Haunted Hearts Chapter 18: Case 2 Part 7, a ghost hunt fanfic

Chapter 18

All day base had been hectic in preparation for the night's exorcism. Now it was like the calm before the storm. They all waited patiently for the last of the visitors to be escorted out. As well as the rest of the staff who were told to exit the building, and given the night off. The head of security was the last to leave, and he came directly to base and handed them some items that Naru requested. SPR Japan all watched him leave the premises from one of their security cameras.

Once he was gone, they all felt a sense of foreboding fall upon the group.

"Alright, Naru! Let's hear it. What's this master plan that you've been tolling over for the past two days?" Monk called curious about what the boy genius had concocted. Before Naru could comment any further the door to base was open again, revealing a certain blonde priest who was sporting a sling and a cast around his arm.

"John!" Mai called and ran over to him immediately moved to hug him. Noting the cast, she stopped herself awkwardly. The priests untensed in visual relief, but used his good hand to squeeze her shoulder before proceeding further into the room.

'Why is he out of the hospital so soon?' Mai wondered as she closed the door behind the priest.

"Seems I made it back in time, you all haven't started, have you?" John inquired looking around at the dumbfounded expression of some of his teammates. It was Ayako next who chose to address him.

"What are you doing out of the hospital John? Your arm may be wrapped, but you should be on some serious painkillers before you're able to walk around without discomfort!" She said anger falling into worry.

"Well, once Lin updated me on the problem being a poltergeist, I knew you all would need my help. Besides I'm still on some painkillers, but only enough to keep me grounded." John reasoned.

Monk shook his head disapprovingly." You do know there is no way I'm letting you, participate in expelling this thing, right? Here or not, you're still benched for this investigation now." John laughed lightly.

'So this must be how Mai feels all too often.' John thought to himself.

"Yes, I know this Takigawa, but I've worked with poltergeists before and it's never nice. I'd at least like to be here to provide counsel if nothing else." John took a seat gently, careful not to jostle his arm.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, and all, but how did you get in here? " Ayako questioned looking at a certain dark duo suspiciously.

'They had better not of asked poor John to leave the hospital to help them.'

"Well, I spoke with Lin after he informed me of the current situation, and I knew I had to be here. He made plans for a side entrance to be left open for me. I promise to stay in base, so please carry on." John spoke waving away her concerns.

"Listen well, everyone. This obviously is going to be a risky operation, so anyone who isn't willing to put themselves in danger now is the time to leave." Oliver said cryptically.

"Oh shut up Naru. You know none of us are leaving so just get on with it!" Monk booed anxious to hear his plan.

"Because this particular specter isn't attached to any particular location within the museum, we're going to have to lure it out. Because of the floor plan of this place the best bet for us would be to bring it to the second-floor main hall. Once we've contained the poltergeist in the lobby, we'll cut off all the exits. As soon as that's taken care of we'll exorcise it." Naru started but was stopped but his more curious assistant.

"You say trap and exorcise like it's going to be easy? How are we going to do either? "Mai questioned feeling a bit lost.

"Luring the spirit won't be too difficult judging by its behavior these past couple of hours, but Lin and I will require a volunteer to help make that a possibility." Naru stated before exhaling uncharacteristically.

"I'LL DO IT!" Mai volunteered all too quickly.

"No!" Ayako and Monk both said in unison.

"Are you kidding me? Why not?" Mai whined swinging her arms out in frustration.

"Because Mai you-" Monk started but Mai spoke up first.

"I what? Am not a member of this team? Not liable to the same risks as everyone else? You and Ayako will be no doubt be helping Naru and Lin with the exorcism, and John is out of commission. What have I really done on this case beside put together what Naru already knew and tell you "Yeah, it's definitely haunted"? Come on guys, you can't baby me forever!" Mai countered all fired up for an argument.

'Okay, I need to calm down and bring home my point.' Mai cheered herself on.

