"And you're sure this will work?" Haku asked skeptically, frowning at the page of instructions Zeniba had given him.
"Of course I'm sure," Zeniba said, sounding offended. "It will work perfectly, so long as you follow the instructions. You should be able to find most of the ingredients on that list in the bathhouse, make sure Yubaba doesn't find out what you're planning though," she warned.
"I'll be careful," he agreed.
"Good, now you understand what you're to do once you've gotten the ingredients?" She asked.
"Grind them into a paste, use it to draw the symbols into the ground in front of where I want the passage to open, stand facing north while holding a candle and say the words at sunset," he recited,
"Good," Zeniba nodded, "and make sure you're not interrupted once you've drawn the symbols. Can you make sure no one will stop you?"
"Believe me, I'll make sure." Haku said coldly, his eyes flashing yellow for moment before he turned to leave. "And Zeniba," he said turning back.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Thank you," he said, before shifting to his spirit form and quickly disappearing into the distance.
"You're welcome Kohaku," she said, smiling as he disappeared.
"What are you planning Haku?" Lin asked him, sounding suspicious. After leaving Zeniba's cottage, Haku had sent a message to Kamaji asking him for the supplies he needed and saying that he could find him in the maze of flowers behind the Bathhouse. Shortly after, Lin had arrived, and was now demanding to know why he was here.
"Nothing," he said calmly. It had been years since he worked for Yubaba, but he knew Lin had never forgotten he was once the old hag's henchmen and he sensed she still didn't like him because of it...
"Uh-huh very convincing," she said sarcastically, "Can't you do any better lying Haku? You've had years of practice after all."
"Have you gotten the supplies I asked for or haven't you?" He snapped. It was bad enough for him to be this close to the Bathhouse, but having his memories of this place thrown in his face was even worse.
"Yeah, yeah, they're right here," she said, throwing the small bag full of glass vials and jars at him.
"Be careful!" He said, catching the bag and checking to make sure nothing had been broken.
"What's do you need all of this for anyways?" She asked again, glaring at him.
He sighed. "If you must know I'm running an errand for Zeniba," he lied. He knew that if he told Lin what he was truly planning, she would demand to come with him. The more involved, the more complicated it would be, he reasoned, it was best that Lin didn't know.
Lin looked unconvinced, but after a minute she stopped glaring long enough to say "Kamaji and I are really sticking our necks out for you, you know, I hope whatever you're doing is worth it."
She is worth everything, he thought to himself, before simply saying, "It is." He turned away and began quickly walking back through the maze of flowers, it would be sunset soon, he needed to hurry. Behind him, he could hear Lin grumble under her breathe "What did Chihiro ever see in him?"
"I'm not sure anymore," Haku said so quietly Lin couldn't hear. "I'm really not sure." He had been so happy after his contract with Yubaba was broken and he had helped Chihiro find her way back home…but afterwards he could feel her absence like a physical wound. As the years went by, it got worse and worse, until it reached the point where he was sure it would destroy him. For years he tried to find her through dreams, willing, pleading, begging even, for her to answer him. He had tried everything he could think of to contact her, but nothing worked. He didn't want to admit how close he had come to giving up when Zeniba contacted him. But none of that matters now, he thought to himself, because I'm finally going to find her, I have to.
All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.