Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away or any of its characters.

Chapter 33: "That's the way it works,"

Chihiro and Kohaku flew into Zeniiba's window a little after sunset, "We found her!" yelled Chihiro stumbling to get off of Kohaku's back. Kaonashi walked up and handed Ryu to Chihiro, he was shaking his head. Chihiro knew they lost another baby-sitter.

"That's great!" said Zeniiba walking in from Bou's room, "but you've got to stop flying in here."

Kohaku nodded, "But there is a problem, Hiyae has put her in a magick collar, and Arikii has nothing to remove it with. Her only advise is love."

"Yes, well I have no other advise for you, except be careful and bring Mat with you tomorrow. And I can't baby-sit tomorrow, Ryu will have to go with you three tomorrow," replied Zeniiba.

"Thank you Zeniiba," said Chihiro as she followed Kohaku out the door.

"You don't have to come up here before you leave!" yelled Zeniiba, she was afraid that they would jump out the window with a panicking Mat and baby Ryu.

Chihiro and Kohaku, picked up the basket and then searched Aburaya for Mat. To their surprise he was sitting in the spotless big tub stall. "It's clean!" exclaimed Chihiro looking in the tub.

"I know, I scrubbed it clean yesterday. Why do they bother giving the big tub to anyone to tend to when there is no guest to use it?" sighed Mat, tapping a scrub brush on the floor.

"Well you'll be happy tomorrow night you wont be scrubbing a tub, your coming with us," said Chihiro sitting down next to him, Ryu in her arms.

"To?" asked Mat. Chihiro lay Ryu in the basket, she didn't know what to say.

"To help us with business by the Dark Forest, Ryu's also coming," said Kohaku sitting down and tickling Ryu, "Yes you are, aren't you, coming with mommy and daddy."

"Kohaku..." sternly said Chihiro.

"I know no baby talk. Ryu is a person who should be treated like one, not always a baby. And how will she learn to speak, and have a normal life (if it is possible) if she learns baby talk," recited Kohaku. Chihiro leaned over and gave Kohaku a short kiss.

There was no guest that night, on Kohaku's lead they left early. They ate dinner together on the balcony and went to bed early. They all need sleep.

Chihiro and Kohaku had gotten up very early the next morning. Chihiro took Ryu with her to the kitchen, to get snacks for the trip, and extra dumplings for Stein. Kohaku went and got Mat, Mat was very tired still and Kohaku had to help him put away the bed stuff, so they wouldn't keep Chihiro and Ryu waiting.

Kohaku and Mat ran out of Aburaya to find Chihiro and Ryu on the bridge looking at the water. "Here Mat you need to hold the lunch bundle, because I have Ryu," said Chihiro handing the bundle to Mat. Mat took the bundle and climbed onto Kohaku's back behind Chihiro. Mat gripped Chihiro's waist hard when Kohaku started to fly into the sky.

"Don't worry Mat. He isn't even flying that fast, do you think he would risk yours and his daughter's life?" said Chihiro.

"Not that fast?!! And what about your life?" replied Mat.

"I trust him too much, we don't have to worry about my life. I know if I fall he'll catch me, though it is a little scary. But if you fell you would panic, and if Ryu fell we would all panic," replied Chihiro, "Just enjoy the ride, the view, the fresh air, just enjoy!" Chihiro took a deep breath and smiled, it would be a wonderful day.

It was a little past noon when they landed on the end of the forest by Stein. "Not that I'm happy to see you two...three, four? But I don't know if daily visits are the safest," said Stein, Mat jumped.

"Yes we know, this is the last day, we found our friend," said Kohaku.

"Oh that's great!" replied Stein.

"I'm sorry Stein, We never introduced ourselves to you, I'm Chihiro, this is my husband Kohaku, our daughter Ryu, and a friend of ours who is currently going by the name of Mat," said Chihiro.

"Well nice to meet all of you," replied Stein.

"Yes... umm nice to meet you too... umm... Rock... umm... Pedro... umm," said Mat still confused. (a/n: Pedro is Spanish for rock and for the English and German name Peter)

"Stein," said Stein.

"Yes, Stein, sorry," mumbled Mat. Stein laughed.

"I brought you some more dumplings, I figured we could all eat lunch together," said Chihiro.

"Oh thank you Chihiro but that dumpling from yesterday will hold me for a couple hundred more years, but I'll take a few anyways for later," politely replied Stein.

"A couple hundred? Here let me put a spell on them so they don't go bad," said Kohaku.

Chihiro handed everyone a dumpling (excluding Ryu) and gave Kohaku eleven, ten for Stein. "No that is really fine I can manage my own spell, but thank you anyways," said Stein as a stony hand came up. Kohaku handed Stein the dumplings not enchanted, "Thank you. Now you must be going, get that friend of yours, and I think Mat here is going to have a heart attack... Doesn't speak to many rocks now does he?"

