Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.
"Conflict is the beginning of consciousness."
IV-Conflict
"You were killed in the dream?" Ayako asked, concernedly. Her eyes on the pale girl, she slowly patted her on her shoulder and hugged her tightly. "It's okay Mai. The nightmare's over now."
Mai had grown pale, her knuckles and her lips had gone white. Tears were brimming in her eyes, but she controlled them by biting her lips constantly. She pulled the blanket over her back and held the ends tightly in front of her chest. She had definitely been killed in the dream and by someone whom she recognized but she couldn't remember.
"So, you died by hanging?" Bou-san asked. "Suicide...?"
"No." Mai shook her head firmly. "I was killed."
"By whom?" Naru asked. Her eyes wandered towards the blank wall.
"Someone whom I recognized then, but I can't remember now. The person was definitely someone whom I knew." She said. Her lips quivered as she took a deep breath to calm her palpitating heart. Naru sighed.
"Go to sleep now." He said before leaving the room. Bou-san agreed with him, slowly patted the quivering girl on her back soothingly and left. Ayako calmed her down by bringing some tea for her and put her to sleep by giving her some chloral. She turned to Masako, who was evidently worried for Mai.
"Do you need some too?" Ayako asked her as she pointed towards the chloral in her hand. She declined the offer and laid herself slowly on the bed.
"Do you think this has to do something with the case?" She asked quietly. Ayako looked at her and nodded.
"Mai's dreams always prove much important to our cases." Ayako muttered. "Say Masako, did you sense anything?"
"Hm?" She asked, confused.
"A spirit perhaps?" Ayako inquired.
"No." Masako answered.
"No?" She asked dryly. "Then, this was a precognition..." Masako nodded wearily.
"Someone is going to get killed."
...
Mai had once again overslept, but this time she woke up for lunch. Still shaken by her dream, she stepped out of her empty room and headed for the dining hall after getting ready. All of them had assembled in the dining hall, including Keisuke and his two other colleagues. She seemed surprised to see a bustling luncheon.
"Ryuu, pass me the salt, if you don't mind." Ken outstretched his hand to grab the salt bottle from Ryuu's hands. All the eyes landed on Mai as she entered the room, wearily. Ken flashed a sheepish grin at her, almost understandingly.
"Overslept today too?" He asked. She nodded at him, smilingly.
"Mai." Ayako called out to her. "Why don't you sit here?" She pointed towards the chair next to her. Mai trotted towards her and pulled the chair and placed herself on it. Soon, Mai had returned to normal. She was laughing and passing comments as she usually did. Her eyes landed on Naru who was reading a file even while eating. She giggled as he ate without paying attention to anything that was on his plate.
All of them were eating and chatting pleasantly as more food entered the room, ready to be served and relished on. Bou-san eyed the dishes dryly. His stomach was about to burst when the servants brought in more rice. He groaned. Mai and Ayako laughed at his pitiful condition. Ryuu, Keisuke and Ken were talking about the lodge when suddenly Ryuu snatched a fried shrimp from Keisuke's plate as he was about to eat it. Ken burst out laughing.
"You always do that to Keisuke! Always snatch away his things!" Ken said mockingly. Soon his laughs died down and an uncomfortable silence developed in the room. Ryuu and Keisuke looked at each other forlornly. The former had a guilt-stricken face while the latter looked evidently hurt. Ken eyed them, perplexed. His eyes on Keisuke as he dropped his chopsticks and left the room. Ryuu followed him leaving the room hurriedly.
The whole team sensed the sudden rise in the level of tension in the atmosphere. They looked at Ken who was evidently unhappy.
"Did I say something wrong?" He asked. Mai looked at him sympathetically.
"Did something happen between those two?" Naru asked. Ken raised his eyes to look at him.
"They always have small fights, but I've never seen a situation so worse." He said. "They have been best pals for years. I wonder if it was something I said."
"It's fine Ken-san." Mai consoled him. "I'm sure they will solve their problems. Don't feel sad." He looked at her, a small smile forming gradually on his face.
"Thank you, Mai-chan!"
...
Mai carried another camera to Keisuke's room. Bou-san followed her with a properly functioning infrared camera in his hands. Mai sighed with contempt as she ascended the stairs. A weary look on her face, she reached Keisuke's room after climbing plenty of stairs. She huffed once again angrily before swiftly turning around to meet a cheerful Bou-san who seemed less than bothered about a camera in his hand as he whistled a happy song while jumping steps.
