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"But then...you can't...they'll think we..." Mai flabbergasted.
"What, Mai?" Naru asked annoyed.
Mai huffed and grabbed the clothes from Naru's suitcase. "Do whatever the hell you want! I'm tired of arguing with you! You unbelievable little..." Mai ranted as she walked in the bathroom.
"And apparently I'm having mood swings." Naru muttered as he grabbed the spare sweats from the suitcase then dug in Mai's bag for a decent looking top to go with them. After Mai and Naru got dressed, they headed for the base.
"Mai, Naru, glad you're up, I guess you can take over now." Lin said as he and John got up and stretched. Mai nodded while going to sit in the chair in front of the monitors.
"Of course." Naru sat beside her.
"What should I do...uh...Naru?" Naru asked loudly enough for the retreating Lin and John to hear. The two men shared a knowing look. And decided to stay long enough until they heard the answer since it was actually Mai who was giving the orders.
"Um...for now Mai...uh...look through the files for any information you think is useful." Mai declared. Naru nodded and started to go through the files while Lin and John was hiding there smiles from Mai and Naru.
After Lin and John left, Mai sighed in relief.
"That was awkward." Naru mumbled distractedly as he focused on the file he was reading.
"You can say that again. But at least John knows...are you sure we shouldn't tell Lin?" Mai asked.
"The less people that know the better. It's hard enough to deal with this without having everyone knowing about it." Naru said.
"I guess so. But I still don't get why and how this happened." Mai murmured.
"Neither do I Mai, but we'll deal with it for now until we are able to figure it out." Naru replied.
About twenty minutes later, Monk and Ayako came into base bickering about something. Mai was still watching the monitors— bored out of her mind. While Naru was still reading the files.
"Mor..." Mai started before remembering who she was supposed to be and changing her greeting to a grunt.
"Mai, aren't you going to say good morning?" Ayako encouraged addressing Naru.
"Whatever." Naru responded still deeply engrossed in the files he was reading.
"Well I can see someone is still on their monthly..." Ayako grumbled quietly. Mai shot Naru a glare.
"Or someone is working as they're supposed to be." Naru shot back ignoring Mai's look.
"Oh my god! Naru's gotten to you!" Monk yelled worriedly.
"And that's a problem how?" Naru asked ignoring the 'I'm so gonna kill you' looks Mai was now throwing his way. Monk and Ayako looked at each other before looking back at Naru and Mai. They both had the same thought.
"Are you two dating or something?" They asked at the same time.
"What?!" Mai shrieked.
"No." Naru said firmly. Ayako raised an eyebrow.
"It sure seems like it with you two sharing a room and everything."
"Or maybe they just switched places, Ayako." Monk joked. He and Ayako laughed. Mai and Naru awkwardly laughed along with them whilst casting 'say nothing' glances at each other.
"We told you that was for case related purposes." Naru insisted.
"Yeah, yeah we know but you guys never said why." Ayako stated.
"Is it any of your business why?" Naru asked getting increasingly irritated by all the questions. Ayako narrowed her eyes.
"Mai, what is wron-"
"Mai…have you found anything useful in the files?" Mai interrupted them before it could get nasty.
"Not yet Naru, but I'm still looking don't worry." Naru replied before focussing his attention back on the files he was reading to indicate any conversation was not welcome from either the miko or the monk. Mai gave a silent sigh. 'This is going to be a long and tiring case.'
After about an hour of everyone sitting in silence Mai suddenly remembered to ask Naru for tea.
"Mai, tea." She declared to the room. Naru grunted at the request and got up from where he was sat. "I'll go with you to keep you out of trouble." She announced.
"It's okay Naru, I can go with her." Monk said.
"NO! I mean, that won't be necessary Takigawa, I can go." Mai defended, remembering that Naru can't make tea. Monk narrowed his eyes and shared a glance with Ayako.
"Come on, Mai." Mai grabbed Naru by the wrist and hurriedly walked out of base.
