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Description
His heart was for the first time subject to anxiety and exhaustion, and it hurt. He clutched his chest with his right hand, but he didn't slacken his pace. Once Spiller navigated Sho to the stream, Sho felt that he could relax a bit. The sun still had a long way down, and he wasn't light headed nor fatigued yet. He slowed down a bit and eyed the stream. Even though to him it was a short jogging distance away, the borrowers probably sailed down on their teapot for several hours before arriving. He could not imagine the hardships the borrowers had gone through to move, and the further he jogged the worse he felt about forcing them to move. Spiller felt his distress, but didn't say a word. He also knew that he wouldn't understand the world from a human bean's eyes either. He stared straight ahead at the forest that grew nearer with each lunge of Sho's huge body.

Homily had just put some of her tea on the makeshift stove when Spiller knocked on the front door. Pod stood up from his chair and said, "Coming." He opened the door, and seeing that it was Spiller, greeted him warmly. Homily welcomed him in, and asked if he wanted something to eat. Spiller shook his head quickly, and told Pod that they needed to speak in private. Pod nodded, and took Spiller down to their new basement they had dug out just the last week. They sat at a small round table, and smiling, Pod asked, "So, my boy, what did you need to talk about?" Spiller looked up into Pod's eyes and told him the same thing Sho said. Pod was quiet for the duration of his story. When he mentioned that Sho was waiting at the clearing for him, Pod pounded at the table. "How could you bring a human here? You know how dangerous it is to the neighborhood!" Spiller tried to reason with Pod. "It's the boy that saved Homily before and the one that you trusted your own daughter to! How could you not trust him now? He's been taking good care of Arrietty; I know because I've watched him many times. He isn't dangerous! Please, just hurry and come with me now. Arrietty is hurt and she could be discovered anytime!" Pod clenched his fists until they grew red, and he stood up abruptly, knocking his chair to the floor. Spiller flinched, as he knew he was in big trouble for going against the rule of communication with humans. Through clenched teeth, Pod murmured, "Wait for me outside. I need to get my tools and bandages." Spiller hastily nodded, and dashed outside. Pod went into his supply closet and began to prepare to build a splint and a cast for Arrietty. He sighed. He knew she would get herself into some sort of trouble, but she had only been living with Sho for about a month or so. Homily came in, and asked, "What's going on, Pod?" "Don't worry about it. I need to leave, so I won't be back for a few days. Can you manage? If you ever need help, just tell our neighbors." With that, Pod swiftly left the house and began to follow Spiller. Homily was utterly confused. She stood for several moments, trying to understand what was happening. Spiller wordlessly dashed through the woods, with Pod following closely behind. When they reached the clearing, Sho was sitting on the ground, cross-legged. Spiller shouted toward Sho, who turned and faced the two borrowers. Pod flinched, but he stood firm. Sho softly apologized that he hadn't taken good care of Arrietty, and extended his hand. Spiller climbed up with ease, but Pod was still suspicious of humans and he had trouble taking the first step. The instant they were both situated on his shoulders, Spiller pointed and Sho followed. He led them out of the woods, where they spotted the stream. Without breaking pace, Sho moved toward the direction of his house. This was the first time Pod had ever traveled so quickly in his life, and it was somewhat exhilarating. The world flew past with such speed that he grew a bit dizzy. He shook his head quickly, and focused on the house they had left so long before. He was amazed when they arrived in 30 minutes what had taken the borrowers a whole day of sailing to travel. Sho glanced around, trying to find the tabby. He spotted it scouring the area, and when it saw Sho with two borrowers it dashed back toward Arrietty. It sat down, licking its paws while Sho let Spiller and Pod walk down his arms to the ground. The sky was growing dark, and Sho had to go back in. "Spiller, Pod, I'm sorry, but I must go back. Take care of Arrietty out here. I promise no one will come around. I will be back tomorrow morning." Spiller nodded but Pod did not say a word. He knelt down beside Arrietty examined his daughter's right foot twice over, and began to wrap gauze around her foot. Sho quietly left the three borrowers and headed back. He heard Haru calling for him, and he quickened his stride. He had placed a huge amount of responsibility on his shoulders, and he would protect it with everything he could.

