By: ~jaded image~
AN: Oi..it's been so long since I've last updated, please forgive me. But I have excuses! 1) My Internet was down, tsk on the switch from cable to DSL…2) Cousins were over. Babysitting munchkins and writing fanfiction isn't one of my many talents. 3)….heh, let me think about this one….
Ice Itako-Thank you, I'm glad you like it!
Moezy-chan-Update soon…heh, I'm a lost cause to updating…
Fire Kistune Goddess-Haha, every chapter…there's only 3 chapters. I suppose you can wait for more cliffies to come!
Athena-*sniff* I wanna thank you for such a nice review. I read it and felt all warm and fuzzy for days and days. *sob* You're too kind…
Blazingsunstar-Yay! More more more
Sweet-genie-16-Ah, I shall try to take you're advice. I realize that I may be moving them along a bit too quickly…Chihiro seems a bit like one of those fawning girls, doesn't she? Oh and I'll try to add fluff, but I must say that I'm a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to fluff. I tell others to make things waffy and my own fic..well..yea -.-'
Time's mortal enemy-Seriousness…that is something I seem to lack in my life, and I wasn't being mean..REALLY I wasn't…sometimes, people just need to be persuaded a little. ^.^;
Long AN, keep reading…
~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~
Without warning, the heavy doors swung open and a sinister voice floated out.
"Come in."
Chihiro gulped and followed Haku, this wasn't going to be good…
~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~
As the two youths entered the room, Chihiro took her time to glance around. It was a richly furnished room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. Thick velvet curtains framed the windows and couches resided in the corners, looking like they could swallow you completely if you sat in one.
The princess's wandering eyes finally landed on a short woman sitting behind a heavy oak desk, piled high with papers. The woman had her hair in a bun and wore a navy blue gown. Her fingers were weighted with rings, all of which glittered mischievously in the fire's glow.
"So, you are the little human, hmm? Puny thing aren't you," the sorceress Yubaba rasped. Not knowing what to say, Chihiro nodded.
"And what, puny human, makes you think you can wander through my territory like that?" Chihiro stared at her feet as she stuttered. "I…I didn't k-know it was your land." And as a show of respect, she added, "ma'am."
The sorceress Yubaba smirked, seeing the fear in the young woman before her. "But you've trespassed nonetheless. And for that, you must be punished."
The poor girl stiffened but that was the only sign that showed she was scared.
She has guts…for a human. Haku noted. Usually the person being confronted would start shaking in fear.
Yubaba studied the girl in front of her. She was young and had an aura that was carefree and gentle. This puny human was exactly what she is, a human, and this caused great consternation for the powerful sorceress. (AN: Peoples..it's consternation..not constipation -.-' My cousin misread that, I just had to make sure.)
Something bothered her about this girl, the way she didn't turn into jelly under her firm gaze. Haku stood to the side, as still as a statue, not showing any emotions. But inside his mind were hoards of questions.
After what seemed an eternity of examining and thinking, Yubaba addressed the young woman.
"You, what is your name?"
Chihiro looked up startled out of her thoughts. "P-pardon?" she stuttered.
Yubaba scowled. "Your name, girl! What is it?"
Chihiro shook her head. "My name is Ch..Sen." She gave an inward sigh. Better be more careful, or else her stay at the bathhouse may end all too soon.
The old woman looked at her doubtfully but nodded. "I have decided, as your punishment, you are to become a worker in my bathhouse. Now sign this contract. When the time listed is up, I'll decide if I want to let you go."
She handed Chihiro a piece of paper. Scanning over it, the princess gasped. Seven years..? As if reading her thoughts, Yubaba said in a casual tone. "Either that or…we can arrange for some fresh meat to be served tonight."
Shivering, Chihiro quickly wrote down her new name and handed the contract back to the old woman. Without a glance at it, Yubaba smirked. "Now, you are mine."
She turned to the young man standing stiff and silent in the shadows. "Haku, take her down and find her a place to stay. Find somebody to show her around and keep her on task. Then come back up, I have something to discuss with you."
Haku bowed his head, and then in a carefully practiced voice, said to Sen. "Follow me. I'll show you to the worker's quarters."
As the two exited the room, Yubaba called after them.
"And for goodness sake, get rid of that smell!"
