My Neighbor Totoro Fan Fiction ❯ My Neighbor Totoro ❯ My Neighbor Totoro ( Chapter 1 )

My Neighbor Totoro

Disclaimer: I don't own it T-T.

"Words"

'Thoughts'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* < p class="MsoNormal c50">A long time ago, I lived in a small house in a quiet neighborhood. It held so many memories of adventure and fun that I can't help but smile at the memories that were created there… with our friendly and rather fuzzy neighbors: Totoro and his dust bunnies. Whenever I tell anyone about my childhood adventures, they just laugh and say I'm crazy. Maybe I am. I find myself questioning my own sanity quite often, especially when I visit my parents at the enchanted house near the Camphor Tree. I often search for the opening that would lead my sister and I to Totoro so many years ago. I have never found that entrance, nor have I seen a dust bunny or cat bus since I grew up and left for college.

My sister Mei, who is currently attending the local university, still clings to the memories and swears on her life that they were real, and that Totoro is still watching over us. I wonder sometimes if that is true. Does the furry ghost really exist and appear to children to this day? Or has it all been a childish fantasy that Mei and I manifested for comfort during the trying years of our youth? Either way, I know that I will always treasure the days I spent here with my father and Mei.

The Camphor Tree to this day holds an important place in my heart. I always feel safe around that tree. When I was little, my dad used to tell Mei and I that at one time, man and trees were the best of friends. I don't really believe that, but I do feel at peace when I am in the forest. That's why I always visit my parents when I am upset or just need some encouragement.

When Mother came home from the hospital for good, Mei and I couldn't stop talking about Totoro and the dust bunnies and where we them. Mother would always just smile and humor us. I don't think she ever truly believed us, even when she said she did. I don't really blame her. Whenever we would try to take an adult to Totoro's hiding place, neither Mei nor I could ever find it. Even I now wonder if it was just my imagination running getting carried away.

By the time my youngest sister was born, I had lost the ability to see Totoro, even when my sisters would drag me with them on their excursions and acorn hunts. I got really upset whenever they would come home and tell me they saw Totoro and his friends. I always got in trouble for yelling at them to stop. Mother and Father would remind me that I was that age once and used to talk about those things to. They said that, eventually, my sisters would outgrow it and move on with life. It made me realize exactly what happened. I outgrew playing make-believe with my sister and moved on to school and boys. Every time I told my sisters, and perhaps myself s well, that Totoro was just a figment of their imagination, they would bawl and scream that I was a liar that Totoro was a real person. I gradually stopped listening to them and eventually moved to the city to go to college…

Satsuki turned off her laptop, saving her autobiography first, and looked up as the bus stopped. She smiled sadly as she recognized it as the stop she and Mei had first claimed to see the nekobus. She stood and gathered her belongings before stepping off the small bus and onto the damp gravel road. The young aspiring novelist stepped lightly as she made her way to the small house on the edge of the forest. She had decided to drop by for a surprise visit and try to find some inspiration.

As she reached the door to the house, Satsuki knocked before sliding it open and greeted her parents with a respectful bow.

"Hello Mother, Father," she exclaimed. Her parents both smiled widely at her. "I just thought I'd drop by and visit for a while if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay! This is your house too and you are always welcome here, Satsuki," came her mother's immediate and gentle reply as she enveloped Satsuki in her loving embrace.

*

Satsuki strolled leisurely along the path through the forest she loved so much, fond memories returning to her at every turn. Then, she came upon the Camphor Tree and she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"What ever happened to us? When we were children, we were so innocent and happy… we were free. Now that we've grown up… have we really become so closed to such mysteries and innocent fun?" The tears that she had been suppressing rolled gracefully down her cheeks and fell to the roots of the Camphor Tree. "I wish more than anything to be able to see Totoro again. I would give anything to feel like I did then just one more time…" By the, the tears were uncontrollable and she sobbed openly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Satsuki noticed a small acorn between the roots of the tree. She walked over and picked it up before taking notice of the larger acorn in the large gap in the roots. She frowned curiously before kneeling down and reaching for it. As she shifted her weight, Satsuki found herself tumbling down the rabbit-hole and in an instant she was atop a large furry body. After examining it for a few minutes she gasped.

"Totoro?!" The furry king of the forest opened its eyes and grinned at her with its mouth stretching wide enough to swallow her. "It is you! You are real! Or… is this a dream?" As she asked that question, several dust bunnies crept onto her lap and hopped around. Satsuki reached out and touched one. Pulling her hand away, she saw that it was covered in soot.

*

"Mother! Father! Mei! You won' guess who I just saw!" Satsuki cried as she entered the house. Mei looked up from her schoolwork just long enough to acknowledge her sister's presence before returning attention back to her textbook.

"Who, sis?" she inquired without looking up again. Satsuki grinned.

"Totoro." Mei looked up at her sister strangely. "I saw Totoro and the dust bunnies and the small totoros too!"

"That isn't funny, sis. You shouldn't make stuff up. You and I both know that Totoro isn't real." Satsuki frowned at her younger sister.

"You mean… you stopped believing in Totoro? When?" she asked softly. Mei took a deep breath and contemplated the question for a moment before replying.

"Since I was about thirteen and you left for college."

"Oh…" Satsuki whispered to herself. She slowly turned and stepped back outside, gazing up at the Camphor Tree and the stars before glancing hesitantly at her hand. She smiled softly as she saw the remainder of the soot still on her palm.

"You have always been watching over me, Totoro… haven't you?"

*Owari*

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a/n: How was it? This is my first attempt at a Totoro fic and I haven't seen it in the longest time. I actually haven't really seen any out there (not that I've taken too much time to look). If you read this fic, please review. I would really appreciate it.