Half-Empty, Half-full, Either Way it's Filled with Blood
A/n at the bottom
Warning: Slight Gore, Ghosts, The Spooks, Disturbing Images, Creepy Children, Adults
being Mean to Children
Once again big "Thank you" to .
Oliver Davis, known as Shibuya Kazuya in Japan wasn't sure what to make of this girl, Taniyama Mai. She had a darker skin pigment than most Japanese. Her hair was cut in a short, practical, bob, Compared to the girls Taniyama kept company with she seemed to stand out. Taniyama had more presence than them. She didn't simply fall over herself because of his looks as most tended to do. In fact she appeared to be wary of him.
The second time they met he was more concerned with Lin than Taniyama. She seemed be shaken by what happened, not with fear, but with guilt. She offered to help, unsurprisingly Lin denied the offer. Then, when Oliver began to fish for information she ran off.
The third time they met Oliver easily made her his replacement assistant. She was rather expressive when she knew a little bit more about him, like the fact that he was the boss not Lin. That he was hired by the school to investigate the abandoned school building.
Taniyama was a surprisingly good worker for how reluctant she was to help. It was rather obnoxious to have to explain things Oliver had known since he was eight. She was also rather annoying.
"So Shibuya-senpai wasn't really a transfer student!" both Keiko and MIchiru exclaimed, slamming their hands on Mai's desk.
Mai only rolled her eyes at her friends as to her, that was obvious.
"Taniyama-san, I heard he came here to do research on the old school building. So is he a psychic?" Kuroda asked, eavesdropping on Mai's conversation.
Mai let out a sigh," He says he's not a psychic, that he's a ghost hunter, but I don't know the difference soo…"
Kuroda's eyes had a strange sort of glint in them,"Taniyama-san can you introduce me to him? You know I'm a psychic, right? Maybe I can help him."
Mai bit her lip thinking,"I… I don't think Naru would like. He's very pompous and seems like the type to not ask for help even if he needed it. Especially not someone who isn't directly employed by him. I'm only doing physical labor."
Kuroda made a show of turning around and stomping to her desk. Tal vez ella necesita tomar leche para mejorar su actitud.*
"Hey what's with the nickname?" Keiko raised her eyebrow.
"Well to put it simply. He's a giant narcissist!" He kept going on about how much smarter he was than me. Even though I only just started learning about this stuff yesterday!" Mai pouted and slumped over onto the desk.
"Hello... What are you doing?" Mai asked as entered what Naru had declared as "headquarters" the day before.
"Reviewing the data we collected yesterday." Naru didn't even look up from his clipboard.
"Well this is some pretty fancy equipment for a kid."
Mai whipped around.
"I'm Matsuzaki Ayako. Nice to meet you." a stunningly beautiful woman smirked. She had red-brown hair, was in a 1970's style skirt suit, and impeccably done makeup.
Naru sneered, "I didn't ask for your name."
"You're pretty sassy little boy. Too bad you can't exorcise spirits with that tongue of yours." Matsuzaki held an air of general smugness.
"You're in the same business?" Naru looked utterly unimpressed.
Matsuzaki crossed her arms,"You could say that… I'm a miko."
A extremely fake looking smile crossed Naru's face." I thought you had to be pure and innocent to be a miko. For starters I'd say you're far too old to be a miko."
The man behind Matsuzaki that Mai failed to notice before burst into laughter. He had long hair tied in a low ponytail, old worn jeans, a fairly new turtleneck, and a brand new jacket.
"Who are you? Her assistant, you don't act like it." Naru sent a glare to the man.
The man stopped laughing,"I'm Houshou Takigawa, a monk from Koya mountain."
"Monks can have long hair now?" Naru snorted incredulously.
"He's an outlaw." the miko hissed in conspiracy.
"I'm only taking a break" Houshou defened.
"Whatever. Anyway kiddos play time over it's time for the adults to take over. The principal told me he didn't have any confidence in you. Now I see why, a seventeen year old. He thought your company was trustworthy, but when he found out your age he called people who actually knows what they're doing. But really, calling in so many people for some crappy old school building" Matsuzuki said in a conceited manner.
"Too true," Houshou agreed,"I'll be enough."
"We'll see," Matsuzuki huffed.
"By the way," both adults looked at Naru,"What's your name?"
"Shibuya Kazuya."
"Never heard of you." the monk claimed, "Must be a third rate."
Matsuzuki snorted, "I've never heard of you. Does that mean you third rate too?"
Houshou sputtered, unable to regain his face. Naru had already turned back to his clipboard and was glancing up at one of the many screens in the room occasionally.
