Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt
AT: Thoughts are italicized
Telepathy conversations italicized
Price OF Life
11) Memories Of Old
Later that day Mai found herself on a small hill overlooking the lake. She watched as the other members of SPR (excluding Lin and Naru) searched for the second rune stone.
"With Mr. Kato in custody now, there's no reason for us to stay," Mai whispered sadly as she sat down on the damp ground.
'I wonder why this place seems so familiar to me. Other than the fact that it's where Gene's body was tossed into the lake,' Mai trembled at the thought as her eyes began to close and she was plunged into darkness.
Mai's Dream:
Mai opened her eyes to find herself in a field with a small hill next to a lake, much like the one she was at before her dream.
"This Place…" Mai gasped before being interrupted by the sound of laughter behind her. Turning Mai saw four figures a male who looked to be in his mid 40's with brown graying hair and brown eyes. The man was definitely not of Japanese descent. The women on the other hand was Japanese and also looked to be in her mid 40's with long flowing black hair and grey eyes. The two young girls took more after their presumed father with the taller girl having shoulder length brown wavy hair and brown eyes. She looked about 6 or 7 years old, while the younger girl about 2 or 3 years of age had short brown hair Mai was unable to see her face to determine if indeed she looked more like her father by the eyes.
"I feel strange, like I know them," Mai commented under her breathe as she watch the two adults setting up for a picnic.
"Emme to Fast," Mai could hear the younger of the two children call out.
"Catch me if you can Katie," the older girl shouted back playfully with a smile.
"Emmeline, Kathryn foods ready," the women called after the two girls as the older of the kids glanced over to Mai's location with a smile.
"Did she just look at me?" Mai wondered as her eyes widened in shock as the girl nodded and smiled happily in Mai's direction.
"Coming Mommy, Daddy," Emmeline shouted putting emphases on mommy and daddy as she joined her parents and younger sister by a picnic basket and blanket laid out on the ground.
End Dream:
"Kana you think its ok for Mai to fall asleep out here so carefree?" Yun asked as they glanced up at Mai's sleeping form from where they stood at the water's edge.
"I'm not too worried about it Yun," Kana laughed as Yun raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Why not? It could…." Yun trailed off as Kana motioned to the male figure standing not too far from Mai. "Oh," Yun mumbled as the two burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Gene asked as he joined Yun and Kana by the lake.
"Nothing just the idiot scientist showing concern for an unnamed assistant," Kana chimed in as Gene glanced up at Naru watching over Mai's sleeping body.
"Sooner or later he'll realize he cares for Mai," Gene chuckled as the three returned to searching for the rune stone.
Mai opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't dreaming anymore when she caught a glimpse of Kana, Yun, and Gene walking along the water's edge.
'That girl, I know she could see me. I wonder if she has anything to do with this case,' Mai wondered to herself as she stood up.
'All in due time,' a distant female voice echoed to Mai as her eyes widened in surprise.
"Mai!" Naru called to his young assistant but Mai didn't respond. "Mai," Naru shouted icily as Mai turned around to face Naru.
"Sorry Naru,…. do you need me for something?" Mai hesitated as she was met with Naru's cold glare.
'She surprises me even to this day,' Naru thought rolling his eyes. "We have work to do," Naru retorted.
"You mean where staying?" Mai asked confused as Naru just blankly glared at her.
"Thanks for stating the obvious Mai," Naru shot back irritated.
"I thought since the police took Mr. Kato into cus…" Mai began but was cut short as Naru sighed.
"Detective Ito asked that we solve this case," Naru indicated annoyed as he turned and headed back to the mansion.
"Hey Mai over here," Monk cried out as Mai glanced over her shoulder to find Monk wailing his arms in the air before she let out a small laugh.
"Coming Monk," Mai replied as she ran over to were Monk and Ayako stood by a group of trees not too far from the lake. As Mai reach Monk and Ayako, they were joined by John and Masako.
"You wouldn't happen to know exactly where the rune stone is in the lake would you Mai?" Masako asked as all eyes turned to Mai.
Mai put her finger to her chin in thought before shaking her head disappointedly. "I'm sorry guys," Mai whispered as Monk put a reassuring hand on Mai's head. Moment's later rain started trickling down from the sky.
