Fifth crossing: Acknowledgements
"Listen, this is your first job." Yubaba said, waving her cane before the girls. "Take this customer to the big tub. One peep out of you and you're coal! Got that?"
"Yes." The older one answered.
"It has arrived." The foreman said. As the stench became stronger, everyone went to hide but Yubaba, Chou and Sen. Bodies stiffened, hair stood on end, Chihiro held her nose, her eyes were buldging, The owner scolded her, saying she was being rude to the customer, but Chidori showed an amazing self-control as the customer entered, looking as relaxed as she usually was.
"Welggum to our bazzs." Yubaba tried to articulate, for even she had trouble handling the stench. The two humans bowed. Chidori smiled the best business smile she could manage in these conditions. She will show everyone. The god extended a stinking muddy arm.
"Oh... The money... Chou, hurry up and take it!"
"Yes, ma'am." Her hands cupped together, she reached out, the golden coins falling in with a heap of dripping and stinking mud. Her smile stiffened. "This way, please." The girl did her best to walk naturally. Chihiro could not help but behave like a robot. She could hear Lin calling her name, people running around, Yubaba upstairs, ordering to open all of the windows. As the sludge began to fill the room, Chihiro took the pail containing the tags, where her older sister put the gold. The god went in the tub, the water overflowed and became almost as muddy. The little one slipped and fell but saved the tags. The stinking being looked at Chidori and she understood.
"Sen, we're going refill the tub, put a tag, I'll yank the rope." She ordered. Both trudged through the mud, Sen toward farther against the wall and Chou toward the tub. At the second attempt, the beam lowered, the young girl climbed up the slippery tub to the edge and pulled the rope, withstanding the god's fetid breath, but then she slipped and fell in the tub. Her whole torso trapped in the mud, she could not free herself. Yet she felt like a hand, soft and flabby, warp around her and haul her away. Then it held her like a kitten in an adult's hand. She coughed a little. It held her in a sitting position. the water ran down its body like a waterfall. It drew her a little closer. She reached in, slightly to the lift, and felt something sticking out. She remembered the feel of it, but it didn't make any sense.
"Chou! Sen! Where are you? You ok?" Lin asked in a loud voice so the humans could hear her. "I asked Kamaji to give us all the water he's got! He's sending the best herbal soak ever!"
"Lin-san, thank you!" Chidori smiled gratefully. "He has something stuck in him, it felt like a handlebar! It's in so deep, it won't come out!" She said, tugging on it as much as she could.
"A handlebar?" It seems like it didn't make any sense for Lin either but she came to help nonetheless. Suddenly Yubaba jumped down and stopped hovering in midair at their level. "Chou and Lin, that's no stink god in there." She said clapping her hands together before parting them again, making a rope appear in-between. She threw it at the girls who grabbed it. Chidori tied it to the handlebar.
"It's tied!" She said. Meanwhile, behind them, Sen and many women and frogs had gathered and were holding the rope. Fans appeared in the witch's hands who was standing on a divider.
"Everyone, all of you, all together now! Heave! Heave! And heave!" She coordinated everyone. Many gods had gathered upstairs and were looking down, encouraging them with their own fans, the same as Yubaba's. After a minute, a bicycle appeared. It was as the old woman had suspected. Everyone heaved again, and then after the bicycle, followed a mountain of muddy and stinking junk and trash of every size and kind. When she took out what remained of a fishing rod, it was like she had uncapped a bottle of fuzzy drink after having shaken it. Water gushed out and overflowed again but the siblings who had been standing on the tub were caught by water and wrapped in. They stared in awe as the smiling face of an old man like carved in the wood with many wrinkles, bushy white eyebrows and missing teeth, emerged from the clear and calm surface.
"Well done." It said before disappearing. The water receded. And looking in their hands, both sisters discovered a ball, and on the floor, everyone else discovered gold nuggets. The greed overcame them and they pushed and tried to pick as much as they could.
"Be still! Our guest is still with us!" Yubaba lectured them. Then, as the water went up like a fountain, she joined the siblings. "Chou, Sen, you're in our guest's way." She told them, then to the others behind them, "Open the main gates! He's leaving!"
The sisters bowed and stepped down the tub and a huge water dragon wearing the face of the old man flew away in the rain, laughing. The others gods danced and rejoiced and threw up their fans.
