A/N: I hope you enjoy! Get ready to meet a new character! I'm sorry if it's a bit messy!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt.
[Not Edited]
-oOo-
"Master, who do I have to read these boring books about curses? It's not like I'm gonna join you and Senior Big Brother in exorcising evil!" A ten-year-old old brunette complained while carelessly holding an old book.
"Foolish girl! Don't you dare damage my book! That was passed down to me by my master! It's decades older than you, you sprout!" An old man wearing priest robes scolded her as he snatched the book from the girl's hand.
He blew and pat the surface of the book gently and glares at the girl with his menacing eyes. This girl was the granddaughter of his best friend and he learned that she's having trouble with her psychic abilities so he took in to train her. But who would've known that this young sprout would be a headache. She always thinks about money and business. She wouldn't even listen to him. He planned to make this girl his inner disciple because of her abilities but this girl is as stubborn as a bull! This is the reason why she remained as his unofficial disciple.
He is Fang Yuan Zheng, a Daoist priest that goes around the country to exorcise demons and ghosts. He's best in his field but he was never blessed with obedient disciples. His sole successor, Mu Lin Yuan is very talented and studious but he's so introverted! He's knowledgeable but he wouldn't step out of the temple to help him in their job! What's th point of his brain if he wouldn't even use it to help people?!
And this girl, a half-Japanese and Half-Chinese descendant of the Xias, is so stubborn that he might die from educating her! He helped her, Taniyama Mai, control her dreams after teaching her meditation and help from a trusted doctor. She's pretty timid before when she was struggling with her abilities but after her problem was solved, she focused her attention to business and ignored him!
And it pains Fang Yuan Zheng to see that girl improving in business class than in his lessons! Yeah, she's a genius like his successor but why is her interest different from him?! He is mostly calm and elegant but when it comes to his two disciples, his prestige that he had earn for many decades crumbled in just a matter of seconds!
'The gods must be punishing me!'
"Mai, you have psychic abilities and you can't escape the supernatural world. Sooner or later, something will be targeting you or your loved ones! You need to read this to protect yourself and the people you want to protect!" Fang Yuan Zheng answered but the little girl just shrugged at him while his dear successor didn't step in to help him. Fang Yuan Zheng can almost feel his veins bursting and had the urge to smack his disciples.
"I know spells. I can protect everyone!" Mai answered smugly and crossed her arms.
"What if it's some kind of curse and it can't be stopped by even the most powerful spells once activated?!"
"Then I'll just stop it before the activation." Mai answered like it was so obvious but her answer was met with a smack on the head.
"Ow!" Mai complained as she rubbed her aching head and glared at her teacher.
"What stop?! You don't even know what the curse is! How can you stop it! You're just a bean sprout and you don't know anything! How can you protect yourself from paranormal when you're brain is filled with Economics and business strategies?! You foolish brat!" Fang Yuan Zheng screamed at the top of his lungs as he harshly poked Mai's tender cheeks.
After Fang Yuan Zheng's outburst, Taniyama Mai and Mu Lin Yuan was punished to copy 200 scriptures in the temple. As for Mu Lin Yuan's sin, he had sinned by just doing nothing. Realizing that his superior reputation crumbled again, he added 100 extra books for them to copy. Mai and Lin Yuan wanted to scream at him and tell him it's unfair. But who told them to have a childish and unreasonable master?
-oOo-
"MAI!" Naru screamed in panicked as he watched the whole ceiling covering the girl his heart yearns. He had just pulled out Masako from below but he didn't have the time to save Mai. His heart beat like drums inside his chest. His eyes are searching for the familiar figure as the temperature dropped frantically due to his activated PK.
'No. No. Not again. Mai..'
He saw a hand covered with broken cements and metals. He began to worry and prayed for her safety. He felt like his heart is gonna burst in just a matter of few seconds. His whole body is burning hot as he jumped down to get the girl out of those broken ceiling. Concentrating his PK around the girl, the debris covering the body floated and slammed them to the wall. His heart tightened at the sight of Mai's bleeding body. He ran towards her and gently hugged the girl's frame.
"M-Mai, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Wake up. Mai!"
