Theatre Wars
Chapter 3: In which there are a lot of new characters and Mai is being put upon
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Ghost Hunt.
Over breakfast, I learn that Haru will be sixteen this year and is in the cast as well. "It's a minor role actually. I'm still in training," she says modestly. "Plus, my uncle wants me to concentrate on my studies now that I'm in high school."
"Your uncle?"
"Nijima Hajime is my uncle. My parents are both dead," she explains casually between mouthfuls of rice.
"Oh. My parents are dead too. I actually live alone." Haru's eyes widen.
"Really?"
A petite man in a light blue yukata wanders over and before I can warn Haru, he whacks her on the back of her head. "Haru! Swallow before you speak!" he scolds.
Haru chokes and then swallows her rice with an effort. "Anzai!" She protests with a laugh. Anzai slides gracefully into the chair next to her and sits with an elbow propping his pointed chin lazily. "Well, and who do we have here? Why haven't you introduced me to your pretty friend, eh?" He winks at me. Haru sighs.
"Mai, this is Anzai Hikaru, one of our resident performers. He's lucky he looks so pretty, since no one would hire him based on his stupid personality." Anzai gives a gurgle of laughter.
"I'm actually secretly ultra-talented," he says, leaning over the table to speak to me. Haru rolls her eyes.
"Mai is with SPR, the ghost hunting team hired by uncle and Umezo-san. Give her a break."
Anzai immediately grows sober. "Really? Then has Haru told you about the shadow that appears in the left wing of the main theatre? They say it looks like the figure of a woman with long unkempt hair and fingernails the length of her body…"
Haru dismisses it with a snort. "Anzai. Are you still telling that story? You've scared half of Aoi's members to death."
"They're so stupid they deserve it," Anzai drawls as he loops his hair into an elegantly loose bun. In the meantime, I make a mental note to tell Naru to check the sources of all paranormal sightings when we conduct the interview session later. Haru gives me an apologetic look as soon as Anzai wanders away.
"He's like that. Everyone thinks he's meek and polite because he looks so delicate," she explains. I smile. If there was someone jinxing the performance, it couldn't be these people. Though, Anzai-san's rumour-mongering probablyhasn't helped things. After clearing away our utensils, Haru looks at her watch. "Why don't I show you the grounds? I've a little time before the others start coming in."
We had made a tour of the garden by the theatre, with its (artificial) koi pond, winding stone paths and small disused well (genuine) when I spot a black van drive up to the porch of the main building – Lin is back and Naru has already gone out to meet him. Haru peers up at me slyly.
"So, how long have you and your boss been dating?"
"What do you mean?" I sputter. "If anyone likes that jerk they're very welcome to him."
Haru chuckles knowingly. "Oho. I don't think you mean that at all. You didn't let go of his hand at all yesterday."
"I… what?" My face flames at the recollection. "It was an accident. Anyway how did you...
My eye twitches when I recall the shadow. "So it was you in the garden!"
Haru blinks, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Eh? But before I can ask her, I catch Naru signalling me to go over and help Lin with the equipment. "I better go," I say, giving my new friend a hasty wave. There'll be time to repair my reputation later...
"Where were you?" Naru grumbles crabbily as soon as I reach. His eyes are bloodshot. Typical. That workaholic. "Didn't you get any sleep last night at all?" I ask. He pinches the bridge of his nose before giving me an odd look. "In a manner of speaking."
What kind of answer is that? And - there is so much equipment! It looks as though Naru emptied Lin's room of all the cameras and screens and then some. I have run back for a third load when a truck drives up. A man gets out from the back and sees us.
"Oh good. Take these for me!" he says and thrusts a box at Naru, who looks infuriated to be mistaken for the menial help. "And these too," the man continues as he loads Naru with several brightly coloured feather boas. "You won't believe the condition of these old country roads. Damn ride is at least an hour on potholes."
"As a matter of fact, I do know," Naru says coldly as he dumps the offending man's items on me and Lin. "Mai. Get to base as soon as you put those somewhere. Lin, you too."
The man shrugs as he lights up a cigarette. "What's got his pants in a twist so early in the morning?" he asks.
Lin and I look at each other and I have to fight back the urge to laugh out. Lin raises an eyebrow but I can see that twitch in his jaw and I know he's trying not to laugh too.
