For god's sake. i came back and shuddered at the horror that is my story.
So i'm slowly, slowly fixing it. This took me about a month to finish the last sentence. I've got serious issues with finishing stuff, i swear. So, here is the edited chapter, which i highly recommend reading because it's REALLY REALLY DIFFERENT.
"Neh," Koemi walked beside the brothers. "If I'm ever accidentally earthbound, I'm going to mess with the temperatures all the time. Like, always. It sounds like so much fun."
"You're so weird." Eugene chuckled.
"That way, you'll know that I haven't moved on yet and I need help!" She fisted her hand and punched the air. "And you guys can investigate and help! Just look for…the number 19."
"What makes you think we'd want to help you?" Naru challenged.
"Because I will haunt you. You will be obligated if you ever want a night of sleep again." She replied firmly. "And because you are my only friends that are also investigators. It'll work."
"Mhm." Eugene hummed. "I'll save you, even if my stupid brother doesn't."
Koemi stuck her tongue out at Naru triumphantly.
Naru woke with a start, his blue eyes snapping open. The familiar face of Koemi Walker stuck forcefully to his mind. When he closed his eyes, he could still see her. He began to pull out a small booklet from his pocket, an album that no one but him knew of.
Lin knocked gently on his door before entering. "Naru—." He stopped when he saw the boy's hectic hair, and sleepy eyes. "You should try to get more sleep."
Naru didn't respond, hiding the book and standing. "We should get going. Mai will…" He stopped to look at his watch. "She's late."
Lin grunted with disapproval and disappeared to double check the equipment he had loaded into his van. Ever since last year, his worry for the boy's health had grown. It could be debated that finding someone you love is like filling your other half. It was also said that a twin was another half. When Naru lost them both... it was doubtlessly painful. Was it a half of himself he lost...or was he completely gone? Resigned, away from his mischievous and heated past. Nothing but a small shell, feeling lost and feigning found. Koemi had disappeared during an exorcism. One moment she was chanting, but with a bright white light, there was nothing left but her small metal locket.
Mai burst into the office. "I'm sorry I'm late!"
"We have a case today." Naru didn't acknowledge her apology as he padded out the door. "Let's go."
The car drive was relatively quiet, apart from Mai's senseless babble and questions. Naru tuned her out and stared out the window. The trees flitted past as they pulled up to a large house not far from the Shibuya District of Tokyo.
"Wow. What a cool house." Mai stared up at the mansion. They were here on account of Morishita Noriko, the sister of the house's owner. According to what she had said, her brother was overseas on a business trip. According to Noriko, there was knocking on the walls, and doors would slam.
"This is my sister-in-law Kana," the brunette introduced a redder-haired woman. Noriko looked tired, and sad. "And my niece, Ayami. My brother is currently overseas on business, and we feel nervous about being the only ones in this house right now."
"I'd like to have a word with your boss." Kana stepped forward.
"I am Shibuya Kazuya and I own the company." The teen replied monotonously.
"Oh…I had…" She trailed off, scrutinizing him. "So anyway, what are we looking at? Do you really believe it's a ghost?"
"We will explore all aspects of the situation." Naru replied smoothly. "We'll need a room for our equipment."
"Ah. I see." Noriko bobbed her head and lead the two to a small room. "Will this be okay?"
Naru nodded. In a short time, Mai and Lin had unloaded the shelves and equipment.
"How is the equipment in each room?" Naru posed naturally.
"The monitors are functioning normally. In all the rooms, everything is normal." Lin replied, half of his face hidden behind a sheet of his black hair.
"Isn't this the work of a poltergeist?" Mai inquired.
Lin turned his cool gaze to her.
"Based on what Noriko-san said…" Mai stared at the monitors.
"Wow!" Takigawa Houshou pushed through the door, brown eyes amused. He was a former Buddhist monk at Mt. Kouya. "The part-time girl is talking like a full-fledged pro."
"Bou-san!" Mai peered at him.
He gave a lazy but sharp salute. "Yo."
"This pile of equipment is overkill, as usual." Matsuzaki Ayako, the 'self-styled' Shinto priestess sneered at the room, leaning her head against the doorframe. She spurted forward to stare into the monitor. "It sounds like it's caused by earth-bound spirits." She closed her eyes resolutely and straightened again.
"I think it's being caused by humans." Mai opposed, mimicking the smug expression with crossed arms.
"Look who's talking." Ayako glanced over her shoulder.
"Well, well. Look." Mai shook her finger, smirking. "Half the cases involving poltergeists are caused by humans. Many of them involve women under stress. This might be a case of the woman of the house not getting on well with her sister-in-law."
"You mean Noriko-san?" Bou asked, tilting his head.
"Of course." Ayako hit her hand to her palm. "Kana-san is not an easy woman to deal with, is she?"
Mai giggled, still smirking. "I'm such a great detective."
"Most poltergeist cases with human culprits involve young teens and children around puberty." Naru continued to stare at the monitors. "Noriko-san is twenty years old. She has long since passed puberty."
"But—." Mai snapped, fiercely trying to protect her observations.
"Indeed, there are cases involving women with strong psychic abilities." He continued. "So we will conduct some tests tonight along those lines."
