CHAPTER 01Arrietty had moved out of her old home for about 6 months now. She spent her life searching the wild bushes and forest for berries and nuts. It was quiet, but too quiet for her. She terribly missed Sho, and even Spiller couldn't make her happy. She knew that while Spiller would probably be her best partner, she couldn't deny that she liked Sho more than Spiller. He had been so nice to her when he had found her. Leaving him was one of the saddest moments of her life. He was her first friend other than the crickets and bugs. She worried day and night if his surgery went well. She wanted to visit him so badly, but she couldnt let her parents worry.One night, Pod was sitting at their table. Arrietty was cutting up the bread, while Homily was pouring out soup. Pod spoke gravely, The humans have come near. Homily looked up, worried. They havent found us, but we may have to stop scavenging for a few days. We should have enough. Arrietty did not say a word, but Pod still glanced at her. Arrietty, do not go out and expose yourself again. You will definitely cause our demise. Arrietty nodded, but whispered Not all humans are bad, dad. Pod slammed his fist against the table. She jumped. Pod had rarely ever gotten this mad. Humans caused our race to die! Arrietty yelled back, Did all of them kill us? Or did just a few? Pod lowered his voice. They are all evil. Sho was a sick boy, thats why he couldnt do anything to you. Arrietty shouted, tears in her eyes, Thats not true! and ran out the door. She had had enough of his constant criticizing of humans. They arent all bad, she told herself. She kept running toward the city that they were near. Spiller was out on his own borrowing expedition, so he wasnt there to stop her. Evening grew darker, and her legs began to ache. She was still wearing her house dress, and its color perfectly matched the ground around her. She climbed up a tree, a fell asleep, crying. In the distance, she heard her parents calling her name. Im not going back. She whispered to herself, before finally crying herself to sleep.

She woke up with the sun, whose beams shone right into her eyes. Her parents had given up searching for her, and the forest was silent. Arrietty would soon be in the city. She had her first borrowed item, a pin, with her. She never let go of it. She sat on the tree branch, imagining Sho and how he would be different. Hed be a bit taller than before. Maybe his eyes wouldnt look so tired anymore. Maybe A bird swooped down, narrowly missing Arrietty. She ducked, and then climbed down quickly before the bird tried to attack again. Scurrying through the grass, she spotted human junk. She dashed past the piles of trash, and she remembered what Pod said about humans. Her eyes welled up with tears again, but she wiped them away and kept running toward the city. She was a Borrower indeed; she could run long distances without tiring. But she was a mini human nonetheless; her stomach began to growl not long after she began to run again.

She had skipped last nights dinner, and now she regretted it. But it was too late to turn back now. She spotted some berries that she had eaten with no harm before, so she picked a few and enjoyed the sweet berries. Once she was done, she got back on her feet and kept running. She walked sometimes, then jogged, then ran, the walked again. After a long day of travelling, she looked up and she saw the city. It wasnt that big of a city, but there were stores, cars, apartments, and a school. Night fell soon after, and she explored the dark and empty streets. She found an alleyway that was small, cozy, and hidden. She tip-toed into the alley, and glanced around. Food was readily available; a small crack in the wall led to a supermarket next door. She was peeking through the crack when she felt something behind her. She whirled around to stare into a rats eyes. She had a flashback of when Pod told her not to mess with rats, or it could get really bad, really quickly. She pulled out her pin and held it like a sword. She would fight them because she could. She had to fight to stay alive now; she couldnt rely on anyone else. She held the pin out for a few seconds, before the rat retreated. She breathed a sigh of relief, but gasped. The rat hadnt retreated; it had brought help. The first one advanced on her, and she thrust the pin at it. It stuttered backwards a few steps, and then leapt at Arrietty. She didnt want to kill it, but she didnt want to die either. She stabbed its paw and it tumbled behind her, unmoving. The other 4 attacked together. She managed to dodge 2 and stab anothers foot, but the third one swiped at her arm. 3 long gashes appeared immediately on her right arm, and she cried out in pain. She stabbed the last rat and ran into the supermarket, clutching her bleeding arm. She tripped over a crack on the tiled floor, and stayed on the floor, crying. After a few minutes, the pain subsided and the bleeding stopped. She looked at her right arm. It hurt when she tried to move it. She sighed. It was nearing midnight, and she needed to get some good sleep. She peeked out the crack into the alleyway, and the rats had all deserted. She cautiously slipped out and climbed up some cardboard boxes. She didnt have tools and her right arm was badly injured, so it took a lot longer than usual. But she was still determined to climb up, and she eventually did. She lied down on top of the box, and fell asleep almost immediately. She was exhausted from a days travelling. In the middle of the night, she suddenly woke up. She had heard someone say her name. She didnt know who, or where, but she was positive she heard someone call her. She heard it again, and this time she could tell it was Spiller. His voice was anxious, and Arrietty could tell he was worried about her. She faintly called back, Im hereWithin seconds, Spiller was by her side. He saw her wound, but Arrietty told him she was fine. Spiller delivered the message that he was told to. Pod says that he is sorry for what he said about Sho, and for you to come back immediately. Arrietty started to cry again, but she held back the tears. Tell him that he is forgiven, but that I will not return. Not until I find Sho. I must know how he is doing. Spiller tried to change her mind. We dont even know if hes still here or not. Im pretty sure he is alive, but he might be halfway across the world. If he is even a city away, youd never get there. Arrietty stayed firm. I will find him. If he is dead, then I might as well die with him. Spiller sighed. Alright. Ill tell Pod and Homily. If you ever need help, call for me. I will hear you. With that, he leapt off the boxes and scurried into the night. Good-bye, Spiller. Arrietty whispered, before returning to sleep.

The next day was uneventful. Arrietty stayed in her alleyway for the most part of the day, except when she needed to get food. Several times, humans came near, and she would dash behind the nearest box. A little after noon, another human came by. This couldnt be anyone other than the Sho she was looking for. He caught her running out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, but she was no longer there. He wanted to call for her, but he was walking with his friends, and he couldnt let them know. Even though he really wanted to brag about having a tiny person as a friend, he knew Arrietty wouldnt like it; nor her father. Sho made a final glance before leaving. At the same time, Arrietty wondered if that was Sho. She had seen the humans dark hair, and his eyes for a second looked just like Sho. But she had hidden too early, and she wasnt sure. For the rest of the day, Sho couldnt focus on anything. Even though it was a Sunday and he was out with his friends, his thoughts kept turning to Arrietty. Arrietty was the same; she stumbled a few times while climbing up the boxes at night. She kept longing for Sho whom she might have met today. Monday rolled around the corner, and she was up by the time the sun came up. She heard the voices of lots of children grouped together. It must be school, she thought to herself. She peeked out her alley, and spotted the same boy. He was too far for her to be able to tell if he was Sho. She quietly hurried toward the school. But by the time she arrived, the students were all in class. She was more scared than she had ever been. This was the first time that she had actually come out during the day for an expedition. This was a big risk; she was in a city or town. But the hallways were seemingly empty, so she scurried about, trying to find a good hiding spot. She settled behind a recycling bin. There was a space between it and the wall. When she heard the bells ring, she peeked out. But she didnt see Sho. Every time the bells rung, she would try to find Sho. But she didnt know that Shos classrooms were on another hallway. For 2 whole weeks she kept hoping to see him. But by Friday, she had given up. She had wasted 14 days to find him, to no avail. She sighed, sinking by the wall. Maybe she was wrong; maybe Sho wasnt here.

For 14 days, Sho searched. He once entered the alley, but he couldnt find Arrietty. The rest of the time, he searched the hallways of his school, knowing that shed probably be looking for him too. On Friday, he had already completely given up, and he was working on a project with his friends. He entered the hallway which Arrietty was hiding. Arrietty heard him talking to his friends, and her eyes welled up with tears. It was definitely him. She peeked cautiously out behind the bin, and Sho immediately saw her. His eyes widened at finding her, and he nodded slightly. His friends didnt see this slight movement, but Arrietty did. When he walked past, he bent down to tie his shoes, his pocket open. She looked around, then hopped into his pocket. As he stood up, he felt a feeling in his heart that he hadnt felt before. He was happy, happier than he had ever been. And Arrietty, in his pocket, began to cry. She had finally found him after half a month of waiting and searching.

