Chapter Text
“We need jobs you guys.” Ike sighed as he skimmed through the newspaper, finding nothing of interest.
“Nothing in here is actually authentic, it’s all just made up for advertisement.”
“Maybe you just aren’t looking hard enough.” Mysta plucked the paper out of Ike’s hands. His eyes slowly scanned the page, eventually lighting up at the sight of something he thought promising.
“Here! Scary Larry’s haunted mansion!”
There was a long moment of silence before Vox snatched the newspaper from Mysta, examining the paper closely.
“Oh hey, here’s something.” Luxiem crowded around the table, reading where vox’s finger was pointing.
“ ‘Paranormal Assistance required at 165 east Melody Drive, contact (***) 524-7543?’” Shu read aloud.
“Isn’t that the one guy who’s body was never found?” Luca interjected, “but that was a really long time ago, wasn’t it?”
Ike hummed in thought before saying, “he was reported missing in 1987, his sister always accused his fiancé of two years of killing him. His family members reported feeling uneasy while cleaning his things out of his house, and the owners after never stayed for more than 2 months. He mainly resides in the attic, but it’s rare to see him. he’s extremely stubborn, usually only appearing if he’s exchanging death threats with visitors.”
The group stared in shock at Ike’s knowledge on the topic, but he only shrugged.
“My aunt was friends with his sister, i got the whole story from her.”
They sat in silence for a moment before Vox stood up and sauntered over to the phone.
“Soooo… we’re doing this?” Shu broke the silence.
“It’s better than scary Larry’s haunted mansion.”
———————
Luxiem paranormal investigators co. Clambered out of their car, filing up to the door. Mysta knocked rapidly at the door to 165 Ease Melody Drive, shivering at the sudden frigidness of the air on the porch.
Quick footsteps were heard, and bolts and locks were being undone from inside. The door creaked open halfway, revealing a woman in her mid to late 40’s, eyes flitting around cautiously.
“Are ya’ Luxiem?” She let our a hoarse whisper. Face scrunching into a look of… disgust, maybe?
“Uh- yes, we’re here to investigate the spir-“
“I know what yer here for.” She snapped. “I’m the houses caretaker, Come in.” She pulled the door all the way open, gesturing them inside.
They murmured quiet thank you’s and she closed the door behind them.
“He knows ya’ll are comin’. He’s been quiet all night. Not even singing in the attic.”
She wrung her fingers, glancing around the house.
“Can we have some information about… Him?” Luca asked while gazing up a long staircase going up.
“Well, he usually only gets all worked up when no ones around, we put up cameras to watch him, but he just breaks ‘em every time. He’s a real feisty one, likes to threaten people. He hasn’t hurt anyone yet, but we’re just waiting until the ball drops.” She peered up the stairs uneasily. “He does like to sing though. When he thinks no ones listenin’.”
“He sounds like he’s all bark and no bite.” Vox mused. “How old is he? Or rather, how old was he when he died.”
“18 years old. Engaged to his high school sweetheart when he was 16, but other than that we don’t have much information. His sister refuses to give us any more information.” The moment she mentioned his sister the house dropped to below freezing levels, and the woman got deathly pale.
“Do you see this? Ike showed the thermometer to the group.
“He doesn’t like it when you talk about his sister?” Shu questioned.
“Nope, and now i best get goin’ or else he’ll be gettin’ real upset. Good luck boys!” She promptly bolted out of the door without even taking her coat or even telling them her name.
“She seemed odd.” Mysta thought out loud.
“She’s probably crazy, she takes care of this place for goodness sakes.” Vox gestured all around the hallway, littered with old papers and a few paintings.
“She’s not crazy just on edge, we should follow suit.” Ike sighed, lightly touching the wall and closing his eyes. they sat in silence for a long while.
“I can’t hear anything, Luca can you see something?” Luca was still concentrating on the stairwell, furrowing his brow.
“Traces of a substance on the wall, it could be ectoplasm. It only goes up from there.” He pointed at the center of the first flight of stairs.
“Let’s split up then.” Vox proposed. “Shu, me and you will take this floor, Luca and Ike will take the second floor, and Mysta will take the attic.” The smug grin on his face was apparent, sending Mysta up alone.
“W-what? You can’t send me there a-alone! He might be up there!”
“That is entirely the point, my boy.”
“But-!”
