Chapter 3

Cassie and Haku

As Chihiro and Maylo entered the boiler room, a large raven flew above, watching their every move. It suddenly turned back and flew over the bath house and to a small island that the spirits used as a train stop. There stood a tall figure hidden in the shadows of the night. The raven flew over to the figure, and landed on it's shoulder. The bird whispered something in the figure's ear and then a cold shrill broke the silence of the night.

"Very good my pet. Keep your eye on them for a little while longer," the voice said to the raven as it stroked its back, "Just a little while longer." The figure then started laughing again in its cold voice and the raven soon joined it. They stood there laughing until the train arrived. They got on the train laughing and it pulled out of the station.

Inside the boiler room door was a short hallway that had pipes and gauges on either side. The hallway ended quickly and the next thing Maylo knew she was in the middle of a large room and little black things were squeaking at her to move. She had been in a dreamy mode and when she finally snapped out of it, she shrieked and ran to the other side of the room. Chihiro and a man who was sitting on a large block working the boiler started laughing making Maylo blush. Maylo, finally looked around at her surroundings. On two of the four walls were large shelves of herbs and things for the baths. The man suddenly reached behind him and opened one of the top shelves and took out some green grass looking stuff and threw it in with the other herbs he had already collected from large jars from either side of the large block he sat on.

The little black things she had almost stepped on were actually small balls of soot that took the coal out of little holes in the wall and then threw them into the boiler when was always screeching and moaning. Maylo then noticed that the old man who ran the boiler was staring at her. She backed up a bit. The old man was bald with a large gray mustache that covered his whole mouth. He had small, dark, circle glasses on that Maylo couldn't see through. He was actually a spider which freaked Maylo out when she saw that she had eight arms that he used to keep working while he was turned almost all the way around and staring at her.

"Sen? Is that you?" the old man asked as he reached out to touch Maylo's cheek.

"Kamaji are you okay? I'm Sen. Over here!" Chihiro called as she reached out and shook the hand. Last time Chihiro was at the bath house, Yubaba gave her a new name. Kohaku's was Haku and Chihiro's was Sen; so everyone at the bath house other than Haku and Yubaba only knew her as Sen.

Kamaji the boiler man looked over at Chihiro then smiled before saying, "Sen, how are you? What are you doing here and who is this young lady?"

Chihiro smiled, "I'm fine thanks. This is my friend Maylo and we've come to visit you guys."

Kamaji turned back to Maylo, "I'm sorry Maylo. I didn't mean to scare you. My eyes aren't what they used to be."

"That's okay," Maylo said, smiling as she stood up and went to stand next to Chihiro.

"So Sen, how is everything? Have you come back for good? Or has Baby sent for you?"

"Baby? Who's that?"

"Oh yes... that's right! You weren't here when he took the job! Yubaba's baby has grown up and is now the manager for the bath house. It seems she never named him. Yubaba went crazy afterwards so now she patrols the halls screaming out orders. No one listens to her though."

"Really? How many years has it been here?"

"Oh the same as in the human world. It's just he was already three-hundred years old last time you saw him."

"What! A three-hundred year old baby?" cried both Chihiro and Maylo.

"Yep. He's the head-honcho now and Lin's his assistant."

"Really! Wow! Who brings you your food then?"

"Lin's little sister Cassie. She's so sweet. Sometimes she gives me an extra fried newt. She should be here soon."

"Good. Then we can meet her."

"Ya. I also heard she has a crush on Haku."

"What?"

"You heard me. You've got some competition Sen," Kamaji smiled as Chihiro blushed a deep red.

"So... um... how is Haku? Or does he want to be called Kohaku?"

Kamaji laughed, "Kohaku? No! He's still the same old Haku and I guess he likes that name. But..."

Chihiro urged Kamaji to continue but he hesitated. Finally, he gave in saying, "Maybe Baby should tell you."

"No, Kamaji. I want you to tell me."

"Sorry Sen, but I'm not telling you anything." Suddenly, a large crash came from the other side of the room near a small door. They all glanced over to see a girl with curly blonde hair staring wide eyed at Chihiro. She had dropped a small bowl of rice which had broken and spilled all over the floor. She had light green eyes and Chihiro thought she didn't look very nice. Kamaji quickly turned back to his work station and wrote a quick note then tied it to a long rope and tugged it which sent it zooming upward. He then glanced back at the girl with a fake smile on his face.

"Well hello Cassie. I hope you didn't just spill my lunch."

The girl turned to Kamaji and smiled an ugly smile, "No Kamaji. That was actually the waiter, Kekay's food but I can get more for him."

That's good."

"Um... Kamaji, who are those girls?"

"This is Sen and her friend Maylo."

"You're Sen!" Cassie cried as she turned to Chihiro.

"Ya, so?"

"I thought you were supposed to be pretty! You're probably clumsy too seeing you've got juice from the hair berries in your hair."

Maylo stepped forward while putting her hands on her hips, "Well you're no beauty queen either Missy. At least Sen doesn't have to work for food and a bed." Cassie frowned.

"I heard you like Haku, Cassie. Do you know where he is?" asked Chihiro as she stepped between the other two girls.

"Like him? We're in love with each other! But now he's..." Chihiro narrowed her eyes. She knew that Haku would never love a rude brat like Cassie.

