I haven't had much experience at all writing fan fiction (hence the bad description), so please don't be mean : P I want to write a lot, but first I need to see if I'm any good at it right? So yeah..? I watched the entire anime series, and own the first two volumes, but I have some dorky friends who don't tend to warn when they're talking spoiler like, so I'm very upset at them. But I will try to avoid spoilers at all costs so you don't start reading something only to find in say the 4th or so chapter about the fact that there are major spoilers, and then not be able to finish. NEW- i cleaned up a few points where I thought there was confusion.
Disclaimer- I don't own Ghost Hunt. So... yeah. Not mine. I made a few characters, but those are mine. So we're good yeah? Oh, and Air? Also known as Air TV, I don't own it or its intro theme either. Which by the way (happy dance) is coming out in English! At least, I believe so... yeah!
1-
Mai Taniyama had spent the previous day and night up watching an anime her friend suggested. It was called Air. Her friend had said it was nice and that she loved it. How was Mai supposed to know that her friend liked sad stuff? What kind of person would have the complete DVD set of such a sad anime?
Needless to say, even if it was sad, it was still good. She needed to see the end. Which meant staying up all night, crying. Lots of people at school were surprised to see Mai arrive tired with tear-stained red eyes. Her teacher was surprised because she didn't come to school other days when she was perfectly fine. But the other days she had been working, and she didn't need to come in today until after school.
Even after sleeping as much as classes would permit, she was still teary thinking of the poor characters, and still tired from the experience. Just thinking about it... She wiped her eyes, and stepped into the office quietly. If her boss didn't know she was in yet, he might give her a chance to calm down before he asked for anything.
No such luck.
As she closed the door, trying to be quiet, her boss was with a potential client in the main room. She ducked into the kitchen and turned her back to the two.
"Mai, tea." came the voice of her boss, whom Mai had nicknamed Naru. Because that was all he said, she decided to assume he didn't notice. Some part of her said that he did, and just wasn't pointing it out because of the client. But that would have been nice of him, and he was not nice. She put down her bag, and got out the kettle.
The potential client looked expectantly at Naru. "So, are you going to come check it out? I just know it has to do with ghosts and such." She said, clutching her handbag that was on her lap tightly. She was also chewing gum furiously.
Naru thought about it for a moment. "No. Put a lock on the switch box. And tell your children not to fool around with it" The woman looked hurt and shuffled out. He looked over into the kitchen where Mai was staring at the water, waiting for it to boil. He stared for a moment. Mai felt the look on her back and turned around to meet his irritated eyes. She turned back and gasped inwardly. He had seen her while she was still crying!
She hurried with the process, and poured the tea. The next time she turned, there was nobody there. She hadn't heard any doors. How on earth did Naru open and close them so quietly? She went to his office door, which wasn't even slightly open. She didn't want to spend much time, so she quickly deposited the tea on his desk without looking at him. As she walked out she sat down on the couch and wiped her eyes again.
Nothing to do only made her think about that show. How much sadness can be crammed into one series? But it was good. She thought about what had happened. She thought that characters with wings were always awesome. Absentmindedly, she started to think it would be interesting to have wings. Wouldn't it be neat though?
She started to hum the intro theme for Air. And rooted around in her school bag for paper and a pen. Poetry may not have been her strong point, but all it takes to write it is feelings right? Well, she had feelings now, so she was going to try.
(AN-lyrics for the intro theme to Air, Tori no Uta)
Kieru hikoukigumo bokutachi wa miokutta mabushikute nigeta itsudatte yowakute ano hi kara...
After a few moments, of humming she paused and started to write. After writing one stanza, she put down the pen and looked at it, and realised it was really childish.
If I had a pair
Of pretty white wings
I'd take to the sky every day
There was no rhyme or pattern, but whatever. She'd figure that out with the second stanza. She picked up the pen again when the phone rang. Hiding the paper in her bag she walked over and picked it up.
"Shibuya Physic Research. This is Mai," she said, trying to be cheerful.
"My... name is Ms. Hope. Can I come in and talk to your boss anytime?" Asked a timid, female voice. Mai looked at the door to his office. He was never doing anything important really, was he? At least Lin seemed to be doing something more important. But then again... who knows? Lin didn't talk much. Then she remembered she hadn't asked Lin if he wanted tea. Although it struck her as odd that Lin didn't come out when Naru was talking to the other customer.
She decided. "I can have you talk to him right now if you'd like." Mai said, looking for the hold button to transfer it to his line.
"Okay. That would work." the woman sounded very relieved.
"Is something wrong?" asked Mai, after locating the hold button. She paused, her finger hovering over it.
The client laughed. "Oh I'd just heard that there was a really rude person working there who didn't listen to people very well, and rarely helps, but talking to you is a relief." She sighed. "Or am I not in the clear yet?"
It was Mai's turn to laugh. "Oh he's not that bad. Well, maybe he is. But anyway. I'll transfer the call to his line." She pressed the hold button and knocked on Naru's office's door. "Naru, there's a person the line who would like to speak to you."
There was no response. Not even movement, so she opened the door. Naru was sitting at his desk. He had headphones on.
