Hello everyone! I apologize for not updateing in 6 months! i feel so bad about this X can you forgive me? life has been a little tough on this poor writer. Anyway i hope you enjoy this chapter.
Please R&R!
Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt or it's characters!
Saturday, February 13
The rays of light drifted through the widows of the train, landing warmly on the passengers as they watched the scenery pass by. These passengers would include our lovely group of SPR members. Monk, Ayako, John, Mai, Masako, Lin and Naru were all sharing a compartment on the train ride to Nichinan Kaigan city. From there they would be renting a van to drive the rest of the way to Mrs. Himora's home.
Mai was sitting with Naru, using his shoulder as a pillow while she tried sketching Monk who had fallen asleep across from them. She was drawing for her art class; the subject for this assignment was people. She smiled slightly as she drew the curve of Monks shoulders, the older man had his head leaning against the window with his mouth wide open. Ayako, who was sitting next to him, was holding his hand talking with Masako about what the latest fashion trends were around the world. They had been a couple just as long as she and Naru were and together they were much calmer then in the past when they argued none stop. Next to the medium was John, he was reading an English book with a playing card on the front but she couldn't quite read the title of. "Hey Naru?" she whispered.
"Yes Mai?" He replied with nonchalantly as he looked up form reading a book of his own. She had seen him with it the other day Weird Virginia was the title. It made her stop for a moment, she hadn't bothered before asking him what is about or why had put a black cover over it either…
"What is that about?" she asked curiously, trying to see if she could read some of it but he closed it, keeping his index finger in the folds of the pages to keep his page.
"Virginian legends, folklores and myths." Naru replied quietly as not to draw attention to the fact that he was reading an English book. 'It's probably why he put the cover on it' she concluded. 'Though he has been reading a lot of those books recently…'
"Where is Virginia?" she asked, something about it was familiar but she couldn't place it.
"I distinctly remember you had already been over this subject in school. Did you already forget? Dummy." He scoffed at her and reopened his book to continue reading.
She ignored his comment and decided to change the subject. "What's John reading?"
"You could ask him." He replied curtly.
"But I asked you?"
Naru quickly glanced toward the priest and then back to her. "It's called I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, a work of fiction." He told her with a sigh as he looked back to his book.
Mai rolled her eyes and sat up to look out the window. In the distance she could see the tall buildings of Nichinan Kaigan. "Naru! Look, we're almost to the city!" She exclaimed. The others turned from what they were doing to look out the window, Bou-san even woke up.
The house was far away from the city and very secluded with a small forest of trees surrounding it. As the group rode up, Mai could begin to see the details of the house. It was and old house that was built like a traditional Japanese home with modern accommodations, the front yard was also fenced off with a black rode iron fence that was barely keeping the trees at bay. The rest of the yard was nice and grass with a small flower garden near the steps leading up to the door. She could also hear the call of seagulls and the sound of waves crashing against the cliff in which the house was built near.
They parked the van outside the fence and began to pile out. Naru, Lin, Mai, and Masako were the first to get out and move toward the entrance of the gate. The owner had given them the as the group entered the yard Mai froze.
She reached out quickly to stop Masako, who was behind her, from moving beyond where she was standing. The air around her was becoming thick with the smell of fear and blood. The land it's self seemed to shout "GET AWAY! You are not welcome!"
"Mai, what is it?" the medium asked putting her hand on Mai's shoulder. In that instant Masako was gripping her shoulder tightly as the rest of her body became tense. Both girls stepped back immediately. "That was dreadful."
"Girls what's up? You both look pale." Monk had been in a separate car that had just driven up. His inquiry, though, had drawn the attention of the others.
"Mai?" Naru walked over to his girlfriend (kaiiiii! Don't you love reading that? ^^).
"I think it'll pass but there are most certainly spirits here. And they're trapped." She replied looking past him to the house. For a moment she thought she saw a man standing in the open doorway but she blinked and he was gone. In his place was a woman, who waved and began coming in their direction. "That must be Mrs. Himura."
Naru held out his hand for her to hold as they all turned and gather before the gate. John had done the same for Masako who was happy for the assistance.
They watched as the thin woman bowed and introduced her self. Her hair was a striking black color and was loosely pulled back into a ponytail that draped over her shoulder. She was wearing a beautiful pale blue dress that complimented her pale skin yet she look worn down with worry. "Hello, you all must be from Shibuya Psychic Research I presume?" After a quick nod of confirmation from Naru she continued. "I am Kaoru Himura and this is my home, you are welcome here as long as you help us." She gestured toward the house and then for them to follow her.
They entered silently, something felt wrong about speaking. Like everything would fall down or break, then tension was there, making it hard to breath. Mai had let go of her boss's hand to linger behind and look around more. She was looking at a picture of Mrs. Himura and a man, who must be her husband, sitting together under a sakura tree smiling. The photograph itself was in black and white but she could tell that both of them were strong and healthy happy people.
"Do you like this picture Miss?" a kind voice came from behind her.
She immediately straightened up and turned around. Before her was the same man in the photo but, while his smile stayed the same, he was clearly not well. He was leaning on crutches because his left leg was broken and he had several bandages covering his head and arms. His bright orange-ish red hair was tied back sloppily and he had a very pronounced X – shaped scare on his left cheek.
"Um… err… yes! I do like it" she stammered trying not to stare at his wounds.
"I'm happy that you do because that photo makes this one smile too!" he replied. "Are you here with the people my wife brought?"
"Yes! My name is Mai Taniyama. I'm pleased to meet you Mr. Himura." Mai bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Ms. Taniyama." He bowed in return before gesturing in the direction in which the rest of the group went. "You should be with them, should you not?"
