So I had re-upload this chapter, AGAIN, because the line breaks aren't working, AGAIN.
Dangit.
I don't own Ghost Hunt. Enjoy.
It was a typical day for Mai Taniyama. Get up, get dressed in an already-planned outfit (today, her uniform), eat, and go to school with her friends helping her get there in one piece. Then, once at school, deal with taunts, go to class, deal with more stupid taunts, and tell ghost stories.
But then.
In enters the world's biggest narcissist, Kazuya Shibuya. AKA Naru the Narcissist.
She ends up working for him, gets a new 'family' and friends, and so on, but a little different in this story.
Why? Simple.
In this story, Mai Taniyama is completely and utterly blind.
BLIND
POV Mai
April
Thursday
File one
It was raining, and I was in a classroom with my two best friends, Kieko and Michiru after class, and we were doing my favorite activity. Telling ghost stories, and I was in the middle of mine.
"And then the woman led the policeman through the dark hallways to the public restroom in the back. Once there, the policeman told her to go back inside and wait to see if she could hear the voice again. And she did just as she was told. 'Do you want me to cover you with a red coat?' She answered 'Y-yes.' AND THEN, she screamed! The policeman burst through the door and found the girl totally covered in blood as if she had a red coat draped over her."
"Mai you know we hate it when you use that creepy voice," Michiru said as Keiko leaned into her for comfort.
I just smiled. That day was like any other, staying late after school telling ghost stories. Every time we finish a story we turn off a light, and then once we're all done there's always one light left, meaning there was another person in the room. I thought as I turned off my light (although I only knew it was on in the first place because of the on-off switch).
"AH, it's so dark!" Keiko said, getting a bit teary eyed.
I remarked sarcastically, "Oh no, what a disaster!"
"Sorry," I heard Keiko mutter back. I patted her on the shoulder to show that it was okay. She smiled brightly (as in bright enough for a blind girl to tell it was bright) before we both turned to Michiru.
"You're next Michiru," I said.
The other person is supposedly a ghost.
"Okay, this one is about the old schoolhouse," she began. I cringed at the mention of the place. Even when I tried to sense the building or the tarp over it, it seems to crackle and cringe, so it really freaked me out.
"Do you mean that creepy old building down the street that's collapsing?" Keiko asked. No, not at all Keiko… I thought.
Michiru nodded before continuing, "It's not collapsing, it was being demolished when all the workers suddenly quit because of a curse." A curse? "Lots of people have died in that schoolhouse over the years. Most famously a teacher that committed suicide, so when they decided to build the new school, they started to tear down the old one… But then, the ceiling collapsed on some of the workers. The demolition ended that day. Last year they started the demolition again to make way for a new gymnasium, but a truck driving by lost control and crashed into a group of kids outside, killing some students." Keiko and I both gasped. K-killed?! "But there's more. I heard about this from an upper classman. One night a student was walking past the old school, and in one of the windows they saw a glowing figure in the window before it disappeared." I gasped again. So is it really haunted? Michiru shut off her light. "Here goes. One."
"Two, Keiko said shakily.
"Three," I said nervously.
"Four," said a masculine voice. Michiru and Keiko gasped then shrieked before Keiko grabbed me by the neck while I was counting my breaths to calm down. I wasn't focused on new arrivals, so he scared me too. I did not like the unknown, the unknown scares me, and that DEFINETLY went under 'unknown'.
"The ghost is here to murder us!" one of them shouted, I couldn't tell which, I was more focused on the girl who was holding me for dear life. I heard the lights flicker on, the only indication to me that the person had turned the lights on. I sensed Michiru stand up and face the door.
"Oh please tell me that was you just now!" she said to the man at the door.
"Am I interrupting?" he asked, acting like he hadn't just scared us to death and back. Jerk.
Michiru and Keiko fell back to their seats while Keiko said, "I thought for sure it was the ghost!"
I starting rubbing my neck as the man started talking again, "Sorry, I didn't expect anyone to be here, but then I heard your voices and I couldn't help myself." He turned towards us with a smile. Fake smile I thought. He may have been smiling but his face muscles were tense, a sure sign he was faking. Michiru and Keiko didn't seem to notice, though, and stood up for a better look at him, then said things like, "Oh no it's totally fine!" while giggling and running towards him.