Masako's eyes widened as she watched Naru's PK first hand. She had watched his PK demonstration from when he was young but it's still enchanting to watch it personally. But what's more surprising is witnessing Naru lost control of his emotions. The proud narcissist of SPR is now stuttering and begging for a girl to wake up. Masako didn't know if Naru noticed it himself but he is crying right at this moment as he hugged Mai's body.
Masako was hurting as she watch this touching scene but she's more worried for her friend who is bleeding. She kneeled down and tried to calm Naru down to put out his PK.
"Naru! Naru! You have to calm down. Some people will be here at any moment and would discover you using your abilities! Naru, please calm down. We still need to bring Mai to the hospital!"
Masako cursed when Naru's not listening. Masako heard someone coming and turned around to see who is it. She saw Lin and Bou-san coming towards them. Behind them is the rest of SPR together with Yasu. They must have felt something wrong when the whole floor collapsed. Seeing that Naru's PK is still not calming, she directly run towards them to stop them.
"Stop! Please! Don't go yet." Masako pleaded as she spread her arms to stop them.
"What happening, Masako?! We heard something coming from here—" Bou-aan asked but Lin, who saw Masako's signal, pushed his way out and rushed towards the room. The rest wanted to follow but Masako blocked the way.
"Masako, why are you blocking us?! What happened in there?!" Ayako asked but Masako just repeatedly told them not to go. They continued to ask but she had not answered a single question.
Lin was stunned to see levitating objects inside the damaged room. He ignored the fact that the whole floor collapsed and jumped in to rush and stop Naru's PK. He heard Naru quivering and whispering a chant of 'wake up' and 'I'm sorry' to Mai. The ever stoic Lin was even dumbfounded to see Naru's tears. But no matter how surprised he was, he need to stop this PK before the rest of SPR saw this situation. He knew Masako wouldn't last long in stopping them. Lin quickly snatched Mai's frame from him and slap the hell out of him.
"What are you doing, just sitting here?! Mai's life is in danger but all you do is cry?! Where did your rational genius brain go?!" Lin angrily scolded his charge as Naru stared at him in shock. The floating objects around them suddenly fell and the temperature went back to normal. Lin screamed for Bou-san when Naru's PK was withdrawn.
"What the heck?!" Ayako exclaimed the moment she saw the room. Yasu and John gasped with her as Bou-san stared suspiciously.
"Bou-san, please take Mai and quickly call an ambulance." Lin called their attention and lift Mai to their feet. Bou-san gently hugged Mai's body and ran towards the exit with the worried Yasu, John and Ayako. Mai's body was bleeding so anyone couldn't help but worry for the girl.
As what Lin expected, Naru also collapsed seconds after Mai was rescued. Masako cried worriedly as Lin performed CPR on the unconscious teen. When his breathing came back, he got him out of that room and followed the rest with Masako.
The scene of two people being carried out unconscious made a commotion inside the school. Ayako began checking Mai's wounds while Lin snatched the portable defibrillator and used it on Naru. The actions performed by the two are fluid and knowing. One look and anyone would notice that they had done these procedures before. The others are still confused by all of this but they knew those questions can be answered later. For now, they need to take their friends to the hospital.
Seeing the students crowding the ambulance to see what happened, Bou-san, John and Yasu decided to stay and handle the situation in school. Masako also stayed to explain what happened a while ago. She knew that her friends will be having a headache speaking to the principal and that teacher after knowing what happen to one of their rooms. Two people were sent to the hospital; one suffers from multiple cuts and concussions while the other went into a sudden cardiac arrest.
Mai woke up finding herself in a hospital room. Her whole body is aching like she had been hit by truck. She also can't move her injured shoulder and arm because of the bandages. Her head is also throbbing painfully.
"Are you awake?"
Mai whipped her head to the side and saw Naru looking at her expressionlessly. He was holding a opened black notebook in hand. It was so surprising to see him in a white hospital clothes. Though he's handsome in white, Mai preferred him in black. His bed is just a meter away from her.
"I'm fine but why are you in a hospital clothes? Did something happened to you?" Mai asked but deep inside her heart, she already knew the answer.
"Anemia." Naru lied with a straight face.
