Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ Spirited Within ❯ Dangerous Musings ( Chapter 5 )

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TAP… Tap… tap… TAP… Tap… tap…

Haku's footsteps echoed throughout the stone chamber as he stepped one after the other up the spiral staircase leading to the Peak Tower. The silence pressed him in from all sides. The only sound issuing was of his own two feet as he trudged onward. It was a great signal of how alone he really was in this bathhouse.

That is, until Chihiro came into his life.

Chihiro...

When Haku had finally let his emotions free from their lock while he was in the elevator climbing back to his room, the rush of it all hit him like a tidal wave. Every sensation mixed together. Judgement, sympathy, anger, sadness, adoration, sensitivity, affection, wonder, and guilt swirled through his head, pushing to be the one most felt. He sensed the familar warmth he got with Chihiro, but coldness also dominated with it. He was exultantly joyful, yet miserable. He felt irritation mix with delight. Fury unite with satisfaction.

He soon had to brace himself with the wooden wall of the lift in order to not fall over.

Everywhere, they swirled wildly like fish. Every one of them bring a sharp pain to his heart. The pleasure that spun with the unpleasant disappeared from his spinning mind, and culpability hung over his head. It stung him over and over as each new rememberance resurfaced to his skull. Each glare, each cruel word said, slapped his brain. There was so much pain and guilt that it filled every corner of his heart and soul.

Haku didn't know to do in order for Chihiro to trust him again. For all he knew, she could be trashing his name along with Rin. He didn't want her to think he didn't like her. That he didn't want to be her friend. She was the only one in this bathhouse who actually wanted to be his friend. Who actually liked him.

And he had treated her like a employee. Like a regular plebeian of the job.

His only friend...

He knew he couldn't have treated her any different though. If not for her sake, then for Rin and Kamaji's.

If Yubaba had figured out that Chihiro had others helping her to get employement, then their jobs would be at stake. Actually, their very lives would be in danger. Haku was pretty certain Rin or Kamaji couldn't handle the pain Yubaba used for punishment as well as he could.

And Kamaji being so old... just the prospect of it all was nightmarish.

He knew he'd have to do something to make Chihiro trust him again. He had to make her see that she wasn't alone. That he was still here. Wanting to be her friend.

The rush had subsided as soon as the elevator had opened its doors. Guilt was the only feeling left. Guilt was dominating every morsel of his being. He still had to lean against the back wall of the lift to steady himself.

Unfortunately, Haku couldn't consult with his nature from the beloved balcony. Instead, right before he entered the glass door leading to his room, Haku recieved a summons from Yubaba. Her scratchy gnarly voice sounded excited as it scraped through his sore brain.

"Meet me in the Peak Tower. I have a new mission for you. Come quickly!"

TAP... Tap... tap... TAP... Tap... tap...

It ricocheted endlessly through the chamber. Light from the doorway's torches spilled throughout the lower part of the tower's stairs. Large, lonely shadows spread their darkness on the hard stone walls. The night sky was shut out in this dungeon. No night sounds from outside interrupted the quiet. Huge, brown sacks of supplies hung suspended in the air, tied off on a mysterious hook that was overrun with dark. The monsterous gloom of silence was all that was felt.

His footsteps were all that was heard.

Haku remembered long ago when he used to climb these steps in fear. Was it fear of the obvious solitude, or the wonder at what his next mission might be? Was he coming back victorious only to be lonely again orwould he perish at the attempt?

TAP... Tap... tap... TAP... Tap... tap...

Haku remembered he was, at first, stunned by the amount of corruption it took to run a place like this. Yubaba and the workers were all the same. They all desired power and money. Haku found that the only way he was able to survive this existence was to change. His naural kindness of spirit gradually turned more and more like the greedy pigs of the bathhouse.

He became mean and cruel to everyone below him.

Even though Haku changed himself for fortitude, his mannerisms disgusted him in everyway. But he forced his personality to bend with theirs and undergo inner transformation. His once happy self was soon distorted to one of antagonistic brazenness. And now that he had been so hostile and cruel for years, he was considered to be just as besmirched as Yubaba herself.

Flying through the lands back and forth on his missions were his only comfort. It gave him peace when there was none to give. His stress and sadness would be washed away by the very sight of the beauty of rustling trees. The pleasent aroma of the fields and flowers.

The very settings around him were innocent and loveable. There was never any hostility. There was no malice. There was no crave for money.

Only innocent beauty and a worship of all things peaceful and prosperous.

Nature didn't try to destory, but tried to provide. He sound security with them. His solace was the life they produced. The life they strived everyday to give.

