SPIRITED AWAY: CHIHIRO RETURNS

Haku's Trap

The next day the bathhouse was back in business, the baths now free of the toxic odour that once filled the entire main level. Chihiro was usually with Lin when she worked due to being her assistant, but this time they were separated. Ever since Chihiro took care of that fox by herself everyone had more respect and confidence in Chihiro, finally seeing her as one of their own, and thought that she was independent enough to be able to work with customers on her own, although she still helps Lin whenever she gets the big tub.

Today she was attending to a customer in one of the smaller tubs, well more like customer's since there is more than one she is looking after. They were quite cute for spirits, they kind of remind her of little baby chickens, each chick having a small tub for themselves each. For some reason, they took an immediate liking to her clearly oblivious to the fact she is human, which means her human smell has gone away either that or they know and just don't care. The chicks often included her in their conversations as she tends to them, she was even given a nickname.

"Chi, guess what!? We saw you yesterday with that scary fox spirit, you were so cool! We were up on the level above you watching you!" said Shinka excitedly, she is the youngest of the two chicks.

Chihiro giggles "thank you miss, I did my best".

"It must have been so scary Chi, were you scared?" Chinka, the one I was currently scrubbing asked, as he looked up at me.

"I was pretty scared at first, I thought he was going to eat me, to be honest, but he was actually very sweet, so eventually I stopped fearing him, plus I had a little experience with handling emergency customers" Chihiro explains thinking about back when she had to take care of the polluted river spirit back when she was 10, although she kinda did have a bit of help.

Shinka and Chinka look at Chihiro in awe "so cool..." they said in unison "can you be our attendant again next time??" they asked excitedly.

Hearing this Chihiro giggles "we will see" suddenly she began to feel like she was being watched and unconsciously went rigid and stopped scrubbing, noticing Chihiro's reaction Chinka looks up at Chihiro worried.

"Chi?? Is something wrong??" Chinka asks.

Still feeling like someone was watching her Shinka spoke up "hey Chi, a guy over the by the entrance of our room is staring at you, do you know him?"

Hearing this Chihiro looks behind her and there stood Haku 'oh no...I'm not ready to see him yet... I'm not as angry as I was before but I am still upset with him, if I speak to him now I might snap at him and everything might go from bad to worse' she thinks as she tries to avoid eye contact with him and fails, he looked at her as if he wanted to say something, and as for Chihiro she had no clue what kind of face she was pulling all she knew was that she wanted to shy away from him and run however she just turns from him and decides to give him the cold shoulder and silent treatment. She was just about to begin scrubbing again until Lin suddenly slid into the room past Haku who looked at her in surprise, Lin noticing this just glares at him and he returns the favour of looking at her disapprovingly.

"Chihiro!! There you are, I have been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaims obviously having something important to say.

Chihiro apologizes to Shinka and Chinka and said that she will be right back which was returned respectfully saying that it was about time for them to leave anyway, the two chicks get out of the tub and Chihiro ever so professional supplies them with their towels slightly bowing as they leave.

"Bye bye Chi! We hope to see you next time!" they yell out in unison as they walk out the door.

Chihiro giggles a bit and then looks towards Lin who was patiently waiting and tossing glares and warnings to Haku whose face clearly said 'back off I was here first'. Walking up to lin ignoring Haku because she didn't want to speak to him yet, she raises an eyebrow at her "whats up Lin?" she asks and then Lin suddenly bursts out.