Hiya! Okay, we left off with Kaede and Ryo just returning home, and Chihiro wasn't prepared for what Kaede had to give her. What's written on the note? And how will Kaede be punished for her actions? Going to the Human World is forbidden, and when a spirit does, consequences are severe. Ryo may get off easy because of his relationship with his parents. But Kaede? She's got to watch out, because her parents don't take these things lying down. And I'm going to stop talking and give you the next chapter!

Chapter 8: Heartbreaking Moments

This note was written by my father. I could tell by the handwriting. It was so distinct. I was about to open it when Haku placed his hand on mine.

"You do realize what this means, though, right?" He asked me.

"Yes," I said, "Kaede had contact with the outside world, and by reading this letter I would be doing the same. But that doesn't mean I can't take the opportunity to accept what's been given to me." Haku let go and we both read the words my parents have been dying to say since I left.

Dearest Chihiro,

We have missed you so much since the day we left you and Haku. It seems like you two are doing well, seeing as though Kaede looks very happy and healthy. She seems like a fun and outgoing young lady.

"What?" I said in disbelief, "They…they like Kaede?"

"Well she did seem happy through the crystal ball." Haku pointed out.

"Yes, but…" I didn't have any words to say about it. Everyone who meets Kaede think of her as an angel, but when they see her with Haku and me, they think otherwise. Haku and I returned to the note and continued reading.

We wish to see you and your family one day, but that may not be possible. Your mother and I love you so very much. Kaede seems like an adventurous girl. I hope you sent her to us to tell us what a great job you and Haku have done with your lives. Your mother and I are doing fine, but we wish to have stayed with you. We are so proud of you and wish the both of you the best of luck.

Love, Mom and Dad

Words couldn't describe the way I was feeling. It wasn't that I didn't want to see them; it was just that I couldn't. People would recognize me, questions would arise, and who knows how subtle I'd have been. I wanted to see them, but my safety and the safety of those in the Spirit World was at stake if I went.

I ran back to the bathhouse, clutching the note for dear life. Haku followed, and we were on our way to have our little "talk" with Kaede.

"So, I assume you have a punishment for her?" I asked Haku as we rode the elevator. He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"Don't worry; she's never going to run away again." I was surprised. He never seemed like one to disappoint his children. All three of them thought of him as the fun parent. But when it came to the punishment, they thought of him like…they thought of me.

I tried pushing the thought out of my head, but it stuck like glue. My kids thought of me as a strict adult, not like their mother. I was just some stranger who gave them chores and rules to abide with. I felt like they didn't love me the way they loved Haku.

The elevator stopped and we walked out. Kaede's room was on the other side of the floor. When we got there, she was sitting on the edge, staring out at the stars. She took one look at me and turned her head quickly. At least I had Haku for backup.

"Kaede, we need to talk." He said. She looked at him with cold eyes. The air seemed to have become cooler after that.

"Just give me my punishment and I'll never do it again," she said, "At least not with Ryo."

"Well we want to make sure you're telling us the truth," he replied, "You could just be saying that so we'll go lighter on you."

"I don't need your sympathy," Kaede answered. I thought that was it. That Haku and I had lost our control of her and that she was moving on from us. But Haku stuck to his ground.

"You need to obey our rules. You can't just waltz around like you own the worlds. We are the parents, you are the child."

"I'm almost fifteen! When will you realize that I'm not a little girl anymore? When will you stop calling me your 'little princess?' I hate it! I'm not a little kid anymore!" Kaede stood up and walked to her room, lying herself on the bed.

"When you go off and disobey what we tell you, that doesn't show us that you're an adult," I shouted, "it shows us more and more what a child you are and how much you need to learn about respect."

"Open your eyes, Mom! No one respects anyone here! You talk about how Mai and Haru and I should 'respect the spirits' when you don't do a damn thing about it!"

"Hey! What did I say about your language?"

"Mom, this isn't working! I can't be who you want me to be! I'm just not as perfect as you!"

"I don't expect you to be perfect, I expect you to follow orders!"

"Well maybe I just want to do my own thing. Ever thought of how I felt about this?"

"Of course I do. I know what's best for you."

"Obviously you don't or else I wouldn't be in this prison you call a bathhouse."

"Excuse me?"

"Whatever," she replied, "just give me my punishment and leave."

"You really want your punishment that badly?" Haku asked, "I'll give it to." He walked up to her slowly, raised his right hand, and placed it on Kaede's forehead. She became very scared, and so did I. He became very still, as if he were frozen. I was anxious to see what he had in store for Kaede.

"Haku, what are you doing?" I asked. I felt like something was overpowering him, like he couldn't control what he was doing. But I remembered this side of him. This was his angry side. When I first accepted the job Yubaba gave me, he gave me the cold shoulder. He ignored me when I apologized. I felt lonely and that he was going to do something unforgivable. But this was Haku, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Just wait," he said, closing his eyes. I heard him murmur a spell. A glowing light surrounded Kaede. It was as golden as the sun, and it exited Kaede's body. It was now in Haku's hand, and he showed it to her, smiling. I was completely and utterly confused at that moment, but soon, everything became clear.