~~~Two hours later~~~
Chihiro sat down heavily on her futon. She had just toured the whole bathhouse and her feet had declared she had enough walking for the day.
As she rested, a woman only a few years older than her bustled around the room. Chihiro watched Rin fling open cabinets and rummage through piles of pink clothes, muttering to herself. "You're so puny…gotta eat.." Chihiro nodded to her back, even though Rin couldn't see. As she waited for her new friend to find her work clothes, Chihiro's mind wandered back to the past two hours.
~~~Er..two hours ago~~~
The heavy door shut themselves soundlessly as Haku and Chihiro left. Getting into the waiting elevator, they rode in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Opening her mouth to voice her question, she was surprised to be cut off by her companion. "No talking. You must focus on your work or else punishment will be served."
"But..Haku.."
"And you will refer to me as Master Haku." He said icily.
Chihiro recoiled from him, her eyes registered confusion and fear. What happened to the young man who had teased her not too long ago?
The lift stopped on the main level, and with it, so did the workers. Walking towards a frog with whiskers, Haku spoke in a commanding tone. "Foreman, you must find this girl a place to stay. She is to work here from now on."
The foreman crinkled his amphibian face, "but…but Master Haku, she is a human and..she reeks of humanity. She would curse us with her stench."
Chihiro frowned, "hey.."
"Quiet! You're not to speak unless spoken to." Chihiro stared at his back, tears springing into her eyes and her face burning with embarrassment. She had thought of Haku as a kind of savior in this dank place, but now…
The surrounding crowd snickered and murmured behind their hands. Chihiro wanted to scream and cry and throw a big tantrum. Before she could wallow in her self-pity, her attention was brought back as a scowling woman stood out in front of the crowd.
Not bothering to face her, Haku directed at Chihiro. "This is Rin. You are to go with her and do as she tells you to."
The woman scowled even more. "Haku, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"That's Master Haku to you, Rin."
"Shut it, frog breath." The battle got interrupted as Haku pulled Chihiro into the center. "Take her and show her around." And with that he left, not even glancing at the forlorn girl.
"Yes, Master Haku." Rins said, not bothering to hide the scorn in her voice.
~~~End extremely long flashback~~~
Chihiro sighed. Her head hurt just thinking about it all, and the thought of Haku just made it all the more confusing.
"Hey Sen, I found the perfect match." Rin's happy voice cut through her thoughts. Holding up a pile of neatly folded pink worker clothes, she smiled gleefully.
"Go on, try it. I have to see if it fits." Her face glowed as if she were a child, showing a project she had worked so hard on. The younger woman smiled, having gotten to know her better, she found out Rin wasn't always the frowning figure she had impressed upon her.
"Maybe later, walking around the bathhouse really drained me."
Rin smirked. "Not much of a worker where you came from, were you? No wonder you're so weak and puny." Chihiro stuck her tongue out at her.
"Say Rin, how long have you been working with Haku?"
Without glancing at her, Rin replied. "Longer than I care to remember. Why? You like him?" The blunt question was unexpected and Chihiro nodded before she shook her head violently and glared at her.
"NO! No, no that's not.."
"Hey no need to be defensive. Lots of girls here like him." Laughing at her new friend's face, she added in a fake girlish voice, pretending to swoon.
"It's only natural to like a guy with such amazing eyes, such a beautiful smile, such a great body, very nice butt I might add."
Chihiro burst out laughing and flung a pillow, missing her target completely. Rin grinned and went on.
"And you can't forget his great sense of humor and the out-of-this-world personality. I mean, he's the only one who can pull off that talk-to-me-and-you're-dead-meat act."
Chihiro smiled a little. "Thanks Rin. That really stopped me from liking the guy." She gasped and blushed. Rin just laughed.
As the both of them sobered, Rin directed another statement at her. "But seriously, forget him Sen. He's Yubaba's henchmen, and does all her dirty work. Just don't get too involved."
Chihiro glanced away and nodded discreetly. Her face showed a framework of emotions. She was already too involved.
~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~
Woohoo! Another one up, I must say, all this typing, writing, thinking in general…all of that is really quite draining. Please review! Remember..brain food..it really does help. Oh and..*glances around before whispering* I'll give you pixie sticks if you do! No..this isn't a bribe. What are you talking about…