Chapter Two: No longer called 'Kaihei'

Passing some small, moss covered shrines, Kaihei continued to run down the dirt and grass path, panting. She had been running the whole time, not once stopping to take the slightest look back. "So close! I can start walking once I get through the tunnel!" She said to herself, her feet starting to ache slightly, her legs burning and her heart beating viciously in her chest. She ran past a most covered statue near the tunnel. 'Yes! Finally… place I will be accepted! A place… where no one I care about will hate me…' She thought. She was dead serious about getting a job from Yubaaba. She wasn't going to waver from that thought. Being as headstrong as she was, there was no changing her mind. Her rapid foot steps echoed through the tunnel as she ran through. Finally, as the sun started to set, she made it out of the tunnel. But, she decided to keep running. She was afraid if she stopped, she just might want to go back. So she ran past the many strange houses and ignored the smell of delicious food that was near by. Black shadows began to appear as the sun sunk lower and lower into the sky. She soon saw the bridge in front of her. She suddenly stopped right in front of it, panting like a dehydrated dog. She stared at the rather large building across the bridge, the wind blowing her hair across her face, her baggy clothes rustling in the wind. Torches and other lights lit up as the sun fell from sight and the sky started to go black for the rising moon. Spirits started to cross the bridge as she stood there. Now she had no choice to turn back. Just incase, she took a deep breath and held her breath, holding on to her nose. She started to walk across the bridge, watching other ugly or odd looking spirits pass her. Since she had been running, her lungs were being put under torture as she held her breath. She thought she was going to faint. But she was almost across the bridge without breathing. Until a frog creature jumped up and said, scratch that, yelled, "Welcome!" This cause Kaihei to let go of her nose and let out a gasp of surprise. She froze. She had taken a breath. What would happen now? "Well? What are you doing standing there? Are you going to go in or what!" The frog in the blue robe like shirt asked, staring at her. She sighed in relief, but also in sadness. So she really was a spirit. "Come on! Get out of the way! You're blocking other guest!" The frog practically screamed at her.

"What? Oh! Sorry!" She said, the rushed off the bridge, standing behind the frog. "Uh... excuse me… um… Sir?" Kaihei asked, unsure on how to address the frog.

"What is it?" He said, rather rudely. "Welcome!" He hopped up again to greet another spirit.

"Where… is Yubaaba's office? I… want a job." Kaihei said, slightly nervous. The frog turned and stared at her.

"Err…" He started. He was about to tell her to go away when he looked into her eyes. They where a light, nearly white blue, fear and sadness in them. Those beautiful eyes made him pity the white haired spirit. "Ah… just follow me." He said, and then hopped inside the Bath House. Not wanting to lose him, Kaihei ran after him, though, not too fast. She followed the tiny frog through many twist and turns, barely managing to get on elevators with him. Soon, they were at a door that had a rather ugly golden knocker. The frog seemed to disappear, so Kaihei guessed she was in the right place. She reached out for the knocker when the most unexpected thing happened.

"What do you want?" And old lady's voice snapped at her. Kaihei gasped in surprise when she realized it was the knocker that said it.

"I… want to get a job!" She said to the knocker, making her hand return to her side. Then the door swung open, along with many others. She walked through the many opened doors and stopped when she was in front of an ugly old lady that was huge in height and length. She had huge, pinkish wart on her head with purplish blue eye shadow on, wearing a blue dress. She was currently inspecting gems and gold.

"Why should I give you a job?" She said, not even bothering to look up. Kaihei paused for a moment as she ran through Chihiro's story in her mind.

"Because… you took an oath to give a job to anyone that asked!" Kaihei said, smirking slightly as her eyes returned to they're normal icy blue color. Yubaaba slammed her hands on the desk, making every thing hop up slightly, and glared evilly at Kaihei.

"How did you know of that?" She yelled, pointing at her.

"You remember Chihiro, or Zen?" Kaihei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes… so she told you, right?" Yubaaba hissed, still glaring at her. Kaihei nodded, causing Yubaaba to groan in frustration. "Dang that child! Fine, I will give you a job. You will have the same one as Chihiro. Working the baths. But, I will place you any where I please if you are not working hard enough! Understand girl?" Kaihei nodded as a piece of paper and a pen floated her way. "Sign your name. Your REAL name." Yubaaba said, not trusting her. If the white haired spirit knew Chihiro, she probably knows that she can control her with her name. Kaihei said nothing as she scribbled down her name, using her knee as a table. As soon as she finished, the paper and pen flew back to Yubaaba. The ugly witch looked at the piece of paper and said, "Kaihei, hm? Not a bad name…" She said, then paused before waving her hand over her name. She stared at the girl, trying to find a proper name for her. She then smiled as she looked at her hair. White as snow. Waving her hand over the paper, making the characters float in her hand and rearranged the remaining symbol, she said, "From now on, you are no longer Kaihei. Your new name…" Yubaaba looked into the girl's eyes, "… is Yuki. Answer me Yuki!"

"Yes Madam." Kaihei, ahem, I mean, Yuki, said, bowing in respect.

Smirking slightly, Yubaaba said, "Suck up." Though, she did like the fact that she was a lot more polite and not clueless like Chihiro had been. "Now, let me take your things and…"

"Wait! Please, let me keep them. I promise, I will not run away. I… have no where else to run too." Yuki said, bowing again, just to hid the tears the threatened to fall.

