Disclaimer: I only own my ocs and will never claim otherwise.
Bold is the English language
Italic mental speaking
File 2: The Doll House Part 2
[Day 1 19:00 somewhere with trees]
Honestly, if there was a means of staring a phone into submission, Sion was sure she was on the verge of discovering it…or she was going to end up smashing the damn thing into a tree, either way the accursed menace would desist all activity. As for the sudden violent urge to inflict destruction on the small black cellular device, the many texts with more emocons and embellishments than actual words were the source of the woman's frustration. It was only after the eighth text that she'd actually been able to get the vaguest of ideas that the point of the messages was regarding her eating schedule and whether she was actually following it.
Why the moron actually thought she would reply was beyond her, but Sion wasn't going to waste the time and brain cells thinking about it. Instead, she was contemplating the sudden sense of urgency hanging around the back of her mind. All of today, Sion had been possessed by the idea that she should vacate the area or suffer.
The feeling was similar to the one she had shortly before meeting Chris the Idiot for the first time and she was still paying for ignoring it that time. That experience alone should give value in heeding the feeling.
To her mental warning's disappointment though, Sion's sense of work ethic overrode her self-preservation instincts.
Course of action decided, Sion turned off the damn device mid-ring of an annoying tune, signaling Ivar's next heavily decorated text regarding Sion's lack of reply to whether she was eating or not, and resumed making herself comfortable in the shade of a tree. Luckily, tomorrow evening was the last night she had to spend here, then she was home free.
It wasn't like anyone who knew her were aware of where she was, and with her phone off, Ivar couldn't use GPS to find her anyway, so that mental warning was most likely simple paranoia induced by meeting that woman yesterday.
Her luck couldn't possibly be that bad. She hadn't done anything to induce bad karma after all. Any she had built should have dissipated after helping the clumsy can woman.
-GH-
[Day 1 20:55 SPR base]
Mai carefully removed all traces of sleep from her eyes she waited for the water to come to a proper boil. She had already prepared everything for Naru's tea and had just finished preparing things for those who wanted coffee when the fatigue suddenly made itself known. Usually, Mai would grumble under her breath at her boss's order for tea, but since they were in for a long night, Mai knew they were all going need the caffeine.
Still, could it really be a real haunting? During the short time she'd worked in SPR, Mai had truly come to realize just how many fake hauntings came in. Somehow, Naru was able to get a general idea on what was real and what simply the potential client's overactive imagination. It actually reminded Mai of something Sion-san had said.
"If you look for spiritual activity expecting it, then you'll see it everywhere, ignoring all other alternatives. Feel a cool breeze, oh it has to be a ghost. Creaking sounds, spirit has to be at fault. Never mind that windows aren't insulated so breezes can flow into rooms, the wooden floors couldn't possibly be shifting thanks to extreme weather changes."
People truly did see things when the explanation was simple. To think that those who truly dedicated themselves into studying the supernatural put so much thought into methods of deducting truth and fabrications was amazing.
Though, Sion-san truly hadn't been the type to devote herself to such things. More likely, she hated it so much that she studied it simply to know how to avoid those types of people….
…Yeah, Mai had an easier time believing that then any alternative.
The sharp whistle piercing the air immediately snapped Mai back to reality and out of her train of thought. Removing the boiled water from the stove, she finished making the tea and coffee, placing the cream and sugar cube jar on the tray before picking it up.
Between the constant tea carrying, mantling, and dismantling of the base, Mai was actually gaining some sense of upper body strength. It actually kept her from feeling guilty when she decided to visit the cake shop.
Entering the base, Mai started handing out the requested orders, too tired to even consider waiting for the ever nonexistent 'Thank you' from her boss for once again fetching his tea.
After he had taken a sip, Naru walked over towards Lin, looking over the monitors.
"Any movement?"
"Nothing yet."
Everything had been silent for hours now. Thankfully, the tea was helping to clear the final vestiges of sleep from her mind, letting Mai's mind return to mundane thoughts of boredom. Like that yummy cake Noriko-san had served for dessert.
No sooner had Mai's thoughts turned to desserts, then the door to the base suddenly burst open, Kana-san entering, face pale as newly bleached sheets. "Come here, hurry!"
Unlike the older woman, the people around the base were calm, though Bou-san, Ayako, and Mai were a bit puzzled by the woman's panic. What was going on that caused such a look on the woman?
"Just follow me!" Kana-san didn't seem in the mindset to just stand there calmly and explain what was happening.
-GH-
She saw it, but she just couldn't believe it. How exactly was this possible? Mai tried blinking a few times but the view before her remained unchanged.
All the furniture was moved around, in diagonals.
"We came upstairs so Ayami-chan could go to bed and this is what we saw!"
In the midst of the room inducing Kana-san's panic, Ayami was standing in the middle, holding Minnie, looking around at her room with innocent curiosity at the state of her bedroom.
Kana simply stepped to the side and gestured to the room.
"What's going on?! Aren't you here to prevent this type of thing from happening to begin with?!"
What did she expect from us? We aren't precognitive for goodness sake. Mai huffed, turning her face away to keep her thoughts from being realized.
