Feathers of Love

Chapitre Thirteen: The Boss


"Now, since it is already dark, you have no choice to go and see Yubaba yourself, since I am busy and I cannot take you there. However, I can tell you where to go, but you will have to ask Yubaba for a job unless you want to be turned into a pig and then killed to be served as food to the Gods." Rin muttered as she took Sakura towards a series of corridors, past many sorts of people and rooms that contained what looked to be monsters but were in fact the Gods that Rin had mentioned.

"Stop staring at them! The Gods will not be pleased." Rin hissed as she took a look behind to see that Sakura was still following her. Satisfied to see Sakura nod her head, Rin turned back to her task. She did not speak to Sakura for some time, since she was being greeted by who seemed to be her friends who worked at the bathhouse too.

She met a group of friends as she reached an elevator. "Take this elevator to go to the top level. You will meet Yubaba there." Rin muttered.

"Oh there you are Rin! I was wondering where you have gone! You are needed at the boiler room, as Kamajii seems to need your help." One of the female workers greeted her as she pressed the elevator button.

"Is it? Well, I better get going then. Thank for letting me know about this, or else I would get punished..." Rin started but was interrupted by another of her friends. "Hey! Why do you have such a strong stench?" the worker stood closer and sniffed at Rin. "Human stench too!"

"Is it? Well, I guess you are wrong." Rin said as she gestured at Sakura, who was hiding behind Rin, frantically behind her back as she heard the elevator's approach.

"How can we be wrong? You are the one who is wrong! It is human stench and we know it! Now where is that human? Hmm?" the ladies asked. Rin opened her eyes wide, trying to look innocent.

"Me? With a human? As if! If that is the case, would I still be here?" The elevator arrived with a 'ding' and it opened automatically. "Well, since the elevator is here already, I guess I better get going. See you all around!"

"Ok. Bye!" Rin pulled at a lever and the door snapped shut.

"Whew! That was close! It better be worth it, or else I will find Kamajii and deal with him myself!" Rin muttered. "Now Sakura, you are to go to Yubaba's place yourself- you heard them, I still have my job to do; if not, I will be punished, all right?"

Sakura, who had kept silent since they had left the boiler room opened her mouth finally and said a word, "Arigato." and bowed. Rin nodded her head as Sakura continued, "I will try my best and I will do whatever Yubaba requests of me, just so that I can leave this place."

"That...that will be a bit impossible, unless..."

"Unless what?" Sakura asked as the elevator came to a halt. "Can you please tell me?"

"Sorry. I have to go. Good luck." Rin pushed Sakura out of the elevator and pulled the level again. The door of the elevator snapped shut again and disappeared from Sakura's view.

"Well, I guess I have to try my best then." She thought as she looked behind her. There was nothing much there except some simple designs but they looked very elegant. However, Sakura did not notice those designs. She was looking the door. The door that separated her from Yubaba and whatever that was beyond. She stepped towards the door tentatively, and reached for the doorknob.

However, before she could touch the door, it swung open to reveal several other doors that looked similar. "Why aren't you asking me to open instead of you opening? You are so rude!" someone cried out in an angry voice.

Sakura startled. She looked around and saw that there was nobody around. "Erm...are you speaking to me, madam?" She asked the door quietly, whom she had deduced was a female since the door was speaking in a woman's voice.

"Who else? You didn't see anybody around, did you?" the door answered back.

"Oh." Sakura said as she stood there, her fear taking the better of her.

"Are you going in or not? If not, I am going to close," the door sighed. "Do you know that you are just like the others who came here, standing here instead of going in? I am tired of this life, this life with no one to speak to, except the occasional guests who come here to visit Yubaba. The others just ignore me. And now you too! My, my, my life is a pretty boring one at that..."

"Oh! Sorry to make you sad! I'll go in right this moment! If I am able in the future, perhaps I can visit you and talk to you. How about that?"

"Thanks for offering, but if you are here asking for a job, I think that you will not be coming up here anymore, that is, if you get the job. However, even if you get the job, you will not be coming up here anymore, no one ever does..."

"I am so sorry..."

"No! Don't you ever feel sorry for me! I will be all right!"

Sakura nodded her head and she went in, hoping that her visit with Yubaba could not be so bad as the door had described. The door closed behind her as she went into the home of Yubaba. She walked in and saw that Yubaba was at a table, sitting down and counting coins. If she gave any inclination that she had noticed Sakura's presence, she ignored her. Sakura kept silent and waited, and waited. She waited for a long time before someone came in and interrupted the silence.

It was Haku.

Sakura's eyes went wide when she saw him. But she remained silent, and hoped that Yubaba would notice her. However, it was Haku whom Yubaba had noticed.

"So, have you found the human yet, Haku?" Yubaba asked, her eyes still looking at the sums she was doing.

"She is right here, waiting for you."

"Oh, is it? Then I guess I did not notice." Yubaba turned her attention to Sakura, and her eyes narrowed when she saw who Sakura was. "Why are you here? I thought that you enjoy living and working at Debonair's palace?"

"No, madam, I do not like living at Debonair's palace." Sakura started and then lowered her voice. "I hate living there. Thus, I escaped and came here accidentally."

"I assume that you want work. Convince me."

"Well, I can do all sorts of work: cooking, cleaning the place...anything, anything you ask for, as long as you give me a job..."

"Why do I want you when you are but a mere weakling, one who is a human some more! Humans are so weak that they cannot do anything without complaining! Are you sure you are up to the job?"

"Yes! I am up to the job!" Sakura answered as she gave a pleading look at Haku, who was standing behind Yubaba's chair.

She did not know what Haku did, but at that next moment, something flew out of a drawer and towards Sakura, with a quill alongside.

"Sign your name there and you will be starting your job, immediately!"

"Yes, madam." Sakura hastily signed the document and waited.

"From now on, I am your boss and you will work with Rin to clean up the tubs. If you complain just one word, you will be turned into a pig! Your new name will be, let's see...Sen then! Your name Sakura is too fanciful! Now get out of my sight!" Yubaba ordered as Sakura went out of Yubaba's room, with a new name and a job. Sen.


Yeah! A chapitre completed! Well, technically, my exams are not over yet but since I am a bit bored from studying, I have typed this chapitre out. I guess you all have been waiting for a long time, so...enjoy! I guess I better go back and study now...haiz.