"Ah, here you are, Sho. Where have you been?" asked Haru. Nosy maid, Sho thought. "I just took a walk in the woods." Haru nodded, and escorted him to the dinner table. "Dinner will be ready in a second, so please hold on." Sho nodded with a smile. His aunt sat down across from him, and said with a quietly stern voice, "Sho, dear. There is something that I want to talk to you in private about later." Sho stared back with questioning eyes, and she continued. "I want to see you in your room after we're finished with dinner." "Alright, Aunt Sadako." Haru entered carrying steaming plates of food, which she expertly placed onto the table. Sho reached for his bowl of rice and began to eat, and throughout the entire dinner he could not think of anything other than the possible reasons his aunt would want to see him.

As Haru cleared the table of plates and bowls, Aunt Sadako stood up from her chair and headed for Sho's room. She glanced back at Sho, and motion for him to follow with a quick nod of the head. He quickly followed her up the stairs, and closed the door behind him. He saw that he had forgotten to close the little house's front wall, and he hoped his aunt wouldn't notice. Instead, Sadako placed her hand on the open wall. "Lock the door, please, Sho." Heart thumping in his throat, he twisted the lock to his door. "Sho, I want you to tell me the truth. Look me in the eyes." Sho obeyed without a sound. "Are there borrowers in the house, like the one Haru supposedly caught?" Sho shook his head. "There aren't, auntie." Sadako kept a stern face. "Let me rephrase. Do borrowers exist?" "I believe they do." Sadako shook her head. "Have you had contact with them?" Sho couldn't stand her questioning. "I don't mean disrespect, auntie, but will you please get to the point?" "My point is that I know that a borrower has been using this little house. The bed is never the same from day to day, and right now, the pillow is missing. One of the dresses is wrinkled, and the books aren't in their previous order. I've looked at the dollhouse so many times I know it by heart." Sho did not utter a single sound. "Sho, why do you insist on denying it?" He looked up at his aunt's eyes and said, "I never denied it. I can't deny something that simply isn't true. Am I not allowed to fantasize that borrowers live in that house? Am I not allowed to examine the tiny delicate clothes and books with my big and cumbersome hands?" Aunt Sadako was dumbfounded. Sho had never been so defensive about himself. Sho took a deep breath. Sadako knew she had to play her trump card. "You know that meeting a borrower was my father's dream. Why do you keep me from fulfilling his dream?" Sho fell silent. She was right, he was in a way keeping Arrietty and her family to himself. It was selfish, but he had to protect them from harm. "Auntie, if you find them yourself, there is nothing I can do. But you'd probably force them to live in this house, right? You'd pamper them with things they once risked their lives to get. They would no longer be able to survive in the real world. Even if I did know or see one, I wouldn't tell you because of this." Sadako nodded. "So be it. I respect your choice. And don't worry, I won't come into your room without your permission." With that, she briskly left the room, closing it softly her way out. Sho flopped down on his bed. He was so scared that his aunt would find Arrietty. It would be like betraying her; she had entrusted her life and safety to him. Sho clenched his jaw. He would never let Arrietty be discovered by anyone, even if it cost him his life.