"No I don't think he does. Bye Stein," said Chihiro climbing on Kohaku's back. They all waved goodbye to Stein and he waved back. Kohaku flew up into the sky and strait to Hiyae's garden where Asuko was impatiently watching the sky.

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"Asuko, you need to do some work just incase they don't come, or not until late," said Gingko.

"Yes your right," replied Asuko taking her eyes off the sky. Asuko looked down at the baby tree she would have to dig up. Kohaku landed not so silently behind Asuko. Asuko turned around just as Mat got off of Kohaku's back.

"Yoshi!" Asuko ran into Yoshi's arms, "I knew you would come!" Kohaku coughed, "Yes of course with the help of Kohaku and Chihiro."

"So this is Yoshi? You know he is all she talks about!" said Gingko.

Chihiro walked over to Asuko and Yoshi with Ryu, "And that's Tea? Oh she is so beautiful!" said Asuko, still hugging Yoshi.

"Did you find away to remove the collar?" asked Gingko.

"No we were hoping Yoshi's love for Asuko would break it," said Chihiro.

"But I don't think it worked, so Asuko still can't leave here" added Kohaku.

"I wish that this collar of yours, Asuko," said Yoshi, he looked at Gingko, "and hers as well, would just fall off and we could all go home." No one said anything for a second, because the second Yoshi stopped talking the collars around Gingko and Asuko's neck fell to the ground, without a plausible reason other then Yoshi wished it.

"That's the way it works," said Gingko with a smile, "I can grant a wish of love."

"Now she remembers," sighed Asuko, Asuko kissed Yoshi, "My hero!"

"Well I thank you all, but I've been away from home to long. You too Asuko and Yoshi, its time we all go home," said Gingko, flapping her wings and flying in the opposite direction of Aburaya.

"We should go back to Aburaya now," said Kohaku, changing into a dragon.

"Why Aburaya?" asked Yoshi.

"Your still under contract MAT," replied Chihiro climbing on Kohaku's back. Asuko climbed on after Chihiro and Yoshi behind Asuko. Kohaku flew off towards Aburaya.

Asuko gripped Chihiro's waist tight, Chihiro just laughed, "Don't worry Asuko, Kohaku wont drop us and I've got you," said Yoshi holding Asuko tighter.

Kohaku landed on his and Chihiro's small private balcony (made for dragon landings) it was a few hours after sunset. Asuko and Yoshi followed Chihiro and Kohaku up to Zeniiba's room.

When they reached Zeniiba's door Kohaku pushed Yoshi through the door. Zeniiba wasn't a hundred percent sure why Yoshi was here, but she figured he wanted out of the contract. "Don't you knock Mat?" asked Zeniiba.

"My name is Yoshi," replied Yoshi.

"Oh so you got your name back I see, so you want me to tear up your contract then?" said Zeniiba, as Yoshi's contract flew into her hand, Zeniiba began to read it.

"Yes," replied Yoshi.

"Well it states here that when Asuko is found, your contract will be terminated," said Zeniiba eying Yoshi.

Kohaku pushed Asuko into the room and then followed her in, with Chihiro and Ryu. "I am here," said Asuko.

"Asuko?" asked Zeniiba, who looked at Kohaku who was nodding. Zeniiba tore Yoshi's contract in half, "Well I'm glad everyone is safe and sound, you'll return to the human world tomorrow."

"Thank You Zeniiba," said the group as they turned and walked out of the door. Asuko and Yoshi followed Kohaku, and Chihiro back down to their room.

"You two will stay the night with us, we should still have Saki and Raki's sleeping stuff," said Chihiro opening the door.

"Thanks, so yeah what are Raki and Saki up to these days?" asked Asuko walking into the room.

"Raki died, saving all of our lives..." replied Chihiro.

"Saki left after that, no one has seen him since," added Kohaku.

"Oh that's so sad, when did this all happen?" asked Yoshi.

"When the rain began to fall..." said Kohaku.

"For three days strait," added Chihiro. It was the end of the subject.

Chihiro handed Ryu to Asuko, while she went to get the bed stuff, Kohaku went to find Yoshi's old clothing. After everyone was washed up, changed up, and the beds all made they went to sleep.

Author's Note: actually slightly on the important side, that Chihiro and Kohaku said anything like that about Raki and Saki. It is no longer done, talking about them in that depth of their demise. If you hadn't noticed, it's the same with Yu-Baaba. The next chapter might take a few days or so, I'm trying to learn to ride a bike. I know it's pathetic, a 16 year old girl learning to ride a bike, so wish me luck. Happy reading!

~ Na