Is he attractive somehow? I thought. Sure, I could sense exactly what he looked like, but to me, it was just a shape in the darkness that was my world. Even though I've been blind since I was young, I never had a problem seeing. I had a weird sense of what was around me, and occasionally I see lights in random locations, but only at those locations. I started growing accustomed to it, but it still scared me when I first see one of these lights. After all, if your main way of 'seeing' is sensing everything around you, even the near-invisible scratches on glass or the grain of wood from across the room and suddenly a bright light when everything else is still dark, well, I guessed you would have trouble with it too.
"So what year are you?" one of them asked.
"I'm seventeen this year," he answered, facing the two in front of him.
Normally someone would just say they're a senior I thought as I faced him to get a better 'look' at him.
"So we were just telling ghost stories," Michiru said as he faced her.
"I see, well maybe I could join you guys sometime," he said.
"Wow, you mean you like telling ghost stories too?" Keiko asked.
He nodded while saying, "Yes," which brought both of my friends into a giggling fit.
"You seem like a really cool guy, what's your name?" Michiru asked as I finally got up to figure this guy out better. There's something… strange… about this guy…
"My name is Kazuya," he answered.
His eyes… they seem… cold and set, not like what the rest of his face, where he is forcing a smile.
"Okay Kazuya," I said, making myself known as he turned towards me, "I have one question. Why are you here?"
"There are some things I need to take care of," he said, turning towards the door.
"What are you waiting for?" I said, indicating the door. I did not trust this guy.
Keiko and Michiru followed, giggling. Michiru then said, "Do you need our help or anything?"
Oh man…
"No, but I would love to be invited to join you the next time you tell ghost stories," he answered smoothly.
"Of course, you're welcome anytime!" Keiko said happily.
"How about tomorrow, after school?" Michiru said.
"Okay, but where?" Kazuya asked.
"Right here!" Keiko said.
Something's fishy about him. I better get to the bottom of this, for Keiko and Michiru's sake…
BLIND
Friday
"I love this weather!" I said to myself, "I'm so glad I left early!" Not that I had a choice if I wanted to go by myself, my 'safe route' for if I need or want to go to school by myself is rather long. "I've got all the cherry blossoms to myself!" I said as I came by the old school building. I started thinking of Michiru's story… could they be true?
"Ehehehe…" I giggled nervously before continuing a few steps before stopping again and sensing the building once more. Some crows cried in the distance. Perfect horror movie setting…
"The more I 'look' at this place the more I believe the stories…" I said as I walked to the door of the old building. Through the cracks in the glass I was able to sense the inside. The dust has been disturbed recently… I thought before stepping in. I sensed around myself, although my senses were already on hyper-drive in here. Let's see, dust, spider webs, shoe racks, camera, spiders-wait, camera? What's that doing here?
"I thought this place was abandoned…" I said to no one. "It doesn't make sense that someone would just leave it here…" Who would even step into this place, none the less stay here long enough to set up a camera.
Suddenly a blur of light came by, startling me while I heard a very masculine voice call out, "Who's there?!"
The light was still blurry and confusing me, and I tried to back away from it while shouting out, "I'm sorry, I'll leave now!" before accidently hitting a shoe rack, causing it to start falling.
The next few seconds were a blur, but next thing I know I was on the ground, disoriented, not able to make sense of my surroundings while more blurs of light came by, which for a blind person, well, is very, VERY confusing. I took a moment to orientate myself before turning towards where had just been, where I sensed a man lying on the ground.
Quickly I sprung over asking, "Hey mister, are you okay?" He didn't respond even the slightest. The blurs were going hectic now and I wasn't sure why they were or WHAT they were for that matter. Oh no what should I do i-
"What's going on in here?" I heard a man ask. Kazuya I thought, sensing him at the door.
DAMN!
He wasn't smiling, and it seemed strangely more natural. "Lin, what just happened?" Kazuya asked the man, coming by his side. The man began to try to get up before I sensed it.
It chilled my spine and caused my brain to feel weird. Blood.
"You're bleeding, can you stand?" Kazuya asked.
"Yeah," the man-Lin I guessed- said softly.
"Oh my gosh I am really sorry about this! H-he startled me and I guess I turned around too fast and I-" I said.
"Never mind about that, is there a doctor close by?" Kazuya said, facing me slightly.
I stood up to try to help Lin up and said, "There's a doctor just down the street from here." I reached my hand to try to help the injured man but he smacked my hand away.
"No thanks, you've done enough already as it is," the man said darkly while Kazuya helped him up onto his shoulder.