Ayako however, didn't have any troubles discussing her thoughts aloud. "Are you sure Ayami didn't do it?" She blatantly asked, crossing her arms as her gaze crossed over the child, who flinched, able to understand that she was being blamed for this.
Mai immediately came to her defense though, unwilling to let a small child be accused of such a thing. Outrage filled her voice as she yelled at Ayako. "How could a little girl do this?!"
Mai didn't even think she would be capable of moving something like that bed with the mattresses still on without making some hint of noise and alerting everyone downstairs, and the bed wasn't even the heaviest thing in this room!
Thankfully, Bou-san agreed with Mai, having actually taken the time to inspect the room as opposed to Ayako who'd merely given it a cursory glance before stating her opinion.
"Right. The furniture is still sitting on the carpet. I couldn't even have done it."
Mai thought Ayako muttered something under her breathe but couldn't quite make out what it was.
Naru ignored the ramblings of his workers. Instead, he chose to get actually get some work done, as they were hired to do. "May I inspect the room?" He inquired towards Kana-san, who nodded, reaching towards Ayami, still frowning in frustration at what was going on in her household.
"Go ahead!" This is what they were here for, there was no reason she should have to deal with this. "We'll be downstairs. Let's go, Ayami-chan."
Before they left the room, Ayami held Minnie closer to her chest and glanced back inside, still shaky at being accused of this.
"…I didn't do it." Her voice seemed so small, weak in the face of all these adults. Mai seemed to realize how unnerved the girl was and smiled, lowering her eye level to Ayami's level, making herself appear smaller.
"It's okay. I know you didn't do it."
Ayami still seemed uncomfortable, but managed a small nod before she was pulled out of the room, the door closing behind her.
Now that they were free of the girl and glaring woman, they would actually be able to get some work done. Bou-san walked over to Naru, having finished looking over the furniture.
"What do you think, Naru-chan?"
Ignoring the –chan, Naru glanced around the room, indigo eyes not missing a single thing.
"I would love to meet the person capable of doing this."
Mai imagination came up with a guy of six feet with muscles bigger than her head, face blank with the words 'culprit' written across it before she could stop herself. Before Naru could realize her thoughts were wandering, Mai quickly banished the image from her mind.
"There's no trace of anything. It's impossible for a human to have done this." Naru copied Bou-san's earlier movement in lifting the carpet, checking for any signs of it being moved besides the obvious knowledge that it had been moved.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
All four occupants immediately straightened and turned towards the door. It was Mai, who was closest to the door, whom started running out of the room first.
"That was Kana-san!" And Ayami-chan was with her!
Mai made it to the first floor when she noticed of the double doors open, signaling where the scream had originated from. Mai ran inside, Naru right behind her. Both ceased all movement as the sight of the room filled their eyes.
What is this? Mai couldn't believe what she was seeing. This was even more disbelieving then what happened in Ayami-chan's room. All the furniture's turned upside down!
And that wasn't even the most shocking. There's no way a human could have done this! Not in a few moments without anyone remaining unaware and alone too!
"Naru…the carpet…" She almost couldn't get the words out, mind still struggling to come up with some sort of explanation. But she managed to. "It's upside down too…with the furniture still on it!"
As if he hadn't heard her, Naru kneeled next to the carpet and lifted the corner, verifying that indeed, the carpet had been turned upside down as well.
It was only after Ayako and Bou-san arrived and Kana-san had left them alone that things started getting serious. Naru remained silent as he observed everything. Bou-san stated the one thing they were all thinking though.
"Dang. This is definitely a poltergeist."
Ayako scoffed, shaking her head at all of this. "That's obvious. The only question is who did it, right? I'm sure it was a Chirei."
Ayako started laughing, getting a disbelieving look from Mai, not that she noticed it. With pride easily distinguishable in her voice, Ayako started leaving the room, waving a hand over her shoulder.
"I'll get rid of the spirit for you by tomorrow. Just wait, you'll see. Good night."
Just where did she get all that confidence all of the sudden? Mai couldn't believe how quickly Ayako's behavior could change. If that is how grown women act, she was going to have to be careful not to end up like that.
With the sudden arrogant woman out of the room, Bou-san deemed it safe to talk without worry of getting brained now that the violent woman was gone. After all, Naru-chan didn't seem to agree with the miko's assessment of the situation. If anything, the younger male had completely dismissed the woman without saying a word and her head had been too big in self-gloating to realize it.
"What's wrong? You look like you're deep in thought. Is something bothering you?"
"Don't you think the spirit reacted too quickly?"
Both Mai and Bou-san seemed puzzled by the teenager's question. Reacted too quickly? How exactly had he come to that conclusion?
Seeing that he was going to have to explain everything, Naru figured he should explain the whole thing.
"Paranormal phenomena usually don't happen when strangers are around. Normally they temporarily go into hiding when outsiders get too close."
"Is that so?" Mai hadn't realized that. She glanced over towards Bou-san who seemed to catch on to just what Naru-chan was getting at.
