Disclaimer: Ghost Hunt isn't mine...

The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama

I'm all busted up
Broken bones and nasty cuts
Accidents will happen
But this time I can't get up.
She comes to check on me
Making sure I'm on my knees
After all she's the one
Who put me in this state.

Is she ultra-violent?
Is she disturbed?
I better tell her that I love her
Before she does it all over again
Oh god she's killing me!
-Green Day's 'Pulling Teeth'

Chapter 4: Improvisation

Naru groaned and rubbed his temples, before launching into a mini-tirade. "Mai, I've told you a hundred times before, the lounge is not your own personal social club. Get to work! What are you doing, anyway?"

The brunette pouted from her awkward position straddling the back of a black leather sofa. Ayako and Takigawa looked up from their seats on the floor as Masako sniffed daintily into the folds of her kimono and John sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Can't you tell, Naru?" Mai questioned, "We're playing an improvisation game!"

"Improvisation?" Naru asked. Is this another one of those weird American games?

"Yeah! You should come play with us; it's really, really easy!" Mai swung her legs over the back of the couch and grabbed Naru's arm, towing him into the game space. "Basically, one person starts a scene with a simple action, and a bunch of other people join in. It's kind of like a play, but the person last person to jump into a scene loses."

"Uh…" Naru rarely found himself at a loss for words, but this apparently proved to be one of the aforementioned moments.

"Okay, I'll start!" Mai quipped, pushing everyone down onto the couches and standing in a clear space. She began tapping her foot, looking annoyed. She pulled out an imaginary cell-phone. "Mom, where are you!? I called your forty minutes ago! Why haven't you come to pick me up yet!?"

Ayako jumped up and picked up another imaginary phone. She adopted a furtive demeanor and nervous voice. "Um…well…I wasn't…umm….shopping. Or anything like that. No siree. No shopping for me!"

"Mom….." Mai grimaced. "Whatever, just come pick me up." A couple seconds later, she pretended to call back, "MOM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Ayako picked up the phone and mimed painting her fingernails. "Sorry sweetie, something important came up for work, I'll be there soon!"

"You better!" Mai hung up her phone and tapped her foot for a couple seconds, Ayako hadn't budged. She dialed again, "Sarah, can you come pick me up? My mother's being really stupid right now…"

Naru still wasn't very sure what was going on; Takigawa nudged him, "This is where you can go in," he grinned, "Mai's looking for a ride." The monk pushed his boss up. Naru hesitantly walked towards Mai.

"Do you…need a… ride?"

Mai looked as if she was about to die. Ayako smothered a grin as Mai took a step back, "Sarah!" she gazed up at Naru in an odd mixture of confusion and disgust, "What happened to you!?"

At this point in time, Naru realized that he had just replied to the name Sarah, and as a member of the male gender, there was something inherently….wrong about that.

SPR's members began to laugh, including Lin, who had taken a seat earlier and had been watching the unfolding spectacle with mounting amusement.

Mai began wiping tears from her eyes as she clutched her sides, "That was so funny, Naru- or should I say, Sarah!" She once again dissolved into giggles. Naru groaned; she was never going to let this go.

And, unfortunately for him, she never did. For weeks after, everything from his personal mail to job applications were addressed to 'Sarah Shibuya.' Naru groaned, so much for nice, quiet, peaceful morning…

A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize for the months long gap between this chapter and the last. And then I'd like to apologize for the fact that this is a really, really short chapter. My muse is kind of dying :P But a mini chapter is better than no chapter at all, right? Please review and resurrect my muse!

(Speaking of resurrected, the Golden List of past reviewers is back!) Golden List: Perfect-Goddess, Kafira-chan, Katie-luvs-mcr, Angelictroublemaker, Luna-moongoddess, Kaydreams, Ayjah, Zacheria, Miss Koneko, Angelic Kitsune, Crazylittlecheezer, Twilight Journey, FallenRaindrops, Azamiko, Emina105

Thank you, everyone! Please review :)

~SL~