Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters. I just own the manhours of research into things that never really get mentioned. Sigh.

Dedication: To Natasha Ocampo, VictoriaDavis, Gellophy, and chibistyx who have kindly reviewed most of the stories I have written for this fandom. It really does mean a lot to me to have had so much feedback and kind words when diving into a brand new fandom. Thank you!

Little Talks

A Quick Chat

The first time she saw them, they were only passing through the area.

She watched the two figures approach from her perch on top of the wall, curious to see what type of people they were. The shadows of the trees made it hard to make out much detail, but she suspected they were around her physical age and, judging from their conversation, probably related.

"Naru, slow down. This isn't a race, you know."

"I see no point in wasting any more time than necessary in this foolish venture. Just because you heard some of the locals whispering about a legend does not mean it is of any scientific value."

She heard the first one sigh in exasperation. "Our entire life is built upon investigating legends and hearsay. We are already in the area so it makes sense to look into it."

"And what sort of evidence do you think we will find by coming to this place for a handful of minutes, Gene? Most of our investigations take days to find anything that merits even close scrutiny. Five minutes of staring at a patch of ruins is likely to be fruitless and you know it."

"Then perhaps, little brother, you should just enjoy being in nature for a bit."

The younger brother did not seem to find that idea to be valid as he let out a short, dismissive snort, just before the two came into the clearing before the wall. From her vantage point, she still could not make out their faces, but from what she could see, they seemed like they were in good shape and probably attractive. Too bad faces always ruined that, she sighed to herself as she watched them make their way over to one of the thicker patches of vines.

"The locals said that there are no entrances into the complex anymore and that the vines and plants that cover the walls grow back faster than you can pull them away." The older one – Gene? – commented as he ran his hand along the bricks. "Apparently, the legend says that a family angered the local gods and trapped them inside where no one could ever enter and, so far, no one has been able to since the family disappeared."

"Have they tried a bulldozer?" the younger one – Naru? – asked dryly. "Still, it should be easy enough to investigate whether or not the plant life acts abnormally."

As he spoke, he looked closely at the vines before him and reached out his hands to pull at them.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

Both figures froze at her words before looking up to where she was sitting at the top of the overgrown wall. Her cheeks instantly flushed as she met the eyes of the man standing just under her, hands poised to tear at the vines. He was startlingly handsome and even the way he narrowed his midnight blue eyes at her in suspicion did little to make him less attractive.

Really, it seemed to only enhance his looks.

"Why not?" the other one said, drawing her attention.

She blinked in surprise to find a face identical to the first, if slightly more friendly looking.

"Um, because the Land God doesn't want people to enter," she murmured.

"And you would know how?" the other asked, coolly.

"Because I live here?" she responded, still somewhat flustered.

"Impossible," he refuted abruptly, looking away to his twin. "Clearly if the locals can play pranks, it is not the legendary place you must think it is."

"Hey!" she fumed. "Rude! I am not a liar. Are you this much of a jerk to everyone?"

He looked back at her, his frosty gaze making her feel both irritated and excited. "Evidence points to the contrary."

"But he is like that to everyone," the twin commented with a laugh.

"Probably the type that thinks his good looks allow him to treat everyone awfully," she muttered…loudly.

While the one twin laughed joyously at that, the other just narrowed his eyes at her further. "You think I'm good looking?"

She blushed again, but did not back down. "Obviously."

He considered her for a moment before his lips curved into a condescending smirk.

"You have good taste."

She huffed at that. "And you have bad manners. Enjoy your trip gentlemen."

With that, she stood up, turned around, and disappeared.

o(O)o

Oliver stared at the place where the girl had been standing in the moment before. Gene's soft gasp had been all the confirmation he needed that he had not blinked and missed the girl jumping down from the wall on the opposite side. She had simply vanished from the space she had occupied.

"I think, Naru, she was telling the truth," Gene drawled slowly.

"Apparently."

"I think this warrants an actual investigation; wouldn't you say?"

"Indeed."

Author's Note:

A few things:

First, this is a loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It came out of an idea for an original story I had some...like two decades ago (that makes me feel old) that fit really well with this universe. Most canon abilities remain intact though, obviously, Gene is still alive and Mai is haunting some ruins so...a few changes.

Second, there are a few pairings in this story. The obvious one is Mairu as I am obviously a fan. The other pairings are based of intuition or subtext. They aren't really all that important so...*shrug* I find myself leaning towards a few pairings in this fandom but they aren't really set in stone for me.

Third, the original title of this story was...silly. Then, disatisfied with the tone of the title vs tone of the story, this song title tickled my fancy. It is from Monsters and Men and, if you have not heard it, involves a deceased loved one talking to the survivor...who is not dealing with the loneliness well. (Though you REALLY have to listen to the lyrics to realize that.)

Finally, for the first time in this fandom, I am posting an, as yet, unfinished story. There are two and a half more chapters written and the whole dang story is outlined. I have decided on a weekly release schedule to keep myself productive and ensure that I actually finish it. All together it will be about...8-10 chapters long depending on how prolific my chapters feel like being. All the same, I would appreciate any reviews and critiques. It has been a shitty couple of years and fanfiction (both reading and writing) has really been part of my coping mechanism. So thank you in advance!

Til next time!