"But…" I said, trailing off. I am now on his least-favorite person list. Not that isn't someplace I'm not used to, but still.
"We met yesterday, right? What's your name?" Kazuya said, adjusting the man on his shoulder who was obviously taller and probably heavier than he.
"It's, uh, Mai," I said nervously, I was worried for the taller man-oh yeah Lin is his name- even though Lin didn't seem to like me.
"Alright then Mai, I thought you'd like to know you're going to be late for your first class since the morning bell just rang," He said slightly snidely.
I started running as it dawned on me. I'm late?! I don't believe this! What the heck was that all about?! I never want to set foot in that creepy place again! I thought as I ran into the school.
BLIND
"Mai are you leaving now?" Keiko asked after the bell rung.
"We're supposed to tell ghost stories with that cute guy, remember?" Michiru added.
I stuffed my books into my bag as fast as I could while saying, "Not me." I had had it with today. I had broken a camera, injured a guy, was late for school, got scolded for it, and teased for just being a 'creepy blind girl'. The only pluses for today were that my grades were excellent and that lunch was good. Not much to make up for the rest of the day. I was ready to just go home and do things my pace.
"Aww come on Mai, please?" Keiko begged. "This is our chance to tell ghost stories with a senior!" Yeah, a senior that doesn't even seem to be going to school here.
"Did you say ghost stories?" a girl with glasses and two braids said from the door. I had only recently started going to school here but I knew that she was a girl from another class called Kuroda. "Is that what you do after school every day?" she continued. She didn't seem happy.
We stayed silent.
"Well than no wonder I've had this headache for so long. I'm very attuned to spirits. When they gather in groups I get headaches."
"So you're blaming us for that?" I said. No it can't possibly be our hours of homework? I thought sarcastically.
"Yes I am. Whenever you tell one of your little ghost stories you attract low level spirits and they attract stronger spirits. And then we're in big trouble, so when you entertain yourselves with these stories you're putting me at risk!" Kuroda said stepping in front of us.
"So tell me," I heard and sensed Kazuya say from the doorway efficiently sneaking up on me for the third time and startling Kuroda, "If you're sensitive to spirits like you claim do you sense anything with the old schoolhouse?"
I sighed while Michiru and Keiko said at exactly the same time, "Oh my god Kazuya came to find us!" True, this wasn't the classroom we were to meet in.
Kuroda starting stepping towards Kazuya while saying, "Hold on, are you the one who put these girls up to telling these ridiculous ghost stories?"
"You didn't answer my question," Kazuya said calmly. "Could it be your psychic abilities are made up?" Oh, that had to hurt.
"For your information there are numerous spirits of those who died in the war that gather in the old schoolhouse. In fact, I'm positive that building was used as a hospital during the war. I've just seen too many injured spirits in there," Kuroda said, quite upset.
Kazuya simply responded, "I was not aware of a hospital being here during the war. I know that this school was founded well before the war so maybe, this was a medical school?"
Kuroda then stopped being so tense and looked at him in shock before turning her face away saying, "Look I don't know. But I really do see spirits, if you're not psychic then you wouldn't understand."
"Sorry Kazuya, can we do this some other time?" Keiko said shyly, obviously upset about it.
"Yeah I'm not in the mood anymore either," Michiru added, her head down.
"No? Perhaps another day," he said, turning to leave before looking at me. "Oh, and Mai? Would you mind coming with me for a moment?"
Not that it seems like I have a choice… Aw man!
We stepped out in the hallway as Michiru, Keiko, and Kuroda left. "How is your friend doing?" I asked when they had left. His fake smile was now gone, and I could tell he wasn't too happy with me. Well you're not too ideal to me either!
"Yes about him, he suffered a sprain to his left leg and I'm afraid he won't be walking for a while," he said as we walked towards the exit.
"Gosh, can you please tell him I'm sorry? So what were you two doing there anyway?" I said. And with a camera at that…
"We were working," he responded.
"Oh I get it," I said as I stopped walking, "You work for him are you like his assistant or something?"
Kazuya continued walking while saying, "No not quite." He stopped and turned to face me. What did he mean, 'not quite'? "He's the assistant, I'm the boss," he said.
…WHAT?!
He continued, "Now my assistant is stuck in bed. I believe it is up to you to take his place."
"HEY NOW hold on just a minute!"
"The camera is broken," well, duh, a shoe rack fell on it, "My assistant tried to stop you from touching the camera, and now it is in several pieces."
"Okay can I just buy you a new one or something?" I said, although I doubted I could.
