(PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE – MESSAGE TO ALL READERS!)
Story: All in the Head
Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt . . . . unless Lady Luck agrees to be on my side.
Author's Note: This fanfic is a special dedication to HoneyBearChibiPandaSmexBree and Aktaiy. Also, I would like to thank crazylittlecheezer. She has always been reading my stories and giving my encouragement. Now that I have talked to her a bit through reviews etc, I feel like I have taken her for granted. She doesn't have to review, yet she does. All of you are the same. I haven't replied to each review, but each one boosts my determination to write. Yet I haven't acknowledged that. Thank you for all you have written, read and so much more. Even when I get one bad review, my mood plummets. Yet then, I see what others have written and I feel like I'm still doing well. Though I can take the advice, the support everyone gives me strengthens my courage to write so much. I would have never been able to continue with my writing without all of you. Thank you for everything. I will always be grateful. and have a good day.
P.S: This story is especially being written because it is November, which is International Writers' Month. So everyone else, get your brains working and start writing~ Onegai~ *adorable puppy face with cute voice that makes all the girls go 'Aww~'* (You can't beat that face. :P)
Chapter 1
"Naru, why'd you have to book a flight this early?" Mai complained.
"Because we don't have time to spare," Naru looked up from his notes briefly to glare at her, "We're already behind schedule because you couldn't wake up on time."
Mai crossed her arms stubbornly, "Well, what did you expect? Unlike some people, I need my sleep. I'm not a machine, you know!"
He turned back to his notes. "That's debatable. You do have some similarities."
"Huh? What similarities?" Mai paused, "Wait. Do I really want to hear what he has to say?"
It was too late. "Both of you lack brains."
"What did you just say? !" Mai was furious.
However, Naru wasn't done yet, "But machines are at least useful for something, unlike you." Then he walked off, pretending not to hear a livid Mai screaming his name.
"Why do I bother?" Mai groaned as she sat back down, "Honestly, I was looking forward to a case in America, but who knew it would lead to this . . ."
Flashback
"Um, excuse me?" A timid voice interrupted Mai's thoughts.
"Oh, are you here for a consultation?" Mai stood up to welcome a woman who looked about 50 years old or so and was a few inches taller than her. The newcomer was clearly a foreigner with orange hair streaked with white locks, giving her a mature responsible look. But what really gave away her foreigner status were the striking green eyes. They seemed to glow in the dim light of the office, piercing into you as though examining your spirit. Mai could tell that despite her voice sounding timid, this woman was as strong as they come.
"Yes, I am," the woman gave a kind smile to Mai, "I already spoke with Shibuya-san over the phone. My name is Mrs Renda Thomas."
Mai was slightly surprised that the woman could speak in fluent Japanese, but brushed off the thought, "I'll go get him."
Mrs Thomas smiled, "Thank you. And your name is?"
Mai returned the smile, "Taniyama Mai, but call me Mai. Please have a seat. I'll be back in a minute." Mrs Thomas nodded and followed Mai's instructions as the young girl went into Naru's office to tell him of the new arrival, right after telling Lin about the client, "Naru, someone named Renda Thomas came in to talk to you. She said she had already talked to you over the phone."
Naru nodded, "Tell her I'll be there soon. Make some tea."
Mai nodded, knowing better than to throw a fit when a client was there. She went out of the room and smiled at the woman, "He'll be here in a minute. Can I get you so tea?"
Mrs Thomas nodded gratefully, "Yes, thank you, dear. Tea would be wonderful."
Mai could feel warmth at the woman's words. Being an orphan, she couldn't help but feel happy at the grandmotherly feel the woman gave her. "It's no problem," Mai told the woman cheerfully before going into the kitchen to make some tea. When she had come out, Lin and Naru were already there. Mai set down the tea in front of everyone. Lin nodded his thanks while Naru just ignored her as usual.
However, Mrs Thomas touched the girl's arm gently, "Thank you, child."
Mai blinked in surprise before smiling with all the warmth within her arising, "No, thank you." Lin and Naru were taken back. Never had they seen her smile like that.
Mrs Thomas' eyes softened at the sight of the smile and patted the seat beside her, "Come, why don't you sit down beside me?" Mai nodded happily and plopped down beside the woman, who stroked the girl's hair gently, "What an interesting girl you are, little one."
Naru cleared his throat, "So let's get down to business." Mrs Thomas turned her attention to the boy before her. "You vaguely explained that there was something supernatural happening at your school, but you said that you preferred to speak about in more detail in person."
"Yes," Mrs Thomas nodded, "For the past 6 months or so, there has been a gruesome head appearing before the students of the school. It chooses a target and torments the person. As the tormenting goes on, the person seems to get weaker, as though this head is draining them of energy. This theory seems to be proven by the fact that according to the people who have been targeted, the head seems to get more substantial each time it moves on to its next victim."
"What prompts the head to move on to its next targets?"
