I apologize for the delay in posting anything. The newborn kitten has been terribly sick with pneumonia and I've been so sleep deprived that not even coffee could move me to a state of awake. Good news: I've written large parts of the festival chapters meaning when I can finally get us there, the updates will be swift. Bad News: Between kitten, classes, and work I don't know when I will be able to post again since I don't know when I will have time to do any writing. I am considering pushing through the next three chapters quickly even if they aren't too good so I can get us to the festival already. I'm planning on editing all of the chapters after the arc ends in preparation for the next arc anyways.
Poll is at 10:20. Since there has been no movement in weeks, I will drop the double release number down to 15. If you guys can get 15 votes in the poll, I will post two updates simultaneously. When everything gets crazy in the next few chapters you might want this.
The wonderous amazing Trastuspies has offered to draw something for the cover image of this story. If you haven't seen her work definitely head over to her deviantart pages and check it out. Thank you guys for holding in there despite all of the issues on my end and for all of your support to date.
Chapter 25:
Noticing an untouched tray on a table nearby, Chihiro began to wade through the water towards it. The water went halfway up her calves and she wondered if Chef was alright bowing in this level of water. Even if she was a catfish spirit maybe it was still uncomfortable?
"What have you brought," Hana asked with narrowed eyes.
"Freshwater caviar upon a salad of fresh river greens," Chihiro said with a flourish as she removed the lid and placed it beside the previous setting. The previous food was untouched and looked to be the same dish. The ice in the bottom of the bowl hadn't even melted yet, meaning it was still fresh. A look of confusion crossed her features as she packed up the other tray.
"Tell me exactly what that is," Hana said with a scolding look. Chihiro's brow scrunched up in confusion. She had just told the fish what was on the tray, why did she want it repeated? Rolling her eyes and sighing loudly, Hana clarified with annoyance, "Is the caviar from upriver or down river? When were the greens picked and from what region?"
Chihiro tried to control her expression before it revealed how stupid she thought the fish was being. Why did it matter where it came from? It was high quality food being served at a well-known bathhouse. There should be no issues about its origins. Darting her eyes over towards Chef she saw the fearful look in her eyes. She didn't really know the answers to her questions, but if this previous tray was anything to go by her response mattered.
"Are all weasels as incompetent as you? Really I don't know why Haku even bothers to hire such vermin," Hana continued as Chihiro mulled over her choices. Cocking a brow at the koi's response, she felt her own anger rising. Chihiro had worked with unruly, rude guests before, but this was starting to take the cake.
"Both the caviar and greens were picked late this morning from a site upriver to us. I'm not sure the exact site, though Chef should know since she was the one in charge of receiving the order," Chihiro lied with a blank face. Hoping that the still bowed spirit would pick up what she was putting down, she sent up a silent prayer that she could get them both out of this situation. The tension was obviously rising in the room and so was the water if her soaked thighs were anything to go by. She wondered if the murky wavy water was a warning to its mistresses' emotions.
"They were sent down from above the Fujioka rapids Hana-hime," Chef spoke up, drawing the koi fish's intense glare down upon her. There was not a single difference between the meal that she had brought up and the one brought in by Chihiro, but she would be willing to say almost anything to get out of there at this point.
"If that were the case then why did you bother bringing me that down river filth earlier," Hana said motioning towards the tray Chihiro was picking up, "I told you before countless times that I only will consume the best water products and yet you still tried to pull a fast one on me."
"I apologize hime-sama that the meal was not up to your standards. Please enjoy the fresh dinner that my staff has prepared for you." Standing up from her cushion, the koi fish floated gently across the water towards Chihiro. Closing the last bowl on the old tray, Chihiro balanced it against her belly as she slid the new tray into place. Turning around she felt her heart race in fear at how close the koi fish was getting. For a creature so majestic it seemed a shame that her beauty was only scale deep. With a disdainful glare, Hana slapped the tray out of Chihiro's hands tossing the contents into the murky water roiling about the room. Shock and outrage filled her features at the audacity of Hana's actions.
"I will not accept such misconduct! My meals will be prepared and served by pure wetland creatures or else I will have your head on a platter chef, do I make myself clear," Hana roared as she continued staring down her nose at Chihiro, "And as for you, weasel. Go back to the hovel you crawled out of. Just because you've overpopulated the West doesn't mean you can migrate to everyone else's territory in search of food. There's no room for you here." A loud yes came from the bowed chef, but Chihiro defiantly glared back as her now empty hands swung down to her sides. It was one thing to be rude, but this was a whole other ball game of ridiculous.
"Chef, get off the floor." Chihiro's command was calm and firm. Chef looked at her startled, but slowly complied after a side long glance from Chihiro. Turning her attention back to the koi fish, Chihiro smiled pleasantly while she seethed inside.
"I apologize for your dissatisfaction with our services here, but I will not have you threatening my fellow staff members. You can place your complaints with management or with Master Haku if you wish to do so but I will not stand here and let you disrespect me or Chef." Hana's hiss of disgust was interrupted by a brisk knock and the door sliding open. Bowing deeply, Lin entered the room and shut the door behind her. Noting the floating tray, the tension between Hana and Chihiro, and the panicked look on Chef's face she nearly slapped a hand onto her forehead in sarcastic irony. Lin had given Chihiro one job, stay in the kitchen and help out, and yet she had gotten herself into a situation with the exact person that they had been trying to prevent her from meeting.
