Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt
The house that Shibuya Psychic Research pulls up to is quaint and looks homely. Sho presses his face against the window, staring at the house as the van pulls to a stop. It looks like a home that his mother had dreamt about having. But sadly, all he recalls about his old homes were crappy apartments and sleeping in cars.
It wasn't anything like Sayuri's house, which used to belong to their grandparents. He liked it for some reason, and liked it more when an older couple steps out of the house. They look like they could be grandparents. He wishes his were still around, just for Sayuri's sake at least.
When Sayuri had come home late, with Lin dropping her off at the door, he was worried. Sayuri retold him what had happened that night. Never had he been so mad at his Aunt Noriko. The way she treated Sayuri made his blood boil. His cousin was doing everything to made sure he was happy, safe, and healthy.
They haven't heard from her again, except from a phone call from Sayuri's father. The conversation was calm and normal. Sho suspected that Uncle Seito heard about the dinner and probably wanted to check on his daughter. It made Sho even angrier when his own uncle wouldn't step up to tell his wife to back off on Sayuri.
He was just thankful that Lin was there to keep Sayuri calm.
Sho likes Lin for the reason he seems to make Sayuri happy. Though the stoic Chinese man didn't talk to him much, Sho made sure to be extra respectful and not to get in his way. He knew Lin had done something to put a smile on Sayuri's face when she came home. It made it even more curious when Lin asked him to keep an eye on her.
Somehow, Sho ponders, Lin really cared about Sayuri more then he let on.
It wasn't that he didn't mind it. Sho wanted Sayuri to be happy with someone. Not like how his parents were or how Sayuri's parents are, but someone who genuinely made her happy and safe. Everyone in the group made her feel that way, but he wanted her to find someone special.
Sho was thankful that he had his 'uncles' Ritsuke and Hosho to be there for Sayuri, being the big brothers she always wanted. Tsubaki was the closest thing to a sister she had, with Ayako being a good friend. Masako was like a distant cousin while Yasu was like a crazy uncle or some sort relative. John was like an uncle in a sense. Mai was like a sister to him and a daughter to Sayuri, despite the age difference. Then there was Lin and Naru. They somehow fitted into the family too.
He likes this family.
They were all wonderful people who deeply cared about each other yet rarely had to show it. They didn't have to. It was obvious and no need to point out the obvious.
"Hey kiddo, you still with us?" Sho turns around to see Monk talking to him.
"I'm okay, just thinking."
"You think too much for an eight-year-old," Monk laughs, ruffling his hair. "Here, you can help carry the cables for me."
"Right!" Sho went to work helping everyone unload the van.
It was just Monk, Mai, Naru, Lin, Sayuri, John, Ayako and him. It surprised Sayuri when Lin asked if Sho would like to go instead of having Yasu baby-sit him. Tsubaki couldn't make it due to plans she couldn't cancel. Ritsuke was busy on another case. Masako had some interview she had to get to.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Sayuri asks out loud, watching Sho help Monk and John set up equipment in a study in the home.
"I think he'll be okay," Mai sets down more equipment, "He did alright on that college case we went to."
"I just don't want anything to happen to him," Sayuri continues to hold a case holding the cameras, "He's all I got and...I know how dangerous this job can be. I still don't know how Lin convinced me to let him come."
"Lin asked you to bring Sho?"
Ayako overhears the conversation, taking the case out of Sayuri's hands. She hands the container over to Monk before turning her attention to Sayuri.
"Yeah, it was weird..." Sayuri's voice trails off, giving dirty looks to the two smirking on either side of her, "What? What is it?"
"Nothing," the two women sing, giggling at Sayuri whose face was turning a lovely shade of pink.
"There is nothing going on between us, so get it out of your head."
Sho watches from afar as the girls continue teasing his cousin. He cocks his head to the side, brown eyes rolling as he realizes that they were just gossiping. In his opinion, girls were just weird when it came to mushy things.
"Sho?" Monk touches his shoulder, "what's wrong?"
"Girls are weird."
Monk laughs, "Definitely. Wanna learn how to set up the microphones? Naru says you can come with me so long as you're careful."
Sho breaks out into a huge grin, "sure! And I will be careful. I don't want Naru to get upset with me."
A large hand ruffles his dark tresses, "Alrighty then, just follow Uncle Takigawa and we're on our way to training you in the art of ghost hunting!"
"Yes!" Sho follows Monk with the microphones. He makes sure he doesn't get too far behind where he could get lost. The house wasn't all that big but it wasn't small either.
Sho hesitates however as they come onto the second landing. The stairs creak loudly under their feet, and he peers through the banister railings down at the living room below. A few cobwebs catch his attention, and his little heart races at the sight of the large spider eyeing him.
"Coming?" Monk looks over his shoulder.
Sho didn't need to be asked twice. He darts up the rest of the steps, shivering as the eyes from the portraits lining the wall follow them.
"Hosho?"
"Hmm?"
"Do ghosts posses portraits and make them stare at you...?"