"Excuse us sir," I say. "But we're not with the theatre groups. We're here to investigate their complaints about paranormal events."
"Really?" The man looks surprised. "Kensho never said anything. Ah well. So long as it doesn't mess with my script," he says and looks at me worriedly. "It won't right?"
"I doubt so," Lin adds, and begins walking back up to the lobby. Along the way, we see Kikuchi rushing out, looking flustered. "No, no! Ito-kun! How many times do I have to tell you to go to the loading bay? Everyone's already waiting…"
Back at our base, Naru's mood is still sour from the encounter in the morning and I quietly pass him a cup of tea. No sense in working for an angry boss and Lin's words have mollified me. Bent over his folder, he accepts it with the barest hint of a nod while my eyes hungrily follow the path the tea takes down his throat. For goodness sake, it was only a dream, Mai, I tell myself. Besides, haven't I better tell Naru about it…somehow… My face heats up again and I smack it.
Naru twitches at the sound. "The least you could do after slacking off this morning is to at least refrain from absurd behaviour."
"And what were you up to? Didn't see you around either," I grumbled.
"I," Naru said with dignity. "have been up since four double-checking the blueprints while you were still sleeping."
The door creaks open but instead of any of the cast members whom we have been expecting to interview, it is Hara Masako at the threshold, looking pale in a deep emerald green and blue kimono. "Good morning. I came as soon as I could," she murmurs, clasping a sleeve to her nose.
"Hello Masako. How are you today?" I greet as she glides in.
"Oh, I feel awful Shibuya-san," she whispers faintly as though it had been him and not me who asked. Naru, of course does not reply even though she's moving meaningfully to where he is seated. The opportunity to get back at Naru is too good to miss though, and I stand aside and let her swoon dramatically onto his lap instead. To my disappointment, Naru is swifter than I've given him credit for and he is out of the chair before Masako is halfway across the room. Stuck in the middle of her act, she has no choice but to sway into Naru's recently vacated seat instead. I beam innocently around, ignoring the the glare Naru is giving me. Lin snorts and then tries to turn it into a cough when he catches my eye.
"What do you sense, Hara-san?"
Masako still has an upraised sleeve and what I could see of her face did look rather green. Perhaps it's due to her clothes, but I doubt it.
"There're definitely spirits here. I can't get a clear sense of their motivations though, except that they aren't a benign presence," she says. I shiver, remembering the strange shadow and I am wondering how to bring up the matter of my dream in a clean manner when the door flies open with a bang, admitting a large group of people that are shouting and waving angrily at each other.
They are making so much noise that even Lin is induced into tearing himself from typing on his laptop to watch. Some of them appear to have been trying on costumes halfway and are trailing bits of kimono, leather armour, pairs of zōri, hats and a fake spear or two. Among them, I spot a familiar face – Kikuchi-san is unsuccessfully trying to separate two men who are pushing at each other angrily.
"Takehata! Natsume-dono! Please desist right now the two of you!"
This is not helped by how most of the others are shaking fists at each other threateningly and not listening at all when a stack of shelves slide to the floor with an awful metallic screech. The group freezes.
"It slipped." Lin says, pokerfaced when we look at him.
Kikuchi looks immensely relieved as he replaces his glasses, which are dangling from one ear after the mini brawl.
"R-Right. Shibuya-san has specified that interviews are one-to-one. Natsume-dono, you go first. The others, please wait outside."
The man called Takehata immediately reddens. "Kikuchi! What do you mean by favouring an Aoi member? Besides, I was waiting here first!"
Kikuchi flaps his hand in agitation. "No, no, you're mistaken. Natsume-dono has to go first because he is scheduled for the costume fitting next. You on the other hand, should finish trying your costume before coming here."
Takehata looks down and we can all tell from his expression that it is the first time he notices that he is wearing a kimono over a T-shirt and baggy shorts and only one zōri on his foot. Natsume smirks. "Well then Takehata-kun, you better listen to the manager," he says sneeringly before dropping into the chair opposite Naru and with a careless wave, dismisses everyone. "Aoi brat," some of the others who had came with Takehata mutters as they are shepherded back out through the door by a visibly harassed looking Kikuchi.
