Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ Courage of the spirit ❯ and into the fire ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Velf

Sorry I have not updated in so long, her you all go.

Disclaimer-I don't so don't.

And into the fire

After negotiating the many lifts with the help of the Yu-bird, Chihiro came once again to the hallway at the top of the bath house.

"I see Yubaba's tastes have not improved in my absence," she mumbled looking at the huge ornate doors. She took a deep breath and walked towards the doors. The ugly little door knocker glared at her. Chihiro grinned and took great delight in grabbing the knocker and slamming it down hard three times.

"Ooof!" Said the door knocker, but seemed too dazed to make further comment. The doors swung open and the lamps lit the way. Chihiro still hesitated.

"Get a move on!" Snapped the old cracked voice that still made her shudder. Not wanting to be pulled into her office Chihiro marched forwards and the Yu-bird flew off her shoulder.

As she walked through the gaudy rooms she tried to think.

"I will not be intimidated by her," she thought to herself. "She is afraid of Haku, maybe I can use that. Also her baby and her sister like me, or did. I have to find out what she has done with Linca and to do that I can't be turned into a pig."

With that she straightened her back and raised her chin.

"I'm a great actress, I've had to be, she will never know I'm terrified of her." She walked into the study. If anything it was even more tastelessly decorated than she remembered with more clashing colours, more silks, satins and leathers. The combination made her head spin a bit. Yubaba was writing, the green heads bounded over to her and attempted to trip her up. She kicked out viciously at them, her foot not actually hitting them but the show of bravado sent them scattering.

She looked up, Yubaba's large over made up face was watching her, eyebrows raised.

"It's show time," she muttered. "Yubaba!" she cried in a happy voice. "How nice to see you again!" Chihiro sat opposite Yubaba in a red leather chair in front of the witch's desk. She was perfectly aware she had not been invited to do so. Yubaba's eyes narrowed.

"So you are back," Chihiro nodded leaning back in the chair. "I suppose you want a job."

"No actually I don't," replied Chihiro and lent forward again and helped herself to the bowl of sweets on the desk.

"What! no tricks, no begging, no sneakiness?"

"No," replied Chihiro folding her arms and crossing her legs. Yubaba seemed genuinely surprised.

"You actually mean you are going to sit back and let me do what I like with you? Change you into a pig even?"

Chihiro looked up from examining her nails.

"Well you could try." Yubaba looked livid.

"You insolent little leech! Do you have any idea with what you are dealing with!"

"Yes," was all Chihiro said. Yubaba was speechless. Chihiro smiled at her. "Go ahead; turn me into a pig, or a chicken, or a frog. Take your pick, just a couple of pieces of advice before you do though. I am in possession of a protective talisman given to me by your sister. Also I know a certain dragon, who owns half of this business, would be very upset to hear that you have tried to harm me." Yubaba turned a little pale.

"He doesn't even know you are here." She retorted.

"Doesn't he?" Chihiro gave the witch her best evil grin. Yubaba paled even more.

"There is no way he could know."

"Oh well, if you are willing to take the risk." Chihiro stood spreading her arms. "Come on Granny Zap me!" Yubaba just stood there looking at her, eyes wide mouth working but saying nothing. Chihiro let her arms fall to her sides, allowing herself a little sigh. She had won, sort of. Her attitude had thrown the witch and she had bought herself time. Now for a big finish.

"The truth is you don't want to Zap me, you like me." Yubaba straightened up as if insulted.

"And I like you for all your bluster and amorality."

"Humph!" Was all the witch said she stood. Chihiro thought she saw a smile flash for a second on the huge mouth.

"I preferred you as a child; you weren't so cheeky and had respect."

"I have respect for you now, but the fact that you were going to eat my parents and enslave me for the rest of my life kind of diminished it a bit." Chihiro gave another evil smile.

Yubaba opened her mouth as if to say something else when there was a thud, followed by another and another. Chihiro was expecting Bou to appear along with a trail of destruction, but he didn't, instead the door to the nursery opened and a massive toddler appeared. Bou had lost his excess fat and was now just a huge chubby child complete with curly brown locks.

"Mama!" he said his voice still babyish. "When you finish talking to Sen can she come and play with me?" Chihiro was shocked. No demands, no you'll do this or I'll cry. She suspected Zeniba's influence.

"But sweetie," protested the witch. "Mama has to punish mortals who come here."

"Why?" Demanded Chihiro, standing up and banging both hands flat on the desk. "I ate no food of the spirits, committed no crime. I came here by accident, now why don't we stop these games and you tell me where my friend is!" Chihiro's brown eyes flashed with anger. Yubaba looked puzzled.

"What friend?" She asked, "what are you talking about?"

"My friend Linca entered here a few minutes before me, what have you done with her?"

"Mama?" Bou was frowning, "you haven't hurt Sen's friend have you?"

"Sweetie I would never do anything like that." Whined Yubaba, she then glared at Chihiro. "Only one human crossed the border and that's the truth, if your friend entered here like you said then she isn't human." It was Chihiro's turn to look puzzled.

Yubaba then sighed.

"Let's forget punishments for now, you will stay in the boiler room until I decide what to do with you. At least your stink will wear off while your there. You will not leave there without my express permission, do you understand! Now go and play with my son, you have 15 minutes.” Chihiro gave a shallow bow.

"Yes Yubaba, I understand and thank you." She then took Bou's hand and went to play in the nursery.

Yubaba sat down, her mind working furiously. With the girl in her possession she had a gambling tool.