"Chou, Sen! You did great! You made us a bundle!" Yubaba exclaimed, tightly hugging the girls and hopping up and down. "That river god's famous. You can all learn from Chou. And Sen." She praised. The siblings smiled. "Sake's on the house tonight!" Everyone clapped. "Now time to hand over all the gold you picked up!" They made disappointed sounds and faces.
Then the night wore away, people were getting ready to go to bed. Chidori was sitting on the floor of the balcony, just before the women's room, letting her feet dangle; her arms were resting on the wooden middle beam of the railings, she was starring at the starry sky. Lin and her sister joined her, carrying huge and tasty-looking meat buns.
"Want some? We swiped them." Lin asked.
"Here!" Sen grinned, giving a bun to her sister.
"Thank you." Chou said, gratefully accepting the food. The three ate together as usual. "In the end, I didn't see him today." She muttered to herself with a little sigh. But she had been heard.
"Who?" The older one asked.
"Haku." Chihiro whispered to her.
"Not Haku again! Why him?!" Lin complained. Chidori hid her little blush. "He just disappears from time to time, they say Yubaba's making him do bad stuff."
"Oh." The young girl went back to watching the moon and its reflection on the 'sea'. It was beautiful. And yet so cold and lonely despite the warm night summer breeze, and she ceased to listen to Lin and Chihiro. Her mind was somewhere else, with someone else.
The siblings woke up to a bright day. Strangely enough, when everyone should be sleeping, no one was there, yet no futon had been put away. They dressed and went to take some fresh air, this building really looked like an island in the middle of an ocean. Looking at her left, Chidori could see the pigsty where her parents were, and looking up, the sisters noticed that Kamaji had already lit the fires. It was all becoming weirder by the second. They left the room and looked down, it was so busy so early, what was that again? Lin came up from the narrow stairs.
"Chou! Sen! I was just going to wake you up. Look!" She showed them a gold nugget. "Real gold, he gave it to me. This guest's a real high roller. Come you two, Yubaba's still asleep, now's your chance."
"Oh? Sen, go and take a look, help them if you can, but be extra careful, for the rest I'll trust your judgement. Lin, please take care of her, I'm going to put the futons away and clean the room." Chou said. The girls agreed and left, Chidori went back in the room and to the balcony, she'll tidy up in a few minutes. The girl deeply breathed in and closed her eyes, until something caught her attention. A white dragon. A white dragon with a green mane was flying around and struggling, trying to get rid of the white little things chasing after it. Chidori could see blood on it, it was wounded. The little things sounded like paper crumpling. The dragon fell in the river, it was exactly the same dragon she had seen after having left Haku. Still in the water it came her way when the paper things dived chasing after it. Then it suddenly flew up, she stepped back just in time. No, this dragon WAS Haku, she could feel it.
"Haku, hang in there! Come here! Haku! Haku!" She cried. She stepped sideways as the dragon flew right at her and crashed in the room and slid the doors close, most of the little paper figures crashed on the windowpanes but she did not had the time to close them completely and a few, but still much, entered and crashed on her. She tore them to pieces, those that could flew back outside and left. The girl opened the doors again a little and turned toward Haku. She gasped. So many cuts, shallow and deep, so much blood... Blood on the futons and cupboards, blood flowing from his mouth... and his eyes... like he was a wild and wounded cornered beast, ready to bit and claw at anything that would get closer. Her heart was pounding, how it hurt her to see him hurt this much
"Haku, you're safe now, don't worry, those paper birds are gone. Haku..." She said, attempting a reassuring smile, though she appeared like the very picture of concern for a loved one, but the dragon leaped and flew past her, blood splattering on the panels, windowpanes and railings. She leant on the railings and looked up, Haku was wriggling and painfully trying to fly to the top of the building, toward Yubaba. She looked at her hands, red with the blood that was on the railings. Her heart tightened in fear, fear for him, of what would happen to him, that he could die. And as strong as her fear, her resolve, her iron will to protect him and do anything to save him. She clenched her fists and ran, so focused on saving Haku that she didn't notice the little paper bird following her and stick to the back of her kimono.
