Chapter 5 - Racing The Master
NOTE: Slight fluff content.
Kohaku just shook his head, why on earth was he doing this? The Spirit, she insisted everyone called her Rini, was looking over the big tub with satisfaction.
"You sure you can make it dirty afterwards?" she asked a frog worker.
"Yes, we'll just put all the gunk back on."
Kohaku said to Yubaba, "Do we have to clean the inside as well?"
"Hasn't anyone done it before?" Rini asked her in surprise.
"No, not really. Normally we put very murky water in so no one can see the gunge." She turned to Kohaku, "You don't have to do the big tub inside if you don't want to."
"Thanks," he turned to Rini, "Good luck," he said, trying to be amiable.
"I give it back," she said, "You will need it more than I."
He glowered, and became determined not to let this young upstart win. He'd show her the true might of the River Spirits.
Yubaba held her hand up and said, "Now this is a fair contest, magic is fine, but cheating will mean an automatic disqualification to the offender. Are you both ready?" they both nodded, "Then Kohaku, GO!"
Kohaku ran around once, then murmured to himself, "Power of the Wind and Water within me, do not fail me."
He kicked up a strong breeze and most of the gunk on the floor lifted up. Using his wind powers, he pushed it to one side, and using his water powers, he washed everything. Racing around he swept, cleaned, and polished, until he stopped, breathing heavily, the outside of the tub, and the room spotless.
"Five minutes exactly," Yubaba said, "Now dirty it up again."
For a few moments Kohaku tried to protest, he'd done such a great job, then Rini sidled up to him and said, "You didn't think you were only going to leave me with the inside did you?" she turned to the frogs, who were having a ball, messing up the big tub again, "More! I want to see no floor left!"
"More?" Kohaku turned to her stunned, "In under five minutes? But that's impossible, even if you went faster than light itself! A million to one shot!"
"Humph!" was the answer, "Just goes to show how much you know."
"What?"
"Oh, it's just that it has been proven that a million to one chances pop up nine times out of ten," she said, then grinned at his expression and walked away.
As he stood there even more stunned, Yubaba came up and said, "Forget it, you'll never win."
"What?"
"The argument."
Soon the big tub was so dirty, even the walls were covered in gunge. Yubaba said to Rini, "I hope you can clean this thing."
"I will," came the cheerful reply.
"Then go!"
*Time to test out my levitation skills.* Rini thought as she made her way to the middle of the big tub and hopped in.
Kohaku scoffed, "What's she going to do in there?"
"That," came Yubaba's awed voice. He looked and saw Rini starting to hover in mid air. Once she was about three or so feet clear of the tub, she clenched her eyes together and focused her mind. She sought all the dirt and grime particles and began to call them to her.
To the people watching, her hair started to float. At first nothing happened, then the floor seemed to move. The gunk started to lift off the ground and swirl around her.
"How is she doing that?" Kohaku asked Yubaba.
"That is very powerful magic, very ancient, very difficult to master. Watch, and learn."
More and more of the mess was swirling around her, till it was all off the ground and the walls and she was all but obscured by it. Then they saw her raise her hands and the all the gunk pooled together in a ball above her head.
"Good going, 1 minute, 30 seconds," Yubaba said, keeping an eye on her timepiece.
"What? Are you sure?" Kohaku cried.
"Yup, now I'm awfully interested in what she's gonna do now."
Rini closed her eyes and concentrated on the skudge in the tub. It was caked on pretty hard, so she let loose a power burst. To the others, a silvery light seemed to explode from her and pool in the tub.
"Hmmm...a power boost. 2 minutes."
They all heard a cracking sound, and a tiny piece of caked on crud came off. Then came another, and another. Suddenly, with an almighty crack, a large chunk came off and swirled around her.
"My god! She's actually doing it!"
"Well, Kohaku, what did you expect? 2 minutes, 30 seconds."
It seemed like the tub was moulting. More and more gunk was coming off, till all of it was swirling around her. Once again she lifted her hands and the stuff joined the ball of crud above her, which was as large as the radish spirit by now.
Then Rini let loose another power burst and concentrated on all the tiny dust particles ingrained in the wood itself. It seemed as though the walls and floors were shedding a skin, and underneath, the true vibrancy of the paint was revealed.
By now Rini was exhausted, not that she would let them know that, especially not that annoying Master Kohaku. But how was she going to get rid of the mess? She searched the complex, trying to find a place to put it all. She found a pig pit (the place where they put all the pig's...well...it stinks a lot). She let loose another power boost and moved the mass of skudge out of the building, over the bridge, and let it drop in the pig pit.
