Hi! Here's the next chapter for you! Last chapter was pretty hectic with the new visitor and all, but we're taking a break from that. We will see Kaede, but this will mostly focus on Chihiro and what she did after her little argument with Haku and Kage. I hope you all enjoy this! :)
Chapter 11: Strength of Will
Work was done and I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. How was I supposed to get a strand of hair from my mother without her questioning me? She already doesn't trust me. Getting that hair was like finding a needle in a hay stack, guarded by a hundred men.
"Why does everything have to be so complicated?" I said to myself. Lately I had no one to talk to, so talking to myself was the only option I had.
"I have to find a way to get the hair."
"And fast." I quickly turned my head to see the person standing at my door. It was Rin. I hadn't told her about Kazue. I didn't know how she would react. She seemed like a delinquent girl, just like me. But when it came to what she knew was right, Rin was like Ryo.
"Rin," I said, "I…you don't…"
She put her hand up and said, "Save it, you'll need your breath to convince your mom how to give you a piece of her hair without her knowing it's for a secret potion to change their minds about you." She smiled and joined me. We weren't supposed to be out of our rooms after closing. Ryo was never caught, but that was because he was good at sneaking around. I missed it when he would come to room and help me with all of my problems. Rin was a good friend, but Ryo and I had become really close of the years. Too close if you ask me.
"So how do I do this? I mean, I can't just say, 'Hey, Mom, can I have a strand of hair?' I'll sound stupid! And knowing my mother, she'll start questioning me."
"I don't know what to tell you," Rin replied, "But you better find a way before that man comes back tomorrow."
"How did you even know about it?" She laughed as if I didn't know the answer. It made me feel awkward because I didn't.
"You know no secret can go unnoticed by me," She said. I laughed. Rin had eyes and ears everywhere around the bathhouse. She knew everything that was going and when. I could always count on her for a little gossip now and then. Before Rin left, I stopped her.
"Wait," I said, "Do you think that...you could work tomorrow with Ryo and see how he's doing? Just to check up on him." She turned around, smiled, and nodded. I could always count on her.
Chihiro's POV, a few hours earlier
"You two are grown men, start acting like it! What lesson are you teaching your children by acting their age?" I turned around and ran to the elevator. By now, Yuki would have already been gone, but I needed to talk with her.
"Oh, Yuki, where have you gone now?" I ran to Mai and Haru's room. On their desk laid the communications ring. I grabbed it and put it on. I twisted the dial and pointed it towards the wall.
"Yuki!" I shouted. On the wall I saw Yuki, but it was only a hologram. Her face showed so much sadness. On her right cheek, a mark about an inch long ran along her face. She looked at me and sighed, knowing that I had found her. Obviously she didn't want that to happen.
"Chihiro, please. Not now."
"Yuki, just talk to me. Where are you?"
"Oh, you don't have to worry about her." Next to Yuki was an old witch wearing a blue dress and jewelry everywhere she could place it. Her pimple was almost as large as her nose, and I knew instantly that this was Zeniba, Yuki's mother. How did I not know she would have gone to her mother's house?
"Zeniba," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. At least Yuki didn't go anywhere too far. Now getting there was going to be a problem.
"Don't worry, Chihiro, Yuki told me the whole story."
"Yeah, but Kage didn't mean it! It was an accident!" Zeniba looked at Yuki, but she turned away. Yuki and Kage were having problems like that before. She never went into full detail, but I could always see it in her eyes.
"Why don't you come over, Chihiro," Zeniba said, "I may need a little more help than I thought."
"Well, how am I going to get there? I can't fly and Haku certainly isn't in the mood to fly me there and back." Zeniba tapped her chin, and then snapped her fingers. She looked at the holographic figure and grabbed my shirt, pulling me through to the other side. The next thing I knew, I was standing in the middle of Zeniba's kitchen with a puzzled look on my face.
"How…how did you…" I was very confused. Most things in this world confused me, and that was just something minor compared to the things I've seen.
"You should know by now how powerful I am." She smiled and started to laugh. I looked at Yuki, but she just shrugged.
