Alright! Thank you to the two people who reviewed! I have taken the advice given and have made this chapter longer. Hopefully not too long! I think I feel a little writers block comming on again, but hopefully not. Hopefully I can keep up with this! Anyways enjoy you guys and hope the chapter isnt too long or too short. If it is though please dont hesitate to tell me!
Chihiro opened her eyes groggily. She sat up on the dirt road. The sun was beginning to set and was casting a pale pink light over the forest. She rubbed the back of her head and stumbled to her feet. She remembered everything that had happened with Nanashi, but how long had she been passed out? A slight wind picked up and tugged at Chihiro's hair and skirt as though beckoning her into the tunnel.
"The wind's pulling us in," a young childlike voice echoed in her head. She recognized it as her own voice. Another voice sounded in her ears.
"You shouldn't be here, get out of here now!" a male said forcefully.
"A human! You're in trouble! You're the one everyone's looking for!" a strong sounding female accused.
"Finish what you've started human!" a raspy voice grunted.
"Why in the world should I give you a job? Anyone can see you're a lazy spoiled crybaby and you have no manners!" A deep throaty voiced woman shouted. Chihiro clutched her head as all these voices flooded her mind.
"From now on your name is Sen!"
"Don't talk to me. And address me as Master Haku."
"Thank the boiler man you idiot! You know he's really sticking his neck out for you."
"I can't believe I took that oath. Give a job to anyone who asks." Chihiro fell to her knees and cried out in pain as every single word and every single memory came rushing back.
"Will we meet again some day?"
"Sure we will."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go and don't look back." Suddenly two frantic voices pulled her out of her memories.
"Chihiro!"
"Kazuo! Where are you?" Her parents called. She stood up and looked behind her. Two lights could be seen in the distance as her parents crashed through the forest searching for their children. She remembered everything, Haku, Lin, Kamaji, Yubabba, and Zaneba. Everyone. How she could have forgotten all of these years seemed impossible to her. But that wasn't important now. She remembered.
"Chihiro!" Her mother cried loudly, still from a distance. Did she really want to go back without her brother? Did she really want to live in this world now that she remembered everything? She suddenly bolted through the archway, her parent's terrified cries fading behind her. She ran without out stopping through the tunnel, and through the train station until she broke out into the field of lush green grass. The sun was almost set; the sky had turned a dark purple. "The River." She muttered to herself. If she didn't get across it before dark she would have no chance until morning. She ran as fast as she could up the rolling grassy hills. From a distance she saw the lights of the town and kept running. For a brief second she though she would make it but she suddenly fell up to her waist in an ice-cold river.
"Damn." She cursed slamming her hand against the glassy surface of the water. She paused and looked ahead of her. The town was in her sights. She wouldn't turn back now. She plunged under the water and began swimming towards the town. She shot through the water at fast pace but was growing weaker with every stroke she took. A bright yellow light cast itself around Chihiro and she turned around to see the ferry that the Spirits rode to reach the bathhouse, a somewhat familiar sight. She sighed with relief. As the boat approached her she managed to get a firm grip on the ferry ledge and was towed through the water. The boat stopped at the shore and a ramp was lowered onto the stone steps. Doors on the boat swung open with sharp clicks. Spirits appeared on the boat deck and around Chihiro, who stood and clambered out of the water. She ran down the stone streets and to the bridge that lead into the bathhouse. She wasn't entirely sure how to get inside. She didn't want to disrupt the workers; she knew how most of them would react to a human. Fortunately no workers or spirits were entering the bathhouse just yet. The ferry had only just arrived. She quickly bolted across the bridge and through the tiny gate at the side of the bathhouse and into the garden Haku had taken her through years ago. She looked around. There was a door, wide opened revealing frogs running around frantically and workers in little pink uniforms cleaning. She silently crept to the door and peeked inside. There was Lin and Haku standing in the midst of all the madness.
"What is it with everyone this week?" Lin threw her arms in the air dramatically.
