Case 01: Evil Spirits All Over?! part 02

File 02


I am Taniyama Mai, a 1st-year high-schooler who loves the mysterious and stories that are a little bit scary.

One day, I was staying after school, like I always did, in the AV room together with my friends Michiru, Keiko, and Shiro, telling ghost stories, when all of a sudden, an old friend of Shiro's showed up- Shibuya Kazuya!

He is forceful, and selfish, and on top of that, narcissistic, too. And I wonder how the ice princess, Tengoku Shiro, became friends with him in the first place.

Such was Naru-chan, who works as a pro Ghost Hunter, which was also Shiro's secret job as well.

The old schoolhouse at my school is said to be cursed by spirits, so he came to investigate it, but it was not just Naru that was called in.

There is also a shrine priestess, a monk, a medium, and another one of Shiro's friends who is an exorcist.

Are the spirits here really that powerful?

What is more, one of my classmates, Kuroda-san, who seems to be spiritually sensitive, said that the reason the spirits were there was because we were telling ghost stories!

Is that why Shiro-chan never told us stories?

Why did she hide it from us?

But what if that is true?

What am I supposed to do?


-Line Break-


[April, Saturday]

Everyone was gathered near the staircase because Miko-san was preparing for a ritual of some sort.

"-I reverently pray for thy presence. Deign to ensconce thyself in this unhallowed place and purify it's many vessels." As all of this was going on, Naru, Bou-san, John, and I were standing near Miko-san, the principal, and the vice principal, who were witnessing the ritual. Shiro-chan stayed inside the base so that she could watch over any paranormal activity that might happen. "-I ask that my humble plea may be heard that peace and calm may be granted unto this place."

I was getting a bit sleepy. "What is she saying?" I asked

"You don't know about norito?" Naru asked me as his arms were crossed over his chest.

"Norito?" I was confused.

"They're like Shinto incantations." Bou-san decided to answer. "But I wonder if she can really pull this off."

"I've never seen a Shinto-style exorcism. Let us watch." Naru's voice washed over me as I carefully observed Miko-san. 'I wonder if Shiro-chan can do these types of things too...'

"May this place be as the High, Heavenly Plain. May the kami from all around come together." Shiro-chan then went out of the base and held her arms loosely around her waist as Miko-san continued her norito. "Praise be to the goddess Marishiten. I pray thee, descend, and grant us thy divine protection."...Is it finished?

"There will be nothing to worry about now." As Miko-san conversed with the school heads, I suddenly felt Shiro-chan tense. As I turned to look at her, I saw that her arms were clutching her elbows tightly and her eyes were glued towards the glass windows.

I wanted to ask what was wrong but she suddenly darted past us and pulled the principal, vice-principal, and Miko-san towards us, just in time to avoid the glass that shattered from the glass windows that are present in the front entrance.

"Is everybody alright?" Shiro-chan's voice snapped all of us from our reverie as Bou-san and John checked on the three.

"We're fine, Tengoku-san. Thank you for that." The principal shakily stood up and addressed the school royalty.

I just stood and watched everything that happened with Naru and silently wondered. 'What was that just now?'


-Line Break-


"'There will be nothing to worry about now.', huh?" Kuroda-san muttered musingly to herself as Shiro-chan volunteered to escort the two deans towards the med-bay. "Your exorcism didn't take, did it?"

Her voice rang out as Miko-san glared at nothing. "If it weren't for Tengoku-san, the principal might've gotten hurt." Shiro-chan arrived back in the base, quietly going back to the monitors to check on the camera recordings.

"That was an accident." Masako-san then spoke up confidently as everyone else slowly trickled inside the base as well.

"It's true. I did my part right-" Miko-san was cut off again by Masako-san. "I did not mean that your exorcism worked. There were no spirits here to begin with."

"There are so!" Kuroda-san insisted. "I was trapped by one of them!"

"Could it have been a coincidence?" John asked us as he finally arrived in the base as well.

"Maybe there really is something here. Something strong that the priestess isn't able to handle." Bou-san commented back. "If so, then there ought to have been more readings on our equipment, and since Shire has been monitoring everything, nothing would've slipped passed her notice. But she went out to check on us before any activity has been read." Naru's observation caused us to look at the serene female.

"It wasn't a spirit." The tension was so thick inside the room and Shiro-chan even stopped working on the monitors to glance at all of us as she said her opinion.

'Man, if only I had any spiritual sensitivity.' I thought to myself. 'If I'm the one who summoned the spirits here, I want to be the one to do something about them.'

"Kazuya..." Shiro-chan's soft and melodic voice suddenly rang out as she quietly pointed at one of the monitor screens in front of her, grabbing all our attention as well. "It's the classroom on the eastern edge of the 2nd floor. Before I went out of the base, I made sure to check on the monitors, and that chair was placed near the corner of the classroom."

"Did anyone go inside that classroom today?"

