Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away

Chihiro slowly woke up with her head on Haku's lap, who was leaning against a huge body of a tree while Mitsu was sitting close to them, poking the burning fire with a thin wooden stick. The warmth of the fire was comforting to all of them.

Haku felt Chihiro begin to stir and puts his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she sits up.

"Good evening, did you sleep well?" Haku asked.

Chihiro rubbed her eyes to regain her focus, 'Hmm, yeah,' she replied. Then she realises that she woke up at night time, which means she must have somehow fallen asleep in the day. One thought leads to another before she remembers the events that happened earlier on that day. Suddenly she feels a sharp pain in her arm and instinctively moves her good hand to hold it.

Haku notices this and worry begins to strike up in his heart, "Be careful, the wound on your arm hasn't healed yet."

"I'm okay," Chihiro reassures him with a smile. She looks over to Mitsu and concern washes over her. "How are you feeling though?"

Mitsu looks up from the fire, seeing Chihiro was in fact talking to him and replies, "Like crap. I can't believe I was that easily manipulated."

Chihiro looks at him with sympathy, "That wasn't your fault though! I could have just as easily happened to any one of us."

Mitsu responded with a weak smile before Haku intervened, "Chihiro's right, no need to beat yourself up over what happened. Besides," Mitsu glanced at Haku, "You're pretty powerful you damn fox." Haku finished with a smirk.

Mitsu responded with a smirk of his own before saying, "It's getting late, we should get some rest. Looking at our progress, we will probably be able to come across the forth trial in the next couple of days."

Haku yawned, then smiled apologetically, "I am very tired."

Chihiro then scoots along to the nearest tree, leaning her back against it while patting her lap. "Your turn." She smiles.

Haku smiles gratefully before moving over himself and lying down, putting his head in her lap just as she had done moments ago. Before closing his eyes though, he didn't fail to miss Mitsu's envious glance.

It wasn't long after that when Mitsu curled up near the fire, resting himself. Chihiro was left to count the stars until she nodded off eventually for a little while.

After a well needed rest, the trio once again embark on their long and difficult journey. They kept walking for the next few days, laughing and joking along the way.

After about a week, they still hadn't come across the forth pedestal. But this time they are not discouraged as they know that they have come too far to stop.

As they carried on walking, the sky suddenly turns dark as the weather gets worse. They hurried their pace against the wind and rain that's attacking them. Shielding their faces, they hadn't realised when they stepped in front of a large concrete wall that stretches as far as they can see either side and a little arch entryway a little to the left. As they walk in, they notice that it's a tunnel similar to the one that lies between the spirit and human world, although this one is much wider and bigger.

A little ways in the tunnel, a little orange light glows faintly through the moss that had grown on the stone pedestal. Chihiro digs through her bag to find the orange stone and fits it in the slot.

After a flash, two figures appear.

As they walk closer, Chihiro and the boys could see that is was a male and female who look very similar with their matching light hair and blue eyes.

Both looking very serious, the boy speaks first, "What business have you here?"

"We're after the necklace of Elixir; we are looking to pass your trial." Chihiro says with confidence.

"My oh my, we haven't heard those words for a very long time." The girl speaks this time. "Brother, shall we show them some fun?" She smirks.

"Brother?" Mitsu asks.

"Oh dear where's our manners?" She replies with mock sincerity. "I'm Kira and this is my twin brother Kai." She nods her head towards her brother. "And you are?"

"I'm Chihiro, these are Haku and Mitsu." Pointing to them respectively.

"Nice." Kai said looking uninterested.

"Well let's not keep our guests waiting," Kira continues and then snaps her fingers. At the snap, the light from the end of the tunnel disappears and they are left in pitch darkness.

"Does your past haunt you?" Kira boomed. "Does it hurt to think about the past? Let us dig out the parts that you've all tried to bury so deep inside!" She continued with a loud laugh.

'Or what about your worst nightmare? Do you fear that too?' Kai's voice sounded like it was coming from all directions.

One after the other, they felt a rough hand touch their forehead and the next thing they knew, they were in a different place.

