No Face shuffled along the floorboards leisurely as he inspected some of the things Zeniba had left behind. On the shelf above the fireplace, there was burning sage, a few magic seals, rings of gold and silver incrusted with emeralds or amethyst, and strange dust balls that seemed to curl into themselves, creating strange shapes and figures. He could swear one looked just like a bunny.

The witch had always dusted, cleaned so that any visitor would be impressed. Busy work was never out of her hands. A whole closet in the bedroom was dedicated to the many scarfs and blankets she made throughout the years. The hearth never seemed to run out of flames and fresh wood. Smells of the finest pastries and appetizers would waft through the tiny space, creating an atmosphere unlike any other. She had always been proud of her little cabin in the middle of Swamp Bottom. It was not a house, for she made it a home. A home she had left for No Face.

He began to realize that homemaking was a lot harder than expected, and whined a small, "Ah."

The spirit wished he could relieve those days again, to ask Zeniba more about the things she did. There was so much he didn't know that he needed to understand before he lived on his own. It was like he had fallen into a secret responsibility.

So many questions filled his mind, things he should've asked in his letter. What was needed to start a fire? Where could he find all the best ingredients for his food? How does one get rid of a dust bunny?

His feet scuttled across the room to the kitchen table, where his notes on the alphabet laid strung about. He would just have to write another one.

Picking up his little quell pen, he began to carve letters onto the parchment. They seemed to swim in his vision; it was hard for him to concentrate. Doubt made his hand tremble. He soon discovered that he didn't know what he was doing. Words were probably misspelled, and the sentences didn't make sense. He knew what he wanted to say, but it didn't come out right on paper. Moreover, Chihiro wasn't there to help.

No Face sighed irritably and pushed himself away from the table, fighting the urge to run back to her house and beg for help. That was certainly not the best idea. He'd already forgotten his manners and burst in without an invitation earlier that day. If Zeniba found out, he would never hear the end of it.

He missed Zeniba terribly. So much so, that he felt like his heart would burst. He had been with her, day in and day out, for many years. There was never a day where he didn't see her walk through the threshold carrying piles of groceries or chattering on about how she had perfected some spectacular piece of magic. If she was gone in the morning, she'd make a point to be home by dinner. And, if she stayed out late, she always made it up to him by preparing a breakfast treat from him at dawn. Never had No Face been by himself for the whole day.

Everyone seemed busy with their work now. It felt like there was no time in anyone's schedule for No Face anymore.

No Face shook his head, ashamed by the selfish tone of his thoughts. It wasn't crime to be busy. Not everything was about him. He knew that. In fact, why was it becoming a problem now? It had never been a concern before.

He thought about it for a while, and something clicked. He had never dealt with being on his own very well.

Before the bathhouse, before any of this beautiful madness, he was alone. Everyone who looked at him had quivered with dread. He couldn't speak very well, for he did not have a voice of his own. He had to use someone else's to speak. And, that wasn't an option. Instead, he would try to get by with his meek ah. This seemed to scare those he approached even more. He was seen as a monster, and couldn't speak to prove he wasn't. It drove him insane, until his desperation for friendship turned him into a sniveling, malicious monster that would eat away at anything that stepped in his path.

Isolation makes for the best monsters.

Chihiro had shown him the beginning of his redemption, offering him medicine, a way to restore himself. Zeniba then continued the healing process by letting him stay with her. The sorceress was a perfect companion for lonely souls. She would say all the right things; be beside him when he felt worthless, or frightened…or lost. She gave him a second chance, a place to belong. A home that was now empty and dark.

It felt as if the light was hiding from him, scared to shine upon the dark that threatened to consume him once more. He could feel the ache of loneliness invade his mind. He was frightened. Never again did he want to be a monster.

Faint streams of light suddenly appeared through the window above the sink of the kitchen. Dim moonlight streamed into the shadowy cabin. No Face scuffled his way to the pane of glass, relieved by the reassuring glimmer. What he saw in the sky was not what he expected.

A sleek, pearl dragon sailed through the clouds, appearing to push them out of the moon's way so that it may gleam without obstruction. On top of the dragon, sat a small figure that clutched onto its neck for support. It seemed to wave down at him.

No Face darted out of the cabin entrance with fast, excited feet. The wind swayed the grass rapidly as he waved his arms happily to the sky. Chihiro's giggle reached him, even from so far away. Haku dipped his head towards the spirit on the lawn, and No Face could swear he heard a slight hum of acknowledgement from the mighty dragon's throat.

They continued on, with no idea how much the small gesture meant to the No Face. They had made time for him, the little misfit spirit. Even if they had somewhere to be, they had stopped to say a brief hello. And, that meant the world to No Face.

Blades of grass rustled as he made his way back to the door. He laughed to himself as he walked, for he knew he had been acting silly. Those he cared about would make time for him when they could. It was rare to find such wonderful friends, but he had found them. Or maybe, they had found him. He was truly one of the luckiest spirits in this realm.

Perhaps, he could find something useful to do, like they did. Zeniba had always taught him how useful cooking and sewing could be, and Chihiro had just started teaching him ways to write to communicate. Could those skills prove useful in another setting? Maybe the bathhouse?

"Ah!" No Face squealed as he rushed back to the kitchen table, which now doubled as a writing desk. He scrawled onto paper another letter to his adoptive mother, announcing he would visit the following night. Zeniba would know what to do, what to say.

He thought to himself as he wrote.

Friends don't disappear because you don't see them often. Bonds between hearts and souls can travel great distances, without breaking.


A/N: Hi all! I'm so sorry about the long pause in between chapters. I started this story without planning it all the way through, and that was a big mistake. Also, I have been dealing with some health issues and life changes, which have made updating a challenge. I will be updating slowly but surely, taking the time to plan the ending before I continue. This way, I will know for sure where the story is going and make sure my chapters follow a solid plot. Thank you so much for your time and patience!

~Ursa