"Nope." "Me, either."

In the monitor screen she was referring to, we saw a chair placed in the middle of the room, conveniently placed in the centre of the camera view.

"Shire, rewind to the moment you left the base." Naru commanded the tall female as she nodded and did what she was told.

"Well then, how about lunch somewhere?" The principal's voice rang out as the mic picked up the sound as the camera remained focus on the empty classroom. In Shiro-chan's monitor though, there were graphs and other stuff on it as the same recording was showing itself, only in a coloured screen.

As the recording played, the chair moved in the same moment that the glass broke earlier. Bou-san's, John's, and my eyes widened as the chair seemed to be moving by its own accord towards the centre of the classroom.

"What's going on?" My question was directed towards a slack-jawed Naru and an open-eyed Shiro-chan.

"Couldn't it be a poltergeist?" As Kuroda-san spoke up, we missed Shiro-chan's eyes snap wide open as she grabbed her clipboard and started writing furiously on it.

"Poltergeist?" I asked, noticing that I was getting more and more clueless as the time goes by because of the unnatural events that is happening that I was unaware of. 'I need to ask Shiro-chan to teach me at least a bit about these things.'

"I think it means 'noisy ghost' in German." Kuroda-san pushed her glasses up her nose. "These spirits move things around and make noises, and such."

"You know your stuff." Naru remarked. "But I don't think it is."

"Although it co-relates to one of Tisane's criteria, objects that are moved by poltergeists feel warm to the touch." Shiro-chan's voice startles most of us as we were not expecting her to speak up so suddenly as she turned her laptop towards us, showing the thermal measurements of the room and chair. "I didn't record any increase in temperature from the chair, although..." her voice trailed off as she looked at her clipboard musingly.

"Maybe not, but like you said, going by Tisane's conditions..." John commented, trailing off as well.

"Tisane?" I was going to ask Shiro-chan about these things for sure.

"E. Tisane was a French policeman who classified poltergeisting." Shiro-chan explained as her demeanour changed to her Professor persona. "Moving objects, opening and closing doors, disembodied noises, disembodied knocking, glass breaking, heating of objects, the feeling of being watched, and physical harm are the nine criteria for poltergeist activities."

Shiro-chan's words echoed strongly inside my brain. 'If that is true, then we have already filled in 3 of the conditions at least. The glass breaking, door closing, and objects moving.'

"Then, what about Kuroda-san being attacked?" I asked, since bodily harm was also a criterion, like Shiro-chan said.

"It was her imagination." Masako-san's voice cut in as all of us, barring Shiro-chan who was still scribbling something on her clipboard, turned to look at her.

"Why don't you admit it already? There is a nasty spirit here!" Kuroda-san sounded angry as Masako-san walked out the room.

"I will go look around inside once more." Just as Masako-san was leaving, Shiro-chan stood up from her seat. "If there are spirits here, then I should be able to sense something."

"Wait, Hara-san, let me accompany you. The building is slowly rotting away, and I wouldn't like any casualties that may accidentally happen." The two yamato-nadeshiko-like females stared at each other for a while, until Masako-san nodded her approval and Shiro-chan grabbed her waist bag and walked out with Masako-san.

Before she closed the door, I saw Shiro-chan and Naru share a brief glance before he nodded and went to look at the monitors in her place.

"If there really are spirits here, and both Shire and Hara-san can't sense them, that would be a shock, huh?" John commented as the rest of us watched the two females walk out.

"It's not that I don't trust what Hara-san said, but if Shire says that there aren't any spirits here, then I believe her." Naru commented as his eyes stayed glued to the door for a bit and John nodded his agreement to the statement as well. 'He stuck up for them. Could it be that Naru's a sucker for pretty faces?'

"Why do you trust Shiro-chan's words so much?" I was curious.

"Because Shire knows what she's doing. She, of all people, would be able to see and tell if there are any entities in this schoolhouse." Naru's voice synchronised with John's as the both of them looked at each other.

"What do you-?" I was cut off

"Shibuya-san, you're just a sucker for a pretty face." I almost bit my tongue as my previous thoughts seemed to be projected out loud, but quietly heaved a sigh of relief as I noticed that it was Kuroda-san who said those words, not me. "You're sticking up for them quite a bit, aren't you? Specially towards Tengoku-san."

"I know her profession, and her talents are highly regarded, so I am only offering her the proper respect." Naru's voice was cool and aloof as he leaned on the table. "As for Shire, I have faith in her abilities as she does mine. I have known about her abilities because I have been working alongside her for years, despite the distance between us."

"Then I wish you would show me a little more respect, too, like cute and polite Shiro-chan." Miko-san said as she crossed her arms below her bust.

"Matsuzaki-san, what is it about you that I should regard highly? I'm not Shire, who is the politest, most realistic, and kindest person in my circle." His voice was bland but when it came to Shiro-chan, his voice was laced with gentle fondness. 'I wonder what type of relationship they really have?'

