"There's no spirit anywhere?!"
"That's impossible, Masako!!"
"I can't sense any. I walk around the school and didn't find any." Masako said covering her mouth with her kimono sleeve.
"There have been to at least a spirit on that desk! 4 incidents already happened!" Bou-san said.
"I wonder if they're setting us up?" Masako
"No way! The whole school?! Is that some kind of joke?!"
"Please calm down. This case is going to be complicated. How many of those clients are telling the truth? Even only some of them were, there are still some submissions. There has to be a reason why so many people are experiencing psychic phenomena. But this reason is still unclear. On this type of situation, we can only depend on you, Hara-san." Naru said but Masako just shook her head.
"I don't feel any. There aren't any spirits here.." Masako said.
"I see." Naru
"Masako isn't always right, you know?" Ayako said mocking the medium.
"But I'm more correct than you, Matsuzaki-san." Masako answered sarcastically.
"Why you!" Ayako.
The two bicker about their accomplishments until no one ever dared to stop them. Bou-san heard Naru mumbling and turn towards him.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just wish we have more reliable psychic on our side. Lin, let's get to work. For you guys, double check in case you miss something. Mai, watch the..."
Naru look around and did not see a single silhouette of the young brunette.
"Where is Mai?" Naru
Everyone look around but they did not saw Mai.
"Naru, she's here. " Lin said as he look at the brunette sleeping beside him. She's blocked by a big vase so the others didn't see her in one glimpse.
The others walk towards his location and saw the girl sleeping so soundly. Her arms and face are leaning on the desk facing her white laptop. Her laptop screen was divided into two. On the other side, it's was a research about Gellerini and the other side of the screen is her homework.
"Tsk. The princess must be tired from all those work. Just let her rest, Naru." Ayako said as she crossed her arms.
"Aw... She looks so cute!" Bou-san said taking pictures of the sleeping beauty.
"Okay Lin, just stay here with Mai." Naru said as they exited, continuing their work.
Lin look at the sleeping girl and took a picture of her. He returned his gaze to his laptop and write a new email to Madoka and the Couple Davis.
*
Mai opened her eyes and saw Mr. Guardian smiling at her. She returned his smile and run towards him to gave him a hug. Mr. Guardian chuckled and pat her shoulders. The next moment, he pointed something. Mai looked over and saw the draft of the school.
"Will-o'-the-wisps?!" Mai asked as she look at the school. They are scattered all over the school.
"Mr. Guardian, what do those mean?" Mai asked but he just smiled at her and push her.
*
Mai woke up with a jolt. Even Lin who is beside her got surprised by her sudden movement. Mai laugh as she apologized to him.
'What was that? What is Mr. Guardian trying to say?' Mai stood up and went in front of the wide white board marker and draw the blueprint of the school.
Lin is wondering why is she drawing the school but then he soon realized that she's pointing out the locations where those phenomena happened.
However, Lin didn't get it right this time. She was drawing the locations where she saw those will-o'-the-wisps. When Mai finished it, she realised that some are the locations where those incidents happened.
'What could this mean?' She marked those locations with a red marker. Footsteps were heard coming so she put the white board away from everyone.
Let me tell them after I'm sure of it. Mai thought and sighed.
*Day 03*
Mai was alone in the base again.
" It's so boring..." Mai said as she closed her laptop.
There was a knock on the door and opened. It's Kasai-san.
"Kasai-san! Come in! You came in time! I'm so bored here!" Mai said as she pout in annoyance.
"You're here... Uhmm." Kasai-san said as she came to sit in front of her.
"Oh. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Mai Taniyama. I'm one of the Boss's assistant."
"I'm surprised that your school allow you to skip classes and work."
"Haha. I have no parents so they allow me to take part time jobs. "
"So, how's the exorcism?" Kasai-san
"Actually, not very well. Our medium told us that there are no spirits around here." Mai said.
"That's impossible! There are many incidents for that to be true!" Kasai-san said shocked.
"I agree with you. But she's the only one who can see spirits so we have to trust her?" Mai said not sure about what she said. She's also confused at this case and about the dream she has.
"You and Shibuya-san are psychic too, right?"
"Haha. No. I'm an assistant but I'm not a psychic. How about you, Kasai-san? Can you see spirits?" Mai asked as she laugh it out.
"No. I don't have any ESP abilities." Kasai-san answered slightly surprising Mai.
"Oh. I'm impressed that you know much about parapsychology." Mai said as she saw the girl getting familiar with her.
"Oh. Ms. Kei taught me. By the way, I feel bad about Ms. Kei. Because of me, student don't respect her. Other teachers ignore her and make fun of her just because she's protecting me. But I think lately, it got a lot better. People who used to say that ghosts and ESP don't exist come to her to inquire. I heard that some secretly come to share their experiences to her."
