Disclaimer :Tragically enough I don't own the rights to Spirited away or any of the characters involved. That privilege goes to Hayao Myazaki and the lads and lasses at studio Ghibli…Please don't sue me…
Authors Notes:
I'm an arts student, so naturally I'm a procrastinator. I'm usually found out on the piss, or running around like a rat with the runs trying to catch up with my uni work.
However, if I get lots of lovely reviews I may be persuaded to stay away from the pub to write. So the more reviews I get the sooner the story updates. Helpful notes and tips are also appreciated but I'd prefer that they were sent straight to me instead of being pasted on the review wall.
I also need a beta reader, anybody interested mail me and we'll talk.
Spirited Away, The More Things Change.
Chapter 1: 10 years later, in the beginning.
A silence had consumed the woods for days. No birds sang in the trees and no insects chirped in the grass. There was always an unnatural stillness in this part of the forest, so there was never any wind whistling through the trees and leaves fell silently straight down to the floor.
The quiet was so absolute that a faint echo could be heard as the shutter went off in Chihiro's SLR camera. The now young women was out in the woods photographing the landscapes and searching for something interesting to capture with her brand new camera that her parents had got her in congratulations for getting onto the arts degree course she wanted.
She had decided to amuse herself by tying her hair up like she used to when she was younger, she had kicked the habit when she reached her early teens thinking it made her look too childish. Her hair was tied with the single hair band she still owned, a sparkling purple thread, she couldn't remember where she got it from yet she didn't have the heart to part with it. She was wearing a sleeve less t-shirt and khaki shorts, the recent batch of unusual hot weather had meteorologists baffled but no one was complaining, many choosing to enjoy the pleasant climate whilst it lasted. She was also wearing comfortable hiking boots to help her over the rugged terrain and walking on the long cross-country paths.
Chihiro raised the camera to her eye and snapped a good photo of a leaf as it slowly made it decent to the floor. Smiling as she viewed the shot on the cameras viewing screen she continued on her exploratory journey.
Not looking where she was going she walked straight into a strange and ugly yet disturbingly familiar statue. Pushed off balance she fell and grazed her knees on the floor. Checking that her camera was all right Chihiro stood up and turned to study the statue. It was covered in a lot of mould and a small part of the bottom was crumbling away. It depicted a smiling figure that had his hands clasped together as if praying or bowing.
Chihiro was incredibly intrigued by this statue. She had the most amazing feeling of déjà vu, in fact it was more vivid than déjà vu it was almost as if a memory was hanging just out of the reach of her mind. Shaking her head she snapped a photo of the statue and pushed the feeling out of her mind, deciding to think about it later. She continued on her way.
About another half a mile down the path she found her way was blocked by a wall. Frustrated by the strange structure that blocked her way Chihiro was once again assaulted by the strange and haunting feeling. Taking some more photos of the wall she tried to find a way around the oddly placed construction but it extended far off either side of the path and she didn't want to stray too far. Now annoyed by her lack off progress and the feeling that she was forgetting something Chihiro angrily kicked the wall, painfully stubbing her toe.
"OW" She yelped scolding herself. "Yeh, cause that was real clever" she muttered to
Herself angrily. "Stupid wall, who the hell builds a wall in the middle of the forest?!"
Leaning back against the said wall she closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh earthy air.
What was that damn feeling? She asked herself Think Chihiro. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. She started lightly tapping the back of her head against the wall along whilst saying think in her head. Think. Think. Think. Nothing. Think. Think.
"Haku" what did I just say? Haku? Who the hell is Haku?
Getting no answers Chihiro slowly got up and made her way back towards civilisation not realising she was being watched. The stalker came around the tree he was hiding behind; walking up to it he seemed to pass through the concrete, into the spirit world on the other side.
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Lin wiped her sweaty brow as she scrubbed away at the inside of the filthy bath. A mountain spirit had been soaking in the bath till late last night and had filled with the tub with sludgy mud, which she had to remove with a shovel before she could scrub down the interior. The muck was everywhere, up her arms, covering her legs, in her hair.
Hers arms were aching, she had a splitting headache and she was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open.
She could have asked for the night off. Ever since Chihiro had left there had been a change in Yubaba, she no longer ruled over the occupants bathhouse, she treated them a lot more like employees than slaves. She had even allowed some of the older workers to leave saying that they had served her long enough. No one knew what had bought around this dramatic change in character but at the same time no one was complaining.