"What did you say!?" Miko-san was red in embarrassment and anger as she seethed at Naru.

Cracking was heard from above us as we simultaneously flinched and looked up at the noise.

"Rapping noise?" Bou-san asked confusedly. "That thing they said that ghosts make?" I asked as I turned to look at him just as a scream rang out.

"Hara-san and Shire had fallen out of the classroom!" John's panicked voice rang out and we all rushed out the old schoolhouse to see if they are alright.

We saw them outside with Shiro-chan holding Masako-san on top of her as she took the brunt of the impact.

"Shire!" The blond priest and ghost hunter ran towards the kneeling female who was checking if her companion was alright.

"I'm fine." The usually serene female looked a bit disoriented but otherwise fine. "Hara-san, are you hurt?" Even though she was the one who took the impact, she was concerned for the other female instead.

"I-I'm fine..." The medium stuttered out as I took in her trembling form.

The school royalty then proceeded to show everyone why she was called that as she brushed Masako-san's hair out of her face and cupped her chin. "I'm glad you're alright." With a smile that can put the sun, moon, and stars to shame, she slowly helped the blushing medium up from the ground.

I was also blushing at the scene as Miko-san, Bou-san, John, and Naru watched the event with wide eyes and blushing faces as well, barring Naru.

"D-does this happen often?" Miko-san asked me as I was partially immune to Shiro-chan's princely charms.

"Ah, I haven't formally introduced her to you yet, have I?" My voice was dazed as I imagined Shiro-chan acting like that towards me. 'I'm kind of jealous of Masako right now...'

"That is the royal charm of Tengoku Shiro, the winter royal with two fan clubs for both genders." My thoughts were incoherent as everyone looked at the princely female who was now carrying the other female bridal style.

"I'm afraid that I have to go to the hospital to get Hara-san and I checked for good measure." Shiro-chan's voice snapped us out of our daze as she carried a heavily blushing and star struck Masako-san gently in her arms. "Please be careful during the rest of your investigation. And Kazuya..." We gawked at her as she carried the medium with one arm as the other dug into her waist bag. "If you're in a pinch, you may use those."

We looked at the stack of papers that were neatly organised. My eyes were wide as I realised what those papers are. 'Those are her notes and report of the whole investigation.'


-Line Break-


After the 'Shiro incident ver. Hara Masako' happened, Naru observed what had happened as we recalled Shiro-chan and Masako-san's words.


"It was an accident. There aren't spirits here after all." was what Masako said.

"Make sure not to stress yourselves over this, observe properly, don't rush into assumptions, trust your instincts, and be careful." and Shiro-chan was too cryptic.


"The part of the eastern wall that had been demolished was boarded with weak plywood, to keep the elements out." Naru explained as the rest of us listened attentively. "It split under Hara-san's weight when she got close to it and Shire tried to catch her but got dragged and fell alongside her instead."

"With that said, both Hara-san and Shire said it was an accident."

"There's no denying it any longer. There are evil spirits here." Miko-san said as we all looked at her.

We all looked at the door as it opened, only to see a perfectly fine, Shiro, minus a few bandages for the scratches on her arms and legs.

"Are you fine, Shire?" John asked her as I walked closer to her as well.

Shiro-chan smiled softly and nodded. "I've got a lot of tricks up my sleeve so a measly fall from that height won't be enough to injure me. Masako-chan is fine as well, but since she wasn't sensing any spirits in here, I sent her home to rest instead." She looked around the room with a raised eyebrow. "What now?"

"Well, we were discussing about the spirits here. The same ones that Miko-san over there failed to exorcise." Bou-san said as Shiro-chan raised an eyebrow towards Naru. "This is dangerous. An unsuccessfully exorcised spirit is like a wounded bear."

"Then, Masako's injuries are Miko-san's fault, aren't they!?" I exclaimed as Shiro-chan heaved out a tired sigh.

"What!?-" Miko-san looked angry as she turned to me, only to see Shiro-chan stand in front of me instead.

"Enough! All of this arguing gets us nowhere." She tilted her head to look at me, one of her eyes glowing a molten silver colour. "Mai, don't assume anything without the proper truth." She then looked at Bou-san "You as well Takigawa-san, don't blame Matsuzaki-san just because of an assumed failed exorcism." Then finally turning to Miko-san, "And Matsuzaki-san, please control your temper. This is currently no one's fault. We need not an argument in our midst. The best we could do is find out the source properly and finish this case."

Shiro-chan's words struck true to all of us as we finally calmed down enough to hold a proper conversation.

"Shire is right. Everything that has happened was just an accident." Naru said as I turned to him.

"But they keep on happening over and over, which is why they say this place is cursed, right?" I was frustrated and confused at everything.

