( GHOST )
MOTEL ROOM
[ ☾]
Dean, Elena and Sam enter. Garth is performing some sort of martial art exercises in the courtyard to the rear of the room. "Garth. Where's Baxter?" Sam asks.
Garth comes into the room and points. "Dude's a lot heavier than he looks, FYI." He says. Randy is in the hot tub with a pillowcase over his head. "But here." He indicates Dean's EMF reader. "Thought you might want this back."
"You have the CEO of the douchiest microbrew in the US gagged in your hot tub?" Dean asks. "You really think that's gonna end well?"
"I'm not feeling the love." Garth says.
"All right. Shojo. Uh, let's see what we can see." Sam sits down at the table to use the laptop.
"What's Shojo?" Asks Garth.
"Japanese booze monster." Dean says.
"I guess that would explain why you got to be drunk to see it. Very poetic." Garth says. Sam does a search for "Shojo" and clicks on the first link, which is to the page "Open Minds to Deeper Knowledge." The text is in Japanese and there is a black-and-white drawing. Garth looks over Sam's shoulder. "Ooh. Creepy."
A message box that says "Translating Japanese text to English" pops up on screen and then the page appears in English. It reads: A Shojo (Heavy drinker or Orangutan) is a kind of Japanese sea spirit with a red face and hair and a fondness for alcohol. Legend has it, that workers at the breweries in Japan have seen a Shojo lurking about after indulging in their products.
With the right Spell Box you can harness a Shojo to your will. The legend is the subject of a Noh play of the Same name. There is a Noh mask for this character, as well as a type of Kabuki stage makeup, that bares [sic]the name. The Chinese and Japanese characters for Orangutan are the Same, and can also be used in Japanese to refer to someone who is particularly fond of alcohol. Fatal weakness: Samurai sword consecrated with a Shinto blessing.
"Okay. So, a Shojo is said to roam where there's lots of alcohol." Sam says. "There's lore saying that, back in the old day, if you were plastered enough, you could see one skulking around the breweries in Japan."
Dean is refilling his flask with whiskey. "Yeah, but why is this one shredding brewers' kids?" He asks.
"Apparently, you can harness the will of a Shojo with the right spell box." Sam says. "Then you basically have an attack dog that you can sic on whatever sort of personal revenge mission you want."
"So Dale nabs one to punish his pals." Dean says.
"Send the bottle, sooner or later it's popped open. Then you have a Shojo that will do whatever Dale compelled it to do right here on the box."
"Wait. Except it's not killing the people that screwed him over." Garth says.
"Well, Dale's widow said the company was his baby. So, if he really wanted his friends to feel what he felt..." Sam starts.
"He would take theirs. Well, their kids. Jim's, anyways." Dean says.
"And Baxter was the godfather." Elena says.
"All right, skip to how do we gank it." Dean says.
"Good news. It is killable." Sam says.
"But..." Dean starts.
"But only with a Samurai sword consecrated with a Shinto blessing." Sam says.
"Well... that's not a silver lining. All right, the Shojo already cleaned house, right?" Dean asks. "I mean, Marie's the last target standing, so... I'll hit the pawn shops and, uh, look for the sword, and you babysit Marie."
Garth drops and catches an EMF reader, which starts to make noise. "Yikes. Sorry." He says as Dean grabs the EMF reader from him.
"Don't worry about it." Dean turns the EMF reader off.
"Unless I've got nothing to be sorry for." Garth says.
"Garth." Dean says.
"What's he talking about?" Sam asks.
"I'm concerned that Bobby might be haunting you. I-I brought it up to Dean, and he shot me down." Garth says.
"Garth! Leave it alone." Dean says.
"It's okay." Sam says.
"No, it's far from okay." Dean says.
"I've already tried contacting Bobby." Sam says and Dean looks surprised. "When that beer disappeared, I pulled out a talking board."
"Without me?" Dean asks.