Naru shuffles some of the papers and rests his laced fingers on top of them. "Well then Ito Natsume. You can start by telling me what you have experienced to be paranormal activity."
"Ah, you know who I am!" he crows in delight. "What performance of mine have you caught?"
"Umezo-san has supplied me with a list of all cast members. I for one have no personal preference for the theatre," Naru answers dampeningly and I have to hide a smile when Natsume's dazzling grin fades.
"Huh! I see. Well Shibuya, you'll find out a lot more about our kind while you're here amongst us. I am sure you've heard of the saying… when in Rome, do as the Romans do, though I doubt your command of foreign languages, I am sure you get the gist of what I'm trying to say."
I snort loudly this time and trade an amused smile with Masako now that her eyes are gleaming mischievously and her initial hostility is gone. Naru remains stony-faced. "Ito-san. Kindly keep to the point of the interview. I'm certain you saw the others waiting for their turns before you gate crashed."
Natsume shrugs. "They're just secondary cast and crew. They've got all morning free while I'm busy being fitted out. Anyway, I came in to tell you that the story about Okiku which the old Nijima fed you isn't real. Anyone in ATC will be able to tell you that it's the ghost of famed kabuki actress Ito Shizuko who's haunting this place. Now that is the stuff of real tragedies."
Naru's gaze sharpens and he leans forward slightly. "I'd heard something like that, but do carry on."
Basking in the attention, Natsume somehow manages to lounge on the tiny desk chair as he examines his manicured nails. "Hmm?" he looks up innocently. "What? I can't remember? I believe it has... something to do with the Nijimas cursing us poor ATC? That or my complexion..."
Naru's patience, normally already short-lived is clearly being sorely tried. "Ito-san. Please focus. You are not five anymore," he says coldly. Natsume scowls, his flawless features marred for a second by a sulkily turned down mouth and hard eyes.
"Oh fine, Shizuko it is then. As the story goes, she and her beau had a lovers' tiff on the penultimate performance of night of Banchō Sarayashiki, and drowned under suspicious circumstances that same night. Ever since then, they say her embittered spirit haunts the theatre in search of the man who killed her."
"I notice that she has the same family name as you."
"Well of course. She's my great-aunt," Natsume says indignantly. "I can't understand why uncle's even collaborating with that Ichibara lot," His eyes slide towards the door and narrows deviously. "Especially since they're the murderers who've brought Shizuko's curse down on us all," he mutters darkly.
"Say that again you fiend!" Takehata bursts in. Natsume is out of the chair in seconds. "Murderers!" Natsume repeats almost gleefully once he has put the table safely between him and the raging man and I know then that he has been counting on Takehata to have been listening in.
"Filthy liar! Everyone knows Haruo-san was acquitted! If anything, your Shizuko was a seductress!"
Haruo? Shizuko? Oh damn…it looks like my dream's important after all. Naru has stood up as well and looks like as though he is going to pop a vein.
"Quiet!"
We all jump at the harshness of Naru's voice and I accidentally whack my hand on the table. Takehata and Natsume and even Naru stares at me. Eheheh. "It was an accident," I say when Masako grabs my other hand suddenly, a frightened expression on her face. The lights in the room flicker haphazardly. The next thing, Lin is up as well. "Naru!" he shouts warningly.
"I know. Don't move," Naru orders, the last bit directed at the two men who are in any case, not so much moving as cowering in fright on the spot. The windows fog over and I know that the temperature must have dropped. Where? I look up at the ceiling nervously, but a tug on my sleeve has me looking at Masako instead.
"The wall," she mumbles from behind her sleeve and suddenly, a putrid smell fills the air. Someone whimpers – is it Natsume or Takehata? Then, where there was a bare stretch of the wall, a shadow seems to materialise. It hovers uncertainly and then with an animal-like shriek, dives for Naru.
Notes: It may be a little late to say this, but given how this fic has to do with theatre troupes, it would involve a lot of secondary characters. I am trying to keep them to a minimum (I know - am not succeeding). Do not hesitate to PM or drop a review if perplexed or if you simply want to comment on anything.
Plot is still going a bit slow - but things ought to heat up in the next chapter.
Thank you also, for all your charming reviews. You know who you are! =)