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

S1 • Chapter 5 • Saving Haku

A curse unknowingly broken, a relationship unknowingly revived.

The path to Yubaba's office was crowded with workers, almost everyone was gathered by the hallway. They held up baskets of food and open palms as something big was walking at the center of it all.

Chihiro and Han tried to sneak through the side but Chihiro bumped into a frog worker, who got agitated easily by this. "Hey, what are you doing?" He asked once he saw who she was with, Han wasn't known to be wandering around.

"Goin upstairs," Chihiro answered casually. This irked the frog worker, thinking it was Han's influence.

"No, you're not," he stated, gripping Chihiro's wrist tight as he thought of punishing the girl for her rude actions. But his thoughts were cut short when he noticed the blood stains all over Chihiro's palm. His eyes widened in shock and disgust, letting her go like she was a disease.

Taking this opportunity, Chihiro ran to a random direction, losing Han in the process, not realizing she was running to the center of the crowd.

"Chihiro, wait!" Han called out but she was too late, the young girl was already gone into the crowd. Chihiro stopped right in front of the black spirit, who seemed to be the person everyone was cheering for. The crowd went silent as the spirit stared at Chihiro, far too long in Han's opinion, and then held out a handful of gold, shoving it to her face.

Although she liked the shiny yellow pieces, Chihiro knew it would be no use for her, remembering Han's words. "I'm sorry, I don't want any." She shook her head but the spirit only pushed the gold further towards her face.

"I'm really sorry but I'm in a big hurry," She said before deciding she'll just have to run. She dashed as the spirit dropped the gold pieces on the ground.

Right by the entrance of yet another narrow hallway, where Han has been waiting. Chihiro ran over as they ran forward, the hallway led them to a familiar window. Han stopped to a halt, trying to remember that made her avoid this window.

Oh... it had no ledge whatsoever, "Chihiro!

But once again she was too late, Chihiro had already gone out of the window. Luckily, Chihiro was able to jump onto the roof in front. Han then jumped over, completely forgetting her still healing wound on her leg.

"Ow..." She seethed. Han held onto her right leg as she fell on her side once she landed on the metal roof.

Chihiro crouched down beside her in worry. "Are you okay?" she asked, Han nodded as she forced herself up. She held a thumbs up to reassure the young girl before continuing onto her journey. They reached a long metal pipe that led to a ledge on the other side, where a ladder was placed right beside it.

"Okay, you go first," Han said.

Chihiro took a deep breath and ran fast along the pipe, Han on her trail. The pipe groaned and swayed before slowly falling apart, they hurried their pace and once Chihiro was already on the platform the pipe gave up, falling into the water below.

Han jumped, reaching out to the ledge, her fingers gripped tightly on the edge as she was pulled up by Chihiro. Han got on breathless, that could've ended differently.

They started to climb up the thin metal ladder, Han feeling the tire and soreness creeping all over her body. Chihiro tried to push the glass window open without breaking it, before resorting to using her entire body weight. The window eventually burst open, causing Chihiro to fall inside backwards.

Han slowly got in, realizing they were in Yubaba's office "If we ever have to sneak out again, leave it to me," Han mentioned before looking around, the room was filled with multiple shiny trinkets. They went forward to another room that was filled with pillows, the floor was made of cushion and the walls had a mural of beautiful scenery.