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 Light Novel/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 Two
"It's a story about this school...
At the ex-school building there is a wooden building at the opposite side of the sports ground. The half-collapsed building.
It wasn't collapsed. That's where the reconstruction stopped.
That building was cursed... a lot of strange incidents happened there. Every year a teacher and a pupil died there... Was it a fire or an incident, only bad things happened there.
I saw that right after I entered this school. The old building had half-collapsed. It was full of broken glass and walls around. Really, that building is a scary place.
The new school building was built ten years ago.
That time, when they had to demolish the old building to start the construction, strange things happened. A machine stopped and workers got ill. But still they tried to break the west wall, and the roof fell down. All the way from the second floor. All of the workers on the first floor died.
Diseases, injuries, incidents...
Thereupon the construction was suspended. It was left like that, with the west side collapsed, for a long time.
After that unpleasant things continued to happen. A child from the neighborhood was found dead in the ex-building, three days after that a teacher committed suicide there...
...The demolition was restarted last year in order to rebuild the gym. But again only the half of it got demolished, before the work got suspended. The same as last time. A machine broke, a worker got killed...
Once, a truck went out of control and drove through the sports ground during class. Two students died and seven were severely injured. It was on the newspapers too.
Senpai's friend saw a man's ghost at the ex-building...
A person's white shadow was looking at her from the second floor, she said. The road around the school fence isn't a place to walk at night. When she was walking with her dog at night at that street she felt someone looking at her. When she turned around, from the window of a half-collapsed classroom a white silhouette was there…
..and that person was waving his hand like he was inviting her. She got the feeling that she shouldn't go inside the old school so she left staggering on her feet.
When she started walking, her dog burst out barking with great energy, so she got back there. She looked again at the window, but the person wasn't there anymore."
"That's all that I can remember, Shibuya-san."
"Hm." He stops the tape recorder he was using and stares at the ground thoughtfully. Mai keeps staring at him when he suddenly stands up.
"Now then, shall we go?"
"To the old school building?"
"Where else?"
…
"How much of Michiru's story do you think is true?" I do know that it is false. There is no spirit in that building. And if I can't sense it, it is either too weak or too strong.
Shibuya stops and sat down in an bench close to them. He pulls out a file and says, "Many people died in the old school building."
"Really?" She sits at his side and looks down at the file he is showing. He turned to a page completely filled with writing. It looked like medical record written by a doctor. And it was completely in English.
"During the three years that the old building was being used… That is, eighteen years ago, one or two people died every year."
"I see…"
"After the new building was built, they made plans to demolish the old one. The roof fell during the demolition of the west wing. They said it was an operating accident."
"Is that true?"
"Half of it is."
"Only half of it?"
"Yes. The story you heard was that construction workers died, but that's not the truth. Five people were injured, but no one died."
"I see…So then what?"
"The demolition was completed as planned. They stopped after tearing down a third of the building."
"Eh…And they didn't stop because of the stories?"
"Regrettably, no. At the time, a child died in the old school building. The police caught the murderer a month later. He originally wanted to kidnap her. Furthermore, a teacher really did commit suicide there a month later, but he left a suicide note. Apparently he suffered from neurosis."
"Eh, you know how to get your info, don't you? That's a good research."
"Of course. Don't underestimate my research ability."
Mai smiles at him. That's something that Nana-nee would say…
"Don't worry! I won't!"
Shibuya stops and looks up at her face. He stares at her as she smiles softly. What an strange girl… He blinks and shook his head.
"Anyway, In order to build a gymnasium in its place, the demolition of the old building began again last year."
"What about the truck that ran out of control?"
"Look at this." Shibuya took out a copy of an old newspaper clipping from his files. 'Nine Students Struck by Construction Truck During Demolition' was its headline.
"The driver lost control of the rubble-filled truck near the school grounds, causing it to skid though the volleyball court, leaving seven injured and two dead." Bellow the news report were photos of the two deceased students. Poor kids…
"I think I've seen this before…" Nee-chan showed me this when we were looking for a new school. "The driver was drunk, wasn't he?"
