CHAPTER XI

-the town on mischief-

The train left with a roaming sound, leaving the two facing the entrance of a strange town. It seemed as if the whole town was surrounded with a high wall made of stones, leaving only a wide iron door in front of them. Chihiro tried to get in, but the door wouldn't budge. Then, as soon as Kohaku touched the handle, they heard a clicking sound from the other side. He pushed the handle down, and the huge door finally moved.

As they moved further into the strange town, they realized that it was inhabited only by Spirits who had gathered from different places of the country. As they walked, Chihiro unconsciously remembered the first time she had gone into the Spirit World, and was relieved to see that her limbs were solid. After a while of wandering, they reached some sort of market, and started looking around for something that would scream out Yubaba's presence.

"Young man!" they heard a thin squeaky voice.

Looking down, Chihiro and Kohaku saw a very short man, reaching just above their waists, with a turban on his head, giving out the illusion of some height.

"My master has sent me to fetch you, sir, and of course young lady..." he smirked at Chihiro "...my name is Luigi."

Then he signaled to follow him, and without another word they started making way through the crowd, careful not to lose Luigi from their sight.

"I should have known..." chuckled Kohaku.

When they reached a street less crowded, Luigi took a quick turn into an alley, and then everything seemed quiet and sounds were distant.

"You see, my master is the only one capable of doing this kind of spells, hiding her presence so well among other wizards and witches. In this town, there is only mischief, and everyone tries to feed themselves off the weak. So, have your eyes open and- Oh! Here we are."

They stopped in front of a huge building with walls made of large boulders, it looked like a castle and was totally unmatched with the rest of the area, surrounded by small poor-looking houses.

"In everyone else's eyes, this building looks like and ordinary shack" Luigi smiled behind his shoulder, as if there was nothing else in the whole world that made him more proud. He then unlocked the wooden double door and guided the two inside.

They were looking ahead at the long hall, with stone walls always and some oil lamps positioned here and there. There was no proper lightning, so the place gave off the feeling of a dungeon, with all those shadows cast by random items on the walls. Luigi took them upstairs where they met a new set of identical doors and turns. Chihiro wondered how he didn't get lost. Finally he paused his brisk walking some steps before a door on their right, and nodded back at them to get in.

Chihiro hesitated for a bit, but Kohaku pulled her hand gently and took a step forward.

Yubaba's office was no different than before. In fact, it was identical to the one she owned in the Bath House, not a single pillow missing, even the windows and the door to Baby's room seemed to be in the same position. Chihiro stood between the fireplace and Yubaba's desk, and once again, she became the ten year old girl stepping into another world.

"Well, well...I thought I'd never see you again, little girl. But I was certain I would never see you again, dragon boy" Yubaba gave them a scornful look as a cloud of smoke escaped her huge nostrils.

"We are here because we need your help, Yubaba" said Kohaku.

"That, I assumed" she smiled and got up from her chair "I'm surprised that you got as far as becoming a human yourself, but I guess I should leave that talk for another time..." she then nailed her eyes on Chihiro.

"Chihiro was it? So, how can I humbly offer my help?"

"Any kind of advice or information would do" she responded "but, in fact, what we want is to restore the Bath House and bring back the Spirit World."

Yubaba tilted her head back and burst out into a loud laughter.

"You? A mere human save the Spirit World? MY Bath House?" she panted "What can you possibly do to correct you own race's idiocy?"

Chihiro remained silent, although she wanted to say that a mere human had broken her contract some years back.

"The Spirit World is not gone, the only difference is that the Gods are no longer on our side..." Yubaba mumbled "So things have just gotten hard. We are going to survive, there is no need for your help."

"But I want to help!" Chihiro said back "I can't stand aside and live on not knowing what might happen! I want things the way they were before, please, anything you know may help us!"

Yubaba looked back at her with a fiery look in her eyes, indicating the coming of a furious outburst.

"Stubborn and selfish as always! Have you got no idea of what might happen to you if you involve yourself with the Gods? Foolish little human..." she sighed. But as she turned around, she saw Baby staring at her.

They were all so absorbed, that no one noticed that he had gotten into the room.

"Baba, if you don't help her, I'm going to cry..." he said and started making a bad face...

"Baby, ooh no don't cry..." Yubaba ran to him as he started making small crying sounds.

"You...y-you have to help her if she asks you to..." he said between his sobs as Yubaba tried her best to comfort him.

"No, don't cry my Baby! Here...here, I'll help her, all right...Now, now..." she murmured and took Baby back in his chamber, while Kohaku and Chihiro shot each other a victorious smile.