Long chapter. I don't own Ghost Hunt please excuse typos and such. I hope you like it.
Chapter 8
Naru was starting to feel guilty about lying to Mai. He felt like he should tell her, but he couldn't until he found out what happened to Gene and where his body was. He had a theory, but he couldn't let anyone know. There was still so much missing from his theory. There had to be underlying circumstances.
Lin walked into Naru' s room. "So Mai seems to be fine. You acted fast yesterday at the pool."
"The situation called for quick thinking. I did what anyone was supposed to do." Naru said while reading his book.
"Yes but I find it interesting that you were the one that gave her mouth to mouth. Ayako could have easily done." Lin explained.
Naru said nothing.
"Why did you push her out of the way?" Lin asked. Naru hadn't thought about that. Why had he pushed her out of the way? She was the one with the most training and experience. She was the one who was attending Mai. Why did he feel the need to be the one to do it? He had been so worried. When Mai fell and hit her head, he felt like his chest was constricted. Would he have acted the same if it had been anyone else?
"I don't know why I decided to act. I guess I didn't think of Miss Matsuzaki being there." He lied. Lin saw right through it.
"Do you want to know what I think? I think that you were actually worried about Mai and that's why you did it. I think you care about her more than you realize." Lin told him.
Naru got up and left his room. He didn't want to hear this. He was here for one purpose and when he was done he planned to leave as soon as possible.
The next day
Ayako gave Mai the all clear. Could now go and continue on their vacation. Mai had promised them they would go exploring in the woods. They would be riding the horses again. Everyone had really enjoyed themselves before, well except for Naru. It was funny that he got paired with Naru the horse again.
Naru looked at the horse carefully. The horse stared back. They seemed to be eyeing other up. Naru wasn't about to forgive and forget what that horse had put him through. Apparently the horse felt the same about him.
Everyone had the same horse as before. Monk was on Kiyoshi. Ayako had Masaru. Shizuka and John. Teiko and Masako. Lin was on Kenta. Yasuhara had Manabu.
Mai mounted Ichigo and trotted around the corral while the others got ready. She had decided not to wear a white button shirt this time and went with a navy blue polo shirt. The moment in the stable with Naru was all too fresh in her mind. "Ok you guys all remember the rules from last time right?" Mai asked. Everyone turned to look at Naru. "Ok I thought that maybe we should go over some basics. So we don't have anymore mishaps." The others snickered as they thought about Naru.
Mai went over the basics. She along with Yasuhara, John, and Masako demonstrated how to hold the reins. They showed them how to stop and how to go and how to turn. Ayako and Monk seemed to catch on fast. "Ok remember to respect your horse. Naru." Mai called to him "I want you to apologize to Naru the horse. Here take this too." Mai handed him a sugar cube. Naru took it and grumbled under his breath. "Remember horses can hear much better than you so if you want to be friends you have to stop with the insults."
Naru stared at his horse. Everyone was watching now clearly amused by this. Naru had to apologize to a horse. He never apologized. He was Naru, he was never wrong. This was also his punishment for breaking the rules and being stupid. Mai was still angry that he was lying to her, but she was almost over it. She would find out what was going on eventually. Naru can't hide what he's doing for long. She just hoped he would tell her instead of her finding out another way.
"I'm sorry, Naru. You are a smart beautiful horse. I was wrong to treat you like that." Naru said he sounded a little sincere as sincere as Naru could sound. He gave the horse the sugar cube. The horse had forgiven him and was now nuzzling him. Mai noticed that Naru was smiling. She was so happy that he was enjoying himself. She may be upset with him, but she still wanted him to let go and have fun.
"Hey Mai," Yasuhara called to her. "Lets have a little competition."
"Ok. What exactly did you have in mind?" she asked him.
"Well you guys have equipment for a course, can you have them set one up and we can see who tops." He explained.
"That's sounds like fun. I'd like to see what the champion can do?" John teased.
"Well I hate to brag, but I really am awesome. I'm going to be hard to beat." He told them.
"Oh I beg to differ. I think that you are full of yourself. I plan to show you what riding is all about." Masako teased.