Mai just look at him for a second before gazing at her hand. It was stabbed by a needle. Her eyes traced the tube connected to the needle and saw that the bag is still filled with IV fluid. She sighed knowing that she'll be staying here for a few days. Remembering her previous dream about her mentor and senior brother, she smiled and look beside her.
"Is my phone around?" Mai asked as Naru moved and get her phone from the table beside him.
"Here."
Mai got her phone and quickly opened it. She scrolled through her contacts. Once she found the number of her senior brother, she pressed 'call' and waited for the international call to be connected. She hoped her senior brother's phone has signal right now.
"Naru, how is the case going?" Mai asked him while waiting.
"After the incident a few hours ago, the principal got angry and cancelled the investigation. Lin, Masako and Yasu tried to persuade the principal and Matsuyama-sensei but they wouldn't listen to anything they say. I think the team is currently packing up our stuff there. " Naru answered.
"What?! And you agreed?" Mai asked, surprised that this boss didn't do anything to stop them.
"I don't have the strength to reason with some jerks."
"But—"
"Hello? Mai'er?" A foreign language sounded from Mai's cellphone. It's a man's voice. Naru narrowed his eyes and felt a sting in his heart. Mai was elevated to hear her senior brother's voice. She's really lucky that he is currently in a place with signal.
"Senior Brother! It's me! How are you doing?" Mai greeted the man using the same language he used.
"Fine. Why'd you call me?" The man on the other end of the call asked bluntly. He isn't the type that beats around the bush.
"Well, we have a case and we're no where near the end of it! Please help us!"
"Okay. Tell me about your case and turn this call in to a video call."
"Okay. But I have a companion with me and so please speak in English since you're not proficient in Japanese." Mai answered and turned it into a video call. Mai went beside the jealous Naru, which she never noticed and set her phone in a tripod. After arranging it's angle and location, she sat beside Naru and waited for the connection.
"Naru, we'll be talking to my senior brother. He's a Chinese sorcerer and he might help us in solving the case." Mai said but Naru just growled and laid his eyes to his notebook.
"It's useless. They already kicked us out and —"
"No way! Yasu is part of that school and that place is cramped with lingering spirits! What if my best friend got hurt because of those spirits?! I'll never forgive myself if that happens. His mom will kill me!" Mai cuts him off angrily and shivers at the thought of Yasu's mom. She can be quite scary when she's angry. Not even her husband can do anything against her if that happens. Mai smiled when she saw her senior brother's handsome face on her cellphone screen.
"Senior Brother! You've gotten quite handsome the last time we met!" Mai teased him and giggled happily. She spoke in English for Naru to understand.
"Well not as handsome as the lad beside you! Is he your boyfriend? Why didn't you introduced him to me and Master the last time you come home for New Year's? Master would be upset if you didn't tell him anything." Mu Lin Yuan teased back making Naru and Mai blush at the same time.
"Senior Brother! We are not in a relationship!" Mai retorted but Mu Lin Yuan just tilted his head and frown at her. He is clearly not believing what his junior sister said.
"But you're wearing the same shirt la.."
"You silly! This is a pair of hospital clothes! Don't go on assuming things!" Mai scolded him while covering her face.
"Eh?! You're thrown to the hospital again?! You're going to get a long scolding from Master again!" His voice was still teasing but his face is a bit worried.
"Hey! I'm fine! And don't you dare tell Master about this! I'll hear the end of it. Now back to the case—"
Mai began explaining the case to Mu Lin Yuan while Naru added some things to her explanation. Mai was a bit stunned to hear that Masako had the same vision as her. When Naru and Mai finished their report, they waited for Mu Lin Yuan's judgement. The older guy nodded his head after a while.
"It sounds like a Spirit Kodoku to me."
Naru flinched as he heard Mu Lin Yuan's sentence. He mulled over things and the more he thinks about it, the more he thought it's possible.
"So it's a curse?" Mai asked as her senior brother nodded at her.
"This is what you get for not listening Master, Mai'er. You would've known that this is a curse at first glance if you read more books that Master gave you." Mu Lin Yuan taunted her playfully as he made face on the camera.
"Shut up, you nerd!" Mai growled as Mu Lin Yuan adjusted his phone. The video schooled a little. Mai saw him sitting down and noticed books scattered all around the room he is in. He must've been in his private apartment hiding from Master. He does that every time he didn't like going out. Mu Lin Yuan is really introverted.