"Yeah, you see it on psychic tv shows all the time. Investigators will go into a well-known haunted house, yet nothing occurs at all." He shrugged his shoulders. "Or you end up getting a weaker response. For example, say you're told to expect a rapping sound, yet the most you get in noise response is a squeak. When you get an opposite reaction compared to that, then chances are what's happening is…"
Bou-san folded his arms, frowning as the truth behind what was happening made itself known in his final word.
"Repulsion." Aversion, disgust, repel from the source. To think the house itself was capable of such an act. Bou-san glanced towards Naru in thought. This kid is amazing, to notice something such as that so soon. I didn't even realize it until he started talking.
"You think so too, Bou-san?"
"Uh-huh. The spirits sensed that we were here and got angry."
"Besides, the fact that they showed us such a big poltergeist…these are some serious spirits."
Naru looked around the room again, the size of the activity having been immense in there.
"This may take some time."
What went unsaid amongst the group was easy to discern…
…Things could get dangerous if they weren't careful.
-GH-
[Day 1 23:45 somewhere with trees]
There. Everything was set. Tomorrow night, she would get the perfect shot. Glancing up from her camera, secured in the tripod she'd nailed to the ground, Sion couldn't help but let the smile through. This piece was going to be amazing. She was actually looking forward to this.
Fixing the tarp over the camera and tying it to the bottom of the tripod to prevent moisture, Sion finished her preparations. Satisfied, she walked over to her tiny cooler and pulled out a can of lime flavored chuhai (1) and a bag of peppered beef jerky.
With a sigh of content, Sion plopped onto her sleeping bag, leaning against the tree she'd set up camp by, staring up at the night sky as the sound of her beer echoed throughout the otherwise silent night. The alcohol slid down her throat with ease, the sour taste of the lime sending a lovely tingle down her spine.
"This is truly the best way to live. Who needs to deal with humans, when true contentment can be found alone?"
Truly, humans were nothing but a hassle to deal with. Those who were given power over others always decided they knew better than those they were in charge of and others were too cowardly to try and set out on their own. Out here though, on a job that permitted that she only had to deal with customers twice, the hiring and completion parts, she truly felt at ease.
Still, she would be able to get out of this area soon. That tingling feeling was starting to return, and being in close proximity to the child bastard while feeling the tingling was not a safe combination.
"If I see that brat, then I'll finally know how shitty my luck is."
TBC…
A.N. (1) Chuhai is fruit flavored alcohol, shochu and soda mixed.
Sorry for the wait. Things were a little hectic with my family and my own health, still are but I finally found the will to finish the final draft for this chapter. A One Piece marathon is helping too, invoking cheery thoughts as apart from depressive ones (though some of the arcs make me cry at times). Well, Sion didn't meet everyone today, so I guess that will be next chapter. Looking forward to it, since that means Sion will have to deal with Naru again.
Thanks to the following for Favoriting/Following this story: JazzieLouise, cccourtc, TwilightMelodiac, Ijereja, grim assassin sherlock101, Not-Gonna-Update, percabeth8, Sweet Demons6, Jac Grove, Sayonara Yasashii Akumu, wtfh, Roger-comics, KamiKaze no Kage, DeathWillNotPrevail, LLawlietLivesOn, lil whit, Kookie Thief, Lunalizie, Times eternal servant, Maester Ta, Zorua1, Kazz.b, , Loving-you-is-a-crim, Diving in is.
Review Replies:
lilnightmare17: Thanks for reading!
aandm20: It is initiated by touch, I'll say that much. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!
bored411: Hope you enjoy how Sion integrates in this chapter. As for Sion being like Naru ability wise…the need of physical contact is indeed the same. Thanks for reading!
Not-Gonna-Update: Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoy what follows and thanks you for reading!
rahzel: I hope the amount of Sion here makes up for the little appearance last chapter. I had to come up with a creative means of bringing her in and Noriko was the perfect key. Thanks for reading!
DeathWillNotPrevail: I neither confirm nor deny her abilities. Good catch on the hints being given though. Thanks for reading!
MusicofMadness: Glad Noriko appearing first was well received. Sadly, I started craving cake after writing about it and had to bake one to later. I neither confirm nor deny Sion's abilities, though the one you're thinking of regarding Naru is psychometry. Thanks for reading!
: I'm thankful you like the different route I'm taking incorporating Sion with the SPR gang. I'm actually curious what you think I'm doing regarding her ability (which is wrong, I'm supposed to induce hair pulling frustration *frowns and holds Levi doll* not the other way around, cursed curious nature of mine). Happy to hear that the canon characters are still considered in character, I love them for their personality (and Monk's continuous habit of getting hit by Ayako). Also, thanks for your explaining why you chose Lin. I can see how you view the potential relationship. Thanks for reviewing!
Troublemagnet98: I'm happy you like this so far. As for Sion being a difficult character to write, I think of it as more a fun challenge. All in all, she's fun to write and act out for me. Still, that you don't find her easy a character to write, feels like a compliment to me. Also, thank you for explaining your reasoning behind choosing Naru and will take it into consideration.
Diving in: First, I'm glad you like the OCs and agree that other countries can feel like different worlds. But that's what's so great about them in my opinion. Thanks for reviewing.