the Way
Naruto and Ghost Hunt does not belong, in any possible way, to myself.
Many sentences in this story were taken and/or inspired from the mangá, anime or the script that I have found on the internet.
Thanks to Baka-Tsuki for the script. Couldn't do this without the help of your hard work.
First Truth - Chapter One
It was supposed to be a happy memory before the beginning of the second semester of her second year of middle school.
She really didn't get her mother's idea of traveling to the Aokigahara forest. Apparently, they were going with a couple other families in an weekend camp trip to the cursed forest. Why anyone would want to travel and sleep in such a place, she doesn't have the slightest idea. But okaa-chan is always so busy and she's so happy with this trip, what could go wrong?
Well, she might as well have cursed the dammed trip.
"Run, Mai! Run and don't look back!"
Taniyama Mai could only cry as she runs away from her screaming mother. And when the screaming suddenly ends, she doesn't dare to look back.
Aokigahara was a quiet forest.
There wasn't much noise in the cursed forest. It was a dark, silent, peaceful place. A place full of mystery and secrets. Where death could be find hanging in the branches of many trees. Warnings could be find in almost every place. Warnings of the 'Don't give up on your life so easily' kind.
It was a peaceful place to many living beings, that were not human of course.
But not only living! Because… if you looked closer, listened closer, you would most certainly see and hear nothing. For you are probably a boring normal human. But a boring normal human like you can still feel it, can't you?
The chill that runs down your spine as you listen to the silence of the cursed forest.
Well, dear human, let me tell you a secret.
There is the alive ones, yes. But there is the dead ones as well. And beyond the dead, there is the immortal ones. And then, there is the divine ones. But there is one more. Only one. This one was, is and will be.
The only one that went through all of those above. And where was this one?
Currently, she was in the cursed forest.
And poor boring human Taniyama Mai goes barreling like a crazy mammoth in the long existence of the One.
A golden fox rests in its nest.
A golden mystical fox of nine fluffy tails. Floating lazily above its slender body, you could find ten black orbs with a beautiful purple glow surrounding them.
One of the golden, black tipped ears of the fox lifts as many screams disturbs the peaceful air of the forest making the birds in the trees go into a frenzy.
When the screams don't stop, the fox let's out a growl and turns its body around, putting its paws above it's ears and pressing them down. The fox knows that it doesn't help in anything. It already knew what was the cause of the screams. But it really just wanted to rest.
"Run, Mai! Run and don't look back!"
After that, the screams don't last for much longer.
But of course! There has to have a survivor who just happens to come in the direction of the fox's nest. Great. Fate, I do not enjoy this kind of situation! It better have nothing to do with you! This kind of mess screams your name! Of course it screamed Fate's name. A newly made orphan, who just happens to watch the massacre of her's last bit of family is the only survivor of the so said massacre, which happens to be at a so said cursed forest. And! Said orphan happens to run in the direction of the most powerful being in the forest, if not, in the whole fucking Universe!
Fucking kyuubi ears. Omniscient my ass!
The fox knew that the child would not take long to arrive at the surroundings of it's nest, so it prepared itself to judge the child's Fate.
This Fate crap is totally that guy's area… What is this?… I forgot again… Boruto? Bolt? Rasen? What was it? What was his name?
The fox could not dwell in it's thoughts anymore.
She's here.
Mai didn't really know where she was going anymore. She wasn't sure of how much she'd run, or for how long she was running. She just run, run, run until she slipped and her foot got stuck into a root and strained itself. She hissed because of the pain and the dull ache that pervaded through her body with the impact of her body falling face first on the forest's floor.
She could only hear her heartbeat and the harsh breathing and sobbing that escaped from her mouth. You can't stop Taniyama. Okaa-san said to keep running. Keep running!
But she couldn't stand up. Her legs didn't move a inch. She was a tired mess. She just wanted to rest a little bit…
No!
Mai opened her eyes to see the dirt and dry leaves of the forest ground. She didn't even noticed that they had closed. No, this couldn't be. Her mother gave up herself to see her daughter get away from that hell.