CHAPTER 2

She stayed in his pocket while he finished up his project. It was very uncomfortable, but now that she was with him again nothing mattered. Sho knew that Arrietty was uncomfortable, but he didnt know what else to do. He tried to leave as soon as possible, and the second he left the school and began walking in the street, he gently pulled her out of his cramped pocket and set her on his shoulder, like they had done before. They walked together in silence, each soaking up the happiest moment of their lives. It was Arrietty who spoke first. Sho, how are you? she whispered into his ear. He smiled, and whispered back, Im great, now that youre here. Arrietty beamed, then asked a bit more urgently, How was your surgery?Sho whispered in return, It was ok. I had a bit of chest pain for about a month, but now Im back to normal. Arrietty stayed quiet. She had noticed that his strides seemed much more powerful than before, and faster. His eyes were sharper, and his reaction was also much more rapid. For the first time, she felt a pang of fear. Now that he had the strength of a normal human, would he still be able to handle her as gently and slowly as before? Sho seemed to read her mind, and he whispered, Dont worry. I can still be very gentle. My muscles are still used to slow movement. Sho looked down, and saw Arriettys fear, and slowed down. Are you okay? Arrietty glanced up at him, and said Im fine. He knew something was up, but he didnt know what. Arrietty was in fact remembering Pod, and how he had told her that all humans were dangerous. His words echoed in her ears. She knew he was wrong, but yet? Sho glanced down at her again, a tiny person standing on his shoulder. Her brown dress floated effortlessly with the wind. Then he noticed the gash on her arm. He stopped walking, nearly tipping her over, and asked, What happened to your arm? Arrietty snapped to attention, and replied, Nothing. I was fighting some rats. Does it hurt? Not anymore. She smiled. Thank you for caring about me. She carefully sat down on his shoulder, and began to hum. It was a song that she had known for a long time; she had composed it during a rainstorm when she couldnt leave her old house. She hadnt a name for it yet, but she could feel herself described nicely in the song. Sho heard her humming, and asked, What song is that? Does it have lyrics? Arrietty turned red, and said, I I wrote it. I dont have a name for it. And it does have lyrics. She cleared her throat, and began to sing in her quiet voice.Im fourteen years old, I am prettyIm a teeny tiny girl, a little ladyI live under the kitchen floorRight here, not so far from youShe kept singing in the voice she had practiced for so long. Sho was utterly enchanted. Her song indeed represented her wonderfully. He could feel her sadness and happiness at the same time. When she finished singing her song, Sho smiled and whispered to her, That was wonderful, Arrietty. I didnt know you had such a beautiful voice. She blushed, and didnt say anything. Sho continued. Call it Arriettys song. It is your song, and you are in the song. She thought about it for a moment, and replied, I guess that would be okay. Mm

The rest of the walk was uneventful. Arrietty told Sho about her move, and her house. Sho listened intently, and he didnt utter a single sound until he had arrived home. Arrietty didnt know where they were going until she saw the fields and the huge house she had lived in for most of her life. She gasped, and Sho reassuringly whispered, Dont worry. I wont let anyone know about you until you want me to. He opened his backpack, and she jumped in. He gave her a last smile before closing his backpack. He then carefully slipped the backpack back on.

He entered the mansion quietly, and he was greeted by Haru, his maid. She had been the one that had ultimately forced the Borrowers to leave their beautiful home. Welcome home. Haru, if you wouldnt mind, Id like dinner in bed today. Im so tired after working on that project. No problem at all. Your heart is holding up fine? Yes. Ill be waiting upstairs. He climbed up the staircase with ease, and he quickly went into his room. He closed the door, and brought Arrietty back out. His room hadnt changed, and as Sho was preparing his homework, she tried to remember how to get back to her old house. She slowly climbed the wall, and pushed a panel that gave easily. This was it. She looked through the narrow passage that she had once traveled. She heard Sho softly calling for her, and she promptly left the passage and jumped onto the bed too hard. Her legs buckled under the unfamiliar texture of the bed, and she heard her ankle crack. She almost yelped in pain, but she succeeded in swallowing the shout and instead, grabbed her foot, trying to ease the pain. Sho watched this unfold, and even his now much faster reactions couldnt help her. Stop moving, Arrietty. Dont touch your foot. Sho instructed. Arrietty tried to do as he said, but the pain was unbearable. She could call for Spiller, but then it would be like betraying her friendship with Sho. But Haru might show up at any time, and if she was seen she would be in big trouble. Before she knew what was happening, Sho carefully picked her up and set her on the roof. Call for Spiller. I know he can help you. With that, he shut the window. He didnt slam it as she had expected, but he gave her a sympathizing glance before softly shutting the window. Arrietty knew that she had no choice. Spiller! Spiller! Where are you? I need help! Spiller, who was in the city borrowing some goods, heard her faint cries and immediately deployed his special flying-squirrel technique. It wasnt 20 seconds before Arrietty saw him gliding up speedily toward her. He was surprised to see her back at the forbidden house, but he had also somewhat expected this to happen. He saw her foot, and became worried. Hey, Arrietty. You sprained your ankle pretty bad. What happened? Did the human No, it was myself. I jumped onto his bed and I slipped. Spiller carefully inspected her leg, and wrapped it in a cloth so she wouldnt move it. I know you like that boy, Sho. This bandage will help with healing. Return to him; there is nothing more I can do. Just get plenty of rest. With that, we flew into the air once again, leaving Arrietty on the roof. She didnt know what to think; was Spiller mad at her, or did he understand? She sighed, and looked up at the already starry sky. She heard the door open in Shos room, then a bit of conversation. The door closed, and she turned around. His room was empty except for him, and he was looking at her. She climbed onto her knees and crawled over to the window. She hit it a few times like she had done before to get his attention. Sho nodded, and he slipped out of his bed and opened the windows just a crack. He watched as the tiny person crawl painfully through the window, and he held out his hand. She climbed onto his palm, and he brought her this bed. He set her down on the pillow, and he broke off a small piece of bread from his dinner and offered it to her. Arrietty gladly accepted it, and began to eat.

That night, Arrietty fell asleep on Shos desk while watching him work. He took a small cloth and lay it over her, and he continued to work. When he had completed his homework, he tiredly laid down on his bed. He smiled as he watched Arrietty sleep. They were back together again. Sho had long hoped for this day to come, and today it finally did. To him, Arrietty wasnt a pet, but a person that needed help. If she wanted to leave, she could. If she wanted to return, she could. He knew that Arrietty wasnt a hamster or mouse; she was a human with human thoughts. He would refrain from helping her too much, in case it offended her. But right now, she was hurt, so she probably couldnt borrow by herself. He fell asleep thinking about what he would do tomorrow.

Back at Arriettys home, Pod and Homily were both very worried. Arrietty hadnt ever attempted anything this serious, and she hadnt returned. They had given up hope for their only daughter, and they acknowledged that she might be dead. Homily cried every time she saw a trace of Arrietty, and Pod could only sigh. Homily was in the middle of preparing dinner when she heard a knock at their door. Come on in, its unlocked. Spiller stepped in, and he got right to business. Arrietty is fine. I saw her today. And with that, he ran into the darkness once again. Homily tried to understand. Her daughter was alive? What had happened to her? She ran out the door and shouted into the night, Where is she? But she heard no reply. Spiller had heard her shout, but he knew Arrietty would prefer to be left alone. She would tell them when she wanted to.

Morning came, and when Arrietty finally woke up, Sho had already left for school. She tried to stand up, but a sudden pain shooting up her leg stopped her. Then she remembered where she was, and she looked around. She was sure she had fallen asleep on his desk, but now she was in the small house made especially for Borrowers. She peeked outside the intricately detailed window, and saw Haru cleaning Shos bed. Arrietty almost gasped, but she swallowed it and held her breath. Haru finished cleaning and left, closing the door behind her. Arrietty gave a sigh of relief, and then she began to explore the small house. Everything was made especially for Borrower use the books were removable from the bookshelf and contained fine print; the cups were just the right thickness; the tables and chairs the perfect size and height. The electricity worked, so she could have light. But she swore to herself to never use the lights in case another human was nearby. She entered the kitchen, and it filled her with nostalgia for her old house, which this kitchen had been part of for just a few hours. The teapot that Homily had used still contained the tea leaf that had been left inside when they moved. The aroma was weak, but she could still smell it. She carefully set down the teapot, and left the kitchen. She opened a wardrobe, and found assorted clothes that were just perfect for her. She picked out a dress similar to the red one she usually wore, but this one was slightly shorter and it was a beautiful sapphire blue. It fit her perfectly, and she danced a little in front of the mirror. Her hair flowed freely, since she hadnt found a suitable replacement for the one she gave to Sho. She wondered if he had still kept it. She slid her pin back at her waist, and she was almost back to her old self. Her leg still hurt though, so she stayed in the Borrower house reading books until Sho came home. She had read about half of a book when she heard Shos door open. She quickly returned the book and erased nearly all traces of her existence. The only thing different in that house was that her house clothes replaced the blue dress. She hid underneath a table, and hoped for the best. She was lucky; the voice that called out to her was Shos. She opened the front door to greet him, and he was surprised that she had changed clothes. Hows your foot, Arrietty? Its ok. It still kinda hurts, but I think I can manage to walk. Her ankle was slightly swollen, but it wasnt as bad as last night. Sho nodded, and offered to carry her to his desk. She gingerly stepped onto his hand, and he set her down slowly on the desk. She limped over to his homework paper, and tried to read what it said. Essay on a is that word friend or fiend? Arrietty was so small, she had a hard time reading the rough print on his paper. It says Essay on a Friend. Guess what my topic is. Sho smiled at Arrietty, and she turned slightly pink. Its me, isnt it. Sho replied, Yes. But I have to write about your history with me is that okay with you? Arrietty paused. If he wrote about her on his paper, shed be immediately found out. Sho knew this too, and thats why he had asked. Arrietty had to weigh the options. Either Sho wrote about her and expose her existence, or he wrote about someone else to both of their disappointment. She desperately wanted to just say yes, but she knew that wouldnt be right. She whispered, I dont think you should. I dont know what would happen if you did. Sho nodded his understanding, then he started to write. He stopped after writing I have a friend named. He didnt know what to write. He wasnt very liked by his schoolmates, as he had a not-so-good history. Most people were afraid of him because he had a new heart, and others just didnt like him. Arrietty was his only friend. He sighed, and dropped his pencil. Arrietty saw his distress, and she sighed. She sat down on the desk, and thought it through a little bit more. Then she finally spoke up. Sho. He turned tiredly toward her. Sho. Go ahead and write about me. He sat up straight, causing Arrietty to flinch a little. Oh, sorry. But are you sure? Arrietty dipped her head, and continued, Just dont write about how small I am, or what I do for a living. And dont mention my parents, or where I lived. Sho understood why, but he was running out of ideas to write as she crossed them out. Wait, Arrietty. Tell me what I can write. He took his pencil and looked intently at Arrietty. Well, I guess you could say that I was your only friend when you were sick. And that I had to leave because of family matters. Sho jotted all this down on a piece of lined paper. You could also mention that you helped me out a few times, and that you were my only friend. Sho nodded, and kept writing. I guess thats it is that enough? Sho glanced at Arrietty. She wasnt kidding. She was serious; this was all he could write about. He gazed at his paper, before finally agreeing. It wasnt much, but he could manage. And he could add a side note to his teacher that Arrietty didnt want so much information about her released. Arrietty watched as his pencil seemingly flew over the paper, and how the tip of the pencil kept getting duller and duller. By the time Sho had finished, Arrietty had dozed off. He prodded her lightly with the eraser end of his pencil and woke her up. Hey, if youre gonna sleep, Ill take you back to the house for now. She nodded sleepily, and climbed onto his hand. Being careful as to not drop the hazy girl, he slowly walked over to the house and set her into the bed. He whispered good night to the little Borrower. He heard her reply, and he gently closed the front wall.