"Yes. At that time the construction had to be stopped. Another reason was because of the rumors that were floating around."
"Rumors?"
"I investigated many claims, but they all turned out to be rumors. Despite being unfortunate ones, there is a clear reason behind each and every one of them. I don't think the old building is haunted at all." After that, he stood up and looked at Mai. Their eyes connected and she understood. She stood up and followed him.
Shibuya leaded the way, walking swiftly along the groves of the old school building before heading around the back. A black van was parked behind the school building in an inconspicuous area. Shibuya opened the trunk revealing a bunch of high-tech equipment.
"Move the equipment out."
"All of it?"
"Move out everything that is necessary."
At least, this can count as exercise… Nana-nee would be proud.
"There is something here that you need first?" She asks.
"Retrieve these microphones and come here." Shibuya says and then goes around to the back of the old school building, a row of microphones lined the path, the heads in towards the old windows.
"Those ones?"
"Yes."
"What are they for?" He throws a disdainful look at Mai. "I mean! Other than gather sounds, why do you need sound of the outside of the building?" He narrow his eyes at her.
"It's dangerous to enter a haunted building without doing research beforehand. That's why in the beginning, one should throughly research prior to arriving."
"If haunted buildings can be so dangerous, why are you not scared?"
"Because there's nothing to be afraid of, Taniyama-san."
"Why would you want to do this kind of work at such a young age?" His answer was brief.
"People need it done. Like any other work."
Overconfident much?
"Well, there must have some case that you couldn't solve, right?"
"Wrong. There were none."
"Huh?"
"Because I am capable." He's totally full of himself.
"Eh. You're quite a guy. Handsome and capable!" Mai says, with a tiny bit of sarcasm. The guy really was handsome and capable, even if his personality was not one of the best. Shibuya turns and looks at her with piercing eyes.
"I'm handsome?" What is this sudden naive question?
"Yeah. At last, everyone says so. They make such a big fuss over you."
"Right. Then, they have good taste." Naive my ass!
He's such a narcissist! That's right! Shibuya, from now on you will be Naru! Naru-chan, the Narcissist!
After the microphones, Naru orders her to set up the rest of the equipment. Inside the building. Thank goodness he is coming with me.
She walked towards the old school building. Old and worn, the building wasn't that much welcoming. She reached her hand out to open the door. Inside, the building was bathed in an orange tint of light from the afterglow of the sunset. The fallen shoe cabinet in the same place since the accident from the morning. We meet again, old enemy. Mai cringes at the sight of the object and the dark liquid droplets that dotted the floor. Mister Assistant's blood! Naru passes her, carrying a bunch of pipes, and she quickly follows him.
"Wait!"
"Come on. Hurry up."
Dust permeated the air and the floors cracked with every step we'd take. Deep in the entrance hall was a curved staircase, in its left and right there were hallways. Classroom lined up the hallways, it's nameplates hung down from the wall, unreadable and covered with dust.
"Use this room." Naru said, glancing at a classroom near the entrance hall. Probably the former lab room with big lab tables lined up in rows and columns. They went in.
The room was brighter than the entrance hall. The floor was covered with dust, and the walls were worn. Nauru placed the pipes on one of the tables.
"Start building the shelves."
"O…kay…" He expects me to know how to do it instantly? Well, I can't really carry such heavy equipments as those at the van…
He stared at her, waiting a for a complaint or anything similar. She just started to prepare the shelves.
"Don't worry."
"Huh?" She looks up at him. His back faced her and he didn't look at her as he talked.
"I won't take long."
"…" Ah… Naru-chan, you're a good person, even with that personality of yours, ne? "Yes, boss!"
He nods and walks out of the room.
I better do this quickly. Nana-nee will get worried if I take too long.
