returned to normal but with a snarl. "You…"

She took a few steps back, he was closing in on her quickly and she had to think fast.

Chihiro slammed the elevator lever up, and jumped off the platform. Haruto was caught off-guard and with a blood-curdling howl, he rose up, staring at her.

She took off running down the hallways, hoping to a higher power that she'd escape this place and that monster.

Now I definitely want to go home.

She hurled herself around corners, her feet softly pattering against the floors. She passed doors after doors. She couldn't stop now.

Her lungs were burning now, and she needed air. Chihiro couldn't stop now though. She needed to escape. She needed to get home.

The next corner she turned, a pale hand shot out catching her mouth and near clothes lining her. Another arm caught her as she fell back. She struggled as she was dragged into a dark room.

Chihiro looked up at her captor, and she saw the face of a gorgeous boy with lips sewn shut.

a/n: Hey guys. I hope you like these two chapters I've put up. I've got the plot really going now. There's some history for you and a little action. I'm hoping to put in a bit more within the upcoming weeks. Please leave a review and your thoughts. They really inspire me to add more. I cannot begin to tell you guys how much each review gets me going. 3 With love, Feather.