A/N: Okay. Here is chapter 5 of Memories of Old. I intended on having this up earlier but the USB that had all my saved work decided to stop working. So I had to start from scratch. I tried to recover what I could of this chap and I think it turned out pretty well. Thank you to all those people who have reviewed and who will review in the future.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt. Do you think I would be writing fanfics if I did?
After reaching the base, John and Ayako had once again asked if Mai was alright. She reassured them and sneakily left to find Paolo. The young man was currently in his garden just admiring the scenery.
"Paolo?" Mai called. He turned to look at her and a lazy smile made its way across his face.
"Hello Mai. Are you okay? I heard about your little run in with the spirit," he commented. Mai nodded.
"Yeah. Lin and I were setting up a camera when the temperature started dropping. It destroyed the microphone and the camera too," Mai explained.
"Minari always had a bit of a temper," he said with a chuckle. Mai's head snapped up to look at him with wide eyes.
"How do you know Minari?" she whispered. Paolo's smile turned into an evil smirk as he faced her.
"You always were a sharp one. And don't worry my love, we will be together soon. Isabella," he replied running a hand over her cheek. He then closed his eyes and slumped forward. Mai hurriedly jumped from the bench and let his body fall. She watched as his eyes reopened and he shook his head.
"I must have passed out again," he muttered as he rose. Mai went to his side and helped him the rest of the way.
"I apologise for you having to find me this way," he said to Mai. She simply shook her head and once he had regained his senses, started questioning him.
"Did you inherit this house?" she asked. Paolo nodded.
"From my grandfather. My mother always joked about how much I look like him. Almost as if we were twins," he said with a slight smile. Mai felt her insides constrict. The man, who looked like Paolo, was actually Paolo's grandfather. And he believed she was Isabella whoever that was.
Mai nodded thoughtfully.
"Did anyone by the name of Minari ever live here?" she continued. Again Paolo answered in the positive.
"Yes. She was my grandmother," he said suddenly unsure of how Mai could know this.
"But my grandfather often said he didn't love her," he added causing Mai's eyes to widen.
"What do you mean?" she asked regaining her voice.
"He claimed to have loved another who took her own life. On the night he prepared to propose too. He never told us her name though," he mused. Mai stood abruptly, said goodbye to the man and headed inside. She had all she needed.
Mai walked swiftly back to the base and threw open the door.
"I know what's going on here," she said loudly, gaining everyone's attention.
"And what might that be?" Naru said never taking his eyes from his book. Mai scowled but went about her idea regardless.
"I think that this place is haunted by more than one spirit," she started.
"Last night, I got up and got a drink. When I was in the kitchen I saw this ghost ball that Paolo had mentioned," Mai was cut off by Takigawa's shout.
"What!? Why didn't you say anything!?"
"I was getting to that. Anyway, when I came back upstairs, Paolo was standing outside the base. I thought he wanted something but when he mentioned that he didn't remember leaving his room, I began to think he might have been possessed. I brushed it aside, thinking nothing of it but just now I went to speak with him about the vision I had when we were attacked. He…" she trailed off. She was a little reluctant to tell the others but she knew she had to.
"He said that Minari always had a bit of a temper and he called me Isabella. He also said we'd be together soon. I am sure he was possessed again when he said those things. I believe Paolo is being possessed by his grandfather's spirit. And that the thing that attacked the study was this woman Minari," she finished. Everyone looked at he for a moment before Lin spoke.
"But what about the ghost ball? And who is this Minari that you keep referring to?" he asked.
"I'm not sure about the ghost ball yet but Minari was in my vision. She was yelling at Paolo's grandfather, telling him that he and Isabella would never be together. I think she was a suitor for him, but he was already in love with Isabella," she explained. Lin nodded and this time Naru spoke.
"But what does he want? Why is he still here?" he asked more of himself. Mai had no problem answering those questions too.
"He's looking for Isabella. I asked Paolo about it and he said that the woman his grandfather was in love with killed herself. He might be waiting for her spirit so that they can cross over together. But then why did he marry Minari and why after so long?" she explained but the question appeared regardless. Everyone sat in silence as they mused over the answers and new questions.
"It makes sense," Masako commented after a moment.
"He was distraught so he wouldn't have really been thinking when he married Minari. Anyone could have pressured or persuaded him into it," Ayako continued.
