Vampy: I am soooooo sorry I haven't updated in a while! It's taken a bit to figure out how I wanted the story to go on, and I had exams at school, AND I found out my mom is getting remarried. So I've had a lot to deal with. Please forgive me T^T. So now, this amazingly awesome writer (please do not take offense to this, I am merely trying to boost my ego) will continue with the story! I don't own anything from Ghost Hunt.
This is a rewritten/edited version.
Gene/Ayumu/ Mai in dreams
Dreams
thoughts/Shi's P.O.V.
When Mai opened her eyes, she found herself to be alone. Well, almost alone. The fact that she could see her breath meant that Mara was around somewhere. She could handle a ghost since she knew enough warding spells thanks to Ayako and Monk. Luckily it seemed that Shi was gone. Mai briefly wondered where he went as she quickly stood up, then stumbled as dizziness overcame her. She grabbed the bed post to keep from falling over as she glanced around to get a bearing of her surroundings, wondering if there was any thing for her to use as a means of escape.
Mai's mental list of items found in her prison:
33 spiderwebs- only 16 of which actually house spiders, none of which are poisonous.
Two mice- they ran across the room into their nest. . . Ick.
One very annoying ghost- Mara keeps trying to make me scared. I am so beyond scared that I can't even process how terrified I am, therefore making her taunts ineffective.
Three large book shelves- I counted up to 300 books together, 100 on each shelf. Perfect for giving Shi a paper cut if I throw a book at him.
One bed - I woke up in it. Nothing hidden in or beneath the mattress, nothing hidden in the pillow. Two thick blankets to keep out the cold. Canopy and four tall bed posts. Nothing of use unless I want to tickle Shi to death with the feathers in the pillow.
3 chairs- Two of them beside a fireplace, the other beside the bed. The fireplace is electric. Even if it hadn't been, there was no way I would have been able to fit up the chimney.
One bedside table- Useless.
A single lamp on the table - I could use it as a weapon if I need to defend myself.
One door- Locked.
"Try to escape, my little mouse. The cat is here to play. You won't find the cheese at the end of the maze, you'll find you're here to stay!" Mara sang out, giggling crazily.
Mai ignored Mara, her attention drawn to a medium sized stained glass window (which, Mai noted, happened to be the only window in the room). The picture was that of a willow tree standing on a small island, tiny pink blossoms falling into the water from trees on the shore. The window's beauty was absolutely breath taking! And yet. . . It gave Mai a sense of loneliness. She stepped towards it to get a better look, wondering why Shi would choose such a design for a window.
Of course, being the klutz she was, walking towards the window turned out to be much more difficult that it should have been. Mai tripped over nothing, caught herself on the window sill, and accidentally pushed the window open with one hand as she tried to keep her balance.
Mai immediately recoiled from the open window as though it were a venomous snake when the stench of formaldehyde reached her nose. Behind the window was a small room containing the preserved bodies of twelve girls, all of whom had been made to stand in a circle. Mai shuddered and closed the window as Mara cackled at her discovery.
Sinking to the ground, Mai wrapper her arms around her legs and started to cry. Please hurry up an find me, Monk!
He silently watched the police from a distance as they worked on finding any clues as to who may have taken Mai-chan. There were other bystanders who watched on with interest and concern.
If he was being honest with himself, then he'd say he was quite disappointed. He had thought that his opponent would be a little more. . . Original. But no, they had called the police just like all of his other opponents had before them. He hid a grin at everyone's stupidity. The police would never find anything linking him to the kidnapping! Nothing that he didn't want them to find, anyways. He was Shi, silent and quick as the lord of Shinigami himself. After all, wasn't that why his mother had given him the name Death? She herself had been quite the gamer. She had won many more games than he had, but he wasn't worried about surpassing her. Not at the moment. He had bigger fish to fry.
He pulled out Mai-chan's cell phone and hit the speed dial for S.P.R.'s office. He needed to check up with his opponents; see how far along they were in the game. Everyone in SPR had some form of psychic power, so perhaps they would become more interesting as the game went on. Oh, this would be fun!
"What the heck is this supposed to be?!" Monk shouted as he spit out a mouth full of the liquid he had just sipped. "It's disgusting!"
John and Masako quietly set down their cups without drinking anything, wary to try it if Monk had such a bad reaction.