Mai glared at him, her eyebrows twitching hatefully. She trudged out of the room and forlornly traveled the hallways. "Really…" She stared at the ground. "Why did I have to fall for a guy like him?" From the short time she had worked with him, she had fallen for his smile. No, he didn't smile. Only in her dreams did she ever see it... But it wasn't like she dreamed about him or anything. How creepy would that be! She sighed, shaking the thoughts from her head.
"Mai-san," the gentle-eyed Noriko stopped and blinked at the girl. "It's Ayami's snack time. Would you like to come along?"
"Of course!" Mai brightened. "She's so cute! Which side of the family does she take after? Her father's?" They journeyed up the staircase.
"No, her mother's." Noriko decided.
"But she doesn't look at all like Kana-san." Mai murmured, her brown eyes wide.
Noriko laughed quietly. "She is my brother's second wife." With her gentle brown eye and soft brown hair, Mai thought Noriko was quiet pretty. "Ayami is his daughter from the previous marriage."
"I'm sorry." Mai said, unsure of how else to respond.
"Don't worry." Noriko smiled, knocking on the door to Ayami's room before opening it. "Ayami, it's snack time." She smiled. "Mai-chan is here too."
Mai peeked around her shoulder and grinned. "Hi! Can I come in?"
The pigtailed girl looked up from her book, owlishly staring at them. She stood and extended her blond doll's hand. "Hi."
"Hello," Mai took it with a smile. "What's your name?"
"Minnie." Ayami chirped.
Noriko looked around the room and saw the book Ayami was previously engaged with. "Ayami, have you been reading that book?" She asked cheerfully, for the sake of conversation.
Ayami's face suddenly shifted to one of terror. She backed up.
"What's wrong?" Noriko knelt down.
"Shall we have a snack?" Mai tried to help.
The girl turned away and quietly replied. "Ayami… doesn't want it."
Worry was apparent on both of the older females' faces.
That night, Naru gathered the three in the living area. This tactic, using a red lamp, would confirm whether or not they caused the haunting. The room was dark, apart from the slowly fading and reappearing red ball of light.
"Please concentrate on the light." He stared down at them with detached eyes. There was a slight whir from the mechanics in the lamp. "Please synchronize your breathing to the light. Slowly."
When humans cause a poltergeist, it's thought they unconsciously use their psychic abilities. By implanting a suggestion into the subconscious, the person will follow the instructions and prove the cause of the haunting.
"Tonight a vase will move. A small glass vase. It will be placed on the table in this room tonight."
Mai flicked the natural light on. The household blinked and recoiled, seeming surprised by the yellow light.
"It's done." Naru stated. "You are free now to do whatever you want. Morishita-san, may I have the key to the room please?"
"O-Of course." Kana stood before freezing. Her eyes caught onto the blue and darker blue colored vase in Naru's hands. Noriko and Ayami stared at it as well, seeming confused. It proved that the suggestion worked.
After the household occupants left, Mai drew a chalk circle around it. She stared at it for a moment before both teens went back to Base. "Any movement?" Naru asked.
"Negative." Lin stated, engrossed with reading the temperatures.
Just then, the door opened to reveal a panting Kana. "Come quickly!" She growled, her eyes angry.
They sprinted up to Ayami's room, skipping two steps at a time. The furniture, including the rug, had been turned diagonal. A chill settled on Naru's shoulders.
"Just when I was about to put Ayami-chan to sleep, I came in and everything was like this!" She said.
"Everything is diagonal!" Mai trembled slightly, pulling away.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kana demanded. "I thought hiring you guys would put an end to this."
"Are you sure Ayami didn't do this?" Ayako murmured, narrowed eyes scanning the room.
"There's no way she could have!" Mai snapped fiestly, clenching her fists in front of her. Ayami stared at the ground pitifully.
"Right. This piece of furniture was left on top." The monk touched the bed frame tenderly. "Even I couldn't do that by myself."
"There aren't any traces." Naru agreed. "I'd like to meet whoever could do such a thing." He knelt beside the man, touching the green rug. His hand reappeared with a scrap of paper, crumpled and mutilated. He slid it into his pocket, intending to throw it out later.
"I was just asking." Ayako pouted.
"It wasn't me." The girl protested.
"Yes, we know." Mai patted her head affectionately.
A scream came from the other end of the house. Mai rushed to the voice of Noriko, gasping as she locked onto what had spooked the grown woman. The entire living room had been flipped upside down.
Mai dropped to a knee as the others approached. "Even the carpet has been turned upside down!"
"This is definitely a poltergeist." Takigawa announced, seeming perplexed.
Again, Naru noticed a scrap of paper. He snatched it up and smoothed out its crinkles.
"The culprit is definitely ground spirits." Ayako challenged him stubbornly. "I'll get rid of them tomorrow. Just wait, you'll see." She padded away, her voice fading. "Good night."
Mai and Takigawa watched her go before the monk turned to Naru. "What's wrong?" He inquired. "You're deep in thought. Is something bothering you?"
Oliver compared the scraps of paper. "Don't you think the poltergeist reacted too quickly…? Psychic phenomena hate outsiders. Paranormal phenomena usually don't happen when strangers are around." He slid the papers away, deep within the confines of his pocket. A tinkle of a laugh pealed through the quiet room. Was he really hearing it…or was it the scrap of a pleasant memory, making it known once again at the stimulant set before him.
1. The first scrap said. 9, the other claimed.
A chill ran through him. A shuddering seed of hope that perhaps she was still kicking lodged deep, nearly hidden in his stomach.
19.