Spirited Away 2: Becoming A Part Of This World

The Spirit World

After the events that took place in the spirit world, Chihiro forgot everything. She forgot Haku, Lin, Kamaji, Bō, Yubaba...every one. Every detail was left from her mind. Except for the green fields and the building, which were faded memories to her.
It was for her 12th birthday...that day when Chihiro's new friends from her new life had taken her on a trip. This fateful day changed everything.
"Ehhh, what are these little gross boxes?" Sakura, one of Chihiro's friends, asks as she kicks it over.
Chihiro was shocked at the disrespect towards spirits. She didn't know why but after she moved to this area, she was fascinated by them and was respectful to anything related to them. Chihiro didn't notice herself. It wasn't fascination. It was a connection. Her special connection with the spirit world.
"Sakura! Treat it with respect! It's a home for spirits!"
The mixed group of boys and girls laugh as Chihiro pouts at their dismissive behaviour towards the spirits' home.
The group run ahead, racing up the lane.
"Chihiro! Come on!"
"H-Hiro, Sakura, everyone, please, wait up!" Chihiro exclaims as she follows them in the darkness to a mysterious pathway leading to an all too familiar gate. Chihiro pauses and shivers as she comes face to face with the gate of a tunnel.
"What, you scared?" Another friend of hers, Usagi, asks, teasing her.
Chihiro gulps and shakes her head, "n-no! Let's go! I've already been here anyways..."
A 4th friend, Katashi, scoffs, "you can't have been here already!"
"I have been! On my first day here, we came here, went in and-" Chihiro pauses for a second, as though something else had happened here and she had forgotten, "and we just went home..."
Usagi narrows her eyes, "ok...well let's go!"
Everyone heads to the gate and as they walk through it, Chihiro feels the wind blow inside from behind her.
Weird...why was that weird?
"It's super dark and old here!" Hiro exclaims in disgust as he brushes away spider webs, "There's nothing besides this run down building!"
Chihiro tilts her head, "what do you mean?" She runs to the other end of the building and sees a wall. No gate leading to a field of grass. Nothing. That was all she remembered of this place. But there was definitely a plain field of green. She remembered that aspect at least...
"Chihiro?" Sakura asks, confused.
Chihiro takes a few deep breaths and shakes her head as she places her bag down, "no, it's just...I remember there being a field of grass...maybe that was somewhere else..."
Katashi snorts, "yeah, like I said, no one has ever been here before!"
The group are about to start eating when suddenly, the sky tumbled and roars.
"Ehhhh, it's already raining? I thought we had another good hour at least left!"
Sighing, everyone packs up the picnic and prepare to head back to Chihiro's house. As they walk out of the building, Chihiro feels a tug in her heart as her body freezes. At this moment, she was stood next to the statue that had freaked her out over a year ago and it was raining. Chihiro turns and faces the gate, looking deeply within it.
"...Chihiro?" Usagi asks.
Snapping out of her trance, Chihiro says, "oh,uh...I left my bag in there! I'll go head back and get it!"
"Ok? We'll head back to your house."
Chihiro runs back through the gate, into the building and, grabbing her bag, she looks around. Suddenly, wind blows again, but this time from her side. But to her was a wall. She turns to face it but there is nothing. But then her mind starts to hurt and she hears a voice in her head.
Chihiro...remember...remember the spirit world...remember us all...remember me...Haku,Lin,Kamaji,No Face,Yubaba,Bō,Yubird,Zeniba...remember what happened and I promise I'll come find you...Remember me Chihiro...I made a mistake by making you forget. I miss you...
She places her hand on the wall. It was cold and sent chills through her spine.
Who was that? No, I know who that was. It was Haku...but who is Haku? Haku. Haku...HAKU! I know these names...everyone...the spirit world...I'll come back....I remember!
Suddenly:
CRASH!
Chihiro runs out to see a tree had fallen down due to lightning. Tears were falling down her face as thunder and lightning shook the sky. The memory that she was missing...she remembered it all! All the hardships she endured, all the friends that she made, no, the family that she made...Haku...I'll wait for you! You promised that we'd meet!
-----------------------
Chihiro had waited. She waited 7 years for him to return. At the age of 17, soon to be 18 in a week, she was finally moving away. After her experience in the spirit world, the human world wasn't the same for her as it was in the spirit world. She wouldn't stop thinking about Haku, Lin, Yubaba, Granny, No Face and the rest of the gang. She drew and drew until she could finally reminisce these moments in her painting as precisely as possible. Haku...he promised her and he still hadn't come to her. No matter how much she tried to convince her parents that the spirits were real, they still didn't 100% believe her and with that she barely stayed home. She'd visit the gate everyday hoping it would open but to no avail, the gate was shut. Perhaps forever. However, this wouldn't stop her. She'd treat the spirits with the utmost respect and try and raise awareness of the spirits. She studied the history and culture of spirits. It was then that, on the day in which she turned 18, she would move into the temple if she'd have to. So long as she didn't have to be around humankind. So long as she didn't have to be away from where she felt the safest. This may seem petty or rude, but Chihiro felt trapped and lonely. Her friends weren't friends and constantly bullied and picked on people, although she had noticed that some people were nice, but they weren't Haku, and they weren't Lin...and her parents...