¿Son todos los psiquicos asi de egoistas?**
"Ah Taniyama-san you are here!" It was Kuroda.
Realmente no puedo tratar con personas como ella.*** Mai closed her eyes and prepared herself.
"Who are these people?" Kuroda asked as she ogled Matsuzuki and Houshou.
"More hired help because our principal insist on wasting tax money. A miko and a monk." Mai sighed more at the idea of her hard earned money going to such snobs.
Kuroda instantly looked relieved," Thank goodness, this building is a nest for evil."
Matsuzuki snarled,"You crave attention don't you. Do you want to be in the spotlight that bad? You want attention that much?"
Mai watched Kuroda flinch back. "Don't talk to her like that!"
"It's not like she's really a psychic."
"How dare you! I really do have psychic powers! I'll prove it to you. I'll place a spell on you" The dark haired teenager hissed.
"Kuroda-san!" Mai called out to her as she stomped away.
"Really, you shouldn't have done that." Mai looked at the miko.
"Don't tell me believe that brat!"
"No matter what I believe, I have never met anything in my entire life more vindictive that a teenager that feels they have been wronged. Good luck," Mai turned to Naru," Naru is there anything you want me to do?"
Her boss turned around,"What did you call me?"
"Oh, um...Naru" Mai rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment
"Where did you hear that?" Naru's voice was still sharp
"So people have called you 'Naru' before I'm not surprised, narcissistic Naru-chan. Anyway what are we doing today?" Mai repeated her question.
"Mai, do you not which room the human silhouette was seen?" Naru looked at his horde of cameras and microphones.
"You called me by my first name… um… if I'm remembering correctly it was the far west corner of the building on the...second floor." Mai answered.
"Then we'll start by setting up there."
Mai turned around and noticed to figures walking toward the building. "Is that the principal and… a foreigner?"
Mai peered further out the window.
"If you keep doing that you're going to fall out." Naru said from behind startling Mai and making her hit her head on the window sill.
"Naru,"Mai was going to berate him when he shoved a microphone and a stand in her hands.
"If you're so curious about them. It's a good thing that we're going to have pass the main entrance" Naru rolled his eyes as he headed out the door with and infrared camera in tow.
"Hey wait!" Mai called readjusting the heavy electronic in her hand.
By the time Mai and Naru got downstairs introductions we're already being made.
"Ah Shibuya-san.. and Taniyama-san?" the principal waved the two over, "This is Brown, John. He'll be joining you today."
"I'll be in your care." Brown bowed as he spoke in a Kyoto dialect.
The miko and monk burst into giggles that they tried to contain.
"Brown-san where are from?" Naru asked.
"I'm from Australia." the foreigner replied
"You know… you don't have to speak... quite so formally," Houshou managed to get out between his snorts of laughter.
"I'll try to speak more casually. Are all of you psychics?" Brown asked looking at the the group.
"Something like that," Naru smiled, "and you?"
"I'm an exorcist." Brown returned the smile.
That made Houshou and Matsuzuki straighten up.
"I'm sorry if this seems rude, Father Brown," the group turned to look at Mai,"but aren't you extremely young to be an exorcist?"
"I may look young. But I actually nineteen." Brown answered.
Mai's eyes narrowed,"In order to be a certified exorcist by the Catholic Church you have to be at least twenty-five. Before you can perform any exorcism you have to consult The Church so if you are a certified exorcist you wouldn't be able to cleanse this building without The Church's permission."****
The group stared at Mai.
"I'm surprised you know that. It isn't common knowledge." Brown said still polite as ever,"Due to special circumstances I was given a permit by the pope allows he to perform exorcisms when I deem necessary."*****
Mai stared the priest down,"Well, you aren't lying. I can usually tell when someone's flat out lying, unless they, themselves believe the lie they're telling. I have a microphone to set up."
After setting up the camera and microphone Mai and Naru headed back to "HQ" with the rest of the investigators.
"Do you really need this much equipment?" Houshou asked as he barged into the room.
Matsuzuki began to make similar comments.
"Are you two here to play around or find ghosts?" Naru tone held a scum-of-the-Earth felling to it.
The monk and milo stormed out of the room, but Brown paused.
"Shouldn't we work together? I feel a bit awkward, Would you mind if I stay here and help you two?"
"Please do."
"Hey Naru what's this…" Mai stopped talking when she was met with a glare that could freeze the sun.
"What's what Taniyama-san?" Brown moved closer to see what Mai was pointing at." I think this is a thermographic, warm color represent warmer temperature, and cool color represent colder temperatures."
