I do not own the amazingness that is Spirited Away.

Chihiro was completely oblivious to the loud chatter around her. Her attention was on the drawing in her lap as she lounged in her bus seat. Occasionally, she'd look out the window as if she were drawing inspiration from the clouds. The other students were busy expressing their enthusiasm about their end of the year school trip.

"Aren't you excited?" asked Chihiro's best friend Naomi. "This is our last trip together as a class! I've never been to ski resort. It should be tons of fun!"

"Uh-huh," Chihiro inattentively answered.

"It's almost kind of sad. We had some good times in middle school, didn't we?" asked Naomi, leaning back in the seat.

"Uh-huh,"

"But don't get me wrong," she continued. "I can't wait until graduation next week. We'll have even more good times in high school."

"Uh-huh,"

Naomi eyed Chihiro, "Are you even listening?"

"Oh, you were talking?" asked Chihiro, blushing innocently. "I'm sorry. What'd you say?"

"You make me feel like I'm talking to a brick wall sometimes," Naomi pouted.

"What? I said I was sorry already," Chihiro chuckled.

"Whatcha drawing there, Ogino?" boomed a voice.

A raven haired girl leaned on the top of the seat behind Chihiro and Naomi's heads. She turned her nose up in disgust when she caught a glance of Chihiro's drawing.

"Ugh, another white dragon? Pathetic! Why do you always draw those things? Draw something else for once."

Chihiro did her best to ignore her tormentor, but it was to no avail. The girl continued to tease Chihiro as she annoyingly poked at her temple.

"You can try to ignore me all you want," laughed the girl. "But I know you can still hear me! Better get used to it! We are, after all, going to be roommates for the whole weekend!"

"Rena!" snapped Naomi. "Leave her alone. Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Nope!" Rena happily responded. "I sure don't! I'm really looking forward to spending some quality time with my dearest friend here. I'm sure she feels the same way. Isn't that right, Ogino?"

Chihiro shot Rena a death glare before quietly returning to her drawing. Apparently, Rena's feelings weren't at all mutual.

"It'd be nice if you could just sit down and shut-up for the rest of the ride!" snapped Naomi.

"Heh, like you could make me!"

"Naomi, it's really not that big of a deal," said Chihiro, sensing where this was going. "Just let it go."

But she didn't listen to her friend's pleas. She quickly spun around to face Rena. The two girls were now glaring into each other's eyes. Chihiro held her breath and waited for the screaming match begin. The other students on the bus were also awaiting the fight.

"Wanna bet?" questioned Naomi, as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh great," Chihiro thought as she sunk down in here seat. "What a wonderful way to start off our school trip."

"I'm willing to put money onto it," Rena slyly answered.

"Rena, Naomi!" called their teacher from the front seat, "Stop this foolishness and take your seats immediately!"

Both girls reluctantly did as they were told. But not before giving each other one final death glare. Their teacher, however, continued to fuss at them.

"Honestly," she ranted. "I'm sick of your constant bickering! That's all you've done the entire year. If I hear anything more from you two, I'm calling your parents to come pick you up. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, Ms. Tanaka," said both girls in unison.

Everyone quietly went back to their conversations and Rena finally left Chihiro alone.

"Why do you egg her on like that?" asked Chihiro once things died down.

"Because you won't stand up to her," Naomi simply responded. "So, I have to do it for you."

Chihiro sighed, "Just because I don't respond to things with violent words or swinging fist, doesn't mean I don't know how to stand up for myself."

"Well I've never seen you do anything," scolded Naomi. "I don't understand you. Ever since you first moved her in 5th grade, that girl has been constantly bullying you. And I've never seen you do anything about it besides ignore her. Why?"

"Because," Chihiro dismissed her question and continued her drawing.

"Because…why?" pressed Naomi, staring at the dragon picture.

Chihiro deeply sighed. Her friend just didn't know how to let things go.

"Because, she's completely harmless. The only thing she's succeeded in doing so far is annoy me. She's never hurt me in anyway," Chihiro stopped drawing and warmly smiled at Naomi. "Besides, I won't have to deal with her for much longer anyway. She's not even going to the same high school as us."

"Well yeah, but what about during the trip? You guys are roommates. What if she does something to you while you sleep?"

"I don't think so," she answered. "The only reason she teases me so much is because she can't get a huge reaction out of me. I'm a challenge to her."