"It's… quite expensive," he said. Then why was it next to shaky and heavy shoe racks?
"Oh then, I don't know what to do…" I thought more to myself. I hardly had the job I did, since most would not hire a blind girl, and since it seems as soon as one person finds out the whole town knows, which is why I often have had to move.
"You can't afford to reimburse the damaged equipment which means there's only one other course we can take," he calmly said. I… don't like where this is going. "You'll work off the debt as my assistant."
"Your… assistant? You seriously think I should start working for you?" I asked shakily. I never actually got asked to work for the employer BY the employer… although I wouldn't get paid, it still seemed strange.
"Well, that's what I said," he snidely answered. I huffed-I still don't like Kazuya in the least.
Then as curiosity got the better of me I asked, "What do you do at your job?"
Kazuya turned slightly away from me before answering, "I hunt ghosts." Huh? Is this guy serious? "In other words I exorcise spirits- ghosts. My company, Shibuya Psychic Research, was hired to conduct an investigation on the old schoolhouse."
"Psychic research?" I said out loud, not really meaning to.
"Is that a question?" he said quite coldly before turning away from me and heading down the hallway. "Psychic research is another term for spiritual investigations. We basically examine and scrutinize reports of supernatural phenomenon," he said as he walked before he turned around to face me again, his shoe squeaking on the floor as he did so. He then said, "And I run the company."
"Uh…" Crap. Mai, what have you just gotten yourself into. Also, how long did it take you to think up the dramatic way of revealing something about yourself? Turn over your shoulder and say it bluntly? I'd hate see how he would react to a confession…
BLIND
Friday
evening
I followed Kazuya outside, he did say I started right now, and I had no doubt he would literally drag me by ear to the schoolhouse. Kazuya lead me behind the schoolhouse and to a van. He opened the door, revealing lots of equipment. "Oh man!" I said. I couldn't help myself.
"One week ago your principle contacted my company. He told me that the problem was that they constantly have to run damage control over a rumor that the schoolhouse is haunted.
"When I checked the records, I was able to verify until eighteen years ago, while the old schoolhouse was still being used, there would be at least one or two deaths inside the structure every year," Kazuya said as he handed me a heavy box of shelves and began typing on a laptop.
"It's also true that when construction crews were demolishing the east side of the building, there was an accident were the roof collapsed prematurely. None of the workers died as a result, although five were injured in the incident which was ultimately blamed on human error. Construction ended with only a third of the planned demolition work ever being finished." We started to walk inside, each of us carrying something.
"A teacher did in fact commit suicide in the building, but that was explained in the suicide note left by the victim.
"The incident with the track last year was a drunk-driving accident. That's when construction was stopped for the last time. No doubt the rumors were a part in this decision. Based on my research the existence of paranormal activity here is nothing more than fiction. For a place this active every occurrence has a reasonable explanation.
"We will set up base here," Kazuya said, finished with his explanation, setting down his box on a table as we finally reached our destination in the schoolhouse.
"Base?" I asked. What is this 'base' for?
He turned towards me before continuing with, "Precisely. We will conduct all of our observations from this room."
"Oh yeah, of course, guess I'm still learning," I responded sheepishly while Kazuya walked past me.
"Set up those shelves for me. I'll start bringing in the equipment," he said as he got to the door.
"You're going to leave me here all by myself?" I asked. Of course, he doesn't know I'm blind, so he wouldn't even think that I was too fragile for this or something. So this is what it's like to not be super-protected… But this place is still supposed to be haunted.
He paused and turned back, saying "Would you rather carry this stuff in? It's heavy; some of it weighs almost a hundred pounds."
"I'll stick to shelves…" I said, glad I had to set up shelves numerous times before-and hoped the instructions wouldn't be laminated. But I still can't believe how stuck up this guy is. I mean sure it was my fault that his assistant got hurt but does he have to act so self-important?! Suddenly I heard a creak from the building. My senses were hyper-active again, jumping to even the smallest moving dust mote before I could try to focus it on the walls and ceiling around me. The ceiling creaked again and my senses all went straight to the ceiling, trying to sense anything out of the ordinary. I heard a cackle of electricity as I backed all my senses back to me and covered my head while leaning down a bit. I slowly sent my senses towards the door as I sensed a hand go on the doorway. I jerked away until I could sense a certain Kazuya holding wires in the doorway.
"Stop goofing off and get back to work."
It's official. I hate him.