"Wow. It sounds like Ubusuna-sensei is a good person." Mai said enjoying the sparkling eyes of the girl.
"Yes! There are times when the whole school is against me. She's the only one who told me that I did nothing wrong. I never seen someone supportive to a stranger."
"Oh? I heard that she graduated from this school."
"Yes! Most of our female teacher came from here."
"I see. Do you like tea?" Mai said. Then the two talk until the others came to the base. The others look at the girl with suspicion but Mai blocked their gazes from Kasai-san. Mai send her to the Biology Prep Room and saw Ubusuna-sensei waiting there.
"Kasai-san! There you are! I thought the other students pick on you again." Ubusuna-sensei said and noticed Mai behind the girl.
"Oh. You're with Shibuya-san. What's your name?"
"I'm Mai Taniyama, Ubusuna-sensei. Nice to meet you again!" Mai said.
"I'm surprised Kasai-san is with you." Ubusuna-sensei said making her faced really shocked.
"What do you mean, Sensei?" Mai asked noticing her expression.
"Since I said that sentence during assembly, people start avoiding me and mocking me. People can't even talk to me straight." Kasai-san said.
"Oh?.."
"Hearing the story, you must have suspect her as the culprit." Ubusuna-sensei said.
Mai look at them. The teacher has a suspicious look as the other person beside her have sadness in her eyes. Mai stared at them for a moment and laugh.
"As the boss said, you lost the ability to bend spoons, what more of cursing many people? No offense but I believe that you have no ability to do that kind of thing. So all of this is not your fault." Mai said and smiled at them however she noticed the dangerous glint that flashed through the teacher's eyes.
'Well that is interesting... I wonder why she would make that kind of eyes after I said that.'
Not long after, Mai left the Biology Prep Room. She arrived at the base while the others are talking about Kasai-san and about some psychic abilities. Some also suspect Kasai-san especially Ayako is very suspicious of it. When she entered, she happen to see Bou-san talking about the Great Oliver Davis and his PK demonstration years ago. It's obvious that he admired the scientist and Mai saw his eyes sparkling while talking about his idol.
Mai giggled at the sight and went to her desk. She turn to look at her boss for any kind of reaction but he remain cold after hearing someone praising him. But Mai wondered if Bou-san discover his identity, what will be his reaction? That would be funny.
"And aside from Dr. Davis, there is also this child that appeared 10 years ago. She was just 6 years old at that time but she have some cognitive dreams that are able to predict future or know what happen in the past. She also have PK! I don't know much but an information about her abilities are leaked to the media. Hundreds of people saw that info but it was completely deleted after a few minutes after it was posted. No one knew who that child is. Her name, appearance and where she live are encrypted. It just say that she's only 6 and is a female that makes it more shocking. It was a big commotion at that time and people all around the world are desperate to know her. Some pretend to be her but was discovered to be fake." Bou-san said.
"Yeah! I heard of that when I was young! People are searching for her but I think some power are protecting her that everyone failed to find more things about her." Ayako agreed.
Mai dream of that lake accident again but this time is different. She found a little bit of clue about that case. When those men threw that body in the lake, she saw a thing hanging on that man's neck. It's a necklace. From first glance, you can see that it's rare and high quality. The gem used in that accessory is black jade. Black jade is rare so she will not take long searching who made and bought it.
She quickly opened her laptop and do her work. Little did she know that her boss came in and saw her so focused on her laptop. Naru went to see what she is up to but Mai shut her laptop down feeling someone standing behind her. She turn around and smile.
"Naru!"
"What are you doing?" Naru said.
"Uhmm.. I am thinking of buying a necklace." Mai said and smiled at him. She stood up and put away her things. Naru was suspicious of her actions but he cast it aside and opened his notebook.
"Do you want some tea?"
"Yes, please."
Mai came back with a tray of tea and was about to hand her boss his tea but suddenly, her hand shivered and her hairs stood up. She felt scared for a moment and later, her whole body trembled. Naru, who is focusing his gaze to his notebook, noticed something strange so he looked up. Only to see a trembling girl beside him.
"Mai, what's wrong?" Naru asked but Mai cannot answer him. The teacup on her hands made a sound and eventually fall to the floor. The lights went out and it became dark.
"N..Naru!" Mai screamed as she extended her arms to feel what's in front of her. A hand suddenly grabbed her and pull her towards a warm and hard body. Mai knew it was Naru so she gradually calmed down. She gripped on his shirt as she turn her head back so see what's behind her. She saw a glow on the ceiling and it is hair. Slowly a hanged silhouette came down and grinned so maliciously. Mai,again, trembled at the sight as she look at Naru.
"Calm down. Don't move." Naru said as he tightened his grip on her shoulder. His eyes are calm as he gazed at the woman on the ceiling.
The door suddenly opened and Bou-san came..