10
Same Day
Everyone out and searching throughout the school, while Mai is again in the base. Sighing in boredom, Mai leans onto the table again. Yawning, Mai lays her arms down on the table, trying her best not to fall asleep.
Mai's Dream World
Mai opens her eyes. Looking around, Mai turns and spots Naru. "Naru?" Mai asks looking at Naru as he points in a random direction. Turning, Mai follows Naru's pointed hand.
Seeing the school Mai gasps, inside the school was strange blue glowing likes that made her feel like there was something dangerous about them.
"Foxfires..." a female voices whispers to Mai.
"Mei?!" Mai looks around, and looks in the direction of where Naru had been, but he disappeared.
Mai Wakes Up
Opening her eyes, Mai blinks and shivers in fear and shock on the verge of tears. Mei..
Wrapping herself in her arms, Mai feels a warm, safe feeling slowly pass away from her. Remembering, the same safe feeling from a long time ago.
Mai's Memories
Giggling could be heard from a small child of possibly 8, this same child was hiding in the closet of her mother's room. Mai was the little 8 year olds name, and she was playing hide and seek.
Holding her hands over her mouth, Mai quietly peeking through the cracks of the closet. Seeing nothing, but an empty room where Mai's limited sight included her mother vanity decorated with a brush and some perfume, the side of her mothers bed.
Listening intently, Mai tried to hear if someone was coming, but heard nothing. Only the sounds of traffic, and something else. A strange crumbling noise, as if something was moving, but incredibly slow.
Mai couldn't quite place it, it sounded close and far away all at the same time. Leaning forward, Mai peaks closer to the crack of the door, lowering her hands from her mouth. Focusing all her might into wh-
Bang!
Squeals, and giggling errupts from the little body of Mai as the closet door snaps open and Mai launched up in the air and on the shoulder of the culprit who caught her. Giggling, Mai wriggles in her captor's hold, and is met with being launched onto her mother's bed.
"Little Bird!Can't quite fly just yet." said giggling sweet voice. Rolling over Mai attempts to crawl away from the voice. Laughter dancing in her eyes as she is nabbed by the voice and tickled.
"Admit defeat and I shall release you!" the sweet voice demanded with touches of laughter twirling in the air above Mai. Fighting as much as she could, Mai tries to break free, but is unable.
"Deweat! I admit deweat!" cried out the giggling Mai, feeling the hands leave her sides, Mai sighs heavily trying to catch her breath. Turning over onto her back, Mai is met with wavy black hair dangling above her, and dark green eyes with a grin spread across the 17 year-old girls lips.
"Looks like we'll have to fix Auntie's bed before she gets back from work," the 17 year-old said looking around Mai at the rumbled bedsheets.
Mai giggles, "Momma won't mind," wiggling off the bed, and running out of the room. Following, the 17 year-old in a high school uniform of a prestigious school known as Ryokuryuu High, comments, "I know Auntie won't mind, but I will. Any ideas for dinner tonight?"
"Mei-chan, lets have Yakisoba!" Mai asks excitedly as the 17 year old known as Mei-chan to little 8 year-old Mai, looked into the fridge of the kicthen. Looking over the contents, Mei frowns, not a good sign and quickly changes her expression.
"How about some homemade ramen, Little Bird?" Mei proposes a warm smiles dancing on her lips.
Mai cheers, "Yeah!"
Running off again to go wash her hands and face before coming back to Mei who had prepared the items need for ramen. Standing near her Mai could smell the food near Mei and hints of peppermint tea which Mei so loved to drink. Mai prefered the fruity kind of tea, but Mei always seemed to have some kind of peppermint treat with her for Mai, and Mai liked that too.
Placing a bowl with ramen before Mai who sat at the table, Mai calls out, "Itadakimasu!' in unison with Mei who sat near Mai. The homemade ramen Mei made had a very different taste from the ramen Mai's momma made, but it tasted so good.
After dinner was finished, Mai readied for bed and picked a book out for Mei to read. Both 17 year old and 8 year old gathered under the covers, Mai snuggled deeply into Mei, as the 17 year old read in a melodic voice to Mai.
As Mai's eyes drooped, enveloped in feelings of warmth, safety, and peppermint tea she fell asleep tucked closely into Mei.
A few tears spilled down Mai's face a she remembered the times of when she was a little girl who knew nothing of the cruel world. Mei was there every step of the way, a helpful hand when food was hard to pay for, a sister to Mai, and mentor hen Mai needed her to be.
Mei, what happened to you? Come back to me, Mai thought, dabbing a tissue under her eyes.
Day 4
Throughout the school in different designated places Monk, Ayako, and John spend long periods of times either giving mantras, or biblical verses of cleansing.
In one place stood Naru and Lin discussing the strange predicaments of both past, and present, "Nothing out of the ordinary." Naru sighs.
Lin nods, "All the temperatures seem to be unchanging." Lin responds. Masako enters the room behind them, "Of course, because there are no site-bound spirits in this building." Masako states.