Haku opens his eyes and he looks around. Worry filled him when he noticed he was alone. I recognise this place, I've been here before. This is my river! Next, he spots some humans walking down the bank of the river, each carrying heavy loads.

"What are you doing?!" He shouts but no one seems to be able to see or hear him, it's like he's a ghost.

The next thing that happens mortifies Haku; the humans begin pouring stones and mud into the river to block it up.

"No! What are you doing?! Stop it!" He yells some more but to no avail. He runs over there to try and physically stop the humans but his hands just go right though them. And so he is forced to do nothing and watch as the humans slowly destroy part of his life force.

Mitsu sat up, immediately scanning the area for Chihiro or Haku but couldn't spot either. Then he suddenly recognised where he was. Hearing the taunting voices and laughter outside, it confirmed his worst fear.

He forced himself out of bed for what seemed like the thousandth time and put on a brave front as he headed outside.

He was greeted with a douse of freezing cold water.

Laughter erupted, and he could do nothing but watch as he felt the cold chill down to the bone.

'Enough!' The deep voice boomed.

Mitsu looked up as the village chief, his father, came through the crowd.

Hope bubbled through him before he noticed his father's angry face, which didn't seem to be directed at the people who threw water at him.

The vision fizzed before settling to another, one where he had the most heart-retching and the final conversation with his father.

He could do nothing except hearing the words that tore his heart in two all over again.

Chihiro woke, and was surprised to find that she was no longer in the spirit world, but back in the place she dreaded most, her old lonely bedroom on Earth.

The panic inside her increased when she couldn't spot Haku or Mitsu.

'No, no, I can't be back here!' She scrambled off the bed and out of her room, the only thing that was with her in the house was overwhelming silence.

'Haku! Mitsu!' She shouted, but part of her knew, she was alone once again.

The fear and loneliness came back at full force, tied her down like thick heavy chains.

Drowning with defeat, she shuffled slowly back into her room.

Sitting at her old desk, the feeling tripled, and threatened to drown her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something bright. She was just about to ignore it when she realised the writing on the electric green post-it note. Shopping today.

Realisation finally hit.

This is a memory.

This was not the present, but an old painful memory of hers.

If that was the case, she only had to do something that she had never done before. She runs downstairs and out of her house, right into oncoming traffic in the road.

'This isn't real.' Chihiro said to herself as she braced herself for the pain. The last thing she heard was loud horns and screeching tires.

The pain never came.

She opened her eyes, and found herself laying on the ground, the twins nowhere to be seen. Next to her was Haku and Mitsu, each surrounded by a poisonous looking cloud. She realised that they must be stuck in their own memories.

She goes to Haku first, and walks through the cloud to find herself in open area filled with the smell of mud and dirt. Some little ways away, she spotted Haku, curled up on the floor clutching his head as he rocked back and forth.

'Haku! What happened?' She grabbed his shoulders to stop him from shaking.

'My river, gone, it's gone' He mumbled quietly to himself.

Chihiro then recognised the area she was in, and why it felt so familiar. 'Haku, Haku look at me!' She grabbed his face, 'What you're seeing, it isn't real. Your river is fine, remember when I fell into it as a kid?'

That grabbed his attention. He nodded slowly.

'You rescued me. I wouldn't be here now if you didn't do that.' She hugged him close. 'Come back to me.'

Then whatever held them in that world broke, and they woke up back in the tunnel.

Seeing that Haku is now safe, she moved onto Mitsu.

Walking through the cloud surrounding him, she was teleported to a place she definitely didn't recognise. It looked like a small village.

Not knowing where she is going, she followed the sounds of loud talking and laughter.

'Look at that horrible little fox, I told you he wouldn't last long.'

Chihiro overheard, knowing who they're talking about straight away.

She turned the corner to see a large group of people surrounding a big house.

'I say the chief kicks him out today. He is totally useless.' Another voice spoke.

'NO!' Mitsu's shout came from within the house, and she knew he was inside. Chihiro barged through the group of people and ran inside the house, not caring for the shouts.