The change in character wasn't unique to Yubaba either. Many spirits had dropped their rude habits and discriminating views. More than once Lin had walked into the boiler room to find Kamaji asking the sootballs politely to hurry up instead of banging his hammer and shouting at them. Bou was no longer a spoiled brat asking for everything with a "please" and a "thank you" and never demanding anything. The spirit world was a very different place to live in nowadays.
As a matter of fact the only person who didn't seem to have changed was Lin herself.
However despite all the nice changes in people Lin had never been so depressed in her life. She was alone.
She had never had many friends; her excess of stubborn and possessive personality was often too intimidating for most people. Kamaji was more of an associate than a friend and she felt like she hardly knew him anymore since Chihiro left. Bou she never really knew seeing as how the baby was used to constantly spend his time locked up in Yubaba's quarters. The only other person aside from Chihiro who she would call a good friend was Haku, but both of them had left her. Ten years ago Chihiro had returned to the human world after passing Yubaba's test and then five years ago Haku had left Yubaba's servitude after he re learnt his name, he had said he was going to go remerge with his river and give it some long deprived care.
Five long and lonely years.
Sighing deeply as she dipped her brush in the bucket of soapy water, Lin pushed aside the memories of her friends as she felt a lump rising in her throat, the last thing she needed right now was a bath house full of concerned spirits chasing after her inquiring as to why she had randomly burst into tears whilst working.
God she hated it here. What she would give to leave and go join her friends outside the oppression of the bathhouse. What she would give to go exploring the spirit world starting her own adventures and living her own life. What she would give to have her name back.
And yet she carried on scrubbing, despite her exhaustion, this was her job and this was her life. Besides the customers would be arriving soon and she had to be ready to serve people.
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Snatching up her favourite fountain pen Yubaba scribbled her signature over the order form that she was filling out. She was extremely pleased with the recent progress report she had received and so was making sure that they were well stocked for the upcoming month. She reminded herself to order extra sake for her workers seeing as they were doing such a good job pleasing the customers.
A clock chimed in the background and Yubaba looked up from her paperwork. Was that the time already? She had been sitting working through those statistics for nearly three hours now, she deserved a break.
Leaning back in her tall chair she sighed contently closing her eyes and enjoying the way the bewitched chair shaped itself to her body. Stretching her arms, she leaned across and opened the draw furthest away from her and retrieved her pack of favourite cigarettes. Bou didn't like her smoking so she was cutting down planning to eventually quit, so far she was down to one a day.
Lighting it from the flame she summoned at the end of her finger, Yubaba inhaled deeply off the end, breathing in the putrid yet comforting smoke. Sighing again she couldn't have been happier. The bathhouse was doing better than ever. Bou was growing up very fast, walking and talking in full sentences now he had progressed to a toddler. Her relationship had never been better with her sister either, for some reason that was completely beyond her they were both getting along nowadays, none of their usual arguments about each others morals that usually plagued their normal conversation cropped up anymore.
"Hiya Moma" A happy and welcome voice chirped out of Yubaba's crystal ball.
"Hi sweetie, how are you doing at auntie Zeniba's?" Yubaba asked leaning over to her crystal ball so she could see her young son clearly.
"Yeh moma, me and no face did painting today." Bou said holding up a large piece of paper with an uncoordinated mess of different colours on it.
"Oh look what my beautiful baby boy did." Yubaba praised enthusiastically "Looks like we have the makings of an artist in the family."
"Aw moma." Bou said embarrassed he blushingly turned his head away from the crystal ball.
"Is your auntie Zeniba there, I'd like to have a word with her."
"Yeh moma here she is now, love you" Bou said blowing a messy kiss at her with the palm of his hand.
"Love you too sweetie, see you soon" Zeniba replied blowing her own kiss back.
Bou moved out of the view of the crystal ball and an almost perfect copy of Yubaba herself stepped into sight. The only noticeable differences between the two sisters was that Zeniba wore a small set of glasses perched on the end of her large nose and that her hair was held up in position by two knitting needles as opposed to Yubaba's leather hair band.
"Greetings sister, you wanted to talk to me." Zeniba enquired
"Yes I trust Bou is behaving himself"
"He's being a perfect angel, he got a bit of paint on his clothes earlier but that was easily enough remedied with a little cleaning spell."