Naru listening to music? No. There had to be a more work-related answer. It couldn't have been music. She tapped his desk and was glad she had a chance to laugh before she walked in because she felt much better. He looked up, and clicked a button on his computer. Removing the headset he asked, "What do you want?"
Although it wasn't much of a question. It was more of a demand. She couldn't help what kind of a person would spread around rumours about Naru's attitude. Probably a client that he wouldn't listen to. Then again, there was probably was no problem with the places he ended up declining anyway. Mai grumbled a bit. "What were you doing?" she asked. There had to be a work-related reason to what he had been doing.
"I was listening to a book on CD. If I can listen to it, I can use my computer and research at the same time." he said. Mai couldn't believe that he could actually focus on both things at the same time to be able to get something out of both of them. "What do you want?" Again, he could have been polite. But that was a lost battle for now.
Whatever. "There's someone on the line that wants to talk to you." she said and walked out, resolving to get something to eat. As she was fixing a snack, Naru walked out of his office, and into Lin's.
Once she had finished snaking, she was about to pull out the poem and work on it more, when Naru walked out of Lin's office.
"Mai." he said, and she looked up to an unreadable expression. What on earth? How was anyone supposed to be able to tell what he was thinking? "Call everyone. Tell them to be here tomorrow morning at 10." that was a surprise. Why so late? Wasn't it usually around 7?
Apparently her surprise was noted. "It's later, because you always find some way to be late."
Grumbling she set to her task, and picked up the small laminated card she wrote down everyone's numbers on. Well, it wasn't laminated, just taped with packing tape. Lucky she did too... you could see traces of multi-coloured liquid on the cracks between pieces.
She started at the top with Takigawa. Not that she called him that. He earned the nickname Bou-san, and it was staying, similar to Naru, but only she called him Bou-san. He didn't take much time, although he had to ask about the uncommon arrival time. Mai would never tell him why so she just said that she didn't know.
Ayako was next. She took a bit longer. She wanted to know about the case. Mai couldn't help with that, so Ayako finally gave up asking. She did, however, agree to come even without any information.
Masako took very little time. She said she was very busy and didn't have time to talk, but once Mai said Naru wanted her help on a new case, she was all ears. Although apparently she really was busy because she had to leave right away anyway.
John couldn't help. He said that if he could, it wouldn't be for at least a few days, because he didn't feel well. Mai wished him well, and hung up.
She looked at the clock. She really didn't so much here, did she? Naru said that she was filling a position of someone who left, but she never heard anything about that person, and couldn't imagine anyone else the office actually needing someone to do the job.
Ahh, but if I'm getting paid for it, there's no downside to it, right? She thought. Before she got the job she would sit at home being bored, and afterwards? She sat at the office getting tea for others occasionally, getting paid, and being bored.
Maybe not that big of a change. But now she also had a good reason to skip school. Not that that helped her situation with Naru either. But if he really wanted her to study hard and such, he wouldn't ask her to work during the time she was supposed to be at school. At least that's what she thought.
After assembling all the equipment, and organizing rides (Mai with Naru and Lin, Takigawa driving Masako and Ayako), they were going to leave. But Masako couldn't stand the arrangement.
"Oh Mai, Takigawa wanted to talk to you. It would be a much better chance if you went with him." She said, and looked at Naru. Mai turned to see Takigawa was out of earshot loading Ayako stuff, meaning he couldn't say that wasn't true. Supposing that it wasn't, that is, and that Masako was just trying to go with Naru.
Naru looked at the two of them for a moment. Then Mai decided it wasn't that bad of an idea. Considering how talkative Naru was, and how pleasant his company was, it wasn't worth being near him. "Okay. I guess so." the only reason she didn't really want Masako to go was jealousy. But hey, if she wanted such an uncomfortable situation, whatever.
Naru looked at Mai, as she walked over to where Takigawa was complaining to Ayako about heavy bags ("Is it all really important? Come on I'm sure you don't need anything in here!" (slap) "Don't you even think about opening it! It's my stuff! I'll bring what I want!") "Hara-san, We're going." Masako frowned at this. Always Hara-san. She wanted the same as Mai, to be called by first name. She also wondered why Mai accepted it so easily. Did she actually believe that Takigawa had to talk to her?
Mai walked with her bag to Takigawa, and smiled. "Masako wants to go with Naru. So I'm over here." Ayako laughed.
"I thought you liked Naru! You just let her take the trip with him?" Mai blushed a bit, and was too flustered to answer.
Takigawa just laughed. "No, he's a bore. He never talks about anything besides work. And in the rare cases when he does, you wish he didn't. Let's get your bag in here, and lets go."
When they arrived at the location of the case, Naru was just ahead of them. It was a large house in on the countryside. Waiting outside was a woman, who was not as old as Mai had imagined (if it was the person she talked to on the phone), with deep red hair tied back in a light blue ribbon. She wore all deep colours. She had a brown skirt and a navy jacket. Her eyes were a pale shade of blue, more like a grey, with a dark grey outline. She smiled and waved, so Mai returned it.