"This is your magic," he said, "I am taking it from you until you can show your mother and me some respect." Kaede's mouth dropped; as did mine. I did not think he would go that far to punish her.

"What!" She screamed, "You...you can't do that!"

"I believe I can," he said, waving her magic around, "and that's not all." He handed me her magic and I held it with care. We all walked out to the edge. Haku waved his arms around and instantly, a blue light surrounded the bathhouse. It was a large square, only reaching as far out as the end of the bridge.

"You cannot pass this border," he said, "This is as far as you can go. Try running away through that and…well, I don't think you want to find out."

"That's not fair!" Kaede cried, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Ask yourself that question," Haku replied, taking her magic from my hands. He placed it in his coat and crossed his arms.

"When you realize how wrong you have been, the spell will wear off and I will return your magic. So I'd better think long and hard about all the pain you caused a lot of us, young lady." Haku walked away and I followed. It was more intense than I thought. Haku had gone further than any time before. This was beyond anything I thought he could do. When we were a good distance away from Kaede, I couldn't resist asking.

"How did you do that?" I asked. We stopped by our door and he sighed.

"It was a spell I learned from my father." Haku answered, "He used it on me once before, when I did something I wasn't supposed to do."

"Well, what did you do?" I was very curious. There were still many things I didn't know about Haku, and some things he didn't know about me that I preferred to be kept a secret.

"Exactly what Kaede did," He replied, "I went to the Human World."

"Really? But why?"

"Let's just say there was someone I needed to see," He smiled and put his arm around my neck.

"But wha-" he placed a finger by my mouth, indicating that there was no need to go any further in that conversation.

"Alright," I said. He smiled and gave me kiss as we walked into our room.

Kaede's POV

I couldn't believe what had just happened. My own father had just taken away my ability as a spirit. Now, I was just a normal spirit. I had no magic whatsoever. All I had to do was come clean and apologize.

It couldn't have been that simple. I had to really feel sorry. But how could I when there was nothing to be sorry about? I didn't feel any regret for going to the Human World. The only thing worth regretting was inviting Ryo along.

Why couldn't he just have been a little more lenient and not a conscience all the time? He may have been my best friend, but we were complete opposites. Maybe that's why I liked him so much. He wasn't afraid to be himself, even if we didn't agree on anything.

But that was over. How could I like someone who I wasn't even friends with anymore? That crush, or whatever I thought was one, was officially over. For good.

"Ughh!" I threw my pillow at the wall and laid back, staring at the wall. What had my life turned into? I felt like a slave in my own home. Poor Rapunzel trapped in her tower, unable to leave and be free.

It took hours for me to finally fall asleep. I kept dreaming about the adventures we had. Having the courage to go through the tunnel and make it to the other side, having contact with humans, and even seeing my grandparents. I already missed them. Too bad I couldn't go back now.

Ryo's POV

"Man, why is she always such a pain?" I kept pacing the floor, wondering what Kaede's parents were doing to her. At least my punishment was only minor compared to what she was probably getting. Kaede had a way of making her punishments one to never forget.

"I need to find out what's going on up there." I climbed out of my window and used my magic to make my hands like a gluey residue, as I always did when I went to see Kaede. I guess those days are over until we sort this whole thing out.

As I reached the platform to her room, I heard Kaede's parents talking to her, and not in a good way.

"Kaede," her father said, "we need to talk."

"Just give me my punishment and I'll never do it again," she said, "At least not with Ryo." I wanted to get up there and tell her off, but that would have blown my cover. I had to stay hidden. Otherwise my punishment would have been just as bad as hers. At least my parents still gave me their trust. Kaede probably would never be trusted again. Not even by me.

"I'm almost fifteen! When will you realize that I'm not a little girl anymore? When will you stop calling me your 'little princess?' I hate it! I'm not a kid anymore!" Kaede stood up and walked to her room. It became harder to hear what they were saying, but I did perceive one thing Master Kohaku had said.

"You really want your punishment that badly?" Master Kohaku asked, "I'll give it to." That didn't sound too good. I could hear her mother sounding anxious as to what he would do. I started to sweat just thinking about how bad her punishment would be.

"This is your magic," he said, "I am taking it from you until you can show your mother and I some respect."

"Oh my God," I said. How could someone take a spirit's magic from them? That seemed unlawful. It scared me that Master Kohaku could do something like that.

"What!" She screamed, "You...you can't do that!" I had heard enough. I couldn't bear to listen Kaede go through all this pain. I retreated back to my room, and no one knew I was there for a second. I tried to shake it out of my head, that he really didn't do that to her, but it was true. And she would never forgive him for that. She probably wouldn't forgive me, even if she was the one who caused us both this pain.

"Why can't you see that I'm trying to do what's best for you?" I said to myself, "Why do you have to be so daring and outrageous? So...funny and adorable? So…beautiful?" I looked out my window, up to where her room was. "Why do I feel this way about you, when you don't feel the same about me?"

Oh snap! Did anyone see that coming? Of course Ryo loves her! But will she ever love him back? After that adventure I'd bet money that Kaede would never talk to him again. But without passage to leave the bathhouse, they're going to be seeing each other a lot. This is only the beginning; Kaede's decisions become more and more important as this goes on, and it will affect more than just the bathhouse...

Anabelle ;)