I can't give up, dammit!
It was with those thoughts that she lifted her head to see the clearing that she had stumbled into. And with a new fire in her eyes, she tried to get up again, just to end face first in the floor again. I won't give up! I won't give up!
"Ah…I…won't…Aarg…I won't give up!"
She started to crawl. Her foot hurts like hell, everything in her body is screaming to her to just stop.
"I won't… give up. I can't… give up…" She is breathing heavily. Her face is a mess. But she can't give up…She…
"I…don't… want to." She drops heavily to the ground. Her breaths making dirt go flying all over her face. "Ah…I… don't want…I…won't…"
'So don't.'
Mai opens her eyes in a flash. That wasn't her voice.
Slowly, she lifts her face, and there, standing right in front of her, was what she could only name as a kyuubi no kitsune.
"Hey kid. What's your name?"
"My…name?"
"Yeah. Who are you, kid?"
"… Taniyama… Mai."
"Ne, ne. That's a cute name for a cute girl like you, Mai-chan."
"And, what is… your name… kitsune-sama?"
"Hehehe…I can't really give you my real name kiddo. But…"
"Anh?"
"Call me Nanashi! And for a surname… Uchiwa! Uchiwa Nanashi! I mean it!"
"Nanashi… Unnamed?"
Roughly One Year Later
April 14th
"Mai-chan! You better not be late little lady! Yesterday you came home pretty late, again! You know how I feel about that…" A impossibly beautiful blonde woman yells in the kitchen of a flat in Tokyo. Her bright, electric eyes focused in the breakfast she was preparing. Long, bright locks of hair goes down her back, stoping at the incredible length of her narrow hips. Long, sun kissed legs can be seen below a sun dress that hides a impossible beautiful and seductive body from the world to see. Long, graceful fingers continue their task without hesitation as she waits for her ward's answer.
"Ah! Nana-nee, I was telling ghost stories with Yuuri, Keiko and Michiru! And then a strange suspicious boy appeared, not really answering our questions. And the girls didn't even notice it!" Taniyama Mai responds her guardian's inquire. She enters the kitchen as Nana is about to put some plates on the table, she instantly takes the plates from her guardian's hands and arranges the table as Nana goes back to prepare the food.
"A boy?"
"Yeah. A strange, handsome and gloomy boy. He scared us when we were in the last part of our ghost stories ritual." Mai says with a small smile in her face as she watches her beautiful guardian seat in front of her, putting the last bit of food on the table. She giggles at the look her Nana-nee sends her.
"You also know how I feel about handsome, gloomy, dark boys." Nana-nee says as she puts a bit of food in their plates. "And don't say ritual. It's weird. And scary."
Mai laughs at her guardian. "I still don't understand how you, of all beings, are scared of ghosts. And I didn't say nothing about him being dark."
Nana-nee's cheeks redden and she looks sideways. Totally embarrassed.
"Stop it, Mai-chan! And every gloomy handsome boy has to be, like, a total emo! It's, like, the rule! I mean it!"
Mai laughs at her.
"I'm heading out!" Calls Mai as she stops at the flat's entrance to put her shoes.
"Oi! Mai-chan! Your lunch!" Shouts Nana, as she goes barreling from the kitchen to the entrance. Arriving like a yellow tornado with Mai's bento firmly in her hands.
Mai is not fazed at the sudden speed of her guardian. She knows very well how fast Nana-nee can really go.
"Oh! Thanks nee-chan!" Mai smiles brightly at her blonde guardian. Nana answers with a even bigger, sunnier and brighter smile of her own.
"You're welcome kiddo! Now, will you come back later than usual as well? Or I will have to go searching for you?"
"Eh? Nana-nee! You shouldn't worry so much. And I honestly don't know. Shibuya-san said that he wanted to tell stories with us, so I think that I may come earlier as I really don't want to spend time with him…"
Now was the part where her nee-chan would go crazy over her. Saying that she should be careful with boys, and that she shouldn't grow so fast, and that she would hunt and prank any boy who came close to 'her dearest imouto'.