'What a bitch! Someone needs to teach her a lesson!' thought Maylo as she glared at Cassie. There was a moment of silence before Chihiro noticed that Cassie said something was wrong with him.

"What? What's wrong with him Cassie?"

"Cassie, let me tell her," came a familiar voice from behind. They all looked back to the door to see Chihiro's old friend Lin. Lin was a tall young woman with long brown hair. Last time Chihiro saw her, she was wearing servant clothes but now, she had a long, pale blue kimono with pink flowers growing up it. There were also two small birds flying across the side of it. Her long brown hair was down and reached to just above her feet.

"Lin?" cried Chihiro as she ran and gave Lin a hug. Lin hugged her back tightly. When she let go, she looked Chihiro up and down.

"Sen! You've grown up!" cried Lin.

"Look at you! You're so pretty!"

"Well, this is what I get for marrying Baby!"

"You married him! I thought you were just second in command!"

"Well... when Baby saw my gutsy attitude, he... well, fell in love with me. He made me second in command and I guess I slowly fell in love with him." Lin gave Chihiro a sappy smile. Chihiro smiled back when a question popped in her mind.

"He doesn't look like a baby anymore right?"

Lin laughed, "No, he's actually quite handsome. You'll see him later I suppose."

"So what were you going to tell me about Haku?" There was silence. Kamaji looked over at Lin. Cassie smiled wickedly.

Lin sighed, "Sen, come sit down with me." Chihiro noticed the concern in Lin's eyes and sat next to her on the edge of a small bench. Lin sighed again.

"Lin... did something bad happen to Haku?" asked Chihiro.

"Give me a minute Sen! I'll explain the whole thing from the beginning. Now, after you left Yubaba had us get back to work and had Haku go up and talk with her. No one knows what happened there but afterward Haku went and packed all of his stuff up and said he was going to the human world to visit you. He left and didn't return. About two years later he came back," explained Lin. She looked at Kamaji who finished her story.

"But he was changed. He was pale white and the color you had put back in his eyes Sen, had gone. He didn't answer any of Baby's questions. But then, it happened."

"What happened?" asked Maylo. Kamaji looked from Lin to Cassie. He nodded at her and she nodded back.

Cassie took a deep breath and while smiling she began, "Ever since he came back, at the stroke of midnight, he turns into his dragon form. He started wrecking the bath house and scaring all of the other spirits away. Baby couldn't figure out what happened with his talk with Yubaba or what he did over the time he was gone. He wouldn't listen to anyone. Except me. I'm the only one who can talk to him or control him. Ever since, I've gotten closer to him and I'm able to control him so he won't destroy the bath house. During the day however, he has to stay in a special room. No one is allowed to see him but me, Baby, Yubaba, and Lin."

Chihiro's mouth dropped open; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Cassie's smile got wider. Kamaji saw this and looked at Lin who was also picking it up. Then, an idea struck Lin. She smiled wickedly then winked at Kamaji.

"Actually, it's about 11:45 now Sen. Since you knew Haku the best, why don't you go with Cassie when she visits him?" Cassie's smiled disappeared and it reappeared on Chihiro's face. But Cassie wasn't out of the game just yet.

"But Lin, Baby said only I was allowed. I don't want to disobey his orders."

"Of course you don't Cassie! But I'm sure he'll let Sen! She saved him the first time after all."

"I don't think she should go still. She might make Haku go even crazier!"

"Well how's this, I order you to take Sen to Haku as Baby's wife," Lin replied in a strict voice even though she was smiling. Chihiro looked at Maylo who smiled at her. Chihiro could tell Maylo was happy that Cassie wasn't getting her way. Cassie frowned then walked over to the little door.

"Well let's go. I don't have all day," said in an angry voice before she crawled through the door.

"Give me a sec. Lin, will you show Maylo around the bath house?" asked Chihiro before she went after Cassie.

"Sure."

"Chihiro wait!" cried Maylo right before Chihiro crawled through.

"Ya?"

"Make Cassie really jealous for me k?"

"You got it!"

To be continued...

Sakura G: So there you have it folks! Chapter 3 of my wonderful story! Got a little mystery in there, a little rivalry, and much more to come!

Illousa: Oh please! Will you shut up all ready?

Maylo: Don't tell her to shut up! She made me cuss at Cassie; so you shut up ya ugly bitch!

Illousa: What did you call me Ms. I'm-afraid-of-heights! I have a castle in the sky!

Maylo: Ya so? At least I'm not an ugly bitch!

Cassie: Did you just call me an ugly bitch???

Maylo: No, I called Illousa an ugly bitch. You're a stupid bitch. There is a difference you know.

Cassie: Sakura! Maylo just called me a stupid bitch!

Illousa: Ya! She called me an ugly bitch! I'm not ugly! *pause* And I'm not a bitch! *mumbles: Almost forgot that!*

Sakura G: Alright, alright! Maylo, no more cussing. *whispers: Note to self: Don't let Maylo cuss again.*

Maylo: I heard that you bitch!

Sakura G: Hey, if you want to be in my story you'll stop with the bitch stuff.

Maylo: *mumbles: Fine...*

Sakura G: All right folks! We'll see you next time in Chapter 4! And I'll make sure Maylo doesn't cuss again!

Maylo: What!

Cassie and Illousa: *cheers*

If you have any questions, comments, or flames (But none of you should give me any of those!), please feel free to email me at: sailor_ivy_girl@mail.com or post up a review. Tanks!