Disagreement and Dolls

Currently, Mai, Kuro and Naru were talking to the new clients of their new case, "Who's in charge here?" Kana asked abruptly making Mai jump ever so slightly, Kuro looked at Naru knowing its going to shock them that the manager is actually a young teenager, "I am the manager, Shibuya Kazuya." Naru said, stepping forward.

Kuro watched their clients in interest as there face morphed into surprise, "You…" She said, surprised to learn that the one in charge of the company her sister-in-law had hired was still in his teens. "Well, all right." She said, quickly recovering. "Is it really the work of, you know, ghosts?" Kuro suddenly felt herself pale again

She was feeling faint, a little ill here as it just hit her again "It's our job to investigate that." Naru replied neutrally. He couldn't make any assumptions one way or the other just yet, Mai looked to the side of her seeing Kurobara wincing slightly Kuro looked like she was in slight pain and has paled quite suddenly.

(Timeskip)

"What is the equipment status in each room?" Naru asked once they had finished setting up base, Kuro was currently sitting on a couch, getting her bearings she felt a lot of ghosts here and its started to take their toll on her body she wished that she could switch off her sense but she couldn't, Mai looked at her friend with a worried expression.

Mai watched Kuro for a moment before asking "are you okay?" Kuro nodded softly not wanting Mai to worry, Mai didn't seem to be convinced but she seemed to drop the topic as she turned around to spot Naru talking to Lin, "All of the monitors are connected and working now." Lin reported after running a systems check. "Each one is operating normally."

"Based on what Noriko-san said… I wonder if it's a poltergeist?" Mai said thoughtfully, Kuro definitely thought that something is here she could sense numerous spirits here but she didn't say anything not to give out her abilities, "It does certainly sounds like it, Noriko-san has given us some information regarding what's going on here, It sounded like they already had three out of nine of Tisane's list of criteria going on, though we have to be sure we can't assume it straight away without a proper investigation"

Kuro winced at herself as her head started to throb slightly if this keeps up, she was most likely going to have a bad nose bleed and that's not good, Mai nodded at what Kuro had just said but was keeping an eye on her friend as Kuro looked rather pale, "Oh, you sound like you're starting to get the hang of the job, part-timers." Takigawa teased playfully.

Kuro rolled her eyes at Monk, she crossed her arms at his teasing, "Monk!" Mai said as they glanced over to see the monk and priestess standing in the open doorway. They must have just arrived. Neither of them was officially members of SPR, but they would call them in to help with exorcisms, Kuro winced at Mai's loud voice.

This is going to be a long day for her, "Yo!" He greeted them with a smile, Kuro nodded at his presence "Hello" Kuro stated softly, Monk gave her a grin and pats her head making Kuro jump slightly, she glares at him not liking his casual touch, "Overdoing things, as usual, I see, with this mountain of equipment." Ayako commented, "Let me see." She said, crossing the room to get a closer look at the images on the monitors. "I'd say this is the work of a chirei (land spirit) or something." She stated confidently.

Kuro sighed, this is definitely going to be a long day she was dreading spending the next couple days with Ayako who seemed to get on her nerves the most "Really? How is that so we haven't even started investigating at all, so how did you get that 'data' for your assumption?" Kuro raised her eyebrow and showed Ayako a cocky grin.

Ayako eyes twitch at her "why you" Ayako shouted to Kuro, not liking her attitude at all, Kuro just gave her a smug smile "got nothing to say huh?, Nothing to back up your claim, you should really start taking this seriously Ayako-san" Kuro replied swiftly with a smug smirk, challenging the red-haired priestess.

Mai sweat drops at watching Kuro and Ayako argue, Mai decided to add her input here as she starts to stand confidently "I think it's the work of humans." Mai stated confidently, crossing her arms, Kuro left eyebrow quirks up at Mai's sudden confidence, "My, listen to you!" Ayako remarked Mai gave her a smile, one that was self-confident.

"Now, now, just listen," Mai said, waving her finger. "Statistics show that humans are the culprits in half of all poltergeisting, right? And many of them are cases of women under stress, and if you're looking for any likely women in this household, it'd most likely be someone who can't get along with their sister-in-law." Kuro coughed into her hand trying not to snort.

Kuro put her hand on her chin before saying " Ah Mai-Chan I'm proud of you standing your ground, it's a good theory or assumption but I would have to disagree with you, No offence but in my opinion I think it's a work of spirits, of course, that's just a theory so I don't know if it is, but we can't get rid of the possibility of it being a spirit either Mai-Chan I agree with some of your words but you said its half right, what's the probability of it being a spirit?"

Kuro asked politely adding in her words, everyone else seemed shocked at her sudden politeness, Mai pouts " 50/50" Mai answered Kuro softly, Ayako seemed to agree with Mai to some degree " Mai-Chan you think its Noriko-san?" Ayako questioned, Kuro sweat drops didn't anyone hear what she just said.

Mai confident smile comes back on "Kuro-san Maybe right but I that's what I think anyways" Ayako paused "I see." Ayako said, hitting her hand in her palm. "Kana-san does seem like she could be a bit difficult to deal with." Kuro sighs, yep they were ignoring her, Kuro coughed into her hand getting everyone's attention.