But Nana-nee eyes were suddenly serious, a bit darker and much more older. A glow that Mai hadn't see in such a long time all of sudden appears in Nanashi's eyes. And Mai knows that something important has just happened.
"Nee Mai… Do you really want to leave so early? You know that you can stay a little bit if you want. It's still early." Nana says with a serene look in her face. It's strange to see such a demure behavior in her charismatic and loud guardian.
Mai thinks about her guardian's proposal. Normally, she would accept without a single thought. But something seemed different today. The spring must have impregnated itself in her brain, because…
"You know what, nee-chan? For the first time, I will say no to such a proposal! The spring is in it's prime! I think that I will enjoy the cherry blossoms just this once, ne?"
In the, almost, half month that she'd been at the school she had never adventured herself into the old school building. At the start of the year, in her first day of school, it seemed to be a rather interesting place to explore. The kind of place that nee-chan would most certainly stay 'the fuck away' as she would say, but deep, deep, deeeeep in her heart would be the most curious about.
So, as she gazed at the half covered, old, decrepit building she came to the conclusion that a little look wouldn't hurt, would it?
As always, she may as well have cursed herself.
…
Mai approached the building. Excitement pumping in her veins as she came close to the main door. The entrance way had an old-fashioned door with a glass window, which was clouded and broken too. A transparent vinyl put there was looking rather lonely through that window, Mai peeped into the building.
Well, it was a damn mass inside the building. Broken glass on the floor, trash scattered though the area and dust was in every surface. And a strange, rather tall, object was at the centre of chaos. Looking closer, Mai though that it could be a machine. A camera? What is a camera doing in such a place? But… Is it a camera? Should I go there and make sure that it is?
…
"Of course!" Mai whispered to herself.
Quickly, Mai puts her hands in the dusty and rough door knob and with and unpleasant creek, the door opened and the dusty and suffocating air of the place surrounded her as she approached the object, which really was a camera stated on top of a tripod.
What a puzzling situation… Who would leave this kind of thing in a place like this?
And, in true Mai fashion, she stretched her hand to examine the object.
"Who is it?!"
A sharp voice reaches her ears, surprising her. She jumps in fright, crashing into an old, collapsing shoe shelf. The shelf tilts in her direction but she's focused on the silhouette standing by the door. Too late, she notices the shelf is coming down and it is intent on bringing her with it.
But she trips sideways and falls down.
And the man goes down with shoe shelf instead of her.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
"Lin?"
"Oh kami-sama! Shibuya-san! I didn't mean to!"
"Lin, what happened?"
"I tried…to save the camera."
"Eh? The camera? And what of me?"
"Lin, are you hurt?"
"Yes…A small cut."
"Hey. We met yesterday, right?"
"Eh? Ah, yes."
"That's right, but there's more important things now, is there a hospital or a doctor nearby?"
"Yeah. Right after the school gate."
"Take me there."
"Eh?"
She tries to help this Lin person.
"You help is unneeded."
"Eh?!"
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Hm? Etto, Taniyama…"
"Then, Taniyama-san, I will be alright on my own from here own. You can go to your classroom."
"Eh?"
"I should let you know that the school bell just rang."
"EEH?!"
Even though she run with all her haste, she was still late. The teacher scolded her in front of the whole class making her stay in a bad mood for the rest of the school day.
I should have listened to Nana-nee…
At the end of the school day, all she wanted to do was go home and fall into the warm arms of her nee-chan. Today was not her day and she just wanted to stay with her precious person. But, as any bad day, whatever she wished for wouldn't just happen easily.
"Hey, Mai! Are you going home?" Mai looked up to meet the stare of her ghost story buddies Keiko, Yuuri and Michiru.
"Why are you asking?"
"Don't you remember? We were going to meet yesterday's exchange guy!"
"Ah, Shibuya ne?"
"Yeah! Let's go meet him!"