She ran into the main hall of the house, which looked like a Japanese training dojo, and saw Mitsu on all fours on the floor. At the end of the hall was a powerfully built man with the same orange hair as Mitsu, but eyes like stone. Two guys sat on the side, both with identical smirks on their faces that she recognised, but they both had soft brown hair.

'Who the hell are you?' The big man at the end of the hall shouted. Mitsu turned his head, shock filled his face as he recognised Chihiro.

Chihiro ignored him, knowing that this is nothing but a vision or a memory and ran straight to Mitsu.

'Mitsu, are you okay?' She kneeled in front of him. 'Are you hurt?'

'Chihiro… wha… how are you here?' There was nothing but shock and confusion in his eyes.

'Mitsu, I came to tell you, that-' Chihiro was cut off when someone kicked her in the back and sent her flying across the room.

'Chihiro!' Mitsu ran straight to her, cradling her body against his. He glared hatefully at his father, who stood looming over them.

'So that's why my bastard son is weak, because he's gone and fallen in love with an outsider!' His deep voice shook the room.

Chihiro winced against the sharp pain in her back, each breath was like a dagger to her lungs. Through the pain, she realised that the man was Mitsu's father, and that it was clear they do not get along.

She pushed away from Mitsu's hold, and he helped her stand.

'Sir, I am not his lover, I'm just here as a friend.' Confidence flowed through her as she looked him in the eye.

'Like hell. Can never be too sure what the little bastard does these days. He'll do anything to stay in the village, wasting precious resources with his worthless existence.' His coldness shocked Chihiro. This is Mitsu's father?

Anger shot through her. 'Regardless, Mitsu is my friend and does not deserve to be spoken to like that!'

He backhanded her.

Chihiro registered the metallic taste in her mouth. Faster than she could react, Mitsu bellowed with fury and launched a ball of power at his own father, knocking him down.

In the same instant, the vision they were in faded and they were brought back to the real world in the tunnel.

Relief flooded Chihiro as she opened her eyes and saw both Haku and Mitsu by her side, awake and unhurt.

'Chihiro, are you okay?' Haku's eyes were filled with concern. His thumb wiped her chin and came away with blood, it was only then she realised that some of the blood in her mouth escaped.

'Yeah, I'm fine, it doesn't hurt.' She wasn't lying. She turned to look at both of them. 'Are you guys okay?'

They both nodded.

'But I'm still confused at what exactly happened.' Mitsu admitted.

Just as Chihiro was about to respond, light flooded the tunnel, and the twins appeared again.

'Well well, we are impressed.' Kira spoke, while Kai still carried the bored expression on his face. 'We really didn't think you were going to break out of those visions, not many people can stand up to their past or their worst nightmare.'

Haku and Mitsu's faces filled with realisation.

'Well I suppose you can go.' Kai waved the group on, looking like he's got much better things to do.

'Thank you!' Chihiro beamed at him, and he quickly looked away before she saw the faint blush on his cheeks. Kira smiled knowingly at her brother.

Just before the trio walked out of the tunnel, Kai called at them. 'Wait!'

They turned to see Kai floating towards them, or mainly Chihiro. He took off a small leather bracelet from his wrist, grabbed her hand and slipped it on her wrist before pulling it tight.

Chihiro and the guys were stunned.

Kai scratched the back of his neck while his face held an uncharacteristic goofy smile and a light pink blush. 'This bracelet can ward off evils, it can help protect you.'

She took a closer look at the charm entwined with the bracelet, a small pebble with a symbol of a crescent moon carved onto it. She smiled sweetly, 'It's beautiful. Thank you, Kai.'

The group turned and carried on with their journey, Kira caught up to her brother, shouted and waved at them 'Bye! Come back and visit! Kai will miss yo- Ouch! What did you elbow me for?'

The three couldn't help but laugh to themselves as they carried on with the journey.

Wow I am so sorry for leaving all my readers hanging, I am back with a vengeance and I definitely want to get this story finished for all of you, please leave a review to egg my lazy ass on!

Also, I hope you're still enjoying this story! Let me know because I'm always planning stories but never gather the energy to write them! Though I am determined to finish this one and hopefully write more!