"Yuki, Kage didn't mean it. I don't even know why they started that fight."
"You know this isn't the first time," Yuki said, "I told you earlier, he can't control himself. It's like…something is overpowering him, like-"
"Like he's a puppet on a string," I said. She looked at me with stunned eyes.
"That's…exactly how it is."
"It's the same with Haku. Sometimes I feel he's like a whole other person!" Zeniba sat down next to Yuki. She was thinking about the current situation. Things were getting too hectic, and she was noticing.
"Maybe they really are," Yuki and I turned to her. Zeniba didn't even look at us. She just stared at the door, deep on thought.
"What do you mean, Mom?"
"I mean, I think something, or someone, is controlling Kohaku and Kage."
"How could that be?" I asked. I didn't know of any way that a spirit could control another. It seemed like dark magic.
"Control slugs." We all turned around and saw Yubaba standing in the doorway. She was hard to tell from Zeniba, but their attitudes differentiated the twins.
"Wait, you mean that bug you put in Haku when he was your apprentice?" I asked her. She nodded and sat down next to us.
"Those control slugs do whatever the controller says. They could even control their thoughts." I was taken back. I never knew they could be so powerful.
"So, you think that control slugs could actually be controlling Haku and Kage?" Once again, Yubaba nodded.
"They could do anything," she said, "they were the reason why Kohaku stole Zeniba's golden seal and why he was so harsh on you back then." It made sense. It didn't seem like Haku free willingly did those orders for Yubaba.
"There is a way we could find out," Zeniba said, "Bring the two of them here tomorrow and we'll take care of the rest." I looked at Yuki and she smiled.
"I guess it could work," she said, "but if he doesn't have the control slug, then that means Kage is truly turning into a monster." She covered her eyes with her hands, unable to bear the thought of that every happening. Zeniba placed her hands on her shoulders, comforting her.
"Now, now, Yuki, everything will be alright. You've known Kage longer than any of us. You should know what a sweetheart he can be." Yuki looked up at Zeniba and smiled.
"Thank you, Mother." Zeniba and Yuki had the kind of relationship I wish I had had with my mother. After I became a teenager, we grew distant from each other.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked behind to see Yubaba.
"I'm going to ask you one more time," Yubaba said, "did…you…find…it…yet?"
I sighed and said, "No, Yubaba. Not yet. Just give me a hint!"
"NO! You must find it on your own with no help from anyone!"
"But how will I know what to look for when you won't give me a measly clue as to what I am finding?" She paused for a moment, realizing I was right.
"I'll only say this: you've seen this item before, and you gave it to me a long time ago. Now, I am returning it to you." Yubaba smiled and I just chuckled. Yubaba was a secretive person. It was going to be hard finding this item.
"Thanks," I said sarcastically. She walked away and opened the door to Boh's room. He was sound asleep, and I was going to make sure I didn't make any loud noises to wake him up. Last time, Yubaba wanted to kill me.
"Good," she said, closing the door. "Now, don't get any ideas! If you wake him up I'll get you for sure." That was a promise. Deciding Yubaba wasn't fooling around, I grabbed Yuki's hand and slowly walked to the door.
"Okay," I said, "I think we'll just go now, right Yuki?"
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she said, also scared of her Aunt Yubaba. She turned to Zeniba and smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I knew I could count on you to help me."
"Anytime, sweetie. Now go and tell Kohaku and Kage they need to see me first thing in the morning, alright?" We nodded and departed from the old witches' cottage. I didn't think I was ready to see Haku just yet, and Yuki certainly wasn't ready to see Kage. I was going to have to tell them myself, no matter how hard it would be.
Oooh. So many secrets. So many lies. SO MUCH DRAMA! Haha :) What is it that Yubaba is trying to get Chihiro to find? And is it true about Kage and Haku? Are they really being controlled by someone? Who would do that? So many questions, so little answers! You'll just have to wait for the answers to come! :) Reviews are always helpful and I'd love to hear what each and everyone of you think of this! The more reviews I get, the faster I update!
Anabelle ;)