"For Mai to understand what we're talking about, Kodoku is an ancient magical curse that came from China. Unlike other curses, Kodoku curses employ living creatures. A common instrument for this curse are insects called Kinsan. However this curse can also use other insects like centipedes, snakes and so on. The conjurer will bury a pot filled with insects and wait for a few months before they unearthed it. The last surviving insect will be the one that they would use in a curse. The insect can bring prosperity to the conjurer but they had to make a human sacrifice as a price for it. If the conjurer couldn't take care of that insect then he would have to cast the insect together with the riches it brought and wait for someone to carry the insect." Naru explained as Mu Lin Yuan clapped his hands for him.
"This method is also used as a method to get rid of enemies! The conjurer's target wouldn't know about the curse so if he took the treasure that insect brought, then he would be devoured by it! I remember now! It's the Dowry Insect!" Mai exclaimed and clapped her hands in understanding.
She remembered her master telling her about a story of Kodoku when she's a child. Her master knew Mai would be bored reading scrolls all day long so he read it to her as a bed time story. But thinking about it now, it's a bit cruel of her master to make a gruesome tale into a child's bedtime story. Mai understand now why children are afraid of Fang Yuan Zheng. Thank god she's a bit abnormal, or else she would've died in fear with her Master's upbringing.
"Master had get rid of a Kodoku before right? But instead of spirits, the instrument used was snake. How did he solved it?" Mai asked as Naru listened to them. He's also waiting for what Mai's Senior Brother will say. It's his first time meeting an sorcerer beside Lin so he's a bit curious about his answer.
"He tracked the conjurer and erased his memories about the curse using hypnotism. Then he sealed that snake using a special spell exclusive only to our sect." Mu Lin Yuan answered making Mai a bit excited.
"What's the spell? Tell me!"
"It's a spell used by the direct disciples of our sect. You're not a direct disciple of Master so it's impossible for you to learn it."
"What?!"
"It's your fault, AGAIN, for not accepting Master's offer of direct discipleship. And we're talking about spirits here. It would be better if we just get rid of it but you said that it would just escape if you planned to exorcise it. So in other words, you have not capable in defeating it."
"Are there any other way? Come on, think! Your favourite Yasuhara will be in danger if that curse was activated!"
"Ah-Su? He's in that school as well?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm. There are two ways to release a Kodoku. One is to transfer it to someone. Two is to agree to carry it—"
"But we can't do that!" Mai interrupted him. Her voice is slowly raising.
"Well, that's the only method I knew. Your case is pretty rare nowadays so I don't have many record about it except for Master's case. You hit a jackpot this time, Mai'er. A regular Kodoku is hard to find in this era much less a Kodoku using spirits. But I'm more curious about the target of the conjurer and the conjurer himself. You said the students unknowingly summoned spirits using Orikiri-sama, a Ouija boarding. What did he wish the curse to do? And seeing that the school is used as a place for this type of curse, he must have a grudge against this school." Mu Lin Yuan shrugged.
"We suspect Tomoaki Sakauchi-san to be the suspect for the spread of Orikiri-sama. As for his target, we don't know yet." Naru answered and closed his notebook after writing down all that they discussed.
"I want to look at the Orikiri-sama. Mai'er, do you have a copy?" Mu Lin Yuan asked.
"No. I haven't seen it yet so I ordered Yasu to get a copy for me but since I ended in the hospital, I never had the chance to look at it. Yasu probably have gotten a copy now. Wait, I'll email him. Naru, can I borrow you laptop?" Mai asked as Naru gave her his. Mai quickly logged in and tried to video call Yasu.
"So your name is Naru? It's amazing to see a boss of a paranormal this young. Genius. You're probably a year or two older than Mai'er. Does she always bring you trouble?" Mu Lin Yuan took this chance to talk to Naru while Mai's busy with her calls. He noticed how this young lad look at her unofficial junior sister and although Mai denied his claim a while ago, this young man definitely had some feelings for Mai'er.
"Yes. But she's useful in the office. How long have you known Mai, Mr. Mu?" Naru asked politely after confirming that there is not special relationship between Mai and him. Mu Lin Yuan is just Mai's senior brother.