The both of them quickly put together all the equipment and shelves that were needed. After bringing all the necessary equipment to the room, Naru immediately starts to put everything on its place. Connecting cables, machines and wires to an electrical circuit, with the confidence of someone that knows what they're doing.
Mai helped along, putting thermometers in different rooms, so they could know which rooms would have more activity, because according to Naru, the place where a ghost resides would have lower temperature than other rooms. Afterwards, she was instructed to record the temperatures in each room, and Naru was now looking at the results.
"There is nothing out of the ordinary. The first floor's temperature is a little low now, but not significantly enough."
Mai looks absently minded to the room they'd taken as a 'base' of sorts. The place was filled to the brim with televisions and strange equipment that she'd not have much knowledge about.
"Heey, Shibuya-san?" Can't go calling him 'Naru-chan', ne?
"Hmm…?"
"If places with ghosts have an lower temperature than normal, does it means that this room, going by it's temperature, would have the lowest chance to have ghosts?"
"Not exactly. We can't really say with sure."
"Why?"
"Well, simply put, ghosts are very shy."
"Shy?"
"Paranormal phenomenon often occur in uninhabited areas. And so, when people move into such areas, ghosts normally go into hiding."
"So, if it shows immediately? I mean, there are some places that people pass years being haunted. And in some cases, I read that it begins almost immediately."
Naru looks at her with surprise in his eyes. She looks away, scratching her cheek in embarrassment.
"I… may have read some things about ghosts."
"Ah, that's good. You're not the total amateur that I thought."
Mai looks angrily at him. "I could very well be a amateur. But you couldn't say anything since you asked for my help, boss."
Naru looks at her with what could be hurt in his eyes. But sighs and close his eyes with resign.
"I guess you're right. But, to answer your question, the time that it takes to the spirit make itself know can say much about it. Specially with the way it makes itself know. Depending on how much time and which form it communicates with us, it will tell how much power it can have and with what type of spirit we are dealing with."
"Hmmm…"
He looks at her with attentive eyes, waiting for any questions.
"Is that all, Taniyama-san?" She looks at him, her brown eyes shining with questions and wonder, but decides that she can learn more after they get the work done.
"Honestly? No. But that can wait! Is there anything more that need to be done?" She smiles at him.
He blinks at the sight of her smile. What a strange girl…
"Yes. Please, place four of these infrared cameras on the first and second floor, and one in the entrance."
"Yes, boss!" She salutes and goes on her merry way.
After putting the cameras, they walk back to the room to see if everything is working as it should. After checking, Naru turns to face her.
"That was tiring. You should go home now."
"You sure?" Even as she asks this, she is already getting her school bag.
"Yes. I'm leaving anyway. There's nothing to be done right now. And, it's getting dark already." They walk out of the room and to the entrance hall.
"Hey, are you psychic? 'Cause, you don't really look like one. I mean, Hara Masako-san, that psychic that has her own ghost show, she doesn't use all of those things. And what about the equipment that you left?"
"Hmpft. Aren't you a curious one?" He smirks at her. She blushes at him. And quickly looks away, pouting.
"Sorry about it…." She murmurs, still pouting and looking delectably at the ground. I guess I can't help about it… Besides, I want to know more about this ghost world.
He snorts at her response as go down the steps in front of the old building.
"It's okay, really. The camera is set up to record automatically."
"Oh."
They stop at the van, the sunset in it's final stage. Illuminating the city with its last golden, orange and purplish mix of light.
"But, no. I'm not a psychic. You don't need to be a psychic to be a ghost hunter." And that was it. Mai had the feeling that she shouldn't push too much.
"Ok then." She nods. "Will I continue to work with you for the rest of this… hm…case?"
He turns his back at her and says as he walks away, "Meet me here by the van after school tomorrow."
Mai sweatdrops as she watches Naru walk away. He is such a drama queen.
I'm so screwed.