BLIND
Soon all the equipment had been set up and on magnificently put-together shelves which I magnificently put together. Thank goodness for non-laminate instructions and practice. Whoever made laminating can just be covered in laminate and cut themselves on the edge of anything laminated for all I cared for the stuff. Yay, plastic-covered paper. Now I can't read the indentions or lead and ink trails of the paper…
"What are those?" I asked, sensing two strange camera-like objects. If he doesn't tell me I'll threaten to 'accidentally' use them as foot stools…
"An inferred camera and a thermal imagery camera. They're used to shoot in total darkness. This one uses thermography to record temperatures. When a spirit appears the temperature near it will drop and show up on the camera," Kazuya explained, walking to another shelf of equipment. Guess that means I'm an inferred camera.
"That's amazing that you know how to use all this stuff," I said, trying to more finely sense some of the equipment.
"No it's not, my brain just works differently than yours," Kazuya said.
"I see. After all you are Mr. Hot-Shot Boss so you might as well do everything!" I said slightly sarcastic. "But what made you decide to go into the ghost hunting business?" I asked curiously.
"Because someone has to do it," he answered simply, looking over more equipment.
"Wow, have you had any cases that you weren't able to explain?" I said. I might not like the guy, but I did like the paranormal.
"No, I'm very good at my job," he answered nonchalantly.
"Amazing, he's as smart as he is handsome," I said to myself. Well, at least my friends think he's handsome, so I'll just go with it.
"So you think I'm handsome, huh?" Kazuya said, turning towards me.
Uh… crap…
"Uh, I mean that's what all the girls at school are saying," I said quickly.
Kazuya turned back to the equipment before responding with, "Well, they have very good taste."
I naturally was taken aback by this. He's already praised himself in some way or another how many times now?. I can't believe this guy! Sure he may be (supposedly) good-looking and extremely successful at such a young age, but I've never seen a bigger narcissist in my life! From now on your name is Naru, as in Naru the Narcissist!
BLIND
"Well that's all we have to do for today," Kazuya-I mean, Naru said, stirring me from my half-asleep state I had fallen in after he made me set up cameras everywhere. And write down temperatures every hour. And let's not forget all the microphones. The worse was definitely the monitors. I couldn't read anything on them, so I came to hate the appliance.
Wait a second… "For today…?" I said. "You mean…"
"I'll see you here tomorrow," Naru continued while leaving.
"Aw man…" I had no doubt he would be able to track down where I lived if I tried to avoid work…
I walked out of the building and to the street, and took a deep breath before sensing for anyone around me. I instantly sensed Keiko and Michiru as I heard the click of a flashlight being turned on.
"Mai? Have you been here with Kazuya all night long?" Keiko asked worried.
"What were you two doing?" Michiru added on.
"It's kind of a long story…" I began.
BLIND
POV Naru
I walked over to the van to do a bit more research on the land itself, perhaps it is something that happened on the land that caused the haunting.
Although, what really bothered me was the girl, Mai Taniyama.
She did fine with her work, well as good as you would expect from a high school freshman girl, but the way she looked at me was… strange. It seemed like she wasn't really looking at me, but more like she was analyzing me. And her eyes themselves… They seemed to have a film over it, making what I guessed were normally light brown eyes to be tinged slightly blue. It seemed like she shouldn't be able to see through that film, but she definitely wasn't stumbling around. She got around just fine, and looked at people-however strangely she did it- when she talked to them. Occasionally, when she was focused on something else she wouldn't notice that the lights were very bright in there or that it was extremely dark in a hallway or room. She didn't seem bothered by it. Once, when she was on camera fixing something, I noticed her eyes seemed extremely scratched, but yet it was hardly noticeable unless you looked her directly in the eyes.
Something about her definitely bothered me. It seemed like she couldn't see at all, but she certainly didn't act or seem like she was blind. For one, she didn't wear sunglasses like most blind people did. Two, she was able to read instructions and write down temperatures just fine, and she didn't trip over anything. Thirdly, she didn't seem entirely sure what she thought about how I looked. She would always say that my undeniable attractiveness was simply what she heard, but what of her personal opinion?
Something about Mai Taniyama wasn't natural. And I was going to find out what.
BLIND
POV Mai
I had told my story about what I had gone through for the last few hours after us three had sat down on a bench.
"Paranormal investigation?" Keiko asked.
"So he's not an upper classman," Michiru said, trying to process it.
