Right on! an update! WEEEEEE! I just finished this at school and uh...yeah here it is so read and review! Thanks again to the people have reviewed so far and I hope you like this next chapter... I do...Haku to the rescue!!! that rhymes...
Chihiro and Lin made their way through the bathhouse. Lin kept her well hidden behind her so as not to cause an unnecessary racket. As they rode up the final elevator that would take them to the top of the bathhouse and to Yubabba's home Chihiro could feel her hands get slightly clammy. Her breath quickened and her heart was thumping loudly in her ears. Lin sensed her friends discomfort and took hold of her hand. Chihiro smiled at her thankfully. The elevator bell rang as the doors slid opened and revealed to Chihiro the top floor. Dozens of giant Ming Vases sat around marble pillars. The only light around the room was a faint delicate candlelight, coming from small tea candles that floated about the ceiling. Chihiro stepped out of the elevator but was stopped by Lin.
"Do you want to go on your own?" She asked, clearly hoping Chihiro would say yes. Chihiro nodded. Lin smiled gratefully but still looked fearful for her friend.
"I'll be in the boiler room when you're done." She told her. Chihiro nodded. Lin let go of her hand and left Chihiro alone to face Yubabba. Chihiro's bare feet echoed off of the smooth marble walls. She walked to the door and faced the brass knocker face of Yubabba. She instinctively reached out to pull on the handle but the knocker spoke to her.
"It's been nearly 6 years and you still can't knock?" Yubabba's voice rang in her ears. Chihiro gasped then smiled and shook her head. The door opened with a click, beyond that other sets of doors opened one at a time, each one clicking. Chihiro didn't hesitate. She walked through each doorway until she faced Yubabba who sat at her desk. Her gray hair was back in a tight bun, cigarette smoke whirled above her head as she worked at her desk, counting bags of treasure and writing on small parchments of paper.
"I should have known you would have shown up sooner or later." She finally spoke, not taking her eyes off of her work. "Although I'm still not sure why."
Chihiro walked towards Yubabba's desk.
"You know why I'm here." She said bravely. Yubabba finally looked up at her with cold amused eyes.
"Well now. Look who's grown herself a backbone." Yubabba cackled with laughter. Chihiro narrowed her eyes at the old witch.
"Nanashi has taken my brother, I want him back." Chihiro told her. Yubabba smirked up at her.
"Did you really come here thinking getting him back would be as easy as that?" Chihiro shifted her gaze away from Yubabbas cold eyes.
"I suppose you're more naive than I thought." Yubabba plucked at some nuggets of gold and dropped them in a purple velvet drawstring bag and pulled the string shut.
"I knew it wouldn't be that easy Yubabba. What exactly do I have to do?" Chihiro asked. Yubabba's eyes filled with glee, but her lips stayed in hard smirk.
"Sign a contract, to work here until I see fit for you to leave." Chihiro sighed it hardly seemed fair. It was a miracle she had gotten out of her contract last time.
"On what grounds will you finally se it fit for me to leave?" Chihiro asked. Yubabba's smirk faded into a glare.
"You are not in the place to negotiate Chihiro. You are here without my permission in the first place. I could turn you into a pig right now if I wanted to!" Yubabba exclaimed. Chihiro sighed. Yubabba snapped her fingers and a sheet of paper and a pen flew off her desk and into Chihiro's hands. What else could she do? She placed the paper on Yubabba's desk and prepared to write her name when a voice came from behind her.
"Wait a minute." Chihiro whipped around to see Haku before. He was taller, stronger looking his hair was longer and pulled back in a loose braid that fell down his back, but it was Haku. Chihiro smiled at him as he approached them. Yubabba narrowed her eyes at him.
"I did not call for you. What are you doing here?" She asked.
"You know what I'm doing here." He stood beside Chihiro. Yubabba slumped in her chair.
"Why is it that everyone thinks that I know everything that goes on around this place?" she exclaimed exasperatedly. "Because you do." Haku said firmly.
"Tell me what it is you want Haku." Yubabba finally spoke warily.
"You have invited Chihiro here. You have taken something that belongs to her and she has come merely to take it back. You lured her here Yubabba. Only you can restore someone's lost memories of the Spirit World, and only you can control who can and can't see Nanashi in the human world." Haku explained. Yubabba narrowed her eyes angrily at Haku.
"What are you suggesting Haku?" She asked.
"You are trying to trick Chihiro into signing a contract when you purposely wanted her here, in this very situation. You know as well as any of us since you have lured her here, she is free to stay here as your guest, without a binding contract." Yubabba's eyes filled with rage, but she sat calmly. Chihiro felt herself relax. She flashed Yubabba a look that clearly said. "So there."
"Very well Haku." She muttered waving her finger at Chihiro. The paper and pen flew out of her hands and back onto Yubabba's desk.
"Set Chihiro up in my guest chambers and send for Nanashi." She demanded. Haku nodded and led Chihiro out of the room. The door slammed shut behind them just as Yubabba screamed angrily and threw something against the wall. Haku led Chihiro down the hallway farther away from Yubabba's offices then stopped and faced Chihiro.
"You're back." He smiled.
"I am."
"I knew you would be." He said confidently. They both hugged each other happily. Haku drew back and held Chihiro's hands in his and smiled at her.
"Come on." He turned and led her further down the hall, still holding one of her hands.
"Lin is going to be furious when she finds out where you're staying." He grinned at the idea. Chihiro was silent until the reached a tall golden door. Haku reached out and opened it. The two stepped inside. The room was huge. A large four-poster bed sat to her right against a wall. The blankets were a thick down covered with a purple satin duvet cover; stacks of pillows were lined up at the head of the bed. The floor was a scarlet plush carpet that Chihiro could have sworn her feet sunk one inch into. There were vases filled with bouquets of peacock feathers. Grand paintings of the Spirit World hung on the walls. The ceiling was high and grand a beautiful painting of a magnificent dragon had been crafted on the high ceiling. To the left at the far end of the room was a door that led to her very own bathroom. The tub itself was square and deep and jet-black porcelain with small speckles of shimmering blue jewels. Dozens of black and blue candles floated in the air, moving in a clockwise orbit around the room.
"Wow." Chihiro breathed.
"See what I mean?"
Chihiro nodded mutely. Haku smiled and walked over to a tall chestnut wardrobe and opened the two doors.
"All new clothes." He motioned inside. He then walked over to what Chihiro thought was a window and pulled back the purple drapes revealing a grand balcony overlooking the river and field. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a beautiful light over the glassy surface of the wide river.
"I'll leave you now to get settled." Haku offered and made to leave the room but Chihiro took his hand.
"What can you tell me about my brother?" She asked. Haku sighed.
"It's a long story that does need to be told. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He insisted. Chihiro nodded understanding.
"If you need anything just send for me." He explained. She nodded and he left. She explored the room further. She reached into the wardrobe and went through the clothes. Long beautiful silk robes of different colors and patterns hung inside. She pulled open a drawer revealing hair clips and berets that matched the robes. Another drawer revealed matching sandals and shoes. This whole time she hadn't even noticed that her clothes and hair were still soaked from swimming the river. She had a bath pulled on a silk nightgown and collapsed in the bed. She tried to think about her parents, what they were doing. How worried they were and about Kazuo but she was too tired to process anything through her exhausted mind and instantly fell into a deep greatly needed sleep.