And Mai was sure about it. It was already dark and she was late again. Nana-nee will be disappointed with me…
She was walking out of the front gate, when she heard Keiko's voice screaming for her.
"Mai!" Mai turns to see Keiko and Michiru at the gate's side.
"Guys! What are you two doing here so late?" She asks as she waits for them to stop at her side.
"Heeee, you go and stays the entire afternoon with that cutie Shibuya-san and hopes that we don't come and question you about it?"
"Yeah, Mai! Keiko is right! Now…" They each put an arm around Mai's shoulders. "What did you guys talked about?"
Mai chuckles at them, amused by their behavior.
"Oi, that's the motive of such an ambush?"
"Of course not. Wanna go to the Karaoke that opened one block down the clinic?"
Ah, they are not so frivolous as to wait for me just because of a boy… What is it with the suddenly Naru-style thought?!
"But first! Answer the question! What did you two talked about?"
"Apparently, he is an ghost hunter. He is here for the old school building."
"Whaaaaat?" Keiko drones.
"So, Shibuya-kun isn't a transfer student?"
"Nope. Just working for the school, really."
"Damn."
"At least, we won't have any love rivals, ne?" Keiko smiles at them and Michiru nods.
Really guys? Love rivals? Do you guys think that Naru doesn't have a life out of here? If you go by your logic, you are each others' rival!
"Taniyama-san."
They turn to see Kuroda looking at them. She walks briskly in their direction and stops once she's at arms reach.
"Hi, Kuroda-san…" Mai says hesitantly. "Do you need something?" Where did this girl comes from? Appearing randomly like that…
"I couldn't help but to hear your talk… That boy, Is he a psychic?" An eavesdropper.
Mai sighs. "No, Kuroda-san. He is not."
"But you did just say that he came here for the old school building."
Mai lifts an eyebrow at her. "But I also said that he is a ghost hunter." Kuroda raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"Ghost hunter?"
Mai smiles as she says, "Yeah, you don't really need to be a psychic to work with the supernatural." Kurd stares at her with a frown, but then smiles at her as she asks.
"Ah, can you introduce me to him?"
Keiko pushes her aside and says, "Oi, she's kind of strange. Asking all those question. Be careful with this." Mai looks at her and nods. She turns back to Kuroda.
"You already know him, Kuroda-san. You don't need me to introduce you. You can meet him tomorrow after school at the old school building. But you should be careful of what you say to him."
"Oh? Why?" She asks sarcastically.
"He doesn't like amateurs."
Kuroda narrows her eyes at Mai, looking disdainfully at her. "I'm not an amateur like you."
Mai stops and stares at her. Such a rude person… Or is it arrogance? Can be both, can't it be?
"But Naru-chan is still a professional. So, please respect that." Ops. I slipped.
"Neee Maiiii…" Michiru says as she pinches her cheeks. "Calling him Naru-chan and being so defensive of him already… Is there something that you didn't tell us?"
"Naru for Narcisstic. Don't get so exited about it."
"You're so mean."
"And you should not be chatting at this hour in front of your closed school, Taniyama Mai."
The four girls stop and turn to stare at the beautiful blonde woman standing in front of them. She was glaring playfully at Mai, with her hands in fists on top of her hips. Her long hair was in a high ponytail, she was wearing skinny jeans and a button-up orange blouse. Her feet were covered by black knee high, high-heels boots.
Michiru, Keiko and Kuroda stared at the impossibly beautiful woman. There was something about the woman that made her otherworldly to them. Her golden hair shined in the dark of the early night. She walked in their direction, her long legs making her reach them rapidly.
As she stops at Mai's side, they can't help but blush at the bright and kind smile she trows at them.
"Nee-chan!"
Keiko looks with wide eyes at Mai. "She is your older sister?!"
"Eh, Mai? She's obviously not-Japanese. You were really unlucky if all you got were those looks of yours." Michiru says to Mai in an dazed voice.