"Besides you guys are all here with me you know. I'll be okay." Mai smiled their way just to seal the deal. Ayako and Monk looked at one another hopelessly and Ayako chose to be the spokesperson.

"Fine, but if you get into trouble, I'm dragging you out of there." Mai nodded acknowledging this as a sign of victory.

"Now that that's settled, I can explain the exorcism. The thing that makes this particular type of spirit so elusive is it was never human, and isn't attached to any particular item within the complex as I previously stated. So Lin and I decided that it would be best to attach the spirit to an item so it won't be able to elude us. Once the poltergeist has been sealed into the object we can safely exorcise, and dispose of it properly." Naru explained further as the team came to a full understanding.

"Lin has charms for each of the exits within the second-floor hall, but these particular charms require a bit of spirit power placed into them before they are activated. Once Mai has lured it in and it has to manifest itself in the hall before we place and activate the charms on the floor of the doorways. There are seven doors, and four of us who will be placing the charms. Now once the spirit manifests itself we all must activate the first set of charms. During this time Mai, you will be vulnerable because you must keep the poltergeist in the room. As the second set of charms are being placed Lin, Ayako, and I will activate the other three entryways while

Monk you will head inside the room to back up Mai. Once the second round off charms is instated Ayako, Monk, and John, I want the three of you to weaken it with your various chants. Aft-"

"Hey, Naru! You said John would be confined to base! He shouldn't be allowed to enter the hall with that …..that THING AGAIN!" Ayako flared.

"Yes, I realize this Matsuzaki. John will be chanting via the speaker systems, and coaching this entire operation from the safety of base. Do you have any more questions or may I proceed?" Naru voiced dully. Ayako merely growled in frustration over the boy genius' attitude problem but was satisfied with the response she was given.

"As I was saying while the three of you are attacking the spirit. Mai and I will be assisting Lin in sealing it up. Once that's taken care of we'll most likely call it a night. Exorcising the item will no doubt take much longer, but we'll have the entire warehouse at our disposal tomorrow." Naru completed and handed the bag he received to Lin who stood and cleared his throat.

"Now I will only show the three of you how to do this once. I had these charms specially made and delivered for an occasion such as this, and let me tell you if you do this incorrectly there will be no second chances and someone will get hurt." Lin started successfully getting his point across to the three.

'I'm happy I'm not on that team. Lin can be scary when he wants to.' Mai thought as she and John looked on nervously at his explanation.

"First, place the seal at the entryway vertically. After this is done simply channel your spiritual energy into your center, and let it travel from your core into the seal through your arms and into your fingertips. Once your energy is flowing from your fingers place your left hand at the top of the seal and your right in the bottom and say Mìfēng, which is Chinese for seal. Once you've said this command twist the charm from vertical to horizontal. After you do this, you will feel a small shock from the charm which will tell you it is finished, and move onto the next. Any questions?" Lin looked each of them in the eye and none said a word.

"Well, then you are ready. Here are your charms and remember what I have said." With this Lin was finished speaking and turned to his boss.

"Well John, are you familiar enough with the procedure I discussed to head this operation?" Noll spoke to his colleague.

"Yes, I believe I can handle it Kazuya." John replied confidently.

"Alright then Mai, do you know how you're going to lure it up there?" Mai felt all eyes on her, but she knew she couldn't falter or she'd be replaced in a heartbeat.

"Yes, it won't be a problem." Mai responded a bit too quickly. Noll could feel anxiety swirling in his gut as he took in the sight of his assistant. He squashed it completely.

He wouldn't like the poltergeist feed to soon. He couldn't.

"Alright then let's go." Was how Oliver closed as the team filed out of base.

The second-floor lobby was terrifying, to say the least. It was a large dome with spotlights all around to illuminate the place and everything echoed. There were no windows or sources of natural light. This was clearly a strategic choice from Naru. They would only have to seal the seven doors.

"Alright, Mai, everyone is in place." John spoke overhead and was undoubtedly watching her from one of the many cameras positioned around the room for his convenience.

