Author's Note: Chapter 6, sorry about the cliffhangers just I thought they would be good stopping points for chapters hehe.
Chihiro flinched and backed off towards the fireplace. The same spot to where Yubaba first confronted her. 'Why wasn't I?'
'Cause I told you too.' He said the anger still in his voice.
Chihiro stared at the young man in front of her. He had definitely matured and his voice had deepened. The scrawny body was now replaced with a fine athletic build. The expression on his face seemed more sombre and his stood there with importance.
'Haku?' she whispered tears falling from her eyes. He was true, he existed. He looked up his hard look softening, not quite sure what to do next.
'I told you not to turn back.' He sighed turning around to his desk. 'Now you have to face the trials.'
'The what?'
'The trials, to stand in front of the Judges and answer their questions.'
'What are the questions like?' Chihiro asked shuffling closer. He waved his hand and a chair from behind Chihiro took place in front of his desk.
'Please, sit down.'
She seated herself.
'No one knows. It's something you can't prepare yourself with.'
Chihiro smiled slightly when their eyes met, but he quickly looked away.
'The answers you give decide whether you can stay or you have to go.' He continued leaning back in his chair.
'Why can't I go now?' Chihiro asked innocently.
'Because you looked back. Coming back to this place is considered looking back.'
'What? You never told me. You never came to me!' she cried her voice raising.
'It was because I couldn't.' He replied heatedly banging the table with his fist.
'The reason why you could go is because you passed the test. But after letting you go you had to forget about this place otherwise you could have destroyed the Spirit World if you told anyone.'
'How would I destroy it? And besides you knew I wouldn't do anything like that if you told me not to.' Chihiro retorted.
'Imagine you did tell someone and they told someone and on and on the chain goes. This place will be swarming with people and the Gods won't come here and we would be ruined.' Haku explained. 'At the time I thought it was ridicules but now it makes sense.'
Chihiro just stared in horror.
'That's why I never found you.' Haku said quietly sitting back down. 'They believed that I would have been a reminder to this place and that wasn't acceptable. So I stayed.'
'I always thought of you.' She whispered.
'At first you might have, but after the years you doubted it and that is what they wanted to happen.' Chihiro couldn't believe that this was happening. She just wanted to see if this place still existed and see if Haku was here. She didn't want this trouble. 'So, when do I meet these Judges?'
'When the time comes and no one knows when that is.'
'Would Aya have to face them too?'
'No, this is her first time and she was brought her by you.' He answered. 'She didn't look back.'
'Why do I have to stay this time though?'
'You are now considered a threat. Coming back here now is obvious that you haven't completely forgotten this place and so are a risk to our existence.'
'How would they decide if I could go home?'
'No one is sure.'
Chihiro's mind was spinning wildly out of control. Here she is again 9 years down the line and she was back to where she started. This time not her parents but the risk of her friend.