With Monk and Ayako
Ayako huffed and crossed her arms. "Something is up with those two."
"I agree." Monk said. "I have never known Naru volunteer to go make tea with Mai before."
"Me neither...what do you think is up with them?" Ayako asked staring at the door that the two suspects just went through.
"I don't know Ayako, I honestly don't know." Monk offered with bewilderment.
"You think Lin might know? Maybe something happened at the office." Ayako suggested.
"Maybe. We could try asking him later seeing as he's asleep now." Monk suggested.
"Yeah I guess we'll have to wait then..."
With Naru and Mai
Once Mai and Naru were out the door, Naru yanked his wrist out of Mai's hold.
"What the hell are you doing grabbing me like that?!" Naru demanded.
"Shh, keep your voice down, they might still be able to hear you!" Mai hissed.
"Well?! I'm waiting." Naru whispered.
"What? You've done that to me before plus I needed to hurry up and drag you out of there just in case you said something that's not me again!" She whispered back.
"I told you Mai, I am done with this charade. I am fed up of trying to act like you, I just can't do it." Naru declared.
"Oh so you think it's so easy for me to act like you?! It's not, Naru." Mai said unfortunately.
"Then don't. It was a well meant idea to act like each other, but it's something that is impossible and obviously too hard to do, whether we are in each other's bodies or not."
"Well you're right about it being impossible. But what about the others? Are we just going to let them think we're crazy?!" Mai flailed her arms, which looked very weird since it was Naru's body.
"Ah, but Mai, they won't have to know as I've already solved this case." Naru informed slyly. Mai looked at him incredulously.
"H-how?" She asked. Naru started walking again and motioned Mai to follow him. She did.
"Easy, Mai."
"Uh...no! No, it's not!" Mai admitted.
"Actually it is and it will become perfectly logical when you think about it."
"Then tell me, oh wise one, the solution to this case." Mai said sarcastically.
"There is no paranormal phenomena involved, this was all an elaborate hoax thought up by Mrs Shinjo." Naru explained. "Obviously her husband doesn't give her much attention so she decided to do things to grab his attention like biting and scratching him and writing on the walls in ketchup."
"But what about the noises she heard?" Mai asked.
"That would simply be her husband snoring. As I said Mai, perfectly logical."
"B-but we've only been here a day! How could you have figured all this out?" Mai asked as they entered the kitchen.
"My brain just works differently than yours." Naru said nonchalantly. "Also, as you may have noticed, the writing was directly above my head meaning she leaned over me to do it. I recognized her perfume when I came down for dinner last night. I smelt it whilst I was half asleep."
"Amazing..." Mai whispered in a low voice so Naru wouldn't hear. "Okay so what are we waiting for?! Let's go back to base and tell everyone I've got it solved so we can get back home and figure out this problem." She gestured between the two of them.
"We need to be gone a little while longer as you said we were making tea and it wouldn't look right if we came back now empty handed so we will have to wait so we may use the excuse that you drank it in the kitchen." Naru informed. Mai sighed and started looking through the cabinets for the kettle. Once she found one she began filling it with water.
"Might as well make you some tea." She mumbled.
"Well, I wasn't going to ask, but seeing as you're making some how can I refuse?!" Naru stated as he smirked at his successful manipulation of Mai into making him tea. Mai looked at Naru.
"You jerk! You planned that didn't you?!"
"Not at all Mai." Naru replied just about managing to keep his female visage blank. Mai narrowed her eyes and murmured 'stupid narcissistic jerk' under her breathe knowing fairly well that it most likely was his intention.
Back in the base
John wandered back into the base after his sleep munching on a box of Japanese chocolate filled koala cookies that had been a gift from Mai the day before she'd switched bodies with Naru. Monk was the first to notice John.
"Hey, what you eating there, John?"
"Mm...these koala cookies Mai gave me. She said they reminded her of me and my homeland. They're really delicious!" John informed.
