Alrighty, I'm ba-ack! I'm so so so so sorry for taking so long to update – my computer had a terrible virus and I couldn't do anything and some stuff got deleted and yeah… I hope this next chapter will make up for it…thanks for waiting!

Thank yous:

Invisiblesplotch and Htari: One of you is right about who the dungeon prisoner is…but I'm not telling who! You'll have to keep waiting for a little while.

Kanon-Chan: I wanted to see Howl's Moving Castle really badly but I couldn't…I hope it comes on DVD soon.

Inguz: Thanks for the support! I've been really lagging behind in your story since the virus…I'll try to catch up soon!

Sakura-chan299: I'm glad you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or its characters. I own Sen (but not the name) and her personality, but that's about it. Oh, and the plot. I own that too. Enjoy!

CHAPTER FOUR – TREK TO THE TOP

"Good thing I kept your old outfit here," Lin was saying as she rummaged through the cupboard. "You haven't grown much, have you?"

Sen shrugged. "I haven't kept track," she said.

"So, do you remember what it was like working here?" Lin asked curiously. "Or have you forgotten that too?"

Sen racked her brains for the things her mom had told her about working in the bathhouse. She had learned a lot about it. And she could use that knowledge to make things easier for her. Perhaps this dream wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I remember," she answered, "but I don't know if I'm any good."

"So, you're still a klutz, huh?" Lin said with a grin. "Don't worry, I'll put up with you again. Ah, found them!" She tossed the pink clothing that Sen presumed her mother had worn and Sen caught them and inspected them. They were a little bit dirty.

"I guess I should wash these," she said to herself. Then she shook her head. "Nah, they're probably going to get dirty again anyways."

"You know, I'm a bit surprised," Lin said suddenly, and Sen looked at her quizzically. "You haven't even asked where Ha—uh, never mind."

"What are you talking about?" asked Sen curiously, realizing that there was something Lin wasn't telling her.

Lin gave a laugh so loud that it had to be fake. "Never you mind, Sen, it's nothing you should worry yourself over! So, what's life like on the other side?"

Sen shrugged. "Could be better, I guess."

"And the new school? Did you make friends?"

This time, Sen didn't know what to answer. Her mother had never talked about her days at school. So, she decided to use herself as the example this time.

"Oh, yes," she said, nodding vigorously. "I've got loads of friends. I even made the soccer team –" she stopped right there, realizing that she was walking into a danger zone. She didn't want to risk blowing her cover.

Lin, however, didn't suspect anything; she was in awe. "Soccer?" she exclaimed. "Wow, I never knew you played soccer! You must be good!"

Sen nodded proudly. That was something she was definitely good at, but her mother sure wasn't. She supposed Chihiro had never told anyone that she lacked proper athletic ability.

"I would never have thought it of you!" Lin exclaimed. "Well, it's getting late. We have to work tomorrow. Shall we catch up then?"

Sen nodded again. "Sure," she said. And the two of them went to bed.

But Sen didn't fall asleep right away. She couldn't shake off the feeling of excitement surging within her. She couldn't wait for day. This looks like it's going to be fun! I can't sleep at a time like this! And sleep she didn't. Instead, she quietly stepped out of her sleeping bag and proceeded out of the room.

The hallway was mostly dark, dimly lit by a few dying candles. Sen followed the lights and found herself facing an elevator door. Hmm, she mused. I didn't think they'd have those here. She pressed the button and after about ten seconds, the doors opened. She boarded the elevator and it began to take her up.

It stopped at the next floor, but Sen didn't get off right away. She wanted to go to the very top. And when it finally stopped at the top, she ran out, and promptly hit the wall.

"Ouch!"

The force of the crash pushed her backwards, forcing her to land on her behind. Rubbing any part of her body that ached from the collision, Sen picked herself up and looked around.

It was completely dark.

Get a hallway nightlight, why don't you? Sen thought furiously, now rubbing her forehead. Who keeps every single light off at night? What if they needed some bathroom time? They'd stumble around for hours before finding one.

And that's when she realized that a bathroom was just what she needed right now. Oh, crud. This is just what I need right now. With her hands against the wall, she began to move forwards through the hall, guiding herself so she wouldn't crash into another wall.

She found a door pretty easily, but when she opened it, all she saw was blackness, and she heard snoring. Definitely not the right place. She took small steps back and gently shut the door so not to awaken the sleeper, whoever it was. Then she kept on walking through the hall.

