An hour later Chihiro and Haku came walking out of the Onsen. Chihiro smiled at all the spirits gathered to see her off. In the front were Lin, Kamaji, Kuro and Mika. Boh was also with them, but was crying and throwing a fit, which Mika and Kuro were trying to stop.
" Boh Onegai, she wouldn't want to leave here seeing you upset like this." Mika pleaded
" Hai, Boh-sama." Kuro said to him
Boh sniffled and tried to stop crying, but the tears still flowed from his eyes.
Chihiro seeing this looked over a Haku smiling, who nodded to her and moved to Boh.
Boh looked up at her sniffling, " Don't go Chihiro."
" I have to go Boh you know I can't stay here." Chihiro said trying to reason with the child spirit
" But…I want you to stay and I know the others do too. Onegai don't leave us." Boh said
Chihiro smiled at how upset the boy was over this, " Boh listen to me. If you truly care about some one they never leave you."
" How? How do they not leave you if you can't be with them?" Boh questioned this
Chihiro went and placed her hand where his heart was, " As long as you keep that person in here. They won't ever leave you even if their life ends. You will carry them always."
The spirit all watched the interaction shocked by the wisdom of Chihiro's words. Haku smiled softly at her words and how it had calmed the giant boy down.
" I'll miss you Chihiro." Boh said as he embraced the girl
Chihiro hugged him back, " I will miss too, I'll miss all of you, but I will come back."
" How?" Boh asked as he released her and she moved back over to Haku
" Haku's lake it called me, at least that what Kamigama, a Kappa in his lake, told me. So if his lake calls to me once, I'm sure I'll be able to find it again and visit." Chihiro said smiling
" Interesting." Kamaji said moving his hand over his mustache as he looked over at Haku who was standing beside them watching Chihiro fondly
" Nani?" Lin looked over at him
Kamaji shook his head, " When they leave I will tell you."
Lin looked at Kamaji annoyed, but nodded.
" Chihiro we must go. After all, we have to see Zeniba and No Face before you head home too." Haku said
" That's right Granny was making something for me again, though she really didn't have to." Chihiro said
" Chihiro she knows that and if we could do something for you we would have. Just indulge us spirits and let one of us give you something in return for your kindness." Lin said smiling at her as she came and hugged her
Chihiro then moved to say goodbye to other workers as she did this Haku moved closer to Kamaji and Lin.
" You two are in charge until I get back." Haku said in a serious tone
" Haku why are you putting us in charge?" Lin asked confused by his demeanor
" Because I know if something or someone shows up you'll be able to keep the group together and hold her off till I return." Haku said looking at them
" Yubaba? You think she might show up?" Kamaji asked shocked by this
Haku nodded at this, " I believe she'll come back with help as soon as Chihiro's back in the Ningen World."
The two looked at each other worried and then at Haku, " We'll be fine, you take her home. And so help me dragon when she comes back if she's upset over something you did I'll de-scale you." Lin threatened
Haku chuckled at this and nodded.
Chihiro nodded as she looked at Haku, " Alright Haku."
Haku changed into his dragon form and Chihiro got on him.
" I see you all later then." Chihiro said smiling and waving to them
Haku took off soaring high into the sky. Chihiro looked back smiling at the group that was waving her off and yelling goodbye to her.
Once the two were out of eyesight Lin turned to Kamaji with her hands on her hips, "Now what was so interesting that you didn't want to say anything until those two were gone?"
" Haku's lake." Kamaji said as he looked at Lin
The rest of the workers had started to head back inside as the two talked.
" What about it?" Lin asked confused
" A spirits elemental area doesn't just call to anyone Lin." Kamaji said looking up at the sky
" So? What does a spirits elemental area calling another's name mean?" Lin asked not being a elemental spirit and not old enough to know these things
" Youngsters don't know anything. Remind me later to give you some lessons on history of spirits some time." Kamaji said annoyed at her lack of knowledge
" Later, what does the lake calling Chihiro mean?" Lin asked waving it off and starting to get annoyed at not being answered
" It can mean 2 things." Kamaji said as he held up two of his long worn fingers from his upper right arm
He didn't continued and Lin sighed in frustration, " Uh-hu, what are the two things Kamaji?"
" Well the first is if the person had committed a heinous crime again the spirit their elemental area will call the persons name out of anger and want all in the area to avenge it." Kamaji explained to her and paused again
" We know that not it, so what's the other?" Lin said annoyed he was delaying what was going on
" Mates." Kamaji said his mustache rising up at he smiled
" Mates? As in like it recognized Chihiro as Haku's mate?" Lin asked still a little confused at this
" Not just any mates, life mates bonded by their spirit. Two destined to be together." Kamaji said
" But if that's true then how?" Lin asked now understanding
" That I don't know." Kamaji said pulling on his mustache again, " But I'm sure Haku's lake knows something the rest of us don't and might never."
