Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.
A/N: I just can't seem to give Sayuri a break from the paranormal can I?
The van parks in front of the house. Mai is the first to get out, running up the walk. Monk follows close behind her. The front door opens with a bang. Both Ritsuke and Sayuri look up to see Mai standing in the doorway.
"Sayuri!" Mai quickly goes to her side, wrapping her arms around the poor woman.
"Mai..." She was feeling weepy again, letting the teenager hold her.
"Don't worry," Mai squeezes her, "we'll find him."
The set up process went very quickly with only so much time to go and look for Sho. Ritsuke watches them set up. His amber eyes narrow. Naru is tap on the shoulder. He was met with a not so happy detective. Angry amber eyes flash dangerously.
"This better not be a scam," the detective's voice drops low, "I don't want Sho's life put in anymore danger nor do I want Sayuri's feelings to be mess with."
Naru stares into the angry amber eyes, "I can assure you that this isn't a scam and that we understand the importance that we must find Sho unharmed."
"You better not make her pay for this."
"We won't," Another voice interrupts with Ritsuke stepping away from Naru, "she's part of the team."
Ayako stands there with one hand on her hip, eyes glue on the detective.
Ritsuke sighs, "I care about the little guy as much as Sayuri does. If this thing is a ghost that took him..."
"We'll find him," Ayako puts a hand on his elbow. The small gesture of comfort touches him. He looks back up to look at her. It was amazing that someone like her was a shrine maiden. She looked too old for it to him. But he was feeling something now, with her hand on his arm.
"That guardian angel better be right," Ritsuke grumbles, "or else I'll find a way to bring him life just so I can pop him one."
"You don't believe in ghosts either?"
"Hard to describe what I believe," Ritsuke puts his hands into his pockets, "I do believe that people can either do the right thing or completely destroy a life. Do I believe that someone from the dead can come back for revenge? For payback? Hell yeah, because I seen enough to realize that it's possible."
"Well today you're going to get a crash course in ghost hunting, Detective, " Ayako chuckles.
"It's Ritsuke. Don't call me Detective unless I'm on the clock," Ritsuke gives her a crooked smile.
A small tingle is felt at her fingertips. Ayako pulls her hand away from him, jumping as if she got a electrical shock. She watches him, puzzled why she got a reaction only when he smiled at her.
"We need a map of the entire-" Naru stops as Sayuri grabs a large map from a cupboard, laying it down.
"Wow, you got a huge plot of land here," Monk whistles low.
"It use to be part of a big estate a long time ago," Sayuri smoothes out the edges, "then all that was lived in was this house. The rest...I don't know. The woods just grew around it. Grandpa said that people stop living up there."
"Up there?"
"Yeah...in the woods. I use to hear stories about how our family had a lot of wealth. A mixture of ancient Japanese aristocracy and English merchants. Something happen that made the family move here to this house. We've stayed ever since."
"Wait," Mai looks at her, "is this from the Natsuma family or..."
"My mother's," Sayuri frowns, "I only have one grandfather on my dad's side. Not many of my relatives are alive on that side. The only other family I have known is my mom's. My mother's parents were the ones that favor me. They gave me everything when they died, until I became of age. I have no idea how my mom or my aunt lost their favor. But yeah, Nadeshiko Manor is part of the Konoe family."
"The Konoe family use to be very powerful way back in the day in this area," Yasu speaks up, on the laptop.
"That's right," Naru stares at Sayuri, "any chance that you got to look around up there?"
"No," Sayuri stares back down at the map, "I tried to one day but Sho all but scream murder. He said to not go in the woods. That it wasn't safe. Now I know why. A ghost lives there. A ghost that took Sho."
"We're going to find him," Monk puts both hands on her shoulders.
"I'm scared," Tears form in her grey eyes, "Please Naru...I don't want him..."
"We'll find him," Naru is at her side, a hand on hers, "you need to stay calm and focus. I understand how upsetting this is but panic won't bring him back any faster. You have to trust me, trust us to help you."
