Chapter 14: Countdown

The two were awakened to the sudden din around them. Everyone's awake, they're noisy and rashly get dressed. Soon, they were directed to gather at the main floor. Lin and Chihiro, with their sleepy heads, were trying hard to adjust themselves among the crowds.

"Lin, what's- ghoooing oonn... here?" Chihiro asked, with a yawn in her sentence.

Lin yawned before she answered. "Dunno. But I heard Yubaba commanded us to gather here,"

Chihiro rubbed her eyes. "Why so sudden..." then she took a single look at the window. "Even the sun hasn't risen yet,"

"I think we better ask Yubaba herself," Lin replied. Then she spotted the old witch accompanied by Haku and Q, heading to the second floor. "There she is, let's go to her,"

Chihiro nodded her head. Then they made their way through the crowd, to the skirting of the room, and heading fast to the stairs to catch up on the witch and their friends.

"Yubaba...!" Lin called her while they stepped into the stairs.

Yubaba turned her head on them. "Ai- I mean, Lin! Come here,"

"What's with this sudden calling of all of us?" Lin aksed once they got to the second floor, and stood on the railing side of the mezzanine to have a clear view of the people.

"We'll see," Yubaba said simply. Then the five they lined up, Q and Lin were next to the witch, so Chihiro and Haku stood at the end of the line on each sides.

"Haku, what is happening?" Chihiro asked her dragon while she stole a glance to him far on the right side.

Haku glanced back at her and shook his head. "I don't know. Q woke me up before I found Yubaba was waking everybody up,"

Then they put their attention back to Yubaba as she cleared her throat before she spoke. "Listen up, everyone!" she said loudly.

Then the room which was clamorous instantly became silence and all focused on Yubaba.

"Thank you. Now, there is a reason why I want all of you in this room suddenly in the predawn," Yubaba started her speech. "You know I'm closing this bathhouse for a while due to the chaos Kayo made few days ago. And I'm telling you, that's just a beginning,"

Then Yubaba put a serious look on her face. "Because soon, there will be a war on this bathhouse,"

As soon as she finished her sentence, everyone started their uproar and panicking.

"Hey, don't kidding us!"

"You must be joking!"

"Liar!"

"It's not funny, you old witch!"

"Boo! Stop playing with us!"

Reacting to the crowd, Q stepped forward. "She's not lying!" he shouted. "She's telling you the truth!"

He caught their attention easily, all eyes were on him. "I believe you guys know who I am and what I'm doing. What Yubaba said is true. There will be a war in this bathhouse, I seen it with my own 'eyes' last night. Still thinking she's lying?"

"I don't believe you!" shouted a toad. "You're just a fortune-teller. Anything you said is only a probability. We want certainty, we cannot trust him!" the toad said fiery.

The other were ignited by the toad's words, they're getting clamant instantly. Q folded his arms and he looked angry. "You're right, Mr. Toad. I'm only a fortune-teller. You cannot trust me, neither I trust myself," he said furiously. "But we all know that better safe than sorry, and according to the chaos and damages happened yesterday, don't you think we'd better prepare?"

And everybody looked like they were thinking. Then an early fourties woman raised her hand. "But why a war? Who againsts us? And what did we do wrong?" she asked.

"Yeah, why a war? Why does all of this have to be happened?" the guy next to her added. "Yubaba! If you have any problem with your customers, then face it on your own! Don't bring us allong!"

"Hey, we haven't know who againsts us but it's NOT a customer," Q replied.

"We don't care who it will be. All we know is we work under Yubaba's command, so if we did something wrong, it's her fault! Don't make us to take her consequences!" said another spirit.

"And how about the children?" said a woman spirit who was carriying a newborn baby. "We've lived here for long enough, we have kids, you know! Now how about them!?"

Then again, everyone were ignited. The began to shout and yell, letting out their anger and frustration.

Yubaba took a deep breath. "Everyone, listen-"

But the crowd seemed to be even more louder and fiery. "Guys, I can explain-" Yubaba tried once again but it's useless.

Chihiro on the very left side hung her head. She felt guilty and she couldn't stand to watch everyone put blame on Yubaba, meanwhile she felt that the blame is on herself. "It's not her..." she whispered.

Haku noticed her and took a prevention. "Chihiro, don't do it," he said to her.

Chihiro mentally heard him, but she wouldn't listen. Then she took a step forward before she shouted, "IT'S NOT HER! IT'S ME!"