"Well I guess this means the search is over for today," John commented as they slowly made their way to the mansion. Mai's group met up with Kana, Yun, and Gene in the garden right before the rain poured down. The group raced back to the mansion and burst through the main door to escape the rain.
"I had hoped to stay in dry clothes for once," Gene sighed as he looked in a mirror that reflected him and several other SPR member drenched.
"Achoo," Monk sneezed as everyone hurriedly dried themselves off.
"I'll go make some hot tea for everyone," Mai announced as she made her way to the base at the end of the hall.
After everyone got nice and warm with a cup of tea, one of the maids arrived to announce dinner. Everyone except Lin left the base for the dining hall. The remainder of the evening went by fast and soon everyone was supposedly asleep. Mai found herself sitting in the room she shared with Kana and Yun unable to sleep. Looking at the clock it was one in the morning. Mai made her way silently through the room and out into the hallway where she let out a sigh. Moments later Mai found herself standing in the open doorway of the base. Mai stood silently watching Naru glance at several files before him on the coffee table and rolled her eyes.
"You know Naru, it wouldn't kill you to get some sleep," Mai commented as Naru glanced up from his files.
"No I guess it wouldn't," Naru stated sarcastically as Mai crossed her arms before glaring back at her boss.
Before Mai could come up with a -come back- the lights went out, leaving the two in complete darkness.
"Power outage?" Mai wondered as she tried to navigate through the pitch black to get a flash light located on the desk across the room from where she stood.
Some how Mai managed to retrieve a flash light without bumping or falling into anything. Once the flash light was on Mai pointed the light in Naru's general direction by the sofas.
"You alright?" Naru asked calmly as he stood making his way around the now somewhat visible furniture to where Mai was standing.
"Yea, I'm fine," Mai replied with a slight blush at the closeness of her and Naru.
"Good, we need to get the generator up and running," Naru stated as he grabbed hold of Mai's hand and nearly dragged the stunned assistant through the kitchen to the basement door.
"Naru wait I don't think it's a good idea to go down there," Mai announced feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up as Naru opened the basement door.
"It's the only way to get to the generator unless you would rather stay here by yourself," Naru sighed as he saw the worried expression on Mai's face. "Stop fidgeting and get moving," Naru ordered tugging on her hand once more as the two descended into the even darker basement.
The two then made their way across the room and over to the utilities box where the generator was located. Mai pointed the flash light at the generator, while Naru worked to get it up and running. Keeping the flash light level with the utilities box, Mai slowly moved her head and glanced through the darkness in the basement as a light near the stairs caught her eye. Mai's eyes widened at the site of a ghostly figure materializing near the stairs.
"Mai, I need light," Naru hissed as he heard the flash light hit the cement floor of the basement and glanced over at Mai who was now trembling. To Naru's surprise standing before them was a female ghost.
"Naru I think she's Madam Kato, Mr. Kato's mother," Mai whispered a little shaken at the blood pooling below the female ghost's body. Without hesitation Naru pulled Mai back behind him. The female ghost just smiled back before looking at Mai.
"I'm sorry I startled you," Madam Kato apologized as Mai cracked a small smile in return. "I don't have much time he's looking for me. The rune stone is calling to him you must find it before he does," Madam Kato indicated as she began to fade away.
"Wait where can we find the rune stone?" Mai asked hurriedly.
"Look to the shallows, there you will find what you seek," Madam Kato whispered as she fully disappeared. Mai and Naru looked around a minute as the power came back on.
"She planned for the power to go out knowing we'd come down here," Naru groaned grabbing the flash light before storming back to the base.
"Naru at least we know where to look," Mai chimed in with a smile as they reached the base. Naru didn't answer he just took his seat on the sofa and continued to read the files on the coffee table. Mai laid down on the sofa across from Naru as she drifted off to sleep.
Mai's Dream:
Mai opened her eyes to the same field as her last dream. Something was different though, the calm and peaceful feeling that she had felt before was now replaced with hatred and fear.
"Mommy," Mai could hear a young girl cry as she turned to see the two year old Kathryn from her previous dream curled into a ball next to her mother's dead body.
"Oh my god theirs blood everywhere what happened here?" Mai gasped in shock as tears fell freely from her eyes down her face.
"Honey look," a women's cracking voice in the distance sounded as Mai jolted her head to see two figures approaching them.
