Hi guys! Serena's here with yet another fic! (I really should stop writing so many at a time…I never update fast enough with them!) Anyways, this is my first Spirited Away fic. The movie was AWESOME! I watched it like three times and I have listened to Haku's theme song using a Neopets account (I only use it for like a personal anime song and background page now…) thing like…for hours! It's soooo cool! .
Anyways, this is going to take place almost five years after Chihiro returned from Spirit World. She was 10 then and I am going to say Haku was about…12 or 14. I like the idea of 14 better…so I'll stick with that. Now you do the math to figure things out. Also, if anyone has read any of my other stories (besides Lunar Destiny), you will see someone who has appeared in those stories as well. Sometimes I just can't get her out…
Disclaimer: I in no friggin' way own Miyazaki's oh-so-cool Spirited Away. (Though I wish I did…/sniff/…the movie is just that awesome!)
Dragon Boy
Chapter 1
The bright morning sunlight shone through Chihiro's window. The sun had just risen over the tall, green hills and spread its warm rays over the lands. Chihiro slowly opened her eyes and groaned. She had been having the most wonderful dream, and the sun had ruined it for her.
Chihiro shut her chocolate brown eyes tightly, trying to recall that dream. The only thing she could remember about it now was flying over the endless blue sky with the person she had been longing to meet again ever since she had left him almost five years ago. Though she couldn't remember her dream, the real memories of those times still stuck in her head as if everything had just happened the day before.
"Chihiro, time to get up!" the girl's mom called upstairs.
Chihiro tried in vain to go back to sleep, but the aching in her chest would not allow her. Holding back the tears, Chihiro reluctantly got out of bed to get ready for school.
"Chihiro, are you up?" her mom's soft voice came from outside her door.
"Yeah, I'm up," Chihiro answered softly. It was a few moments before Chihiro heard her mom's footsteps fade away back downstairs. Chihiro slightly smiled. Even though her parents remembered nothing about what had happened five years ago, her mom always knew when something was troubling her, even though she never asked or bothered her about it. Chihiro had forever since been wanting to tell her parents what had happened and why their car had grown dusty and full of weeds when they got back that day; even if she did tell them, however, she knew they would never believe her and think she had gone insane. Who would believe that for a few days you were turned into a pig and living in the Spirit World?
Sighing, Chihiro got out of bed and let her eyes adjust to the brightness of her room. Her bedroom looked like any ordinary bedroom with posters of dragons and spirits on the sky-painted walls…though anyone who knew the occupant would surely not believe it. When Chihiro had requested it to her parents, they had refused her at first, saying that little girls should not be introduced to such powerful and violent creatures such as dragons. They feared that she would lose her mind if she got into the paranormal. Little did they know that they were mixed with the same exact ridiculousness that they were trying to bar her from. After much pestering, they eventually gave in and gave her some posters for her birthday.
Speaking of which, today was the day Chihiro would turn 15.
"Whoop-de-do," Chihiro mocked. She didn't believe in birthday wishes anymore. Every year she would wish for a certain dragon to come back to her, and every year she waited, and every year he would never come.
Chihiro rummaged through her small walk-in closet for her uniform. She found it hidden in the back with all her other clothes she never wore. It was white with a green collar that came with a matching green, wavy skirt. She was now in high school had she hated it. Her sensei's always gave her more homework than she could handle, leaving her with no time to go to her favorite spot by the Kohaku River where she hoped everyday the spirit would come back to guard over it. When it was built over, the city's economy had dropped drastically. When no one had bought the houses, the city had decided to demolish the houses and restore the Kohaku River because it was a great tourist attraction. People would flock by just to gaze at the peacefulness of its crystal clear waters.
Once fully dressed, Chihiro brushed her ruffled, brown hair, tying it back in the sparkly purple hair band that Zeniba and "no-face" had made for her. Though her hair had grown longer over the years, the band still fit like it did all those years ago.
"Good morning, Chihiro!" her father greeted cheerfully.
"Hi," Chihiro muttered and plopped down in her seat at the table.
"What's the matter, honey? Today's your birthday! You should be happy," her dad asked, concerned.