"Well, when the people who have been targeted become completely ill and frail, they usually stop coming to school and the head moves on. But one student kept coming and the only reason the target has been switched now is because she has fallen into a coma. Before this I had been trying to convince the board that we needed to find some paranormal investigators, but those knuckleheads refused to listen. So when the student fell into a coma, I forced them to agree."
Mai looked at Mrs Thomas puzzled, "You forced them?"
Mrs Thomas just smirked, her green eyes glinting wickedly, "Sometimes one must use . . . other skills to convince people." Mai laughed nervously at the evil look on the woman's face.
"Excuse me," Naru brought their attention back to the matter at hand, "But do the targets have anything in common?"
"Well, they are all girls, but I do believe there is another connection," Mrs Thomas spoke thoughtfully, "All the girls who have been targeted have relatively dark hair and dark eyes."
"Has any of the staff been targeted?"
"No, they haven't," Mrs Thomas shook her head.
"Wait," Mai frowned puzzled, "If this school is in Japan, wouldn't most of the students have dark hair and eyes?"
"This school isn't in Japan," Naru sighed exasperated, "It's in the US."
"Eh? EHH?" Mai's jaw dropped.
Naru looked at her with annoyance, "Please compose yourself at least in front of a client."
Mai's eye twitched, "Naru . . ." Her whisper was threatening to bring about a storm.
However, Mrs Thomas was laughing, "Mai-chan, you are so cute." Mai blushed and looked down, stuttering denials.
"Mrs Thomas," Lin spoke for the first time. The woman turned to him to signify that she was listening. "Why did you choose to come to all the way to Japan for a paranormal investigation team? I know for a fact that there are some in America."
"She told me you would ask that," Mrs Thomas murmured to herself with a chuckle before looking at them again, "You see, a friend of mine recommended you. I believe you are acquainted with Mori Madoka." Naru and Lin sighed in unison while Mai laughed at their reaction. Mrs Thomas looked amused by their reactions.
"We will take your case," Naru turned his attention back to the client, "We will need a room as a base as well as rooms for 3 girls and 5 boys to stay in."
Mrs Thomas looked thoughtful before responding, "We have two rooms that are beside each other, but both of them are made for 6 people so you'll have extra beds. Is that okay?"
Naru nodded, "That's fine. We will meet you next Monday at the Airport. Could you prepare for a van to pick us and our equipment?"
Mrs Thomas nodded, "Yes, I'll be able to do that, but I'll have to go now in order to get everything ready. My flight is later today so I must hurry."
"We'll see you next week then," Naru turned to Mai, "Show Mrs Thomas to the door."
"No 'please' as usual," Mai didn't voice her thoughts aloud, knowing that despite Mrs Thomas had already become like a grandmother to her, she shouldn't yell at her boss during a consultation. She stood up, muttering a displeased answer, "Yes."
But Mrs Thomas waved it off. "Don't worry about that. I can find my way to a door." Naru and Lin nodded and left for their offices, leaving the two women by themselves. Mrs Thomas smiled at Mai as she stood up as well, "It was good to meet you, Mai-chan. I'll be happy to see you next week."
"Good-bye, Mrs Thomas," Mai smiled back at the woman.
"Call me Oba-san please," Mrs Thomas waved it off, "I don't have my own children or grandchildren and you seem to be taking the place of one rather quickly, little one."
Mai was taken back by the woman's words, but she was quickly overwhelmed with joy. "Yes, Oba-san!"
With a chuckle, Mrs Thomas gently stroked the girl's head once more with a gentle smile before turning away with a final farewell.
Mai touched her hair where the woman had just stroked her hair, "It feels so warm." She smiled with warmth. She was definitely going to look forward to working on the case next week.
End Flashback
Mai sighed in reminiscence, smiling to herself. The others were meeting them there so only Lin and Naru were with her at the moment. Despite the annoyance the silence gave her usually, at the moment she was quite content with her thoughts. It was peaceful . . . so peaceful . . .
"Mai!"
Mai snapped out of her daze, realizing she had been drifting off to sleep as she turned to Naru, who was standing in front of her with a glare. "Naru? What is it?"
"It's time for our flight."
"Oh!" Mai scrambled to get everything and rushed after Naru, who had already started walking. She glowered at the boy, "You could have waited for me, you know!"
"I should have and would have," Naru said monotonously, surprising Mai with his words. But he wasn't finished, "But the person I was waiting for was an idiot so I couldn't be bothered." It took a few seconds for Mai to get past what he first said onto the second part.
"Naru! You jerk!"
This is my first chapter of 'All in the Head'~ Oh my, I'm writing my story for the International Writers' Month~ :P Thank you for reading and I apologize for the lack updates that are going to be happening. I have a lot to do. Maybe if I use my cute points, I'll be let off the hook. *blinks innocently with cute voice that makes all the girls go 'Aww~'* ;P