Mai came back and told them that they equipment would be set up when they returned. They went off into the woods.
The old barn wasn't very far. They reached an old spring. It filled a shallow stone pool. It must have been built for the horses and other animals. They left the horses there and continued on foot.
"There it is." Mai pointed to a large wooden barn. It had pealing paint and weeds all around it. The brush seemed to be taking it over slowly. Mai went a head and ran to the main doors. She pushed the vines and branches aside and cleared the door. She tugged hard and pulled the large door open and went in with her flashlight.
They others followed behind her. "Mai, don't go in by yourself." Ayako called worriedly. They made their way to into the darkness. They called out for Mai. She answered them. She sounded like she was high above them.
"Where are you?" Monk asked.
"I'm up here. " Mai had gone ahead up to the second level. She had opened up the doors and windows to let in the light.
Yasuhara pulled out a large flashlight and pointed it up to the ceiling. They all gasped. Mai was in the rafters high above. She was making her way to open the other windows above the doors.
"What are you doing?" screamed Masako.
"What if you fall?" Lin called to her.
"Don't worry. I used to play tightrope up here when I was little. I have a rope tied to me just incase." She went over and opened the large wooden shutters. The room filled with the sunlight from outside. "See." Mai made her way over to the other side and did the same. "Ok I'm coming down now." She shouted to them.
"Just be careful!" Monk shouted back. Mai shrieked and slipped. She caught herself though. She was hanging a large hook that. Her body was dangling there.
"Mai!" Ayako screamed.
"I'm ok. Don't worry. I can fix this." She called down to them. She put her other hand on the hook too and began to swing. She swung her body back and forth gathering momentum. She finally swung close enough to a beam and kicked her legs over it. She hung upside down and waved. "Hello down there!" she called to them.
"Don't be cute! Just get back down!" Naru yelled at her. Everyone looked at him. Did he just use the word cute? Mai was going milk this for all it had.
"So you think I'm cute? Wow Naru I already knew that, but hearing it from a narcissist like you means a lot." She laughed. The others would have laughed too except they were too busy holding their breaths. Mai pulled herself up and sat on the beam and crossed her legs lady like. "And now for my next trick." She stood up and walked a little farther over to the side. There was a metal cable strung across. She grabbed a hook that was hanging nearby and placed it on the cable. She placed both hands on the handle. "This is Tarzan style." And she slid down "Woooooooohoooooooooo." She screamed and then jumped into the pile of hay. She got out and bowed. Yasuhara and John clapped. The others sighed out in relief.
"Do you really think that was entertaining? I about had a heart attack!" Ayako yelled.
"I thought only old people had heart attacks?" Yasuhara couldn't let that one slip pass.
"Shut up! I'm not old!" Ayako screamed at him.
"Do you guys want a turn?" Mai asked innocently.
"Oo oo I do!" Yasuhara raised his hand. "Come on Masako!" He grabbed her and pulled her with him.
"I would rather not." She pulled back.
"Suit yourself." He and Mai went back up so she could supervise him. Everyone seemed to split up then and check out the barn. That seemed to store the old junk from the years before.
Ayako and Monk walked around the first level and found boxes with old pictures and awards. There were a lot of them for Mai's mother. "So her mom was a competitor too. She has medal is about anything you can think of. My god did she do everything?' Ayako exclaimed.
"Looks like it. Mai did say she had to do all those things because of her family. It must be a tradition or something. I know what it's like to be pushed into a life by your parents." He walked over to an old phonograph. "Hey lets get some tunes!" he pulled out some old records. "lets try this one called Chattanooga choo choo." He placed the record on the table and turned the handle. The music crackled to life. He grabbed Ayako and began to twirl here around. "This is here is swing dancing." He picked her up and spun around. She squealed and laughed.
Mai and Yasuhara came down now. "Lets boogie baby." He and Mai began to laugh and dance. Masako and John joined in. "So Mai do you know how to dance to this? Because I'll have you know that I'm champion swing dancer too."
"Really so how did you learn that? I did in dance classes." Mai asked.