Chapter 03

Arrietty woke up with the sun (as always) and stretched. She had been living in secrecy with Sho for nearly 2 weeks now, and her leg had healed completely. She had done all there was to do she had tried to write with a gigantic pencil, tried to erase with a heavy eraser, she had visited her old house and cricket friends, and she had went into the field and garden to pick flowers for Sho. Every day seemed to be full of old things to be rediscovered, until today. There was literally nothing left to do. It was a Sunday, one day before 2 weeks had past. Sho was sleeping in, and he was tired from finishing up his homework last night. Arrietty flung her hair around to try and settle it, but she was growing annoyed at her long hair. It didnt match the dress well enough. Then she remembered her hair clip. Sho hadnt told her about it, so she assumed it was gone. But since she had nothing better to do, she thought to herself that she might as well try to find it. She slowly crept out of her house, and lightly landed on Shos bed. She didnt hurt herself this time, and she gave a small sigh of relief. Sho mumbled something, and Arrietty held her breath. After a moment of silence, she continued on her way to his desk drawer. She was lucky; it was open just a crack. She trekked across his desk full of papers and eraser shavings and pried open the desk. She slipped into the desk, immediately surrounded by darkness. She kept forcing the desk open until the light was enough for her to see inside the desk. She poked and prodded all his stuff, but she couldnt find her hairclip. She sighed, and was about to leave the drawer when she spotted a smallish object that just might have been pink. She dashed over, and gasped with delight. It was her hairclip alright; and it looked untouched. It was exactly as she left it. Sho had taken good care of her good-bye present to him, and Arrietty nearly cried again. She shook her head. She was crying way too much lately. She picked up the hairclip, and clasped it upon her head once again. She flung her hair from side to side, ensuring that it wouldnt fall off. Then, she heard Sho waking up. He stretched and let out a small groan. She quietly tip-toed out of the desk, and Sho spotted her immediately. He smiled when he saw that she had found the hairclip. He didnt mean to hide it, but he had completely forgotten about it after she arrived. That hairclip looks good on you. Arrietty blushed, and replied, Because you took such good care of it. He gave a small grin, and left the room to brush his teeth. Before she stepped out of the desk though, she saw a small notebook inside Shos desk she hadnt noticed before. It was small enough for her to open it, and she could open it inside the desk. She slowly lifted up the front cover, and gasped.

This morning, when I arrived at my Aunts house, I spotted a girl who was smaller than my hand.

She grew red, and her heart almost stopped when Sho entered the room. Arrietty? She clambered out of his desk, still flushed. He observed her, and immediately knew she had found his journal. Did you see it? She nodded. There was a moment of awkward silence, and Sho spoke. Its okay. Dont worry, you arent in trouble. I would have had to show you what it said later anyways. Its okay. She didnt speak. Even though she had only read the first sentence of his journal, she knew what probably would come next. Sho noticed her distress, and offered to take her out into the garden. Sometimes he would just lay on the rock like he had done once upon a time and dream of Arrietty. Now that she was here, he didnt need to anymore. But all the same, he still wanted to relive that moment. Arrietty glanced at his hand, and hesitated. She trusted Sho; she always had, but she hadnt finished the journal. What if he couldnt be trusted? Arrietty looked up into Shos eyes, and she saw the trueness and purity of his intentions, and all doubt was gone. She gave him a little smile, and hopped onto his palm. Sho gave a silent sigh of relief. He thought Arrietty might have insisted on finishing the journal, which he wasnt quite ready to show her yet. He slipped her carefully as always into his pocket. He walked quietly into the garden, and lied down on the stone. She crawled out of his pocket and landed softly on the grass. She hadnt been out here for so long that she had forgotten the beauty of the garden. But she remembered that this was where she had revealed herself to Sho first. And this was also the place where she had realized that Earth was populated with over 6.7 billion people, and that the Borrowers were becoming extinct. She stood, remembering all the time she had spent here. When she was little, she had sometimes come all the way out here to play. Sho and Arrietty remained silent for a while, and they stayed outdoors until the sky began to turn a beautiful shade of red. Sho held out his hand, with a light smile on his face. Arrietty took a last glance at the garden, and then leapt onto his hand. He carried her back to the house, and dropped her inside the small house. Sho had attached a small water bottle onto the house, so she had running water, and a small cable that fed her electricity. She took a short, warm bath and slipped back into her house clothes. Sho had plenty of homework that night, and Arrietty kneeled on his desk, helping him out when he needed it. She was learning what he was; he was studying Trigonometry. Although it hurt her head if she thought about it for too long, it was fun to watch the numbers dance and turn out perfect. Sho didnt seem to enjoy it too much, so he was glad to have Arrietty help him. She quickly produced answers, and they were mostly correct. Sho was done with his homework in no time.

Sho lay on his bed, pondering his feelings for Arrietty. She was silent, lying in her house. He knew he didnt love her, but she wasnt just an ordinary friend either. He felt like they were childhood playmates, even though they had known each other for just half a year. He felt like he knew everything about her and that she knew everything about him. They couldve been childhood friends, or brother and sister. He felt deeply connected with her; he felt her pains, and her happiness. And he knew she did too; she would grow worried if his breathing grew heavy. At the same time, Arrietty stared at the ceiling. She was also thinking about Sho. She definitely didnt and couldnt love him; he was a huge human bean that she couldnt possibly love. But she liked him very much. She felt her heart grow all warm and fuzzy when she saw him, but she wouldnt blush. They were definitely not friends either; their connections were much deeper than that. When he looked overly exhausted, she would feel her own energy draining like she was the one that had been exhausted. What was this eerie connection? She sighed, and turned over onto her side. Shed figure it out tomorrow. Her head was filled with numbers that just wouldnt leave.

Chapter 04

Sho was stepping out of his aunt's car. He held Arrietty in his right hand. She was lying down, eyes closed and smiling. Sho whispered worriedly to her, "Are you okay?" Arrietty grinned tiredly and replied, "I'm fine. I'm just really tired. Can I sleep for a while?" Sho nodded. She sighed, and slowly relaxed. Sho turned around to close the car door. He walked on a sidewalk that led to a tall building. He climbed up some stairs carefully and slowly so as to not wake the sleeping girl. He glanced down, and she wasn't there. He gasped, and look around him. Did he drop her? If she had fallen from his hand, she would surely die. But there was no sign of her blue dress. He ran down the stairs, but he couldn't see her. He looked back at the sidewalk, which began to crumble behind him. She wasn't there. He ran towards the car, which was fading away. She was nowhere to be found. He shouted her name over and over again, but she did not reply. Slowly, everything around him turned black until he was in the vast emptiness of space. One star shone, and it whispered to Sho, "Goodbye, Sho." He tried shouting something, but he couldn't make a sound.

Sho woke with a start. Tears were streaming down his face, and his shirt was all sweaty. Arrietty stood in her home clothes beside his bed, a worried look on her face. Sho looked at her for a second, then sighed a breath of relief. Seeing that he was alright, Arrietty relaxed as well."You scared me half to death, Sho. You were shouting my name." Sho turned red. "I'm sorry. I had... A bad dream. Did I wake up anyone else?" "I don't think so." Sho laid back down on his pillow, which was soaked. His breathing was still heavy, so Arrietty jumped onto his bed and leapt onto his pillow. She whispered sweetly into his ear, "It's okay. I'll always be here." Sho smiled, and went back to sleep. Arrietty slowly walked back into her house, glancing backwards to make sure he was really alright. She had been woken up from her sleep when she heard Sho hoarsely whispering her name. Then, his cries grew louder and more desperate, and he had begun sobbing. She had initially thought his heart was failing him, but when he began to cry she knew he was just having a nightmare. She clambered into her bed, and thought to herself that she'd find out what his dream was about tomorrow.