When she couldn't go higher with the stairs, she tried to use the elevator but there was such a crowd, surely making way for that super rich customer and hoping to get some of his wealth. She found a way in but that toad wouldn't let her take the elevator, then he saw the blood and let go of her, disgusted. Chidori cursed under her breath, she had to find and take another way. But then she was face to face with a frog ordering her to move away, and behind him, the 'rich customer', white mask, but different, bigger, with brown hair, and legs like a real frog. She smiled and bowed, thanking him for his earlier help again. The toad who wouldn't hear anything was thrown away. White mask smiled and reached out his cupped fleshly hands to her and a heap of gold nuggets appeared. He would offer all this to her, while he would barely look at the others. But she did not care about gold, only about Haku and his condition. She didn't have time to lose.
"I don't need it, I don't want it. I sincerely apologise for my rudeness but I'm busy so please excuse me." The girl bowed again before leaving, she had probably hurt his feelings but at that time, she didn't care. The nuggets fell on the ground and they all rushed in. She found a narrow hallway and ran. At the end, she opened the window and jumped down on an iron sheet roof. She climbed up to its highest point and, a good dozen metres on the other side, saw a ladder. And the only way to reach it was that old drainpipe. It looked REALLY dangerous, her confidence wavered a little, she looked at the blood on her hands again and her resolve hardened more than ever.
Chidori rolled up her legs and sleeves, tying them so they wouldn't get in the way, she took a deep breath, looked right ahead, and dashed. The thin fixations gave way, the drainpipe broke at the angle, the length on which she was moved away from the wall, and after a few more strides, she jumped and caught the ladder, solidly fixed on the wall this time, and steadily climbed up, only taking one short break of a few seconds. She turned head and saw Yubaba, she was coming back, the young girl climbed faster. The ladder stopped just below a window. Chidori climbed on the sill and tried to open it, it was locked, well, of course it was but it didn't make things any easier for her. Especially since she didn't want to break it and make unnecessary noise, ruckus, or possible wound. And as she tried to push it open without falling and without breaking anything, it suddenly gave way and she fell in a richly decorated bathroom though she again had the reflex to put her hand before her and roll forward to land back on her feet. Then the girl made sure no one was there and sprang back to her feet and started running. She entered a huge circular room, the ground, walls and pillars up to three metres were padded with a green cloth. Huge plushies, toys, cushions and pillows were lying around, along with many presents still warped in their paper. There were a desk with books against one side, and armchairs and tables with boxes of candy, and a bed. Suddenly, Chidori heard Yubaba's voice.
"We're in a fine mess, now, actually, he's a No Face. That's right, a No Face! Your greed attracted quite a guest alright. Don't do anything stupid until I get down there." The old woman grumbled. Chidori silently approached the door and risked a look through the slightly open doorway. "Look, the carpet's a mess, get Haku out of here. He's of no use to me now." The young girl stifled a gasp, luckily unheard. Or maybe not. She cursed silently, fear gripping her heart, as Yubaba walked her way, she went back in the room and quickly hid in a mountain of cushions. A few seconds after, the old bathhouse owner entered and threw a few of them. A baby was heard.
"Sleeping outside your crib again?" She complained, still amused. The baby whined. "Oh, I'm sorry, you were sleeping like such a good baby! Granny still has work to do." She kissed the baby noisily, "Be a good baby again and go back to sleep now, okay?" She coaxed again, carefully placing back the cushions. She went to the wall and pushed a button, the lights went off, on the ceiling, the sun gave way to the moon, and she left, closing the hangings with her magic as she did.
Chidori tried to leave too but was pulled back in by the arm.
"Ah, thank you a lot, for helping me. You were really great. But I'm kinda in a hurry now so could you please let me go?" She smiled.
"You came to make me sick? There are bad germs outside." The baby asked.
"Well, I'm human, surely you've never seen one before."
"You'll get sick out there. Stay and play with me." He ordered.
"Are you sick?"
"I'm in here 'cause I'll get sick outside."
"Nee, do you love Yubaba?" The girl asked.
"Of course I do."
"And if she was reaaaally hurt, would you be really sad and scared for her and try to help her?"
"Baba can't be hurt!"
"I know I know, but what if she was? You'd be all sad and scared, right?"
"... Yeah."
"Well, you see, someone I reeeeaally love a lot is hurt very badly, he needs me and I must go to him, so would you please let me go?"
