Investigation Day 2 - 12:30 PM
"Thank goodness you're awake. No offence, or anything, but I'm pregnant and I really need to pee," someone said from above Mai. Mai's eyes slid open, letting the light flood in. She was in an office, that was for sure. And above her stood Midori.
"Oh. Oh, hello," Mai exclaimed once she had gathered her thoughts. That was embarrassing, how long had Midori been standing over her? Yikes. "What time is it?"
"Would you believe it's only 12:30? The rehearsal was cut short for obvious reasons. You were out for an hour. Did you have a nice nap? Feeling better? Naru said you had fallen ill suddenly, can I make you some tea?" Midori rambled. Mai held up a warning hand, and Midori stopped talking, flushing slightly.
"Tea would be lovely, thanks, but I can make it myself. I don't mean to be a bother, you should really go... take care of business. Tell Naru I'm awake, would you?" Mai said with a small laugh. Midori chuckled along with her and helped the girl sit up before standing herself, stretching out. Her stomach seemed more swollen, Mai noted. She surmised the shirt that she was wearing was simply tighter.
"Thank you, you're such a dear. I'll let him know, alright?" Midori said cheerily. Mai nodded as the women patted her on the head and left the room. With a sigh, she flopped back down against the couch she was on, feeling her muscles protest at the movement. She was a little surprised at the sudden muscle aches.
"How the hell did that happen," Monk exclaimed as he examined Yasu. John flinched at his language but remained quiet, instead opening a bandage for poor Yasu's arm.
"I already told you, when the lights flickered I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I tried to shake it off, something scratched me," he whined.
"Scratched is an understatement. This thing gouged you pretty good," Ayako said. Yasu sniffed in an effort to disguise the pain as she applied cleaning alcohol to the wound.
"That's strange. You say the hand on the shoulder was reassuring and warm, so who or what scratched you? It wasn't the same person, no?" John said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Yasu shrugged and winced as pain flared up. The bleeding had stopped but the cuts were still raw.
"I feel like I angered it," he admitted. Monk and Ayako exchanged a look.
"Why do you say that?" Monk asked.
"Maybe whoever touched me was trying to reassure me, and when I shrugged them off it got mad," Yasu explained.
"Haven't you said you feel like you're being followed?" Monk pointed out. "Maybe the ghost has latched onto you, that would explain why you weren't initially attacked."
"That's a load of crap Monk," Ayako snapped. "None of what's happened so far suggests a ghost trying to make friends, so why would it with Yasu? I think it's out to kill anyone involved in the play, and we're just collateral damage."
"That's enough Ayako. Monk does have a point. None of us are being followed around, nor have we really had any feelings of being watched aside from Mai, but she's very intuitive so she may just be sensing spirits rather than actually being followed by them. It's highly likely something here recognized Yasu's vulnerability and is trying to get closer." Yasu looked pale as John spoke.
"Look, whatever it is, it better not do anything worse. Or anything else really. I'm in enough pain as is," Yasu pointed out. He hissed as Monk patted the bandage so that it was secure.
"I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this soon. But for now, please stay out of the way. Oh, and whatever you do, don't be alone," Monk reassured him. He checked his watch and frowned before glancing up at Ayako. "Would you look at the time, Ayako and I have to go do some... work. See you later guys!"
Before Yasu and John could ask any questions, Monk and Ayako had darted out of the room.
"I wonder what they're getting up to."
"Feeling better," Naru asked softly as he removed the ice pack. Mai's eyes widened. While he wasn't exactly being tender or kind, his was being surprisingly nice - for Naru.
"Uh, yes?" she said, sounding unsure. Naru crossed his arms and resisted the urge to smile.
"Good, then you should get up. We have some research to do still." Mai obliged, and was relieved to find that she was steady on her feet.
"Has anyone found anything on Kito Takamura," Mai wondered aloud. Naru shook his head, and Mai felt time slow as she studied the way his hair framed his face perfectly. She almost slapped herself. Stay focused.
"Why, is it important?" Mai nodded and Naru uncrossed his arms, shoulders relaxing. "I suppose I could send a line to Yasu to do some field work, then. If he can handle it. He's a little jumpy what with the scratching incident."
"Actually, could I help?" Mai blurted out.
"It depends." Mai's brows furrowed together.
"It depends on what," she asked.
"If you find something dangerous or something that may lead to danger, for the love of God, don't follow it."
Mai blushed at Naru's annoyed tone.
"Will do, boss."
"Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing and noTHING," Yasu exclaimed as he slammed a book and tossed it across the room. He had just spent the last thirty minutes poring over a book of names, the names of all the actors that had ever worked in the theatre. Somehow, he hadn't seen Takamura-san and Nakame-san, but he did see the same name twice. Kashikoi, whoever that was. They were still alive, yet apparently very old.
"Calm down, please. You're giving me a headache," Masako said irritably. She had woken up early that morning, and was feeling the effects of sleep deprivation hitting full force. Lin shushed the two before taking a sip of his water.
"You know, our best option is probably to just track down this Kashikoi lady and threaten her until she spills all the secrets of the theatre," Yasu said, half-joking, half-serious. Masako's eyes opened wide in surprise, and her head jerked up.
"Kashikoi? You mean, Kasikoi-sama? She plays the old maiden in Sparrow, you know. What do you need with her?" Masako asked excitedly. Lin shot them another sideways glance, his interest piqued.
"Is she here right now? We have to find her," he exclaimed, leaping to his feet.
"Er no, she just left. But why is she so important?" Masako asked. Yasu's face fell and he sank slowly to the floor.
"It seems like she would be our best bet to finding out what happened in the first play. She's practically ancient, it's a guarantee she would've been around then," he said. Lin shot him a disapproving glare, making him pale slightly.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to be respectful towards your elders?" Lin chided him.
"Never mind that, I found something," Yasu burst out suddenly. The tension diffused, and turned into excitement.
"What is it?" Masako asked, relieved to have avoided Lin's disapproval. Yasu bounced up and down eagerly as he flipped between pages.
"An arrest warrant for the murders of Nakame-san and Jade-san. The murderer was Kito-san. As well, there's a death certificate for a Momoto-san."
"Finally, a new name. But, who is he?" Masako wondered aloud.
"Who cares, we have a new lead. So for sure Kito-san killed Nakame and Jade, and she must be haunting the theatre. Now we just need to find out why she killed them and why she's still around," Yasu said. Lin nodded along agreeably before realizing what he was doing and stopping himself.
"I have a theory, and evidence to support it," Lin interrupted. Everyone fell silent. "Kito is indeed a killer, but she killed more than just Nakame and Jade. She killed Momoto as well."
"But who is that, why would she do that, and how do you know any of this? You've just been sitting on your la- oh. Go on," Yasu said.
"Are you done? Good. Listen to this. She was originally in love with Nakame-san, and was angry that he was engaged to Jade. In a fit of rage, she murdered Jade. Unfortunately for her, soon after the incident Nakame found out. He got his revenge by murdering Kito. There are no details on how she died or even how he died, but it's plausible."
"What does this have to do with the hauntings? Are you saying the theatre is inhabited by three ghosts?" Yasu exclaimed.
"I can confirm that. Am I correct in assuming the female one is the most powerful?" Masako spoke up. Lin nodded.
"I still don't have enough information. This happened long ago and there aren't many records available. I'm sure if Yasu and I made a visit to the local library we could find newspaper clippings on the deaths. For now, Hara-san I'd like you to speak to Naru and have him take you around for a reading on the place. I'm sure you'll be pointed somewhere," Lin said, closing his laptop. With that he tucked it under his arm and swept out of the room.
"No fair, you get to hang out with your true love and I have to read musty old books," Yasu griped to the closed door. Masako just blushed and looked away,
Meanwhile, Mai had gotten a ride from Midori to Kashikoi's residence, at the insistence of Gene. He had appeared to her in a mirror, scaring the crap out of her, and yelled at her to hurry over to Kashikoi's house. She obliged after yelling back, and was now casually sipping tea and laughing with the ladies.
Kashikoi was indeed an old lady, nearly a hundred, yet still fairly energetic and lively. She had a bubbly laugh and wispy white hair, and Mai instantly liked her.
"I can't believe you poured ice water on Nakame-san during dress rehearsal! Wasn't he angry?" Midori said worriedly. Kashikoi shot her a devious grin.
"Oh yes, very much so. However, I was only seven, he couldn't do anything!" Mai dissolved into a fit of laughter. It sounded like the theatre was a great place to be back in her time, and the thought made her sad. How had so much gone wrong?
"Child, are you alright?" Kazikoi said kindly when she saw Mai's troubled expression. Mai glanced over and felt her features relax when she saw the lady's kind brown eyes.
"Yes, absolutely. I was just thinking, that's all." Kazikoi shook her head at the teenager and sat back in her creaky rocking chair.
"I've been doing that a lot lately. Thinking about the theatre. It's so... sad there. Time doesn't heal all wounds in some cases, does it?" she said. Midori's features crinkled at that, and she pat the woman's hand reassuringly.