"That's true, but there aren't enough readings and Shire gave an explanation to everything that has happened yet." Naru was getting irritated but once Shiro-chan placed a hand on his, he relaxed and started to calm down.

"Then, what was it that trapped the priestess!?" Kuroda-san started to act up. "What was it that attacked me!? What erased the video, broke the glass, and moved the chair!?" I then noticed Shiro-chan tense and her trench coat started fluffing up again. 'I wonder what that is?'

"Like we said, I know for sure Shire and I aren't convinced." Naru's voice was cool as he absent-mindedly played with Shiro-chan's soft hair, I would know since I brushed her hair before.

"It could be a spirit strong enough to pretend it isn't here, could it?" Bou-san asked Naru but was quickly denied by Shiro-chan.

"A spirit strong enough to alter their wavelength, wouldn't go through such means of discreet poltergeisting if their strong enough to hide themselves. Spirits like those would try their absolute best to kill off everyone standing here immediately, just like the case in Sydney, right John-nii?" Shiro-chan's voice was thoughtful as she nibbled on another lollipop while John nodded in agreement.

"What do you think, Monk?" Naru asked, leaning on the desk once more.

"Like I said from the start, it's a site bound spirit." Bou-san replied as I looked back and forth at the spiritualists conversing.

"And you, John?" Shiro-chan looked up, her princely demeanour being shadowed by the cutesy show of childish innocence.

"I don't know." Shiro-chan's lidded eyes were now wide and shining a molten silver and blueish gray while looking up to the three from her position on the low chair. "But I agree with you and Shire, it is dangerous here."

I must be imagining things but, I think I saw Shiro-chan having a tail that was swishing back and forth as John patted her head.

"So, what do the two of you think?" Bou-san tried to ask the good-looking duo.

"I will reserve my opinion for now." Naru blankly stared at Bou-san as he gently tugged at Shiro-chan's hair. "Shire?"

"Hmm...I think it's a man-made phenomenon alongside natural causes. I refuse to believe that there are spirits that dwell here if... I... can't... sense... them..." Shiro-chan's head was lolling back and forth as she tried to fight away sleep.

"But you know, Kazuya. I know you want to investigate this from a slightly different angle but I'm staying here to watch over the equipment..."

"...And here comes the lazy genius." Naru muttered under his breath as he fished out a lollipop in his pocket and gave it to the, now perky, school royal.

"Like you can say anything, you idiot scientist. Just you wait, the foolish prodigies will be back together in no time." What are they talking about?

Naru then walked out of the room as he and Shiro-chan exchanged small smiles as he left.

"How about that boy? He makes a grand show with all of this high-faultin' equipment, but is he really capable of anything?" Bou-san muttered as Shiro-chan slowly got up and stretched.

"Well, I can't say anything about him, but I vouch for Shire if anyone tries and doubts her." John's voice was almost a whisper as he and Shiro-chan conversed. "Do you want to help, Shire?"

My eyes wandered to look at the taller female and was pleasantly surprised to see her grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"My Pleasure."


-Line Break-


Bou-san, Miko-san, Kuroda-san, and I were watching the two from the monitors and were pleasantly surprised to see Shiro-chan in her exorcism clothes.

John was wearing a black priest's robe, a purple stole, and his rosary while clutching at the bible, while Shiro-chan was dressed in a long black cloak instead of her tanned short-sleeved one while holding what seemed to be a golden pocket watch as her other hand was loosely holding a key holder with different types of ornamental keys.

"The exorcist and the royal highness finally makes their appearance, huh?" Bou-san snarked as John positioned himself to face the barren classroom while Shiro-chan sat cross legged on the desk behind him.

"I wonder what Shiro-chan will do?" I quietly asked as I stared at the monitor screens intently.

"Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name." As John splattered water around while chanting, Shiro-chan was seated there with glazed silver and bluish eyes while her hands were clasped together with her pinkie fingers let out to touch her lips.

"What is that water?" I asked. "And what is Shiro-chan doing?"

"That's Holy Water." Bou-san replied. "But I'm not sure of what little flower is doing..."

As John started to read the bible, I noticed Shiro-chan's eyes slowly became glassier as rapping sounds started to echo through the microphones. I grew increasingly worried as well when the ceiling started to look wobbly.

I felt a tug in my gut as I looked at the monitor screen in front of me. I felt a pang once more as I took off running towards Shiro-chan and John.

"John! Shiro-chan!" I panted lightly as John turned to me while Shiro-chan glanced at the ceiling. "Hurry! The ceiling is coming down!"

Shiro-chan's eyes gained a sharper look as she closed them and tackled John to the side of the room. What I saw before the ceiling went down was Shiro-chan blowing on her fingers and a silvery glow let up.

"JOHN! SHIRO-CHAN!" I panicked.


-Line Break-


"How can this be?" Bou-san and the others gathered around the classroom as Naru investigated the debris from the fallen ceiling.