Only then did she allow herself to relax, and levitate down to alight gently on the ground. She opened her eyes and saw Yubaba jumping up and down saying, "4 minutes 58 seconds! You did it! This room is the cleanest it has ever been since it was first built! Guests will pay lots of money to bathe here!"
Rini walked carefully over to Yubaba and asked, "Do we have a deal?"
"Yes, child, you shall become my personal assistant, no contract needed."
Kohaku walked over to her a small smile on his face, "Good job," he said, with a note of respect in his voice, and held out his hand.
She took it and asked, "Are you strong?"
The question surprised him, "Yes."
"Good," she said, and then crumpled. Kohaku grabbed her as she sagged into his arms, exhausted.
"What happened?"
"I feared of that," Yubaba said, moving over to the young Spirit, and placing a hand over her closed eyes, "She has exerted way too much energy and is exhausted." She looked at Kohaku's confused look, "She is a very young Spirit, and she doesn't have the same control over her powers as you or I. Errr... Kohaku," she said addressing the River Spirit.
"Yes, Yubaba?"
"Carry my new assistant to her quarters, and make sure she is comfortable."
"Yes, Yubaba," he said, then picking up Rini in his arms, he carefully made his way up to the second top floor, his floor and opened the door of the room opposite his. He walked in and placed Rini on the bed.
Time seemed to stand still for him, as he gazed on the beautiful Spirit, her hair turning silver in the moonlight shafting in her window. He sat down on the side of the bed, and reached out to touch her cheek. He marvelled at the satiny texture. She slumberously opened her eyes, and smiled at him. He felt a jolt of awareness course through his body, and he leaned over and kissed her lightly on her lips.
He felt like he was drowning, he kissed her gently at first, and then as his loins tightened even more, he kissed her harder, closing his eyes, and lying down next to her, pressing himself up against her, leaving her no room for doubt of how she was affecting him. His tongue pressed against her teeth in an unspoken plea, and she opened to him, her tongue reaching out and mating with his.
Oh, she tasted so sweet, so fresh, like a beam of starlight, caressing his face and body. He whimpered against her mouth, his fingers lacing through her soft hair, feeling the silken strands flow over his fingers.
After what seemed like an eternity, he drew away from her, her lips full and swollen, her eyes mirroring the emotions he felt. He felt his control beginning to break, but before that happened, he raced over to the door, and raced out. He stood in the hallway for a long time, trying to get his wayward body under control, before he heard the snickers coming from behind the large drapes. He pulled them back to find Bou (Yubaba's son, he was now about five-ish and much smaller, due to Yubaba not spoiling him and feeding as much), Rin (who was now Bou's nanny) and Yubaba giggling.
"What?" he asked angrily, embarrassed because he realized they must have been peeking in the open door.
Yubaba looked at Rin and said, "Pay up girl."
Rin grumbled, then drew a gold piece out of her pocket, and gave it to Yubaba, "How did you know?"
"I just know."
Bou said, "What Mamma? What did you know?"
As Yubaba and Rin walked away, she told Bou, "I'll tell you when you're older."
"But I'm older now!"
"I'll tell you when you are much older."
"But I wanna know NOW!"
And so they argued all the way back down to the main part of the bathhouse, leaving a furious Kohaku behind them, feeling as though they were all in on some really big secret, that he wasn't a part of. They had even taken bets on whatever it was. He smouldered then went into his room, turned dragon and flew around, trying to settle his emotions.
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Inside the room, Rini closed her eyes and pressed a trembling hand to her lips. She was trying to get her unruly body to obey her commands to settle down. But she had wanted him to kiss her. She knew that. She had wanted him to kiss her ever since she first saw him outside Yubaba's door. At least he had shown his reaction to seeing her. She hadn't done that.
When opened the door on Kohaku raising his hand to knock on the door again, she had stopped, and stared, although she didn't drop her mouth open. She decided that he was the cutest guy she had ever seen. The first thought that had gone through her head when she saw him had been *Mommy please buy me one.* She realised she had said that out loud when Yubaba had asked her.
When she had collapsed in his arms, it was unintentional. She had truly been exhausted. But she liked the solid feel of his arms around her, and so kept up the pretence of being unconscious. When he had laid her out on the bed, she felt a small jolt of something course through her body. Then he had touched her cheek, and she had opened her eyes, only to see that his were dark green pools of emotion. She knew then that he was going to kiss her.
She had enjoyed it, immensely. When his tongue slipped into her mouth, she felt a heat beginning to pool in her lower regions. The fact that he had pressed himself up like that against her had only increased the heat.
When he had drawn back, she knew she should stop this, but her mind was too chaotic, especially when he was looking to kiss her again. She had been relieved when he had raced out of the door, but at the same time, rather disappointed.
She spoke to no one in particular, "Grandma, Mission 1, and 2 are completed. Mission 3...underway."