"Lin, certain things need to be done around here. You of all people should know that." Haku turned and walked towards a door.
"I do know that master Haku." Lin bowed mockingly. She bent over and grabbed a scrubbing brush from her bucket.
"Well then show me that you know and do some work for once." Haku then had to duck to avoid the hard wooden brush that came flying at his head. Chihiro silently laughed at her friends. It was clear things hadn't changed. But the best thing for her to do at the moment was get to the boiler room and talk to Kamaji. She snuck out the back gate and walked down the stairs faster than she had the first time she descended them. She had attempted to crawl down them that night. She found herself at the boiler room door. She opened it without hesitation and walked inside. She heard the scurrying of the little soot workers and Kamaji spinning the wheel heating the baths. The scurrying of the workers stopped and they all began jumping and faintly cheering at the familiar sight of Chihiro. The wheel stopped turning.
"What are you runts on about?" Kamaji grunted. Chihiro smiled and stepped into the boiler room. Kamaji blinked his eyes then broke out into a wide grin.
"Chihiro!" he exclaimed.
"Did ya miss me?" Chihiro asked sweetly.
"I don't believe it! It's been years! Look how you've grown!" He exclaimed. Chihiro's smile faded.
"Yes, and although I'm ecstatic to be back and to see you again. There's a problem." She began to tell Kamaji about Nanashi and Kazuo. Kamaji nodded understanding.
"Yes, things have changed since we've seen you." He turned back to his work but continued talking.
"After you left Yubabba's baby came down with a bad disease and hasn't left his room in months,"
"Not like he ever did before." Chihiro muttered.
"Yubabba hasn't been too pleasant to work with either," Chihiro smirked.
"Some people are saying she's grown depressed."
"Who is Nanashi? And what does she want with Kazuo?" Chihiro asked. Kamaji shrugged.
"Nanashi is Yubabba's new assistant. Haku is still her assistant, but now that he has remembered his name he has quit running errands and missions for her and has settled for running the bathhouse until his contract is up."
"So, is it possible Yubabba wants my little brother?" She asked. The old man shrugged his many shoulders.
"Maybe. Nanashi turned up out of nowhere. Many of the workers were quite taken with her you can understand," Chihiro nodded.
"But every once in a while she changes, sometimes for weeks at a time. Like you described her to be the second time you two met." Chihiro nodded just as the door slid open and in crawled Lin carrying a tray of food and small wooden basket.
"Good morning sunshine's." she grumbled sarcastically.
"Oh Lin, there's someone here who wants to see you." Kamaji said excitedly.
"Death I should hope." She mumbled handing him his breakfast. Chihiro stepped out from behind Kamaji's work area and smiled up at Lin whose eyes brightened at the sight of her friend.
"Chihiro!" Lin cried dumping the bucket of multi colored stars into the crowed of workers and leaping towards Chihiro. The two hugged happily.
"I can't believe your back and look how big you are." Lin cried. Chihiro nodded and smiled.
"Saw you whip that brush at Haku's head. Looks like things haven't changed all that much." Chihiro grinned. Lin sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.
"No he's still an idiot. So what's been up? Tell me everything!" Lin exclaimed sitting down with Chihiro on the shiny wooden floor of the boiler room. Chihiro explained everything about Kazuo and Nanashi and why she was here.
"Hmm," Lin said thoughtfully.
"If I were you Chihiro I would go see Yubabba." Kamaji said. Lin looked up at him, a terror stricken look across her beautiful face.
"You have to be joking." She gaped.
"I'm quite serious Lin. If Chihiro wants to get her brother back Yubabba will know for sure where he is." Kamaji replied. Lin rolled her eyes.
"He's right. I should probably go up there myself." Chihiro said standing up.
"I'll go with you." Lin volunteered. Chihiro smiled at her friend. She knew how much Lin hated the old bag. Kamaji wished them good luck and together Lin and Chihiro crawled out of the boiler room and ventured further into the bathhouse.