"But once he died, he decided to find Isabella again," John finished. The miko nodded and placed a hand on her chin.
"But why is he still here? If Isabella's spirit is still here he would have found it with ease," Takigawa asked.
"Unless…" Lin began.
"The maids," Naru finished for him. Everyone looked at Naru quizzically.
"All of the maids that went missing were brunette and petite. I am willing to bet that Isabella was too. When he couldn't locate her spirit, he formed the idea that she had been reincarnated. So he is searching for her," he elaborated. Mai eyes widened.
"Naru if that's true, then he thinks I'm Isabella!" Mai almost yelled. Naru just nodded slightly as this new information sunk in. Everyone sat in silence as they thought about the complications this revelation could present.
"You should leave then," Naru broke the ice.
"I agree. It's too dangerous for you here. Especially if this guy has his sights set on you," Takigawa replied. Mai adamantly shook her head.
"No. I want to see this through. This guy is looking for the woman he loves. Let me help him find her," she protested. Before Mai could continue, Naru had stood, grasped her arm and pulled her out of the base. Everyone sat in shock as the boss and his assistant made their way.
Mai struggled against Naru's hold but with little success.
"No Naru. I'm not leaving!" she said loudly as he pulled her into the guy's bedroom. Suffice to say it wasn't exactly tidy. Naru closed the door behind them and leant his forehead against it.
"What are you doing? If you think I am just going to leave then you've got another thing coming Naru," she told him strongly. She almost jumped when he turned around and stalked towards her.
"I am not going to have you stay here and fall down another well," he replied coming to stand right in front of her.
"Well you don't have to worry about that. There are no wells on this property," she replied with a huff. Naru smirked.
"You found a well under a house. How do I know you won't find one under this one too?" he said with a hint of amusement. He had dragged her away hoping to persuade her to leave but somehow they just ended up quarrelling.
"Why must you always be like that!?" she yelled.
"Like what?" he asked innocently. Mai glared at him.
"You," she said through gritted teeth. Naru laughed at this. He actually laughed. Something he hadn't done in a long time. As he looked down at Mai he realised why she was the only one who could make him laugh.
Her big brown eyes were twinkling with the knowledge that she had made him laugh. Made him smile and actually be un-Naru-like. A feat within itself.
'He looks good when he smiles,' she thought as she looked into his eyes. Mai made a move to turn her head away but Naru just gripped her chin and lowered his lips to hers.
Mai was startled as she felt his lips meet her own with a gentleness she didn't believe Naru possessed. She also felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her closer. Mai reached up and buried one hand in his hair as the other gripped the back of his neck.
Naru's head was swimming as he felt her hand reach into his hair. He hadn't meant to kiss her. He always said, that feelings made you have lapses in judgement and in turn make mistakes.
'Maybe this is one mistake I don't mind making,' he thought. Reluctantly he pulled away from his assistant to look down at her dishevelled features.
Mai opened her eyes as Naru took his lips from her own. She immediately missed the warmth of his lips but quickly brushed it off as they stared at each other.
"You are leaving," he said breathlessly. Mai eyes clouded with anger. She pushed him away as her face turned red.
"No I'm not you jerk. And don't think that little kiss of yours is going to change my mind!" she yelled.
"Well then I guess I was wasting my time with it then," he retorted. Naru hadn't realised what he said until it was too late. As Mai looked at him hurt, he could feel his own heart begin to hurt.
"I am not leaving," she said one more time before turning, throwing open the door and stalking out. Naru ran a hand over his face as he released a breath. He slumped down on the bed as he thought over what had just happened.
He had only meant to convince her to leave. Not kiss her. It hadn't even occurred to him that she had responded to his kiss. He was just so frustrated with her that he just had to go and open his big mouth and ruin it all. No that wasn't right. He was frustrated but it wasn't why he wanted her to leave. Truth be told, Naru was scared out of his wits. He didn't want Mai to get hurt. And what he done? Gone and hurt her for him.
Suddenly Naru had a daunting thought. Mai had run off alone. And that ghost was looking for her!
Naru sprung from his place on the bed and practically flew out the door. He ran through the halls and almost knocked the door from the base as he entered.
Everyone looked curiously at their boss, as he was not his usual self. His hair was ruffled (and not just from running) and he was panting. He looked around frantically but when he didn't spy his assistant anywhere he swore. Loudly.
"What is it Naru?" Lin asked as he approached his boss.