"I'm just tired," she lied and tried to give her dad a convincing smile. Her mom, unfortunately, saw right through her charade. She gave her a sympathetic look and returned to setting down the breakfast plates.
"Look, Chihiro, it's your favorite—rice and eggs!" Her dad tried to cheer her up. She smiled weakly.
"Mmm, looks good!" Chihiro replied and slowly began to play with her food, eating it piece by little piece.
"Chihiro, it's almost time for school," her mom warned. Chihiro gave her unfinished plate back to her mom.
"Thanks. See you later," Chihiro grabbed her small backpack and headed out the door.
Halfway to school, Chihiro stopped by the river that ran through the country. Looking deep into its waters, she saw the small koi zipping through the waters. She smiled and ran her fingers through the cools waters, hoping to feel the touch of the river's spirit once again.
She felt no warmth—only the coolness of the approaching autumn winds. Frowning, she closed her eyes, trying to recall that familiar warmth again.
"Chihiro!"
"Hey, Chihiro!"
Chihiro looked up. Akane and Sakana were racing towards her, waving and smiling. She envied how they would always be smiling and be happy. She had never once seen them frowning or mad. At first, Chihiro was just like them when she got to her new home; now all she could think of were all her friends back in the other world.
"Hey, guys," Chihiro tried to push back her sadness and smile.
Akane and Sakana were grinning from ear to ear and Akane cocked an eyebrow. She knew they were concocting something, and she was afraid of exactly what it was.
"Ready…HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The two girls shouted and thrust two wrapped gifts in front her Chihiro, who smiled. She could always count on her friends.
"Thanks!" Chihiro eagerly took the gifts from their hands, grinning.
"There you go! That's the Chihiro we all know and love!" Akane grinned and put her arm around Chihiro's shoulders.
"Thanks, guys," Chihiro smiled at her friends.
"Well, don't just stand there! Open 'em!" Sakana urged.
"Ok, ok. Don't have a cow," Chihiro joked and began neatly opening the wrapped presents.
"Oh, don't be such a lady, Chihiro! Rip 'em open!" Akane pushed. Chihiro grinned and tore at the wrappings like a rabid animal, making the other girls laugh.
Sakana's present was a shell necklace made from the pure shells taken from the Kohaku River. It glistened in the morning light, shedding rainbows over the girls.
"Wow…" Chihiro awed at the display.
"So, do you like it?" Sakana asked.
"Of course I do! Thanks you so much!" Chihiro threw her arms around her friend.
"You're welcome!" Sakana replied with a grin and they broke apart.
"Come on! Open mine! You're gonna love it!" Akane coaxed. Chihiro nodded and started to open her second gift.
The other gift was a figurine of a dragon—the same dragon Chihiro had been thinking about just moments before. Memories of the past came back to Chihiro, making her heart ache. She struggled to fight back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Chihiro…what's wrong?" the girls asked.
The girl shut her chocolate eyes tightly, pushing back the tears about to fall and tried to calm herself.
"Nothing. I'm fine," Chihiro looked up and smiled reassuringly. The girls exchanged worried glances, but left Chihiro to her thoughts.
Akane checked her watch. "Hey, we're gonna be late! We'd better get to school!" Akane warned.
"Ok. See ya later, Chihiro!" Sakana and Akane raced off towards school.
Chihiro watched them leave until she could no longer make out their forms. Looking back down at her presents, she wondered if she would ever meet the familiar dragon ever again.
As if in answer to her thoughts, Chihiro heard a splash from the river and spun her head around. A fish once again flew out of the water and splashed down head first into the cool river. Its pearly white scales sparkled in the morning sun and only for a moment Chihiro noticed the blue tips of its fins. Her breath caught. The resemblance was uncanny.
The fish splashed again, stirring her out of her daydream. Shaking her head, she reassured herself that it was only a fish and raced towards school, hoping she wouldn't be late.
"Especially on my birthday!" Chihiro added aloud.
Chihiro plopped down in her seat just as the bell rang signaling for classes to begin.
"Glad you made it, Chihiro!" Sakana nudged her. Chihiro sighed in relief.
"Yeah, it would have been hilarious if you were late on your birthday!" Akane added. Chihiro glared at her friend.