Chihiro was a living breathing example of this peace. She was innocent of all things. Her sweet smile and soft face had never shown anything but affection and adoration. It hurt him to chastise her. It hurt him because it was like chastising his beautiful green world that took care of him in his time of need. He cared for her deeply like nature. But she was not to be compared to a plant or animal. She was something so much more special then anything in this floral utopia. She was...

Human...

TAP... Tap... tap... TAP... Tap... tap...

Haku walked onward up and up the staircase. His mind switching back and forth through thoughts and feelings. Finally, his mind rested on his memories he had accumulated from this accursed bathhouse.

Haku had hardly gone outside at all in his first year of employment. After Yubaba had found him, she had put him to work with all the other slug men and women. He cleaned tubs and swept floors until he was so worn after his shift, he could hardly carry himself. He had just enough strength to drag himself to his crowded futon and sleep until waking up early mid afternoon only to scrub some more.

Haku was, at first, very depressed for being forced away from comforting green lands. He didn't know why he had such a strange attachment to nature. All memory was gone from his mind. He use to stare out the closed windows and dream about rivers and plains until he was scolded for stopping his work.

He didn't have his luxurious balcony he now resided in. Only a closet of a room shared with many of the smellier male employees. There was no window. Just plaster wall.

He still remembered the day he had shown his magical abilities. It happened one late night when it was raining hard.

It was his turn at the big tub. He hated the big tub. The scrubbing was just too hard on it. The sludge was always caked on so thick, you would get stuck in it if you pushed too hard with your hand. Though he knew it would be pointless to ask, he inquired the foreman (the same nasty, pus-colored slug that he had just talked to with Chihiro) for a bath token in order to clean it.

He was refused, as expected.

He didn't even know how he did it. It was something that just came out. It was like some kind of power core deep within him surfaced as he stared at he swarthy yellow tinged skin of the foreman.

The foreman, after rejecting Haku, held up a bath token for a customer. It was at this time Haku unconsciously reached a hand towards the suspended token. It wiggled right out of the foreman's grasp and headed straight for Haku's outsretched arm.

Haku reached for it and seized it from midair. He bowed quickly and politely, then ran off swiftly as the foreman cried out in shock and anger. Haku spent the rest of the night scrubbing that tub and wondering about himself. He pondered who he was exactly. But his memories fell short of him as he tried to reach embrace them with open arms. They just slipped through his fingers like grains of sand.

Yubaba had sensed the magic he'd produced immediately. She listened to the thoughts of everyone around the area and within minutes, discovered Haku was the culprit. He was called to her office the moment his shift was over. The long walk to her office had been his first trip through that bright hallway. He had, once long ago, stared at the magnificient beauty of the walls and decorations in awe. But now... Haku hated those fake plastered partitions more than anything in the world.

They were a symbol of Yubaba's malice and greed.

Once he'd got to her headquarters, he was forced to display all the magic he knew, which was at this time, was nothing at all. He described to her his feelings of inner power and she tried to have him feel the power again,yet the senstation had all but vanished through the course of his work.

It was a hard struggle for him to try magic, but Yubaba was certain he could do it.

Once he finally revealed his power, she forced a cup of dark liquid fown his throat and while he coughed, distinguished his status to her apprentice. She gave him annual lessons on controlling his powers and moved him to his little secluded balcony room in the corner of her headquarters.

Haku still remembered the first time he stepped out into the dark starry sky of his new room and felt the natural breeze embrace his body. He was refreshed once again from the bathhouse. His good moods returned instantly. Light flooded in his darkened heart. It was then that he had felt a stream of warm wind pass through the swirling cool air. It settled near his head and played with his dark green locks. It gave his face an affectionate stroke and whistled through his ear happily. He smiled at it and sat down, legs hanging off the balcony, to stare at the western sky he had forgotten so much about. The wind continually stayed with him and whispered to him from its jovial voice. It reminded him of a time when he was happy. Where he used to be more connected with the world.

Yet... he couldn't remember. He had lost himself in this bathhouse and now it was gone from him. He remembered moisture had filled his eyes on that thought and as Haku bent his head to hide his tears, the warm, inviting wind blew gently on his cheeks, drying them instantaneously.

From then on, the blustery warm stream was his companion.

Soon enough, it became his only confidant.

Months passed and Haku learned to control his power core under the tutelage of Yubaba. He was a fast learner, but no matter what he did, he could not learn it fast enough for Yubaba's liking. It was then that he learned of the true controlling nature of Yubaba. She would punish him and punish him until he finally would get the right pronunciation or the hand coordinates correctly. Always, he would return to his wind and it would faithfully heal his broken mind and body.

And now, years later, Haku had become the most powerful and important tool for running this bathhouse. He had gotten Yubaba most of her money and almost all of her power.

It was because of him that she almost controled this world with an iron fist. Her power had become so great, so magnanimous.

The only thing standing in her way was Zeniba and her golden seal.