"You know, I figured, why drag you in... when it's something I could just put to bed myself."
"And?" Elena asks.
"And if he was there, I'd have told you." Sam says and Randy groans.
"Talk about this later. You follow Marie. Let me borrow your keys." Dean says.
Garth removes the pillowcase from Randy's head. "I'm trying to help you, Mr. Baxter." He says.
"And who the hell are you?" Randy asks.
"Now, I'm confused. Dale goes to get you all where it hurts – the kids. Only, you don't have any kids." Garth says.
"It still affects me. Believe me."
"Nah. You want to tell me what you're hiding?" Garth asks.
"Hiding? I –"
"Tell me this. When was the last time you gave an employee three chances?" Asks Garth.
"Probably never." Randy says.
"Exactly. You're the axman, right? Tough job, but, hey, somebody's got to." Garth says. "So, how come you cut that slacker janitor so many breaks?"
"I-I-I-I don't know."
"Yeah. Well, I Googled. Come to find his mother... was your secretary way back in the day. Of course, you were married to Mrs. B., so, uh... No way there's anything naughty there, right?" Garth asks. "What do you need to get? It don't matter what Dale knows about you, 'cause that thing out there killing the kids – it knows!"
"It didn't end well with his mom. She made me swear never to tell him." Randy says.
"Oh. So much for that. Where is he?"
"He's, uh – he's at the brewery." Says Randy as Garth takes a bunch of miniature bottles of alcohol from under the counter. "Working the graveyard shift."
"Here." Garth tosses Randy the keys to the handcuffs chaining him to the hot tub rail. "If you care about that kid at all, don't call the cops on me just yet."
BREWERY
[ ☾]
Randy's sprays window cleaner all over the inside of the glass door. When he wipes it off, we see that the Shojo is standing on the other side of the door, but it appears that he can't see her.
STREET OUTSIDE
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
[ ☾]
Dean takes a sword out of its scabbard and lays it down on a wooden box. The Japanese Man is reading from a piece of paper. "It says it's best to do this in a running spring." He said.
"Uh, yeah. I, uh..." Dean takes a bottle of spring water out of his jacket. "I got it. Okay. We good?"
"I'll do my best."
"All right." Dean picks up the sword and prepares to pour water over it.
"Shichihukujin..." The Japanese Man starts. "Go."
"Oh." Dean pours water over the sword.
"Hito no teni rori korekara seitoun yakuwari wo hatasu kono ken wo tataer." The Japanese Man recites as Dean continues pouring water onto the sword. "That's it."
"Oh." Dean stops pouring. "All right. Uh, thanks." He hands over some money. "There."
"Thank you."
"Yeah." Dean's phone rings as he is putting the sword back into its scabbard. "Aah. Hey, Garth."
BREWERY
[ ☾]
Garth is hurrying towards the brewery. He drops an empty miniature bottle of alcohol. The scene alternates between Garth at the brewery and Dean outside the Japanese restaurant.
"Dean, Baxter's got a secret love child! The Shojo might come for him first!" Garth yells.
"Whoa, slow down!" Dean yells.
"I'm trying to save lives here!" Garth fumbles for tools to break into the brewery.
"Are you drunk?" Dean asks.
Garth drops his phone. "Damn it! Damn it." He says.
"Garth?" Dean asks as Garth gets the door open and enters the brewery. "You dropped the phone, didn't you? Hello? Garth!"
Garth is going up the stairs in the brewery. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm here." He says.
"Where the hell are you?" Dean asks.
"I'm in the brewery."
BAR
[ ☾]
Sam is at the bar drinking whiskey. Behind him, Marie is at a table. Sam signals the bartender for another drink.
BREWERY
[ ☾]
Garth can see the Shojo watching Randy's Son. "Garth?" Dean asks.
"Dean. It's here." Garth whispers. He grabs Randy's by the arm.
"Whoa, whoa, hey! What the hell?!" The Son yells.
"Come with me if you want to live!" Garth yells.
