Spirited Away 2: The Return of Chihiro | ✓

HAKU

I was taking a nap when I sensed someone in my room.

"Master Haku," a fellow worker announced when I opened my eyes, "Yubaba is looking for you. She said it's urgent."

I groaned in aggravation as I rose. Ever since I was freed from her control, she's still needed me to help her in emergencies. Typical Yubaba, always dependent on others.

"Tell her I'm on my way," I said, walking to the doorway as the spirit left.

The halls were filled with rushes of bathhouse employees scrambling over each other and exclaiming, "A visitor! An early visitor!" Many were carrying bath towels; others had bath water keys.

I managed to fit through the crowd and make it to the elevator, which was filled as well. I squeezed in.

"Yubaba's floor," I ordered the nearest person, and they pulled the lever. The elevator was forced upwards, its first stop being the top floor, my destination.

I thanked them as I slid myself into the corridor. Yubaba's gargoyles watched me as I sped my way to the entrance of her office. I came to a stop at the closed doors.

"Come in," her voice echoed as the doors opened slowly in front of me. I walked in and was welcomed by a cloud of smoke. I blew it away with my hand as I stepped toward her desk. I watched her take the cigarette away from her mouth and blow out another smoke ring before addressing me directly.

"Haku," she sneered, eyeing me, "I honestly thought you would ditch us after Sin freed you from being my slave. I guess you're only here in case she returns?"

"What is it that you want?" I questioned, ignoring her.

Before she could respond, the ground shook, and her son Boh poked his head out of his nursery.

"Is Sen back, Momma?" He asked, looking at me. "She must be because Haku is in here."

If only that was the case, I thought, waving at him.

"No, sweetie," Yubaba answered sweetly, standing and walking over to him. "This is business. Now go back to your nap."

At first he protested, shaking the curtains down and jumping, which made lamps and papers fall from Yubaba's desk. Then, she cast a sleeping spell on him, and he was out like a light.

"Sleep tight, my precious baby," she whispers before regaining her seat. Her broom and dustpan cleaned up the broken pieces of her lamp while her papers neatly stacked themselves back in front of her. Yubaba's nose pointed in my direction as she continued.

"Now then, Haku. I feel an.. unwanted visitor coming and should be here any minute. My employees don't know that the visitor is unwelcome, so don't break it to them. Just stop it."

I nod and quickly run out of her office to the elevator, taking it down to the first floor. I'm met by workers wanting to enter the elevator, so I slid between them, heading for the entrance of the bathhouse. I remember the last time an unwanted visitor wished to come into the bathhouse. Chihiro took care of him easily and impressed every spirit in the house, even Yubaba! I smiled at the thought.

I opened the grand doors, and a gust of wind met my face, making my shoulder-length hair blow behind me. I peered around, it now being dark enough to barely make out figures. Suddenly, I spotted something, a shape on the other side of the bridge. I was about to call out to them to tell them to get away from here, until the moonlight shined on them. I saw their face, and my heart burst out of my chest. It was nowhere near an unwanted visitor, like Yubaba predicted. It was.. It was..

My Chihiro!