When she woke up, Sho had already left for school again. On his desk, he left a note to Arrietty. I'll explain everything when I get home. Wait for me out in the garden. I hope that isn't too long of a walk for you. Arrietty sighed, folded up his message, and dropped it into the trash. If his aunt or Haru had seen that, she'd be in big trouble. She waited for him in the garden for the whole day, picking flowers and fragrant leaves while humming her song. She was wearing her blue exploring dress, and she was nearly invisible among the brightly colored flowers. When Sho returned home in the afternoon, Arrietty knew something was up. He looked exhausted, and his eyes were somewhat dazed. He slowly made his way up onto the little hill where Arrietty was. He sat down tiredly and sighed. She cautiously asked, "What's wrong?" "I don't know. I just feel so sore right now..." He looked at her, and seeing her in the same dress she wore in his dream, he remembered that he needed to tell her about it. He explained what he could remember about his nightmare, and how he had woken up to see her. Arrietty listened intently, knowing that this showed he really cared. Normally, she would laugh, but she knew that this time it just wouldn't be right. Sho sighed when he finished retelling the story. Arrietty nodded her understanding, and presented the collection of flowers she had collected to him. He smiled, and extended his hand to accept her gift. Arrietty's smile turned into a frown when she touched his hand. "Sho, are you having a fever? Your hand is so warm! Give me your forehead." Sho reluctantly leaned forward toward her. She touched his forehead lightly, and practically shouted at him, "Your forehead is burning hot! You better go in and tell Haru." Sho felt his own forehead, and realized that he had been sick ever since he had arrived at school. Arrietty continued her scolding. "It must've been your clothes. You were sweating so much and your shirt was all wet, and you didn't bother to change out of it before you slept. I think you caught a cold, Sho." He nodded, and offered to carry Arrietty back inside. "No, you go and tell Haru. I'll get back without trouble. Now hurry, before it gets too serious." Sho gave her a weak smile, and walked toward the house. Arrietty watched him go indoors, before sighing and making her way into his room. She navigated through the dense forest of weeds and grass, climbed up the vine that she had memorized, and over the hot roof. She slid herself under the window, and trekked to her house. Right after she entered her living room, Sho's door opened and Haru rushed in with him following. Arrietty watched the chaos and fuss for a while until Haru had left. She slowly crept out the back door, and clambered over to Sho. He smiled at her when he saw her, and said, "You were right. I have a fever." Arrietty frowned, scolding him, "This isn't a time to laugh. I am still worried about your heart." Sho saw that she had really been scared, and he quickly apologized, but he kept his smile. "Then why are you still smiling? Stop it!" He kept the corners of his mouth curling upwards in a silly manner, and soon Arrietty was smiling with him. Sho finally spoke. "Remember when I told you that I wanted to protect you? Well, when you were fussing over me out in the garden, I remembered it. How ironic this is; you are the one that is caring for me." Arrietty laughed cheerily, also remembering that time. She nodded, and then told Sho to get some more rest. Sho reluctantly agreed, and he slipped under his covers. Arrietty whispered good night into his ear, and he whispered it quietly back. With that, she slipped into her house, and sat in the dining room. She sighed, and gave herself a sad smile. She was only a tiny person, barely human, and yet here she was, caring for a boy many hundred times her size. She didn't know why, but she felt that she was supposed to somehow. She slipped under her covers and was about to fall asleep when she heard Sho whispering for her. She shot out of bed and out her front door, and looked anxiously at him. Sho's expression was apologetic as he asked, "Oh, did I wake you? I'm sorry." Arrietty breathed a sigh of relief as she replied. "No, I was awake. What's the matter?" Sho turned to face the ceiling, and whispered, "What are we?" "Huh?" If he could turn red in the dark, he did so now. I mean, uh, are you my friend? Arrietty started to reply, but stopped. Her eyebrows relaxed and her eyes softened, and she replied, No, Sho. We arent just friends. Sho paused, as if waiting for her to continue. Seeing as she did not, he asked, Then what are we? Were siblings, Sho. Not by parents or adopting parents. We are siblings in our emotions and feelings. Sho remained silence as he repeated her words in his head over, and over, and over again. The silence grew uncomfortable, and Sho whispered with care, I promise that I wont ever treat you as a pet, even though it is my instinct. Arrietty grinned slightly, and said into the darkness, Thank you, Sho. Now youd better sleep, or else you may stay sick for a long time. Good night, little Borrower.Good night, big Human. The faint click of Arriettys front door echoed into the night, and for once Sho felt at peace with himself.

Chapter 5

Arrietty rubbed her eyes and yawned. She had slept well last night, especially after she had finally settled upon her relationship with Sho. She groggily dragged her feet out of her front door, still wearing her house clothes. She glanced at the bed, and she nearly fell off the steps. Sho was sitting under his covers reading. He glanced over at Arrietty, and his smile was wiped clean. "Oh, Arrietty! I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Arrietty panted, "You bet you did! Why are you still at home? You should be in school!" Sho replied, calmly, "I still have a little fever, so I'm staying home today." Arrietty caught her breath, and made her way across the hills and canyons of Sho's blanket. She extended her right arm toward his forehead, and he leaned down slowly. She felt his forehead for a few seconds, then muttered, "Your forehead still feels hot;" Sho sighed and leaned back upon his pillow. He set the book down on his lap, and Arrietty noticed the book for the first time. "What are you reading?" He picked her up and set her on his shoulder so she could see, and picked up the book. She squinted, and read, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". She looked disapprovingly at Sho. "Are you still so keen on dying?" Sho laughed, nearly knocking Arrietty off. She tumbled down his arm, and he caught her before she hit the bed. "Are you okay? I didn't mean-" "I'm fine. What's so funny?" Sho explained how his homework was to read this book; it wasn't his own choice. Arrietty turned pink, and frowned embarrassed. Someone knocked on Sho's door, and a voice asked, "May I come in?" Arrietty's heart skipped a beat, and Sho quickly but tenderly transported her back onto her front door steps. She ran into her house, and closed the door as Sho said in a sleepy voice, "Huh? Oh, Haru, please do." Haru opened the door and asked apologetically, "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Arrietty heard Sho say something in return, and she sighed. She couldn't possibly live like this; hiding from humans all the time. She searched her bookshelf for Sho's book, but didn't find one. The voices outside her house continued, along with the sounds of a very loud vacuum cleaner.

Arrietty sat her dinner table, mind drifting away in the din of the vacuum. She had changed into her borrowing dress. Her thoughts wandered to her parents, and for the first time, Arrietty felt worried. Her parents were starting to get a bit old, and they probably couldn't go scavenging like her. When Haru left and Sho whispered for her to come out, Arrietty explained her thoughts to him. He listened intently while she spoke, and nodded his understanding. "Go, then." "What?" "Go and visit your parents. Stay for a week, a month, a year. Your parents are more important than I. Just don't forget me." He said the last sentence with a sad smile, and he opened the window for her. A tear fell from Arrietty's eye, and she hugged his finger once again, and bid farewell. Sho watched her go with a tugging at his heart. He knew what he was doing was right. He would have gone with her, but the reason she had left in the first place was because of him. He sighed, and looked back at the miniature house. He was going to be quite lonely.

Arrietty traced her route. Although she had only taken that path once, her Borrower instinct allowed her to navigate the dense shrubbery. She arrived at her house just a few hours later. She knocked quietly upon the door that she had helped set up, and when it opened she was embraced over and over again. Tears soaked her dress, but she didn't mind. When she finally had a seat at the table she knew all too well, she described her life after she had run away. When she got to the part about Sho, Homily shrieked and Pod held his breath. He glanced sharply out the window, and Arrietty reassured him that Sho wouldn't follow her. "Dad, I know him. He knows that he was the cause of our move, and he doesn't and never has wanted to hurt us. Trust me on this, dad." He turned to face Arrietty. "Are you planning on going back?" Homily interjected, "You mustn't! He is a human no matter what!" Arrietty tried to keep calm. This was steering toward what had forced her out last time. "I have lived safely with him for so long. Why would he want to harm me now?" Pod sighed, and continued. "If you are, I cannot stop you. He doesn't seem to be of any harm, and I can understand that. Arrietty, the thing is" he clasped his hands together, "what if you are found by someone other than Sho? What would happen then?" "I won't. I've learned my mistake." Pod nodded, and said solemnly, "Alright then. Pack some of your belongings and go back to him."Arrietty was surprised. "What? Why?" Pod smiled for the first time since arriving. "I know you like the boy. We can survive fine without you; at least for now. Go grab your stuff and go back." Arrietty turned pink at his comment, and shook her head. "I want to stay with you for a while first." Pod sighed. "I know that you are worried about us. But I am still a good Borrower, and Homily" who had been silently for this whole time "can scavenge. Don't worry about us." Arrietty tried to think of an excuse to stay. "It's getting dark though. Can I sleep in my room for tonight?" Sure."

Sho was quite startled when he found her climbing up the roof the next day, carrying a large bag. Arrietty was too, seeing that he was at home and not at school. "Why aren't you at school, Sho?" Sho described how his fever got worse overnight. Arrietty sighed, and said, "You just can't live without me, right?" Sho smiled and nodded, before asking why she had left so soon. Arrietty painfully explained how her parents knew about them and told her to go you him. It confused Sho a bit, because he had expected her to never return. He shrugged, and carried the tired Arrietty and her bag of clothes and other possessions she had kept. As he laid her in the tiny bed and told her to rest, he caught the sight of a small smudge of brown outside his window. Arrietty saw it too, and leapt out of bed. But their slow reflexes were no match for the highly trained wild borrower, Spiller. He dodged away and was out of sight almost immediately. He had seen Arrietty walk sadly out of her house with her belongings, Homily waving good bye and Pod sighing. He followed her all the way to Sho's house to make sure she stayed safe. Even though he knew that although he liked her he was only her friend, he had an urge to protect her. He knew he wasn't going to achieve anything; her persistent and proud personality may have made things worse. He glided off the rooftop, heading towards the forest once again.