"Mai…ran…off. That thing is still out there," he panted. Takigawa and Ayako jumped from their positions on the couch to almost strangle the young man.
"What do you mean? You let her go?!" they yelled together in surprising unison. Naru shook his head and ran out the door. Everyone bar Masako followed as they began searching the house.
Mai sat huddled on a bench in a secluded part of the gardens as she cried. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her head rested upon them.
'How could you Naru?' she thought, 'That was a low blow, even for you.'
The rustling of the bushes behind her brought Mai from her thoughts.
"Who-who's there?" she asked as her voice broke. Her response was a very disheveled young man appearing before her.
"What are you doing here Naru?" she asked as she turned away from him. She could hear his labored breathing loud and clear.
"I…was…looking…for…you," he managed out between gasps for air. Mai stood from her seat and turned to face him without making any move to wipe away her tears.
"Well as you can see I am fine. And I'm not leaving until this case is over," she said s she said before walking away. Naru jogged after her but upon discovering this, Mai just began running too. Soon the pair found themselves running at full speed through the garden.
"Just leave me alone," Mai yelled behind her.
"No," came Naru's stubborn response. He never knew how good of a runner Mai was. But it didn't matter. He was catching up.
Just as Naru grabbed her wrist, Mai fell down a fairly deep hole. And thanks to his grip, Naru had no choice but to follow.
When the dust cleared, Mai found herself staring face to face with a dead body.
She gasped and buried her face into Naru's nearby chest. Naru looked down at the body for a moment longer before wrapping both his arms around the small form of his assistant.
"Horrible," Mai whimpered into his shirt. Sure she had dealt with her fair share of dead people but they had always been spirits. No rotting flesh or smell was ever involved with those cases.
Naru soothingly stroked her back as he once again looked at the cause of her distress.
The young woman looked to be a little older than Mai with similar colored hair and eyes. Something else about her seemed familiar though and no matter how hard he thought about it, Naru couldn't seem to figure out why.
Suddenly it clicked. He had seen this woman before. Yesterday. She was one of the maids he had interviewed. But something was wrong. The body before them, judging by the stage of decomposition, had to be at least a week old. There was no way the woman he saw before them was still alive.
"It's disgusting," Mai said, effectively bringing him from his thoughts. Naru looked down at her to find her looking at the body also. He was glad she had stopped shaking.
"Decomposition is a natural stage that the body goes through once a person dies," he explained. He was a little startled when Mai turned to glare at him.
"I wasn't talking about the body! I was talking about the fact she has just been dumped in some hole," she said, "She deserves better than that. Everyone does."
Naru was once again stunned by her compassion. Mai knew nothing about this woman and yet she still found the time to care about her. He hadn't realized he was staring at the brunette in his arms until she pulled him up on it.
"Stop staring at me," she said trying to pull away. Before he could reply a loud voice caught their attention.
"Mai? Where are you?" Mai stood and realized that the hole they were sitting in was only about 150 cm deep. Mai could even see over the top quite easily.
"Hey Bou-san, over here," she called waving her arms. The said monk made his way over and pulled her from the hole. Naru quickly followed and brushed his pants off as Takigawa looked into the hole.
"This is a make shift grave," he said.
"Thank you for that touching insight," Naru replied coolly. Naru refused to meet his assistants eyes as the others appeared.
"There you are Mai. We were so worried about you. Naru said you ran off when he was talking to you," Ayako said scanning the girl for any signs of harm.
Mai flinched a little as Ayako reminded her of the encounter with her boss. And the words afterwards. She chanced a look at the said young man but found him steadily avoiding her eyes.
'Maye he didn't mean for it to happen,' she thought.
'Of course he did Mai. You heard him. He just said and I quote, "Well then I guess I was wasting my time then". It was nothing more than a way of embarrassing you so you would want to leave,' another part of her argued. Mai refused to believe that but it all did fit. Why would Naru kiss her if not as a means of getting her to leave?
She shook her head and followed the others as they all headed back to the house. The group decided not to tell Paolo about their little discovery, for fear of spooking him and whatever was within that house.
A/N: And now I present for your reading enjoyment, Memories Of Old Chapter 5! Yay. Finally done. This one is a little longer than the others and as I said previously, you must forgive me for any sucky romance. I decided it was time for Mai and Naru to get their rears in gear. Read and review.