As the sun began to peak over the horizon, Chihiro was slapped in the face with a new ray of sunshine. She rolled over facing the other side of the room in hopes of blocking it. However, it had already woken her up. She pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. A bird sang good morning to her as it flew by the window and a breeze gently kissed her face. Today felt as though it would be a good day. Chihiro didn't waste any time to quietly get dressed and put her mat away. Creeping across the room, she opened the door and silently slipped out.
The entire bathhouse was deathly quiet because of the early hour. Chihiro headed down to the boiler room where Kamaji and the tiny soot balls were still sleeping. She found it rather difficult to step around the soot balls without stepping on them; but she was able to manage. One by one she climbed each step of the long, wide-open staircase until finally she reached the top and made her way to the bridge. This morning was beautiful. All the flowers and butterflies shimmered in the morning light and danced with help from the wind. She crossed the bridge and found herself at the entrance of the giant flower garden. She had made up her mind. She was going to take a chance and look for her friends in the pigpen, located just beyond the garden. She took a deep breath and walked inside.
The trek through the garden wasn't difficult. The harder part came when she had no other choice but to descend the steep cliff in order to reach the pigpen. Once she reached the front of it, she took small steps forward until she reached the inside. There were dozens of pigs inside the pen. Most of them were also still asleep. Chihiro began to look around until she came to a pen in the far corner. The two animals inside this pen seemed somewhat different from the others. Not from their appearance; just the feeling that Chihiro received. She was sure of it. She had found her friends. As she looked at them, tears began to appear in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry," she said, "I'm sorry you I got you dragged into this."
She couldn't hold back her tears. They streaked her face and stained the ground where they fell. She stood there for a moment longer until she heard something behind her that made her heart stop.
"What are you doing here?" asked a voice.
Chihiro could hardly breathe. She knew that voice. There was no mistaking it for anyone else's. She slowly turned around to find Haku staring coldly at her. Chihiro tried to reply, but found herself unable to even speak. She struggled for a moment until finally she was able to spit the words out.
"I'm sorry," she replied, "I just wanted to see my friends."
Chihiro lowered her head and stared at the ground. At that moment, Haku froze. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Her voice; it was the same as Chihiro's from his long forgotten memory. There was no mistaking it. Barely able to speak, he looked firmly at Chihiro.
"This place is forbidden," he said as calmly as possible, "don't be found here again."
Chihiro looked up at him, smiled, and then hurried past him and away from the pigpen. Haku stood frozen in his tracks, unable to move. Her voice and her smile; all the unclear pictures from his recent memories began to take shape. Chihiro and Sen; they were the same person. The girl he had seen in his dreams. Yubaba's seal cracked and a past memory completely overwhelmed Haku. It flooded into his mind like a river rushing into the ocean. He remembered the day he stood next to Chihiro, moments before she was to return to her world.
-Flashback-
Chihiro and Haku stood at the top of the stone stairway just above the lush, green hills.
"There's no water here," said Chihiro, "I can walk across now."
"But I can't go any farther," added Haku, "just go back the way you came; you'll be find. But you have to promise not to look back, not until you've passed through the tunnel."
"What about you?" she asked, "what will you do?"
"Don't worry," Haku replied confidently, "I'll go and have a talk with Yubaba. I'll tell I'm going to quit being her apprentice. I'm fine, I got my name back."
"Will we meet again sometime?" asked Chihiro.
"Sure we will," he said tenderly.
"Promise?" Chihiro asked.
"Promise!" he replied, "now go, and don't look back."
Chihiro bounded down the steps and ran down the dirt path to her parents. Haku watched her go until she disappeared down a steep hill. He then turned and headed back toward the bathhouse. Yubaba had already gone back to her home. Haku headed there as well. Finally, he stood before Yubaba's desk in her study. Her back was turned to him and all was silent.
"What do you want?" she asked in an angry tone.
"I have something to discuss with you," he said.
"And what would that be?" she asked.
"I no longer have any reason or desire to go on being your apprentice," he declared, "I finally know who I am."
Yubaba turned to face Haku. An enormous grin was spread across her face. She began to cackle evilly and uproariously. Haku maintained his firm expression until she finished.
"You can't escape me," she said, "your true name is mine. Unless you know it, you can't leave."
Surprisingly, a slight smirk began to form on Haku's face. He stared directly into her eyes with complete determination. His voice did not falter nor did his muscles tense.
"I was the spirit of the Kohaku River in the human world," he announced confidently, "my name is the Kohaku River."
Yubaba was shocked. She didn't know what to say or how to react. She couldn't believe this. Not only had Chihiro outsmarted her, she had somehow helped Haku discover his past and his true name. Yubaba became furious. Her face turned red as she fumed with anger. She stomped toward Haku not even bothering to walk around her desk. She threw it aside and grabbed Haku by the throat. Haku was amazingly calm.
"You think you can make a fool of me and not pay the price?" she screamed as her eyes burned red, "I'll make sure you never see that girl again!"
She smashed Haku onto the floor and began to chant some kind of eerie spell. Haku tried with all his might to break free but Yubaba was strong. The room began to fade to black and Haku started to glow. Finally, with the last word of the spell a strong force smashed into Haku, knocking him unconscious. Yubaba breathed heavily as she stood over Haku.
"You will never see her again," she said evilly, "not even in your memories."
-End Flashback-
Haku jerked his head upward to find himself still standing in the pigpen. He breathed heavily from the memory overload. He collapsed on the floor still in shock.
"Chihiro," he said gently, "It was you."
"I'm sorry."
