The Lost Spirit || A studio ghibli fanfiction || Book 1

S2 • Chapter 19 • Finally Freedom

A crow with Yubaba's head flew in between the three and a mirage of Yubaba sprouted from it as soon as it hit the floor. "Huh, never thought this day would come. You never fail to surprise me, brat," Yubaba said in both a disappointed and an impressed voice. She flicked her smoking pipe and a scroll appeared in front of Han.

Eleanor gasped as she saw the scroll with her name on it, "So you did know my name all this time," she exclaimed. Yubaba shook her head.

"It's part of the contract spell, I only find out now," she answered before crushing the contract, "I'll definitely miss you presence in the bathhouse. Your things have delivered to my sister's, goodbye," Yubaba said before disappearing.

Nori couldn't believe what was happening. It was a weird exhilaration brewing inside her, the truth politely knocking at the door of her mind, waiting for Eleanor to welcome it in. Her heart beated loudly as she opened the door slowly.

"I'm... free?" she whispered, letting the truth sink in, her eyes wide as those words rolled out of her tongue.

Haku groaned from her voice and woke up, seeing the tall brunette gaping into nowhere, "What's wrong?" he asked sitting up, he looked around and saw the other two spirits smiling happily at him and Han.

Eleanor laughed with her whole heart as she raised both arms into the air, "I'm free!" she giggled, cupping the face of the confused Haku.

"Han, what's going on?"

Eleanor smiled as she voiced out her name, what a strange feeling. Haku's eyes widened and pulled Eleanor into an embrace.

"Spirits! Eleanor, Nori... how could I have forgotten," he exclaimed. There was a reason why he did, the contract had written down the people who Yubaba assumed knew Han's true name and refrained them to remember. Hence when Seiji and Shizuku revealed it, they freed Han from the contract.

"We're finally free. Both of us," Haku exclaimed, leaning his forehead to Nori's. A dream they have been yearning for years has finally come true. Haku didn't want to let it pass so quickly.

Nori giggled as she held onto Haku, overcome with joy.

She then walked over to Seiji and Shizuku, "Thank you, thank you so much," Shizuku was now on the verge of crying.

"I can't believe we actually found you," Shizuku mumbled, her head buried at the crook of Eleanor's neck.

"How did you guys know my real name anyay?" Nori asked, she may had been freed from the contract but the contract didn't erase her memories, she has forgotten where she came from since the beginning.

"We found you when you were just around 6 years old and we were about to take you in but then a weird dark spirit came and swept you away from us, leaving a necklace with your name on it with us. We knew there was something special about you so you never left our minds," Seiji answered.

Nori nodded in understanding, as much as she wanted to remember who these two spirits were, nothing would come to mind.

Regardless, she mustn't spoil this happy moment, she embraced the two spirits as Haku dusted off the dirt from his clothes, scrunching his nose at the sight of the blood stains on him.

Nori held out a hand to the river spirit as the other two had started walking out of the alleyway, "Let's get out of this place."

Haku took her hand and the two walked out of that place, finally free.

...

Haku and Nori were following Seiji and Shizuku to the orphanage where Nori first appeared. Seiji held a bright smile as they all rode the boat to the orphanage with Haku now having enough energy to manipulate the winfs.