"That Naru..." She muttered angrily. "He needs to learn to do some work on his own." Bou-san chuckled, happy to see that she had forgotten her nightmare. He paced slowly behind Mai and stopped when she ceased walking.
"Jou-chan!" He cried dramatically. "You need to control your anger or else you die of Anger-o-disease!" She looked at him funnily.
"And what in the world is that?" She asked, controlling herself from bursting out into fits of laughter.
"Something which struck me as funny!" He answered cheerfully. Mai giggled before she slowly pushed open the door after knocking.
"Sorry for the intrusion!" Mai said apologetically as she saw a certain Keisuke reading something which seemed important. "We'll leave the room soon." His tired eyes traveled to her, before he nodded at her smilingly.
Mai slowly fitted the camera on a stand and kept it opposite to the bed besides the small table in the corner. She made a few adjustments and looked at Bou-san struggling with the camera. She stifled her giggles and helped out Bou-san in fitting the camera properly on the stand. Mai patted him mockingly. She looked at Keisuke and bowed gratefully. He did the same and they left the room quietly.
"So, what else do we have to do?" Bou-san asked as he closed the wooden door behind him. Mai looked at him, thinking for a while.
"I need to get the temperatures." Mai mumbled. "You can help me out." Bou-san nodded at her request, more likely an order.
"How about you take care of the lower floors?" She said. "I'll take care of the upper floors."
Bou-san soon descended the stairs, a notebook and a pen his hand while Mai headed the opposite direction towards Ken's room. She held a small sheet in her hands which seemed to have been torn out from the notebook, and a small pencil. She paced towards Ken's door and slowly knocked it on reaching. A quiet 'yes' came her way and she opened the door slowly.
"Hello, Ken-san." Mai greeted amiably. He smiled at her.
"Hello."
Ken was sitting by the window on a chair and looking at the quiet forest. His eyes seemed lifeless as he once again turned to look at it. A small table had been set in front of him. A kettle and a few teacups were placed on it. Mai eyed it and looked at him as he returned to gaze at her. She flushed as he smiled understandingly.
"Want some?" He asked. Mai hesitated before nodding. "Come, sit." He pointed at a chair set opposite to him. Mai placed herself slowly on the chair and dropped the sheet of paper and the pencil on the table. Ken slowly poured out the steaming hot tea from the kettle and smiled at her.
"Thank you." Mai thanked him and took the teacup into her hands. She slowly sipped the hot liquid before smiling at him refreshingly.
"How is it?" He asked.
"Great!" She answered cheerfully.
"Ba-chi really is a great cook. I'm sure no one can handle the kitchen in a more efficient manner than her." He said with evident admiration. "Hopefully, I will be having a wife who can cook well." Mai giggled. He looked at her before once more smiling at her.
"Quite a few expectations you have from your future wife." She said. Ken chuckled.
"That's not all." He mumbled. "But I'll keep it a secret from you!"
"Oh! Do tell me!" Mai coaxed him. He shook his head playfully.
"I won't tell you!" He answered in a mischievous manner. Mai pouted at his denial to answer her. He soon adopted the same expression to counterattack her sulky mood.
"Well then tell me about you guys." She said in a demanding voice. He looked at her surprised before sighing.
"About whom?" He asked.
"You, Keisuke-san and Ryuu-san." Mai looked at him attentively. He looked at the forest and smiled, a smile that made Mai lighthearted. She cupped her chin in her hands and placed her elbows on the table. She looked at him as he began his account dreamily.
"Keisuke, Ryuu, Seiko-chan and I have been friends since high school." He told with an extraordinarily happy remembrance. "We've had a good relation to this date. It's been such a good time."
"Seiko-san too?" Mai interrupted quietly. He nodded.
"We're great friends." He said. "Always fought over everything and made up withing seconds, all four of us. I usually used to pick out the almond tofu from Keisuke's lunch and eat them. Poor guy, couldn't have tofu served in the cafeteria. He was quite allergic to cashew, almonds and pepper and much to his annoyance, the menu of the sweet dish never used to change!"
"What about Matsuda-san?"
"Well, Ryuu has always been the gloomy person of our group and the best looking man, of course. Girls used to swoon whenever he laughed, grew angry or even when he sneezed!" Ken chuckled.
Mai giggled and slowly gazed at the clock as it struck four. She hurriedly placed the cup on the table and quickly checked the EMF detector and noted down the temperatures. Ken looked puzzled as she scribbled hastily on the sheet of paper. Mai turned towards Ken, bowed and paced hurriedly towards the door.
"It was nice talking to you, but I've to go now or Bou-san will kill me!" Mai slowly left the room and left Ken alone in the room, once again.
