What Life Is Truly About

I will work on my other story, I promise. It's just on hiatus. And I was forced by nieces to watch the movie, blame them.

DISCLAIMER: Would I do this if I owned Spirited Away? No, so me no own. Happy, now.

Rainy Days are made for Stories.

"We made a promised to met again and Haku said 'Whatever you do, don't look back', and you know what: I never did. Not once." The brown-eyed, chestnut-haired woman sighed, leaning back against the whickered chair back and stole a glance at the person she had just told her heart's dearest secret to, then continued, "I still wonder sometimes what would have happened if I had looked. Well…what do you think, Grammy?" Chihiro looked towards her paternal grandmother, a youthful-looking woman who still believed in the occult, one of the few whom Chihiro had decided to trust enough to tell what happened almost a decade ago. She had tried telling her father, but as always he refused to believe in anything supernatural. Chihiro guessed he was content in his world of accounting and watching science and news shows. Unfortunately, Chihiro had the feeling it went much, much deeper than mere atheism.

"Well now, that is some tale, child. I can see why you never told that to anyone before. Remind me I should tell you one of mine sometime." The plain-spoken old woman chuckled. Chihiro soon found herself laughing along, "So you've been there? Please tell me you didn't do anything stupid like I did." The old woman mock-glared at her granddaughter. "Chi-chan, I have made many mistakes in my life but one that I did make is still haunting me today: I met and married your grandfather, a known priest, moved to a place that was considered sacred and then my son rebelled against anything that wasn't explained by his precious science or that accursed logical explanations. As if they didn't give us both of those, which I tried to tell your father, but did he listen? OH no, he didn't. If I had a yen for every argument we've…" As the woman continued to rant, Chihiro thought of their relationship, 'I wonder if that's it: Dad acting out a long-held rebellious grudge. No, that can't be. A grudge is one thing, but this…this Hatred of anything occult is ridiculous. What could have made him so scared -if that's the right word- of the Spirit World. Maybe he met Yubaba on a bad day? No, she would have magicked him, so maybe Turnip Head? He'd scare anyone intentionally or not.' Her eyes faded out as her thoughts spiraled faster and Chihiro didn't noticed her grandmother until she felt a palm hit the back of her head, hard enough to send her poor forehead against the table. " Ow! That hurt; I thought you didn't condone fighting." Chihiro whined, rubbing her forehead ruefully. Chihiro started to say more, but a raindrop hit her thin spring kimono and she stood, gathered the old china teapot and cups, and headed inside the temple building that was her father's childhood home.

Following her, Sango stopped and leaned on the doorframe watching the sky, and reproachfully commented, "You didn't hear a word I said before, did you?" A quick "Nope!" happily came from the kitchen as the first downpour of spring began. As her favorite grandparent, not that she would ever admit it, watched the rain, Chihiro walked over and her forest green and silver kimono wrinkling as she leaned on the opposite doorframe a small smile tugging on her lips."May I remind you that staring is rude?" Her grandma's clear voice was barely louder than the quiet rain. Chihiro answer was just as quiet but held a note of teasing, "Yes, Grandmother, you have. Am I going to get a scolding for staring or for ignoring you or are you just going to bop me again?" , as she thought, 'Sango never seems to age; she still looks like she's forty. I've seen the pictures.'

"Neither, but I am going to repeat myself for once and I expect you to pay attention this time, youngin'. Now follow me." Sango's voice had gotten that sharp, almost icy edge that Chihiro had learned to never ignore. It made Chihiro's body shiver and made the older woman sound as old as the near-extinct volcano the temple was on. Quietly she answered, "Yes, ma'am."; turning she rushed to catch up as Mrs. Ogino headed towards her husband's building. "I'm glad we decided to add this covered walkway between the buildings. Rain's nice but only if you don't get caught in it.' Sango tilted her head back and asked almost carelessly, "So do you want to keep your promise?"

Hope you enjoyed it. Anyone who reviews gets their choice of a Haku plushy in either dragon or human form and as a kid or adult. One for each reviewer, please.