Sayuri nods. Lin and Yasu come to her side, assisting on making small copies of them map for the others to take with them. Naru and Mai make GPS guides in case anyone got lost in small hand held devices. Ayako, Monk, John along with Ritsuke check around the edge of the woods that just began in Sayuri's backyard.
"What is that you guys are going to do?" Ritsuke watches in interest.
"Seeing if we sense anything," Monk tells him, "I am picking up on something but it's faint."
"Me too," Ayako doesn't step forward into the brush.
"It's faint but," John frowns, "whatever it is, it's probably been hiding in the woods the whole time."
"Why would a spirit just linger around a place like this?" Ritsuke asks.
"Probably die here or summon here," Monk turns around, "it all depends on the spirit. It could be a lot of things. Most important thing is to distract it long enough to get Sho out of here and find a way to get rid of it."
"You guys better do something about the house," The detective crosses his arms, frowning, "because if that spirit got into the house..."
"We'll put up a protective barrier up," Monk senses the annoyance in the detective.
"It better be the best you got," Ritsuke kicks at the dirt, "It's one thing to have a person break into her house but when it's something I can't get rid of, then we have a problem."
"It won't be a problem."
"Gentlemen," Ayako gets in between them, "don't forget who we're here for."
"Masako," John speaks up, "do you sense anything?"
The celebrity medium had come out of the house to help the others after not being able to sense any spirit activity in the house.
"The spirit..." She frowns, "it seems far away but..."
"But?" Ritsuke glances at their faces, "I don't like the sound of that."
"There is something else besides the spirit that took Sho. I can't be able to pinpoint where or what. But it doesn't feel..." Her face blanches, "right."
"We're going to have be on guard once we get out there," Monk stares at the woods, "we don't need to run into anything that we're not prepare for."
"Now I feel stupid," Ritsuke glances at his own weapon, "but I'm coming along in case it isn't a ghost and actually a person. Did Sayuri tell you that Sho's dad ran off months before?"
"I believe she mention it," Ayako turns to him.
"It's just a shot in the dark," Ritsuke chews his lip, "but I'm not taking chances."
"I'll laugh if you try to shoot a ghost with that," Ayako points at his gun.
"And I'll laugh if you scream like a little girl," Ritsuke's cocky smile comes out.
"Like I would," Ayako flips her hair, leaning forward into his face, "probably you will. I mean, you never dealt with a ghost before."
"You're right. Maybe oh pretty shrine maiden protect me from such things?" His hand goes out to touch a strand of hair. A loud slap is heard, causing Monk and John to wince.
"Try to touch me again and I'll take your gun away from you," Ayako stomps back into the house.
"You know," Ritsuke rubs his cheek, "I wouldn't doubt if she did."
"I hope not," Monk's image of Ayako with a gun sends shivers down his spine, "and let's not."
"Everyone," Naru sticks his head outside, "we're going to be heading out. One team stays at the house while another heads out into the woods."
Ayako, Masako, Lin, and Naru all stay at the house. Mai, Monk, John, and Ritsuke would accompany Sayuri into the woods. Sayuri changes her shoes into hiking boots, trying to keep her mind off of the panic rising in her chest. She jumps off the porch, tugging at her jacket.
"Thank you guys for doing this," Sayuri stares at them.
"It's no problem," Mai takes Sayuri's hands, "we care about Sho too. Don't worry, we'll find him."
Ritsuke comes back dress in a jacket for against the cold, armed with a machete and a walking stick. The group stares oddly at the detective holding the large, sharp weapon. Amber eyes blink, puzzled.
"What? It's to clear the brush," everyone but Sayuri sweatdrops.
"The camera you have with you," Naru points to the one attached to the priest, "will give us image back at base. You have your map, GPS, camera, and all that. Be careful. We have no idea what you could be against."
