Summary: Shortly after Chihiro's return to the human world, she falls into a deep depression and her words die. She has slowly given up hope Haku will return to her... She refuses to die, even though she is being abused verbally, emotionally, and physically. Could Haku fix this if they ever met again? Chapter one is Chihiro's POV and the rest are in third person.
Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away or any of its characters. This is my original plot though and Akemi is an OC
This story is SO dedicated to my beta, jean kitsune! You have truly helped me make my stories better in a LOT of ways! YOU ROCK! (Glomps) THANKS FOR HELPING!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Flashback: 7 years ago, Chihiro POV-
(10 year old Chihiro and 12 year old Haku are standing at the border where Haku can't go any farther)
"Will we ever see each other again?" I asked.
"I'm sure we will" replied Haku.
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now GO, and don't look back."
I took off running, my hand leaving his warm one. I ran to the top of the slope and looked around until I spotted my parents down below. They called to me and I started to run to them, but I desperately wanted to look around. But, I knew I couldn't and continued down to my parents. I ran towards them, the gate, and the way to my new life in a new town.
-End Flashback-
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
I didn't see Haku after that day and I really missed the spirit world.
A few weeks after we had left the spirit world, Mom told me she was about two months pregnant. Apparently, she had been pregnant for awhile, but didn't realize it until she started worrying that something was wrong with her cycle. She had gone to the doctor, who told her she was expecting.
I was worried that they would start ignoring me in favor of this new baby. But, they said I had nothing to worry about.
Yeah right.
As the weeks after my new brother's, Akemi, birth went by; my parents started neglecting me. I asked my parents if they remembered their promise that I wouldn't be ignored...they claimed to have 'never made such a foolish promise'. They had forgotten about their promise, spent all their time and money on my brother Akemi, they started treating me less and less like a daughter and more of a servant.
I was falling into depression. I had no friends at school. They thought I was a freak and a total daydreamer with an obsession for dragons. Schoolmates picked on me, Akemi and my parents tortured me in my own home. And Haku never came for me like he promised.
I was blamed for things I didn't do, by Akemi, who else? My parents punished me for anything I "did" that my "darling" baby brother had told them about. They usually just verbally abused me, but that was about the worst of my punishments. Back then that is...then I turned 13.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
-Flashback: 4 years ago, Chihiro age 13-
I was bringing my parents and Akemi some snacks. They are sitting in the living room. My mother was reading, father was watching soccer on the TV (American football). And Akemi was playing a gameboy.
"Mother, Father?" I asked.
"What do you want?" mom snapped.
"May I please go to bed? I have school tomorrow," I made up to get away from them..
"Fine, but put your brother to bed before you do. Then you can go sleep. But don't forget! Be up at dawn to do your chores before you go to school," my mother said.
"I will mother. Akemi, I shall prepare you for bed," I said in a monotone voice.
"Yes Sister," my brother said in a WAY too sweet voice. He was planning something...I just knew it.
We started to head up the stairs to his room, when all of a sudden he tripped and started screaming and whining.
"WHAT HAPPENED UP HERE!" my dad roared as he came stomping towards us.
"Sh-she pushed me. She said "don't be such a klutz" and then pushed me!" my brother whined, and started to cry fake tears of pain.
"I did n—" I started but I was cut off by a sharp slap to my cheek. I gasped. They had never hit me before!
"Stupid, insolent, little girl!" My dad yelled and slapped my other cheek.
"What has your brother EVER done to deserve what you just did to him? Never mind, don't answer; just GO AWAY!" My mom screamed at me too.
"But—"I tried again.
"NO! Leave now and get out of our sight! Go to bed and don't you even dare show your face until breakfast!"
I bowed stiffly and left.
-End Flashback-
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
My parents continued to treat me as a servant and even started beating me worse than just a slap when I did something wrong. All to point where I started having to where long sleeves and was considered even more of a freak by schoolmates, since I wore them in the summer as well. Nobody did that. Only freaks, like me.
I ate meals alone at the dining table while my family sat in the living room watching TV. Everyday, I usually had porridge for breakfast, an apple and a sandwich for lunch, and noodles for dinner. I was becoming dangerously thin. Nobody would know though. I always wore baggy clothes. Not like they'd care anyway.
One day, we were going to have mom and dad's supervisors from their companies in the house that night. Mom made all these fancy desserts and foods. Well, Akemi got 'hungry' and half-ate, half-destroyed the food when my parents weren't looking. Once my parents found out, it was me who was punished. Because Akemi said it was me, that's why.
I managed to say it was only Akemi trying to get me in trouble. Since, 'I' cost them their promotions for 'not being organized and being to selfish', I had cuts, bruises, and welts on my skin at least 4 months before they faded to scars.From that day on, the beatings were worse.
By the time I was 14, I lost my ability to speak. I had sunk into the deepest depression I've ever been in, all because of everything happening to me. I had been speaking less and less. And then, one day I lost my will to speak completely... my voice had shut down.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
-Flashback: 3 years ago, Chihiro age 14-
I was walking down the road when somebody pushed me. I fell onto the concrete scraping my hands. I slowly got up, blinked back tears, and continued home. After all, I was used to this treatment...
I could hear the laughter behind me as I continued walking home. Once home, my 'parents' made me get straight to work doing my after-school-chores. Not even Yubaba had been so cruel as they were being.
"Hey brat, get in here!" My dad shouted to me.
I didn't answer. I only went to him, and then just stared blankly out of dull eyes.
"Have you mowed the lawn yet?" My dad asked in an angry tone, one of the only ones I hear now a day...
I opened my mouth... but no words came out. I didn't have the energy.
"Well?"
I tried again. I couldn't speak!
Dad slapped me.
"Answer! Or are you to stupid to even comprehend?"
I opened my mouth but no sound came out again. My dad pushed me down scoffing.
"Oh this is just perfect! Our worthless daughter just invented a new level of worthlessness and patheticness!" My dad scoffed, kicking me.
I would have told him patheticness wasn't a word, but for the fact I couldn't even make a sound and I didn't want any more trouble than I already had. My parents told me to go to my room and not come out till morning. When I got there I lay on my bed and started to think.
'I have to leave...one of these days I will be gone. And then, they will have nobody but 'precious' Akemi to do their work.'
-End Flashback-
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
And that's what happened. When I stopped talking I got pushed around more than ever at school and my brother. And since I no longer have the will to answer my parents verbally they're always trying to beat a response out of me, which leaves more marks on my already scarred, abused body, malnourished body.
Now I am 17 years old. My life ran as normal as could be until one fateful day when everything in my life would be changed. Forever.