"According to him he's a ghost hunter," I repeated. I just told you this I'm pretty sure.
"A ghost hunter?" they both asked.
"Mai?" Kuroda appeared. What's she doing here so late? "I was wondering if you would introduce me to him."
"Introduce you? To Naru?" I asked. Who in their right mind would want that?
"What's this Naru stuff all about?" Michiru asked. Oh right, I didn't tell them about that.
"That guy's got to be the biggest narcissist I've ever met in my life! I can't believe I actually have to work for him now!" I responded.
"You know, I have many psychic abilities myself and I think I could really help Kazuya with his work," Kuroda continued.
I tried to persuade her nicely out of this by saying, "You know since he is a professional and all maybe it's not such a good idea for you to get involved…"
"Well I am in no means an amateur!" Kuroda exclaimed. Seriously, you don't want to be involved. I would send you in my stead if I could.
We sat there in an awkward silence for a bit before Michiru and Keiko stood up, Michiru saying, "Let's go Mai," as she took my arm and walked/dragged me down the street.
We made it in front of a shop before we stopped as Keiko said, "That girl is such a weirdo, she's been like that since middle school."
"Yeah, she's a freak," Michiru added on. Wow, thanks guys for the censorship to the constantly taunted 'freak of nature' right here.
I turned towards Keiko before asking, "Wasn't she in a lot of the same classes as you Keiko?"
"Yeah, and she would constantly bug people about her spirits or whatever," she said as she and Michiru started down the street again. I turned around to see if Kuroda was still there, but she had left.
"Wait, I know why she wants to help Kazuya! Maybe she's already fallen in love with Kazuya!" "EW! Gross!" they said before they started giggling. I should have taped them when they talked to him earlier… I started walking home thinking about Naru's new nickname. Good taste? HA! If only they knew…
BLIND
Saturday
I walked up to the van where I figured Naru was, since while I can sense things around or inside something I can't if the opening is not to the left or right or in front of where I was. Since I was facing the front of the van I couldn't be sure, but I thought I could sense a leg hanging off the edge on the other side from under the van. Sure enough, he was there, reading something on a clipboard.
"What's up?" I asked, curious to what he was doing.
"Checking yesterday's data. So far there seems to be nothing unusual," he answered before I could sense a man and a woman walk up.
The woman's heels clicked as she said snidely, "That's some fancy equipment you got there. It seems a bit too high-tech for a couple of children to be playing with."
"And who might you be?" Naru asked, not very excited to be called a child, apparently.
"I'm Ayako, the shrine maiden. The principle wasn't sold on you so he called me to drive the spirits out," she responded.
"I was under the impression that only innocent virgins can become shrine maidens," Naru said snidely. Yep, definitely not a good idea to call him a child… I thought as the man and I started cracking up.
"I see, and, your point?" Ayako said slightly peeved.
"At the very least I'd say you're looking a little old to be calling yourself a maiden," Naru said bluntly.
"Nice, very funny you smartass," she said, her voice shaking with anger. My initial examination of her showed chic clothing and long hair.
I turned my attention to the man that was behind her, still cracking up as Naru asked, "You, you don't seem to be her assistant."
"I'm a monk from Mount Kouya. The name's Takigawa Houshou," he responded, straightening up.
"Since when were monks allowed to have long hair?" Naru asked. He…. Doesn't like newcomers…
"Ahem, apostate," Ayako coughed.
"Hey I'm just on a little hiatus, okay? At any rate playtime is over, kids. Now you may have gotten this gig because your office is nearby, but the principle himself said it seemed like a scam to have a teenager running the show," the monk said, getting a bit aggravated.
Well, at least it wasn't child…
Naru coolly responded with, "Did he now?"
"The principle's wasting his money. There's no need to have all of us for such a simple job," Ayako said confidently.
"Yeah, all he really needed was me," the monk said. Takigawa Houshou… I think I'll just call him 'Monk', neither of his names really fit.
"Right, I wouldn't be so sure," Ayako argued back. I get a feeling that this will happen a lot.
They just stared at each other until we were interrupted by a voice saying, "Oh, thank goodness you're all here. That haunted old schoolhouse has been terrorizing me for weeks."
"Kuroda?" I said quickly.
"You see, I'm a psychic. The souls of those trapped there have-"
"Stop grandstanding. You're just looking for attention," Ayako rudely interrupted. "Are you really that desperate for people to like you?"
"Excuse me that was extremely rude!" I came to her defense. I could handle being taunted, but I couldn't help but be upset when it happened to others.
