Hey readers! Sorry I'm so late with updating, I've been kind of all over the place this past month. Lots of stress. Going to college and all haha=] but I'll try to update as fast as I possibly can. Thank you for all of the nice reviews, I really appreciate it=D anyways, enjoy
Chapter two: the choice
By: MzMisery
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story.
Recap:
Before I could think of what I would hit the thing with, I realized who it was. There he stood, a black vertical mass with a white mask that resembled a mimes face. Next to him stood the foot lamp I had seen once before. So that's what the squeaking had come from. I removed the hand from my mouth and furrowed my eyebrows.
"NoFace?" I asked confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Eh...Eh." NoFace said, holding an envelope out to me, urging me to take it. I took it, quietly beckoning for him to come in. I closed the kitchen double doors, not wanting my parents to hear anything.
I pulled out a chair for NoFace, slowly opening the the envelope. As expected, it wasn't an ordinary letter. Instead of a piece of paper, a sliver of smoke slithered out. It coiled a couple of feet away from me, then began to expand, taking on a human shape.
"Hello, Chihiro." The shadow said, starting to gain some pigment. I knew that voice. It could have been two different people, but because it was such a kind voice, I instantly knew who it was. "Zeniba?"
" Ahh." Zeniba sighed, finally taking on a solid form. "You remember me. Good." She wore the same billowing blue dress, hair in a bun and multiple rings like her twin, Yubaba, from the last time I had seen them..
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Zeniba sighed again, this time tiredly. Zaniba waved her hand, increasing the glow on the foot lamp. With the twist of her finger, she had a teapot filled with water and set on the stove top. I glanced quickly at the closed door, wondering if my parents could hear. As if Zeniba could read my mind, she said, "Don't worry. I put a silencing spell on this room, they won't be able to hear a thing." I relaxed, sitting back, waiting for her to explain why she was here.
"The spirit world." Zeniba explained slowly. " Is in grave danger, Chihiro."
"What are you talking about? What danger?" I gripped the sides of the stool until my knuckles turned white.
Zeniba took a deep breath, slumping when she exhaled. "Haku."
"What about Haku?" I asked quickly. I immediately thought the worst. Was he dead? Please, please let him not be dead.
"He is not who you think he is. The day you left, he did not quit his job as Yubaba's apprentice." I stared at Zeniba in disbelief. I didn't understand, why hadn't he quit? She continued. " Not only has he stayed by Yubaba's side, but she has been giving Haku orders to pillage nearby villages and destroy them if anyone retaliates."
I shook my head, this couldn't be right. Haku would never..." Why is she asking him to do that? Why is he listening?" Zeniba looked sadly at me. "As I said before, he is not who you believe him to be. He has always been the cold, bloodthirsty demon that you associated yourself in the spirit world. The few glimpses of raw animalistic moments you encountered were the real Haku. Truly, I thought he had changed when he arrived at my home to bring you back to the Bathhouse for Yubaba's test. I regret that mistake."
"How long has this been going on?" I asked, panicking. Zeniba shuddered, whispering. " One full spirit year. Which is the equivalent of to seven human years."(1) I blanched.
"This has been going on since I left?" I asked, incredulous. The thought of what the spirit world must look like by now made me flinch. "Why didn't you come sooner?" I whispered. I understood why she was here now.
Zeniba laughed bitterly. " There are many rules in the spirit world. One rule is that spirits may only visit the human world once every spirit year. Humans would become too receptive to spirits if we were to stay longer than permitted. To stop rogue spirits from being tempted is to put up a barrier between the human world and the spirit world."
I was confused. "I thought you were all ghosts?"
Zeniba laughed again, amused this time. "Dear Chihiro, we are very different from ghosts. Ghosts were once attached to human bodies, that is why they stay in the human world. Spirits were never humans, we are supernatural manifestations created from the world around us. Spirits can access the the human world, but neither ghost nor human have ever been able to breech the spirit world. And even if a human or ghost did happen to find a way, a ghost would never be able to relay what they saw because thy can not speak and once a human leaves the spirit world, their memories would be erased." She chuckled, looking at me knowingly. "That is, until you changed that. It only proves that I was right."
"Right?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say.
"Chihiro Ogino, the first human to open the gate to the spirit world, I believe you are now the same person who can save it."
"What do you need me to do?" I asked. "Name it."
Zeniba looked at me straight in the eyes, holding out her hand. "You must come with me back to the spirit world, tonight. I do not know what Yubaba is planning but it may end up destroying both the human and spirit world. You may be our only chance at stopping her. You have done it before, a second time does not seem impossible anymore."
I looked at her hand for only a second before grabbing it. Standing straight with my head held high, I said in a voice filled with determination.
"Let's go."
Kinda sloppy. I rushed a little. Hope you still enjoy it though=]