Back in the forest, Spiller was helping Pod tighten the bandages around Arrietty's ankle. She had regained consciousness, and she winced as Pod wrapped the gauze around her right foot. It wasn't borrower-made, so it was itchy and uncomfortable. She had begun to tell Pod of her adventures with Sho, though she left out the part about going to school and Sho being able to hear her from far away. She was certain he would not approve of it. Spiller held down the gauze as Pod cut it with a blade. "There," said Pod, sighing. "You'll be fine if you don't touch that for a month." "A month?! That means I won't be able to go borrowing or exploring for such a long time!" Arrietty whined. Pod grumbled, "I didn't tell you to twist your ankle now, did I?" He patted the firm cast, and Arrietty let out a small shriek. Neiya, startled, turned its head abruptly toward Arrietty. Seeing that it was no big deal, it slowly turned back to face the house. Sho, of course, heard her cry in his head. His pencil jerked a bit and he winced from the sharp exclamation, and the 'o' he was writing became a 'q'. He glanced out the window and gazed at Neiya for a while before sighing and erasing his malformed letter. He couldn't concentrate on his work; penetrating, confused feelings of guilt and worry clouded his mind, and he found himself beginning to cry. Tears slowly rolled down his face and dripped onto his papers. He had been the one that lost Arrietty, he was the one that was hopeless when it came to helping her, and he was the one that left her to do his own work. As he brooded over his selfishness and uselessness, his vision grew blurry until the desk in front of him became a sea of brown and white. His body shook twice, and he gasped for air. He was supposed to take care of Arrietty, and yet here he was, doing not a single thing to help her. He put his head and arms on the desk and sobbed silently. "Sho…" Sho's head snapped up. He sniffed once, and wiped his face of tears. "Sho?" Yes, he had heard right. Arrietty was calling for him. He stood up and looked out the window. "Sho… I see you in your room. Please come here... please?" She was still weak from her mysterious sickness, and he heard the strain in her voice. Sho gave a small nod out the window, and started to leave the room when aunt came in. "Sho? Have you been crying, dear?" "N..no, Auntie. I just yawned, to my eyes are teary. I want to go outside for a bit." Sadako looked at him queerly. "It's quite dark outside. Don't you have homework to do?" Arrietty called for him once more, and Sho said impatiently, "Just let me go outside. And don't follow me." He brushed past his aunt, and rushed down the stairs. Haru began to inquire what he was doing, but he ran outside to the patio before she had a chance. He slipped into his sandals, and nearly tripped. He steadied himself, then hurried toward Neiya. Pod glanced up, and seeing that it was Sho, asked gravely, "What do you want?" Sho stared dumbfounded at him, and Pod glared back. Arrietty reached with her arm and tugged lightly at her father's pants. "I… I called him down." Pod turned around, stricken. "How? I didn't hear you shouting for him!" Sho glanced from father to daughter, realizing that Arrietty hadn't told Pod everything yet. Knowing better than to speak, Sho and Arrietty remained silent. Spiller, who had been sitting cross-legged beside Arrietty, mumbled something. Pod looked at him. "What?" "I said: It's a special ability between closely bonded human-borrower friendships…at least, that's what I've heard." Pod was silent. The trees and grass rustled as a breeze blew through. "Sho…" Arrietty whispered. "Yes? I'm right here." "I need to sleep now. Please explain…everything to my dad." Sho nodded vigorously. "Alright, I will. Rest now." Arrietty smiled, and relaxed. Sho watched as her body loosened up and her smile faded away. "So," Sho said to Pod. "Where do we begin?"

Description
His heart was for the first time subject to anxiety and exhaustion, and it hurt. He clutched his chest with his right hand, but he didn't slacken his pace. Once Spiller navigated Sho to the stream, Sho felt that he could relax a bit. The sun still had a long way down, and he wasn't light headed nor fatigued yet. He slowed down a bit and eyed the stream. Even though to him it was a short jogging distance away, the borrowers probably sailed down on their teapot for several hours before arriving. He could not imagine the hardships the borrowers had gone through to move, and the further he jogged the worse he felt about forcing them to move. Spiller felt his distress, but didn't say a word. He also knew that he wouldn't understand the world from a human bean's eyes either. He stared straight ahead at the forest that grew nearer with each lunge of Sho's huge body.

