The women all watched as Chihiro and her dragon argued. She insisted on staying, he insisted that he had to go. Neither one would give an inch, not even when Chihiro begged for a day, an hour, a few minutes to speak with Kamajii and maybe he could send a message to Zeniba of her presence. It was too dangerous, he countered. If Yubaba even got a hint that Chihiro was there, she would attack the bathhouse with everything she had.
"But why the bathhouse, she loved this place."
"Not enough. The sisters own this house together. When Zeniba refused to let Yubaba do what she wished, Yubaba left. Anything to her is better than staying with Zeniba." Haku said sadly. "Well almost anything."
"Why don't you want me to stay?" Chihiro asked suddenly.
"It's not safe for you here."
"So you keep saying, but I'm a big girl, and I can lie low. I can stay up here."
"Chihiro...you were spotted passed out on the bridge with your friends hysterical. Any of the workers could be allies of Yubaba."
"You let that hags allies work here?" Linnette asked sounding horrified.
"We must give a job to anybody who asks for it. Unless they prove themselves to be unruly, they are can work here." Rin said sounding stern but kind. "It was the oath Yubaba and Zeniba made when the house was opened."
"So it's not safe for you to be here." Haku said again to Chihiro. "She could already know."
Chihiro was silent for a long moment. "If I refuse to leave. You'll have to protect me...us. You'll be putting yourselves in danger..." Chihiro whispered, then looked out of the window. "The sun is almost set."
"We have to go now." Haku said in a hollow voice.
He hated this. Hated that he had to turn her away when she just returned to him. Curse Yubaba and her war. Curse this whole existence. He would give anything to return with Chihiro, but he knew that was impossible. He had to be here to help command Zeniba's army. He had to stop this war before it started bleeding into the human world. As much as he wanted to believe that Chihiro was their great savior, looking at her now, he knew he could never send her into battle. He could never put her at the mercy of Yubaba, the savior would face the witch one-on-one.
He transformed, and the three humans climbed on his back. Flying out of the window, he made it to the gap between the worlds in record time. The girls climbed down and Linnette and Rina walked off a few feet to give Chihiro and Haku some time to say goodbye.
"This isn't fair." Chihiro said kicking at a pebble on the ground, tears welled up in her eyes. "I just found my way back. Who knows when the gate will reopen on my side."
"We'll meet again." He told her.
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now go." he gave her a gentle push towards the steps. "Don't look back."
The three started down the path. Chihiro kept telling herself not to look back. Not to let herself turn around to see him one last time. She kept watching and reached the gate when she heard a sound that made her blood run cold and her heart stop.
"Well well well, the little human lured the dragon out in the open." Yubaba's voice cut through the air.
She heard Haku's dragon roar over the sounds of her friend's screams. The barrier wasn't letting them through. Chihiro ran towards it, and was shoved backwards onto her back. She turned around just in time to see the giant witch hurl a spell at her. Her scalped burned. Chihiro cried out in pain and tried to yank on the hair tie holding her ponytail in place, but it was too hot. A roar and a scream were the last things she heard before she passed out.