"What happened back then?" Mai asked. Kazikoi got a distant look in her eyes before a single tear rolled down her face.
"Evil happened there, child, great evil." Mai exchanged a worried look with Midori.
"What kind of evil, Sobo-san?" Midori said gently. Kazikoi let slip a wry smile at the affectionate term she had been dubbed with when she met the expectant mother to be.
"Love. Ironic, isn't it? Something so pure can cause something so dark and twisted." Mai nodded her agreement. "I suppose I should tell you everything. I feel there isn't much time for me anymore, I have nothing to lose."
"Don't say that," Mai chided the woman.
"Child, if you haven't noticed, I am rather elderly. There's nothing left for me after this play, I'm getting so tired these days."
"It's alright, Sobo-san. We have time now." Kashikoi laughed at that and rocked her chair back for a second before letting it fall forwards.
"Indeed we do. Shall I start from the beginning?" she answered. Mai nodded eagerly. "Alright. It all began with what some scientists believe to be the big bang..."
Mai and Midori groaned, causing Kashikoi to laugh again.
"I'm kidding, don't worry. It actually all began with auditions. I remember being there that day when Kito and Nakame met. There was electricity in the air, and when they kissed for test, it lasted longer than the required amount of time. They were cast on the spot for their chemistry. It all fizzled, however, right after the audition. As they were leaving, Kito asked Nakame if he would like to attend lunch with her. He turned her down, explaining that he was already seeing someone. She was furious."
"Later that week, she heard that he had proposed to his girlfriend, Jade-san. At the time I didn't understand why Kito came to the read through in such a black mood, I adored Jade-san. Often times during practice she would sit me on her lap and read stories she had written to me about far away lands and lost love. She was like my mother on the days when I couldn't see my own. I avoided Kito for a while, but she would do and say things that frightened Jade and I. One time during break, she had poured herself a cup of tea. On her way past Jade and I in the halls, she simply threw her mug of steaming liquid into Jade's face. Luckily Jade ducked, or she would've been seriously injured. There was no explanation or reason, and we never pushed it for fear of her wrath."
"Then, one night, Jade walked in on Kito and Nakame. Kito had tried to seduce him, and when it didn't work she simply forced herself on him. By the time Jade had arrived, Kito had pushed him into a wall and was kissing him. Luckily Jade knew her fiance, and could see him struggling out of the other woman's grasp. After that incident, Kito snapped. Before she had been angry, now she was positively deranged. Several times she had attempted to push Jade down the stairs, and took every opportunity she could to be with Nakame. It was obvious nothing was working, and all of us feared for her sanity. We knew she had a history with violent lapses but deep down she was a good person. We were all frightened."
"After one performance, she was sick of seeing Jade in the audience cheering her fiancé and I on. She snuck into Nakame's dressing room while Jade was in it and Nakame was gone. I was never told the details but I know that Jade did not leave that room alive. Nakame found his love ten minutes later and knew it was Kito. He told everyone in the theatre what had happened but he couldn't do anything as there was no real evidence. Besides, Kito was a beautiful woman. No police officer wanted to arrest her or even believe she could do something that terrible. Everyone at the theatre knew what had happened though, but we were too scared to confront Kito. She was insane."
"Exactly four days later, Kito cornered Nakame and tried to speak with him. Midway through the conversation, a heavy sandbag fell from the cat walk and hurtled towards Kito. She realized what was happening, and pulled Nakame into harms way as well. The sandbag hit both of them, and crushed them. It turns out the bag was filled with bricks and sand, a deadly combination. I believe she was trying to tell him of her involvement with my cousin. I knew things had changed after Jade-san's death, as I had seen her around him. I guess it sort of worked out somehow in the end, my cousin died a few days later in a mysterious accident. I still don't know who to blame."
It was silent for a few minutes as Kashikoi sipped her tea, emptying it.
"And now Nakame is still there, furious at Kito for everything she's done. He wants her dead and can't seem to realize that she is already, and so he lashes out every so often to soothe his rage." Mai frowned
"How do you know all of this?" Mai asked.
"You think I am old enough to forget? No, I remember. I was young and small, I could slip in and out of places easily without being noticed. I heard things. I need you two to hear me now. Speak to the two leads, get their story. I'm sure it'll help you," Kaishkoi said seriously. With that she insisted she was tired and bade the two goodbye.
Mai and Midori left with thoughts racing around their head. The only thing Mai could think of was that this was just too easy.