"You know it's the truth," Ayako calmly said back. "She claims to have psychic abilities in hopes it will somehow make her popular."
"That is totally uncalled for!" I argued back.
Suddenly Kuroda's muscles got tense and cold, meaning she was mad. "I'm going to call a spirit to haunt you," she said coldly.
"Hold on Kuroda," I said. It was never smart to get upset at getting taunted.
She ignored me. "You're the fake, and you'll regret this," she said as she turned around and left.
Wow, I've never sensed someone so angry before…
I shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts before facing Naru again. "Hey, Naru, so, what's up? What are we going to do today?" I asked lamely, trying to make the air not so tense.
"Wait, what did you just say?" Naru asked, looking very confused and slightly peeved. Mission failed. "Did you just call me Naru?" he said as he stood up to face me.
"Uh, sorry, I…" I answered. Great, now he knows what I refer to him as…
"Where did you hear that?" he asked, still looking peeved.
"You mean, you've been called that before?" I started to pat his shoulder nervously while exclaiming, "Of course, that makes sense, I couldn't be the first to come up with something like Naru the Narcissist!"
"Morning everyone, nice to see you all," a voice said from behind us. That must be the principle… I've only sensed him a few times but I remember… but who's that next to him? A kid? "Say hello to John Brown," he continued, stepping away as John Brown bowed.
"Goo' day mates," he said as he bowed. Uh… that accent…. How do I put it… He straightened up and said, "My name's John Brown, and I came from the great outback of Australia. I can't express how excited I am to join you."
…Hilarious.
Ayako and Monk were having a giggle fit as I covered my mouth to not do the same as my principle said, "Mr. Brown is relatively new to our country so please show him the respect he deserves."
Monk stood up a bit as he laughed while Ayako said through her laughing, "No no let me guess, you're looking for a playground, right?" True, he looked very young.
John looked used to it as he responded, "Well, actually I practice the ancient art of exorcism."
Both Ayako and Monk stopped laughing to evaluate him. Like a new threat…
"Only those who have been ordained in the Catholic Church as priests have the ability to conduct exorcisms. You seem young for that," Naru said questioningly.
"Wow, you really know your stuff mate, to be honest I just turned nineteen a few weeks ago, that's why I look so young," John said as he scratched the back of his head.
He's nineteen? That means he's older than Naru! HA!
BLIND
We all were in base, despite Monk and Ayako's apparent distrust in Naru.
"So we have an Australian exorcist, an apostate monk, and a teenage ghost hunter," Ayako said. And an old shrine maiden, I suddenly feel like I'm in the middle of a bad joke… "Obviously this bone-headed principle doesn't have much faith in my unique cleansing abilities. Hmph, Just watch, I'll clear this entire place myself," she said as she left the room.
"I'm going to do a walkthrough, see ya later," Monk said as he also left the room. Walkthrough… to sense the ghost, right?
"Uh, excuse me, sir?" John asked politely to Naru. Maybe Naru can take an example from him… doubtful.
"You may do as you wish," Naru said. Well, duh, he doesn't work for you.
"I mean, I'd really like to work with you on this," John continued. … Scratch that to a 'yet'.
Suddenly we heard a scream. "That sounds like Ayako!" John said as we rushed to where the scream oriented from.
We rushed over and ended up gathered in front of a door as Ayako banged on it and screamed, "Open up!"
"Stand back!" Monk shouted through the door. "I'm going to kick it down!"
"Hurry up and do it!" she shouted back. Monk then kicked the door down forcefully.
We all gathered in base after that, I having made Ayako sit down for a little bit as she explained what happened.
"I was looking around the classroom. Suddenly the door slammed shut. I tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. There's definitely a spirit here," she explained.
"No, there isn't. I haven't sensed one paranormal being," a voice said from the doorway. I sent my senses out to sense a girl in a kimono. She seemed like Japanese dolls I have sensed in antique shops.
It freaked me out enough to latch onto Naru while exclaiming, "Ghost!"
"Relax Mai, she's human," Naru said as the girl stepped further into the room. "Masako Hara is a spirit medium," he explained.
"Oh, another one?" I said. Still doesn't explain the kimono…
"Fantastic, so now they're calling in a TV star?" Monk said snidely.
"This is ridiculous. It's easy to fake results on television. The only reason she gets ratings is because she's pretty and wears that silly kimono," Ayako said. Well that explains it a bit…
"Why thank you, I take that as a compliment," Masako said. Great, two narcissists… Naru's still a bigger one.
