Investigation Day 1 - 12:00 PM
"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Ayako said as she examined her nails. Next to her John and Yasu struggled with the heavy equipment. They had been assigned to check all cameras and move some to new locations, as well as perform tests on the microphones. Unfortunately every else except Ayako, Yasu and John had other things to do, leaving them with all the work.
"Don't you mean why we'redoing this?" Monk said pointedly, referring to John and himself. Ayako shot him a look and resumed cleaning her nails of any dirt or impurities. John just rolled his eyes discreetly, his good Christian nature giving way to slight annoyance.
"At least we're nearly done," John said good-naturedly, trying to stop the bickering. He knelt down next to a camera stand and check that it was secure. "We're all good here, I think we have one more camera to check, right?"
"Yeah, luckily. But what about all of this?" Monk gesture to the small pile of unused equipment. Naru had not specified what to do with it.
"Just send it back and blame it on Naru's lack of direction. I know you want to," Ayako suggested. Monk sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. She did have a point.
"We have a job to do. Let's hurry, it's midnight," John said as he swung his jacket over his shoulder. It was getting rather warm in the hall way, and he had a thing at being out and about during witching hour.
Soon the equipment was arranged amongst the three and they headed towards the basement door. As they entered the hallway with the basement door, a strange chill passed over all three of them.
"Did you all just-" Ayako began, but fell silent as the two boys nodded.
"Quiet, I sense something," John suddenly said, going rigid. Ayako and Monk glanced at him curiously, surprised by his strange behaviour. "This is bad."
"What is?" Monk had just said when all the doors in the hall slowly began creaking open. Ayako paled and clenched her fists to hide her fear. What the hell was this ghost doing?
"It's hiding behind a door." John looked stressed as he said that.
"What do you mean," Monk began when Ayako screamed. In the third door down on her left, she had caught a glimpse of a grimacing face, twisted and evil. Blood ran freely and her hair was matted, but the haunted, blaming look in the ghosts eyes sent chills racing up and down her spine. Monk leaped into action, positioning himself in front of the trio as he began reciting his Buddhist chants. As soon as he started, the doors began wildly banging open and closed, startling John and Ayako into mute terror.
"We have to get out of here," Monk shouted over the racket, giving up on his attempts to exorcise the area. The ghost was too strong, rolling waves of hatred making him feel weak and dizzy. When he tried to move, he felt his blood still. He was literally stuck to the ground. While he was chanting, a thick, misty grey smoke poured from the doorway and over the floor to the trio, blanketing the hall and grasping at their legs, holding them firmly in place.
"What did you stop for, keep going! It's the only way we can make it out," Ayako said as she bent down and fiercely tugged at one calf, and then the other. Nothing was budging, the mist was holding them solid.
"You're one to talk Ayako, do something you guys," Monk bit out.
"Get out. Get out of here."
"We can't, not until everything is resolved. Please, tell us who you are," John said kindly, staring at the air in front of them. He gasped slightly when a face appeared in the mist, shimmering slowly before fading.
"There is no rest for the weary."
Luckily (or unluckily, according to John) Lin appeared at that moment, leaping through the wall of grey, a wild look in his eyes.
"What's going on? Never mind, just stay still," he said coolly, unrestrained anger in his undertone. He had been in the middle of a peaceful break when Naru had called him back, ruining an otherwise perfect day. No real activity that he had to get involved in, until these idiots had to get themselves in the middle of it.
"Trust me, that won't be a problem," Ayako said shortly. Lin just sighed and knelt down in what he felt was the heart of the mist. He began mumbling an old Chinese cleansing chant, so quickly the others couldn't hear what he was saying clearly. Finally he straightened, and snapped his fingers. Within milliseconds, the smoke cleared away, and the trio collapsed as the blood returned to their legs, along with a faint burning sensation.
When they examined their calves, they each found claw marks reaching up their lower legs.
"No rest for the weary, huh?" Naru said impassively. Ayako nodded eagerly.
"Do you know what it means?"
"No." Ayako frowned at Naru's blunt answer.
"So, what do we do?" Mai asked. Naru sighed heavily and snapped the book he was reading closed.
"Why don't you answer your own question for once," he replied, not unkindly. Mai looked taken aback, before she grinned.
"Well we know there were murders and who caused them, so my best guess is we should be digging up some dirt on this person." Naru's lips quirked slightly at her response. She really was getting smarter.
"Only problem is, there's multiple ghosts," Masako said. Everyone turned to stare at her, with varying expressions. She blushed and brought a sleeve to her mouth for a moment, before dropping it, revealing a determined expression.
"I haven't been completely honest with all of you," Masako admitted.
"That's no surprise," Yasu hissed in Mai's ear, making the girl cough violently in a bid to suppress her laughter. Lin shot her a disapproving look.
"There is more than one ghost. In fact, there is many. That's how she draws her power. Now, I knew this as soon as I walked in, but they were not a threat, so I left it. Something is happening, and they're stirring. I've run into four today so far, and who knows how many more there are. What I'm saying is.. we need to act fast."
"I see," Naru said after a silence. "I know what we have to do, then."
Everyone turned to him now.
"We need some information. Tomorrow we'll do some investigating in the older parts of the building. Lin-san and I will be interviewing staff in the theatre. For now get some rest, I think that's all that will happen tonight."