She walked out to the street. And introduced herself to Naru. "My name is Noon Hope, and I moved here from North America about a year ago. I started a little Inn type thing with two friends here. And even though it seems we're out of the way, people do stop in all the time. In fact, in the past week, people have been much more frequent." She motioned to a dirt parking lot, which was nearly full. It had about 15 places, and there was only 3 or so not filled. "We're a bit busy, but that makes this more important."
Noon counted in her head for a moment. Naru looked over the building. "We need a room to set up our equipment in." Noon nodded again, and thought carefully.
"Our rooms are designed for 2 or 3 people each. Never more than that. So if you need a room to work, We have two 2-person rooms, and one 3. One will have to be for your equipment, so then someone will have to stay in that room." she thought for a moment. "I'll show you inside."
The group followed Noon through the inn. There were chairs in random little corners, with lights. Many were occupied by a person reading. They walked down the hall until they came up to a staircase. On the second floor, they got the rooms closest to the staircase. Also closest to the breakfast room so they could go right to it first thing.
"I saved them for you. Although I intended to save a few more, as I said, guests came." Naru chose the room in the middle, one of the two person rooms, to be for the base. He then decided that he would stay in the base. Lin was not pleased at having to stay with one of the others, and Naru had to stay with him in the other 2-person room.
"Mai, you're with Masako and I. Let Takigawa stay in the base." Ayako said, opening the door to the 3-person room.
Takigawa scoffed. "No, let Mai stay in the base. She's probably going to fall asleep in there anyway. She usually does. Besides, she works when she sleeps." Mai grumbled, and was about to complain, when Masako spoke up.
"That sounds like a good arrangement. I need to get my stuff now. Please excuse me." She said covering her mouth with the sleeve of her Kimono.
Noon clapped her hands. "Then it's all worked out!" She gave out keys to Naru and Ayako. Mai was about to take the key to her room, when Naru grabbed it.
"It's still base." he said and went downstairs, followed by Lin.
Takigawa laughed at Mai. "Well, now don't you feel comfortable! You won't be able to get into your room all the time, and even if you lock it, he can still get in." Ayako laughed too. They retreated to the car for their bags as well.
Noon smiled. "Such a nice bunch. I hope you guys can get this figured out. She pulled out another key, and opened the room for Mai. "This is the master key. I don't know if I should give it to you, but I have another master key, so I'll be okay. Just don't let anyone else get it, and don't abuse it okay?" Mai nodded, and accepted the key.
"Thank you! I'm Mai Taniyama." She held out her hand to have it shaken.
Noon did so. "You're the one I talked to first right? Well now I'm really okay about letting you have it. Oh and I wouldn't tell your boss about that key." she said with a wink. "Oh look who's here." Mai put the key in her pocket right away.
Naru was back. Lin was behind him holding one of the shelves. Naru opened the door to Mai's room. "Ms. Hope, is there anyway we can have some of this furniture moved out? To make room?" Noon nodded. "I need everything out. "
Noon frowned. "Ahh, Mr. Shibuya, is your assistant not sleeping in here? Can we leave one of the single beds for her?" She asked in Mai's defence. Ayako and Takigawa returned with their stuff, but neither one opened the door to their room.
Naru shook his head. "Although if you have a fold out couch, that would work." Noon nodded and walked away. Lin set the shelves on the ground. Naru looked at Mai for a moment, then to Takigawa, then Ayako.
"Are you going to go get equipment?" he asked. Though it sounded much more like 'go get equipment'. Masako reached the top of the stairs with her stuff and took the key from Ayako, and went in.
"Hey!" Ayako called after, folowing her into the room. Naru turned aand walked into the base.
Mai helped bring in the equipment. By the time she had brought one load in, Noon had brought 7 people (4 maids, and 3 guests) to help clear out the room. The next time Mai was back, there was a couch in the corner and the shelves were set. She began to set up the monitors. It was about 1:30, so she decided the next trip was for her stuff. She put her suitcase on the couch. One of the maids brought in a pillow and a blanket for her. She put this on the couch too.
"My name is Yue, and this is my floor, so if you need anything..." She looked around. "Well, anything that still fits in here, I'll be the one to call." She sighed and shook her head. "Not very nice of him to refuse a proper bed."
Mai shrugged. "Its okay, At least I'll be on my own." Then it occurred to her that Naru would probably be working late into the night, on a computer... with a bright screen... And Lin, who knows when he would sleep.
The maid shrugged. "Well, anyway. Just holler, and I'll be here." Just then a voice down the hall called out for Yue. "...Like that. Don't be shy, that's how it works here, okay?"
Takigawa, Lin and Naru entered with the last of the monitors and cameras. Naru spoke up, seeing Mai doing nothing. "Mai, go get temperatures."
She looked up. " But how will I get into the rooms? All of them are full!" he shrugged and she wandered out with her clipboard. The key... She would knock, and if no one answered, she would use the key. But Noon had trusted her...
Mai talked to Noon, and she got permission to enter all the rooms, after knocking twice and counting to 10.
It wouldn't be so bad, right? she thought. Her mind strayed to was what she would do if Naru and Lin worked all night. Then her poem came to mind. She would work on that! But all night..?