Yo! Apparently this was the AN where I mentioned I'd hit 100 reviews. A huge accomplishment for a novice writer. Thank you to all readers so far!
Mai was seated on the couch with Ayako looming over her. After viewing the footage of the figure caught the previous night, Mai had become despondent, and hadn't moved or said a word.
Ayako, who had been shining a small light into Mai's eyes, straightened up with a sigh. Naru stepped forward immediately, clearly awaiting answers.
"Before you ask, no she isn't possessed," said Ayako.
"Well, it sure seems like she is," muttered Bou-san.
"If it isn't possession, then what's wrong with her?"
"She's recalling a memory," said Ayako.
"Recalling a memory?" repeated John in confusion.
"Yes," said Ayako. "Well, that's my guess, at least." She then indicated that they all look at Mai. "Do you see her eyes? They're unfocused and glazed over-as if she's seeing something we can't."
"And on that basis, you conclude she's seeing memories?" said Naru.
If Ayako noted the derision in Naru's tone, she didn't indicate it and just nodded. "Yes. Mai reacted to that footage. 'Shin-nii,' is what she said. I mean, I'm not sure why, but it clearly triggered something. We know she's been keeping certain memories locked away too, according to Ryou. It's the only thing that makes sense. There's nothing actually wrong with her, from what I can tell."
There was a silence. They knew there wasn't anything that could be done for Mai, except for her to snap back to reality on her own. So with nothing else they could really do, they began to talk quietly, though Naru retreated into silence himself, pondering the strange case.
From what they had learned so far, Hideki Kiyoshi was an alias, and their client's real name was Yaoshima Akira. Their client was also Mai's biological father.
Some fifteen years ago, he was possessed by a dark entity and became violent towards his family, Mai in particular, claiming some sort of revenge. An exorcism was performed on him and while it was successful, he was no longer the same. No doubt because of that, he and his wife, Mai's mother, divorced not long after, and he purchased the house they were currently investigating.
Approximately one year later, for reasons unknown, he killed the man who became Mai's step-father, and her older brother Ryou, who was eight at the time. Around three years later, he killed Mai's uncle, Suzaku, also for unknown reasons. Three years after that, he killed Mai's mother and her twin sister May, who was ten. Mai, at school at the time, wasn't harmed herself.
According to the footage captured the previous night, and Mai's reaction to said spirit, it couldn't be her uncle, which Gene had said it was. Mai had called it Shin, not Suzaku. Did that mean there were two dark spirits haunting the house? Both Suzaku and Shin?
One of these entities was trying to attack Mai, that much was certain, considering the knife incident from the other day. However, Bou-san had said that it seemed like something had also been trying to stop the attack as well.
Both spirits claimed to want revenge, though the team had no way of knowing why that was. Both entities were certainly dark, there was no mistaking that, but which one was the one trying to harm Mai? And why was this 'Shin'?
Everyone's attention was caught suddenly when Mai abruptly began to cry. The one closest to her, Naru was seized without thought and suddenly found himself being cried on. He blinked, hesitated visibly, much to the amusement of the others, and then patted Mai on the back awkwardly.
Madoka and Yasuhara, who had been at the library again, walked into the room only to stop dead in their tracks at the not so pleasant sight that greeted them.
"I-is everything...okay?" the two asked in unison.
Quickly and quietly, Bou-san filled them in on what happened, Lin pulling up the footage from the night before, so they could see what had taken place in the bedroom with the entity.
"But we haven't been able to get her to tell us who Shin is," Bou-san finished, dragging agitated fingers through his hair.
"Shin...Shin-nii is-is my brother."
That's it for now. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!