Then everyone looked at the brown haired short girl.

"It's not about Yubaba, it's about me! The blame is on me!" Chihiro said again.

Each person on the main floor looked both surprised and confused.

"Last night, Q read me and found that war forecast on me. So, yes, I'm going to say it to make it clear, I'm a threat to everyone here!" Chihiro said loudly.

Lin grabbed Chihiro's hand. "Chihiro, you don't have to say that,"

Chihiro looked to her right and found the other four looking at her in concerns. Then she looked away back to the crowd and she pulled her hand back.

"I was just a human who was accidentally stumbled in this spirit world. I was a punny little human who made a chaos here, interrupted your organized life with my stinky smell, and when I had to pay for my parents' greed I couldn't even work properly and became a burden instead of an aid,

Then again, I intentionally came back here to you guys. I was surprised to your warm welcome and I'm so glad and thankful that finally after years, I'm feeling home.

But, apparently, I still attract and bring problems to all of us here. So, hate me or like me, just please go on, blame me," Chihiro said full-length.

Meanwhile everybody was in silence, Haku moved and walked to her, grabbed her hand from behind. "Chihiro," he said.

Chihiro hadn't done yet, she let him there but she shook her head.

"I don't know if it's just me, or you too, but I feel like we are family. And so Yubaba. Yeah we know, even sometimes she could be mean and annoying, but in spite of that she's taking care of all of us. Don't you realize that we are lucky?

We are, because we have a place to live and to life. We got a job where we are, meet other person, to find a new friend, new family, happiness, even also love. And that's happening right here, in this bathhouse, that's not going to be happened if Yubaba didn't let us to work here and stay.

Now, back to where we were, about the war. I know that family shouldn't put one into danger or harm, I guess I'm not a good member here. I never wanted to hurt you guys, neither intentionally wanted to put you in danger. I would gladly leave this place, if it's the best for all of you, because whoever the enemy is, they're looking for me. And I just watched you guys threw all your frustration about this. I know you afraid, and so do I... I'm still thinking that I should leave, even our mistress and our fortune-teller won't let me," Chihiro stopped for a second, she wiped her tears that streamed over her words, then she took a deep breath. "So, I'm asking you guys, what do you say?"

Then everyone, still remained in silince, they thought again about her words. They started to whisper and talkted to each other. Some looked like regreting what they had said, some others nodded their heads.

"Okay, that's enough," Haku said to her.

Chihiro turned around to him. "Yeah. I'm done with my speech," she said without looking at him.

"Hey," Haku caressed her cheek, forcing her too look at him. "Everything will be okay,"

Chihiro simply nodded her head.

Then from the crowd, the foreman walked forward, stood and become a head of the crowd, he bowed before he spoke.

"Pardon us, Mam, Q, and Sen," he started. "We would like to ask for your apologies for us, for being rude, impolite, and ungrateful to you. Everything was just came out from our mouth only because we're too surprised and instantly got panic. What Sen said is true, we are familly, and familly should have take care each other and put none into danger. Therefore, we would like to say our greatest thanks and Sen, don't leave. Don't you dare to leave us here again, because sure we will help for the war,"

"Please," then everyone said it together while they bowed their bodies.

This made Yubaba smiled, the smile was like the brightest and the most sincere smile she ever made. Then she herself bowed to the crowd, much to everyone's surprise.

"Thanks a lot, guys. I really appreciate that," Yubaba said. Then she looked at Chihiro, and Chihiro nodded her head.

The girl bowed to the crowd too. "Thank you very much, all of you," she said with a smile on her lips. "If I may, I could hug all of you, one by one,"

Everyone in the room smiled and laughed lightly to Chihiro's words sounded like a little kid.

"Mam," the foreman spoke again. "What can we do to prepare for the war?" he asked.

"Well, I made a plan," Yubaba answered. Then she turned to her left. "Lin, it's time to reveal who you trully are,"

"Uhh... Is it necesarry?" Lin asked.

"It is, therefore everyone will respect and obey you,"

"Okay," then Lin took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Guys..." Lin started. "Due to the war, there is something I guess you need to know and it might helping us," she stopped to find the fit words. "The truth is, I... I am the daughter of the God of War! And I will lead you to prepare for the war!" she said it loudly. And suddenly her aura becaming different, intense and terrific.

