It was four days since they encountered Soren, Mangetsu, and Miyaki, and the trio didn't find themselves being tested in any way. They flew over mountains and forests. Lakes, and Plains. They had seem many spirits who supplied them with food, or things they would need for Chihiro's survival. Chihiro was shocked to encounter another human in the spirit world, although she wasn't there permanently like Chihiro wanted to be. Sophie Hatter and Wizard Howl were just traveling through with their flying Castle. Howl wanted to show Sophie the beautiful world, so the fire demon Calicifer used his magic. Sophie had supplied Chihiro with some words of wisdom after spending time with Haku and Chihiro.

"Take care of his heart."

Chihiro frowned, "What do you mean?"

Sophie smiled, "I don't have to know you to know that he loves you."

Chihiro's eyes widened, "What? No, he doesn't feel that way about me."

Sophie just laughed, "I can see the way he looks at you. The way he subconsciously follows you around when you move. If you shift your weight, he moves the at the same time. Like there is a magnetic pull."

Chihiro blushed and shook her head. When they departed, with a new dress for Chihiro that Howl and Sophie gave her, Chihiro couldn't help thinking of Sophie's words.

A few more days into their journey, the next set of tests started, for Chihiro and Haku at least. They were flying over a volcano and Chihiro had actually fallen asleep on Haku's back. She felt him stiffen up and she jolted awake to find themselves loosing altitude fast.

"Haku! We're falling!" She said in a panicked voice.

Haku didn't seem to be able to lift himself and they crashed onto the ground near the volcano. Black plumes of smoke were rising and rocks were exploding into the air. Chihiro screamed as one almost hit Haku. She looked to see if he was OK, and found herself alone! She was lost and alone in the Spirit World and her life was in danger. She stood up and ran, trying to dodge the falling rocks. She yelled in terror as lava started flowing from the volcano. She ran for it and somehow found herself miles away from it. Haku was laying on the floor, his clothes were burned away and his chest was burned. The smell of burning flesh hit her nose and she gagged. She made her way to him, "Haku."

He opened his eyes and looked at her, "Keep going."

"No Haku, I'm scared. I can't do this without you!" she said and started crying. With a jolt she realized that she was ten again.

"I can't do this, get up Haku, wake up!"

As she pleaded with him he seemed to move away from her. It went dark, then she was back in school.

"You're so weird Chihiro."

"Yah, no one likes you anyways"

"Go back to where you came from"

"Yah go back to your 'Spirit World'"

She saw her childhood playmates sneering at her and she cried harder, "No don't say that to me. Please. I do belong here."

They moved away from her again and she was back in the bathhouse. Her friends were around her.

"What am I doing here? I need to get back to the Valley of Life and Death if I'm going to be a spirit." she said frantically.

"Why, we don't want you here."

"You don't belong here."

"You're just a human."

"A stupid human too, if you thought that you belonged here."

"She's even stupider because she thinks Haku loves her."

"Ha! Haku was glad she left. He hated that he accidentally brought her back here. He's happy with Soren."

Chihiro looked around at the sneers of her friends. Realization hit and she felt like she was in a whirlwind. She wasn't wanted here. She didn't belong here or anywhere. This was a nightmare.

"Wait...nightmare! I'm Dreaming! This is the second test!"

The illusion broke and Chihiro sat up. A figure was in front of her, "Well done." The figure disappeared and Chihiro looked to see another one around Haku and No-Face.

Haku stood in an empty field. Chihiro was in front of him, his Chihiro. She was smiling at him and mouthing something, and beckoning her closer. He walked to her and suddenly she collapsed. Blood poured from her mouth, nose, and ears. He held her close and allowed his own life essence to fill her. The blood stopped and she started breathing again. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her. He thought she was going to kiss him but she whispered something in his ear.

"I'm going to marry Nagiori."

He pulled back and looked at her. She smiled at him sweetly.

"I'll forget about you and live happily ever after. I'll be with him in every way possible and you'll never see me again. I don't love you and I don't want to stay with you. I just wanted to be a Spirit so I can open the spirit gate and bring him in so he can be made a spirit and we can live together for eternity. I don't care what you do, you're just a puppet."

She laughed cruelly and pushed him away. Haku caught her hand and kissed it softly. He looked into her eyes and she flinched away from him.

"No look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me."

Chihiro looked at him, "I don't love you."

He nodded and turned away. "Then I don't see why you can't finish this on your own." he turned into a dragon and flew off.

The scene faded and Haku was now watching her wedding day. She was beautiful in her white satin dress. She kissed the other man. Time seemed to move forward and she was giving birth. As soon as her son was born she whispered one name, "Haku." Then she died.

Haku watched with a stony face.

"This is just a dream. My fear is Chihiro leaving and telling me she never wanted to be here. Now that I see it, I realize how stupid that fear was." The illusion shattered and he heard a voice, "Well done."

Haku still hadn't woken up, but the figure was gone. Chihiro knelt next to him and waited. She saw tears fall down his face.

"Don't leave me" Haku whispered in his sleep.

"I'm not going anywhere." Chihiro said, "I'm right here"

She was looking at him anxiously when he opened his eyes, "What's wrong?"

"No-Face hasn't woken up yet." Chihiro said in a scared voice.

No-Face was back in the bathhouse confused he looked around for Chihiro. He spotted her and walked over to her. She looked at him scornfully.

"You, finally, clean up the mess you made and get out of here."

No-Face looked around and saw that there was indeed a mess. His vomit was everywhere and everyone was giving him angry and hateful looks.

"Ah, Ah?" he asked.

"Yes, you made this mess. Now clean it up." Chihiro told him.

She walked away from him, "Ah, Ah Ah!" No-Face tried to follow her.

"Get away from me you monster. I don't want anything to do with you. I fixed you, now go away. I need to get to Zeniba's for Haku." she told him and ran off.

"Ah, Ah Ah!" No-Face looked sadly around.

Suddenly everything shifted. The people of the bathhouse was glaring at him and throwing stuff at him. Even Zeniba, Boh, Chihiro, Lin, Haku, and the bird. No-Face turned away and covered his mask trying to get away from the projectiles. He ran away from them and went outside. Wait...Chihiro wasn't like that. The others maybe, but Chihiro, she was his friend. With that thought he looked around angrily. This was just a test!

"Well done" said a voice and No-Face woke up and looked at his friend's anxious faces.

"Ah ah?" He said in a questioning voice.

"No-Face! You're alright!" Chihiro said and hugged him.