"If that dragon is away long enough I can arrange to have the girl hidden. Then I could use her against him to get my bathhouse back." She rubbed her lip with her index finger. "I'll make the arrangements in the morning in 4 or 5 days I could move her to a secure place and things will get back to the way they should be." Yubaba chuckled and then coughed. She really should give up the cigarettes she thought; besides Bou detested the smell.

"It's not as if they will kill me." She chuckled.

She did not notice the movement at the office window. A large white bird that had been perched there flapped away. She rose and popped her head into the nursery.

"Five more minutes you two," she said. Chihiro dropped the toy dinosaur she was playing with.

"Very well," she said and started to clear up the toys. Yubaba left.

"Can you come again?" asked the child. Chihiro smiled.

"I will try but I think your mother has plans for me." Bou nodded.

"I'm visiting Auntie Zeniba's in three days, I'll tell her you are here." Chihiro was surprised the child was so shrewd.

"I'm surprised your Mama lets you visit." She said. Bou gave a toothy grin.

"She has to, she told me I couldn't and I cried for four days straight, now I visit once a month."

"Well don't get into trouble," she warned.

"I won't," he replied. Chihiro stood on tip toe and kissed his cheeks.

"Take care." She whispered and left.

By the time she reached the boiler room she was sweating and shaking. Rin was still there, pacing the floor. As soon as Chihiro stepped back inside she flew at her, grabbed her and sat her on a mattress on the floor.

"What are you doing?" giggled Chihiro. Rin looked in her eyes felt her head and demanded she opened her mouth and inspected the inside.

"She already has a fever." She said to Kamaji. Kamaji passed a small bottle to Rin.

"Give her a dose of that." He said.

Bee-la was working like a mad thing while this was going on. The soot balls were streaming out of their holes with coal for the boiler. Rin plunged a spoon into her mouth, the liquid on it tasted like fish oil.

"Yuck Rin!" she choked "Yubaba didn't kill me, now you are trying too. I thought you were my friend." Rin gave a tight smile and then turned to Kamaji.

"If you don't tell her I will!" She seemed annoyed and stressed.

"What did Yubaba say Sen?" he asked ignoring Rin. Still choking Chihiro gasped out.

"She is going to use me to get back at Haku I think. It's the only explanation for why I am not pork. I'm not allowed to leave this room without her say so. Also she does not have Linca and I don't think she was lying about that. So either Linca has had help or…" she trailed off. Linca had to be Human, she thought. She had known her for a year and a half.

"Chihiro you're dieing." Rin cut in.

"Rin!" snapped kamaji.

"She has a right to know!" She yelled back.

"Dieing?" It all seemed a bit unreal, "of what? I have a bit of a fever but…"

"It will get worse," interrupted Rin. "Do you remember when you were here last time and you felt ill your first night?" Chihiro thought back.

"Yes, I felt queasy and faint, but I was fine by the next day."

"That illness is called the Sallow-Hale it should have killed you," Said Kamaji. "You see," he continued. "Your mortal body does not really belong here. It can't adjust to this world without help. The first symptom, the disappearing is alleviated by food. However, that only grounds you here. Your body needs help to survive here or all your systems will eventually fail and shut down."

Chihiro felt her brain start to work the problem.

"Why is this? Is it some poison in the air? A protein that my body needs that is not present in the food here? Maybe the body of a mortal is not fit for inter-dimensional travel and ceases to function outside its own space-time." She shook her head. "Stop it!" she told herself. "Your dieing you idiot it does not matter why, just how you can get better!"

"So what cured me?" She asked. Kamaji and Rin looked at each other.

"We don't know" whispered Rin.

"Do you remember anyone casting a spell on you?" asked Kamaji.

"I think I'd remember that! No, I don't think anyone…" Then it hit her.

"I put a spell on it to give you back your strength. Just eat it".

"Haku," she whispered. Kamaji and Rin looked at each other again, puzzled.

"Haku put a spell on me," she explained. "He gave me some rice balls to eat saying that he had spelled them to give me back my strength. He never mentioned the Sallow-Hale."

"He probably didn't want to scare you," Said Rin gently. She then became more business like. "So we need to get a message to him."

"How?" asked Kamaji. "We can't track him and I have no idea where his river is."

"Zeniba would help," said Rin.

"But how do we contact her? Do you really want to ask Yubaba for a day off to visit her sister? Also we would have to walk. That would take a week." Kamaji shook his head.

Bee-la, ignoring the eight tokens hanging at the work station, flew over, buzzed and pointed at the ceiling before racing back.

"Bee-la is right," Said Kamaji. "The only one who can help you is Yubaba." Chihiro shook her head.

"No kamaji. I will not give that witch any more power over me. I'll wait. Bou is going to Zeniba's in three days. See if you can get a message to him to take to her."

"What if we can't do that?" Asked Rin, "what if Haku is away for a long time?" Chihiro sighed.

"Be straight with me, how long do I have before I get really ill?" Kamaji flicked through his black book.

"A week, two at the most," he grunted.

"Then I shall wait until I can no longer stand then I shall go to Yubaba."

"Sen this disease is not pretty. You will have the sweats and shakes until you get so weak that you can't eat anymore. Then you will die."

"That won't happen!" She said with a smile. "Someone will help before then, but Yubaba will force me into her little schemes. I want none of that, she must not find out." Chihiro looked at the two worried faces and gave them a brave smile. "Come on you two! Do you think I'm that weak? Have a little faith in me." Then she started to shake and had to lie down.