Aftermath (Five years later…)
A fanfic about Spirited Away
Written by: ZimXGir
Chapter Nine: In Which the Bath's Run Dry
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Spirited Away although I do own Pernaki and Yuiki
A/N: Well its official…I love you guys! starry eyed I'm glad you all like this fic! SO much that you have put up with me enough to stay with me through all of the "me-dieingness-of-doooooomness". -- You shall all love to know that I have FINALLY gotten a computer that works and I can finally update all the chapters that I have written in my away ness. grin Well I'd better get this a/n done with so I don't get hit with an evil muffin! Ha-ha
Chapter 9: In Which the Bath's Run Dry
The sun was teasing the horizon as it went down.
The lamps were beginning to be lit as Kamaji made his way back over the river as it grew into a lake.
"Just in time" he muttered as his form went back to normal as he hurried to the bridge the making his way down to the boiler room. In his hand a small wooden box with a single Japanese character on the top in faded silver ink on a dark brown furnished wood:
"CLOUDS"
…
Chiro yawned and stretched as she woke and observed her surroundings remembering what had gone on in the pig pen and at the bridge with Haku.
She blushed as she got out of bed and went to the mirror to look herself over.
'Wow I'm surprised that I had fooled Yubaba last night. I was sure she'd see right through me!' Chiro thought.
'She almost did! Remember?' said the little voice in the back of her head.
'Yeah…but then that chair appeared out of nowhere and-'
"Madam Spirit of the Clouds."
Chiro turned and saw Yubaba at her door. "Yubaba….what is it?" She was a little uneasy for Chiro knew that Yubaba NEVER went to wake a guest! EVER!
Yubaba bowed which made Chiro snicker inside.
"Madam Spirit o-"
"Call me Chiro" she said as she smiled.
"-Madam Chiro-sama… uh, my boiler man, Kamaji, has gone and found your special herbs. But we can not find your special bath token. I don't suspect that you mind…" Yubaba then cut herself short.
"I think I understand" said Chiro. "You would like me to conjure one up. Is that right?"
Yubaba just looked off a little ashamed.
Chiro giggled at Yubaba's reaction. But then without understanding her own actions, Chiro waved her hand and a little baby blue tag appeared with little white clouds that looked worn on it and in the middle was a deep dark purple crescent moon.
"There" Chiro said as she handed the tag to Yubaba. Both of them looking a little surprised at the tags appearance.
Apologetically Chiro said "I apologize for the color…I know your other bathing tags are red-"
"O-oh it is alright, Madam Chiro-sama" Yubaba said quickly. "I shall let Kamaji have this-"
"May I take it to him?" Chiro burst out then took a step back and blushed as her hand went to her lower lip. "I apologize…you see…Yubaba…I'm a bit curious about this boiler man; they say his herbal knowledge is great and his herbs are magical and special!"
Yubaba looked a little-no A LOT surprised, but said it was alright and that Haku would show her the way.
Chiro slightly bowed a 'thank you' as she took the bath token ands followed Yubaba out of her guest room and down to the bath house entrance where they found Haku talking to a female servant.
"Haku!" Yubaba called in an orderly voice.
Both Haku and the servant bowed low seeing Yubaba and Chiro coming their way.
As they rose Haku muttered something that sounded like "get back to work."
The servant bowed and left quickly dodging guests and other servants as she went.
"Yes Yubaba?" Haku asked looking from Yubaba to Chiro then back again.
"I want you to show Madam Chiro-sama to Kamaji's boiler room. She wishes to speak with him."
Haku nodded and then Yubaba left them to have a talk with the Forman.
"So…" Chiro started a little uneven.
"Uh- follow me please" Haku said quickly as he blushed and turned to go to the elevator but was caught by Chiro's hand, he turned to face her still a slight pink.
"Show me the way your Chihiro…or is it Sen? The way she went." She said as she noticed a few frog servants looking her way, eyeing her.
Haku nodded and made his way through the newly formed crowd to the outside garden. Opening the little white fence door, he held it opened for her then went through himself after her.