Homily had just put some of her tea on the makeshift stove when Spiller knocked on the front door. Pod stood up from his chair and said, "Coming." He opened the door, and seeing that it was Spiller, greeted him warmly. Homily welcomed him in, and asked if he wanted something to eat. Spiller shook his head quickly, and told Pod that they needed to speak in private. Pod nodded, and took Spiller down to their new basement they had dug out just the last week. They sat at a small round table, and smiling, Pod asked, "So, my boy, what did you need to talk about?" Spiller looked up into Pod's eyes and told him the same thing Sho said. Pod was quiet for the duration of his story. When he mentioned that Sho was waiting at the clearing for him, Pod pounded at the table. "How could you bring a human here? You know how dangerous it is to the neighborhood!" Spiller tried to reason with Pod. "It's the boy that saved Homily before and the one that you trusted your own daughter to! How could you not trust him now? He's been taking good care of Arrietty; I know because I've watched him many times. He isn't dangerous! Please, just hurry and come with me now. Arrietty is hurt and she could be discovered anytime!" Pod clenched his fists until they grew red, and he stood up abruptly, knocking his chair to the floor. Spiller flinched, as he knew he was in big trouble for going against the rule of communication with humans. Through clenched teeth, Pod murmured, "Wait for me outside. I need to get my tools and bandages." Spiller hastily nodded, and dashed outside. Pod went into his supply closet and began to prepare to build a splint and a cast for Arrietty. He sighed. He knew she would get herself into some sort of trouble, but she had only been living with Sho for about a month or so. Homily came in, and asked, "What's going on, Pod?" "Don't worry about it. I need to leave, so I won't be back for a few days. Can you manage? If you ever need help, just tell our neighbors." With that, Pod swiftly left the house and began to follow Spiller. Homily was utterly confused. She stood for several moments, trying to understand what was happening. Spiller wordlessly dashed through the woods, with Pod following closely behind. When they reached the clearing, Sho was sitting on the ground, cross-legged. Spiller shouted toward Sho, who turned and faced the two borrowers. Pod flinched, but he stood firm. Sho softly apologized that he hadn't taken good care of Arrietty, and extended his hand. Spiller climbed up with ease, but Pod was still suspicious of humans and he had trouble taking the first step. The instant they were both situated on his shoulders, Spiller pointed and Sho followed. He led them out of the woods, where they spotted the stream. Without breaking pace, Sho moved toward the direction of his house. This was the first time Pod had ever traveled so quickly in his life, and it was somewhat exhilarating. The world flew past with such speed that he grew a bit dizzy. He shook his head quickly, and focused on the house they had left so long before. He was amazed when they arrived in 30 minutes what had taken the borrowers a whole day of sailing to travel. Sho glanced around, trying to find the tabby. He spotted it scouring the area, and when it saw Sho with two borrowers it dashed back toward Arrietty. It sat down, licking its paws while Sho let Spiller and Pod walk down his arms to the ground. The sky was growing dark, and Sho had to go back in. "Spiller, Pod, I'm sorry, but I must go back. Take care of Arrietty out here. I promise no one will come around. I will be back tomorrow morning." Spiller nodded but Pod did not say a word. He knelt down beside Arrietty examined his daughter's right foot twice over, and began to wrap gauze around her foot. Sho quietly left the three borrowers and headed back. He heard Haru calling for him, and he quickened his stride. He had placed a huge amount of responsibility on his shoulders, and he would protect it with everything he could.

"Ah, here you are, Sho. Where have you been?" asked Haru. Nosy maid, Sho thought. "I just took a walk in the woods." Haru nodded, and escorted him to the dinner table. "Dinner will be ready in a second, so please hold on." Sho nodded with a smile. His aunt sat down across from him, and said with a quietly stern voice, "Sho, dear. There is something that I want to talk to you in private about later." Sho stared back with questioning eyes, and she continued. "I want to see you in your room after we're finished with dinner." "Alright, Aunt Sadako." Haru entered carrying steaming plates of food, which she expertly placed onto the table. Sho reached for his bowl of rice and began to eat, and throughout the entire dinner he could not think of anything other than the possible reasons his aunt would want to see him.

As Haru cleared the table of plates and bowls, Aunt Sadako stood up from her chair and headed for Sho's room. She glanced back at Sho, and motion for him to follow with a quick nod of the head. He quickly followed her up the stairs, and closed the door behind him. He saw that he had forgotten to close the little house's front wall, and he hoped his aunt wouldn't notice. Instead, Sadako placed her hand on the open wall. "Lock the door, please, Sho." Heart thumping in his throat, he twisted the lock to his door. "Sho, I want you to tell me the truth. Look me in the eyes." Sho obeyed without a sound. "Are there borrowers in the house, like the one Haru supposedly caught?" Sho shook his head. "There aren't, auntie." Sadako kept a stern face. "Let me rephrase. Do borrowers exist?" "I believe they do." Sadako shook her head. "Have you had contact with them?" Sho couldn't stand her questioning. "I don't mean disrespect, auntie, but will you please get to the point?" "My point is that I know that a borrower has been using this little house. The bed is never the same from day to day, and right now, the pillow is missing. One of the dresses is wrinkled, and the books aren't in their previous order. I've looked at the dollhouse so many times I know it by heart." Sho did not utter a single sound. "Sho, why do you insist on denying it?" He looked up at his aunt's eyes and said, "I never denied it. I can't deny something that simply isn't true. Am I not allowed to fantasize that borrowers live in that house? Am I not allowed to examine the tiny delicate clothes and books with my big and cumbersome hands?" Aunt Sadako was dumbfounded. Sho had never been so defensive about himself. Sho took a deep breath. Sadako knew she had to play her trump card. "You know that meeting a borrower was my father's dream. Why do you keep me from fulfilling his dream?" Sho fell silent. She was right, he was in a way keeping Arrietty and her family to himself. It was selfish, but he had to protect them from harm. "Auntie, if you find them yourself, there is nothing I can do. But you'd probably force them to live in this house, right? You'd pamper them with things they once risked their lives to get. They would no longer be able to survive in the real world. Even if I did know or see one, I wouldn't tell you because of this." Sadako nodded. "So be it. I respect your choice. And don't worry, I won't come into your room without your permission." With that, she briskly left the room, closing it softly her way out. Sho flopped down on his bed. He was so scared that his aunt would find Arrietty. It would be like betraying her; she had entrusted her life and safety to him. Sho clenched his jaw. He would never let Arrietty be discovered by anyone, even if it cost him his life.

