A week later...
Haku's POV:
As I finished another patrol around the bathhouse that painful shot of guilt consumed my attention again. Chihiro, I don't know how long it as been in the human world but I'm sure it's been more than 60 years. Chihiro would be old and frail by now and may not even remember the spirit world.
My heart ached and felt meaningless whenever this topic came up. I just wish I'd gone to visit her, just once. But Yubaba had cast yet another spell on me to keep me from remembering my name. It felt as if it was constantly on the tip of my tongue but I never got further then that feeling. I landed on the balcony of the bathhouse, as a walked into the office Boh was sat on the chair, eating what looked to be a large box of chocolates.
"Haku" Yubaba said. I turned to face her sitting at her desk, writing on documents and contracts. "Za-aruji will be here in any day now to make the weekly delivery, keep an eye out for him, word is he has a new assistant"
"Assistant? I thought Za-aruji wasn't the person to accept help" I said, keeping the conversation flowing. I don't know why I'm so curious.
"He's getting old and his powers are fading" She smiled to herself "If I'm lucky I may benefit from the old man's death"
"I'll be sure to keep an eye out..." I said as I decided to make my way downstairs. Where the real people were...
As I travelled down in the elevator, I realised how much everything had changed in the time that had passed since Chihiro had gone. Even some of the spirits had aged slightly. But once a spirit reaches maturity, it's immortality from then on. Even so Boh had aged, once a large baby was now a large 10-year-old. Even I had aged to my early twenties but I had a feeling this is a far as I get.

I reached the baths and as I opened the door almost immediately the frogs were in my face.
"Master Haku, we've run out of most our herbal formulas" One panicked. "Most of the guests are just bathing in water alone"
"The lord will be here with deliveries any day now" I shouted "If we're lucky he's going to show up today just keep an eye out" The frogs' panicked faces looked slightly eased but I could tell where the tension was coming from. Some of the guests were leaving, complaints were being made. In Yubaba's terms this was loosing a lot of money.
I continued my journey down into the boiler room. Kamaji was one of the few people in this place that you could have a real conversation with.
As I arrived in the boiler room, that familiar scent of soot and herbs was comforting. It reminded me of when I woke up after Chihiro saved me.
"Hello Kamaji" I said as I walked in, the soot spirits were hard at work but cheered a little when I came in.
"Ah Haku, I would have thought you'd be busy with all the panic upstairs" He said smiling under his large mustache. He looked down a me, ready for conversation as he took a sip from his teapot.
"That's what I came to you to talk about, I'm troubled by Yubaba" I looked at the blazing furnace. "I have a feeling she's going to try something to get Za-aruji's power"
"Za-aruji will be fine, he's a powerful warlock and he only stops by for a short time" Kamaji said as he pulled a lever. He was trying to comfort me but I knew his worry for Za-aruji's welfare was a deep as mine.
"Haku" Kamaji and I looked over to see Lin in the passage way. "The lord's arrived" Oh no. This is too soon, I should have found out what Yubaba is planning. I gave Kamaji a look of thanks as I took off into a run after Lin.
"Thankyou Lin" I shouted from behind her.
"Well you owe me one Haku"

When we got upstairs, the frogs were lining the balconies to see the main entrance. The lord's entrances were legendary, he was quite excentric.
"Here he comes" Someone shouted, as I noticed Yubaba came to my side.
Suddenly a dragon burst through the entrance, The lord clinging to it's fur. The crowds in the bath house burst in cheers and applause.
"Yubaba, I heard from a little bird that you've run out of herbs. So I came early" Za-aruji shouted as he climbed off the dragon. Yubaba then jumped down of the balcony, gracefully landing in front of the lord. I decided to keep my distance and watch from the balcony.
"Yubaba, looking youthful and lovely as ever" The lord cheered at Yubaba. As he brought her into a hug. He was a little smaller than Yubaba but he still managed to make her face red with one of his infamous hugs. She pushed him off.
"Well Za-aruji, have you got my deliveries or not?" She smiled falsely, she wasn't happy. This made me like Za-aruji even more. Lin whispered something a me but I didn't hear.
"Of course my dear" He turned to the dragon who held a small bag in its mouth. "Here we are, 200 tonnes of mixed herb" He said dropping it into her hands.
"Excellent" Yubaba smiled but then her eyes focused on the dragon. Everyone's eyes seemed to be locked on this unfamiliar creature. The dragon was very much like my true form. It was a water spirit. It had faint blue scales, like the sky of the clearest of days and aqua blue fur bursting from around its body.
"Ah this is my new assistant, Suradansu" He smiled at the dragon "It's alright my dear"
The crowd gasped as the dragon's form blossomed into a beautiful woman. She was about my age, though much shorter. She had long aqua coloured hair that flowed down to her waist. She looked nervous, she wasn't as dignified as other water spirits I knew.
"Hello" She said as she bowed to Yubaba. She scanned the crowd. I heard the frogs around me fighting for attention.
"Oh is she looking at me"
"Man, is she beautiful"
I rolled my eyes off them and looked at the dragon one last time. Her eyes met mine. They were like looking into autumn, as comforting chesnut brown.
I walked back into the corridors of the bathouse. She could never replace Chihiro.