"Ehhh, Chihiro, are you sure you want to leave so quickly? I thought you weren't going to start travelling until tomorrow. Why tonight?" Her mother had asked her so sadly. Taking a deep breath, Chihiro strapped on her big hikers backpack and shook her head.
"It's got to be tonight Mom."
Sighing, she nodded, "fine, fine. Did you say bye to your friends?"
Chihiro rubs her cheek nervously, "ehhh, not really...they know I'm leaving but they said they weren't going to see me off because 'they were busy'..."
Her father sighs, "very well...would you like me to drive you to the train station or-"
"No! I am going to do this on my own!" She smiled firmly. Nodding, they watched her leave, not knowing where she would go.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday...to you...happy...birthday Chihiro...happy birthday...to you," she let out a sigh as she walked up that hill and finally reached that gate. It was red! Gasping, she prayed to herself and sprinted in.
She gasps as the familiar green grass sways in the wind.
THERE WAS A FIELD!
In the distance was the amusement park, no the bathhouse... Feeling tears fall down her face, she runs and runs until she sees the entrance to the bathhouse in the distance. Memories start to refine themselves as Chihiro visualises the moment her and her parents came across that stall. It was still day but the sun was about to set. She knew this all to familiar feeling. Then she remembers!
I'm going to fade...what do I do? I can't take the spirit's food, or else I'll be cursed like mom and dad were...a different approach...think Chihiro, you're fading...think...THINK
She slaps her cheeks and opens her eyes to come face to face with a child spirit, not as chubby and as big as Bō, but it definitely wasn't Bō... Or at least, that's what she thought...
"...S-Sen?...It is you! I can't believe it!" He runs to hug her but faded through her.
"W-who...?"
"It's Bō!"
"Bō?! Oh my goodness! You've grown so much! Or rather...you've shrunk!"
The two laugh and then Chihiro realises, "Bō, help me! I'm going to fade! Last time I came Haku-"
"I've got it! Hold on!" Bō pulls out a small ball, a ball of food.
"This! Take it! It had a spell that Master Haku put on it in case you returned! Oh Sen I'm so happy you're back! Master Haku and everyone has missed you so much!"
"Thank you!" Chihiro emotionally says as she eats it. The tears fell down her face and then she realises that spirits were watching her.
"Is that a human?"
"We haven't had a human since HER."
"Could it be the same one?"
"That kid spirit with her, doesn't it have the same energy as Bō, Madame Yubaba kid?"
"Eh...I don't think it's the same human, look, the human from before was shorter and had her hair always tied up. It was medium length, from what I heard about the rumours."
Right...would everyone recognise Sen? She was taller and more mature, with a slightly curved, slim body. Her hair was longer but in a ponytail and it had darkened naturally, due to genetics and human stuff. One thing that didn't change was her voice and her face, which was still round and cute and blushed naturally.
"Tsk, who cares what she looks like exactly, that human was TINY and her parents got turned into pigs...Hmph, what a hectic week that was..."
Bō whispers, "follow me."
Taking her hand, Bō drags her with his immense strength all the way through the festival village. Eventually, they reach brown broken stairs and Bō exclaims, "get ready!" as he pulls a lever, transforming the stairs into a slide. Then, he jumps and slides down, dragging Chihiro with her. Her backpack was, miraculously, still in tact.
"Th-this is..."
Bō smiles as he walks in and exclaims, "welcome back to Mr Kamaji's Boiler Room! Sen~~~!" Bō exclaims as he hugs her.
Smiling with joy, she cries and nods, "thank you Bō!"
"BŌ!" A voice exclaims, "who is this guest?! There's an intruder running arou-...hmmm...hmmmmmmmmmmmm........SEN!!?"
"Hehe...hi Mr Kamaji!"
"TSK DAMN IT BÕ, WE'RE IN FOR IT!...just like old times I guess," Kamaji laughs.
The sootballs poke their heads out and then run in, surrounding Chihiro, who laughed happily. Chihiro explains to Kamaji her situation, when suddenly Lin walks in.
"Kamaji! Have you heard? There's an intruder running around! It reminds me of-...Sen?"
Chihiro waves, "hi!"
"...it can't be. It is you! What are you doing back here?"
Chihiro explains again her situation,
"...and so I decided that I want to be here with you all. With Haku as well..."
A tint appears on her face and everyone smirks.
Just then, Kamaji exclaims, "Wait, we need to get you a job damn it! I'd give you a job but the damn sootballs are fine without you. You'll have to ask Yubaba...sorry Sen..."
Chihiro exclaims, "that's fine! Just a reminder, my name is Chihiro Ogino! Please call me that!"
The two old friends smile and nod. Sighing, Bō says, "follow me again Chihiro! We need to convince mama to give you a job!"