...
A bespectacled man entered the base, a small grin on his face. Mai gazed at him unconsciously before realizing who it was. She looked at Naru who didn't seem quite surprised as she was. He rose to his feet as the young man bowed. Naru crossed his arms across his chest and stood in a bossy manner.
"Yasuhara." He said. "You're late."
Yasuhara grinned sheepishly at Naru and winked playfully at Mai. He slowly handed something to Naru and he nodded.
"Sorry, you know how unpredictable universities are." He muttered apologetically. "Quite a hassle to travel all the way to Aokigahara." He looked at Mai who looked at him, still wide eyed. He chuckled before she shook her head violently.
"I didn't expect Naru to call for your help at all!" She said, surprised.
"Why not?" He asked as he pouted.
"Well, because there hasn't been er- much of a supernatural disturbance over here except for a bad dream that I had." Mai slowly rubbed her hands and shoulder, trying to warm herself.
"Quite cold, eh?" He asked.
"Yeah." She answered dryly.
Naru looked through the newspaper that Yasuhara had brought him. His eyes moved constantly, waiting for something that he had been expecting. Mai guessed that he had encountered what he wanted when he narrowed his eyes ruefully. He muttered a few inaudible things before folding the newspaper and throwing it on the table. There was something that perturbed him endlessly. He looked at Lin and gestured something before nodding curtly.
"What happened?" Mai asked. Naru chose not to answer and remained quiet for a few moments before sighing.
"An article has been published on our case." He said unhappily. Mai looked at him, astonished at his words.
"Did you-" She began but was easily cut off by the narcissist.
"No." He said guessing her question. "I didn't give them the permission to publish the article. It has been done without my consent."
"We do give out small newspaper advertisements about SPR but we've never let anyone publish a full fledged article on our cases." Lin muttered. Mai seemed even more astonished.
"You give out advert-" She was again cut off.
"How do you think the cases came to us?" He said. "Of course, by advertisements."
Mai looked at Naru and dropped her back on the soft couch. She looked at the slowly opening door of the base. John and Masako entered the room together. A few seconds later Bou-san entered and after some time Ayako. She looked at Ayako entering the room tiredly.
"Seiko-san has arrived at the lodge." Ayako informed as she entered the base. Naru looked at the priestess, his face holding a suspicious expression.
"What for?" He asked.
"Probably because she was worried about her husband?" She answered. "After all, he did have a nasty fall."
...
"Good lord! To think that you would be so careless!" A woman in her late twenties began screaming at the top of her lungs. She was standing at the reception desk, her luggage still with her. "How could you have tripped!"
"Calm down Seiko. Let's er- speak in private." Keisuke calmed down his wife as she began causing an unneeded commotion. "Calm down."
"Don't tell me how to act!" She retorted. "I'm rather calm!"
"Oh, Seiko, do listen to me." He said softly. "I'm fine, aren't I? Nothing happened to me, so don't worry."
Seiko finally decided to calm down. The beautiful woman was in a complete mess. Her kimono was wrinkled while her hair seemed messy. She huffed loudly after a conversational battle with her husband.
"You can't even take care of yourself..." She muttered slowly.
"Ah." He mumbled as he saw the whole team rush to the reception desk. They hurried towards the couple before Naru halted and stood crossing his arms across his chest, waiting for an explanation.
"What's wrong? He asked.
"Oh! Nothing! You do know how careless men are. I was just giving him some advice." Seiko answered sternly.
"Loud advice." Keisuke muttered.
"Well, then-" An angry Seiko was cut off easily by Keisuke.
"You know how women are. It's nothing, you can get back to your work." The team nodded and left after a discussing a few things.
"Oh! Calm down Seiko!" Keisuke muttered softly as the team departed.
...
"Ah, Matsuda-san!" Mai recognized a glum figurine resting his back against the wall, sleepily. She looked at him as he slowly transferred his view to notice her. His gloominess struck her odd, after all, the four friends had come together after a long time. He seemed as if he had no interests in reconciliation and get-together events. He slowly straightened himself up and looked at her, his eyes tired.
"Yes?" He asked dryly almost making Mai wish that she hadn't noticed him at all.
"Do you know of Seiko-san's arrival?" She asked, trying to lighten the dark mood.
"My ears function pretty well." He answered bluntly. Her eyes diverted to the wall, trying to escape his almost chilling glance.
"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I thought you mightn't have heard."
"..."
"So, are you not going to meet them?" She asked amiably.