I don't wanna meet that jerk anytime soon. Mai gets up from her chair, her purse in hand and declares with a major poker face.
"I going home. Bye." And with that she walks away. Or at least she tries to.
Keiko grabs her arm and drags her back.
"Maaaaiiii… Why are you being so rude?" Asks Keiko.
"You've changed Mai." Yuuri says with a disappointed look in her face.
Even Michiru nods shyly.
You know me for less than a month!
"And don't be such a weirdo! That guy is hot!"
"He's got a godlike coolness, don't you think so?"
He's got a pretty face alright. But godlike? Let me introduce you to Uchiwa Nanashi and we will talk about godlike beauty.
Recognizing Mai as a weirdo, Michiru says "Well, that's okay. The lesser rivals, the better." You are suddenly not so shy anymore, Michiru.
"Yeah! We'll be the ones to enjoy his enchanting eyes!" And, that made Keiko's day…apparently.
"You really don't want to come with us?" Yuuri looks mistrustfully at Mai.
"Yeah. You seemed interested yesterday." And with that, Michiru smoothed down her uniform and didn't say anything more. Keiko gives up on the subject and tries to clear the tense air changing the direction of their conversation.
"Anyways, I was really surprised by the tense atmosphere yesterday. I thought that a ghost had appeared for real!"
"Me too!"
"We're going to tell stories again today! Even if Mai doesn't want to come with us…" Really smooth, Michiru.
"We could borrow the A/V room again."
"That sounds okay. It is really dark in there."
They are totally into it…I'm too. I want tell ghost stories…
The three girls started to head out when they were interrupted.
"Wait a minute."
The four turn to meet the angry face of the class rep, Kuroda Naoko. The girl always seemed nervous, and Mai has never talked to her.
"Ah, Kuroda-san. I'm sorry, but we were heading out. Goodbye!" Yuuri turns to her with an innocent smile.
"No goodbyes. What were you talking about just now?" She seemed rather angry, and Mai couldn't really understand why. They haven't done anything to her! I guess that I could help you guys out.
"We're going to tell ghost stories. Wanna join us?" Mai totally ignores Keiko's poke and the look Michiru sends her. She focus on Kuroda's sudden murderous intent towards them. What's wrong with her?
And in that exact moment, Shibuya appears by their class door.
"Is Taniyama-san here?" Kuroda turns to his direction.
"What are you doing here? What year are you in?"
"Ah… I had an arrangement with these girls…" Kuroda's stare intensifies as she narrows her eyes at him.
"Arrangement… About the ghost stories?"
"Yes, that's right… ?!"
Hearing Shibuya's answer, Kuroda turns to the four confused girls.
"Didn't I told you to stop doing this?!"
What's with this girl?
"No wonder I've been having headaches since this morning!"
"Eh?"
Mai stared at the girl doubtfully. What the hell is she talking about?
"You see, I am sensitive to spirits." Doubtful. "I have headaches when a lot of them gather. I am having headaches all day. Spirits have definitely gathered here!"
"…"
"Ha. I guess you didn't know! But when you tell ghost stories spirits gather. These are mainly low-levels… But even if they are low-level one, when a lot of them gather, they attract stronger spirits. You will be in trouble if that happens!"
THE HELL SHE'S TALKING ABOUT?!
"So! You shouldn't think of telling ghost stories as fun." She turns to Shibuya to complete her speech. "It would be quite troublesome if simp did it too… I'd have to do an exorcism!" She says with a thoughtful expression.
Shibuya shrugs his shoulders as he replies, "Isn't just your imagination?"
Kuroda's eyes darken as she stares at him. She tsks and says, "That's why people who can't sense spirits are annoying."
She's a total diva. Attention-lover. Yep, she is.
"You, if you can sense them, then do you sense something from the old school building?" Shibuya looks at her with a strong intent.
"Old school building? Ah, it seems that the spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there." She says quickly with a smirk in her face.
"Died during the war?" Shibuya seems confused by this little bit of info. Mai doesn't blame him. She is probably more confused then he will ever be. There ain't any spirits in that place…
"Right. I often see a man's shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war…"
"Che… Which war?"