"Good, good, if he's any trouble just let me know, I'm only a crystal call away." Yubaba said nodding her large head satisfied that her little dumpling was being well cared for. "As you are well aware our forty thousandth birthday is coming up, and I was planning on having a large party here at the bath house. I was wondering if u would be interested in sharing the party like we used to when we were younger."
Zeniba blinked twice slowly. It had been years since they had shared a party, and even longer since Yubaba had done anything so generous. Sure enough Yubaba was a lot better than she used to be but this was the nicest she had been yet. Whatever that young human had done a decade ago it had really made a change in everyone. Admittedly the change had been slow but the effects were really being felt now and Zeniba couldn't help but feel that it wouldn't last.
"Yes I would really like that a lot sister, usually I just spend my birthdays quietly in my cottage but I suppose a change would be nice, especially for our forty thousandth." Zeniba said smiling.
"Well that's that then, I shall see you when I come to collect Bou in a week then." Yubaba concluded smiling somewhat pleased with herself for doing something so selfless and good, it made her feel unnaturally warm inside.
"Yes see you in a week sister." Zeniba closed the link between the crystal balls.
Zeniba stood staring into the misty glass globe for another ten minutes after the connection was broken, thinking. Something was brewing on the horizon, something dark and sinister, something involving her sister and her nephew, something involving all the occupants of the bath house and all the spirits that were showing a change in character, something involving a single human female who sometimes went by the name of Sen. Zeniba didn't know what was coming, but whatever or whoever it was she was going to use all of her power to stop it.
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"Sir! Sir! You look hungry, we have the best fried rice in the whole town, Sir, SIR!"
"Sir over here Sir, our Kare Raisu is a special low price just for today sir, SIR!"
"Sir here look Sir, fresh sushi Sir, for you a special low price, no Sir please come back."
Damn salesmen, he thought to himself. Attention, however unwanted was drawn to this character as he made his way down the high street. A patchwork three quarter length coat blew slightly in the wind, his brown cuffed knee high boots make a sharp clicking sound against the cobbled pavement as he walked. A long waistcoat was held against his body with a thick leather belt and dark black trousers completed his attire.
His hair was long black and wavy which fell down to his shoulders and framed his face and added definition to his chiselled jaw. His face was very weathered and his slate grey eyes could portray a thousand emotions or hide them at a moments notice.
At the moment he was trying to be as discreet as possible but was doing it very unsuccessfully. He kept his eyes on the floor he was walking on, his head down and his hands thrust deep inside the pockets of his knackered coat.
I should have made myself invisible he sighed to himself as he headed towards the large and famous bathhouse.
Stopping on the bridge he rested his hands on the railing and looked out across the landscape. The air was fresh and held a slight perfume tint on the breeze from where he was standing down wind from the bathhouses gardens. The large orange sun was setting behind the mountains and the brightest stars were beginning to make an appearance in the night sky. There was an unnatural chill in the air however it wasn't unpleasant to the senses, however the lack of clouds in the sky meant that it would get a lot colder during the night.
He smiled at the beautiful scenery; he always had been a sucker for landscapes. Tapping his palm twice on the painted red wood, he pushed himself away from the railing and continued on his journey to the bathhouse.
"Welcome to our bath's" Three Yuna's chorused bowing him into the entrance.
The place was packed. He had never seen so many spirits squeezed into one building before. An inch of water covered the floor where baths were overflowing after having so many beings relaxing in them. A small band on one of the levels was supplying music; they were playing a catchy song using an accordion, which was being complimented by a pair of violins. He couldn't help his foot tapping along to the beat of the music as he waited in line for the foreman.
Yunas and Frogmen were running about carrying large plates of food and baskets of soap and scented oils. And his stomach growled as a large platter of grilled fish was run past by a particularly out of breath yuna.
"Thank you sir, enjoy your bath. Next" The foreman called out as the Radish spirit was ked away by a yuna towards one of the larger and emptier baths on the bottom floor.
"Good evening sir and welcome to our baths, what can I do for you this evening?" The foreman asked him smiling.
"I would like a bath in one of the private rooms please," He stated
"Of course sir…you are aware that the private rooms are quite pricey at the moment, seeing as this is peak time and we're extremely busy." The foreman pressed softly, making sure that the customer had enough money but not scaring him away if he didn't.
"Will this do?" He said taking out a particularly large golden nugget out of one of his inside pockets and laying it down on the foreman's desk.
"Y…Yes of course Sir, right away sir." The foreman stuttered, his eyes wide at the size of the gleaming nugget. It wasn't everyday that a guest this rich came to the bathhouse, however when they did they were usually treated like royalty.