With her words plus the new aura they'd never felt before from her, everyone seemed instantly believing, or more like being convinced.

"After all this time you've known me very well, now will you trust me for this?" she asked.

For a second they looked unsure, spoke and whispered with each other before finally said yes and nodded their heads.

"Lin, reveal your troops," Yubaba whispered to her.

Lin turned her head to her right. "No," she shook her head. "I can't do that,"

"You need them," Yubaba insisted.

"I don't want their memories back, they'll be hurt, like me," Lin stared Yubaba.

Yubaba gulped. "Don't worry. Just call them by their given names and train them, sure they will obey you and will be easily trained, but it won't turn their memories back. Trust me,"

Lin sighed. She had no idea how it would be. "Listen, war is not only about fighting. We have purposes in war, therefore whe should make a stand and strategy, which we'll discuss it later. Because this one is something squally, what we should prepare first is how to fight so all of us could defend and survive, at least for oneself," she stopped and looked at the wrought-up faces in front of her.

"Don't be panic. I have names that I'll train first, then they will help me train the others. I guess that will be easier to do," she said. "Now, any question?"

The foreman raised his hand. "Lin, we're all agree with you. But, you know, this is something we've never done before, does it take a long time for us untill we're prepared meanwhile we don't know how long do we have until the D-day?" he asked.

That's right. The other five at the mezzanine hadn't thought of this. "You're right. We almost forget about it," Yubaba said. "Q, how long do we have?"

Q on her right side, his hand grabbing the azure diamond on the handle of his hidden sword, he closed his eyes for a while. Once he opened them, he looked unsure and his face paled. "Two weeks," he said.

"Two weeks!?" Yubaba asked surprised.

"We have two weeks... Could be less," he said again, loudly, and everyone in the room heard him clearly.

Then everyone began to panic knowing how short two weeks are. Lin herself skipped a heartbeat and tried to calm herself. Chihiro felt her body shaking and she gripped her dragon's hand. Haku felt even more afraid, because he felt her anxiousness flowing inside him.

Lin took a deep breath for couple times before she could speak again. "Guys... calm down. Please. Calm. Down," she said. "Two weeks are enough," she said again once everyone calmed down. "Don't be scared, I know we can,"

Their faces still looked unsure. "Trust me, we can. I believe we can," she added.

Then their faces turned into a little assured, but more like surrendered for what's about to happen next.

Lin made a thin smile. "After this, I will call the ones I'll train first and then we will start to prepare. The rest of you will prepare other things with Yubaba and Q. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lin!" everyone answered together. Then Lin turned to her left to find her anxious sister.

"Hey," she called her. "It's time. Be strong,"

Chihiro took a deep breath and then nodded her head eagerly. Lin turned back to the crowd.

"Now, are you ready?"

Day 1

"Okay, let's see, how your body posture is..." Lin mumbled while she walked around her sister. "Now let me see your 'ready position'," she demanded.

Chihiro did as what her sister said, made Lin winced her eyes and forced a smile because it was far enough under her expectation. "How, are you going to defend yourself, and furthermore, fight back with that position?" Lin asked.

Chihiro gulped. "I'm sorry. All I know about fighting is what I've seen in movies,"

"Well, this is not a movie, Chihiro,"

Chihiro frowned. "Sorry,"

Lin shook her head. "I'm not going to teach you martial arts, only necessary things to make you survive, just take it as a flash course, okay?"

Chihiro nodded her head. "Okay,"

Lin took a deep breath. "Now, follow me,"

Day 2

Done with teaching Chihiro for the day, Lin took care of her troop. Yesterday, she let them to show what they got, spontaneously in bare hands. Turned out, they're still quite good on their abilities, Lin was only needed to trigger and be like a defibrillator to bring their skills out.

Now she's taking them to a room where Yubaba kept their old weapons. As she opened the storage, she was surprised to see what's inside. Beside hers and her troop's old weapons, there were also some weapons too. All the weapons collection Yubaba had. Well, even they're not much and complete, she didn't expect that a bathhouse could have a weapon storage like this.

"Grab your weapons, guys," Lin said to her troop.

Everybody looked confused and unsure which one to take, they didn't even know which one they can use.

Lin sighed. Even their skills were still good, they didn't get their memories back. No wonder if they couldn't remember their weapons.

"I mean, choose your weapons," Lin corrected. Somehow she knew this would work.