"Of course, the World War II! During the war there was a hospital on that place. The spirits of the dead nurses can be seen there! It had even been air-raided once! Therefore, a lot of injured spirits can be seen too."
"…"
"Hmph… Awesome." Shibuya throws a sarcastic smile at her. "I didn't know this was a hospital during the war. I heard that this school was here since pre-war days… And before that, there was a medical faculty, wasn't there?"
Man, that was hard…
Kuroda's eyes widen and she purses her lips. She try to compose herself quickly, but she can't stop her face from getting red.
"I wouldn't know such a thing! Anyway, I've seen them. A person unable to sense them wouldn't understand!" She doesn't give up…
"The school principal is bothered that the ex-building's demolition failed and was complaining about it. Are you here to exorcise it?"
Kuroda looks away from him at the question.
"… it isn't so simple."
"I see." Shibuya responds coldly and turns to the four girls that were watching their battle of wits. "Since here is not good, let's go elsewhere?"
"Still continuing with such a thing!" Kuroda snaps at Shibuya with incredible force. But he's completely unconcerned and walks in their direction, making Mai's friends restless.
"Let's…" Yuuri speaks with a small voice. "Let's put it off for today?"
"I'm not in the mood for it anymore…" Even Keiko loses her enthusiasm.
What is this? Suddenly losing their courage? Hmph… Really, you give up too easily.
Michiru speaks miserably, "…Shibuya-senpai, sorry. After all…"
"I see." Shibuya nods with a pensive look in his face. "Then some other time." Looking at the seemingly-pleased Kuroda he says, "You're satisfied, right?"
She looks surprised as she replies. "What are you talking about?"
"It's alright if you don't know." He turns away from her and looks directly at Mai. That's right…He came in here looking for me, didn't he? "Taniyama-san, please."
The other girls look surprised at his sudden change of focus.
"What is it?"
"Do you have a spare minute?"
He says that with a smile on his face, but it was the same smile as yesterday. The fake smile that didn't appear in his eyes. Mai knows that the girls don't notice the fake smile, and as she heads out of the class with Shibuya, she can feel her back being watched reproachfully.
Real friends you got there Taniyama…
"Who's that girl?" Shibuya asks as he walks briskly before Mai.
"The class rep, Kuroda Naoko-san. First time I talked to her. She's obviously seeking attention talking about such nonsense. Honestly? Spirits in that building?"
Mai bumps on his back as Shibuya stops his brisk walk to face her. She blinks in confusion and looks up to ask what's wrong, bout stops at the inquisitive look in his face. Shibuya looks at her like she'd just told him the spoiler of some book he was reading. He keeps looking at her face in total attention as he asks, "Ah… Is she really a medium?"
"Well, she obviously want us to believe so."
"She wants to make others believe in her so called powers, is that what you're saying?"
"Well… I know that is something really mean to say about someone I just met! But… I know that she doesn't have so much power and acknowledge as she came to have. I don't know her, and I'm being kind of a bitch now, but… Anyway! Is the person from this morning alright?"
Shibuya keeps looking at Mai, like she has the answers to his questions. Questions that he would ask, but decides to ignore his curiosity. For now.
"Yeah…About that." He faces her with a cold, indifferent expression. "He sprained his left ankle. Apparently, it is in a very bad condition, so he won't be able to stand for a while."
"Oh." 'Oh' alright Taniyama. "I'm really sorry about that… I he an acquaintance of yours?"
"Wasn't it obvious?" He glances at her with ridicule in his eyes.
Still, Mai persists. "What kind of acquaintance?"
That guy was strange. The one with the sprained ankle. He kind of reminded Mai of Aokigahara. That feeling that she had in the cursed forest…He remembers me of those spirits. Not the Red Ones…but…
"Assistant." Mai blinks and look up at his pale face. Assistant? What kind of assistant Shibuya is to talk in such a rude manner to his boss?!