Much to her annoyance, he slowly departed without answering except for a few inaudible murmurs. The atmosphere immediately turned lighter as he left.
"Mai, what are you doing in the corridor? Get back here!" Ayako hollered.
Mai swiftly turned at Ayako's summons. There was something almost recognizable about him but she shook the feeling off. Shuddering her shoulders, she glanced back at the empty, quiet corridor. She sighed unhappily as she entered the well lit base, rather bright for her taste, yet it was hard for her to believe that she much preferred and was accustomed to the dark.
...
Mai slowly slithered along the corridor after she had freshened up. Masako had opted to stay at the base while Ayako still continued to work untiringly for Naru, most probably because she had been assigned to team up with Bou-san or so Mai thought. It almost seemed to her as if he was being lenient on her for today. She muffled her giggles as she slowly turned around and met with the ascending staircase. Slowly, she took the first step and went on ascending the staircase cautiously. Soon, her legs tired from all the climbing, she reached the third floor and immediately quickened her pace towards Keisuke's room. It was a quiet evening and it had started snowing outside, much to her surprise.
As soon as she entered room, she immediately sensed the tense atmosphere. Naru and Keisuke were sitting opposite to each other, a Kotatsu separating them. Mai almost slipped as she entered the room, letting out a loud whimper and in this process grabbing all unwanted attention. Naru's narrowed eyes followed her slowly. Keisuke's tired and warm eyes welcomed Mai. A small smile graced his lips as she entered.
"Mai." Naru began sharply, evidently annoyed at her barging in during their discussion. "What are you doing here?"
Mai surprised by the sudden sharpness in his voice, turned in an embarrassed face to him. He shook his head and sighed. Keisuke smiled at her, invariant of Naru's disapproval.
"Taniyama-san, why don't you take a seat beside Shibuya-san?" He requested. Mai acquiesced and descended on her feet slowly. She squatted besides Naru uncomfortably. Naru shook his head before beginning his once disrupted conversation once more, this time a little wearily and ruefully.
"We'll be leaving tomorrow." Naru informed dryly. Mai remained calm until she realized what his words meant. She turned to face Naru, her face filled with shock and confusion. He completely ignored her.
"What-" She was easily cut off by an apologetic Keisuke.
"I'm sorry to hear that." He said. "May I know the reasons of your sudden departure?"
"There is nothing here." Naru answered.
"Pardon?" He asked, slightly confounded.
"Nothing here." He repeated. "Nothing supernatural."
"Oh!" Keisuke seemed surprised. "T-That's quite a, er-" He remained silent, unable to speak or defend himself.
...
Mai slowly shut the door behind her. She followed Naru who seemed to be bothered about nothing. She slowly turned her rueful glance towards him but he continued walking towards the staircase to descend them. Mai grabbed his arm roughly. She bore an angry expression to which Naru seemed anything but surprised. She tightened her grip around his hand.
"I need not explain." He muttered calmly, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
"You do not understand his situation at all!" Mai screamed angrily. "You do not understand what he is going through! Do you? I suppose you just turn a blind eye to anything that doesn't concern you!"
"Mai, there's nothing here!" He seemed equally angry, but he restrained his voice so as to not seem loud.
"Look here, If there's nothing then what about my dream?" She hollered. He was unable to answer but equally determined to prove her wrong. Suddenly Mai let go of his hands. She quivered and hugged herself. She closed in and caught his hands softly. She shuddered before whimpering quietly. Naru stiffened his manner as Mai came closer.
"Mai?" He asked concernedly. His alertness increases as he heard a silent tap. He looked around, confused. Mai whimpered as an answer to the tap. "What's wrong?"
"Something-" She mumbled, unable to finish as she let out another cry in expectancy of something.
After her silent mumble, he slowly heard the taps grow in number and loudness. The amplitude increased and he minimized the distance between him and Mai. She clung to his arms tightly. The taps soon grew into loud bangs, the small light went off in the corner, darkening the small space. It took no more than a few seconds for Naru to realize that he was correct. There was nothing here and that he had made the right decision.
The rapping sounds grew louder, each sound resonating in the whole lodge.
A/N: Shorter than last chapter. Please, please do review! It feels great to receive motivation in form of reviews. From the number of people who read my stories, I'm sure even a small amount of people can review! A total of 250 people visiting this story and only 4 reviews (for the last chapter) doesn't amount to much. :\ I must apologize, if I sounded rude to you but please, do review. :] Thanks Hodgeheg.
Important note: My next update will be on 16th July 2011, owing to my exams that are beginning on 27th June and ending on 11th July, so forgive me this time. ;(