Chapter 2

"There is no way to open the door, my boy, it simply opens! There is no rhyme or reason to it!" Zeniba threw her hands in the air, exasperated at having to explain this for the hundredth time today.

"There has to be a way! She needs me, Zeniba! She needs this world! If I can't find a way to bring her back, she'll lose her mind!" Haku paced the small living room, his dark brow furrowed with determination.

"I adore the poor girl just as much as you do, Haku, but why is this so important to you? Surely, Chihiro is a strong woman, she will get through this as she has every other tribulation she has encountered," the old granny tried to still the restless boy with a comforting hand, but he swatted it away.

"I'm not so sure, this time. Granted, she's never seemed entirely happy when she's visited before, but this time... it was different. She was devastated. I must help her."

"Haku... you know I hate to be a downer, but maybe there is no way you can help her. Fate led her here the first time, if Fate wants to bring her back, that's up to him. You know that," the witch took a seat at the small table and sipped her tea, "Ugh, it's gone cold from all this back and forth."

"I'm sorry, Zeniba, I don't mean to take up so much of your time. I should have been preparing for this long before now, but I just... I thought..." the dragon-boy hung his head.

"You thought she would forget?" the old woman guessed, with a sad inflection.

The boy simply nodded, eyes still cast solemnly towards the ground. He kicked at the floorboards, not knowing where exactly to go from there. The old witch couldn't help but notice, though the river spirit before her was several thousands of years old, he was still very much like a child in his mannerisms. However, the dominate tone and assertiveness he often portrayed, especially in the face of adversity, more than betrayed his true age. Zeniba had not known the boy long, but in the decade that she had, she'd grown quite fond of him, and proud, as well.

She stood from her seat and crossed towards the boy, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders, urging him to meet her eyes, "My dear boy, though you do not know the depth of your strength, I do know, for a fact, that you are one of the most powerful spirits I have ever encountered. You outwitted my own sister, took control of the bath house, and things have never been better for the employees and customers there. You know how powerful Yubaba and I are... overthrowing the likes of us is no easy task."

"I only did what I must," Haku turned his head to break her penetrating gaze, "I don't understand what that has to do with any of this."

"What I'm trying to say is, dearie," she released her grasp and crossed her arms, raising her brows pointedly, "you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to."

"But, you just said that there was no way..." Haku growled lowly, becoming impatient with the conversation.

The weary woman sighed deeply, "I know what I said, son. I'm trying to be a bit more encouraging... I'm still not sure there is a way, but if anyone can find it, it would be you."

At that, a tall, shadowy figure, donning an oblong white mask, floated into the room and let out an eerie, "Ahh, ahh!"

"Well, that is an idea, I suppose..." Zeniba tapped her chin with one wrinkled finger.

"What did he say?" Haku glared at No-Face with a skeptical expression.

"He suggests a visit with Fate," Zeniba chuckled lightly, "Don't know why I didn't think of it before, honestly."

"Fate?" the river spirit questioned, incredulously, "But, that's impossible! No one even knows where he resides."

"Ahh, ahh... ahh," No-face made a motion with his spindly arms toward Zeniba.

"What? Well, yes... that's true, she does. But, I'm not sure Haku wants to take that route..." the witch looked toward the boy doubtfully.

"I don't speak his language, you know this. Please..." the boy let out an exasperated breath.

"Oh, right..." she chuckled nervously, "But, you won't like it..."

"Tell me. Now." there was that assertiveness, Zeniba noted.

"Yubaba may know where he is," she said, simply.

Haku's heart sank, "But... how does she know, if no one else does?"

"Yubaba has her secrets, as we all do. But honestly, I think they had a thing a few thousand years ago, if you know what I mean," she raised a brow in amusement, "Where do you think Boh came from?"

Haku blanched, "I didn't need to know that."

"Heavens, I didn't mean it like that! Where is your mind, boy? I meant, they made a deal and Fate bestowed Yubaba with Boh in exchange for who knows what."

His shoulders fell in defeat, "What good does this do? It's not as if she would ever tell me where to find him..."

"Unless..." the old granny's eye lit up with a plan, "Tell me, Haku, has Chihiro not aged?"

The boy narrowed his eyes, "She has, somewhat. She was ten when she visited last, so that would make her around 20 years old now."

"And you plan to bring her here as she is now?" she asked, prompting a very confused look from the boy, whose own appearance had not aged in many thousands of years.

"Of course. What kind of a question is that?"

"Well, maybe it's time for a change, then," the woman's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"What are you on about?" Haku raised an eyebrow, concerned at her words and expression.

The old witch gave a little hop, that set her floating in the air. Energy swirled around her, whipping dust around the quaint room. With a flick of her wrist, the magic engulfed Haku and lifted him off the ground, enveloping him in a misty blue smoke. When the commotion settled down, Haku was dropped to the ground, landing hard on one knee. Zeniba lowered herself down gently and planted her hands on her hips with a satisfied grin.

The mist cleared and Haku pushed himself to his feet. The ground seemed much farther away from his face than it had a few moments ago. When he turned around to check that his surroundings were still the same, strands of long black hair fell over the crest of his shoulder. He looked down and noticed that he was no longer wearing the white and green robes that he'd adorned all his life. Instead, they were replaced with robes of dark blue, almost black, with maroon detailing and stitching around the cuffs of his sleeves. His geta were replaced with dark leather boots that felt strangely heavy on the feet that had been nearly bare for so long. He caught his reflection in the mirror over the mantle.

He gasped at what he saw. His features were the same and yet entirely different at the same time. Every inch of his face was familiar but much more defined. His eyes were deeper set. His nose was slightly longer and more rigid. His lips were fuller and softer. His face shape had stayed relatively the same, but still, with all these seemingly minor changes, he was hardly recognizable. He swept his bangs across his forehead, pushing them to the side to clear his vision.

"Wha- what did you do?" he could hardly find the words.

"Well, isn't it obvious? I gave you a new visage. One that would fool Yubaba, and be slightly more appealing to a woman Chihiro's age," Zeniba's pride in her work was radiating.

"Wait, appealing? What are you getting at?" he cut his eyes at her.

The old woman laughed heartily, "Oh, I was young once. Technically, in this world, I still am relatively so. You think I haven't caught on to why you care so much for what happens to that girl? Tell me, did you really expect to bring her back here while you were still sporting that same barely teenage body you've been carrying around since birth?"

"I hadn't thought it through, really. I was more concerned with saving her," he went back to eyeing himself in the mirror, "This is so strange... after thousands of years... But do you really think this will work? Yubaba has known me much longer than you have... when she hears my voice, she's likely to figure it out."

"Can't you hear yourself, boy?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"She'll never be the wiser. Trust your old granny on that! Now, speaking of saving a certain young lady..." Zeniba trailed off.

Haku came back to himself, "Right, I guess I should be off, then. Thank you, Zeniba. You can consider me in your debt, if you wish."

"I don't know anyone in their right mind that would turn down that offer," the old witch clasped her hands together joyfully.

"Don't get too excited, Granny. If Yubaba figures it out, I may have no favors to give out... or a head, for that matter."