“Okay.” Ike cut them off, “Vox is right. Mysta, your physic energy is the strongest, so taking the attic would be the beat course of action for you.”
“Just bring your stuff!” Luca exclaimed, “it wouldn’t be very pog if you got killed by a ghost.” Everyone slowly turned to look at him, but he just shrugged.
“But-“ mysta began, but was cut off by Ike.
“No arguing. I know you don’t want to, but you will.” Mysta grumbled as Ike continued, “everyone split into your groups.”
Mysta checked his bag to make sure he had it all, iron chains, sparklers, salt, a cross, and last but not least a silver machete. He trekked up the third flight of stairs, whimpering to himself in self pity. And hesitantly placing his hand on the doorknob, slowly turning it.
The door creaked on it’s hinges, slowly opening to reveal…
storage. There were boxes and boxes stacked upon each other, cobwebs draped across them. He lightly touched the back of the door, getting no sings of paranormal activity.
“Oh.” He said aloud. “That isn’t as bad as i though it would be.”
“It isn’t?” A breathy voice whispered in his ear, sending him careening backwards, screaming like a lunatic. He whipped around, not seeing anyone.
Footsteps thundered up the stairs behind him, all of Luxiem clamoring up the steps.
“What happened?” Shu yelled, grabbing Mysta’s face and inspecting it.
“Where is it?” Vox pulled out his rapier, ready to start swinging wildly.
“Did it touch you? Please say you didn’t get ghost touched.” Ike rifled through his bag for the tonic.
“I-it- he didn’t touch me- he j-just whispered in my ear-“ he stammered, but booming laughter drowned him out. It was high pitched and echoey, almost like a cackle.
“Where are you?” Vox bellowed over the sound, his voice barely discernible over the sounds of amusement from the ghost.
The laughter stopped abruptly, plunging the house into a dead silence.
“From now on, we stick together.” Luca nodded at the rest of them.
“Agreed.” Mysta’s voice shook, eyes flitting around the ceiling, as if seeing something.
“What is it?” Shu whispered, noticing his behavior.
“An… an orb. It’s purple-ish, and it’s going back and forth from wall to wall really fast, almost erratically.” He whispered back, still mesmerized.
“I see that faint outline of it too…” Luca reached for his bag, pulling out a thermal camera, looking through it.
“There is definitely something there.” Vox stated, looking over his Luca’s shoulder.
“We should go downstairs before things get messy.” Ike grimaced up at the ceiling.
The filed down the stairs, deciding to sit down in the kitchen.
“So, what did it say to you?” Ike asked Mysta pressingly.
“Well- i said that the attic wasn’t as bad as i thought it was out loud, and then he whispered- “it isn’t?” In my ear.”
“So it was just trying to freak you out? That bastard” Vox muttered the last bit, but the ghost didn’t like that one bit.
The house erupted into a high pitched screeching, the sounds coming from every wall, shaking the tables and paintings.
It got louder and louder until Vox screamed something indiscernible over the noise, and it died down.
“What… was that.” Shu brought his hands down from his ears, looking up at Vox.
“It- He doesn’t like to be called names.” He stared blankly ahead, processing. “All i had to do was apologize.”
They sat in silence until Ike got up and filled the tea kettle on the stove with water.
“Anyone want some tea?”
——————
They all sat at the table, quietly drinking their tea.
“So.” Vox began, “how do we help this guy move on?”
The rest of Luxiem all let out sounds of uncertainty, shrugging.
“We don’t even know this guy’s name.” Shu stared down at his cup. “I feel like we could at least have given him a little respect by learning his name before we came here.” They all nodded.
“I think Mysta should be the one to find out his name.” Ike proclaimed.
“What? Why me? I already talked to him today!” He banged his hand on the table, sending drops if tea flying.
“So far, he likes you best. Plus, we know already that he doesn’t like Vox.” Ike deadpanned.
“Wh- I think he likes me just fine!” Vox exclaimed.
“Then why don’t you ask his name?” Mysta introduced the idea as The group stared expectantly at him.
“Fine! Sure! I will.” He stomped up the stairs, back up to the attic. He turned the doorknob and stepped back into the attic.
“Hey, man.” He greeted the nothingness. “I know we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, so i wanna make things right. My name is Vox, what’s yours?” Silence.
“Okay, i’m just gonna-“ he turned to leave, but a silky smooth voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Shoto.” He whispered to him.