Chapter Eight: Instincts, Impulses, and Intrigue

Chapter Eight: Instincts, Impulses, and Intrigue

This chapter is dedicated to German Mickey (who was a standing dedication), and to Darkangl28, Dreamcatcher1411, and Suils Saifir for such great reviews!!

Chihiro gaped at Haku. "Just like that?" she yelped, looking at the two friendly pigs through wide eyes. "These are my parents?" Haku nodded.

Chihiro bit her lip. "Well, can you fix them?" she asked. Haku sighed as he looked at her hopeful expression. "No," he said heavily. "They are bound with Yubaba's magic, and though I am very strong for a spirit, I cannot break her magic because of certain circumstances. I had hoped that they had been bound by the foreman or one of the other servants, because I could have easily broken theirs, but Yubaba must have been bored that day."

The human girl sighed and bit her lip again. "Ow!" she yelped as she suddenly tasted blood. "Note to self," she muttered angrily as she dashed tears that stemmed more from frustration than pain out of her eyes. "Break bad habits." She looked up and saw Haku gazing at her with a curious expression. "What?" she said self-consciously, and raised a hand to her mouth. "Did I get blood on my face?" she asked awkwardly.

Haku caught her hand before she could touch her lip and check. "You must be more careful with your fragile, human body, Chihiro," he murmured, eyes slightly distant. Chihiro stared at him, mouth open slightly in confusion.

In an almost absent manner, Haku raised one graceful finger to her lip and glided it over her bottom lip, and then gently over the inside, gathering all of the blood that had welled up. She couldn't help it; she shivered slightly.

Her small movement seemed to bring Haku more back to himself, but not enough that he didn't put his finger into his own mouth and suck the blood off. His eyes were darker, Chihiro noticed faintly, as he stared at her. His eyes lightened more the longer they were locked with hers. "I…apologize," he finally said. "I let instinct take over."

Chihiro shook herself. "That's okay," she replied. "It was kind of weird, but not bad or disturbing." Haku eyed her uncertainly. "You're certainly the most…unique human I have encountered," he said at last. Chihiro grinned. "And just how many humans have you met?" she asked Haku playfully. He finally smiled at her and remained silent.

Looking back at her pig-parents, Chihiro frowned softly. "There's nothing you can do?" she asked Haku sadly. Haku shook his head. "I can do nothing as long as Yubaba has control of the bathhouse, its residents, and its surroundings. And it would take a very powerful spirit to overthrow her," he explained.

"We will come back and check on them, but for now we need to go, Chihiro," Haku said. "You must make your debut in the village. It won't take long," he added dryly, looking at her grimace. "I doubt many spirits will want to stop and chat." Chihiro stuck her tongue out and Haku laughed. "Come," he said. "The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be allowed to go outside on your own."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chihiro let Haku lead her through the crowds to visit the various vendors and restaurants that the spirits visited around the bathhouse. She was sure that she hadn't said anything stupid, but most looked at her as one would look at a caged monkey at the zoo: as if they expected her to start throwing feces and swinging from the beams above while chattering like a lemur.

It was a few hours until dawn when Haku escorted her to her room- or rather, carried her once they entered the empty spare guest wing. Chihiro was exhausted. Somehow locating her door from all of the others identical to it, Haku slid the shoji open with one foot while staying perfectly balanced.

As he carried her to the doorway into the bedroom and set her down, Chihiro was sleepily thinking over an idea that had been forming in her mind since they had left the pig house.

"Haku?" she yawned, stretching. "Chihiro?" he replied. "You don't seem to like Yubaba very much. Why do you work for her?" she asked him, waking up a little more.

Haku frowned and looked over to the dark window. "Yubaba makes all of her servants- most of whom come from unfortunate circumstances- sign a magical contract that takes away part of their name, and therefore, part of their identity. Without our whole self, we spirits cannot leave the bathhouse for any extended period of time. Apparently, I appeared here about fifteen years ago and requested a contract."

He turned to look at her as he talked. "I do not know why I did such a thing, but I've regretted it ever since the day Yubaba made me her apprentice under the contract. In fact, the only things about this place that I have not despised are the things I have learned- and you." Chihiro felt her insides melt a little, but firmly told them to stop it.

"Have you learned a lot?" Chihiro asked curiously. Haku smiled faintly. "I am the most educated spirit for two hundred miles, and I am second to only Yubaba in magical strength."

Chihiro frowned. "And that's only because you signed that contract, right?" she asked. He nodded. "And if the contract was destroyed, you would be more powerful than her?"

Haku nodded again, this time a bit warily. "Hypothetically." "Yes, yes, hypothetically. Haku," Chihiro said, looking up into his sea-green eyes. "Did you mean what you said a few days ago? About returning my parents?"

Haku looked insulted. "Of course," he said. "Spirits rarely lie, except for Yubaba, and I did not." Chihiro looked thoughtful. "Are a lot of other employees regretful of their contracts, too?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject. "A fair few," Haku said, wondering where she could possibly be going with her line of questioning. "Yubaba is hardly a fair or kind overseer."

"Right," Chihiro said. "She sounds like a bitch, if you ask me." Haku looked vaguely shocked, but she ignored it. "Haku, I have a proposal for you," she said. He raised an eyebrow in response. "You'd like to get your name back, right?" He nodded. "And help me fix my parents?" Haku nodded again. "Well," she stated calmly, confidently. "I can only see one thing that we can do."

"We need to overthrow Yubaba, and put you in her place."