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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 25, 2007 23:12:08 GMT -5
Yu-Baaba sat at her office, tapping her pen rhythmically. It was a magic pen that never ran out of ink and she used it to sign all her important documents. The previous night’s work had been strenuous as usual, but she was in one of those rare good moods this afternoon that could only mean she had made a profitable endeavor.
She took a sip of her tea and glanced at the elaborately designed clock hanging on the wall. The sun would be setting soon and guests would be arriving. It was time to start preparations for the night’s work.
She casually glanced over the list of important spirits that had reservations that evening. The Bath House had made excellent profits the past few nights due to a particularly wealthy guest. Yu-Baaba pondered what she could do to lengthen this spirit’s stay and keep in his good graces (or rather, keep the cash flow strong!). She decided to assign him a personal attendant to see to it his every comfort was taken care of – but who?
She then wondered if "she" would be coming tonight . . .
Yu-Baaba’s thoughts were interrupted as her trusted Yu-Bird suddenly took flight and set out for her evening patrol of the Spirit World. “That’s it, my pet.” She spoke aloud. “See if anything is amiss and report back to me.” She knew she would be able to get very little work done. This was just the first of countless interruptions that would inevitably plague her office. There was always some crisis or other to deal with (the burden of being on top). Only question was; who would be the first odious worker to disturb her?
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Post by ~*~Chihiro~*~ on Apr 25, 2007 23:39:23 GMT -5
Chihiro thought she would never be coming back to this place,to this office again.Yet here she was in front of the big doors of Yubaba's office.Knocking loudly she waited for a few momments till the doors opened,taking a deep breath then letting it out she slowly walked inside.As she walked along the long hallway,Chihiro almost seemed calm for once and not some scaredy cat like she was when she first met Yubaba.
Finding her way to the office wasn't that hard,she soon arrived and looked behind her.This was her decision she had made herself,Chihiro wanted to give up everything in the human world to stay here with her friends and Haku.Selfish maybe but she made her choice,all she hoped was that her old job would be given back to her.
"Here I go,this is my decision and there's no turning back now".
Pushing aside the curtains,the brown ponytailed girl stepped into the office,wearing the uniform which Lin saved and gave back to her.She looked at the familiar woman behind the desk,wondering what Yubaba would have to say about her coming back.
"Hey Granny i've come back,and I want to stay this time".
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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 26, 2007 1:06:15 GMT -5
Yu-Baaba looked up calmly from her papers. She was not at all surprised to see non other than that human girl standing in her office, for she had sensed Chihiro’s presence the moment she had arrived back in the Spirit World. She was however stunned that the girl had returned of her own freewill. The witch was curious about her motives, but had decided to wait and see what move Chihiro would make. Now, as Yu-Baaba had predicted, Chihiro had come to her. She effectively hid the fact that she was pleased.
“Wha?” She gasped, pretending she hadn’t been expecting her and choosing to ignore the Granny comment – this time. “Well if it isn’t Sen the little mouse whose parents got turned into pigs. How long has it been?
. . . It must have been about one human year since you were last here, am I right?”
She leaned back in her desk chair (on which she looked like royalty on a throne), and lit up one of her harsh smelling cigarettes. For several minutes she sat silently, blowing huge puffs in Chihiro’s general direction. She seemed to be contemplating the past.
Suddenly she spoke again, “. . . a shame we didn’t get to eat them too, they were so nice and succulent . . . now what are you doing here? I thought we had gotten rid of you for good?” She glared directly into Chihiro’s eyes.
“You want to stay here? Completely out of the question! You had your chance. Now leave this world before I turn you the way I did your parents!”
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Post by ~*~Chihiro~*~ on Apr 26, 2007 1:14:53 GMT -5
"You heard me I want to stay,i've made my decision and want to stay here at the bath house.I'm not leaving till I get my old job back,do what you want but i'm not scared of you anymore".
Chihiro stood her ground right there,that all just came out.She ignored the comments about her parents,they we're safe so she had no worries about them.True she was abit nervous and scared,Yubaba probably didn't expect her to act so rash and brave.Stupid but brave and she was curious to know what was going to happen,either she would get her job back or be turned into a pig.
"I chose this fate on my own,and my name is Chihiro not Sen anymore Yubaba.It's been one year since I stood here before you,and I won't back down till I get my job back".
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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 26, 2007 1:37:18 GMT -5
Yu-Baaba was surprised at the change in the girl standing before her. True, she had grown a lot in the time she had spent in the Bath House before and had acquired a considerable amount of courage and maturity by the time she left. But she never had expected such outright defiance - the kind of which no other worker (except maybe Haku) ever dared show her. “Hmph. I suppose you remembered my oath. Why I ever made such a ridiculous . . .” she began grumbling about giving anyone a job who asks and how she has more dead weight working around the bath house and gobbling up the food supply than she knows what to do with. Yu-Baaba then put out her cigarette in the golden ashtray in the left corner of her desk. She smiled evilly. “So, you want your old job back? And plan to be stubborn about it? . . . . Well you’re going to have to earn it!!” With that the room ignited into intense, searing flames, and in a flash Yu-Baaba was standing with her face within an inch of Chihiro’s. She leaned forward with all her weight, eyes glaring and in a booming voice shouted “AND IT’S NOT GOING TO BE EASY EITHER!!!! Do you think you can HANDLE IT?  ?” |
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Post by ~*~Chihiro~*~ on Apr 26, 2007 1:44:46 GMT -5
Now back a year ago she would have stood there quivering in fear,but not this time she gave a stern look with a frown.Although there a slight pinch of fear in there but not much,if it meant she could stay at the bath house then so be it.