Sho glanced at Arrietty without a hint of contempt. He understood that the Borrowers were a very different race than humans, and that they couldnt be judged so easily. Arrietty, who was that? Arrietty dipped her head, and replied softly, That was Spiller, another borrower. He was following me here, but he thought I didnt know. Sho nodded seriously, and nudged for her to continue. Hes just a friend, Sho. Oh, you neednt worry about that. Im not jealous or anything. I just wanted to know why he was here. He grinned genuinely, and Arrietty smiled back.

Chapter 6

Sho woke up the next morning and prepared for school. His fever had receded, and he felt much better. He picked up his backpack and was about to head out the door when he heard Arrietty calling for him. She was back in her old, red borrowing dress. Sho definitely preferred her red dress over her new blue one, but he didnt mention this. Good morning, Arrietty. What are you up to? I want you to take me to school with you. Silence fell, and Arrietty repeated a moment later, Take me to school. Sho asked nervously, But how? I cant keep you in my pocket, or my backpack! How about your shirt pocket? Sho thought about it for a while, and then nodded. He lifted her carefully into his chest pocket, and set her inside gently. When I get to school, he whispered, Im going to put you into my bag. No, keep me here. Now you better hurry before you are late. He shuffled slowly down his stairs, ensuring that Arrietty didnt fall out. He suddenly remembered his nightmare, and shivers rippled through his spine. Arrietty noticed a change of expression, and she immediately knew that he had just recalled his nightmare. She patted him through his shirt, trying to soothe him. Sho calmed himself down, and headed off to school, munching on a bagel while picking a small piece off and tucking it into his shirt pocket.

When they finally arrived, she peeked out of his pocket, and saw more people than she had ever seen together. Boys, girls, adults, children, all shuffled about. The children chattered among themselves, walking in the same general direction. The adults were engaged in conversation while holding mugs of some brown liquid. She was stunned, since she had never been in such a risky and dangerous situation. She heard Sho whisper something, but over the din of all the people it was too quiet. She replied, I cant hear you. What did you say? Sho whispered a little louder, Are you comfortable? Arrietty smiled, and said, Im fine. The bagel was delicious, but it was still quite a large breakfast for a borrower, and she was feeling somewhat sleepy again. Sho Sho Sho looked down into his shirt pocket. Im going to sleep for now. Im not used to waking up so early. He nodded slightly, and looked back up. Arrietty dozed off for a while, and woke suddenly when the bell signaling the end of the first period. She looked expectantly at Sho, who told her that it was a history lesson, and math was coming next. Arrietty peeked entranced over his pocket as the numbers and letters floated through her head. She had never learned so much in one day! Sho was glad that he had brought her along he was having fun along with her, even though he didnt show it. She was right; they were just like siblings. The day went on with Arrietty cramped up in his pocket, eating scraps of food that he dropped in during lunch, and resting when she was exhausted from all the new knowledge.

School ended, and Arrietty was completely worn-out. How do you endure every day like this? Its like a stream of knowledge that never stops! Sho grinned without looking down, wary of all the people around him. I can stand it because its what Ive done for nearly my entire life. Hmm. She held her head in two hands, groaning. Im getting a headache now. Can you hurry home? I need to rest my brain. Chuckling to himself, Sho quickened his pace just a bit so that it wouldnt cause discomfort to the little Borrower in his shirt pocket. When he finally dropped his backpack beside his desk, Arrietty peeked out of his pocket. The world was spinning around her, and she nearly fell out of his pocket. She caught Shos eye, and he knew that she wasnt feeling well immediately. He grabbed her quickly but softly and ran to her house. He opened the front wall, laid her down onto her bed, and turned off the lights. Arrietty smiled, and closed her eyes. Thank you, Sho. Dont thank me now. Rest now, because I am worried. Arrietty giggled a little, then said, You neednt worry; Ill be fine. Sho closed the wall gently, and heaved a big sigh. Maybe it wasnt such a good idea to let her go to school with him. But tomorrow was Saturday, so shed have all the rest she needed.

Arrietty stood on Shos shoulder as he took her back out into the garden. He still had homework to finish, but Arrietty was more important to him. He carefully sat down on his rock, and Arrietty climbed down his arm into the grass. She hummed her song, and Sho joined in a little bit. When they had finished singing the chorus several times, Arrietty noticed something. Uh, Sho? Yes? How can you hear me? What? Im humming in a very soft voice, and the wind would have carried m voice far away. How can you still hear me? Sho froze. She was right; he had heard her voice clear in his head, like she was a normal human humming. Arrietty did not move either. Maybe he was learning to hear and listen for her voice, like the way she could hear her mothers scream, even from a borrowers kilometer away. [sidenote: this idea comes from ~cewilson5.] Arrietty tried talking in a quiet voice, instead of her usual shouts. Sho, can you hear me when I speak like this? She looked up, but Sho made no movement. Disappointed and confused, she was about to dip her head when he slowly nodded and turned his head toward her. I heard. You asked if I could hear you if you spoke like this. He faced the sky, and asked nobody in particular, How? He paused, then asked again, with more urgency, How?! He jumped up, frightening Arrietty, and shouting at the afternoon sun, How can I hear you?! Arrietty, in her own normal voice, asked, What if Haru hears you? Or your aunt? Even though Shos ear was further from Arrietty than normally, he heard her like she had spoken into his ear. They are out buying groceries. They left when you were still asleep. They spent the rest of the afternoon in silence, soaking in the midday sun and the wonders of Sho's uncanny ability. Sho, go into the house. He looked down at Arrietty, who repeated her statement without making eye contact. Go into the house. Why? Just do it. He shrugged, and obliged. Arrietty watched his back grow smaller and smaller until he set his foot inside. Then, she called out, Sho, if you can hear me, come back here and pick a green flower. It was a trick; there were no green flowers around her. She watched as Sho hurriedly ran back toward her and frantically trying to find something. After a few seconds, he gave up. Arrietty, I cant find a green flower. She didnt know if she should smile or be terrified. Was it a good thing that a human bean could hear her so clearly? Sho noticed her distress, and soothingly whispered, Its okay. Dont worry. At least now if you ever get lost I can find you. She nodded hesitantly. She still wasnt sure if this really was a good thing. She sighed. At least she knew he wouldnt use this against her. She lifted her head and stared into Shos eyes. She smiled, and then said, Alright. Dont you have homework you need to do? He nodded sadly, then extended his hand. She shook her head. I want to stay out here. I havent gotten too much fresh air lately, and I need to keep up my strength. Sho nodded, and said a soft Seeya before he walked off. "Arrietty, wake up. It's time to go back in now." Arrietty yawned and rubbed her eyes. "What?" "You fell asleep on my leg. You've been out for 2 hours now. She jerked upright. "Two hours?! And you haven't moved?" Nope." Sho replied with a smile. "C'mon, lets get back inside. I still have to finish my homework." A yawn was her only reply, but she slowly pulled herself up and allowed Sho to carry her back.

Chapter 07

Sho was always very nervous about Arrietty, now that she had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. He was always afraid that she might run away from him, or Haru might catch her, or she might hurt herself. And it did not reassure him at all when he arrived home to see Arrietty lying face first on his desk, unmoving. Arrietty? No response. His heart began to race. Arrietty?! He dashed over and gently flipped her onto her back. She groaned slightly, but made no other sound. He felt her forehead with his pinkie, and discovered that she had a fever. He prodded her gingerly, trying to wake her up. She did not move. Sho was growing frantic now. He couldnt give her medicine, nor could he leave her like this. He shook his head, trying o clear the anxiety that had clouded his mind. First of all, he had to take her somewhere comfortable. He picked her up carefully and gently set her down on her little bed. Her face seemed to relax a bit as her head sank softly into the pillow. Sho tore a small piece of a paper towel and soaked it with water from the bathroom. He folded it into a tiny rectangle, and set it on top of her forehead. This was the most he could do. With a final glance at the ill borrower, he turned toward his desk and began to work.

