Spirited Away II: Return to the Spirit Realm

Chapter 6

Hollow footsteps echoed through the cave's walls. A tall figure clothed in a black cloak walked down the dripping cave, not hesitating to step down on a worm and smothering it to bits before walking onwards.

The figure stopped when it came to a huge hole. Basically, the hole was like a bottomless pit at the cave's floor; so dark and empty, you could not see the end of it. The figure cupped its hands to its mouth and cried out into the pit: "Abyss, I command you to open!"

At the sound of the call, dark smoke with a thick, burning strench poured out of the pit's mouth. The figure jumped into the very heart of the smoke, unafraid of the danger of getting burned by the obvious fires below. The figure landed at what was basically a "dungeon of fires" - scorching, red flames made up the bars and prison cells, the walls, and the floor. Inside those cells sat ugly monsters, unrecognizable to the human eye.

"Brothers, monsters! Tell me, who put you here?" the figure shouted.

"The Lord! Lord! Lord!" every monster echoed from within its prison.

"And now that I am going to set you all free, how will you repay me?" the figure shouted again, summending a ball of energy in its black palms.

"Forever do your will!"

The figure smiled to itself and threw back the hood that was covering its head. "Oh, I just can't wait for show time," it whispered to itself and began to free the vicious monsters.

"Be careful, Chihiro. Zeniba is a witch, after all. A very powerful one," Lin warned sternly as she handed Chihiro her dark cloak.

Chihiro smiled at her friend, but shook her head in objection. "No, Lin. Granny's nothing like Yubaba! It's like she said, 'this is the case where identical twins are exact opposites.' Why do you think Yubaba hates Granny so?"

Lin, for her part, did not want to think much about it. She just knew the facts: Zeniba was a powerful witch, and there was a constant battle between the twin sisters over the gold seal or something else. The fact that Chihiro was calling Zeniba (Yubaba's sister!)granny was beyond Lin, but she didn't argue. "I guess," she murmured.

"Oh and Chihiro, just in case you'll need 'em," Kamaji pipped up suddenly. The two women turned to face the boiler man. Much to Lin's surprise, Kamaji extended Chihiro a hand and gave her train tickets.

"You've got train trickets, again? H-how could you ... I thought you gave your last one way! You managed to save for them in only eight years?" Lin was flabbergasted.

Kamaji nodded. "Things were looking up. Remember how the business went after Chihiro left?"

Lin crossed her arms over her chest. "You're lucky, boiler man," she hissed. "I worked the bones out of my body and that witch wouldn't give me an extra piece of gold for no nothing!"

"Oh Lin, I'm absolutely certain that one day you'll get out of the bathhouse and travel. It is your dream." Chihiro gave the doubtful weasel spirit a small, encouraging smile. "And while I am traveling to Granny's, I'll do my best to memorize the view so I can give you a very accurate description and you can get an idea of how it is out there."

Lin's frown melted into a joyous smile. "R-really? Y-y-you would do that f-for me?" she stuttered. "Chihiro, that's the sweetest thing anybody did for me!"

Chihiro nodded eagerly. "'Course, Lin. You're like a sister to me."

Haku (already in his dragon form) gave an impatient, low growl.

"Coming, Haku!" Chihiro called. Then she turned back to her friends. "Thank you for the train tickets, Kamaji."

Kamaji nodded. "You're welcome, dear."