"Yes, I should but I wanted to look around a bit…" she paused and then continued. "How did you get those… wounds?"
The smile on Mr. Himura's face seemed to fall a bit and his appearance became tired. "I think it would be better if you caught up with your friends now Ms. Taniyama." He said before turning away. "We will certainly talk again, I'm sure."
Mai watched as he walked away down one of the hallways before she turned to go back to the others. She found them toward the back of the home talking with Mrs. Himura. Naru eyes immediately met her when she quietly stepped into the room for a split second and then back to their client. John, who was closest to the door, turned to her arrival and beckoned her over. "Where have you been Mai?" he whispered.
"I was looking around," she whispered back, then glancing at Mrs. Himura and added. "I ran into her husband."
Naru was wrapping up their conversation with the client. "We'll be needing to set up our supplies, if you don't mind, it would be better that you stay out of our way why we do so."
After she left Naru turned to everyone else. "Monk, John, Lin, Mai and I will be retrieving and setting up the equipment. Ms. Matsuzaki and Ms. Hara – I want you to get a feel for the grounds and the house. The sun will be setting in about an hour and half so start out side and then come back to the house before it gets dark. Take note of any places that you sense something. Let's begin."
Everyone filed out of the room and split up once they were outside. Naru choose that moment to take Mai's hand and lead her around to a different side of the house. She could smell the ocean breeze and they could both see the edge of the cliff not far behind the back of the house with the ocean crashing below.
The black haired teen* watched his assistant take in the view for a moment because he wanted time to take her in as well. The wind blew her soft brown hair and the sun light hit her light skin just right. He wanted to kiss her right there but reminded himself that he needed to know what ever she saw while he was 'looking around.' That was when Mai leaned forward and rested herself against his chest.
"This isn't the time for that; I want to know what… Mai?" He looked down at her, taking in her ridged figure. "Mai, what is it? What do you see? He put one hand on her shoulder and used the other to make her look up at him. Her eyes moving and looking around her under closed lids. She was seeing something else entirely…. A dream perhaps or even a premonition.
He knew better than to try to wake her and risk the loss of any information related to the case. Instead he pulled her close to his chest to protect her from the cool spring wind and stared out over ocean. Waiting and hoping that none of the others would come around the corner and see them…
Mai felt a strong breeze blowing at her and rain pouring down, completely drenching her. A storm.
"Mai." A distant voice called.
"I know… Gene, give me a minute." She replied forcing her eyes open. The sky was filled with dark storm clouds the distant sound of thunder father off the coast.
The coast. That's where she was, sitting up she looked over her shoulder. The house was there too, it looked the same as it did now but not as tortured.
"So the idiot scientist told you. I'm glad." Naru's twin held out his hand to help her up. "But now I'm wondering, when are you going to tell him the truth?"
Once on her feet, Mai took the chance to really look at him. She hadn't noticed before now how different Gene was from Naru. It wasn't that she didn't notice that 'dream Naru' was different from the actual one. She had just thought that the 'dream Naru' was what she wanted Naru, himself, to be – a projection of her mind.
Gene was physically different from Naru, along with his personality he seem up beat and was comfortable moving around, unlike how Naru was purposeful in his movements. By the way he looked and from what she could recall from past dreams, Gene was also physically fit as well with the physic of a tennis player or possibly a runner. His face was a bit fuller and he also had hints of laugh lines around his mouth. 'He would have grown to be such a great person if he hadn't died..' She thought.
"Yes, eventually I suppose but we just started this case." She replied. "Isn't tht why I'm here?"
Gene nodded and led her a little ways away closer to the seaside cliff. Which is were the scene seemed to set itself into play. Mai could see a couple not far from where she was standing, and while howling wind made it impossible to hear it was clear that something was wrong.
The man looked extremely worried and was trying to say something to the woman but she ignored him as she spun in circles like a small child. Her hair was drenched and she wore thin nightgown that, at this point, was covered in mud. The thing that struck her the most was that the woman's eyes weren't open. "Is she awake?"
Mai watched as this woman came closer and closer to the edge and so did the man. His eye's were wide and he was franticly trying to grab her hand and pull her away.
"Stop her! She'll fall off the edge!" Mai shouted, running to them, wanting to stop her from falling to her death despite knowing that it was a dream and there was nothing she could really do. Right as she reached them the man finally got a good gripe on the woman's arm and pulled her away from the cliff edge and to the house.
At this motion, the woman woke and seemed startled. "Kazuma? Kazuma? What going on?"
The man pulled her into an embrace, kissing her forehead and holding her to hi as he mouthed his thanks to what ever god saved her.
"I don't feel well." Masako told the miko walking beside her.
"We just got here but you don't usually complain so I guess we can head back know but you are going to be the one to explain this to Naru." Ayako replied unenthusiastically.
"…" Masako blinked and turned back to the house. It was hard to see it, there was a thick fog in the way that made her sick to her stomach with fear. The air was cold and she could hear moans of pain from almost every direction.
"What did I offend your – ? Hey, your face is white as a sheet." Ayako noted with surprise but it soon turned into concern. She put a firm arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "Don't pass out."
"I'm not going to." The doll like girl replied stubbornly but she felt weak in the knees and her vision was getting worse. The moaning around her was getting worse as the sunset and within those cries of pain she could hear it.
Over the sound of the miko chanting softly next to her.
It was getting louder and louder.
"get out."
"Get Out!"
"GET OUT!"
Thank you for reading! I hoping to do more writing soon but i can't be sure (so sorry! ). Spring break should be coming up and there are alway the weekends if i don't have work (i have a job now! yay!) or school to deal with. Btw, do any of you know who Mr. Himura is? I'm super excited to hear what you all think of this so please Review!