Then they moved, exploring the storage, magnifying everything inside, then started grabbing their chosen weapons.

"I think I'll use this," said one who took a sword.

"I choose this axe, looks cool," said the fat one.

"Hey, are you going to use that bow and arrow?" asked a woman.

"Uhm, no. I prefer those blades you're holding," the other one answered.

"Good, because I think archery suits me," the woman said again while she handed him the blades.

As expected, these guys took the same weapons they used to majoring in, this made Lin felt relief and she smiled. Then she herself took a dagger, her favorite weapons.

"Everyone ready with your weapons?" Lin asked. And they nodded. "Now one by one, try to use it to strike me," she ordered.

The trial went both smooth and fun. They enjoyed it as if they played a game. They cheered and laughed together, this made Lin reminiscing their good old days.

"Good job everyone! You guys are awesome! I'm always proud of you!" Lin cheered.

Everyone laughed happily, but the fat one noticed something odd with her words. "What do you mean with always?" he asked.

Lin snapped, she was unconsciously said that. "Uhh.. Yeah, you know..," she confused to find the fit words to lie. "We've lived here together for long enough, and I'm proud of everything you're doing here.. I mean, the way you work and serve the customers, or when we secretly talked and mocked Yubaba, and until this day the way you prepare for the war, you're the best and I'm so proud of you," she said. Well, Lin wasn't good at lying.

"Anyway, start from tomorrow, each of you will teach the others, bare hands first and then with weapons. Soon, you'll organize squads of each weapons you got," Lin said again to cover her twitchy mind.

"And how are we going to teach the other four hundreds and more, properly and simultaneously?" asked the skinny one.

"That would be up to all of you, how are you going to manage to teach four hundreds and more spirits together. I belive it's not a hard task to do for you. Or it is?" Lin responded.

"No, Lin!" they answered together.

"Good. Now do you have any question? If you don't, then I'll dismiss you," Lin said.

"Lin," called the woman.

"Yes?"

"Uhh, actually there's something we'd like to ask,"

"And that is?"

At first, the woman looked unsure but everyone nodded to her. And she finally said it. "Why... why do we feel like we've been doing this before? We mean, this situation.. preparing for war, fighting, and weapons... Why?"

Hearing their question, Lin felt like her heart dropped down to her belly. And she was sure her face looked pale at the moment. "Uh.. maybe because it's your potension... I mean, you're talented to fight," she answered.

"But it's more like something we used to do in our past," said the woman again.

Lin made a crisp laugh. "It must be because we are all carried in this war situation,"

"Lin, are you hiding something from us?" asked the fat one.

"Yeah, Lin, tell us the truth," said the other.

Lin bit her lip and shook her head. She could never forgive herself if her troop get their memories back and hurt. "No. Just forget it,"

"Lin, please," they begged.

Lin sighed and shook her head once again. "I'm sorry guys, it's better not to tell you,"

They couldn't insist her like they used to, because now was different, Lin now was someone they put respect on. Lin put a thin smile knowing they wouldn't insist her furthermore. "If I were you, I won't ever let myself to know," she added.

Her troop looked disappointed but then they just shrugged it off.

"Alright, guys. Please go back to your room, and have a nice rest," Lin dismissed.

Day 3

Haku woke up with his heart rumbling. Yesterday Chihiro told him that she felt her body hurt through these past two days. It could be because she wasn't used to move her body to something like fighting and defending. But still, he worried about her.

Even worse for today. Last night he didn't get a nice sleep, for his heart kept feeling something he never felt before. It all refered to Chihiro, that this morning he felt something different from her.

He saw her sat with Lin, having their breakfast. He himself lost his appetite, he was too focused on what's wrong with him or Chihiro, or both of them. Only a cup of black tea on his hand, and he sat far away from those girls.

He kept looking at her. Magnifying and scanning. With his steely eyes, all of her physical condition was good but her aura was different. Then he sniffed and he found something he had been scared of.

Chihiro noticed that Haku kept his eyes on her. At first, she pretended like she didn't, but she couldn't stay like that.

"Haku, why are you keep looking at me? Is something wrong?" she started.

Haku heard her, but he wouldn't answer. He wouldn't dare to tell her something that he was still unsure. And she knew it, she knew he wouldn't talk.

"Are you okay?" she asked again, this time she stared at him.

And Haku shook his head.

"What's wrong? Are you sick?" she asked getting woried.

That should be his question. Still no words, he looked down.