"Not that I heard of. I know there is the illusion of the eyes following you. Don't worry, it's probably just your mind playing tricks on you," Monk chuckles. There was that thought; Sho was sensitive enough to pick up on things that neither he nor anyone else on the team could pick up.
Sho pales, "Yeah, okay... thanks."
He still looks uncertain as he eyes the portrait of a family of three. The boy looks to be around his age, clinging to his mother's legs. A man that didn't look related at all to the boy stands with a hand gripped protectively on the woman's shoulder.
The little boys eyes seem to be almost alive.
Sho could've sworn they were blinking.
"Sho-chan..." Monk teases, "I have gummy worms for the good boy who helps me with the microphones!"
"Hey!" Sho tears his eyes away from the portrait. "Taunting me with candy isn't nice,"
"Then move your little butt into gear,"
Sho takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He had to keep a level head and help set up. He wanted to prove to Lin and Naru that he could be a big help to the group. He wanted to show that he just wasn't some kid who was helpless.
He follows Monk into the bedroom and pauses. He felt so small in the vast space. The thick curtains hung around the mammoth sized bed. He could faintly smell must and it made him sniffle. Sho pulls his shirt over his nose as he sneezes.
"Want me to open the balcony doors and air out the place?"
Sho wipes his nose with the sleeve of his shirt, "Sure."
Monk takes hold of the handles, opening up the doors. "There, I wouldn't want you to start sneezing like crazy."
"Yeah, Sayuri would probably think I was getting a cold."
"Last thing we need is a mother hen losing her head."
Sho laughs, "yeah, she gets silly when she does that. But, I don't mind. I think she's doing a good job being Mom to me."
Monk opens the doors. Sho had gone to open his mouth to say something else, but his attention was stolen by the view. Vast woods spread out as far as the eye could see, and in the distance he saw what looked to be an old cottage and well.
"Cool," He whispers.
His sneakers pad against the wooden floor as he steps out onto the balcony, grasping the side and standing on his tiptoes to try and see the cottage better.
"I wanna go check it out!"
"We will," Monk holds up a microphone, "once we're done this."
"Right!"
Sho was all to eager to get the work done now. His mind was fixated on going to the cottage in the woods. The work was done correctly, and in half the time. Sho moves ahead of Monk, eager to set foot outside of the house.
"Sho, we should eat dinner." Sayuri says.
"Man..." he whines under his breath.
"And since when do you want to skip dinner?" She places her hands on her hips, "you eat like me. A horse. What's up?"
Sho shifts his weight from each leg, bouncing on his heels.
"He saw a cottage out in the woods. He wants to go explore."
Grey eyes look at Monk then back down to Sho.
She lets out a sigh, "dinner first. And you can only go exploring unless you have someone with you, got it?"
Sho nods, "Got it!"
"Good," Sayuri smiles, ruffling his hair, "now go find Mai and get your plate ready."
"Fine..." he gives in.
"I love you," Sayuri calls after him, with him scowling and muttering.
"Love you too!" he shouts back, though he sounds annoyed.
"You better!" Sayuri laughs, following just to make sure he did as he was told.
Sho enters the kitchen, seeing that food was already prepare. Mai turns around, smiling as she beckons him to the counter. He walks up, looking around before accidently bumping into Lin.
Lin glances down at him and steadies him by his shoulder, "Are you alright?"
"I'm sorry Lin-san," Sho steps back, bowing, "I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."
Lin shakes his head, "It's fine. Actually, I need to go to the cottage and set up an audio feed and camera there for the base. I'll take you with me." he explains, "So long as your guardian hasn't any issues with it, that is."
Sho turns around, seeing Sayuri standing in the doorway. Her expression was that of pure puzzlement and astonishment.
"Please?"
Big chocolate eyes stare at her.
"Um...yes... that would be fine.."
"Yay!"
"Food first though."
"Aw..."
Sayuri stares at Lin, "he's a growing boy and I won't let him skip dinner."
"You can take it with you!" Mai somehow produce two boxed dinners. She hands them over to Sho, giving him a wink.
"Don't worry," Lin tells Sayuri, "nothing is going to happen to him."
With that, Lin leads the eight year old out the door. Sho couldn't contained the excitement but he manages to stay within close distance of Lin. His eyes glance all around him. The woods here were much more exciting then the one back at his house. Those woods...
Don't go in there, Sho, I don't want anything to happen to you.
Kyo's warning wasn't to just scare him but to protect him. His ancestor rarely spoke of the event in which he would head into the woods, not coming out until the next day. Kyo would usually appear randomly, and sometimes going along with Sayuri on cases. Today, Kyo wasn't with them.
Early this morning, he headed out.
Sho prayed that Kyo would come back safe this time. Well safe as a dead samurai could get.
"Something troubling you?"
Lin notice the boy had a far off look on his face. It concern him, knowing the boy was able to see things that he couldn't. Lin gets up away from the equipment, touching Sho's shoulder.
"See something?"
"No," Sho looks up at him, "thinking about Kyo. He didn't come along today. I get worried when he goes out into the woods."