" So, what's going on here? You two having a little chitchat?" a voice said that caused the two look up and gasp in shocked at what they saw
Chihiro was quiet as Haku flew towards Zeniba's house. He looked up at her to see if she had fallen asleep again, only to see her have a far off look to her eyes. Almost like she was looking at something else.
" Chihiro?" Haku said worried when he was her look
This caused Chihiro's look to fade and she shook her head.
She smiled looking down at him, " Haku, what's wrong?"
" You spaced out on me."Haku stated noticing her change in emotions from a moment before
" Oh I did, sorry." Chihiro said smiling completely oblivious to what had just happened
Haku nodded as he flew and went back to thinking about the implications of his lake calling Chihiro's name and leading her to it.
Kamigama just can't be right about my lake calling her. It can't be because of what that would mean. Haku thought as he looked up at Chihiro again, But it did know she was there before I came and Kamigama said they both thought of the idea of hiding her from me till they thought I was ready.
He looked up at Chihiro again thinking about her and his lake. It was them that he noticed her worried look and that kept on glancing behind her.
" We can go back if you want. You don't have to go back today." Haku said hoping she'd take him up on his offer
Chihiro just shook her head though, " No, I need to go back home."
Haku nodded, but kept an eye on her. For a number of minutes she just kept on having a worried look on her face and glancing behind them and then the look turned from worry to shock and concern.
" HAKU STOP!" Chihiro shouted abruptly him having a good couple of minutes of complete silence before
Haku stopped dead in mid-flight just hovering in the air.
" CHIHIRO? What's wrong?"Haku asked worried at her yelling at him so
She pulled up on his horns, " Go back, we need to go back!"
" Chihiro I thought you said you wanted to go home?" Haku asked confused at her changed in attitude
" Haku LOOK!" Chihiro said pointing behind her upset that he wasn't listening to her now
Haku turned around so they both could see where they just were. As Haku now looked he saw what Chihiro had seen there was a black cloud of smoke raising from the ground right where the Onsen should have been.
Haku looked at this shocked, " Chikusyou! I didn't think she'd be back so soon."
" Her? Yubaba?" Chihiro said worried
Haku nodded, " I figured she try to attack and take back the Onsen like in your nightmare, but I thought we have some time till she returned. I guess with me taking you home she decided it was the best time to get her Onsen back."
Chihiro looked down at him worried, " Lets go get Granny and No Face. They can help us."
Haku though shook his head, " By then she might have taken the Onsen back in her control and have the workers attack me, Zeniba, or No Face. Iie, we need to go back now."
" Demo…Haku…" Chihiro said worried remembering her nightmares ending
Haku looked up at her and smiled, " Hey you're with me and in your nightmare you weren't so something changed. Lets see if we can make that nightmare disappeared completely."
Chihiro looked down at him worried and then determination set in her eyes and she nodded to him, " Let's head back."
" Hold on then because I'm going to try to get back as fast as possible for us to help the others." Haku warned her
Chihiro nodded as she gripped his horns tighter and leaned closer to him, so she wouldn't interfere with his speed. As soon as she did this Haku was off like a bullet. Chihiro was shocked by this speed as her hair whipped through the air. She couldn't believe how fast Haku was going; she couldn't see anything as it all blurred together. In a matter of second they were back at the Onsen, which they had left an hour ago.
Chihiro gasped as Haku hovered there both in shock at what they were seeing. Just like her dream the workers were battling the Shadow Spirit, but here it seemed like Yubaba's forces were gaining the upper hand. Yubaba was just standing back watching the other do all her work yelling at a number of the Shadow Spirits.
" I told you not to damage the Onsen. Now look! There's a big hole where some of the best baths were, you baka spirits are going to pay that off." Yubaba yelled as the spirits as they continued to attacked the workers
" Lin their too strong." Kuro was heard saying
" Keep them out of the Onsen! If they get in their Yubaba will move forward and take the Onsen back. We need to hold off till Haku gets back." Lin told the others
" But he just left with Chihiro. He won't be back for hours." One worker said worried
" I knew waiting till that dragon left was a good idea. These workers are nothing without him and once he comes back I will have the Onsen back under my control again. Then I can get rid of him and the Kamis will be none the wiser." Yubaba said laughing at the turn of events
" Think again Yubaba." Haku roared hearing her enjoyment of what she was witnessing
His roar and voice caused everyone to look up and see him hovering above his eyes glowing red with anger and Chihiro riding on his back.
" BAKA! You should have taken her home." Lin said angered Chihiro was still with him
Haku sped towards Yubaba and she dove to the side thinking he was going to ram into her. Instead though he knocked a couple of the Shadow Spirits out of existence as he stopped in front of Lin and Kamaji.
" Chihiro off." Haku said to her leaving no room for arguing
Chihiro nodded and got off Haku back as she moved towards Lin and the others.