"No! I need you more, if you're sad, play with me and you won't be sad. And if you go I'll cry and Baba will come and kill you. I'll break your little arm." And she winced as he applied pressure on her arm.
"I promise I'll come and play with you as soon as I can!"
"I wanna play now!" He twisted her arm a little more. She smiled still.
"Nee, would you be a good kid and go back to sleep like Yubaba told you?"
"No! I wanna play!" That whimsical brat was getting on her nerves. Even so, she wouldn't care if all her limbs were broken, for the need to go to Haku and save was even greater, she had to hurry. Time to use her last resort. She thrust her bloody hand just before the brat's eyes.
"It's blood! Get it? Blood!" She made a scary face. The baby immediately began to cry and let her go to hide himself and put the cushions before them. Chidori quickly crawled backward to get out and ran in the room, her worried blue eyes spotting the white dragon at once. The heads were trying to push it into a pit.
"No! Haku!" She cried running to him and driving the heads away. "Haku! It's you, right? Haku, hang on! And you shut up!" And there was just so much authority in her voice that the heads fell quiet. "Haku!" But the she felt it, the menace from behind her, she turned slightly, raising her arm and striking on instinct, the weird bird with the old woman's head was sent rolling on the floor. The girl took Haku in her arms when the heads tried again to push him into the pit, the baby came, struggling in the hangings and breaking them. It walked on until it was standing before her with tears in its eyes.
"I'm not afraid of blood, I'll cry if you don't play." The human felt a little touch of pride seeing the baby standing, crying and yet still saying it wasn't afraid. She liked and respected courageous people. But now wasn't the time.
"Later, oki? Now I must save him first." She smiled before casting a worried glance at the dragon in her arms. But the toddler would not hear any of it and began to cry. The young girl begged him again to wait. But then a voice, almost exactly the same as Yubaba's was heard.
"What a racket, simmer down." A paper bird flew from the human's back to the baby's face. "You're a little butterball, aren't you?" The brat stopped crying, it flew to the ground and from this ground a witch, looking exactly like Yubaba appeared, though, as she said, she was still a little transparent. The baby thought she was his mother. "My, my, can't you even tell me from your own mother?" And she turned him into a fat but cute little mouse. "There, that gives you a little more freedom." Then she turned the bird into a fledgling and the three head into the baby. She turned toward Chidori with a somewhat wicked smile. "This is our little secret, you tell anyone and I'll rip your mouth out." The girl tensed, frowning. She was facing the old woman but her hands were resting on Haku's mane behind her.
"Who are you?" She asked in a firm tone.
"Yubaba's older twin sister. Thanks to you I've had a good look at this place, enjoyed myself. Now hand over that dragon."
"And just what are you going to do with him? If it's not to heal him, I won't let you lay even a nail on him!" She said vehemently.
"That dragon's a thief, my sister's lackey. Stole a precious seal from my house." The old woman was now just before her.
"Even if he did I wouldn't care, Haku's truly kind and most precious to me and I will protect him!"
"All dragons are kind. Kind and stupid. Eager to learn my sister's magical ways. This boy here will do anything that greedy woman wants. Now move away. It's too late for him anyway. The seal was protected by a charm, and any who tries to steal it must die." Chidori clenched her teeth, her fists tightened around the deep green mane.
"I won't move away!" She cried. "I won't move away." She whispered, " I won't move away, I will protect Haku, I will save him, even if I have to put my life on the line... because I love him!" Her resolve had never been so strong and the witch could see them in her eyes, her will of steel, like trying to cut through her and her decision to kill the boy, the burning flames of her love for him. She smiled inwardly, he had found a very good girl, he really had great taste, for a thief. An angel lost in the filth of this bathhouse.
But then the room began to shake again, advancing on all fours, the new baby was trying to chase and crush the mouse and fledgling who climbed on Chidori's back to take refuge on her right shoulder. The old woman tried to go and calm down the baby. At that moment, Haku woke up and with a slash of his tail, cut the paper bird, his head was still in the young girl's arms but lifted. Yubaba's sister also looked like she had been cut in two like paper, yet she was still smiling, saying she had been careless. She disappeared.
"Haku! No..."
And Haku fell in the pit and Chidori, still holding firmly onto him, fell with him, along with the mouse and the fledgling.