"Eh? What does you mean by that, Michiru?!" Mai says, her doe eyes shining with false hurt, as she jokingly puts her hand above her chest.
Nanashi laughs at the girls interaction. Such cute innocent children…
"Nana-nee! Stop laughing!"
She only laughs more.
"Bye girls!" Shouts Mai, as she waves to her two friends. Kuroda had gone away pretty quickly after Nanashi started laughing.
"Bye Mai! Bye Nana-san!"
"Bye!"
Mai and Nanashi walked in comfortable silence for a while with only the sound of the city that surrounding them.
"You were late." Nanette interrupts their silence first. Her eyes never wandering from the path they both were walking.
"I know. I am sorry." Mai says quietly as she looks at her feet.
"…The principal called. Said something about you working for a Shibuya guy that he hired for a service at the old school building, he told me that you broke some high tech camera." Mai turns her neck quickly, her eyes boring into Nanashi's face.
"He called?" Nanashi closes her eyes at the quiet, guilt filled voice of her ward. Her eyes are closed, but Nanashi's stride doesn't falter.
"Of course he did. And he told me that your curiosity caused someone to get hurt." Mai turns away dejectedly, her eyes blank.
"Yeah…"
Nanashi stops and turns to her, her eyes are dark and serious. Disappointed.
"Did you think that you could hide this from me? That this Shibuya guy didn't need my authorization to get you to work in his assistant place?" Mai looks up to her, her eyes are shinning with tears.
"You talked to him?"
"No, Mai. I didn't. I talked with your headmaster through the phone. I was going to go to your school, but he said it was not necessary." Nanashi sighs and rubs her neck. "Look, you know that I don't like this kind of thing. And I know you can deal with it, but try to think before you act, ok? It's not, like, I won't be there for you, because you know that I love you, kit. So, no worries, but try to be more careful from here now ok?" She opens her arms and smiles at her little ward. "Now, come and gimme a hug, ok?"
Mai stares at her blankly for some moments, but then smiles at her guardian, tears running down her face. She quickly hugs the blonde with all her might.
"I promise, nee-chan."
Today's dinner was sushi. They were sitting in their kitchen's table, chatting about Mai's day of school.
"And that black girl with the glasses? She didn't even talked with me… But I'm sure I've seen her somewhere." Nanashi asks her ward. Mai looks up to the ceiling thoughtfully as she answers.
"She was in my middle school. Kuroda-san was famous for her sensitivity to ghosts. Always given warnings about something."
"Che. Lying child, she is."
"I know! If she was really sensitive to something, she would have sensed something from you, right? And, really, even I can tell that the old building isn't as filled with spirits as she says so."
Nanashi smiles amusedly. "Even if she was sensitive, she wouldn't sense anything from me unless I allowed it." Mai looks at her guardian with a questionably look in her face.
"Don't underestimate me, kiddo! I'm, like, totally capable of blocking some little humans from my presence." She trows an secretive smile at her ward. Mai smirks back.
"Yessu, nee-chan!"
"And don't underestimate yourself, kiddo. You have more power than you think."
...
"Good night, Mai." Nanashi says to her ward as she turns off the light of Mai's room.
"Nee-chan, tomorrow I will have to stay late at school again." Mai says timidly. The blonde stops and looks back at her ward.
"It's because of the work with Shibuya, ne?" Nanashi says with an gentle smile on her face, as she sit on Mai's bed.
"Yeah…"
Nanashi smiles and leans down to kiss her ward's forehead.
"Don't worry." She fusses over her, and plays with her hair. "But he better treat you right." She smiles playfully at Mai.
"Don't you worry, Nana." Mai smiles at her, her eyes glazed with sleep. "Naru-chan is a good person."
Nanashi stops.
Mai is already asleep.
Naru-chan is a good person.
Nanashi sits atop Tokyo tower. One of her legs are tucked close to her chest, her chin rests above her knee. The other leg is dangling on the edge. Totally uncaring of how high she was.
