Chihiro yawned as she sat up. "My feather! Where'd it go?" She searched around frantically and barely noticed that no one was up.
"Chihiro." Haku poked his head in. "I need to talk to you."
"I can't find my feather!"
"I know." He shut the door behind her as she tied up her sleeves. "I came to talk to you about that." He saw her attempting to scratch her back but couldn't quite reach. "Chihiro."
She looked up at him. "What?"
"Face away from me and put your hands at your sides." She obliged and he ran his hands down her shoulders than began to scratch the itch. Two small bumps on the inside of her shoulder blades. Chihiro arched her back like a cat would when you stroked it. Haku let his hands fall away. "Is that better?"
"Much. Thanks. Now what about my feather?"
He thought for a moment then told her what he had seen while she slept.
"So now the feather is part of me."
"It seems that way. Let's get somewhere where we can talk. The others are starting to wake up." He grabbed her hand and jumped off the rail. Chihiro screamed as she fell and was caught by Haku in his spirit form.
"Way to scare me!" She thumped his neck.
Sorry.
"Where are you taking me, anyway?" She stretched out along his back.
There's a beautiful meadow near here. The flowers are beautiful in the moonlight . . . like you.
"Sounds nice." Haku began to slow down then stopped high over the meadow. Chihiro stood up and jumped off his back as if to do a belly flop.
Chihiro! He dove after her, but she simply floated to the ground. His scare had him changed before he hit the ground and gathered her in his arms. "Don't do that to me. What came over you?"
"I don't know. I just had this pull to be in the air alone. I don't know why I didn't fall to my death." He reluctantly let her pull away and put distance between them. "I don't know what's going on. Do you even know?"
"I have a hunch, but I'm not sure I'm right."
"Can't you tell me?"
"No. I can't until I'm certain."
"I thought my life was bad before I came back. Now it's just plain confusing."
"I'm sorry that I can't help. I really wish I could."
There was a strange silence between them. "I need to get to work. Ubaba will probably kill me as is."
Haku muttered under his breath. "Not if I can help it." He launched into the sky and carried her back.
"Where were you?" Ubaba fumed at the door as Haku walked Chihiro back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to skip out on work." Chihiro bowed.
"She was with me." Haku laid a hand on her shoulder and she stood up.
"What gives you the right to just take my workers away?"
Haku just stared at her. "I am your servant, yet I am also the second in command in this place. I have every right to take whomever I want."
"You have to ask me first!"
"No, I don't."
Chihiro was simply staring in awe as Haku fought to defend her job and his honor. "Wow."
"Fine then. Get back to work. This time you have to clean the large tub and scrub the floors."
"Right away, Ma'am." Chihiro took off running.
Ubaba walked regally into the bathhouse. Haku stood there for a moment. How can she be so eager to work?