"My grandma made me dance with her all the time and so when I go to visit her at the retirement center we always dance. Old people can really get down." He told her. Mai laughed.
(Hi there Tex, what you say)
Step aside partner, it's my day
Bend an ear & listen to my version
(Of a really solid Tennesse excursion)
Pardon me, boy
Is that the Chattanooga choo choo?
(Yes yes track twenty-nine)
Boy, you can gimme a shine
(Can you afford
To board the Chattanooga choo choo)
I've got my fare
(And just a trifle to spare)
You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner
Nothing could be finer
(Then to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina)
When you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar
Then you know that Tennessee is not very far
Shovel all the coal in
Gotta keep it rollin'
(Woo, woo, Chattanooga there you are)
There's gonna be
A certain party at the station
Satin and lace
I used to call "funny face"
She's gonna cry
Until I tell her that I'll never roam
(So Chattanooga choo choo)
Won't you choo-choo me home?
(Chattanooga Chattanooga)
Get aboard
(Chattanooga Chattanooga)
All Aboard
(Chattanooga Chattanooga)
(Chattanooga choo choo)
Won't you choo-choo me home?
(Chatanooga Choo Choo)
"Monk another song please." Yasuhara called out.
"Ok this one is In the Mood." Monk put the record on and the music began to play.
"Lets do this!" Mai and Yasuhara yelled. They began to dance and shake like they were professionals. Yasuhara picked Mai up and flipped her. She landed and twirled. They kicked out their legs and moved like crazy and then would freeze in a pose as the music paused and then the big finale. He picked her up and swung her around by the feet and throw her into the air where she twirled. Mai landed and they finished in an extravagant dip. (Listen to the song it will make sense then. Also I'm not sure that is actually a possible move, but anime and manga have their own set of physics so anything is possible)
They all cheered and clapped. Monk whistled. Naru and Lin stayed silent. They had gone upstairs to search.
"Hey what else is over there?" Mai skipped over and asked. She looked through the boxes and found some of her mom's old records. "Hmm looks like disco.. Can you keep up Yasu?" she turned to him and laughed.
"Oh yeah. Not only can I swing I am a disco king." He struck a pose and they all laughed. Mai went and changed into one of her mom's old outfits.
Monk picked up another record and put it on. "This one is September by Earth Wind and Fire and the next one will be Boogie Oogie Oogie by A Taste of Honey." He told them
Mai and Yasuhara started to dance and again. They were in sync with each other as they seemed to know what the other was going to do. Naru and Lin paused and watched this from above. Mai was in a little baby blue dress that hugged at her curves. She still had on her riding boots. 'She looks really good…' Naru thought. He quickly turned and went back to sifting through boxes.
Yasuhara had begun to sing along to the one song
"Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in september
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day"
Everyone was laughing so hard now. The next song was playing and Yasuhara sang along again.
"Now git on up on the floor
Cuz we're gonna boogie oogie oogie
till you just can't boogie no more
Boogie no more
You can't boogie no more (boogie!)
Boogie no more
Listen to my bass here"
Mai even joined in with him at the end. (I don't know much about record players so idk if those records would play on phonograph.)
"Get down, boogie oogie oogie
Get down, boogie oogie oogie
Get down, boogie oogie oogie
Get down (fading)"
Naru was looking for anything that would lead him to Gene. He was alone up there now. Lin had decided to look in the basement level for anything. Naru pushed another box he had looked through aside. He had only found little nick nacks that could be considered junk. He began to look through another box and found a bunch of old albums. 'These must be Mai's parents and great grand parents.' There were pictures from all over the world in front of the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China and so on. There were pictures of large estates and cars and people dresses up. The ones of Mai's mother were very interesting. She was dressed for different competitions in different events. She was hold up medals and trophy's. There was a picture of her posing various ways. There were a few professional looking pictures. One was probably her engagement picture and the other was her wedding picture. Another album was filled with pictures of Mai from infancy to almost pre teens. The rest of the pages were blank. 'oh that's probably because her mother died around that time.'