"Feh, you're a challenge to me too," Naomi scoffed as she folded her arms behind her head. "Do you have any idea how hard it is being your best friend? Having to put up with her every day?"

Chihiro laughed, "Oh, and you think it's easy being best friends with you? Naomi, you constantly get in trouble because of your hot-headed antics. And because I'm usually with you, I get roped right into it! In case you're wondering, it's not fun!"

"Chihiro!" Naomi dramatically said, pretending to be offended. "I am deeply appalled by that accusation! I'm not hot-headed! I'm a very sweet, loving, and kind hearted girl."

"Okay fine, we'll pretend for a second that all of those things are true," Chihiro teased. "You're not hot headed. You're just overly passionate about everything."

Naomi winked at her, seemingly satisfied with that description.

"I see you still haven't given up on that story of yours, huh?" asked Naomi suddenly glancing at Chihiro's picture. "The one about the girl who falls in love with the dragon."

"No, I'm just doing this to pass the time. That's all,"

"I really do like that story you told me, though," said Naomi, cheerfully. "A girl and her parents become trapped in a spirit world after upsetting some spirits. Her poor parents are turned into hideous pigs."

Chihiro tired her hardest to block out Naomi's fangirling, "here we go."

"Then, like a delicate angel, a mysterious boy named Haku swoops in to save her. A mysterious boy that can turn into a white dragon."

"If I'd known she'd keep retelling the story in such a melodramatic way," thought Chihiro rolling her eyes. "I never would've let her read it in the first place."

"Through many trials and tribulations," Naomi continued. "She's able to boldly overcome every single obstacle she comes upon and emerges as a much stronger person. But alas, she and her beloved dragon must part. After rescuing her parents, the girl must leave the spirit world and her love forever. Such a deeply moving tale."

Chihiro openly stared at Naomi, "you're worse than Shakespeare."

"Me? You're the one that wrote about star-crossed lovers!"

"I-I never said they were lovers," said Chihiro , looking out the window.

"Well, that's the feeling I got when I read it," Naomi softly answered. "The characters may not have openly acknowledged it, but I definitely felt it. It's a wonderful story, but there are 2 things I'd change about?"

Chihiro rapidly turned back to Naomi, "Oh really? Like what?"

"Well for one, I think you should tweak the main character a bit," said Naomi. "She seems too much like you. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was a self-insertion."

Chihiro was so stunned, that she didn't even know how to react. She could do nothing but gawk at her eccentric friend.

"Don't be upset! I really do love your story and hope you get it published some day. It's just that it seems like you stepped into the main character's shoes in order to have a romance with the dragon boy. Even her name is similar—Chiharu!" Naomi explained.

"You said there were 2 things that you'd change," said Chihiro, regaining her composure. "What's the other thing?"

Naomi's face suddenly became serious, "I would've let the girl stay in the spirit world with Haku."

"Why is that?"

"Haven't you been listening at all?" asked Naomi lightly bonking Chihiro's head. "Because they love each other. They probably spend every day thinking about the other."

"Haku is a river god. He's got other things to do then worry about some human girl he met 5 years ago."

"5 years ago?" asked Naomi. "What are you—"

But Chihiro quickly cut her off, "I meant that…it's been 5 years since I created the story. You know? It was just an idea created in the mind of a 10 year old girl."

Naomi carefully examined Chihiro, "Okay, whatever you say."

Chihiro leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. She was hoping they'd be at the resort by now.

"One more thing," said Naomi.

"What is it now?" asked Chihiro, without even opening her eyes.

"Since you're the author, can you at least tell me if Haku and Chiharu ever meet again?"she asked her. "He did promise her they would."

"I don't know," she said. "I'd like to think that they do. But I'm not certain."

"Then I think it's time for a sequel," Naomi happily proclaimed.

Chihiro sadly looked down at her drawing of Haku. Not a day went by that she didn't think about Haku or her adventures in the spirit world just 4 years prior. She remembered how he'd promised they'd meet again as he was sending her off. Although she knew he was most likely trying to comfort her, she knew it wouldn't happen. Still, she couldn't stop wondering. She couldn't stop hoping.

"A sequel," she thought somberly. "Would be highly unlikely."

Chapter 1 is done! We'll see how this goes lol...