Sayuri leads the way first, with Ritsuke not that far behind her. The moment she step on the path leading up into the forest, a sharp tingle is felt throughout her body. She winces with Ritsuke stopping.
"What's wrong?"
"Not sure," Sayuri continues, getting out of the way of the others.
Everyone but Ritsuke felt the tingle as well. They continue through the woods, with Ritsuke now ahead to clear any brush. Mai sticks close to John and Monk, looking at their surroundings. The forest was defiantly creepy, evening though it was only mid afternoon. It wasn't very long when they came upon remnants of what appear to be the rest of the estate.
"Smaller buildings..." Mai speaks up, causing the others to stop at a fork in the path. Sayuri looks around, with a small breeze now floating through the air. It would be dark soon, and Sho was somewhere without her. An eight year old alone and cold with only the company of a spirit.
"Hey," Monk takes another look at the map, "one path leads up to the main house."
"You think that's where the ghost has Sho stashed?" Ritsuke asks him.
"Maybe."
Mai turns to head up the path towards the main house. The road look like it had been paved with brick and stone a long time ago but the dirt and grass quickly destroy it. She tries to continue only to be push away by unseen force. It was enough to have the others get push back as well.
"What was that?" Ritsuke asks as John helps Mai up.
Wrong way...
Sayuri hears the sound of wings beating. A warm presence is behind her, with the feeling that someone is touching her shoulder.
The boy...he is the other way...go that way.
"Guys! This way!" Sayuri takes off away from the group, deep into the trees.
"Sayuri!" Monk and Ritsuke take after her with Mai and John trailing behind. The branches don't even keep her from running towards what appear to be abandon shrine. It was small yet still held some of it's original beauty. Her skin burns from where the branches scratch up her face but she didn't care.
Her eyes focus on the shrine ahead of her. She could make out a small figure sitting inside.
"Sho! Sho!"
The small figure manages to come out of the shadows, revealing that it was Sho. He looked very scared, with some minor bruises and cuts. He look like he had a good cry.
"Sho!" Sayuri is almost at the steps of the shrine.
"Sayuri! No!"
She finds herself flying backwards, landing into Ritsuke and Monk. Sho looks terrify again, huddling behind a pillar. His brown eyed gaze glances upwards into air. Sayuri gets away from the guys, standing now.
Her eyes focus on the space Sho is staring at.
The air ripples with something trying to take shape.
"What is that?" Ritsuke couldn't move as an apparition appears to be standing on the top of the platform of the shrine. His hair is pulled back, spiking outwards. He wears a similar outfit much like Kyo only he had what appear to be bandages around his chest, wrists and feet.
A pair of glowing eyes is what stands out the most.
They were tinted red, the same shade as the monster in Sayuri's vision.
Was this what she image?
Everyone froze at the sound of metal. The sword glinted in the sunlight, surprising everyone at the moment.
"How is that possible?" Mai shakes, "how is that sword shining?"
"He's strong," John pulls out his crucifix, "probably has enough strength to make it look real enough."
"Yeah but he won't get by us," Monk cracks his knuckles.
"Kyo," The voice was deep, booming loudly, "my rival, have you come to collect the boy? Have you accept my invitation?"
Sayuri...I'm only strong enough to do so much. Please help me save Sho from him.
She jumps at the sound of Kyo's voice in her head, "but what do you need me for?"
Forgive me...but I need your body.
"Invitation?" Everyone stands in shock as a strange voice comes out Sayuri's mouth, "is that what you call it when you steal my many times great-grandson from underneath my nose? What matter is this? I thought you die a long time ago, old man."
Ritsuke staggers back, with Mai gripping his arm.
"He's in her body?"
"Old man," the ghost laughs, "I'm only five years older then you. Tell me, do you accept my challenge? That we settle our rivalry this time, for eternity?"
"I'll only accept if you let Sho go, Gin," Sayuri's eyes narrow. It was hard to tell that Kyo was in there to begin with. They shared the same eye color but the voice, how the body was standing was all samurai. Monk and John were at a lost for words at this. Sho watches with awe from the shrine steps.
