What's this? Three updates in a week? That's right! I got an amazing surge of inspiration for this case (and the next one) so I've been writing almost non-stop (when I'm not doing homework or playing Mystic Messenger). Anywhoooo, On with the story!
Disclaimer: I might as well own Ghost Hunt with that tragic story I give Mai in this chapter. My poor little cinnamon roll isn't safe from anyone ;-;
I stretched my arms above my head and sighed. Mrs. Hisakawa had just knocked on the door to rouse us, a call for the day to start. Ayako grumbled and rolled onto her stomach as the birds outside of the window chattered. I slipped out of the bed, unbothered by the coolness of the wooden floors on my bare feet, and headed towards the bathroom to shower. A small window on the far wall illuminated the room, and I found myself quietly singing as I washed.
I left the bathroom feeling content, a large towel that our host had left out for us wrapped around my torso. "Ayako, you have got to use that bathroom. It's amazing!" I called to her. She grumbled some more, but finally sat up. I covered my mouth to hide my laughter at the sight of her bedhead. Her beautiful red hair was sticking up in all directions, and had knotted together on the back.
She glared playfully at me and grabbed her clothes before walking into the bathroom. I quickly picked a simple green dress and brushed through my hair. I followed the smell of food to the kitchen where I found Mrs. Hisakawa and Monk.
"Mai! Mrs. Hisakawa made tea." He greeted with a cheesy grin. He lifted the cup in his hand for emphasis and I nodded back.
"Please, I'm far too old for such a proper title. Izumi is just fine." She gently chided from the stove and I could tell by Monk's look that this isn't the first time she's said this.
"Good morning Bou san. Good morning Izumi, thank you for the tea." I said as I sat at the small table, a still steaming cup in front of me.
"It's no problem dear, just think of it as my way of saying thank you." I smiled at her as she turned to move food out of the skillet and onto a plate. Ayako joined us shortly after that and we all sat together to eat.
As the meal came to an end, i straightened up in my seat and sipped the last of my tea. "So, Mrs. Hisak-" her stern look had me correcting myself mid-sentence, "Izumi, where would you say the most activity has taken place?" She sipped her tea for a moment before responding.
"Well, the power's out all over the house," She began.
"Yes, but with how solitary this area is, whenever there's a storm the whole place is probably due to lose power." Monk interrupted.
"You're correct. But I grew up with lanterns, young man. If it was just the lose of lights I wouldn't have come to you, now would I? Now may I continue?" She asked, a cheeky smile in place. Monk nodded sheepishly. "Thank you," She cleared her throat, "As I was saying, whenever objects go missing, they usually end up in the sun room, right by the yard out back."
"What about the singing?" I asked.
"Oh, well I can never tell where that starts, but whenever I've tried to follow it, I end up by that creek just of the property. It's a short walk, less than a ten minute stroll." Ayako raised one of her eyebrows.
"You've tried following it? That's awfully brave of you." the older woman nodded, her drooping eyes brightening.
"I've lived many years girlie, it takes more than a ghost to scare me." Ayako smiled and nodded, a gesture I knew to be her approved of the woman.
"Alright then, let's get to work!" I said, bouncing out of my chair. Monk grimaced.
"Uh, Mai?" He called.
"What?"
"We don't have any equipment."
"Oh don't feel too bad dear, this means you can help me out in the garden today." I had been moping around the sun room after breakfast, trying to get a rise out of the spirit. I brightened when she mentioned the garden and gladly accepted the blue gloves she handed me. I followed her out into the back yard and towards the wonderful flower garden she had been caring for.
"I haven't been in a garden in years!" I cried as she led me through the narrow path. She chuckled at my enthusiasm and stopped in front of a long row of bushes filled with blue, white, and pink flowers. This seemed to be the back 'wall' of the garden.
"Do you know what type of flowers these are?" She asked me as she bent to pick up a small watering can and poured a little water over the bushes. I shook my head, bouncing on my feet. A beat of silence passed between us before I realized that she wasn't facing me and didn't see me shake my head.
"No, what kind is it?" I asked.
"Hydrangeas. Wonderful, aren't they?" I nodded and chirped
"Beautiful!" She set the can down and turned to me to get the clippers out of the small basket I had on my arm.
"They really are. Quite poetic, too." She said as she snipped a white flower's stem and sets it in her larger basket.
"Why's that?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"They're acid loving plants. That blue color is the end result of the flowers. These ones tend to be a bit trickier though, so I treat some of them with diluted aluminum sulfate to get them to turn." She snipped another white one off of the bush. She turned to me with a grin, already opening her mouth to answer my unasked question.
"Even the unchanged ones are beautiful." I hummed my agreement as she selected a few more flowers, blues and pinks and whites. She handed the shears back to me and started down a row with large white and orange flowers just beginning to bloom.
"Oh, I know these! Lillium." I said.
"Good eye." I beamed at the compliment and listened as she told me small facts about these flowers. We went on that way for a while before her basket was filled to the brim. We started back towards the house, chatting about the garden she used to tend to with her mother. Monk emerged from the house as we reached the small stone path.
"I just got off the phone with Masako. She agreed to lend us thermometers and a couple of mics and cameras. Her and John'll be by in a little bit to drop them off." He said. I nodded my approval of the plan and slipped my gloves off and into the basket on my wrist.