Back in the forest, Spiller was helping Pod tighten the bandages around Arrietty's ankle. She had regained consciousness, and she winced as Pod wrapped the gauze around her right foot. It wasn't borrower-made, so it was itchy and uncomfortable. She had begun to tell Pod of her adventures with Sho, though she left out the part about going to school and Sho being able to hear her from far away. She was certain he would not approve of it. Spiller held down the gauze as Pod cut it with a blade. "There," said Pod, sighing. "You'll be fine if you don't touch that for a month." "A month?! That means I won't be able to go borrowing or exploring for such a long time!" Arrietty whined. Pod grumbled, "I didn't tell you to twist your ankle now, did I?" He patted the firm cast, and Arrietty let out a small shriek. Neiya, startled, turned its head abruptly toward Arrietty. Seeing that it was no big deal, it slowly turned back to face the house. Sho, of course, heard her cry in his head. His pencil jerked a bit and he winced from the sharp exclamation, and the 'o' he was writing became a 'q'. He glanced out the window and gazed at Neiya for a while before sighing and erasing his malformed letter. He couldn't concentrate on his work; penetrating, confused feelings of guilt and worry clouded his mind, and he found himself beginning to cry. Tears slowly rolled down his face and dripped onto his papers. He had been the one that lost Arrietty, he was the one that was hopeless when it came to helping her, and he was the one that left her to do his own work. As he brooded over his selfishness and uselessness, his vision grew blurry until the desk in front of him became a sea of brown and white. His body shook twice, and he gasped for air. He was supposed to take care of Arrietty, and yet here he was, doing not a single thing to help her. He put his head and arms on the desk and sobbed silently. "Sho…" Sho's head snapped up. He sniffed once, and wiped his face of tears. "Sho?" Yes, he had heard right. Arrietty was calling for him. He stood up and looked out the window. "Sho… I see you in your room. Please come here... please?" She was still weak from her mysterious sickness, and he heard the strain in her voice. Sho gave a small nod out the window, and started to leave the room when aunt came in. "Sho? Have you been crying, dear?" "N..no, Auntie. I just yawned, to my eyes are teary. I want to go outside for a bit." Sadako looked at him queerly. "It's quite dark outside. Don't you have homework to do?" Arrietty called for him once more, and Sho said impatiently, "Just let me go outside. And don't follow me." He brushed past his aunt, and rushed down the stairs. Haru began to inquire what he was doing, but he ran outside to the patio before she had a chance. He slipped into his sandals, and nearly tripped. He steadied himself, then hurried toward Neiya. Pod glanced up, and seeing that it was Sho, asked gravely, "What do you want?" Sho stared dumbfounded at him, and Pod glared back. Arrietty reached with her arm and tugged lightly at her father's pants. "I… I called him down." Pod turned around, stricken. "How? I didn't hear you shouting for him!" Sho glanced from father to daughter, realizing that Arrietty hadn't told Pod everything yet. Knowing better than to speak, Sho and Arrietty remained silent. Spiller, who had been sitting cross-legged beside Arrietty, mumbled something. Pod looked at him. "What?" "I said: It's a special ability between closely bonded human-borrower friendships…at least, that's what I've heard." Pod was silent. The trees and grass rustled as a breeze blew through. "Sho…" Arrietty whispered. "Yes? I'm right here." "I need to sleep now. Please explain…everything to my dad." Sho nodded vigorously. "Alright, I will. Rest now." Arrietty smiled, and relaxed. Sho watched as her body loosened up and her smile faded away. "So," Sho said to Pod. "Where do we begin?"