Gin's eyes glow red, "I'll win this time, rival. And the blood of the male Konoe family line will spill on this land. It is the only way I can be set free for I was promised."
"Whatever promise was made is a lie! This land is cursed!"
"Cursed because you couldn't save them," Gin's voice gurgled, causing everyone to gasp as his image is distorted.
"I'm finally going to finish you off!" The sword is raised as Gin flies forward, ready to strike the possessed girl down.
The sound of metal hitting metal is heard.
A sword flew out of the shrine, glowing with some holy power. The sword blocks Gin's attack. Mai charges ahead, trying to reach Sho as the two rivals fight. One being a ghost and the other in the body of his many times great granddaughter.
"Why must you use the body of your family? You use a girl?" The sword is block again.
"She is strong. She is my family. You expect someone that can't defeat you? Even Sayuri can. Because I believe in her," A smirk is across her face as she jabs the spirit with the sword.
"Monk! John! Do something!" Mai wraps her arms around Sho, trying to get him away from the shrine when a unseen force keeps them there.
John tackles the barrier keeping Mai and Sho from reaching them while Monk chants away to weaken the spirit of the rival warrior. Ritsuke isn't sure what to do. He was still stunned that a spirit possess Sayuri's body, now fighting off a being that was see through.
"Detective Satoru!" John calls for his help. Ritsuke responds, getting up right away.
"You going to be fine?" He yells at Monk.
"I got it! Go help them!"
The battle was nothing but Kyo or Sayuri blocking every attack from Gin. The older samurai lets out a groan of frustration before getting slice across the chest. It must have been something supernatural for the ghost felt pain. Gin tries to strike only to get slash and stab, twice. The chants were helping weaken the spirit with Kyo now having a advantage.
Gin shrinks back, quickly digging into the sleeve of his kimono and throwing small kunai. Two were blocked from hitting Monk while Ritsuke pushes the priest out the way. One knick his arm.
John turns around, "are you alright, mate?"
"I'm fine. I had gunshots that hurt worse then this."
"ARGH!" Gin leaps at Sayuri, trying his best to get some scratch at the body that his rival was using. He realize the monk's chanting was weakening power. He wasn't told about him or the others. All he had to do was kidnap the boy and hopefully, spill his blood on the ground. To kill the last male heir to the Konoe family would bring him peace.
A supernatural push sends Sayuri flying.
Grey eyes widen, speeding up to save Monk from the coming attack.
"Takigawa!"
Monk is caught off guard for a slip second as the ghost sword stabs into his shoulder. Monk screams, throwing off his chanting. Blood spills over the ground from the stabbing. Gin smirks, sliding out his sword for another attack. Monk holds his arm before looking up into the red, evil eyes of Gin.
"To spill the blood of a powerful Buddhist monk will bring me so much joy," A evil grin forms on his face as his sword is raise up for one final blow. Monk's eyes widen, fearing this could be his last moment on earth.
Gin stops, feeling the sensation of cold burning. A sword had stab itself right in the middle of his chest, right where his heart would be. Eyes look to see that Sayuri had jump in between her and the monk in time to stab him.
"Kyo...you..." His power was weakening the longer the sword was kept in place.
"I'm not Kyo," Sayuri's voice was her own.
Gin's eyes tremble.
It may be Kyo's descendant but those grey eyes were just as cold. Her teeth grind as she pummels the sword deeper into the ghost's chest.
"Burn in hell, you bastard," She shoves him away, letting go of the sword.
"You..." Gin was defeated by a mortal girl, a monk, and his rival, "how did you..."
"I told you I believe in her," Kyo's spirit floats nearby, staring at Gin with arms cross, "I believe in my family."
"You," Gin pulls the sword out, "you bastard! You just had to care, didn't you? You just had to stay behind and protect them? I'll never get my chance to crossover!"