Sho returned to his room after dinner with his aunt, whispering, Arrietty? Are you awake? He didnt hear her reply, but he heard her nearly inaudible breathing. He slowly opened the little house, and saw that she had changed into her house clothes and she had fallen asleep reading a book. The book sat on her lap, rustling when Sho drew nearer. Upon hearing the pages flutter, Arrietty slowly opened her eyes. She smiled a little, and then said hoarsely, Sorry that I made you worry. Im okay now. Sho almost sighed in relief, but then caught himself. His breath could blow the book away. Sho offered his hand, to which Arrietty slowly crawled out of her bed and staggered toward. She fell into his palm, and he gently cupped her with his other hand. Sho set her down on his homework, and Arrietty painfully sat down. Are you sure youre okay? I should be fine. If only I could find some herbs Sho sat down on his chair, and laid his chin on his arms. What herbs? Arrietty coughed a bit, then replied, Ive been like this since I was little. Every now and then I would get sick, but one special herb would always heal me. It looks a bit like a maple leaf, except a lot smaller and it has a bit of red. Its a special remedy that only borrowers know of. Sho listened intently, then slowly asked, Do you want to go find it? I can carry you out and you just tell me where I should look. Arrietty perked up a bit at the idea, eyes shining. Sho looked outside his window, and commented, The sun is still out and bright. We have time. Arrietty coughed several times before agreeing. Sho began to tuck her into his chest pocket, but Arrietty insisted that she stand on his shoulder like before so she could see. Sho began to object, but Arrietty made it clear she was going to stand there even though she was sick. Finally giving up, he outstretched his arm and she slowly climbed to his shoulder. He glanced at her, and she nodded. Sho walked on pins the entire trip down the stairs and out the back door. Haru was in the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes. Shos aunt was in her room, reading the newspapers. No one noticed the boy and the little girl atop his shoulder creeping toward the forest. Arrietty coughed a little bit more violently, until tears streamed down her face. Are you alright, Arrietty? She shuddered a few times, then said weakly, Lets hurry. Set me down in that patch of grass. Sho obeyed without question, and carefully placed her frail body on the ground. She began her little search for the mysterious herb that had cured her before. She surveyed the area for a few moments, then turned to Sho, They arent here. Take me a bit deeper into the woods. Again, he placed her in a small patch of grass where shed look for the herb, always in vain. Finally, Arrietty found one small leaf, and she joyfully showed it to Sho. Well need a few more, but this is how they look like. Why dont I also help you? Now that I know what they look like. Arrietty nodded, and he bent down and began his search for the herb. The two peculiar pair roamed the ground in search for the herb. Sho found two more of the herb, and was probing for a third when he heard Arrietty shout. Arrietty had wandered quite a distance from Sho, and she had accidentally slipped down a small ditch that was equal to a cliff to a human. She tried to stand up, but her right foot was badly broken. She collapsed under the pain, and started shouting for her only hope. Sho! SHO! Help me! Sho dashed through the woods, trying to locate where her voice was coming from. Her tiny voice rang in every direction in Shos head. Where are you? He shouted. Arrietty's leg was hurting more than ever, and she didn't think she could hold out much longer. "Sho! I'm here!" She drew out her 'here' as long as she could, but it didn't help. Her voice grew worse and worse until her cries were barely whispers of pleading. Sho frantically searched the ground on all fours, but he simply could not tell where her voice was coming from. He was about to call the police to have them help when his furry tabby, Neiya, dashed toward him. The cat had not been around for most of the time, and Haru suspected that it had gotten lost in the woods. The tabby was all too happy to see Sho. Sho pulled it away from him, and continued his search. He was glad to have it back, but he could not forget the already sick Arrietty. Arrietty shouted with her final gasp, Sho! The Neiyas ears perked up, and Sho knew it had heard her as well. The cat slowly padded its way toward the small ditch, and the last thing Arrietty remembered before she passed out was the cat peering at her. Sho ran over the where the cat was, and saw Arrietty. Her right foot was swollen and red, and he knew she had broken something. Turning to the cat, he ordered it, Stay here and watch over her. Neiya stared back, and Sho dashed back into the house. He grabbed his notebook and her pillow and ran all the way back. He heard Haru asking him what he was up to, and he shouted over his shoulder, I found a cool leaf. The cat had not budged, and Sho patted it on the head. With the slowness and steadiness of a surgeons hands, he lifted Arrietty onto his notebook and placed the pillow under her right foot. He glanced around, a picked up a curiously flat leaf and placed it on top of Arrietty. Then, with hesitation, he shouted into the dark, Spiller! I need you immediately! Please! and he carried the injured borrower slowly back to his room.

He set his notebook on his desk, and locked the door behind him. Spiller was already at the window, and Sho quickly opened the window for Spiller to enter. He took one look at Arrietty, and glared at Sho. What happened? Sho took the herbs out of his pocket and showed them to Spiller. We were looking for these. Arrietty had gotten sick. She fell into a ditch, and broke her foot. My cat helped to find her. Spiller stared at him a bit, then nodded. I believe you. He dashed over to Arrietty, and examined her leg. Sho sat quietly beside, watching anxiously like a mother waiting for news of her children. Spiller, turned around, and Sho immediately began to ask. Spiller interrupted him, I cant fix her foot. I dont know how to. Her dad does, but I do not believe he would want for you to be around. Sho, angered, interjected, I don't care if he doesn't trust me. Arrietty is hyrt, and I need to help her. Take me to their new home. I will wait in a clearing so I dont know exactly where it is. Tell Pod to beoieve me for once. Bring him to me, and I can get back faster than you can fly." Spiller looked nervously to Arrietty then back at Sho. Sho picked up his notebook and said to Spiller, I will let Neiya keep an eye on her. It helped us twice before, so I trust it with my heart. Spillers hair stood on end, but he agreed. Sho carried the notebook outside and placed it where he had found her. The tabby crept near, and Sho said to it strictly, Keep her safe. I will be away. The cat licked its paw, and Sho said firmer, Understand? The tabby grinned and gave a little nod. It sat down and did not budge. Lets go. Tell me where to go. Spiller hopped on Arriettys usual perch, and he pointed deep into the forest. Go to where you said goodbye to her, and follow the stream. Sho took a deep breath, and plunged into the setting sun.

Chapter 08

His heart was for the first time subject to anxiety and exhaustion, and it hurt. He clutched his chest with his right hand, but he didn't slacken his pace. Once Spiller navigated Sho to the stream, Sho felt that he could relax a bit. The sun still had a long way down, and he wasn't light headed nor fatigued yet. He slowed down a bit and eyed the stream. Even though to him it was a short jogging distance away, the borrowers probably sailed down on their teapot for several hours before arriving. He could not imagine the hardships the borrowers had gone through to move, and the further he jogged the worse he felt about forcing them to move. Spiller felt his distress, but didn't say a word. He also knew that he wouldn't understand the world from a human bean's eyes either. He stared straight ahead at the forest that grew nearer with each lunge of Sho's huge body.

Homily had just put some of her tea on the makeshift stove when Spiller knocked on the front door. Pod stood up from his chair and said, "Coming." He opened the door, and seeing that it was Spiller, greeted him warmly. Homily welcomed him in, and asked if he wanted something to eat. Spiller shook his head quickly, and told Pod that they needed to speak in private. Pod nodded, and took Spiller down to their new basement they had dug out just the last week. They sat at a small round table, and smiling, Pod asked, "So, my boy, what did you need to talk about?" Spiller looked up into Pod's eyes and told him the same thing Sho said. Pod was quiet for the duration of his story. When he mentioned that Sho was waiting at the clearing for him, Pod pounded at the table. "How could you bring a human here? You know how dangerous it is to the neighborhood!" Spiller tried to reason with Pod. "It's the boy that saved Homily before and the one that you trusted your own daughter to! How could you not trust him now? He's been taking good care of Arrietty; I know because I've watched him many times. He isn't dangerous! Please, just hurry and come with me now. Arrietty is hurt and she could be discovered anytime!" Pod clenched his fists until they grew red, and he stood up abruptly, knocking his chair to the floor. Spiller flinched, as he knew he was in big trouble for going against the rule of communication with humans. Through clenched teeth, Pod murmured, Wait for me outside. I need to get my tools and bandages. Spiller hastily nodded, and dashed outside. Pod went into his supply closet and began to prepare to build a splint and a cast for Arrietty. He sighed. He knew she would get herself into some sort of trouble, but she had only been living with Sho for about a month or so. Homily came in, and asked, Whats going on, Pod? Dont worry about it. I need to leave, so I wont be back for a few days. Can you manage? If you ever need help, just tell our neighbors. With that, Pod swiftly left the house and began to follow Spiller. Homily was utterly confused. She stood for several moments, trying to understand what was happening. Spiller wordlessly dashed through the woods, with Pod following closely behind. When they reached the clearing, Sho was sitting on the ground, cross-legged. Spiller shouted toward Sho, who turned and faced the two borrowers. Pod flinched, but he stood firm. Sho softly apologized that he hadnt taken good care of Arrietty, and extended his hand. Spiller climbed up with ease, but Pod was still suspicious of humans and he had trouble taking the first step. The instant they were both situated on his shoulders, Spiller pointed and Sho followed. He led them out of the woods, where they spotted the stream. Without breaking pace, Sho moved toward the direction of his house. This was the first time Pod had ever traveled so quickly in his life, and it was somewhat exhilarating. The world flew past with such speed that he grew a bit dizzy. He shook his head quickly, and focused on the house they had left so long before. He was amazed when they arrived in 30 minutes what had taken the borrowers a whole day of sailing to travel. Sho glanced around, trying to find the tabby. He spotted it scouring the area, and when it saw Sho with two borrowers it dashed back toward Arrietty. It sat down, licking its paws while Sho let Spiller and Pod walk down his arms to the ground. The sky was growing dark, and Sho had to go back in. Spiller, Pod, Im sorry, but I must go back. Take care of Arrietty out here. I promise no one will come around. I will be back tomorrow morning. Spiller nodded but Pod did not say a word. He knelt down beside Arrietty examined his daughters right foot twice over, and began to wrap gauze around her foot. Sho quietly left the three borrowers and headed back. He heard Haru calling for him, and he quickened his stride. He had placed a huge amount of responsibility on his shoulders, and he would protect it with everything he could.

"Ah, here you are, Sho. Where have you been? asked Haru. Nosy maid, Sho thought. I just took a walk in the woods. Haru nodded, and escorted him to the dinner table. Dinner will be ready in a second, so please hold on. Sho nodded with a smile. His aunt sat down across from him, and said with a quietly stern voice, Sho, dear. There is something that I want to talk to you in private about later. Sho stared back with questioning eyes, and she continued. I want to see you in your room after were finished with dinner. Alright, Aunt Sadako. Haru entered carrying steaming plates of food, which she expertly placed onto the table. Sho reached for his bowl of rice and began to eat, and throughout the entire dinner he could not think of anything other than the possible reasons his aunt would want to see him.