"Haku are you mad at me?"

Haku shook his head again.

"Then talk to me!" she said getting impatient.

Ou-oh. She snapped him. Why... it seemed like she's so scarry at the moment. However, Haku encouraged himself to look at her. And then he looked to Lin on her right.

"Ookaaaay, now why is your dragon staring at me?" Lin asked.

Chihiro turned to her. She didn't realize that Lin had been watching them, doing their secret mind to mind conversation, and now Lin's confused.

"Lin, I didn't know you were watching us," Chihiro said.

Lin rolled her eyes. "Whatever. What's up with him?"

"Uhh, I think he wants to talk to me about something, but he doesn't want you to-"

"Oukaaay, I get it. You guys need privacy," Lin said. "Fine. I'll just go and get us some drink. Take your time,"

Chihiro smiled. "Thanks, Lin,"

Lin shrugged. "Why he doesn't just come here and say it on his own," she mumbled while turned away and left.

Then Haku walked to her and sat in front of her.

"Chihiro," he said.

"Haku, what's wrong?" she asked again.

"A- are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good,"

"Are you sure? You feeling well?" he asked again while he grasped her hand.

"I'm feeling well. Haku, what is it?" Chihiro asked in curious.

"Don't you feel it? You're different," he said it with a weird face.

Chihiro raised her eyebrow. "What? What do you mean?"

"You are a human today," Haku said cautiously.

Chihiro blinked her eyes while she skipped a heartbeat. "I- i am? B- but I'm feeling just the same... How could you tell?"

Haku sighed. "Your aura is different now and your body scent is stronger than usual,"

Chihiro clamed up. She didn't know what to say. She never expected that she'll turn back into human at this mean time. Did it mean that something bad will happen? Or would her soul being magnetized with this spirit world again?

"Chihiro... I think you better off your training with Lin for now," Haku said.

"Off my training for the war that will come less than two weeks from now? Noway," Chihiro said and she shook her head.

"Please, Chihiro. At least until you turn back into spirit again," Haku begged.

"We don't know how long it will be. And I can't just sit down and do nothing, while whoever it is, maybe planning the right way to kill me, right now!" she cried in terrified.

Haku gripped her hand so she wouldn't pull it away. "But I'm worried about you! How if something bad happens?" he said in a higher tone.

"It already is and still happening," Chihiro said.

Now Haku clamed up. He pulled her closer and hugged her. "Just... please listen to me," he said.

"No," and she pushed him away. "I'm already scared enough, Haku. Don't you try to terrify me!" she shouted.

Seemed like they forgot that they were not the only people in the room, Chihiro's voice attracted everyone's eyes to them.

"Chihiro..." he said quietly after he froze for a second.

It was a bad timming that Lin came at the moment. What she got to sight was the couple looked mad and only stared each other.

"Guys...? Did I come in the wrong time? Or... have you done...?" Lin asked carefully.

They turned to her and still not saying any words.

"I'm sorry," Chihiro said to her dragon before she grabbed Lin's arm and they left.

Haku was left alone, stood in silence and confused with what had just happened. Chihiro was only terrified, she wouldn't mean to shout on her dragon. Or would she?

I guess she would! She's a lady! HAAHHAA

HELLAAAWWW GUYSSS! uhh hi.-. finally I updated. yeah. I'm so so sooo sooooorryyyy I took sooooo loooongg for this one. And I'm going to let you know why. So, after I finished all of my tests, I was dealing with school graduation and things. And then holiday came, I joined a hostel for 10 days and there was no communication devices allowed (I guess we all know about it). From the hostel, my parents picked me and took me on a trip. A looong trip from town to town, met our family and relatives (It's been a tradition) and there's no place like home where I could have WIFI so I can access this site to post this chapter (yeah, needs wifi because it's written "your connection is not private" without it). Untill I got back home, and I was soooo tired. Then I had to wait for my college announcement, which it made me nervous and I CAN NOT write properly. Sorry to make you wait soo long :(

But don't worry! The announcement's out and THANK GOD I'm in! I pass the test and I can't believe that now I'm a Medical Faculty student. I'm so grateful :')

With that I can continue writing this chapter and now is updated! Yeay!

Thank you for all of your support, guys. I wish I could see you and say it properly. But how?

Anyway, what do you think about this one? Or what will be on the next part? Share with me what's on your mind, write it on the review! Love u XOXO