Chapter Text
Growing up in the small home country of Liyue. where everyone knew each other was rather dull, when you work at a horror flick shop, attend the same school everyone else does and see what others can’t, makes normal living very…interesting she glared at the current transparent ghoul that hung upside down over the mounted TVs.
When Hu Tao was a child she’d tell her mother about the figures she saw and the people she met. She was scared of them, elderly women and men, young children and teens begged and asked for demands that she never understood. They were labeled as imaginary friends.
Hu tao knew that was a lie. Then she turned 15, she began to understand the wants of the see through people and so she talked with them and after a few months of talking she noticed they would simply stop appearing and she came to the conclusion that the ghosts wanted to vent.
Once she reached the age of 19 she was a full time ghost therapist and exorcist, the girl was thrilled to hear what the ghosts had to say about their past lives and how they felt. She’s always enjoyed her abilities, unnatural as they are, though there are times where she’d imagine life without them, who would help the souls reach peace because as far as hu tao knew, she was the only person with such odd abilities of course she never told anyone about it. She wasnt stupid…though she let it slip once.
“ do you see relatives, if so, can you inquire about some old family of mine” xiao the exception, he was her closest friend and biggest annoyance.
He sat cross legged on the carpeted floor, answering today’s homework questions
“How many times will you ask me that? You know the dead don’t want to be bothered” she snapped and he only blinked
“The day you actually give me an answer.” He stated and went back to reviewing. He was her biggest problem, he knew too much and killing him wouldn't help and he already had a therapist so she was honestly just putting a professional out of their job if she off’ed him , just keep avoiding the answer.
“One day you'll ask and then bam, no more femboi dick for you” she grinned and glared Xiao at her
“If i die you have no one in the mortal world and venti would be just fine without-” Xiao was stopped by the boring ringtone be had and smiled “speak of the devil” he waved bye to the dark haired girl and she flipped him off, the door chimed announcing his depart and the girl counted on her fingers “3,2..1”
“HAVE YOU-”
“Hon i need-”
“Do you thi-”
Hu tao grinned and giggled, her favorite time of the day.
“Granny know i understand that you want to move on but you really have to talk with me”
hu tao, pleaded with the small women who was hunched over, even the afterlife had secrets, the saying “you secrets die with you” were not false the amount of times and pages hu tao has filled in her notebook looking like insane thoughts were just confessions of the dead, helped them live peacefully...but not granny, granny was committed to dying and hers staying dead with hers.
“Granny come on, think about how much better you'll feel, who am i gonna tell. I have one friend and I'm pretty sure he's a figment of my imagination” hu tao clasped her hands together and smiled at granny. Granny swallowed her red eyes glistended with tears and she pushed her dirty pink hair out of her face and sighed.
“A young child not of your kind was killed by an old, old family member of mine, she still walks among you lost, she was given to me when i was in my twenties, im filled with quilt because i killed her. SHE- shE was unnatural even in my times she scared me, my husband to be left because this child had such an odd way of doing things! So I killed again and she came back over and over until I left her in a random home and killed myself” granny cried harder, the lights flickered and Hu tao’s skin rippled in goosebumps. Grannys continued in between sobs “she-she out there somewhere and i just- i can't leave until she's taken care of.” granny sobbed her head laid against the counter and her “body” shook.
Hu tao licked her lips, there was no request, just confession. Hu tao was not pleased with what she's learned but..the stress.
“I won't lie granny you are an awful person, what you did was very wrong and immoral and i will not support what you did but how does this help you move on?” hu tao was straight forward when it came to helping her friends on the other side.
“I need to know the child is okay.” Granny sniffled and Hu tao eyes narrowed
“You want me to find a child from ages ago?” hu tao leaned forward and granny blinked away the tears.
“I know it's a lot..” the old women trailed off
“Damn sure it is and damn sure i'll find her granny” hu tao smiled and shut her book, this was her job well self appointed job but she was gonna do it and let the almighty deal with granny, she was just messenger, a ferryman of death, just a tunnel so she was alright plus it made a sick ass tumblr name.
The old woman was overjoyed and cried again while hu tao began to back up so she could go home and began to search for this mysterious child..some on like her, unnatural.