Yubaaba sighed and, not having any time to argue this matter, said, "Fine. You win. You may keep your things, but can not wear, nor acknowledge them unless off work. Though…" She stopped when she saw Yuki reach for her necklace in fear of having to remove it. "… Just to show you how kind I am, you may keep the necklace on at all times." Yuki looked extremely relieved and smiled weakly at Yubaaba.

"Thank you, Yubaaba-Sama." She said, nodding her head in a bow. Yubaaba smirked again, loving the respect she was getting from this spirit.

"Haku! Come and take the new girl to Lin! She is Zen's replacement." Yubaaba said. Not many remembered much about Zen, except that she was a worker there. Yuki turned her head as a familiar looking boy came in. It was the boy spirit from Chihiro's story, The Kohaku River. She felt her heart flutter slightly in her chest as she watched him. He was rather handsome, though is eyes looked cold and emotionless. Haku looked straight at Yubaaba, not yet seeing the new girl. "Yes Yubaaba. Where is she?" He asked rather bluntly. Yuki let out a rude snort of laughter, for she was right next to Yubaaba and he had not seen her. His eyes suddenly shot to her and seemed to show some… interest as he looked her over. Yuki felt nervous now. She never really felt comfortable with guys scanning her like that.

"Err, are we going to go or what?" Yuki asked, shuffling her feet some, staring at the ground. Haku seemed to suddenly snap back into reality and he resumed his cold look.

"Follow me." He said harshly, then turned around and walked out the many doors. Yuki followed him, happy that he wasn't running around like the frog, knowing her poor lungs, heart and legs would give out on her if they did. She felt slightly tired, today's events wearing her out. After a while, they still had a floor to go, and the tired water spirit let out a yawn.

"Haku, when are we going to get there?" She asked, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. Haku felt some what sorry for the tired looking girl, but didn't let her see it.

"Don't call me that! You will address me as 'Master' Haku. I am your superior, got it?" Haku coldly snapped at her, not bothering to look at her as the elevator went up one floor. "Hurry up. I can't wait forever you know." Haku said as he was out of the elevator as soon as it stopped and Yuki was still trying to register what happened.

"Sorry…" She then yawned again, "…H- err… Master Haku. It is my fault. I ran all the way here until I got to the bridge." She said, sluggishly wobbling out of the elevator. Haku looked over at her, giving her the 'Your-kidding-me' look.

"Why would to be so… eager to get a job here?" Haku asked, still walking, the coldness in his voice fading. He then heard Yuki's foot steps stop and something break on the ground. He turned around to see Yuki staring sadly at the ground, a few frozen tears running down her cheek.

"B-because… here I am accepted for being a spirit. I… thought I was human, at first. But then when I found out I could control water… I… was hated by my so called family. I turned out to be an orphan left on they're doorstep. So… I have no family, or anywhere to go. Chi- … some one told me about this place, so I came here." Yuki said, her eyes now a deep blue color, them looking depressed. Haku looked at the girl with sorrow. Such a cruel thing to happen to a girl like her. He allowed her to calm down and stop shedding ice tears before motioning for her to continue walking.

"We are almost there. Soon you will be able to sleep." Haku said, taking a hold of her hand. It felt warm, but some what cold as well, still chilled from the wind when she had been running. He led her to the room the rest of the servants in Lin's department rested and knocked on the door, not noticing the slight increase of his heartbeat. "Lin! Open up. I have your new helper." Haku demanded, his voice once again going cold.

"Alright, alright! I am coming…" A woman's voice said, a loud yawn following. A woman with black hair, a slightly long nose and rubbing one closed eye, the other eye looking at Haku opened the door. "What weirdo did I get this…" She then paused, stood up straight, and looked at the white haired girl in surprise. She was… a lot more beautiful then any other woman here. In fact, she was probably the most beautiful spirit working here. No, she didn't like her or anything! It was just not easy to say 'She is pretty' because it wouldn't seem to fit. Something unnatural, but beautiful emitted from her. With a gentle smile, Lin went over to the female spirit and bent down to eye level with her, the girl being about as tall as Haku himself. "I am Lin. What is your name?"

"Yuki…" She said sleepily. "Please, may I go to sleep now? I am very tired." Her voice was softer then before, her eye almost completely closed.

"Sure kid." Lin said, then noticed Haku had left. 'Eh, who cares? He is still as annoying as ever. He needs to get that thorn out of his side.' Lin thought, shrugging slightly, then gently placed one hand on the girls back and led her to the empty sleeping mat next to her own. "I will put your stuff away for you, so take off your shoes and go to sleep." Lin said, but soon found it wasn't needed. The 15 year old was already shoeless, her backpack next to her shoes, and buried under the covers in a deep, well deserved slumber. Lin smiled weakly as she put away Yuki's things and pulled out her out fit for tomorrow. Since she had a fully developed body, she could have the normal sized shirt, but having a slimmer waist, needing a smaller pair of bottoms. Soon, after she had all that sorted out, she laid them next to the sleeping Yuki and crawled under the covers herself. 'For some reason, I think everything is going to get a lot better with little Yuki here.' Lin thought, a slight smile forming on her lips as she also drifted away from reality and into the land of dreams.