As Haru cleared the table of plates and bowls, Aunt Sadako stood up from her chair and headed for Shos room. She glanced back at Sho, and motion for him to follow with a quick nod of the head. He quickly followed her up the stairs, and closed the door behind him. He saw that he had forgotten to close the little houses front wall, and he hoped his aunt wouldnt notice. Instead, Sadako placed her hand on the open wall. Lock the door, please, Sho. Heart thumping in his throat, he twisted the lock to his door. Sho, I want you to tell me the truth. Look me in the eyes. Sho obeyed without a sound. Are there borrowers in the house, like the one Haru supposedly caught? Sho shook his head. There arent, auntie. Sadako kept a stern face. "Let me rephrase. Do borrowers exist?" "I believe they do." Sadako shook her head. "Have you had contact with them?" Sho couldn't stand her questioning. "I don't mean disrespect, auntie, but will you please get to the point?" My point is that I know that a borrower has been using this little house. The bed is never the same from day to day, and right now, the pillow is missing. One of the dresses is wrinkled, and the books arent in their previous order. Ive looked at the dollhouse so many times I know it by heart. Sho did not utter a single sound. "Sho, why do you insist on denying it?" He looked up at his aunt's eyes and said, "I never denied it. I can't deny something that simply isn't true. Am I not allowed to fantasize that borrowers live in that house? Am I not allowed to examine the tiny delicate clothes and books with my big and cumbersome hands?" Aunt Sadako was dumbfounded. Sho had never been so defensive about himself. Sho took a deep breath. Sadako knew she had to play her trump card. "You know that meeting a borrower was my father's dream. Why do you keep me from fulfilling his dream?" Sho fell silent. She was right, he was in a way keeping Arrietty and her family to himself. It was selfish, but he had to protect them from harm. "Auntie, if you find them yourself, there is nothing I can do. But you'd probably force them to live in this house, right? You'd pamper them with things they once risked their lives to get. They would no longer be able to survive in the real world. Even if I did know or see one, I wouldn't tell you because of this." Sadako nodded. "So be it. I respect your choice. And don't worry, I won't come into your room without your permission." With that, she briskly left the room, closing it softly her way out. Sho flopped down on his bed. He was so scared that his aunt would find Arrietty. It would be like betraying her; she had entrusted her life and safety to him. Sho clenched his jaw. He would never let Arrietty be discovered by anyone, even if it cost him his life.

Back in the forest, Spiller was helping Pod tighten the bandages around Arrietty's ankle. She had regained consciousness, and she winced as Pod wrapped the gauze around her right foot. It wasnt borrower-made, so it was itchy and uncomfortable. She had begun to tell Pod of her adventures with Sho, though she left out the part about going to school and Sho being able to hear her from far away. She was certain he would not approve of it. Spiller held down the gauze as Pod cut it with a blade. There, said Pod, sighing. Youll be fine if you dont touch that for a month. A month?! That means I wont be able to go borrowing or exploring for such a long time! Arrietty whined. Pod grumbled, I didnt tell you to twist your ankle now, did I? He patted the firm cast, and Arrietty let out a small shriek. Neiya, startled, turned its head abruptly toward Arrietty. Seeing that it was no big deal, it slowly turned back to face the house. Sho, of course, heard her cry in his head. His pencil jerked a bit and he winced from the sharp exclamation, and the o he was writing became a q. He glanced out the window and gazed at Neiya for a while before sighing and erasing his malformed letter. He couldnt concentrate on his work; penetrating, confused feelings of guilt and worry clouded his mind, and he found himself beginning to cry. Tears slowly rolled down his face and dripped onto his papers. He had been the one that lost Arrietty, he was the one that was hopeless when it came to helping her, and he was the one that left her to do his own work. As he brooded over his selfishness and uselessness, his vision grew blurry until the desk in front of him became a sea of brown and white. His body shook twice, and he gasped for air. He was supposed to take care of Arrietty, and yet here he was, doing not a single thing to help her. He put his head and arms on the desk and sobbed silently. Sho Shos head snapped up. He sniffed once, and wiped his face of tears. Sho? Yes, he had heard right. Arrietty was calling for him. He stood up and looked out the window. Sho I see you in your room. Please come here... please? She was still weak from her mysterious sickness, and he heard the strain in her voice. Sho gave a small nod out the window, and started to leave the room when aunt came in. Sho? Have you been crying, dear? N..no, Auntie. I just yawned, to my eyes are teary. I want to go outside for a bit. Sadako looked at him queerly. Its quite dark outside. Dont you have homework to do? Arrietty called for him once more, and Sho said impatiently, Just let me go outside. And dont follow me. He brushed past his aunt, and rushed down the stairs. Haru began to inquire what he was doing, but he ran outside to the patio before she had a chance. He slipped into his sandals, and nearly tripped. He steadied himself, then hurried toward Neiya. Pod glanced up, and seeing that it was Sho, asked gravely, What do you want? Sho stared dumbfounded at him, and Pod glared back. Arrietty reached with her arm and tugged lightly at her fathers pants. I I called him down. Pod turned around, stricken. How? I didnt hear you shouting for him! Sho glanced from father to daughter, realizing that Arrietty hadnt told Pod everything yet. Knowing better than to speak, Sho and Arrietty remained silent. Spiller, who had been sitting cross-legged beside Arrietty, mumbled something. Pod looked at him. What? I said: Its a special ability between closely bonded human-borrower friendshipsat least, thats what Ive heard. Pod was silent. The trees and grass rustled as a breeze blew through. Sho Arrietty whispered. Yes? Im right here. I need to sleep now. Please explaineverything to my dad. Sho nodded vigorously. Alright, I will. Rest now. Arrietty smiled, and relaxed. Sho watched as her body loosened up and her smile faded away. So, Sho said to Pod. Where do we begin?

Chapter 09

"First off, tell me what you two have been up to until now. Don't hide anything back." Pod sat down on a nearby stool and began to wrap up the remaining gauze. Sho began by recounting how he'd found Arrietty, a bit beaten up but safe. He reluctantly told Arrietty's dad the time he brought her to school, and he heard Spiller gasp. Ignoring the golden-skinned borrower, he told him of all the times they went outside to play, to enjoy the sunshine, and to talk. He repeated the story of how he and Arrietty discovered that he could hear her even if she was very far away. Pod did not say a word for the entire time. When Sho ended his recollection with "and then she twisted her foot, Pod leapt heavily from the mushroom. Ive never trusted humans, and now you know why. You simply do not know the dangers of living in your oversized world. He massaged his knees a bit, saying, And Im getting old. I cant continue to borrow like I did before. Arrietty is my only child; if she is gone we will have to rely on the rest of the community. Spiller interjected, Ill be glad to help you. I trust Sho, let Arrietty stay. Pod scowled at him. Pod growled, Why would you want her to stay? I thought we had the marriage planned out already! Torn from her sleep by Pods harsh voice, Arrietty woke with a start. Huh?! What?! Pod jumped at her outburst. N..Nothing. Keep sleeping. Spiller turned three shades of pale, and his lipped stayed tight. Arriettys face grew a bright red, although from anger or embarrassment Sho could not tell. Marriage? Without telling me? Father, how could you do this to me? I didnt even consent! I want to stay with Sho, not with a deceitful person like you! Pod tried again. We dont have another choice; the only other boys and girls in our community are all younger than you and Spiller. The borrowers must live on, and this is the only way. Does it look like I care right now? Sho brought me all the way out here to try and find an herb that is too small for normal people to see, yet he crawled all over the ground to help me. I want to be with Sho, and that is final! Sho! Obediently, Sho looked down at her. Pick me up and bring me back to the little house. Pod gruffly said, You are not leaving until I say so. Arrietty stuck out her tongue. Nyaah. Hes a human, and theres nothing you can do if he does pick me up. Sho, cmon! Sho dipped his head sorrowfully. Arrietty, you know youre a sister to me. But I cannot go against the words of your father. He is right; at the end of the day, I am still just a human, and you a borrower. A gigantic tear rolled down his hidden face and splashed the ground before Arrietty, and she softened a bit. Oh Sho look, it is okay. Im not blaming you. You did what was right. As Arrietty continued to console Sho, deep in Pods mind, who watched this drama unfold, was a small bloom of trust. He tried to suppress it, but he couldnt. Sho was such a well-behaved and respectful person, and Arriettys words were also true. Maybe letting her stay would be a good idea. But he was still afraid to let Arrietty live alone with a creature many hundred times her size. Neiyas ears perked up as Haru shouted into the dark, Sho! Sho, come on in now! Youve been out for too long! Dont you still have homework to do? The borrowers all covered their ears as Sho shouted back, Ill come in when I want! Tomorrow is Saturday; I still have a lot of time. He watched as the lights in the living room clicked off, and he turned back to the borrowers. Spiller was pacing around uncomfortably, Arrietty was trying to come to an agreement with her dad, and Neiya yawned and stretched its paws out. Dad, dont you see? He hasnt hurt me at all! If anything, I am the one that is an annoyance to him; he has to keep an eye out for me. Why must you resist? And dont forget, you owe me for trying to marry me off! Sho slowly laid on his back, listening to the argument between borrower and borrower. If he closed his eyes, he could hear Arriettys voice loud and clear, but Pods voice was fainter. Stop it! shouted Spiller, startling Sho. The air filled with tense silence as they awaited Spiller's opinion. A moment passed before he finally whispered reluctantly, "Pod, let her stay here." "Why would you side with her, Spiller?" asked Pod, frighteningly calm. "I've seen Sho many times. He isn't as dangerous as other people. And Arrietty seems to be much happier with him than with us. To take her away forcefully would mean to hurt her more than help her." Arrietty smiled brightly. "Thank you, Spiller." Spiller grunted in response. Pod sighed. He took a fleeting glance at his daughters face, wondering if he would ever see her again. Then he heaved himself up, and announced, "Spiller, we're going back. Arrietty, you can stay if you want. Keep the cast on for a month. Goodbye." The tension in the air dissolved, and Spiller nodded. Sho sat upright, and quickly asked, Would you like for me to take you No. Well be fine. Alright. Good night.