"I apologize for the intrusion Hana-sama, but I have come to retrieve my assistant." Puffing up arrogantly, the koi fish directed her attention towards Lin.
"It's no wonder this insolent wretch is yours. She had the nerve to threaten me and throw my food into the water."
"You call that a threat," Chihiro scoffed loudly, "Now I almost wish that I had tossed the tray into the water." The water suddenly rose up and lunged towards Chihiro, but it stopped as if it hit an invisible wall inches away from her. Chef slowly lowered the intercepted water back to the floor and Lin grabbed Chihiro roughly by the arm.
"I apologize for my assistant and will see that she is punished accordingly. Chef, see to it that this messed is cleaned up and a fresh tray is brought up to Hana-sama. Please excuse us," Lin said with a low bow before dragging Chihiro out of the room. Slamming the door behind her, Lin rounded on her.
"What in kami's name were thinking," she shouted. Grabbing Chihiro and dragging her down the hallway towards the elevator, Lin muttered to herself all of the terrible things that Yui was going to do to her when she found out about the mishap. She would be lucky if boiled weasel were not on the shrine alter by dawn. "You shouldn't have left the kitchen!"
"I was asked to deliver the meal tray up to her room."
"And I had told you, to help out there and be useful. Instead, you go and pick a fight with the damn koi," Lin continued ranting aloud. Putting her heels down, they stumbled to a halt in front of the elevator.
"I did not attack her Lin. I went in to deliver the tray and she purposefully came over to knock the tray out of my hands."
"I know that! She's lied before and got others into trouble," Lin said cryptically as she forced them into the elevator heading up. Yanking the switch, the elevator rumbled to life and began soaring upward.
"Does Haku know? Surely he can't allow someone like that to remain in the bathhouse?"
"He does and he will."
"Wait if he knows that she is like this," Chihiro asked horrified as the previous night ran through her mind, "then how come he acted like that last night?" Could Haku really like someone like that? Shouldn't his love for the bathhouse and its workers overtake whatever he had with the fish?
"I don't have an explanation for the enigma that is the dragon. Perhaps you would care to confront him yourself while I go try to rectify what you've done," Lin chided as they got off the elevator. Opening the door to Haku's flat, Lin watched Chihiro stomp by before shutting and locking the door behind her. Rubbing her hand against her temple, she walked back to the elevator and pressed the lever to go down. The crane was not going to be happy with her.
Stomping into the living room, Chihiro spotted Haku sitting in front of the fire enjoying a cup of tea as he read over some papers. The smell of her anger and traces of her lingering fear wafted towards him and he knew that if he engaged her in this state the conversation was not going to be pretty. What had gotten her all up in a knot? Wasn't she supposed to have been practicing all day at the shrine? She stopped directly in front of him with a frown and began tapping her wet foot impatiently. Clearing her throat loudly, she stared waiting for his acknowledgement. When none came, Chihiro nearly growled in irritation.
"Haku, we need to talk."
"Later Chihiro. There's more important things at hand." Narrowing her eyes at him, she reached down to remove one of her wet socks and tossed it on him. The sock landed with a wet slap across his chest and his eyes darted down to observe the foul thing. Setting his paper back onto the stack, he removed the water from her clothes with a flick of his hand and tossed it into the fire. "I guess now is fine too."
"You let a menace into the bathhouse," Chihiro accused as she snatched back the now dried sock from his proffering hand. Finding the irony in her words, Haku tried to hide his smirk by taking a sip of his tea. No-face had given Yubaba quite some trouble during his brief stay here and he had enjoyed the stories the other staff members had told him about the experience.
"Funny you say that, cause so have you." Chihiro gaped at his accusation and started to prepare a sharp retort when a loud knock interrupted them.
"Master Haku, Master Haku," a shrill voice called from outside of the flat door, "my honored lady Hana-sama requests your presence immediately." Chihiro looked back towards Haku and was surprised to find him unfazed by the message. In fact, he had picked up his paper again and was taking a long sip of his tea comfortably.
"You're not going to answer that," Chihiro asked astounded.
"Would you," Haku mocked with a raised brow. Huffing at him in annoyance, Chihiro started walking towards the flat door. As she rose her hand to grab the door handle, arms wrapped around her pinning her arms to her sides. Squirming helplessly for a few moments against his tight grasp, she finally stilled. Her back warmed instantly against his chest and she could feel every breath he took.
"Surely you weren't about to answer that and blow my cover. I'm supposed to be away from the bathhouse this evening," he whispered into her ear. The hot breath against her neck sent a shiver down her spine and her anger was abided as her mind took a different direction.
"You shouldn't leave the staff to suffer alone oh powerful master of the bathhouse," she mocked as she tried to grab the door handle again. Squeezing her tighter, Haku lifted her up enough to drag her back into the living room. Considering his options, he sat down in his original spot and adjusted her to sit across his lap.