Naru-chan is a good person.
Her eyes are glazed. Unseeing.
Naru-chan is…
The night life of Tokyo City illuminates her with its fickle, artificial light. But she is uncaring by it. She is totally absorbed by her chaotic thoughts.
Naru-chan.
The sounds of the universe (Only she can hear them.), pass swiftly through her. All those secrets that she should not know, that so many people wanted to know, she ignores them.
Naru. Naruto.
…
She cries.
"I want to be Hokage."
She doesn't understand.
She knows that when she was alive, she was a ninja. She knew how to fight, and kill, and hurt. But she also knew how to love. To love so fiercely that it burned. She also dreamed. She dreamed about red, and pink, and silver, and black. And little bit of green.
And with time (So, so much time) came words. Words like fate, copy, seal, heal, bonds. And then came people. She knew, somehow, that fate was connected to a guy.
And then, came dear Mai. Mai brought eyes and names. Not hers, mind you. (What a shame. A fox that doesn't know it's name. At least you wont ever be controlled.)
Mai brought White Eyes, and Red Eyes, and Circled Eyes. There was Green Eyes too, and Black Eyes.
And recently, she even know that someone was named after a bolt! And that Neji-san (Bolt, Neji, Boruto), liked fate! (She doesn't understands that too. Fate was a bitch.)
But, Nanashi was feeling like Mai did something wrong this time. Mai may have done something that she shouldn't.
HerHEADhurtsHEADhurtsHEADhurts
Maybe. Like, totally maybe.
…
She thinks that her name was (Is?) Naruto. But why would someone name her after a fishcake?!
"Today is FRIDAY!" Mai shouts enthusiastically as she puts her shoes at the entrance. She listens her guardian's chuckle behind her.
"Calm down, kit. You still have a long day to go." Her guardian's smile is tired, but she's still trying, so Mai keeps smiling. She knows that Nana-nee enjoys her smile, she told her.
"Hehehe… I know! But it is still nice, isn't it?"
"If you say so, kiddo. Here. That's your bento for today's lunch. I hope you like it. It is fruit themed, today." Nanashi says with a tired, but genuine, smile.
"Thank you, Nana-nee." Mai takes the bento from her guardian's delicate-looking hands. She looks up at her face. There is no physical sign of tiredness on her face, Nanashi still looks dazzlingly beautiful and fresh as a daisy. But it's her smile, her eyes and her aura that told Mai that Nanashi was tired. But she smiles at Nana-nee, because that's the only thing she could do.
Maybe we should eat ramen this weekend. Yeah. We totally should.
"I'm going now!"
"Be careful!"
Hm… What is this?
Nanashi floats above Mai's school. She was looking out for her kit, when she noticed it.
Her nice, white, long sundress flares wildly as she stares down the creature in her territory.
An youkai… No.
She narrows her eyes at the being.
An shiki.
Her energy boils inside her.
Who is your Master? Who would dare to enter my territory?
She flashes, and suddenly she is behind the being, her claws at his neck. A thin trail of blood goes down his neck.
"You are trespassing. Speak or die."
The male shiki freezes.
"Who is your Master?"
And that's it!
So, how Naruto ended up in this world/time/dimension/whatever, you will have to find out with her! ;P
I'll try to end the first case quickly, as it is most just introducing everything and such. But I'll try to keep things new and exciting. Adding and changing some things. Like Mai's comportment in some cases, showing the influence of someone that she considers family and that saved her.
Originally, she lived with a professor. But it was just a mention and this professor didn't seem to cause much impact in her life. So I tried to show the influence of another person. She doesn't change much, but really, the story has just started!
And I am so confused about where to put 'at', 'in' or 'on'. And 'an' and 'a'. So lost. T.T
And used mainly the light novel and the anime as a base to the Ghost Hunt part of this crossover.
If you have something you wanna ask, feel free to do it.
Please, inform me of any mistakes. There must have so many of them.
~MariDark