Arrietty painfully climbed onto Shos palm. It was still weird, having to walk on a warm, fleshy and soft surface. As for Sho, every time Arrietty climbed on his hand, it felt a little ticklish. It felt like having a big bug crawl on him, the way her tiny fingers gripped his skin and her feet tiptoed across his palm. Sho waited for Arrietty to get her balance, and she nodded that she was ready to leave; Sho slowly rose onto his feet in one smooth motion. He had practiced the motion a lot, as to ensure Arrietty wouldnt fall over. His mind flashed back upon the dream that he had before, and he shivered. Being the giant he was to Arrietty, she felt his every single shake and quiver. As the ground slowly fell beneath her, she looked back upon her father and Spiller, who were walking with their backs toward her. Tiny tears formed on Arriettys eyes, and even though Sho could not see them, he almost felt their presence. He waited for them to be out of sight before moving back towards the house. Youll see them again, I promise. Arrietty turned toward Sho. What? I said to not worry, that you will see them again someday. She nodded, an sat down solemnly on his palm. Sho, tell me was I wrong? I mean, should I have accepted the marriage? Her face melted into a deep red, and in the darkness, so did Shos. Well, I think your father should have told you beforehand. Yes, but was I wrong? After a moment of contemplation, Sho shook his head slightly. If I were you, I wouldnt want to have a pre-arranged marriage eithe- Arrietty jumped as he gasped. What?! What?! Sho did not move. His mind was racing, trying to think of a million things at once. Slowly, his gazed fixed upon the little girl. My parents theyre coming to visit in a week and theyll be staying for another week so? Arrietty was very confused. Sho stuttered, If they find you, there is nothing I can do! Only then did Arrietty realize what he was implying. Sho continued, And you just told off your father I dont think you have anywhere else to run By now, Arriettys mind was running in synchronicity with Sho. They both stood, unmoving, thinking furiously. Beads of sweat ran down their foreheads as they came up with a different plan every second and a worst case scenario. The two did not realize it, but they were beginning to share a mind. A borrowers ability was to share his or her mind with any human they befriended that was why Sho was able to hear Arrietty from far away. They though upon the same things, and they worked together without noticing the closeness of their minds. A stream of ideas ran through both heads, and suddenly jerked to a stop. Both human and borrower said at the same time, Jane! Silence fell as both wondered how the little girl knew Jane. Sho began, You know Jane from my school because- -we share a common mind. Arrietty finished. As if on cue, a soft, warm wind blew past them, leaving them shivering in the crisp night air. Sho sat down onto the grass, and he set Arrietty down as well. Stunned, the curious couple remained in quietness. The gentle crooning of crickets and cicadas filled the air around them, and the fog clouding their minds began to clear. Shos heart no longer raced frantically, and Arrietty was feeling a relaxation she had not felt before. For a moment, she forgot her foot was injured, and she tried to stand up and stretch. Yelping in pain, she fell back on the ground, snapping Sho to attention. Im okay, Im okay, she repeated, brushing Shos hand away. We need to think of a plan. Uneasily, Sho pulled his hand back, and returned it onto his lap. The only thing I can think of would be to tell Jane about you Arrietty, I really dont want other people to know about you. Hearing this, she smiled a small, mischievous grin. Why? Are you jealous that someone else knows about me? Shos face burned a little, but he insisted, No, no! Its for your safety! Sure, sure. Whatever, she sang. Arrietty turned to Sho and asked suddenly, So whats your plan? Well, Im going to have to bring you to school on Monday, and Ill have to somehow meet secretly with Jane in order for me to introduce you to her then Id probably leave you to her until my parents leave. Arrietty nodded along, and added at the end, But she has to bring me to school every day. I want to see you at least once a day. Well see about that, replied Sho. For now, let us sleep. You need to rest. Okay, yawned Arrietty, drowsiness washing over her suddenly. She fell asleep in Shos palm, and as he carried her into the house and up the staircase, she smiled in her sleep. He set her down on her little bed, whispering, Sleep well, little Arrietty.

Chapter 10

A finger poked her repeatedly, and Arrietty brushed it aside. Arrietty, time for school! Huh?School. Cmon!I dont need to go to school are you awake?Sho laughed. Youre the one that isnt awake! I need to take you to Jane, remember? Arrietty jumped to her feet. She had completely forgotten about it. Oh! Okay, let me get changed! Just a second!Cmon, Im going to be late!Alright, alright, just gimme a minute!

With Arrietty standing in his chest pocket, Sho left the house with a piece of bread dangling from his mouth. He tried to run with the least amount of bobbing, so that Arrietty would be comfortable. He set his every step softly and let his knee absorb the impact of the ground, something he had practiced quite a bit. Being the tiny borrower, Arrietty could still feel his every step. The ground dropped beneath her, then popped back up to catch her. It was quite a frightening experience, but it was better than having to stay inside his bag. She peeked out of his pocket, and watched as the world around her blurred into a messy canvas of colors, shapes, and sounds. Sho suddenly jerked to a stop, and Arrietty shrieked. Clamping her hands over her mouth, she shrunk back into the pocket. She felt the connection between her mind and Shos suddenly join, and it nearly tore her from consciousness. Her head thumped several times before her vision cleared. She tried to blink, but found it impossible. The world felt so much smaller all of a sudden, as if she had grown huge. A bus pulled in a mere inches away from her face, and the door rushed in to greet her. Her eyes were fixed in one position; she could not blink or look away. Her body did not respond to her her hands desperately tried to push away from the yellow door and the noise of school children inside. Then it struck her she was seeing what Sho was she was literally in his body. She felt a sensation like being pushed underwater, and then she found herself shaking and curled up in a ball inside Shos pocket, eyes watering and her breaths quick and rapid. As she began to grow aware of returning to her original body, she asked, Sho, did you feel that? Very quietly, Sho replied. Yes, I did. I lost a bit of my vision though dont try that again, okay?But I dont know what I did! I justThought about what the world looked like outside?No, I peeked out and saw it and then when I shrieked Then our minds mustve joined because- He abruptly stopped talking as he sat down beside a snoring schoolmate on the bus. He had made it, but barely. Sho? A voice rang in Arriettys head. It was muffled, and she could not decipher what it was saying. The voice was surely Shos, but it felt like his voice was coming to her through several doors and walls.Sho I hear you, but I cant tell what youre saying.Very quietly, Sho hushed her. Shh. Im trying to figure out how this works. The voice came again, but it was no different from before. I still cant understand you.Slowly, Sho took his right index finger and hooked it on his shirt pocket. Confused, Arrietty stared at it for a moment; the giant finger looking down at her. With sudden realization, she reached up with her hand and touched it. Arrietty?The voice was so strong and pure that it continued to ring in her head. With a slight yelp, she yelled, Yes, yes, I heard you! and pulled her hand away. The voice that came after was still muffled, but she could begin to hear traces of intelligent words. The bus jerked to a stop, and she tumbled over in his pocket. She saw him glance down anxiously, and she smiled in return.Again, Sho tried to talk through their special connection. "A......uok..."Arrietty pondered upon the meaning of the mumblings, and decided be had asked "Are you okay". She nodded yes, and not wanting to let Sho have all the fun, she tried as well. "I....ne."Sho had not heard clearly, so he stuck his finger down his pocket again. Arrietty daintily touched it and this time, her voice resounded off in his mind like a musical note in an empty hallway. "I'm fine." His hand jerked as Arrietty's voice pierced his mind, and she shrunk back, gasping. He waited until the ringing subsided, then whispered, "It's okay." As the bus ride continued to pick up other passengers, it was decided in both of their minds that for bow, taking was the best means of communication.As the bus pulled into the school parking lot, Sho glanced around the school grounds, trying to find Jane, whom they had agreed to allow her to take care of Arrietty during Shos parents stay. There! exclaimed Sho, nearly leaping off his seat. Whoa, Sho! Be careful! came Arriettys voice from his shirt pocket.Sorry, he replied sheepishly as he clambered off the bus. Hold on tight, Im going to have to run if I want to catch up to her.With her approval Sho made a dash for Jane, who had disappeared into the building. He stopped at the entrance, panting. He had lost her. Sho? Where is she? said Arrietty, as she poked her head out a tiny bit. Not here, was the reply.This was the first time Arrietty really had the time to observe the school. She had been here before, twice in fact; the first time was when she had initially went to find Sho. She painfully limped from hallway to hallway, trying to catch even the barest of a glimpse of Sho. The second time was of her own accord, when she asked Sho to bring