It was at this time that Mai settled herself on the floor and rested with one knee on the ground. In practice, Mai would cross her legs on the floor. Now, if she needed to make any quick movements this position was better.

She bowed her head and rested her hand, the cold marble floor greeting her.

Her low ponytail fell over her shoulder and hugged her face.

'Now, I have to send out waves of emotion so the spirit will sense me. Gene said that humans do this naturally, and that is how we create residual energy. As a spiritualist, I can alter how strongly other entities perceive my aura and emotions. Well, I'm already petrified, that's the easy part, but now I have to send it out as a signal.' Mai focused the fear she was feeling and imagined herself standing still in the center of a still lake. As she began to transmit her emotions ripples formed in the water. They were small at first, but soon the lake was chaotic with movement, and Mai was at the center of it. As a result, she could feel her own body reacting; her heart rate increased and adrenaline filled her small frame.

'All…'

Mai reopened her eyes and tuned her ears to the small feminine voice she was sure she'd just heard. Her questions were soon answered as what little light the hall provided started to flicker.

"Remember it has to manifest first!" John spoke overhead keeping any of the others from acting too soon.

His voice brought Mai some peace of mind remembering that she was not alone in this. That is until each light began to go completely black one by one with a loud audible noise.

Clank

Now only one light was left on and it was centered right over Mai. She stood up and looked around to see herself surrounded by complete darkness. She knew that the others were still there, but they were no longer in her vision. She tried not to panic, but she was no longer in control of waves of fear that left her now. She was sure it was having the effect of pouring a bucket of bloody fish guts into shark-infested waters.

"All…."

The feminine voice made itself known once again, but this time it sounded familiar to Mai, but she couldn't quite place it. She continued to look around in frantically knowing that at any moment it would be there.

'All…"

It was then after the third time Mai realized why the voice sounded so familiar.

Before Mai had time to comprehend it, she could feel her stomach dropping as one of the worst feelings she'd ever felt struck her strong enough to make her knees nearly buckle. She knew a gruesome sight awaited her, but she had to turn around. She decided to rip the band-aid off in one swift motion and turn around quickly.

Mai swung around quickly and her scream caught in her throat.

Directly in front of her a complete replica of her covered in blood and a glimmering knife with a sinister smile that didn't look right on her face.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" The doppelgänger screamed into her face and Mai could only back away slowly as her petite frame trembled.

"Now, use the seals!" John orchestrated from his vantage point.

Mai could hear one by one each of her team members reaching Mìfēng point around her, but couldn't take her eyes away from her double. Normally she'd of run, but excluding of the small circumference of light around her and the specter, the rest of the room was covered in complete darkness. Plus the others were counting on her to keep it distracted long enough to enact the plan.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" It screamed again and advanced on her once again, but this time it cocked back the knife.

'I've got to do something.' Mai tried to regain the focus she'd just had.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She countered weakly fear evident in her voice, but her twin reacted by laughing menacingly in her voice, something that also didn't sit right with her.

"YOU LIE! YOU KILLED THEM! YOU'RE HANDS ARE FILTHY!"

"No, I didn't! It wasn't my fault! I was just trying to-" Mai was interrupted by the spirit swinging the knife in her direction. She dodged to the right trying to remain within the light but keeping away from her double.

"LIAR! YOUR FATHER BEGGED FOR HIS LIFE, AND YOU JUST KEPT STABBING -swing- AND STABBING -swing– AND STABBING. YOU ARE A MURDERER MAI TANIYAMA! YOUR HANDS ARE COVERED IN THEIR BLOOD!" It continued to swing the knife toward her and she narrowly dodged each time.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Mai screamed back and tried to push the specter back, but it grabbed her arm quicker than she could back away. With its free arm, it cocked back and brought the knife down.

'I have to grab that knife!' Mai struck her attacker's hand and the knife fell to the ground.