"Well excuuuuuuuse me for not being able to make tea the way Mai does! You should be grateful someone actually made tea!" Ayako snapped angrily while whacking him upside the head.
"I would hardly count this as a beverage, Matsuzaki, much less tea." Naru said coldly as he stood up and dumped his full cup of tea down the kitchen sink.
Ayako sat down with a huff, crossing her arms as she glared at the wall. John glanced at her sympathetically before turning to Naru. "Shibuya-san, have Lin-san and Yasuhara-san found any information on this Shi and Mara couple?"
"No, Brown-san, they haven't found anything as of yet." Naru replied, failing to keep the irritation out of his voice. He hated feeling so useless.
"You shouldn't worry too much, Noll, you'll get wrinkles." Naru's brother said teasingly.
Shut up Gene. In case you haven't noticed, Mai has been kidnapped by a psychopathic killer and only has four days to live. Naru snapped.
"I know that! I was with her earlier. She's fine. Besides, a. . . Friend of mine is with her right now."
Why are you acting all happy-go-lucky?! She might get hurt if you're not with her. Then I wouldn't get to drink her tea anymore and would have to live on Matsuzaki's toxic waste for the rest of my life!
"Jeez! You're such a jerk. No wonder Mai moved on to find a better guy." Gene pouted.
I couldn't care less that Mai found some other guy to be her love interest. I am not interested in her that way. She's just a friend. Naru blinked, surprised that he willing said Mai was his friend.
"That's right, you like Lin don't you?" Gene said smugly.
Naru had no control over the blush that spread across his features. He immediately cut the connection with his brother as Gene began to laugh before covering his face to hide the redness of his cheeks, glad that no one had noticed.
Lin came up behind him and placed his hand gently on Naru's shoulder. Naru turned to him, completely recovered. "Did you find something, Lin?"
Osamu Yasuhara, known as Yasu by those at SPR, popped up behind Lin with a wide grin on his face. "Did we find something?! Hell yeah! We found out who Shi is, or at least was. It took us forever to get all the information because someone had tried to erase everything about him. They made it look like he never existed."
Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yasuhara, skip the dramatics and tell us the information."
Yasu pouted but did as he was told. "His full name is Shi Tamashii. Apparently he has always had an interest in death. This is most likely due to the fact that his mother was a serial killer who was famous for making the killings into a 'game' of sorts. He's a devil worshiper, so that might explain the ritual. We haven't been able to find any information about that yet, by the way. His wife, Mara, disappeared about thirteen years ago along with their son. Shi was suspected for their murders but was never arrested. He disappeared three years later.
"He isn't listed among the suspects for the recent string of disappearances due to the fact that most everyone thinks he's either dead or living in a different country. "
Monk stared into his tea cup, his worry for Mai resurfacing as he listened. Mai. . .
The phone rang. John answered it as he was closest. "Hello?"
"Ah, the Australian. Hello, Mr. Brown. Tell me, is Houshou Takigawa there? I would like to speak with him."
Everyone watched curiously as John paled and gripped the table. His usual calm disappeared as he said in a cold, hard voice, "Why do you want to speak to him? Where have you taken Mai?"
"Come now, Mr. Brown. It's not as though you can do anything even if I did tell you the answers to those questions. You can't use your power on me, I don't believe in your god. I am the god of death and I always will be. You should be worshiping me, not your almighty god in heaven. Now, hand the phone to Takigawa." Shi said in a calm, mocking, and slightly amused tone.
John did as he was told, a dark scowl on his usually smiling features. Masako placed a gentle hand on his arm.
Monk took the phone. "What do you want, you bastard?"
"Tut tut, Takigawa. You shouldn't talk that way to a serial killer. You never know, I could kill Mai-chan right this instant because you made me angry. Then you would never get to see her again unless it was to exorcise her vengeful spirit, and I'm sure that wouldn't be enjoyable for anyone. "
"Don't you dare call her that! You have no right to be say her name in such a familiar way!" Monk shouted.
There was silence for a moment, then Shi chuckled. "Just as Mara said. You are in love with Mai-chan."
Monk blushed. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Oh, nothing. But it makes things more fun for me and more of a blow to you when she dies. I will win this game, Takigawa, and you will always try to bring me to justice for it. I look forward to the day I meet SPR in person. Give my regards to the other members of your little group. Goodbye, 'Monk'." With another chuckle, Shi hung up the phone.