" You all protect her I'll deal with Yubaba." Haku said with that he flew back to where Yubaba was starting to get off the ground
" You annoying dragon, you couldn't just take her home and let me take my Onsen back, you have to interfere with everything I do!" Yubaba yelled at him as she sent streams of magic towards his speeding form
But every one she sent at him he just moved away at the last minute so it didn't hit him.
The Onsen workers and Chihiro watched as Haku dodged all of Yubaba's magic as he also tried to attack her. Chihiro watched Haku starting to worry about her nightmare she'd been having.
" Haku please be careful." Chihiro said worried her hands entwined together
" Chihiro come on we need to get you inside. Haku will have all our hides if you're hurt." Lin said pulling Chihiro inside the Onsen only to be stopped by a number of Shadow Spirits blocking the Onsen's entrance
A paper bird flew out of Chihiro's bag and turned into Zeniba, who sent magic towards the group of spirit and turned them into black frogs.
" Granny!" Chihiro shouted happily
" Even like this I can still help out." Zeniba said smiling to the two
Zeniba then looked behind the two and saw what was happening outside the Onsen, " So it seems my sister decided to attack earlier than Haku or I anticipated."
Lin nodded, " She was here the moment Haku's form couldn't be seen from the sky anymore."
" Impatient as always and predictable too." Zeniba said watching Haku and Yubaba's fight
She looked back at Chihiro to see how worried she looked at Haku fight Yubaba, "He'll be fine Chihiro. As I said she's predictable, unless she can cause a distraction or do a new trick, Haku will be able to dodge all those silly spells she sending his way." Zeniba said
" I just hope I don't turn out to the that distraction." Chihiro said worried
" That's why we need to get you further into the Onsen." Lin said pulling Chihiro's arm to move her further inside
It was then some more Shadow Spirits showed and having seen what Zeniba did to the others they cut the paper bird in half.
" Oh dear, you're on you own now Chihiro." Zeniba said as her figure faded from existence Lin and Chihiro moved back as the Shadow Spirits advanced on them. As the three were about to grab them, they were gone. Chihiro who had had her eyes shut opened them to see Boh smiling at her with the Kashira where each of the Shadow Spirits use to be.
" They wanted to help too." Boh said as the Kashira's three heads grunted in agreement
" That's great Boh, but we need to get Chihiro some place safe." Lin said moving inside the Onsen
" No, I want to help too." Chihiro said finally protesting and pulling her arm away from Lin
" Chihiro I don't think Haku…" Lin said
" Lin I need to help. I have a feeling I can help." Chihiro said trying to figure out what she was feeling
Lin looked at Boh who didn't know what to do, " All right fine, but if your get hurt and Haku comes after me. Once I'm whole again your gonna get it."
Chihiro giggled at this, " If I get hurt and he goes after you I'll stop him before anything happens."
" I hope so." Lin said not really liking this
Chihiro moved back outside and looked at the Onsen still seeing the smoke.
" Where's all the smoke coming from?" Chihiro asked
" The baka Shadow Spirits hit a part of the Onsen. Yubaba was pissed to say the least, she destroyed the ones that did it on the spot and has been yelling at the rest that she's going to make them pay for the damages." Kamaji said as he reached behind the two and destroyed two Shadow Spirits that were coming from behind them
" Thank You Kamaji." Chihiro said
Kamaji nodded at her thanks.
" So is there a fire?" Chihiro asked worried looking back up at the smoke
" Iie, it's just like that from the section being destroyed. There's no fire and even if there were Yubaba would have put it out by now. She doesn't want any more of her precious Onsen destroyed." Lin said mockingly
Chihiro nodded at this news, " Ok, so I think we need to get rid of Yubaba's helpers and we need to make sure they don't gang up on us and make a giant Shadow Spirit."
" How do you know they can do that?" Kamaji asked shocked a human would know something that wasn't even common knowledge in the Spirit World
" I saw it one day." Chihiro said not wanting to tell them how she knew about it really
Kamaji smiled and looked at Lin, " Lin this one knows more about the Spirit World than you do. You sure you don't want lessons?"
Lin growled at Kamaji, " Can it ya' old coot."
Chihiro looked at the two confused about what was going on.
" Right so I think we should do that since Haku's managing to hold off Yubaba." Chihiro said interrupting the two's argument
The other two nodded at her, her words stopping them from arguing further.
" We'll need to split up to tell the other thought." Lin said looking at Chihiro worried
" I'll be fine." Chihiro said as she ran off into the fight
Lin sighed as she lost sight of her in the crowd of fighting workers and Shadow Spirits, "Haku's gonna kill me."
" Worry about that later, let's go do what she wanted." Kamaji said as he moved in another direction
With that the other two moved to tell the workers Chihiro's plan.
Onsen – Hot Springs/ Bathhouse
Onegai – Please
Hai – Yes
Nani – What
Ningen – Human
Chikusyou – Damn it
Iie – No
Baka – Idiot/ Stupid
Kami – God
Arigatou – Thank You