Mai pushed the poltergeist to the ground, she kneeled on its chest to keep it down. She was surprised at just how solid the creature was. Unlike her it was cold, but still felt so very real to the touch. In the scuffle blood was smearing all over her.

The more they fought the more indistinguishable they became.

In her peripherals, she could still see the knife, and she grabbed it quickly before the specter could. When she looked back her breath was caught in her throat. Now underneath her was none other than her father, looking at her with the wild unhinged eyes she always remembered.

"GO AHEAD! KILL ME! DO IT!" It screamed in a deeper more commanding voice than her own small body could muster.

Mai found herself shaken and she let out a small scream, and the poltergeist rose swiftly knocking Mai off of it. Her back hit the ground crudely, and two strong arms grabbed her shoulders. Mai opened her eyes to see the horror wasn't over. The poltergeist still took the shape of her father, but now he had the same wound she'd given him the night she'd murdered him. Blood dripped from him onto her, and he screamed and shook her like a madman. She could only scream bloody murder as she just waited and prayed for it all to end.

"Un kiriri un bazara un hatta!" Monk kicked the specter directly in the face and it fell away from Mai.

"Ayako get Mai!" He yelled and the priestess was there in seconds holding the girl with a death grip and pulled her away as quickly as she could.

"I CAN FEEL ALL OF YOUR FEAR!" The specter rose still in the form of Mai's father, but now his flesh seemed to be rotting and peeling away revealing bones.

"O Buddha, the Hero, thou art wholly free from all evil. My adoration to thee. I have fallen into distress. Be thou my refuge." Monk continued to chant. Ayako was torn between staying with Mai and helping Monk. John couldn't be heard overhead either.

'Damn the poltergeist is probably interfering with the overhead speakers.' Ayako grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket since her flashlight wasn't working. She could only guess that was the case for Naru and Lin as well because the room was still shrouded in darkness.

"Ayako, go help him. He needs you." Mai said hoarsely her voice still raw from all the screaming she'd just done.

"But Mai you n-"

"No! Didn't I say stop babying me? Now go, he needs you." Was all Mai said and Ayako nodded firmly leaving her cell phone, and its light with Mai. Mai could hear her comrade begin her own chant, and sighed in relief.

Her body was still riddled with adrenaline and was shaking like mad.

'I can't give in yet, I have to find Lin and Naru.' Her eyes traveled the room and it was still so dark. The light Ayako provided was barely enough to reach a foot or two in front of her. Just as she was about to call out to the two a light made itself known to her left.

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…" The poltergeist now started to appear affected by the onslaught and made an inhuman scream echoing through the entire complex.

"John." Mai watched as the young priest with a flashlight stuffed into his slung arm and holy water in the next John rushed forward to assist with reckless abandon.

"Naru! Lin! Where are you?" Mai all fired up after seeing John's display of heroism. The light began to flicker now giving her a clearer view of her surroundings, just a few feet away Lin and Naru were huddled over a wooden box. Mai made her way over, and the two barely paid her any mind. Mai didn't study them as much because her eyes were drawn to the box that was in front of her. Lots of, what she could only assume were, Chinese characters were carved into it. Lin and Naru were currently hovering over some circular chalk drawing, perfecting some of the details of it.

'This is what Lin will be using to seal it up.' Mai eyed the fine details and noted the sort of feeling she felt from the box. Where ever it'd come from it felt very pure and gave her chills. Unfortunately, now was not the time to gawk in awe, and the other three seemed to be struggling to hold the beast back.

"I'LL KILL YOU MAI!" It threatened now as it pushed Monk back and was coming her way.

"Alright, I'm ready. Mai and Noll back away. "Lin whistled and his shiki flew from him to the frightful specter. Two large green demonic hands formed over the spirits imitation body and clasped it within its grasp. The shiki then dragged it closer and closer to the chalk circle, but the poltergeist was putting up quite the struggle. Lin looked to be sweating and tiring out, even his breathing seemed a bit ragged. The poltergeist let out more inhuman screams and threw its weight around, but was continuing to be pulled closer to the box.