"Your boss kind of seem to be really strict, ne?" Mai says with a bit of sarcasm in her words.
"It's the opposite."
"Eh?"
"I am the boss. He is the assistant."
"…" She stares at him incredibly. What is this guy? He looks at her in all his pale glory.
"My assistant being unable to move is troubling. Don't you think that you have a responsibility to take on, Taniyama-san?"
"Hey! Slow down a bit! I was a victim too!" He stares at her coldly.
All the world's cold is gathered inside this guy's eyes.
"He was hurt. And how are yourself?"
"I'm… rather lively. I mean-"
"Moreover, the camera was broken."
Of course. The damn camera!
"Lin, my assistant, tried to prevent you from touching it, which leads to our current situation."
"And what a situation it is…"
This is going to end badly! Nee-chan! Why didn't I listen to you?!"
"Normally, I would only ask for you to pay compensation for the camera, but…"
Compensation?!
"But! It isn't like I broke it intentionally!
"Didn't you family teach you not to touch other people's stuff without permission?"
I…feel…like I am child!
"And…How much…is the compensation?"
And as he answered Mai's question, she felt her world's collapse. It was a ugly thing. I can't pay this! And I can't let nee-chan pay for such a silly mistake of mine…Ah! What do I do?
"That…That can't be! How could you let something so expensive in such a place?! And why is that camera so expensive?!"
"It was custom-made, produced in Germany. Do you wish to see the certificate?" She looks at him blankly. He sighs. "If you don't like that…"
Mai blinks and turns big, hopeful eyes at him.
"Would you mind taking the place of my assistant?" She blinks at him confusedly.
"Like, I'll be working as your assistant? And that will be it? I won't need to pay?"
"Exactly."
"I'll do it!"
"By the way, what kind of work are you doing, Shibuya-san?"
"Ghost Hunter."
"Eh?"
"In other words, ghost extermination. We've come here to investigate the old school building by the request of the principle. We are called Shibuya Psychic Research."
"Pusai…kkiku...risaachi?"
"Haven't you taken any English lessons?"
"Well, mister. Excuse me for being bad at English."
"I will ignore that. Anyway, it means psychic phenomenon investigation service. And I am the head of it."
"Eh?!"
Uchiwa Nanashi looks at the horizon of Tokyo city. The flat she and her ward lives was not an grandiose thing, but Mai loved it. She loved luxurious things as well, but she didn't mind their tiny flat.
Nanashi liked Mai. She was a sweet young girl. Mai made Nanashi remember the blurry faces of her past.
Nanashi was old. Too old. And she hated the fact that she could not remember much of her dear people of the past. At least the living ones… It was easier to remember the faces of the immortals, the divine and even some dead ones. But living ones? Those she could only see in her present and, sometimes, in her future.
Mai was, and is, her future.
Nanashi idly played with the black beads in her neck. She knew that when she was a human, she had nine of them. But when she died (Or was it before? Or much after? She doesn't know! Shedoesn'tknow!) she got one more. It was supposed to be impossible, you only get a fixed number of them. It can't change. (The most unpredictable ninja! Na-) What were them? She thinks that they had a name. Maybe Mai will make her remember. Mai always makes her remember.
His name was Neji.
As a kyuubi no kitsune, she could hear everything and anything. And now, she was listening to her dear little ward's talk with her destiny. Neji would be so proud of me…He was a proud one.
Mai makes her remember.
She was drinking tea. Tea was healthy.
Mai has met her destiny.
The cup in her hands cracks.
You can't take what is meant to her.
And that's it, folks.
I don't really if this will have romance, but at least Mai will have a special someone. I think. Probably.
This was inspired by Duochanfan's Yume no Naka ni Seishin and Fantasy-Magician's Sky Ghost Hunt. Go read them.
Chapters will probably keep at this lenght. 'Cause the cases are as divided as a Dragon Ball fight.
Please, do tell me of any mistake. English is not my first language. Drill it in my mind in most cruel way possible. I need it.
Till next time!
~MariDark