"Hey!"
BAR
[ ☾]
Sam's phone rings. "Yeah." He says.
"Hey, you good to drive?" Dean asks.
Sam is drinking his whiskey. "Uh..." He starts.
"Well, get a ride. It's at the brewery." Dean says.
"What?" Sam asks.
"There's another kid. Don't think – move."
Sam leaves the bar. A valet is helping a couple into a taxi. "Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Taxi! Hey, hey, hey! Hey, hey, hey! Stop! Hold on, hold on. National security!" He holds up a badge. "Please!" The woman who was about to get into the taxi steps back. "Thank you, ma'am. Sorry. Thanks, guys." He gets into the taxi. "Okay. Brewery. Step on it!"
"What?" The Taxi Driver asks.
"The brewery! Hurry! Hurry. Hurry, hurry. Please?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, but I like to drive safe, you know."
BREWERY
[ ☾]
Garth is leading Randy's Son by the arm. "Dude, what's going on? Who are you?" He asks.
"I'm the law, son. Now, follow me." Garth says.
"Are you drunk, dude?" The Son breaks away from Garth. "Get away from me!"
"All right. I'll just shoot. Baxter is your father. Baxter screwed Dale. Dale roped this Japanese monster you can only see when you're drunk, and now it's here to kill you." Garth says.
"Whoa, wait a minute. Baxter is my father?"
Garth looks past Randy and sees the Shojo approaching. He grabs Randy and tries to drag him away. Randy looks from Garth to the direction of the Shojo.
"What are you looking at?"
Garth pulls Randy's Son by the arm. "Damn it, run!" He yells.
Randy's Son breaks away from Garth again. "Dude, there's nothing there!" He yells. The Shojo appears right in front of Garth. Garth smiles at it.
The Shojo sends Garth flying into a wall of glass windows. Randy's Son runs. He rounds a corner and stands with his back to the wall. As he starts to run for an open door, it slams shut. Large scratches appear on the wall in front of him. He opens the door and continues to run through the brewery.
Sam appears from the other direction. "Whoa. Whoa. Easy!" He yells.
"We got to get out of here, man." Randy's Son pushes past Sam, who follows him. "It's here!"
"Where's Garth?" Sam asks.
"Who?!"
"Garth!" Yells Sam.
"I-I – There was a guy – he got knocked out!" Randy's Son yells.
"Oh. Oh, okay." Sam can see the Shojo approaching. "Stay behind me. Stay behind me."
"Okay, okay. What, you can – you can see it?"
"Yeah. I'm – I'm skunked. Just, uh..." Sam looks to his right and sees an open door. "Fire exit. On three."
"Okay." Randy's Son says.
"All right?" Sam says .The door slams shut. "Okay. So much for that."
The Shojo appears right in front of Sam and throws him into the wall hard enough to crack it. Sam falls to the ground, unconscious. Dean and Elena appear and Dean puts a hand on Randy's Son's shoulder while Elena goes to Sam.
"Aah!"
"Get back!" Dean pushes Randy's Son behind him and slashes with the sword. The Shojo hits him and he falls to the ground. The sword skids along the flood. Dean sits up and looks at Sam, who is still unconscious. He then looks for the sword, which slides back along the floor towards him. Sam wakes.
Dean gets to his feet. "Where is it?!" He asks.
"Uh, s-s-swing right!" Sam yells and Dean slashes to his left with the sword. "My right." Dean slashes again as the Shojo ducks. "3 o'clock, Dean!" Dean slashes again. "6 o'clock!"
Randy's Son ducks as Dean swings the sword. Dean then plunges the sword into the Shojo and takes his hand from the hilt of the sword. The Shojo materializes, screams and falls backwards as it disappears. Dean picks up the sword.
"You okay?" Dean asks the Son.
"I'm alive. Yeah."
"Sam?" Dean asks.
"Yeah." Sam gives a thumb's-up.