The moon was already out, and the darkness was creeping up on us as everyone carefully observed and made theories as to what had happened.

"If Mai-san had not called out, I would've been in real danger because I wouldn't have reacted in time. Shire doesn't stir when she's in a meditative state unless someone was calling her attention." Apparently, Shiro-chan tackled John out of the way and the silvery glow that I saw was supposed to be her hair, but her hair seemed to stay in their pristine hair style.

"Maybe it's best if we pulled out of here tonight." Naru's flashlight was pointed at the ceiling. "Mai, you can go home."

"Really?" I perked up a bit at that.

"Yeah." He stated, walking to the fallen planks of wood and picked a piece up as Shiro-chan pulled out her key ring from her belt again.

"Right, I'll be going, too." Miko-san chirped. "'While there is life, there is hope.'"

"Just be honest and say that you're scared." Bou-san smirked towards the indignantly scoffing priestess.

As they walked out, John was the next one to follow. "I will follow your advice and call it a day, as well."

"What about you, Naru? Shiro-chan?" I tentatively asked.

Naru did not reply but Shiro-chan did. "Don't worry, Mai. We will retire for the night after this. Go on ahead." Shiro-chan smiled at me as the keys she held glinted innocently in the moonlight. "And please call me Shiro or Shi. Adding '-chan' to my name is getting a bit uncomfortable."

"Okay..." I glanced back at the room once more and turned to leave but I stood there for a bit and quietly observed Kuroda-san, who was staring at the last two left behind, but walked away as well with an uneasy feeling in my gut at the last look she gave before leaving. '...This doesn't feel right.'


-Line Break-


[Sunday]

I walked towards the open van and saw Naru sleeping with Shiro sitting crossed legged, meditating, across from him.

Her silver eye lazily peered open as I gently approached them.

"Naru!" I gently called out after Shiro gave me the pass to go on. "You slept out here!? You're going to catch a cold!"

The thick black blanket that was draped over him and the fluffy looking black pillow slipped from their positions as he stirred.

"Is that you, Mai?" His drowsy eyes peered open as his voice rang out sluggishly. "What do you want this early in the morning?"

I blushed a bit while Shiro silently stood from her position to grab the pillow and blanket, folding and fixing the sleeping materials and placed them in a white briefcase. 'D-damn it all, now that I take their forms, they really are good looking!'

"M-morning? It's already past 11 o'clock." I retorted.

"Hey there!"

Naru, Shiro and I turned to look at the voice that rang out, only to see the spiritualist trio.

"What's up with your lab?" Bou-san greeted with a raised hand, his hair falling out from his hair tie a bit as Shiro walked up a bit from behind us and bowed in greeting.

"What is it, boy? Getting ready to leave already?" Miko-san crossed her arms as she asked.

I was expecting Naru to say that 'No, he wasn't going to leave yet.' but it seems that it was not the case.

"Yes, I am." He replied instead.

"You mean, you're running away, because you can't handle it?" Miko-san was condescending as she said this, and I could see Shiro turn her head away from us looked at the building with an unreadable expression. I tilted my head as I stared at her. 'She knows something...'

"That's not right..." John stared at Shiro as well, noticing her unease at the situation.

"No. I've determined that the case has been solved." John and I turned back to Naru, who was looking at Shiro with an equally unreadable expression. 'Did something happen last night?'

"You exorcised them?" Bou-san asked but looked at Shiro all the while.

"No, we didn't. There was no need for it." Shiro muttered out, her voice softer than usual as she glanced uneasily at the area.

"There was no need?" Bou-san confusedly repeated as I looked at them. "What do you mean?" The words came out from my mouth suddenly, clueless at the cryptic and short answers being given.

"Last night, I compiled all the results of Shire's gathered measurements." Naru started, gesturing for Shiro to take over the laptop. "This was the graph of our survey levels. Shiro was the first one to identify what happened. The old schoolhouse was sinking, and it sank 0.2 inches overnight."


"It wasn't a spirit." The tension was so thick inside the room and Shiro-chan even stopped working on the monitors to glance at all of us as she said her opinion.

"Hmm...I think it's a man-made phenomenon alongside natural causes. I refuse to believe that there are spirits that dwell here if... I... can't... sense... them..." Shiro-chan's head was lolling back and forth as she tried to fight away sleep.


"What?" Bou-san snapped me out of my thoughts and my eyes drifted towards Shiro, who was looking at me with a knowing glint in her eyes.

"It's subsidence." Her voice was controlled as she spoke.

"So, what?" Miko-san was bewildered as well, it seems. "You're saying that subsidence was the cause of all those strange phenomena?"

"This whole area is a reclaimed swampland." Naru continued for Shiro as she pulled out the keys from before and twirled them around her fingers, looking at the building again with unease on her usual serene visage. "Underneath the school grounds was a water vein. But when I checked the wells around here, they were mostly dry."

"What does that mean?" I asked the two people who know what was happening in the whole situation.

