Spirited Away Fanfiction: Chihiro is 20 and at university. Her brush with the Spirit World still influences her life today. She is trying hard to fit in with the "real world", but she is finding this difficult and the cracks are starting to show
Thi...
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Chihiro woke to the smell of cooking. The delicious savoury scents tickled her nose.
"Yum," she thought and her stomach rumbled. She rolled off the mat on the floor, washed her face in the basin and tied back her hair. She then walked through the curtained partition.
Granny was at the stove stirring a large, cast iron pot of something. No-face was whipping up some eggs at the table. Chihiro sat at the table glad of the warmth of the stove, as the linen nightgown Granny had given her was a little thin.
"Food will be with you in a moment dear," said Granny. Five minutes later Chihiro had a huge bowl of savoury oat porridge placed in front of her.
"I want to see you eat it all now. You need to build your strength back up and get some meat on those bones." Chihiro smiled and attacked the porridge.
Bou meandered in when she was halfway through it. He was covered from head to toe in mud. The swamp was thick with it after all the rain. Granny shook her head.
"Really look at the mess you are in! Oh well, sit down, we'll wash you later." Bou had a bowl placed in front of him.
"But I'm not hungry Auntie." Chihiro nearly choked. "I want to play with Sen!" he whined.
"You can go back out and play after you've eaten. But Sen and I have to talk." Bou pulled a face but did not argue. He wandered back out after wolfing down his food. No-Face put a cup of tea in Chihiro's hands and offered her a plate of biscuits.
"No more please!" she laughed, "I'll burst."
Granny sat.
"Now my dear, tell me everything." Chihiro proceeded to do so. The witch winced a few times as if she found the story hard to hear, but she did not interrupt.
"When I saw that he was obviously going to be stubborn about this. I was so upset I kind of ran away..." Chihiro concluded Zeniba sighed.
"Well, you've put me in a very difficult position, my dear. My first instinct is to send you back, but you no longer fit in there. It seems we must get you bonded to this world and that won't be easy."
"So how do I become bonded to this world?"
"First the Lord and Lady must deem you worthy. Second, you yourself must justify your existence here. Thirdly you need three spirits of great power to speak for you."
Chihiro frowned. "You're right that is difficult."
"Don't fret my dear, you are meant for this world, it is clear."
"What do you mean?" asked Chihiro.
"I mean you just stumbling in here, not once but twice, was no accident. Fate has her hand firmly on your destiny. With this in mind, I would be glad to speak for you."
"Oh, Granny! Really!" Chihiro hugged the old woman.
Just then the windows rattled. Chihiro stiffened knowing what it heralded.