"Well for one, It didn't seem that they were awkward with each and seemed quite close, Personally, I don't think Kana is bad at all. She accepted Kazuya readily enough, didn't she? Not everyone was able to reconcile themselves with the idea of hiring a company run by a teenager Most people would think it's a scam. So I doubt it and you forgot that cases of poltergeisting where a human is the culprit, it's usually a young teen—an adolescent child, and doubt Noriko is a teenager"

Kuro explained, Mai pouted again she seemed a little upset that Kuro didn't agree with her, but at least she was honest with what she just said, Naru watched Kuro as she was explained that, he was surprised at her clear levelled thinking " I agree with Kurobara, its shallow thinking and very Amateurish" Naru stated bluntly causing everyone else to turn to him.

"As Kuro has just stated, in cases of poltergeisting where a human is the culprit, it's usually a young teen—an adolescent child. Noriko-san is 20, too grown-up to be called an adolescent, But Kuro did forget it can be true that women with strong psychic powers can sometimes cause poltergeists though unlikely to be an adult, I will be conducting an experiment regarding that tonight"

Mai seemed to frown, slightly fuming at Naru's blunt words, but was also amazed at Kuro's words and the fact that she got Naru to agree with her words, Mai walked out dejectedly Kuro was worried that she upset her so Kuro followed Mai out " You're not upset at me are you?" Kuro softly spoke, causing Mai to look her way.

Mai giggled at Kuro's worried expression "No I am not upset at you, more at myself and that stupid narcissist, you at least were more kind with your words" Kuro chuckled before kindly speaking her mind " Mai-chan I didn't say that I fully disagree with you, I was really proud of you your learnt so fast and was surprised you came out with that, it shows your learning, ignore Naru he just got a stick up his ass"

Mai blushed and giggled at her words before she could speak she was interrupted "Ah, Mai-chan, and Kuro-san" Noriko said when she spotted them standing in the hallway, "Perfect timing. It's time for Ayami's snack. Care to tag along?" She asked kindly with a smile to both Kuro and Mai, Mai smiled nodding softly to Noriko, Kuro decided to come with them both.

"Does she look more like her father?" Mai asked Noriko as they followed her up the stairs, Kuro was silently watching them as they began to make way upstairs, "Mm-mm, her mother." She answered Mai, looked surprised "But she doesn't look all that much like Kana-san…" Mai said thoughtfully slightly confused.

"Oh, my sister-in-law is my brother's second wife. Ayami is his previous wife's daughter." Noriko-san explained to both Kuro and Mai, Kuro nodded softly at her explanation, "Oh, I'm sorry." Mai said, hoping she hadn't offended her, "Don't worry about it." Noriko said with a smile, knocking softly on her niece's door before opening it. "Ayami? Snack time. Mai-chan and Kuro-san are here, too."

"Hello, there~!" Mai sang cheerfully as she popped her smiling face in over Noriko's shoulder, Kuro sweat drops at Mai, "Can I come in?" Mai asked politely with a happy grin, Kuro followed Mai in and announced her presence "Hello" Kuro bluntly says Mai sighs at Kuro but also snorts at her blunt way of saying hi.

That's when Kuro and Mai saw a beautiful little girl sitting in the middle of the room. Both of them watched as Ayami stood up and carried her doll over to meet them, Kuro let out a smile out, she thought that Ayami was cute and reminded of her little sister that she missed, it made her slightly homesick, not that she misses her Parents but her younger brothers and sisters.

"Hello." Ayami said, holding her doll's hand out for a proper greeting, Mai's eyes begin to glow at the cuteness of the child, Kuro smiled pleasantly as she watched Mai give a greeting to the doll, The doll slightly caused Kuro to shiver she felt something from that doll but didn't say anything "Hello, what's your name?" Mai asked pleasantly, shaking the doll's hand.

"Minnie!" Ayami said happily, Kuro kneeled down to Ayami's level so she didn't scare her " Well its nice to meet you Minnie" This time Kuro was the one shaking the little dollies hand, smiling pleasantly, Mai couldn't help to grin at Kuro's sweet side coming out, "My, Ayami, were you reading that book?" Noriko-san asked when she noticed the open book on the floor.

"!" Ayami gasped and suddenly looked uneasy, staying silent, as she tightened her grip on her doll. Mai Noriko and Kurobara exchanged a confused glance. That didn't seem right… Why did her mood change all of a sudden?

Kuro wondered what's going on with Ayami, she was pretty sure that Noriko didn't seem anything out of the ordinary, "Come on, let's have a snack." Noriko said, trying to cheer her niece up, Kuro watched as Ayami nervously shook her head, "… A-Ayami doesn't want any." Ayami said nervously, turning away from them.

Kuro was getting slightly worried, she could see Mai was worried too, both of them wondering what's wrong, she then felt a sudden pain on her back, it hurt quite a lot, so forcing a smile she announced " I am going back to base I feel slightly ill Mai-Chan will you be okay to stay here" Mai nodded but began to worry.

Kuro headed back to base, and came in where Ayako and Monk were chatting, Kuro laid down on her back on the couch, she winced as her back began to burn, she would check it out later she has a hunch, Naru looked at Kuro who seemed to be worried, though he wasn't showing it.

KiraLawliet here, chapter 28 is now finished, I don't know how to feel about this chapter, I hope its okay at least, thank you for reading and for following my story it means a lot, I've recently fell out with my bestfriend and it was tough since we are not friends anymore…

But things happen I guess, sorry if it seems my writing lacklustre, but thank you anyways.