Me: Yeah… so I am officially guilty of starting wayyy too many stories at once…
Mai: Shellsan is very sorry but it annoys her to have a story there and not posted so…
Naru: Idiot
Me: Yeah, yeah I know Naru. But meh… SCREW THE WORLD
Mai: She means to say that she doesn't really care anymore and that she is working on her other stories as we speak
Me: Thank-you Mai
Naru: Shellsan doesn't own ghost hunt because if she did it would still be on book 3
Me: HEY!
Mai stood in darkness as she looked around, not really expecting to find much. After Naru left, Gene didn't really visit her anymore but she knew for a fact he hadn't passed on. If he had, she would have known about it. She had always had a connection with Gene. He was like the older brother she had never had. It was the same with Naru, whether he realised it or not. In fact, Mai had a theory that it was thanks to Naru that her powers awoke.
Sighing when it was definite that today wouldn't be the next time she saw the troublesome twin. Succumbing to fate she turned to look at the scene that was beginning to form, breaking through the never-ending darkness.
She was glad it wasn't a first person dream because they were always the worst.
Mai observed as the scene morphed into a large mansion. The walls old and run-down and it had some rose vines growing up the side with some moss giving it a majestic feel. A large glistening lake was near-by and from the looks of the oranges and pinks that painted the sky, it was late afternoon.
A shrill scream shook Mai out of her current awed state. She watched as a woman was hit to the ground. "How dare you embarrass me in front of my family?! I told you never to speak unless spoken to" the man bellowed.
Tears fell from the woman's eyes. "I only told the truth!" she cried, "I refuse to allow my child to grow up under the conditions you give me."
Sneering, the man pulled her up roughly. "What I gave you is what a worthless slut like you deserves."
Defiantly, the woman shook her head spitting towards him, "what you gave me was no more than what a dog requires. I am a human being and I don't care what you say, I will give my child the life I never received" she hissed.
In that instance, the man broke, throwing her to the ground. "Oh the child will grow up but she won't be living a much better life then you. Females are merely there to re-produce, a host for a child. Nothing more"
Mai gritted her teeth at the comment. She knew that she couldn't do anything about the remarks but regardless she found the need to restrain herself. "It's already happened", she told herself until she felt that she could handle it. Turning back to the 'screen' she continued to watch the scene play out.
Despite the position she was is, the woman only laughed, "if anything, females are the superior beings" she spoke. It seemed as though she was going to say more but he wouldn't allow it. Aiming a punch directly towards her throat, he stopped any words she may have wanted to say.
He was furious, "The only reason you live now is because if you were to die, so would the child that grows inside your stomach. However, if you continue to defy me, I will make sure that the child you so dearly wish to give a good life finds itself in pain through-out the time it lives."
The man's words sent shivers down Mai spine as she covered her mouth in horror, her image reflecting the very essence that was the woman's face. Nodding the woman felt herself placed onto the ground.
"Good" he spoke, dragging her into the mansion that would seem to be their house.
As the scene changed, Mai felt time skip forward like a chilling wind. Voices surrounded her all at once, the sound of a new-born baby, the resounding of hits and slaps, screams of anguish and fury. One thing in particular stood out to Mai. The scream of that single word. "Mum!"
It wasn't hard to tell what had happened as Mai stood, watching people in black shed fake tears as a show towards the loss of the mother of children simply for show. The grave stone was simple and read two words, "Elizabeth Wadleigh"
Mai woke up in a start. The dream it's self might not have been too much but the simple fact that because a woman had the ability to speak against a man got her killed, in front of her daughters eyes was enough to have her rushing towards the bathroom. Heaving whatever food she had left in her stomach, Mai was suddenly aware of the fact that sheens of sweat covered her face and the cold feeling of her body.
Sighing, she got up and closed the door to her bathroom, locking it to be sure. Turning on the shower, she stepped under the warm, cascade of water. Mai closed her eyes, attempted to forget those screams but to no avail, they continued to ring through her mind like a song on repeat, playing over and over again without a stop button.
Deeming herself clean she stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body and moved towards her closet.
Pulling out a knee-length black skirt and blue shirt, she got changed quickly. Looking at the time Mai realised that it was nearly time for work.
With the help of the others, Mai had managed to start up a small café that sold tea and sweets. Bou-san, Ayako and the rest had all chipped in to get the business up and running and now Mai was quite popular. Of course she was also under a lot of stress.
After Naru left, Mai had to find another job to support herself. Ayako and Bou-san had attempted to adopt her but she wasn't having any of it. Mai loved them, she really did, but they could never replace the parents that she held dear in her heart.
Grabbing her purse, keys, jacket and phone, Mai left her apartment, locking the door behind her. It was only 7 o'clock on a Saturday morning but the streets were already buzzing as Mai made her way down a few blocks and ended up at a small corner café with the words, "Little Delights" written in delicate calligraphy above it.
Grinning, Mai unlocked the door to the café. She needed to get things set up to open in a couple hours. Moving quickly, she walked into the kitchen and began to make a few batches of assorted biscuits and some cake.
Her store was mainly a tea and sweets store but they also sold small sandwiches, toasties and croissants.
It was due to open in about an hour when she pulled out the first few batches of cookies. Quickly, Mai set them out to cool and started to make the chocolate muffins and the croissants. While she waited for them to cook, she wiped down the tables, setting the chairs down as she went before wiping down the counter, to remove any dust that had accumulated.
Hearing the timer go off Mai walked back into the kitchen and grabbed the croissants, placing them on the bench with the cookies.
Just as she was about to grab a jar to put the cookies in, she heard the bell on the door go off. "Jou-chan?" Mai heard Bou-san call from outside.
"In the kitchen!" she shouted, choosing to go back to what she was doing, grabbing a jar then moving back over to the biscuits and carefully tipping them into the jar.
Footsteps sounded as she heard Bou-san and –most likely- the others enter. Turning around she blinked when noticed that it wasn't the others with Bou-san.
"Guess who I found on our way here?"