Naru was surprised that her actually felt a little sympathy for Mai's loss. Her mom must have been her world. She must have loved and prided her daughter so much to spend so much time on these albums. Naru saw another album at the bottom. It had stickers and glitter all over it. In big glittering letters it said "My Friends and Family and Adventures!" He opened it up and read on the one page
"This is the book of me Mai Taniyama's life. I want to remember all those who are important to me and all the great times we have together. I also want to record all my adventures because I want to share this with those I love when I'm old and then they can hopefully have some adventures of their own. Love, Mai"
Naru flipped through the pages. There were photographs and Mai and her mom and her dad, drawings and paintings she had made, her doing different sports and competitions. There were a few of her hanging in a tree with some friends and other activities.
Naru almost choked when he saw his brother and Peter making faces. There were lots of pictures of them together. Gene was dancing with Mai. They looked like they were doing what Mai and Yasu had just done. Naru was so confused right now. Did Mai know Gene? She had to have. They were in pictures together. How is that possible? She would have said something if she had know Gene. He and Naru were identical twins. She had to know what had happened to him then. Naru reached for a trunk that was nearby. In one of the pictures it was open and Mai and Gene were pulling stuff from it. It was an old large travel trunk. It had stickers from different places all over the world. Naru pried open the lock and lifted the lid.
Inside where all of Gene's things. His clothes, his camera and tapes, his books, and his Journals. They were all there in Mai's trunk and in her barn!
"Hey whatcha doing up here?" Mai asked happily. She as still in the sweater dress from before. Naru quickly slid the album out of sight.
"Nothing important. Just looking at old albums." He said coldly and walked away. Mai frowned at him.
"We all know your looking for something." She told him. Naru stopped and turned to look at her. "I know that you're just using me. I know that the kiss was just a ploy. It's ok though. I understand. I wish you had just asked me and been honest from the start though. I don't think I'll be able to trust you like I did before, but I still have faith in you. That someday you will meet someone who fills the place that he left behind and then you'll be whole again." Mai smiled at him. "I want you to find him and the answers you seek. I know you think he's here and we'll all help you look. Just tell us the truth." She looked at him seriously.
Naru wasn't sure how to answer. He looked at her showing no emotion. "Ok I'll tell you the truth. I think that Gene is here somewhere. I'm not sure what happened, but I think he must have died and his body was disposed of some way. I came here to look for him and the assistant and friend he had with him. His name was Peter. He called us right after Gene disappeared saying that something had happened and that he thinks Gene had gotten caught up. He said the name of the town and area. That was the last we heard of him."
"So did you hire me because I own the this place?" Mai asked sadly.
"No. I didn't know that at first. I hired you because I thought you could use the job. I only learned recently about your fortune." He explained
"Is that all?" Mai asked she moved closer to him. She looked up into his eyes. Naru was very aware how close they actually were, but he didn't let on how uncomfortable he actually felt.
"Yes." He told her. He didn't ask her about how she knew Gene and why she didn't say anything. He and Lin would come back for Gene's things that he also had decided not to ask Mai about how they got in her barn. What was Mai hiding?
I'm the weirdest person you will meet. Well actually I'm relatively normal compared to most people I know. They tell me so anyways. I happen to have grown up in a family that emphasized all kinds of music. Big Bands, Jazz Oldies ,Disco, Rock, Pop, Opera and Musicals, and now I'm trying to get my mom to listen to J pop and J rock and other Asian pop culture stuff. I have gotten her into anime like Ghost Hunt and Ouran High School Host Club and Bleach. She loves Mori, Lin and What's funny is that my dad is very quiet like them. I guess that's her personal taste. Also she is a Tamaki fangirl after I got her to confess that when she listens to "Guilty Beauty Love" sung by Vic. She says she can imagine Tamaki singing it to her. She hated him before. She thought he was annoying till the last two episodes and then she was "I love Tamaki!" and so she became obsessed with that song. She would play it over and over again in the car. She said that she had to hide it from herself because she was starting to scare herself. Hence she is a Tamaki fangirl like me hehe. I should buy her a shirt…
Also I'm making the riding competition into a bonus chapter at the end. Who do you want to see win. John, Mai, Masako, or Yasuhara? Who ever gets the most votes will be the winner.