"Where's Garth?" Dean asks.
"Well, he's – he's over this way." Randy says.
"Would you go get him?" Asks Dean.
"All right." Randy's Son says and Sam gets up and follows him. Dean looks at the sword, and then in the direction from which it moved towards him.
Meanwhile, Garth sits up with a hand to his head as Sam and Randy's Son approach. "What'd I miss?" Garth asks.
Dean standing with the sword. "This moved. Bobby? Are you here? Come on, do something." Dean says and Sam is watching from behind a corner.
MOTEL ROOM
[ ☼ ]
Garth is walking to his vehicle, carrying a bag. "You sure you guys don't want to hang out? Grab some brunch, maybe some brews?" He asks.
"Tempting, but, uh, we better roll." Dean says.
"All right, well..." Garth hugs Dean.
"Oh. Yeah." Dean says as he and Sam raise their eyebrows at each other. Garth hugs Elena also
"Call me anytime." Garth says.
"All right." Dean says.
"And you, Sam." Garth and Sam shake hands.
"Yeah." Sam says.
"Aw, come here." Garth hugs Sam.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks, Garth." Sam says as Garth gets into his vehicle and starts the engine.
"Sayonara kemo sabes!" Garth yells as he goes to his car. "Nice ride."
"You're right. He has grown on me." Sam says as Garth drives away, loud music playing. Dean raises a hand in farewell. "All right, um... So, let's talk about it."
"About what? Oh. The, uh, talking board? That's fine. I get it, I guess." Dean says.
"No, not that. Look, I heard you." Sam says.
"Heard me what?" Dean asks.
"What happened in the brewery, Dean?"
"Nothing. It was, uh – it was just my imagination." Dean turns to go inside the motel room and Sam follows him.
"Dean, look, I know something happened." Sam says. "I just want you to be straight with me."
"The blade was across the room, and then it was in my hand. And then my beer drank itself. Oh, and then, that page magically appeared on the bed." Dean says. "And—and then Bobby's book fell down, and out popped the number of the guy who found Cas. Nothing, I'm sure."
"Clearly." Sam says.
"Well then what, Sam? Is Bobby here, or not?" Dean asks.
"You know what I think, Dean? I think that regular people, they see ones they lost everywhere too."
"Yeah, freakin' ghosts!" Dean yells.
"Or they just miss 'em a lot. I mean, they see a face in a crowd, we see a book falling off the table. Same thing, Dean." Sam says. "I did the talking board, I ran plenty of EMF. When that beer when poof – I went a little nuts."
"Yeah, why didn't you tell me?" Dean asks.
"Like I said, little nuts at the time."
"All right, well, if it wasn't Bobby, then what Jedi'd that sword into my hand?" Asks Dean.
"The Shojo slammed the door from across the room. Maybe it was trying to grab the sword, too." Sam says.
Dean clears throat. "Right. Right, I mean if it was Bobby, he would let us know. I mean, who knows more about being a ghost than Bobby? Instant Swayze, right?" He asks.
"Exactly." Sam says.
"Okay. Okay, you – so your theory is that – that we're practically regular people about something for once. All right." Dean says. They pick up their bags. "Well, you want to grab some brunch and some brews?"
"Ugh, no. I'm so hung over. Let's just hit the road." Sam says.
"All right." Dean opens the door and motions Sam out. They leave the room. The camera pans out and we see Bobby's Ghost standing in the room looking after them. He sighs.
Dean, Elena, and Sam get into the car. Dean starts the engine. "Hang on." Dean gets out of the car and goes back inside the motel. Dean looks around the room. Bobby's Ghost is looking back at him. "There you are." Dean says and Bobby's Ghost smiles. Dean walks towards him and picks up his flask.
"I'm right here, you idjit!" Bobby yells and Dean pauses on his way out the door, but then closes the door behind him. "Balls!" Bobby's Ghost flickers and disappears. Dean gets back into the car and he and Sam drive away.