I do not own ghost hunt and this disclaimer is for all preceding chapters!
Kk guys, this is another idea I had for Ghost hunt and my second fanfic for this anime/manga even though the first one isn't completed yet. Anyway Naru's back from England and everyone knows that he is Oliver Davis and Mai also knows that Dream Naru is Gene.
Chapter 1
The smoke filled the air making it seem like a fog encased the area and the smell was enough to make you want to stop breathing. The fumes coming from the smoke gave the hint of coal, coal that was used in the burning furnace.
A tunnel lay directly ahead and the track went directly into it until it could no longer be seen thanks to the darkness where the light could not enter. The tunnel was very long and the journey two hours, two full hours without seeing daylight.
The station itself was very old; a new lick of paint was needed on the outside but apart from that the building looked to be well maintained. The facilities were up to date and the wooden floors clean apart from a few scuff marks here and there.
The railway track itself had been laid down brand new and Akihiko couldn't help but be proud as he put on his conductor uniform. His ma was proud of him and he was happy to be able to bring in more money to the house due to the higher wage than working with his old next door neighbour handing out fuel to the neighbourhood.
Ever since his Da died, it had been up to him to look after his ma and two sisters, Ai and Haru. Ai was younger by one year and little Haru was only nine. They depended on him to look after him, especially now that they had lost their mother to the waste land expanses of her mind.
For once his mother had actually come back to them if only for a little while and that was to tell him not to take the conductor job. 'Bad things would come of it' she had said to him with those keen eyes that he hadn't seen for five years. She stared at him for a second before the awareness in her eyes dulled and she began muttering to herself about spirit guides and dreamscapes.
Utter nonsense that scared the girls. Their mother needed help, there was no denying it. Saying things like ghosts existed and walking your soul out of your body, it was the cries of someone insane and Akihiko hated to think of his once strong minded and willed mother as a gibbling old women.
He pulled on his hat and straightened his tie before kissing his sisters goodbye. He headed into the kitchen where ma sat by the stove staring into the flames behind the glass.
"Ma, I'm going to work now," Akihiko kissed his mother on the forehead and was about to leave when his mother spoke.
"Rest in peace my son, and know that you need not fear for there is a place beside your father in the grave," Akihiko stared at his mother startled before hearing his sister's startled gasps behind him.
"Ma!" he said sternly, "Don't say things like that, you'll frighten the girls! Besides this whole nonsense is getting out of hand! Get it out of your head that I'm going to die on the train. It's the last run of the coal train before the bullet train is introduced. It's 1966 ma, nothing's going to happen, do you hear that girls? Now I'll be back at six with my first day's wages," Akihiko sighed before he slammed out the door and headed down the footpath to the dead end of the road where the station was situated.
***
I hate him, Mai decided as she poured another cup of tea. The tenth one of the morning, if he thinks that he can come back after two months and rehire me the way he did then he is totally wrong. I have a right to quit! I have a right to manners! She nodded her head determinately as she lifted up the tray and brought the first cup of tea to Lin.
There was a very good reason for this. The first was that she felt like leaving Naru's tea to last, perhaps it would be cold. That'd serve him right. The other reason was that she was sure a confrontation was coming up and she didn't want to wreck Lin's tea only to have to make another cup.
"Lin-san, can you open the door please, my hands are full!" Mai called through the shut door waiting for the man to appear. Normally she would have used her elbows to open the door handle but it was kind of late to do so. Bags of paperwork were currently hanging of her elbows like coat hangers.
"Taniyama-san," Lin said in way of thanks taking his cup and saucer off the tray before shutting the door in her face again. Mai sighed; at least things were the same with him. While their silences together were no longer awkward they still left a lot to be desired in terms of friendship but Mai was positive that they were getting there.
Naru on the other hand was a different story completely. When she had re-entered the office for the first time in two months it was like the first case with Naru all over again. He had been his regular narcissist self, but he had been cold and all efforts at banter had been rebuffed. The only words he had spoken to her were to tell her she was rehired and typically of course, he wanted tea. From then on he had only ever spoken to her when asking for tea or to phone clients.
She didn't bother to knock when entering his office, instead she kicked the door open causing it to slam into the wall and making a few shelves rattle. She felt animus eyes bore into her but she didn't bother getting into a glaring competition with him. She walked to his desk and slammed the tray down, feeling completely proud of herself that some of the tea managed to spill onto the book he had been reading.
He made no comment as she poured into the milk, knowing perhaps from survival male instinct that today she was not someone to be taken lightly with jokes or taunts. He stared at her fuming face and couldn't help but look forward to the argument that was sure to be coming. He loved their fights and how with only a few cutting words he could shut her up and watch her face grow red with either embarrassment or annoyance. She always got so worked up, it was hilarious to see.
She splashed more tea as she placed the cup on his desk and headed toward the door. "Close the door after you Mai," he called out, wondering if that was enough to annoy her more. She paused for a second as if contemplating whether it was worth it or not but then she clomped out and the door slam shut behind her.
Naru sighed, having temperamental assistants may be funny but they could be bothersome, a liability and sometimes definitely not worth it. And Naru still wasn't sure if Mai was worth it. Sure she was a nice girl and her abilities were helpful on cases but she was more trouble than she was worth. She got too emotional on cases, became too attached and that was a sure way of getting broken. Also the amount of trouble she got into on cases. She wasn't just a magnet for danger but also for complete and utter chaos.
He wasn't too sure about what to do with the case of firing Mai or not. He would have to give her notice if he did and he would give her a good letter of recommendation, she deserved at least that if she had lost the last one he had given her. But somewhere in his heart he knew that letting the girl go would tear his effective team apart. It was a conundrum, he decided and the phrase that his father had often said to him popped into his head. 'Women! Can't live with them, can't live without them.'
"Dad, I think I finally understand what you mean," Naru muttered dryly to himself.
So what'd you think. I might update this after I come back from holiday or when I've finished GH fanfic #1