"Poor girl left here all alone. Who could have done this," the man's voice chocked out as the two got closer allowing Mai a glimpse of their faces with a gasp.
"Mother, Father," Mai cried inwardly as her hands covered her mouth in shock.
Mr. and Mrs. Taniyama had knelt down next to the young girl who continued to cry.
"What's your name?" Mr. Taniyama asked as the young girl now aware of the new arrivals sniffled but kept her face out of sight.
"Kath (sob) ryn (sob)," the young girl informed between sobs.
"Well Kathryn how would you like to come with us for awhile? Will have someone come and take care of your mother in the meantime," Mrs. Taniyama assured with a bright smile holding her hand out to the young girl.
Kathryn hesitated for a minute before taking the nice women's hand not once raising her head as the two walked away. Mai watched as her mother and Kathryn walked away leaving her father behind to call the police. The scene changed to later that day as the sun began to set.
"Mr. Taniyama about the young girl," an officer began as Mai listened in. "We would hate to have to take her to the orphanage seeing how she's taken a liking to you and your wife," The officer announced as Mr. Taniyama nodded. "Whoever did this will undoubtedly come looking for her as well," the officer concluded as Mai stood in shock but continued to listen.
"We will give her a new name and new life until her own family comes to claim her," Mr. Taniyama indicated with a reassuring smile as the officer nodded.
"I will make all necessary documents ready for this situation so that it would appear the child was adopted out right," The officer announced as the two men took their leave. Mai's tears began to fall once more as she glanced over at the dead body being put into a black body bag. With the sound of a zipper closing the bag darkness surrounded Mai as she was once again asleep.
End Dream:
The door to the base opened slowly as Lin, Yun, and Kana entered glancing over at the sofas where Naru and Mai were sound asleep.
"So this is where Mai ran off to last night," Kana laughed softly making sure not to wake the two sleeping co workers.
"Should we wake them?" Yun asked glancing up at Lin.
"That wouldn't be a good idea. Naru's not a morning person and I for one would rather not have to deal with a Naru that was rudely awakened," Lin replied as Gene entered the base as if on Que.
"Wake Who?" Gene wondered nearly shouting his question.
"Shhhh," Kana and Yun motioned to the sofas as Gen smirked an Lin shook his head before he went to work on his laptop.
Moments later Naru stirred awake sitting up as he glanced around the room as Gene's voice caught his attention.
"Did you sleep well Noll?" Yun teased as she sat down on a folding chair next to Lin.
Naru said nothing as Kana and Gene left the base to check the equipment. As soon and Kana and Gene left the rest of the SPR team members (excluding Madoka and Yasuhara) entered the base. Monk and Ayako as usual were bickering back and forth at each other not paying attention to their surroundings, as several figures glared at them. Masako and John hurried to calm the two down as Monk and Ayako finally noticed Mai sleeping on the sofa and became silent.
"We had a pleasant chat with Madam Kato last night," Naru stated breaking the silence as Lin and Yun stood instantly in shock.
"Isn't Madam Kato dead?" John asked as Naru nodded. "Then her spirit came to you," John remarked as Naru nodded again.
"Mai for some reason around one in the morning came down to the base. Shortly thereafter the power went out. We went to the basement to get the generator running and Madam Kato appeared," Naru recalled bluntly as everyone remained shocked.
"What did she say?" Monk asked worriedly.
"She told us where to look for the rune stone," Naru commented calmly as everyone gasped.
"Where?" Masako wondered harshly with her kimono sleeve to her mouth.
"The shallow end of the lake," Naru retorted as Mai began to stir. "After you all have eaten take Gene and Kana with you and find the stone," Naru ordered. By this time Mai was sitting up still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Everyone soon left the base except Naru, Lin, and Mai.
"Mai go with them and stay with Yun and Kana," Naru ordered as Mai nodded as she stood and left the base headed for the dining room.
'Would it hurt him to say please once in a while?' Mai wondered to herself as she pushed her thoughts of her dream, to the back of her mind.
(A/N:) Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I'm done writing the next chapter as well so it will be up along with this one. Yeah two chapter's going up at once man am I good hehehehhe. Ok enough of that. Stay put for the next chapter of the story hopefully I haven't lost anyone yet with the plot. If you have any questions on anything let me know, I'll get back to you if I can without revealing to much of what's going to happen. Please Review thanks again for reading Price of Life.