Chapter 3

Haku awoke from his slumber in the spirit world, in the same manner as he did every day, wrapped in chains awaiting Ubaba's orders... But it was worth the price he paid... When Chahiro had made a deal with Ubaba all those years ago, so too had he... He'd promised her that he would continue to serve her as long as she let the girl go free... The first year after she left the spirit world, that was when Haku noticed a dangerous change in Ubaba...

Haku missed Chahiro dearly... She was so kind and caring compared to most of the other workers at Ubaba's bath house... Where most everyone else was stingy and mean, bent on nothing more than personal gain, Chahiro was pure and innocent, untainted by the greed in the human word... Even her parents showed these traits, which agrivated Ubaba to no end, especially when she thought she knew everything about humans and how imperfect they are... She had heard Chahiro's father say that he'd really intended to pay for thier meal when the restaurant owners got back, but assuming they were like all of the other humans that had stumbled into their world over the centuries, Ubaba was feeling unmerciful as usual and decided to punish them on the spot... She honestly believed that given the chance, Chahiro would abandon her parents and beg to be sent home, that was not the case however...

Chahiro had proven that some humans were indeed selfless, and that selflessness and kindness had made Ubaba's business blossom when she was there... Chahiro had been gone for at least one hundred years in the spirit world, and in the human world for only four... Desperate to bring back an abundance of customers once more, Ubaba had a plan to get Chahiro back for keeps this time... Ubaba laughed at the irony of it all... She detested humans to the point where she thought the pitiful creatures should be cast into extinction, and yet she found herself wishing for that simpering little girl back... Ubaba sighed deeply as she grinned, Haku would be furious if he were to discover her plans for relocating the girl back to the spirit world... She walked down the hallway in silence and headed to the elevator, where she took it down to the basement, a dungeon if you will, where she had Haku locked in chains...

Haku awoke to the sound of a witches cackle as the brightness of the lamps burned his sensitive eyes...

" Hello, my dear Haku, did you sleep well?" Ubaba asked in a sweet mocking voice.

Haku roared angrily in answer and lunged at her, effectively tightening the chains that bound him, causing his normally beautiful deep green eyes flash red...

" Too bad..." Ubaba hissed, " You better suck it up because I won't be releasing you until I know for sure that you won't attempt to assassinate me in my sleep again... Besides, they were only a few worthless children, hardly worth a fuss over... At least they weren't turned into piglets and butchered..."

Haku snarled and lunged at her again, outraged at the type of person he was stuck working for... Ubaba had personally went to the outside world to see what the disturbance was on the other side of the portal. There, three children were spray painting the building in graffiti and signing thier names, and untimely deaths unknowingly...

" Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Ubaba hissed wagging her finger at them, "Such notty children, what should your punishment be?"

" You don't scare us! You old hag!" One boy said stubbornly.

" Yeah!" Another boy said, " You don't scare us you ugly old witch!"

" Guys!" A little girl said worriedly, " I'm so sorry ma'am! My brothers are idiots, please please don't be mad at them, we'll make sure to clean everything up and leave your property at once!"

" Ah... Well, at least one of you seems to have some manners..." Ubaba said smiling, " What is your name, sweetie?"

" Kiora..." Kiora said nervously, " They are my brothers, Gabe and Carter... We're all very very sorry!"

"Kiora..." Ubaba hissed grinning, " What a pretty name... Tell me dear, do you and your brothers know anything about the spirit world?"

" Yes, mother told us not to go into the woods near here because there's a gateway to the spirit world, and if we make them angry, there's a chance that the spirits could become angry and trap us there forever!" Kiora said nervously.

" That's correct my dear, witches too, one witch, in particular, rules these woods, and she's extremely dangerous..." Ubaba warned, " She can do all sorts of black magic..."

" As if!" Gabe said sticking his tongue out, " Your just an ugly old hag, and there's no such thing as black magic, or any magic for that matter!"

" You insolent little brat!" Ubaba hissed angrily, " Witches are real! And it just so happens, that I am Ubaba, the witch who rules this forest... You'd do well to show me some respect boy..."

" If your really a witch then prove it!" Gabe said defiantly, " Turn an animal into stone or something!"

" Gabe..." Kiora warned worriedly, " She can't do that, there aren't any animals in this forest!"

" But I can most certainly turn something else to stone..." Ubaba hissed grinning.

Ubaba waved her hand towards Kiora and Gabe's brother, Carter, the youngest of the three and they watched in horror as the boy began screaming in pain... Slowly, Carter's body began hardening and turning to quartz... When his face turned, his screams echoed as the last scream died in his throat, along with his last breath... Ubaba turned to Gabe next and waved her hand towards him as well...

" No!" Kiora cried desperately, " Please! I'm sorry for what they did! Please please bring them back!"

" I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't..." Ubaba hissed smugly, " Once a dark spell like that is cast, I'm afraid it can never be undone... Oh now, don't fret my dear, they aren't dead, thier souls are still floating around my forest... Now then, what shall your punishment be?"

" I'll except whatever you decide to do to me..." Kiora said bowing.

" Hmmm... Your far braver than your brothers..." Ubaba said smiling, " Perhaps I'll have some use for you... Come with me child..."

Unknown to Haku, Kiora was now employed with Ubaba... Her name now changed to Kara... Ubaba laughed happily at Haku's turmoil she absolutely loved toying with him...

" Chahiro has blossomed into quite a lovely young lady..." Ubaba said smugly, " Perhaps she will return one day very soon..."

Haku roared angrily as he realized the threat in Ubaba's tone, that if he wished for Chahiro to remain unharmed, he would have to help Ubaba with her dirty work... Haku hung his head in defeat...

" That's a good pet..." Ubaba cooed in mock affection as she stroked his silky Maine, " Your serving me quite well, Haku..."

Ubaba laughed once again as she walked out the door and locked it, leaving Haku alone once again in solitary darkness...