"Ok, class, settle down," the sensei came in, smiling slightly.
The class stood at their desks and bowed. "Ohayou, sensei!" They greeted.
"Ohayou, everyone. You may all sit down. I'll take attendance before we get started," the sensei pulled out a clipboard from his desk and began the class.
By the end of the day, Chihiro was bored out of her mind and anxious to get home. Even though she wasn't so excited about her actual party, she wanted to hang out with her friends; they were what actually made her birthday parties worthwhile.
"Come on, just a couple more minutes," Chihiro urged the clock. She had finished her history assignment before the rest of the class and was anxious to get home.
"Finally done," Akane sighed and threw her pencil down. Chihiro kept her gaze trained on the clock that seemed to mock her.
She heard Akane giggled and spared at glance at her friend. "What?"
"Nothing," Akane stifled a laugh.
Chihiro's eyes narrowed. "Tell me."
"It's just funny watching you stare at the clock. As they say, a watched pot never boils…though in this case, we have a clock…" Akane joked.
"So a watched clock never boils? How in the world can a clock boil?" Chihiro cocked an eyebrow at Akane.
"If you watch the clock, it won't go any faster and make it seem like the few minutes is an eternity and…oh, nevermind," Akane sighed in defeat.
Three minutes left to go. Chihiro tapped her pencil impatiently on her desk. Why did the clock mock her so?
Two minutes left. Chihiro's foot was tapping in rhythm with her pencil by now. She growled softly. She would not give in to Akane's will and look away and prove her theory right. Unfortunately, the clock was becoming as interesting as her dad's war stories. Out of the corner of her eye, Chihiro checked to make sure Akane wasn't watching her. Luckily, said girl was trying to fall asleep on her desk and looking out the window. Smirking, Chihiro gazed around the room. Sakana scribbled furiously on her paper in an attempt to complete the last few problems of their history assignment.
Chihiro's smirked widened. To pass the time, she decided to play a little game with her friend.
"Pressure…pressure…pressure…" Each time Chihiro muttered the word, Sakana tensed and leaned in closer to her paper. Her knuckles turned white from gripping her pencil too hard. Soon she thought it might snap in her hand.
"The air is pressuring you!" Chihiro whispered as loudly as she could.
SNAP!
Sakana's pencil finally snapped in two and the pieces flew through the air, almost poking someone in the back of the head. Sakana stared at her once pencil-filled hand incredulously, looking almost on the verge of tears.
"Why? Why does Kami-sama hate me so much!" Sakana groaned and Chihiro giggled.
"I don't think it's Kami-sama who hates you," Chihiro muttered.
"Well, who then?"
Chihiro whistled innocently, looking everywhere around the room except at Sakana.
"See? I can't whistle! He doesn't like me!" Sakana pouted. Chihiro blinked and sighed at her friend's short attention span.
The bell rang, interrupting their little argument. Chihiro and Sakana hastily packed their things and started out the door.
"Aren't we forgetting something?" Sakana asked. Chihiro stopped in the middle of the bustle of kids. Some groaned and pushed their way around them and Chihiro responded with a growl. Looking around, Chihiro listed off the things they needed in her head. They each had their backpacks and books. They turned in all their assignments and pretty much had the day off. The only thing she could think of was her party at the end of the day and Sakana and Akane's presents.
Chihiro burst out laughing as she realized what—or actually who—they were forgetting.
"Come on," Chihiro grabbed her friend's arm and dragged them back into the classroom.
"Hey, aren't we supposed to be leaving scho—oh!" Sakana burst out laughing.
A/N: Well, here's the first chapter of my new story and first Spirited Away fic! Hope you guys like it! I know it's not much of a cliffy, but oh well. You guys probably know why they went back into the classroom. And your probably know where I got Sakana from (if you read my other stories that is). Anyways, please review! This is probably gonna be one of those stories that's a second priority, where I'll only update if I get enough reviews (which isn't much…I don't get much to start with). Anyways, I got to go cuz I have those evil benchmark testing thingies tomorrow (I thought they were over in September! Gah! Evilness, be gone/uses evil repellant/)