"I'll do anything you say,I can handle anything you throw at me now Yubaba".
Was that abit too bold,maybe it was and it could have been foolish as well.But no matter what she would take anything that was thrown at her,after all how hard could having her old job be unless Yubaba was going to add some extra labor.
"What is it that I need to do,to earn it back".
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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 26, 2007 2:01:47 GMT -5
Yu-Baaba snapped her fingers and the flames instantly disappeared. She was sitting back at her desk.
“Heh. Very good. I have the perfect first job for you.” She decided to hold off on making her the Spirit’s attendant just yet. First she wanted to test Chihiro and see how strong she really had become and how determined she was to stay there.
“You will have to sign another contract, of course.” She knew she couldn’t steal her name a second time, but it didn’t matter – she could do one better.
Because she came of her own will, for a while Chihiro would be able to cross back and forth between worlds. But there was one contract that could bind her to the Bath House permanently.
“You will be able to work here on a trial basis only. After a period of time, if I find your work satisfactory, you will be given the choice to either stay in the Bath House and be my worker – forever, or leave this place and return to the human world, never to return again . . . what do you say?”
A glowing contract appeared before Chihiro and Yu-Baaba’s pen floated just within reach. There was a sinister aura resonating from it.
“Well? This is your only chance.”
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Post by ~*~Chihiro~*~ on Apr 26, 2007 2:11:30 GMT -5
This was it and it all came down to this,signing another contract and being put to work again at the bath house.A trail basis didn't sound to bad,but there was something odd about this she couldn't quite put her finger on.Taking the pen in her hand,she hesitated for a few momments wondering if this really was a good idea.
Then again she could still return to the human world if she wanted,the choice was hers.Putting the pen to the contract she signed her name,then took a step back.Chihiro that was her name and intended to keep it this time,but why did the signing of this contract seem abit off the other one she signed didn't glow did it.
"There I signed my name,you can't take my name a second time can you.This time I want to keep my name,be called Chihiro and not Sen".
Waiting for Yubaba to accept her contract,she just got a strange nagging feeling at the back of her neck.Was this the right thing to do,she had already signed so guess it was signed,sealed and over with.
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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 26, 2007 2:22:15 GMT -5
Yu-Baaba grinned and the contract disappeared.
“Alright then. It’s time for you lazy mouse to get to work! Since it’s your first night back, I’ll go easy on you. First I want you to empty out the old bath water on the 2nd floor tubs. Make sure they are clean and dirt free and get them refilled and ready for guests (regular bath salts will do for most of these tubs). Then I want you to scrub and polish the hallways on EVERY guest room floor – and they had better sparkle with cleanliness! After that you may beat the dust out of the Yuna sleeping mats and then go help the kitchen with food deliveries. If you finish all that before sun up (which is doubtful) you may help Rin prepare baths on the first floor. Tomorrow I’ll have a list of duties sent down to you.”
She stood up and walked over to Chihiro. “Now I’ll just summon Haku and he’ll help you get settled and -” she suddenly stopped and stifled a cough.
“Bleh. You smell like a human again . . . go eat some of our food . . . And where did you get those CLOTHES???!” Yu-Baaba noted for the first time that Chihiro was already wearing her old uniform. So, her friends had already been helping her . . .
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Post by ~*~Chihiro~*~ on Apr 26, 2007 2:31:09 GMT -5
"Well Lin saved them for me,she said they we're going to be thrown out but she didn't want that to happen".
Chihiro looked down at herself,this uniform held so many memories for her she was glad it didn't get thrown out.She gave a nod when Yubaba finished listing all the chores that she was suppose to do,so many though it was going to take all night to finish those chores.Knowing it was bold to ask but she had to know,why was that contract glowing.
"I understand,i'll finish everything but.....that contract why was it glowing.The other one I signed was normal,I don't know it was just odd".
Chihiro sighed,again with the eating their food comment.She got it already and didn't need to be told again,for peats sake she leaves for a year and then comes back smelling like her old human self.First thing would be to get something to eat,then do all these chores which she hoped to accomplish before sun up.
*I am going to be so tired,I just know it*
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Post by Yu-Baaba on Apr 26, 2007 2:45:46 GMT -5
“What an impertinent question. Well that was a special contract, and special contracts have special properties, don’t they!” There seemed to be a bit more to it, but it was obvious Yu-Baaba wasn’t going to reveal anything else. “Now get to work!!!”
Yu-Baaba headed for her desk, then as an afterthought turned and added:
“Oh and Sen, don’t expect me to call you Chihiro. Your little friends can call you whatever they want, but I won’t call you by your true name until I think you deserve it.” And with that she waved her arm to send a strong gust of wind, shooing Chihiro out of her office.
*Phew* Now that was settled. Yu-Baaba straightened her hair a bit and smoothed out her dress. It had taken more effort than she had anticipated, but she was pleased with the turnout.
“Hm. I never thought that human girl would amount to much, but her strong will surprised me even then. I was very sorry to have to let her go last time.” She was determined not to let that happen again.
She sat back at the desk and began writing letters to her most valued customers and contributors, thanking them and inviting them to come stay at the bath house. She wondered who or what the next interruption would be . . .
((If anyone wants to meet with Yu-Baaba, make a request, ask for a job, report a problem, or get turned into an inanimate object, post a message in this thread!))
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