"I will go and deal with Hana later. For now, why don't you tell me about your day? It feels like forever since we just sat down and talked." That's because we don't anymore Chihiro stopped herself from retorting. If he was trying to be friends again she was willing to meet him halfway. Surely she could manage that much. Taking a breath, Chihiro told him about her day and every minute detail of what happened in the silver room. Having someone listen allowed her to vent and her anger dwindled away to peace. If she had known that the real reason he was interested in hearing about her day was to see who she was interacting with that could be threatening his position in her life, she might not have been so decidedly open with him. After a while she rambled her thoughts aloud not even realizing that the servant who had come searching for him was long gone and that she was still perched comfortably on his lap. His forgotten tea was chilled despite the nearby fire.
"-and what sort of person does that? It's cruel to inflict her upon the staff Haku, really you must do something about it."
"Well I'm glad I was correct in guessing that her desire for my presence was to complain. The first time she visited she tried to get Lin fired just for walking into her room," Haku mused.
"Why? Is she heartless?"
"Hana is a follower of a religion that believes in water spirit superiority and that by limiting themselves to only other water oriented spirits and water made products, they will never become tainted."
"And what do you think of that," Chihiro asked as she turned to face him better.
"I run a bathhouse Chihiro," Haku riposted as if that were a final reply in itself.
"How is that an answer?"
"If I were a power mongering water spirit of a dragon, do you think the bathhouse would be the way it is?" Chihiro stopped to think about it for a moment before shaking her head no. "I believe that the diversity of spirits and humans in our worlds is what makes it beautiful."
A knock on the locked flat door interrupted them again. Chihiro's eyes darted in the direction of the door and she took note of the late time on the clock. The morning sun was well on its way up already.
"Haku, open up. I know you're still awake in there," Lin called. Sighing loudly, he leaned his head against the flesh of her neck. Chihiro opened her mouth to protest, but after a moment shut it soundlessly. Lin's knocks seemed to fade away as he spoke.
"I know I have to go, but please just give me this moment." Wordlessly they sat there together and Chihiro felt her heart reach out for him. Haku was like the ocean, taking her into its warm wet depths before ebbing away with the turning of the moon. If only he were consistent then maybe she could make some progress in either direction.
Gently sliding her off his lap and onto the couch cushion beside him, Haku silently got up and walked away. The burn of her eyes following his retreat seared into his back. Chihiro could hear the sound of the flat door opening and Lin greeting him. The door slammed shut and their conversation was muted. Sighing loudly, Chihiro ran a hand through her hair and got up to get ready for bed.
The next day was grueling as Yui drilled into her over and over again. Every so often a messenger would arrive from the bathhouse and speak briefly with her outside the door to the practice room before departing back to which it came. Yui knew it wasn't necessarily Chihiro's fault (she mostly blamed Lin for leaving her alone anyways). Perhaps she and Lin should have been more clear about who they were trying to keep her away from, but it didn't matter now. She was not only on the koi fish's radar, but an actual target. Each messenger that she turned away, another seemed to return swiftly. Her annoyance and anger at the regular interruptions and at the situation led to her being severe in her criticisms. By the time that dinner was brought in, Chihiro was soundly bitter from the day's work.
"Oh what, I don't even get to have dinner in the bathhouse anymore?"
"Stop being a prat and come sit down," Yui chided as she adjusted herself onto a cushion before the trays.
"Where is Lin? Usually we have meals together," Chihiro retorted, standing defiantly. She really would have preferred to sit with how sore her feet were, but sitting felt like a defeat.
"She is currently handling the barrage of assignments from Hana-sama."
"I thought Hana-sama didn't like weasels," Chihiro asked confused as to why the arrogant fish would be bothering Lin.
"She doesn't, but that doesn't mean she won't go out of her way to make their lives living hell. The tasks were meant for you as part of your 'punishment' for going against her. I've been having to redirect them to Lin all day so you could practice peacefully. Now sit down and eat before I have a heart attack. All of this stress isn't good for me," Yui said as she shoved a prawn into her mouth. Guilt swept through Chihiro as she thought back to the number of messengers that had come by. She could only imagine what stupid pointless tasks the fish would be asking of her. Yui noticed Chihiro's worried expression as she flopped down gracelessly and reached for a bowl of rice. "Don't worry about Lin. She can handle herself just fine."
"What will happen if Hana notices that I'm not doing the tasks and that Lin is doing them for me?"
"I doubt she would check herself and her maids seem fairly comfortable in using our staff to complete their tasks. We shouldn't necessarily have any further issues in the short term," Yui mused as her mind spoke what scattered thoughts it had.
"It's not fair to Lin. This is all my fault," Chihiro started, but Yui cut her off.
"Yes it is, but you can't stop now. Didn't you tell Haku you would work hard to perfect the dance? If you stop to do all that Hana asks of you, not only will you never have time to practice, you may be hurt."
"I'm just worried about her," Chihiro mumbled off as she started into the rice and vegetables in her bowl.
"Focus on practicing for the festival and staying away from trouble for now. That would be the greatest help for her."