"The ground was weak to begin with, but since the water started drying up, the ground started to compact and sink and naturally the old schoolhouse above it will start sinking alongside it as well." Shiro said while her fingers held a gold key with white diamonds decorating its hilt, there were also weird markings in the middle as well. "Basically saying, all those accidents and phenomena that happened, were because of the uneven soil sinking the building slowly." Her glasses glinted as I remembered that she wears glasses when she is too lazy to wear her prescribed contact lenses.

"Shire's correct. The soil on the eastern side of the building was three inches lower than the west end." Three inches...?

"Three inches is..." I pondered out loud as I pointed my finger on my cheek and looking up to think of the measurement that Naru gave us.

"...about 7.5 cm, huh?" Bou-san and Miko-san looked at each other in thought.

"Then, what about the rapping noises?" Miko-san was the next one to ask.

"Those are the sounds of the building warping." Naru said as Shiro took a final glance at the laptop and closed it shut. "We should have the area around the old school declared off-limits."

"I already informed Kochou-sensei and Kaichou about that, said that they'll put it into action by Wednesday, they said." Shiro's voice was getting drowsier but she quickly pulled out a lollipop and nibbled on it. "The building will collapse sooner or later, so we're placing in the safety measures by Wednesday to make sure that our investigation and such, will be done by then."


-Line Break-


As we were cleaning up, Shiro went to an emergency council meeting so she was not here but Kuroda-san seemed to arrive to replace her.

"This can't be! Then, what was it that attacked me!?" Kuroda-san exclaimed, and I looked at her warily, remembering the glare she sent out last night.

"If that really did happen, then maybe it's the work of a floating spectre that was following you." Naru seemed colder than usual as he gazed at Kuroda-san coldly. I furrowed my eyebrows. 'Is this his normal temper if Shiro isn't around?'

"It was real! I was really attacked!" Kuroda-san cried out as she insisted that she was 'really attacked'.

"Are you really leaving, Naru?" I asked as we watched him pack up the rest of the equipment.

"Uh-huh. The job is done. But I think that I will stay for a bit since Shire is here. I might invite her to work with me again."

"I see. I guess it is, huh?"

'Somehow, it just doesn't feel all cleared up. I can still hear what Shiro said, it is still ringing in my head. And my gut feeling agrees with her too...'


"-it's a man-made phenomenon alongside natural causes."


I spaced out on the confrontation between Kuroda-san and Naru, still thinking about what Shiro said. '...How is it a man-made phenomenon? What does she mean about that?'

I snapped out of my reverie as rapping sounds started and the very same person, I was thinking about appeared and pulled out Kuroda-san out of the way from the broken glass.

"Kuroda-san!" My voice rang out without my consent as Shiro stared at Kuroda-san with an unreadable expression.

"These are Tisane's conditions! everyone get out before the doors start opening and closing!" Shiro called everyone back to their senses as Naru gazed around the area with wide eyes.

"Kazuya! Snap out of it!" Shiro started to pull him alongside her as we started to go out of the room but the doors started to fulfil another one of Tisane's conditions.

"This is really dangerous!" Bou-san remarked as the building started to shake.

"Let's go!" Naru finally regained his senses and pulled me along to the walls.

"But the doors..." I worried for nothing because just as I said that the doors were busted down by Bou-san and Shiro.

"We'll go out this way!" Bou-san led us out the building.


-Line Break-


"Are you okay, Kuroda-san?" I asked the other female as Shiro got a first aid kit from her bag.

"Matsuzaki-san, can you please treat her wounds for me?" Miko-san nodded towards her gratefully. "Thank God, there's finally someone who brings along a kit without prompting. You didn't even have to ask, Shi-chan."

"The cut doesn't seem to be deep..." The silver haired female remarked as she turned to walk towards a silent Naru. "It would be fine within the next few days."

"What was that?" Bou-san asked Naru and Shiro as Naru held his gaze up the clouds. "Are you going to tell me that what happened was caused by the ground sinking too!?" Bou-san was getting angry. "That was a full-on poltergeist, wasn't it!?"

As Bou-san tried to step forward, Shiro stepped between them, calmly looking at Bou-san without saying a word while I looked at them worriedly.

"It was far from the sound of the building warping; something was definitely knocking on the walls." Miko-san also looked angry as she spoke to Naru.

"This makes four out of Tisane's nine conditions that have been met. Shire...you should've told us about it if you knew." John's disappointed voice filled my ears as I watched Shiro look away.

"How can you say that your data turned up blank? That's ridiculous!" Miko-san threw out. "We were this close to being the butt of your childish joke. Shi-chan, even. I thought that you might be better than stupid pranks like these."

"It's time for us to show a little grown-up earnestness." Bou-san said while I looked at Shiro worriedly, her hair was covering her eyes and her face was blank.