"Well, trust me it's not," Ayako said rudely.
Masako ignored her while turning to Naru saying, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you before."
"Yes, we've never met but your reputation precedes you," Naru answered.
"Right," she answered softly.
"Anyway, there is a haunting here. In my professional opinion, we're dealing with an earth-bound spirit," Ayako said.
… Huh?
"I believe it's a residual haunting. A traumatic event must have happened in this building in the past," Monk inputted.
"So you mean like someone was murdered here and they have to spend eternity searching the halls for their killer or something?" I asked. By 'something' I was more or less thinking of exams. This was a school in the past, and exams are pretty traumatic.
"Close, I think the entity is afraid it's going to lose its home, so it's attempting to block the construction," Monk answered back. I noticed Naru playing with a nail.
One second he's all grown up and next he's playing with a nail… seriously though, isn't that a bit dangerous? You could cut yourself.
Naru then turned to John, asking, "John, what do you think?"
"Well to be honest I'm not sure, but usually a haunting does originate with a ghost or spirit occupying a structure," John answered.
"So it's either a haunting, or fiction and folklore," Naru said. He turned towards me. "Are you listening Mai?" he asked.
"Of course I am what do you take me for?" I said back. Wait, please don't answer that…
"These are things you need to learn," He responded.
"Uh…" Just how long is he going to make me work for him?!
"Enough talk, I'm getting rid of this thing as soon as I get back," Ayako said as she turned around and left the room. "I don't know how long I can put up with you people," she muttered to herself. You're not exactly on my 'favorite person' list either…
Ayako got to the door when Kuroda came in front of her, blocking the path. "I wouldn't be so confident in your abilities. The spirit that haunts this site is incredibly powerful," she said.
"Kuroda," I said. So she came back….
"Move aside," Ayako said as she pushed Kuroda to the side before leaving. I ran over to her as she slid down the wall.
I helped her sit up before she looked at me and said, "The spirit attacked me."
I could almost feel the statement have its effect on everyone.
"It's true," she continued, "I was walking down the hallway when suddenly my hair was yanked back with amazing force. When I tried to flee it started strangling me. 'You're interfering with this site. Leave or die,' is what I heard it say."
"When did this happen?" Naru asked calmly.
"A few minutes ago, in the second floor hallway," she answered.
"That's false, there are no spirits here," Masako interrupted.
"Yes there are! There definitely are. And they're angry," Kuroda responded hotly.
"You said it was the second floor hallway?" Naru asked before turning towards the monitors and typing something in. I could hear the monitors whir, and pretended to watch. Might as well act like I know what's going on…
I could faintly hear the recording of opening doors and footsteps as Kuroda apparently walked on screen. I might be blind, but I still know how cameras worked.
I could hear the static from one of the screens. "What just happened, is the camera broken?" I asked. I knew that static wasn't supposed to happen. I had been babysat when I was younger, and they always complained the TV was broken or something whenever I heard static. Usually those were one of the times I saw those white flashes or blobs. Now that I think about it, I also had a lot of different sitters…
"No, but it is quite strange," Naru answered. I turned towards him, slightly confused. He explained (although mostly for my sake, probably), "When a spirit becomes active electronic equipment will often malfunction, but here I am not so sure. Is it, a spirit or EMF interference…"
"It's quite obviously a spirit. Interference doesn't cause someone to be attacked," Kuroda defended. She seems quite defendant towards this…
"But Masako said there are no spirits here," I said, trying to figure this out a bit.
"Well let's just say I'm a little skeptical, about her," Kuroda said with venom lacing her tone.
"It's common for female mediums to be either exactly right or way off base," Naru said, almost sensing the cat fight waiting in the air. "Even if she can't sense any spirits now doesn't mean the haunting isn't active. If what you say is true, then it's possible that the spirit than inhabits this place is very attuned to your wavelength," he continued.
"Yeah, that's right," Kuroda said, almost shocked that someone was believing her and coming to her defense.
If that's the case, then all this our fault? She did say that ghost stories attracted spirits… Oh no, did our telling ghost stories about this place actually attract real ghosts?
Oh no…
BLIND
And that was the first chapter. I edited here and there, but the only important(ish) part was when Mai thinks back to when she was babysat, static=broken TV or something, and that she often saw white flashes or blobs at these times, and that she had lots of different baby sitters.