"Err… LIN, Lin" The Foreman shouted at her, as she happened to be running by at that moment. "You will be seeing to this gentleman for the rest of the night."
"Ok but you'll have to get someone else to watch that kappa up on the second floor." Lin replied glad that she no longer had to wash the mucus off the water demons scales.
"He's rich, take him up to the royal baths on the twenty second floor." The foreman whispered to Lin from behind his hand. Pocketing the gold nugget the foreman turned back to the customer not noticing that the nugget disappeared as soon as it was inside his clothes.
"If you could follow Lin she will see to your every need, enjoy our baths…Mr…Mr…sorry you never gave your name?"
He was shaken out of his stupor by the question; he had been staring at Lin intently since she had been selected to serve him.
"God… most people call me God."
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Lin slowly slid the door closed behind them as they entered the lavishly decorated bathing room.
"What kind of bath would you like Sir" Lin said keeping her head down in respect for her rich patron.
"I don't know this is my first time here…what would you suggest." God asked appraising her with a raised eyebrow.
"Well Sir, personally I always enjoy a bath with a hint of heather." The surprise of being asked her opinion was unusual from a customer but she didn't let it faze her, she would be the perfect professional.
"A heather bath it is then, will it take long to prepare?"
"No Sir it will be ready momentarily." Lin said as she closed the compartment in the wall with a snap after sending off a token to Kamaji.
The water chute lowered from the ceiling and Lin pulled on the release cable. The steaming foamy water filled the reasonably sized tub quickly and Lin topped off the bath with a couple of handfuls of petals, just to add effect.
Meanwhile God had gone into the next room to change and was washing himself down in the showers in preparation for his bath. Closing his eyes he concentrated on the unusual magic signals being broadcast by nearly everyone in the bathhouse. The girl next door was one of the few who wasn't showing any outward signs of magical abnormality. Rubbing himself down with the provided soap he contemplated how he was going to remedy the irregularity and get the balance back to normal.
Washing off God walked back through to the main bathroom, where Lin was waiting off at one side of the room for him to return. Sighing contently as he lowered himself into the boiling scented water God closed his eyes and rested his head against the side of the tub.
"Tell me something… Lin was it?" God queried his eyes remaining closed.
"Yes Sir"
"How long have people here been acting different?"
Lin blinked slowly in confusion, how did he know that people were acting strangely?
"Well…I guess it started about 10 years ago but has only really started becoming noticeable in the first five. Why do you ask sir?"
"No particular reason, just something felt a bit off about this place."
Silence reigned for about 15 minutes after this short conversation, God enjoying his bath and Lin awaiting further instructions.
"So what happened 10 years ago?" God questioned suddenly breaking the silence.
"The…The human Chihiro came. Surely you know of her story?" Lin exclaimed. She had thought that every spirit between here and Wyvern Walk had heard the story of the young human female who had trespassed on their land, defied the witch Yubaba, tamed the monster No-Face and freed the river spirit Kohaku.
"I've been busy travelling so I haven't really had time for mythical stories of human children entering our world."
"Its not a mythical story, its true!" Lin started angrily momentarily forgetting herself. God raised an eyebrow and cracked an eye open. Lin took several deep breaths.
"I'm sorry sir I forgot myself…it just that…well… I...I just miss her so much." Lin felt tears rising in her eyes and she swallowed strongly to get rid of the lump that had risen in her throat.
God closed his eyes and relaxed again in the water, showing that the matter was forgotten.
Another period of silence reigned. God again enjoying his bath and Lin trying to regain control of her emotions.
"I think I would enjoy some tea, please." God finally said, sitting up in the bath and stretching his arms out.
"Right away Sir." Lin said getting up and rushing out of the room towards the kitchens.
Now how am I going to do this? God asked himself. A plan started to lay itself out in his mind.
He got out of the bath and started towelling himself off. Lin re-entered the room carrying a tray with a pot of boiling tea and cups, she started walking over to God where he was drying off.
However as she neared him she slipped on the wet floor and went sprawling. The tray of tea went flying from her hand and the boiling water flew through the air, most of it landing on God's back.
God hissed painfully as the scalding water hit him, and Lin looked up paling as her customer recovered from the initial shock of the pain and slowly started turning red from anger. Lin quailed beneath his angry gaze and flinched when he started yelling.
"YOU IMBECILE! TAKE ME TO YUBABA NOW!"