"Oh cool." As John went to sit down Monk's eyes followed him— watching the koala cookies. John got another cookie; it was half way to his mouth when he noticed Monk staring at him. He then realized he wasn't staring at him but the koala cookie in his hand.
"Uh…would you like one Mate?" John asked rattling the box at him.
"Oh, don't mind if I do." Monk replied plucking one out. Ayako shook her head at him, disapprovingly and started mumbling something about a selfish pig. Before Monk could retort, Lin came walking into base from his nap. Ayako cast a glance at Monk who nodded his head.
"Ah, Lin my man, just the guy we wanted to speak to." Monk said.
"And why would that be?" Lin asked. Aside from Naru and occasionally Mai, he doesn't really talk to the others unless it's pertaining to the case that is.
"We were just wondering if something happened with Mai and Naru. They've been acting very strange lately. Do you know anything?"
"They seem fine to me." Lin murmured, evading the question.
"But surely you've found some of their behaviour a bit odd." Ayako persisted. Before Lin had a chance to reply Mai and Naru came back from their tea break.
"Everyone, the case is solved." Mai declared in Naru's confident voice.
"I guess his case was solved by drinking tea like always." Monk whispered then snickered. No one heard him but Ayako and John. Ayako hit Monk side the head.
"He meant the ghost case you Stupid Monk!"
Ignoring the two, John asked, "How did you solve it, Kazuya?"
"It was quite simple." Mai answered. She then went on to explain what Naru had told her in the hallway, changing the fact that he told her of course. "So everyone pack up. We'll be leaving soon. Mai and I are going to talk to the owners." Mai ordered them, remembering to use a monotone tone.
After they left, Monk asked, "Did it seem weird to anyone else that Mai didn't seem surprised at all?"
"Maybe he told her when they were in the kitchen." Ayako replied in a 'duh!' tone.
"He must have...but why would he tell her in there if he was just going to tell us when they got back? You know he hates repeating himself." Monk observed.
"Mm, that's true. Maybe he had one of those 'aha' moments and mumbled it to himself over tea and of course Mai overheard him and then he came back in here to share it with everyone." Ayako suggested.
"Hmm, could be..." Monk started.
"Or maybe he gave you an order you should be following instead of standing around chatting." Naru said as he re-entered the base with Mai with the Shinjos following close behind. Monk and Ayako glanced at each other once again.
"Mr and Mrs Shinjo please have a seat." Mai said politely. "As you may have guessed, the case has been solved." She continued. Mrs Shinjo clapped her hands together.
"Really? That's wonderful!"
"I wouldn't celebrate Mrs Shinjo for you are the culprit behind this so-called haunting." Naru informed. Mr Shinjo looked at his wife shocked.
"Tell me what the girl says isn't true." He begged.
"I-I..." She stammered.
"I'm afraid so, Mr Shinjo." Mai stated.
"Why would I do much a thing?!" Mrs Shinjo demanded.
"For the attention Mrs Shinjo." Naru answered.
"Attention...attention from who?! I don't want attention." She denied.
"So you don't want to admit that this whole charade was just so your husband would pay you more notice?" Naru asked to clarify what he was hearing.
"Well, I..." Mrs Shinjo looked at her husband with tears threatening to spill. Mr Shinjo looked back at his wife incredulously. She put her head in her hands. "I...I'm sorry!" Mr Shinjo hugged his wife.
"No, I'm sorry. If I had realized how much you needed my attention then none of this would've happened. I don't blame you and I'll give you more in future." He soothed. "Thank you Mr Shibuya for taking the trouble of investigating anyway."
"It was no problem." Mai replied. With that the SPR team left.
Naruisawesome:- So, did you enjoy it?
Treelow955:- The case has been solved!
Naruisawesome:- Hmm, but I wonder why they had to share a room?!
Treelow955:- Maybe it's because...*Naruisawesome covers Treelow's mouth*
Naruisawesome:- Shh, tell me later, it could be great for the plot!
Treelow955:- Okay!
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