They did not speak all the way down the steps.
When they got to the boiler rooms door Chiro said "You can't stop worrying about her can you?"
Instead of looking surprised Haku just lowered his head and looked away.
"You needent worry! She's fine! Better the fine, she's great!" she said trying to raise his hopes. But failing as a look of hurt rose to the surface of Haku's face.
Hurt from not being there when Chihiro needed him the most. Hurt from never telling her about Yuiki. Hurt from the fact that he had broken his promise of meeting her again. Hurting because he never got the chance to tell Chihiro that he did...does…lo-
"Master Haku!"
Haku's train of thought was broken by Kamaji's, voice as he walked down the last few steps.
Now noticing Chihiro 'the cloud spirit' Kamaji said with a grin "Ah! And Se-"Haku looked up quickly at Kamaji as Chihiro looked at Kamaji with a panicked look upon her face.
"I-I m-mean Madam Spirit of the Clouds!"
Haku looked from Kamaji to Chihiro the back again. "What…who did you think Madam Chiro was?"
Kamaji shifted his weight as he thought.
"I thought she was Sen" which was true since Chiro IS Sen…but, of coarse, Haku couldn't know so 'Chiro' stepped in.
"I am flattered Master Kamaji!"
Both Kamaji and Haku looked at her with shock, as if they had completely forgotten that she was standing there.
"I-I have heard of this Sen. And I am very astonished that you would mistake me with such a brave, lovely girl. Me, a dusty old spirit that was stupid enough to get locked away in a human's body until they were reincarnated. But even then I was-"'Chiro' blinked and looked at the other two's faces.
Blushing she said "Sorry…what I mean to say was 'I am pleased to know that you mistook me for Sen." Chiro blushed a little deeper and lowered her head out of embarrassment by the fact that she got to INTO her role as Spirit of the Clouds.
'Idiot! Now Haku will KNOW that you're Sen NOT Chiro! I mean SERIOUSLY! Even your "name" gives it away; Chihiro-Chiro! Their basically the same thing!' The voice in the back of her head yelled at her.
Haku looked at her as if he was figuring something out. Shook his head and said "No I don't see it. She looks nothing like Sen."
The voice in Chihiro head just HAD to say 'ohh we have a genius on our hands here!'
'Oh, do shut up! No, one cares about you and your mouth! Please you're very irritating!'
'And who exactly are YOU?' the voice asked.
'No one, that needs to make an appearance…just yet. We shall meet again!'
"Madam?" Haku said seeing the confused look on her face. Chiro looked up at Haku then rested her hand on her temple and gazed down.
'What the fuck?' the voice in the back of Chiro's head said irritatedly.
"Madam?" Kamaji asked with concern.
"Uh-"Chiro answered.
'W-who are you?' Chiro thought a little scared.
'Some bitchy voice…but don't worry…Hey! Your beloved is trying to get your attention.' Answered the voice that, whether wanted to or not, had to put its two cents in.
Chiro looked up wondering about the new voice. "I am sorry…I was just wondering something." She said a little shaky.
Kamaji looked worried and stepped forward, but then looked away and opened the boiler room door and held it open.
Silently as if they were told…Haku and Chiro walked into the boiler room with Kamaji behind them.
…
The door to Chiro's room opened and the light flooded in, in the fat beam was an outline of a person.
"She's up already I see. To bad…I wanted to speck with her."
The door closed as a little smirk appeared on the persons face.
A/N (part two): Well sorry guys that that was the shortest chapter so far. I just thought that that was a GREAT cliffy to leave you with! -- Here's a bit-o-history for you all…
I was terrified to put this on cuz I had a bad experience with a DBZ fanfic once…¬¬; I don't want to talk about it! But I guess you don't care about that! ; I'm glad I did finally suck up enough courage to post this. Cuz you see one day I hope to become an author.-.- But the only question is….is it my destiny? Sorry I have KH on the brain! Insert fan-girlly squealing here KH2 COMES OUT NEXT TUESDAY! Insert fan-girlly squealing here…again. BAI! waves