TAP... Tap... tap... TAP... Tap... tap...

Haku finally reached the top of the Peak Tower and continued to walk through the shadowy corridors that led to the huge back windows. Closing in on the doorway, Haku heard Yubaba's growl echo throughout the chamber. She was obviously annoyed at his slow pace.

Entering the stone walled room room, Haku spotted the three green heads, another strange henchmen of Yubaba, bouncing around the room excitedly. Their low voices never made any sense to Haku. They mostly annoyed him when they were near. He resisted the urge to hiss at them.

Yu-bird sat perched outside on the metal railing that was laid around the outside balcony that stretched out far along the outer wall. It's head was swirling around to face the inside of the room where Yubaba stood pacing back and forth. Glass framed the entire south wall of the room and two glass doors were slid open to reveal the cool night breeze. Light was barely beginning to show through the cracks of the night beyond the many glass windows. Yubaba continued her pacing, waiting impatiently for Haku to climb the steps. A folded black blanket laid neatly on the floor beside her.

When she noticed his entrance, she stopped her feet and pointed her sharp big eyes on his eyes. Her nose poked out of her huge head as she scanned him up and down.

Haku arranged his face to be a calm bored look. He once again didn't care about anything at all.

"Ah, Haku. So good of you to finally join me. I would punish you for your tardiness, but alas, I must make this quick and painless. Unfortunately time is running out for us. The cake gets dry if you don't eat it in time." At this she chuckled to herself. She ended the laugh in a quick scratchy cough and continued her speech after several minutes.

"I have discovered the perfect solution for Zeniba's little trick. She thinks she can hide it from me, but I know better. Regrettably, I did not teach you the digestive and thoracic cavity spells when I had the chance. Then I wouldn't have to be doing this nonsense. But since I know you do not know it, I will have to do it on my own.

"My plan is as follows. Pay good attention, dragon, and you will discover the true genius of my strategizing."

She smiled wickedly at Haku with her eyes narrowing in tight slits. Haku remained standing his ground and looked blankly into Yubaba's face.

"I shall take off tonight after I give you these instructions. Yu-bird and I will reach just beyond Zeniba's sensing ground in about mid-morning. There, I will cast my spell. The curse will take time to effect, so I'll have you leave around the same time I cast it. You are to fly to Zeniba's house and study her movements.

"The spell I will cast on her is called Gastroaerbacillus. It effects the stomach through the air current with spiral bacteria. The pathogens will enter through her respiratory system from inhalation and travel through her blood stream around her body. As it does, it will make her exhausted and slightly feverish. Most assuredly, she will rest herself.And as she sleeps, the bacteria will move to the gastrointestinal track and make its way to the seal's location. In her deep slumber, Zeniba will know nothing, but her own fatigue. The pathogens will surround my precious seal and cause it to radiate. My dear sweet twin sister will not even stir as the seal rejects itself from her mouth." Her eyes gleamed brighter as she finished her explanation. The very thought of actuallypossessing the golden seal almost made her giddy with joy. She continued her instructions with high vigor. "You will wait and watch for the spell to take affect. It will shortly after nightfall so you have time to reach her. Watch her closely while she sleeps and once the seal is rejected, grab it. She will slumber on until daylight approaches and never know what happened until it is too late. Hurry back to me once you have it. She has ways of traveling quickly through the air if she discovers you.

"Of course, I'll be leaving the bathhouse in your care while I'm gone. And I expect to find it not destroyed when I get back." She stepped closer to him and suddenly frowned. " I will not tolerate you sneaking anymore tricks on me, dragon, or you will join your woodland friends in my lost spirit collection." Her eyes grew hard as she twisted her face into an malicious glare. "I promise you. I will crush you if you come back empty handed. You will never again see the light of day. And I will throw in your little girlfriend as well." Haku felt heat rise on his face at that comment and her wrinkled eyes turned into slits of nefarious pleasure at being able to control him so well.

Controlling his rising temper with ease, Haku stood his ground. Eyes locked onto hers. His face a blank slate.

Yubaba let go of his eyes and turned to pick up her black blanket.

"I will leave you now. You have your commands," She announced, turning back to face him. "And I expect everything to go according to plan."

Haku bowed respectfully and straightened his back just in time to see her slide out of the open glass doors onto the balcony. There she slipped in the black cloth, which transformed into wings, and flew off with Yu-bird.

Haku felt sad as he thought about his new mission. He was to leave mid-morning and never get to apologize to Chihiro for his behavior. He'd never get to explain himself.

'I'll find a way.' He thought indomitably. 'Somehow I will let her know that I am her friend.'

As the heads turned one by one to march out of the room, Haku strolled forward towards the window and felt the wind wash over his body. Breathing in deep and slow, he switched off the light to the room and turned to leave after the heads.