"...-in't listen to what I said before, did you?" Shiro's whisper was so quiet it almost seemed like it was wind.

"Huh?" The others turned to look at her.

"I said that you didn't listen to what I said before, did you?" My eyes widened in realisation.


"I think it's a man-made phenomenon alongside natural causes. I refuse to believe that there are spirits that dwell here if... I... can't... sense... them..."


"What are you talking about?" Miko-san then huffed and turned around. "Good grief, never mind that, I can't even stand to be near you." Miko-san and Bou-san then walked away while I looked at Shiro and Naru worriedly, my anger fading as I took in Naru's tense form and Shiro's disappointed gaze.

"Naru, Shiro, your hands!" My gaze was drawn to the bloody appendages as Shiro got a roll of bandages from her hip pouch.

"It isn't serious. It'll stop bleeding soon." Naru's back was turned away from me while Shiro's was wrapping his hand beside him. "We're fine. You should go see Kuroda-san" Shiro's voice was sharp and it lacked her usual serene edge.

"But..." I started to interject.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone right now." His voice was low as he gently grabbed Shiro's hand with his uninjured one. "I'm so mad at myself, I could throw up. I didn't even consider what Shire said before." He then walked away with Shiro beside him.

"Okay..." I muttered out worriedly as I took in their forms disappearing from my sight.


-Line Break-


It was night-time again.

Shiro was back because, apparently, Naru wanted her to keep an eye of things until he comes back.

We were packing up the rest of the things but Shiro said that we should put up some microphones down the hallways and a few cameras as well, for 'research purposes' she said.

"You're not going to watch our monk's exorcism?" Miko-san was leaning on the doorway while Shiro avoided talking to anyone else but me and John since they made up earlier.

"No, thank you!" I was annoyed at them because of how they treated Naru and Shiro earlier, and even though Shiro's here, they have not apologized yet.

"Are you sure about this?" John asked, gesturing to the other wires he was packing up. "Should you really be packing up?" His youth appearance seemed younger as his smile lit up his face.

"If we have to, Shiro and I can always carry it back in." I smiled back towards the blond priest while Shiro started putting down the shelves. "She told me that I should set up a few of the cameras and microphones instead." Shiro was now setting up a metal briefcase with a few knobs and notches lining up the space. '...If I was not sure of Shiro teaching me about these things, I'll definitely say that I'm sure now.'

"Do you still believe in the boy's explanation? Shi-chan, Mai?" Miko-san and Bou-san were standing in front of the door...

"Do you have any proof that Shiro and Naru are wrong!?" I glared at them, getting irritated at their judgemental attitude. "Shiro! Say something!"

She paused in what she was doing, and her straight posture slouched and her eyes were lidded as her gaze drifted towards us. "...I'm afraid that I can't really say anything to convince them otherwise. Didn't you hear the saying 'It's not wise to preach to non-believers.'?"

"I would rather waste my time collecting ants rather than convince them without my proof at hand. I did say before that there were two components to consider on this case. One was human-factoring and the other was natural causes. I already gave proof to one but..." Her voice was steadily growing colder and colder that I could feel a chill in my bones. "...the needed proof hasn't arrived yet. You will see. My conclusions are rarely wrong." Her voice finally cracked.

I gave her a bottle of water immediately after that. I was in her fan club and I knew that Shiro does not talk unless necessary so her voice breaks before she can speak again once her voice cracks. So, for her voice to crack means that she had already exerted herself for the time being.

"Now, now..." John was uneasily shifting as he gently gave Shiro some honey mint candy to help her voice come back faster.


-Line Break-


I was carrying the microphones out of the base to set it up while Bou-san was chanting. 'How is chanting that gibberish incantation going to clear out evil spirits?'

"They're mantras that are dedicated for cleansing and purifying, I think." I jumped a bit into the air as Shiro's huskily hoarse voice rang out from my left side. "Those mantras are really useful when used for non-human exorcism, but it can hurt if you target it on humans. I'm not really familiar with chants and incantations..."

"Eh? You mean that he's actually exorcising spirits?" I whispered back to her in disbelief.

"Both of them can do proper exorcisms, you know?" She raised a befuddled look towards me. "However, in Matsuzaki-san's case, there are conditions for her to fulfil in order to conduct a complete exorcism."

"Conditions?"

"Never mind that. Let us finish setting up these things first."

I nodded towards her and quickly set up the necessary equipment throughout the school.

Once we were finished, John, Shiro, and I gathered on the bottom of the stairs.

"I've set up the microphone on the east hallway on the second floor." John said with a smile.

"Thanks." I smiled back, his and Shiro's smile are quite similar and can calm the people around them. "Sorry to put you to work like this."

He waved a hand in dismissal. "I don't mind." He then pointed along the hallway. "Anyhow, I'm going to go look around inside some more."

"Be careful, John-nii..." Shiro's voice was still hoarse from too much use but it was gradually getting better.