"My, I didn't realize the time. It's nearly lunch, I'd better get started. Mai, would you be a dear and set the tools away. Then meet me in the kitchen and I'll tell you how to sort the flowers." She handed me her basket and bustled inside. I smiled at her as she went.
"Have fun bonding?" Monk asked, an amused glint in his eyes. I nodded enthusiastically. I walked back towards the little shed to the right of the sunroom and set the tool basket just inside the door.
"After my father died, my mother had to find a job. For a long time, she moved from job to job, trying to find something steady. One day, after school, she took me to my favorite ice cream place. I knew we couldn't afford it, but I didn't want to make her sad." I slid the door shut and turned back to Monk, "It was way far, but we loved the walk more than anything. With her taking any odd job she could get and me spending all day in school, we barely saw each other."
Monk sat on the step up into the house and motioned for me to join him. I looked out into the yard, smiling at the garden. "Just outside of town, there was this lovely little flower shop. I begged my mom to go in." I laughed at the memory of our first trip there, "We spent an hour with the shopkeeper, them just talking about the flowers while I played with the cat that roamed the store. She was a little bit older than my mom, all of her kids had already gone of to college or to get jobs of their own. We went back every week after that. Eventually, she offered my mom a job." I glanced at Monk.
"That was my mom's last job. She worked there for a really long time. Sometimes, she would bring back a little bundle of flowers and we would spend all night researching them together." I smiled gently, letting the rarely thought about memories wash over me. "It was the happiest I had seen her since Dad died. I don't really remember him, ya know. But she loved him lots. I think she loved that shop just as much." I tilted my head to the side.
"We never got ice cream that day. Actually, I don't think we ever did after that. We didn't need to anymore." I brushed away the stray tear that ran down my cheek before beaming at my neighbor. "I've really missed gardening. I think I'm going to convince my landlord to let me start one on the roof." I exclaimed with a nod.
Monk chuckled at me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. "My Jou-chan, always so strong." I giggled at his antics and rose to my feet.
"I'd better get these to Izumi."
I was setting the last bit of hydrangeas into a small bulb-shaped vase when a knock at the door sounded through the house.
"Oh, that'll be your friends. I'd better get that." Izumi said. She hummed to herself as she lowered the flames on the stove and wiped her hands on her apron. She started towards the door and I followed close behind. She pulled the door open to reveal a smirking Masako and...
"Lin?" I asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Hello Mai. It has come to SPR's attention that there is a ghost on the premises and we feel that it is our duty to investigate thoroughly." He said in his usual monotone voice, but a smiling is threatening to spill onto his face. He shifted to the side and I caught a glimpse of the other guest. I hid my giggles behind my hands as Izumi welcomed all three of them into the house.
Naru's glare stifled them very quickly, though. "Well that's very kind of you." She said as she led them into the kitchen. Ayako was sitting at the table, whispering fiercely to Monk as he leaned over the large pot on the stove. His hand was on the spoon, preparing to take a taste of the soup Izumi was making for us.
"Young man, didn't anybody teach you not to snoop in someone else's kitchen. You'll get your nose seared right off that scrunched up face of yours!" She chided, hands on her hips. Ayako smirked at him as he bowed his head like a scolded child.
"Sorry Mrs. Izumi." He said as he took his seat at the table.
"We've got guests, so you three go clean up for lunch." She said. We nodded in unison and headed towards the bathrooms.
When we got back Masako, Naru, and Lin were seated around the table, each with their own cup of tea. I settled into my usual seat next to Masako, glad that Naru hadn't chosen to sit there. Izumi set cups down in front of us as we sat, and we all called our thanks to her.
"So, any run-ins with the ghost yet?" Masako asked, tone casual. I shook my head.
"It's been relatively quiet here. But, most of the activity happens at night, so I guess we'll see." Ayako answered. We discussed a few other things as we ate, mostly Masako's tv show.
"It's been going quite well. It's been nice to take a break though."
"Don't you start shooting again in a couple of weeks?" Monk asked through a mouthful of food. One look from Izumi and his mouth snapped shut. Masako nodded in response.
Lin helped me load the equipment into the house. It wasn't much, just two cameras and a few mics to place around the house and the river. Izumi had taken Naru down to said river to investigate why it might be a hotspot. I offered to help Lin set up, but he waved me off.
Me and Masako started towards the river, following the path worn through the trees. We passed by the garden in silence, but soon my curiosity won out.
"Masako." I started gently. She made a small noise to assure me that she was listening, "Do you sense any ghosts here?" I asked. Some desperation must have slipped into my voice, because she looked at me with a serious gaze.
"You mean, did you stake your entire career at SPR for a flook?" I sighed, my shoulder drooping.
"Yes, that's what I mean." Masako hummed and we walked in silence for a minute or two.
"There's something here, I can definitely feel it. But…" She trailed off, pausing in the pathway. I stopped a few steps ahead of her. I turned back to look at her, eyebrows raised in question.
"It doesn't feel trapped here. It feels...Happy."
Yay, another Chapter down! I know this is mostly filler, and I'm sorry for that. Buuuuuut, it's all leading up to a wonderful reveal that you hopefully won't guess as soon as you read this. The next chapter should be out soon (not gonna lie probs tomorrow) so you'll get all of your ghostly fun then! This case will also end next chapter (told ya it was gonna be short) but don't worry, this won't be the last we hear of Izumi. I accidentally fell in love with her while writing this, so I'm going to keep her (in a sense) as the story goes on. Thank you for reading!
All of the love!