"I see. Thank you Father Brown and I'm sorry I was so rude and accused you in such a manner. My father was a devout Catholic and to honor him I try to keep up with the religion." Mai smiled sheepishly
"Oh, do you have a favorite verse? Also you can call me John, in fact I'd prefer it." John blushed slightly.
"Rather than memorising verses I like analyzing them and if I can call you John call me Mai." Mai turned to the monitors"Naru!"
On the screen was a beautiful girl about Mai's age. She wore a traditional kimono and gave off an otherworldly feel even from the monitors.
Then there was the sound of the "HQ" door opening. There was the girl; Mai flung herself into John's arms.
"Mai… that's not a ghost." John reassured the her while gently patting her arm.
"The principal must want to demolish this building pretty bad if he called you here" Naru said unfazed by the girl's appearance.
"You know her." Mai exclaimed flailing her hand from John's arms. Then she stopped
Alguien está en peligro******
A scream echoed through the building.
Everyone went towards the origin of the sound. It was Matsuzaki she was stuck behind the door. Screaming at people to open the door. Naru and Houshou both tried opening the door.
"Hold on Ayako I'm going to kick to door in!" Houshou shouted already lifting his leg into position.
"Don't call me by my first name!" the miko called back.
"Hold on a moment." the screaming stopped.
Mai walked up to the door running her fingers along all the sides of the doorframe. At the bottom edge of the door she paused "Aha! Naru do you have a hammer in your things?"
"No."
"Never mind then. Oh! It came out pretty easily." Mai stood up from where her had been crouched and pulled open the door.
Matsuzuki stared at her. Mai clicked her tongue,"Matsuzaki-san what did I tell you?" She asked one hand on her hip the other waving something in front of the woman's face."
The group of investigators went back to the "HQ"
"Honestly, that fake psychic brat! I should sue her!" the miko huffed flopping onto a chair and taking a swig of the tea Mai had bought for herself after school.
Mai gave the adult an unimpressed look,"You should take responsibility for your actions too. Even if it was Kuroda-san who did it. You provoked her. Regardless of psychic abilities existent or not. You looked a obviously self-conscious, sixteen year old, school girl, most likely with a inferiority complex, dead in the eye and called her a liar. Especially if she doesn't have the power she claims to because that means she's delusional. There is next to nothing more dangerous than someone protecting their delusion."
Once again Mai was the victim of stares. She began to fidget, "W-what? Why are you guys giving me those looks for?"
"Well, it isn't exactly normal for a sixteen year old to start spouting off a delusions." Houshou scratched the back of his head.
"Really?", Mai blinked and looked at each face in the room. "I remember reading about the motive behind committing crimes from a very young age. I found it fascinating. I still do, but I get weird looks when I read them in public. So, I don't really do that anymore."
The room was silent all eyes were on Mai. She turned her head and saw outside. La excusa perfecta.******* "Wow, look how dark it is. I have school in the morning. I should get home"
"Mai, come here right after school." Naru said simply.
I know what you're thinking and yes this is slight canon divergence. For good reason 1 Due to reading so many crime books Mai has picked up a few tricks. 2 First Arc Ayako needs to be taken down a peg or two. 3 Mai doesn't do a whole lot in the first arc and sure that's great a Mai that is unaware of her powers, but for this Mai, not so much. She may not know the technical terms, but she can hold out against spirits for a while and know how to identify when they're there even if she can't see them.
Why doesn't Mai remember Edochi-san?
You don't start retaining memories until age seven. You may remember certain feelings ie: holding you father's hand. But you can't properly remember full memories. So Mai may not remember why she started reading true crime book, but she knew she liked reading them. She got an entire bookshelf dedicated to them.
Translations
*Tal vez ella necesita tomar leche para mejorar su actitud.- maybe she needs to drink more milk to improve her attitude I pretty sure his has to due with calcium and high blood pressure? Or something I don't remember where I read it, but it suits Kuroda
**¿Son todo psíquico este egoísta?- Are all psychic this egotistical?
***Realmente no puedo tratar con personas como ella.- I really can't deal with people like her
****In order to be a certified exorcist by the Catholic Church you have to be at least twenty-five. Before you can perform any exorcism you have to consult The Church so if you are a certified exorcist you wouldn't be able to cleanse this building without The Church's permission. -These are real things
*****I'm surprised you know that. It isn't common knowledge." Brown said still polite as ever,"Due to special circumstances I was given a permit by the pope allows he to perform exorcisms when I deem necessary- 100% fake made up BS
******Alguien está en peligro - someone's in danger
*******La excusa perfecta. - the perfect excuse