The next door she found led to another long, dark hallway. Sen didn't want to wander too far, so she decided to save that hallway for after, if she still didn't find a bathroom.

The next three doors were all locked, and Sen didn't want to push her luck by trying to get in. She did, however, listen carefully with her ear against each door, trying to make out toilet sounds, in case someone was currently in the bathroom. There was nothing.

The following door was that of the elevator, which Sen knew guaranteed the fact that as long as she was close to a wall, she would eventually reach the elevator again. That was good. Then, using her hands to guide her, she took off through the hall one last time.

She knew exactly where the door would be. She opened it a slight crack, listened carefully for any sounds of movement or indication that someone was there, and when she heard only silence, she took a step in. She felt around until she felt a wall, and then began to journey through the room.

At the second corner, her feet gave way from under her and she fell with a cry, quickly clamping a hand to her mouth. But she didn't stop at the floor. She fell further and further, down what she suddenly realized to be a narrow staircase with no railings. One leg slipped over the edge, the other one following. In a panic, she grabbed the stair with her hands, her legs dangling into darkness that knew no depths.

Sen gulped when she found no visible bottom. If she let go now, would she hit the floor in five seconds or five minutes? Or worse, five hours?

No, she thought determinedly. I can't think about that. Concentrate on getting back onto the stairs, give up the bathroom trek, and head back to my room.

Her plan was easier said than done. Sen had strong arms and legs, but for some reason, she just couldn't lift herself back onto the steps. It was almost as if something was pulling her legs down, down into the blackness. It just wasn't working.

Suddenly one of her hands slipped, and then there was one hand, only one hand holding on. Sen tried to swing her right hand back up, but it, too, wouldn't budge. Along with her legs, that arm was being held down by some invisible force. To make matters worse, her left hand was starting to slip. If this kept up, she wouldn't last for more than a few minutes.

Still, she kept holding on. Sweat poured down her cheeks from the effort to keep her grip on the wooden step. Her hand was getting more and more sweaty. It was slipping more and more. She wasn't going to last much longer…

Sighing, Sen knew that there was no way she'd be able to get back up, and was ready to accept it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let herself fall.

Only, she didn't fall. Someone was holding her up. Someone had found and saved her!

Her rescuer pulled her up back on to the steps. The person was holding a torch in one hand, illuminating the place. The stairs led down into blackness. Even with the torch, Sen couldn't see a thing below. Instead, she took a good look at the person who was with her.

It was a boy, who seemed to be almost her age, maybe a bit older. He had brown hair and steely green eyes, and wore an outfit similar to the pink one Lin had given her, only it was white and blue. The boy had a hard stare, but something in his eyes made Sen wonder if he was all there. The way he looked at things was as if he saw through them, or didn't see them at all. But when he looked directly at Sen, she wondered how his gaze became so focused and almost icy.

"What do you think you're doing down here?" he demanded in a low but visibly angry voice. "You're already in enough trouble as it is!"

"What do you mean?" asked Sen, confused.

The boy sighed in exasperation. "You renewed your contract with Yubaba! She won't let you get away this time! Speaking of which, you shouldn't have come back at all!"

Sen opened her mouth, but the words were caught in her throat as the boy pulled her into an embrace. She was in such shock that she didn't even try to resist. She just let him hug her for a while. And then she realized that he was near tears. She took to patting his back awkwardly, and was surprised to feel a terrible, long bump that etched across his back. A terrible scar.

"Your back!" she cried in alarm, breaking away. "What happened to your back?"

At those words, the boy's eyes went from soft back to steely again. "Never mind," he said, suddenly business-like. "You need to get out of this room." He pulled her to her feet, and began to guide her up the stairs. He had suddenly lost all the gentleness that was in his embrace. His grip was hard, and he moved quickly, so that Sen was almost running behind him.

Soon they reached the top of the staircase, and the boy led her to the door of the room. "The elevator is at the end of the hall," he said in a hard voice. "Get back to your room, and don't ever come back up this way again. You never know what might happen." With that, he released his grip on her arm and began to descend the stairs.

Sen struggled to get the word out, but she knew it was the right one. "Haku!"

The boy turned back to look at her. The torch he carried illuminated his frown.

"Thank you," Sen said quietly.

Haku gave a curt nod, and continued down the stairs until he and the light of his torch were both out of sight.