As it grew closer to the box it looked Mai directly in her eyes, and smiled, its mouth filled with blood.

"I'LL BE BACK FOR YOU MAI, AND I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER JUST LIKE I DID." Were its final words before its shape changed back into a black mass that was drawn toward the circle, which was glowing a bright purple.

Finally, the omniyoji was able to pull it into the box, and it closed loudly. The box began to rattle back and forth, and the lid looked like it was about to fail.

"Mai, come here!" He called and she ran over and kneeled next to him. He grabbed her hand surprising her, but she trusted him.

"This will only sting a bit." He said and Mai nodded confused.

Lin pulled out a pocket knife and swung it open. He sliced one finger and pressed it against the box. The dry wood hungrily drank in the offering, and just like that the movement ceased. Mai cradled her still bleeding finger and let out relieved sigh.

It was over. We'd won.

'This feels so surreal. Can I finally relax?' Mai pondered looking around at the tired faces of her comrades. There was a lingering silence among everyone, but it was a relieved one.

"Mai, are… you okay?" Monk said bringing everyone out of their stupor. Mai came down from her emotional high of finally sealing away the troublesome poltergeist.

Reality. It made her want to skin into herself in shame.

'Am I okay? Everyone knows now what I did. I barely denied it. Now, they all know I killed my own father. How can I face them after this?' Mai looked away from Monk feeling her eyes filling up. She refused to look at any of them, she was too afraid to see how they saw her now. She was barely holding back tears now.

"It's true you know." She confessed her voice strangely cold.

"Mai, what a-" Monk tried to speak.

"I really did kill my father." Mai spoke stonily as she finally rose her head to meet Takigawa's tangled expression.

"Mai, I don't believe you. You'd never hurt anyone, let alone kill." Monk defended, but Mai laughed emotionlessly.

"Then I guess you don't know me that well." Mai countered. She didn't want to talk about it any longer, so she got up sorely. The poltergeist had definitely bruised her up when it got up close, but she could still walk.

That's all she wanted now.

To walk away from all of this.

Try to forget again.

"She was defending her mother."

Mai turned around swiftly to the only person who'd known.

"Her father was trying to strangle her mother, so she stabbed him until he stopped. She saved her mother's life that day as well." Noll spoke on her behalf.

'H-he defended me?' Mai was forgetting how to breathe.

"Wait, Mai told you?" Ayako finally chimed in.

"No, I found out while conducting an employee background check." Noll filled in effortlessly.

"It doesn't matter. There's no excuse for murder. I'll understand if you have strong feelings about this and don't want to be around me anymore." Mai attempted to leave again this time tears finally freeing themselves, and running the length of her cheeks.

"MAI STOP!" Ayako yelled, but Mai kept going not wanting her tears to show. It happened so suddenly, she hadn't even heard her approach. She'd grabbed her hand and threw her arms around her and hugged her fiercely.

"Mai don't do this to yourself. Your life has been far too lonely for far too long. Don't estrange yourself from us. The people who love you regardless of what you've done and what you've been through. I know I don't just speak for myself when I say that you are special to us, and we love you. So please don't leave, okay sweetie?" Ayako said loosening her hold on the girl enough to see her tear ridden smile.

"Is it really okay if I want to stay?" Mai struggled to say.

"Yes, of course." Ayako held forehead holding back tears of her own.

"Thank you." She managed before she burst into soft sobs, and cried into Ayako's arms. They both sunk to the ground, but neither let go. The others smiled onto the young girl and priestess and chose not to interrupt their moment.

Wow, the semester is over so hopefully, I can update more often. Yeah, this was a crazy mental block. Thank you for all the people who Faved, Followed, and reviewed. I really hope you like the ending. I know it's missing the NaruXMai fluff but hell they live together so they'll be more to come. I'll see all the next time I update.