"Why do you specify site-bound spirits?" Naru asks narrowing his eyes towards Masako. "I sense a spirit following us, this spirit has been following us since the last case, but I cannot narrow down to whom the spirit follows." Maako explains.
"Why do you tell us this now and not later?" Lin asks quietly.
"I was not sure if there really was a spirit following us or not and I could not tell if this spirit wished harm against us or not. However, now I am sure the spirit follows us to protect, but to whom the spirit wishes to protect, I do not know." Masako replies to the question.
"Can you tell what the spirit looks likes?" Naru asks looking over to Masako. "The spirit is very good at hiding themselves. For now, all I can say is the spirit does not wish harm against us." Masako answers.
"I see. For now, Miss Hara I'd like you to focus a little more on this spirit and see if you can find out some more about who this spirit is. I would also like to find out whoever it is the spirit is protecting." Naru orders, turning in deep thought.
Suddenly, Naru speaks again, "Back to the case, there is still unexplained events happening. It is imperative that we continue investigating till we can learn more of their cause."
Masako nods, "Fine, but no matter how hard you look. There is no spirits."
Back to Mai
Dabbing away the last of her tears, Mai tries to think of something else besides Mei. Mai's mind changes to how the team is doing. Looking around in the room, Mai notices at the doorway stands Kazai, flinching in fright Mai gasps.
Kazai starts walking away from the doorway, standing up quickly Mai chases after Kazai, "Wait! Kazai?" Mai calls.
"Yeah?" Kazai responds turning around to Mai.
"Um..Well..can I help you with anything?" Mai asks in questions trying to start a conversation with Kazai. "No thanks. Are all those other people friends of yours? It looks like they're trying to do some kind of exorcism." Kazai asks facing away from Mai. "Oh yeah, Monk, Ayako, and John are my friends I guess, but actually they're more like my co-workers." Mai explains halfheartedly.
"And Masako Hara?" Kasai asks. Dumbfound, "Oh! Of course you know who she is. I keep forgetting that Masako is famous," Mai says thoughtlessly. "Yeah, I saw her on TV. What has she said about the school? That there are a lot of evil spirits hanging around?" Kasai questions.
"Uh, nope. In fact, she doesn't think that there are any." Mai replies, raising her hands up in a shrugging motion.
"Aren't any? Even with all the stuff happening around here?" Kasai bursts turning around in shock. Mai nods, "It was hard for me to believe too, but she swears she doesn't see them here." Kasai blinks, "So what about you? Are you able to see them?" Kasai inquires. Immediately raising her arms and waving them, "Oh no no no! Not me! I'm not a spiritualist. I've never been able to do that." Mai replies in denial. "What about Mr. Shibuya. He's a spiritualist, right?" Kasai says, changing the subject, losing interest in Mai.
"Oh Nar-Mr. Shibuya isn't necessarily a spiritualist. He's more of a ghost hunter, and I think he may be an onmyouji, as well." Mai informs, quickly catching herself before she said Naru's nickname. "Is he really?" Kasai says out loud, but then looks down and starts mumbling to herself, "so that would mean he does practice..."
"Oh, Naru?" Mai states looking past Kasai, this in turn startles Kasai from her thoughts. Quickly turning and leaving Mai down the hall Kasai disappears.
Time Skip:
After a long discussion of whether or not Kasai really cursed the school or not is interrupted by a student bursting through the door. "Something bad has happened, Mr. Oshima has gotten into a bad car accident and his in the hospital!" the student exclaims.
Moving Situation Over to the Hospital
Shivering a hospital bed, the teacher Oshima spoke in trembling voice, "I was d-driving...and there it w-was! Right in front of me! A hand appeared out of nowhere! It's because of her...that girl. It's Chiaki Kasai, when I was leaving the school, I bumped into her, and she gave the most evil look I had ever seen. Oh my god! She's cursed me! ...to die! Now it's really happening!" The teacher starts crying in a panicked state, pulling the cover of the blanket over his head.
Time Skip
As the day continued on, Monk, Ayako, and John covered different parts of the school, exorcising everywhere they went for the third time in the same day. Mai pondered in the base, making tea for Naru.
"Hey Naru, I've got a question? It's about Kasai." Mai explains. "I'd don't know anything yet" Naru replies. "But it's really bothering me" Mai counters.
BZZZZ BBBZZZ!
The lights start flickering, "I hope it's not a power outage..." Mai comments looking up. Suddenly Naru leaps up near Mai, "SHH! Quiet!" he says just as the lights flicker out. "Don't make any sudden movement" Naru whispers, slightly stepping forward in front of Mai. Slowly a glowing figure starts coming down from the ceiling, and there upside down is a ghost with long hair and bulging eyes.
Slowly, the spirit starts coming closer towards Mai and Naru, when Monk burst through the door chanting quickly. Disappearing, the lights switch back on, as the ghost's energy dissipates. "So, the spirits have started showing their faces in here too." Monk states more than questions.
"Apparently" Naru replies turning and walking away from Mai.