The sky around the shrine grew dark with faint rumbling. The ground itself shook. Gin turns around, eyes fearful of what was going on at the shrine. John and Ritsuke pull Mai and Sho away from it. Everyone gathers away from it. Dark, ghoulish hands appears from the darkness of the shrine.
"No! Please!" Gin kneels, "I beg of you! I've try to kill the boy! I'm sorry! I wasn't expecting others! Please, just give me another chance!"
Black hands wound themselves around the wrists and waist of Gin.
"No! Please! Don't keep me here! Don't make me suffer!" His soul is drag all the way to the shrine before pulled into some sort of vortex. The last thing anyone hears is the screams of the samurai before everything turns back to normal.
"We should leave," Ritsuke had pulled out his gun while John had help up his cross when the samurai was being dragged.
"I agree," Mai was holding onto Sho tightly. The eight year old had hidden his face in her shoulder.
"Sho..." Sayuri looks over at her cousin before giving a startled cry, "Takigawa!"
"I'm...fine," Monk grunts, standing up. His hand covers the wound at his shoulder. The blood was seeping through his shirt. She kneels down, touching his face, "no you're not. I...we didn't protect you in time. I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault," Her hands felt cool against his face.
"Let's just get back to the house," Ritsuke puts away his gun, "and out of the creepy forest?"
They all head back with Sayuri helping Monk. Ritsuke takes off his short sleeve shirt to use to tie around the wound to put pressure on the bleeding. The group is greeted at the door with Ayako making a fuss at Monk and Ritsuke.
"Fuss over him," The detective points, "He was the one who got stabbed!"
"Stabbed?" Masako looks a bit pale at the blood.
"We watch everything through the camera," Naru speaks to the group as Ayako and Sayuri go to fuss over Monk, "before it cut out right as the samurai was grab by something dark."
"It was creepy as hell," Ritsuke comments, "If he wasn't plotting on trying to kill Sho, I would have felt sorry for him."
"He's a trapped soul," Masako speaks up, holding the sleeve of her kimono up to her mouth, "something is keeping him here."
"Them," Mai looks up, "who is them?"
"Possibly other trap souls," Naru crosses his arms.
"Souls that Kyo couldn't save," Mai felt her eyes look back towards Sayuri, "he possess her body so he could fight off his rival. She didn't say anything the whole time we were walking back."
"Either she doesn't remember or she wants to," John is handed water by Ayako.
"I remembered," Sayuri speaks up, startling them all, "Kyo let me go as soon as Monk got stabbed. I...all I could remember was him leaving my body, knowing what I wanted to do the moment I saw that sword in his shoulder."
"Yet why did you let him?" Naru walks over to her, staring into her eyes.
"Because," A small smile forms, "he's family."
That answer throws Naru off, causing a puzzled expression to form on his face.
"I don't expect you to understand Naru. I don't either. He did ask me first. I know I answer 'yes'. Or thought it. Then next thing I know, I felt like I was watching a movie of myself kicking ghost butt."
"That was the coolest thing ever!" Ayako speaks up, suddenly excited as she was mopping up the wound on Monk. He winces, glaring at her.
"Watch it!"
Sayuri found Sho with Mai and John. Chocolate brown eyes look up the moment she walk into the living room. He quickly jumps out of Mai's lap and into Sayuri's. Warm, fresh tears fall out of the young woman's eyes, holding her cousin in her lap. The rest of the evening was Sayuri stuck to Sho's side. The group decided to stay the night just in case.
Sayuri and Mai are on either side of Sho who didn't seem to mind that they stay in his room. Ritsuke sleeps outside his door while the others were either in a bed or sleeping in position in case of an attack.
Everyone falls asleep, happy that the little boy was found and dreading if they should ever have to protect him from something dark and powerful.
Kyo stands at the edge of the backyard, staring into the trees.
Solemn eyes stare into the darkness.
His eyes close as he walks into the woods again, fading into the blackness of the night.