It worried him too. Lin was concerned just what kept the samurai on earth, bond because of something that had occur over a hundred years ago. A curse? A deathly scene of gruesome murder? What exactly happen? Until they got the full story, there was no point of going out into that forest until knowing what they might be up against.
"As soon as we find out what happen," Lin squeezes Sho's shoulder, "we'll help Kyo."
"You...you will? You mean Shibuya will help him crossover?" Chocolate brown eyes stare at him, looking hopeful.
Lin nods, "it's our job, and...I know how much he means to you and Sayuri."
"Yeah," Sho smiles, "he's family. I mean, he is my great-great-great grandfather. I just want him to be happy."
That warmed Lin to the soul. A little boy just wanting to see his ghost moved on, to be happy and not be bound because of a horrible threat. The cottage itself was a fair decent size. It looked as though it had not been lived in for many years. Sho covers his mouth from the dust, before letting out a sneeze.
Lin leaves the door open before moving to open windows to let in some air.
"Here," Lin points, "you know how to set up the camera?"
"Yes sir," Sho finally stops sneezing, "Takigawa showed me."
"Alright," Lin smiles, "you set up the camera. If you need help, let me know. After that, you better eat or else Sayuri might come after me."
"Don't worry," Sho goes over to the camera, "I'll tell her that it was my fault so that you won't get into trouble."
It took him a while, with some of Lin's help. Sho finally sat down on a stool, opening up the boxed lunch that Mai had prepared. It smelled so good. Mai's food was just as good as Sayuri's. Sho eats, watching Lin from his seat. It was curious that Lin wanted him of the whole group to come out and set up equipment. Sho munches, pondering.
Maybe Naru wants me to be trained to be a future member of Shibuya. That would be so awesome to do! I get to go on all sorts of spooky adventures that way!
He was mid way into finishing off his dinner when he hears something.
Brown eyes open wide as they spot someone just standing outside the door of the cottage. Sho drops his chopsticks into the box, staring ahead.
The figure looked like a kid his age.
It look like the little boy from the portrait back at the main house.
The little boy just stood there, shoulders hunched down. His face was nothing but a frown. His eyes looked so sad. His eyes stare into Sho's.
Help...me...please? I don't...want...to be...here...anymore.
His voice sounded so sad, frighten.
Sho gets up, walking over to the door. The little boy was now farther away, staring at Sho still.
Help me.
"I'll help you," Sho steps out of the cottage, "what's your name? What happen?"
Ta..Takao...please...I want to go to heaven.
"Okay," Sho wanders closer, following Takao, "wait, where are you going?"
The ghost boy doesn't answer, leading him away from the cottage. Sho's eyes land on a well. The little boy gets up on the side of the well, just sitting. Takao waits until Sho is a few feet from the well.
I had to get away...I just...I just want to leave...but he won't let me.
"Who? Takao, I just want to help. We're all here to help you...what happen?'
Can...Can I show you? I...I'm not very strong like...this...
Sayuri told him all about possession. Lin and Naru also had filled him in. It was a dangerous thing to let another spirit inside your body, whether you wanted them to or not. He knew it was alright with Kyo and Sayuri. But he also knew some spirits weren't as nice.
Could he trust Takao enough to let him in? If he did, would he do something dangerous? Was he just giving off the illusion of being weak?
Please...I want to go home.
"Okay," Sho wasn't sure why he agreed to it, "I'll help ya. Just...this is new."
I don't want to hurt you...I just want a friend...I just...
"I understand," Sho smiles, "I got a friend just like you...and I want him to move on but he can't. Cause we have no idea how to help him but I know how to help you. So I want to help so...if you gotta share my body with me to help ya, then I will."
Thank you...you're...very kind Sho.
Sho felt his body go very cold before everything goes black. Lin had come out of the cottage when Sho had just got up and left him alone. The Chinese man looks around, scanning for any signs of the boy. His first thought was that Sho had gotten curious and went outside to explore. There was no sign of him.
"Sho!" Lin calls out but getting nothing back.
Nothing but the sounds of nature.
Lin pauses.
Everything had gone quiet.
Lin comes out of the cottage, rounding the corner. His eyes widen at the sight of Sho sitting on the edge of the well. His dark eyes show panic, with him moving his body forward.
"Sho, get away from there! Sho! You're going to fall in and get hurt!"
Lin got close enough to feel his blood freeze up.
Sho's eyes...
"Sho's going to help me go home," the voice that didn't belong to the boy who was sitting on the edge of the well, "he's going to help me. I just want to get away. I have to show him what happen."
"Wait...who..."
"Takao," the boy says, "bye!"
The boy jumps into the well with Lin screaming, reaching for Sho. The boy falls into the darkness of the well. Lin hears a sound of him landing. Lin closes his eyes, praying it was his feet that Sho or now Takao landed on.
Lin takes a moment.
Only a moment before he jumps down the well.
He just hope that when he got down there, Sho was alive and well.
That was all Lin could do was hope.