Spirited Away: Author of Dreams

A/N: Hey there! Thanks for clicking on this story! I got inspiration for this Spirited Away one-shot all of a sudden in the morning and boom, two nights spent on writing this. Hope you enjoy it and God bless! (:

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A large expanse of green stretched towards the distant horizon, overlooking towering hills in the distance. Streaks of thin, wispy clouds were brushed along the rich expanse of blue skies, moving ever so slightly in accordance to the whims of the summer breeze. The wind tickled their skin, gently tousling the hair of two beings standing in its presence, rousing the wild grass by their feet in a soft, melodious rustle. 

The little girl and boy stood side by side, hands clutching each other's tightly, in subtle indication of their reluctance to depart from the other's company. They stopped at the edge where the plain started, looking on towards the tunnel that lay ahead, where it all began.

"There's no water here, I can walk across now," the girl breathed with wide eyes, already prepared to take a step out, and run back to the home that she had so longed to return to after going through such a tedious ordeal in this strange world.

"But I can't go any further," the boy replied, "Just go back the way you came; you'll be fine. But you have to promise not to look back, not until you've passed through the tunnel."

She glanced back at him, frowning slightly. "What about you? What'll you do?"

"Don't worry," he assured as his lips curved upwards, his eyes gleaming, "I'll go back and have a talk with Yubaba. I'll tell her I'm going to quit being her apprentice. I'm fine, I got my name back."

Staring into his earnest green eyes, she couldn't help but ask, "Will we meet again sometime?" It greatly saddened her that it would perhaps be the last time they would meet. The same thought occurred to the boy, and a certain heaviness tugged at his heart.

"Sure we will," he replied hastily, though not sure himself if it would happen. He was not accustomed to speaking white lies, but he couldn't bear for her to be upset, not when she should be happy right then. Moreover, if she were to stay longer, he had no idea himself if he would be able to bear to see her leave.

"Promise?" Her innocent smile made the corners of his mouth tug up into a smile identical to hers.

"Promise. Now go, and don't look—

"Chihiro! Chihiro, get your nose out of that book for once in your life, would you?" Someone nudged her in the side, at long last catching her attention. Chihiro's head jerked up to meet a pair of raven eyes staring at her with a hint of annoyance and exasperation.

"Sorry, Kurumi. I was just getting to the best part though!" she pouted, gazing reluctantly at the words on the open, worn-out pages. Shooting it another rueful look, she stuck her bookmark in it before closing it and placing it in her bag.

Kurumi shook her head, but shot an amused smile at her goofy friend. It was baffling how a book could captivate one so much so that it could be read more than twenty times over from cover to cover. She loved books, but even she couldn't stand reading the same plot for more than five times. The stories just got old like that.

Picking up her bag and getting up from her spot under the oak tree, Chihiro dusted off her jeans and looked at Kurumi expectantly. "Which lecture is it now?"