'Deciding to wait for Naru is fine and all, but is he really coming back?' I snapped out of my thoughts as Shiro gently tugged on my vest and faced the entrance.

"Kuroda-san..." My voice resounded as Shiro got her key ring from her belt.

"Well?" Kuroda-san's voice was low as she asked me.

"Oh, Bou-san and the others are making their rounds right now."

"What about Shibuya-san?"

"Kazuya will be back by tomorrow." Shiro's voice answered us as she fingered a long bronze key with weird patterns on its hilt.

"Eh? Shiro what's that?" I asked curiously, looking at the key.

She raised an eyebrow. "These?" she gestured towards the keys. "These are some of the ones I use for cases. These are my guardian keys... I might use them someday, so I will let you study it when I use it. It'll be easier that way."

"But, aw, man, are there really any evil spirits here?" I asked my thoughts out loud, not serious.

"I saw them..." Kuroda-san spoke up, her eyes glinting with conviction.

I grimaced in disbelief "O-oh, yeah." I stuttered a bit as Shiro stopped fingering her key and sighed exasperatedly towards the ceiling. "You did say that, huh?" I can literally imagine what Shiro was thinking.

"They're not here anymore." Miko-san's voice came from behind us, although Shiro was already looking at her. "The exorcism was successful."

I glared at her "You've said that before and it failed, didn't it?" I snapped back at her. "Shiro believes that your exorcisms were successful, but she also said that it would be useless because of the circumstances!"

Miko-san raised an eyebrow towards Shiro at that but remembered what I said before. "This time it'll be okay!"

"They're still here." Kuroda-san said as I can feel Shiro flinch and, if I did not know any better, feel her rolling her eyes as well. "I can feel them. There are still many spirits here."

Shiro turned around but I can hear her whisper something along the lines of, "Of course there would. My shiki are guarding the area." ...What's a shiki?

"Still pretending to be spiritually sensitive?" Miko-san sounded tired of her. "Give it up. We're pros, here."

Shiro then spoke up to avoid the incoming argument. "Takigawa-san, John-nii..."

"It's fine." Bou-san said as he walked towards us with John trailing behind him. "Ayako may not have done it, but I did."

"What did you say!?"

"Please quiet down..." Poor Shiro's voice could not handle anymore and wheezed out, unheard by the arguing duo.

"Well it's true, isn't it?"

"Please..."

"You think you can take credit for my work!?"

"Quiet down..."

"Same goes for you."

"You two please..."

"Oh, come off it!" I was already irritated, Shiro's blank face was getting stonier and stonier the more she pleaded so I took the matters into my own hands.

"Now, look here!" I finally exclaimed, frustrated for Shiro and myself, who were both caught in the middle of the crossfire...literally.

"Quiet...!" Shiro's statement was synchronised with John's hushed onomatopoeia. "I hear something...!" Poor Shiro, her voice was wheezy as she tried to sound coherent with her state of voice.

I opened my senses to hear..."Footsteps?"

Bou-san rushed up the stairs to check it out. "Is anyone there?"

He quickly went down. "No. Must've imagined it." I felt Shiro tense as she gripped the key she was holding, towards her mouth and the symbols on it started to glow slightly.

"H-hold on! We imagined it!?" I was indignant and in disbelief at the horrible excuse we were just given. "We definitely heard something!"

"Takigawa-san, all of us heard it... And if anyone tries to make an excuse about how it's just the wind, I'll definitely show you why I'm a part of this line of business..." Shiro's breathily alluring voice sounded out as she pointedly looked at Miko-san's sheepish expression.

"...After the self-important lecture you gave to Kazuya and me earlier, I would've expected you two to admit your failures and lament about it but, I guess not." The silver-blue ombre haired female continued.

"Yeah! Did Naru make up such sorry excuses then!?" I also snapped at them, not as coldly as Shiro but heatedly instead.

Rapping sounds then cut off what I was going to say next as I flinched back with everyone, minus Shiro who was loosely holding her, now glowing, key to her side.

"Knocking!" John informed us, startled at the abrupt appearance of the nine conditions.

The light bulbs broke above us as Shiro precariously grabbed a... deck of cards? What is she going to do with those!?

"There are more footsteps than before!" John stood back to back with Shiro as he avoided the fallen glass.

"What is this, an indoor track meet!?" Bou-san asked rhetorically as Shiro looked at him with a deadpanned expression. "The two of you, it's too dangerous in here! Get outside!" Bou-san stated to Kuroda-san and I as the other four stood in standby.

"R-right!" I stuttered out as I pulled Kuroda-san along while Shiro volunteered to escort us out. "Kuroda-san, hurry!"

We ran towards the exit but as I passed the shoe-cubbies, one started to fall on me.

The last thing I remembered was me holding the warm wood, and someone pulling me out of the way.

After that, I passed out.

"JOU-CHAN!?"


End Break—