"Master got her when she was just six, maybe? Her dad just died in an accident and her mom's a bit unstable so Master too her to the temple. Her face was a bit pleasant and cute when she was a child but she's so stubborn and troublesome. Our temple was usually quite but it was turned upside down after she came." Mu Lin Yuan chuckled as he reminisce.
He remembered how irritated he was every time Mai made a noise while he's reading. She also angers Master regularly— at least ten times a day. While Mai's busy talking to Yasu and the rest of SPR, Mu Lin Yuan began to share Mai's silly childhood to Naru. The teenager was so excited that he even wrote all of Mu Lin Yuan's words in his daily journal. The latter enjoyed the look on Naru's face and was relieved by this.
He and his Master performed a divination on Mai and discovered that she would be alone and miserable in this lifetime if all she thinks about is money and someone else's dreams. They were greatly alarmed by this so they found a man that would be with her but who would've thought that the man they picked would aim for Mai's inheritance. He even had the guts to cheat on her! They were relieved when Mai broke up with that bastard. It's not like Mai loved that guy anyway.
"I had sent you the picture. And I don't know if it's bad news or what." Mai suddenly interrupted their conversation with a grim face. Mu Lin Yuan opened his laptop and clicked on Mai's email. He was a bit surprised but his normal lukewarm expression returned after a few seconds.
"'On orikiritei meiritei meiwaya shimarei speaks.' Do they use this incantation to invoke the curse?"
"Yes. Yasu also said that they have to use the paper once and bury it under a shrine to complete the ritual. Gosh! The students are doing something dangerous this time!" Mai grumbled as she scratched her head in aggravation.
"What do you mean?" Naru asked them curiously while looking at the picture on his laptop screen.
"Young man, this is a cursed charm for murder. 'For dementia, the crossroads. For murder, under the shrine.' Although they used a variety of languages to make this one, it's definitely a curse charm. I'll send you some pictures of most used curse charms in the past." Mu Lin Yuan said as his fingers danced on his laptop keyboard. After a few minutes, Mai's account received an email. That email numerous pictures of curse charms the temple had collected.
"As you can see, the format is the same despite the different characters. I remember a single book that contains something like this. He must've read that book and learned this method. He also took advantage that the school was bounded by Kekkai barrier resulting to this Spirit Kodoku. That suspect... Mr. Sakauchi, right? I must say, he's a genius! It's a pity he's devoured. He's qualified to be a shiki. But what's more pitiful is this person. There is at least hundred of curses targeting him." Mu Lin Yuan shook his head and sighed.
"Who's written on paper?" Naru asked as Mai pointed the veiled name on the Orikiri-sama.
"On the right side of the person figure on the middle, a phrase in Sanskrit is written there. It says, 'Write the name of the cursed victim here.' Beside it says 'Hideki Matsuyama'. I think Sakauchi-san used this characters to hide this name and make it look like a normal Ouija board." Mai translated as Naru wrote what she had said. He's not a bit surprised about it but his brows are furrowed. Naru clearly understands that this case is very dangerous.
"On the left side, it tell us the age of the victim. Both age and complete name is needed for the curse to find its target. The phrase is written in Kanji. Can you read it?" Mai asked but Naru shook his head.
"I'm terrible at reading Kanji."
"It says, '53 years old this year'. That's about his age." Mai answered as Naru nodded. They didn't notice how close their face are. And they didn't noticed Mu Lin Yuan taking a ton of screen shots of them. He's planning to use it to appease his master and escape from his long sermons.
"Did you inform Yasu and the others about this?"
"Yes. Fortunately, Lin-san noticed the Orikiri-sama on Yasu's hand and immediately recognized it. He told them it's a curse charm by the time we realized that the school is under a Spirit Kodoku. I explained our own founding and they're waiting for your instructions. What will you do now, Naru? Are you really going to leave this case?" Mai asked, almost pleading Naru not to say yes.
Naru was a bit stunned seeing Mai's limpid and begging eyes. When he noticed how close their face are, he quickly turned away and coughed. He might've turned away to hide his blush but his ears are still red. Mai was surprised by his actions but she realized what's happening when she saw Naru's red ears. Mai slapped her face and distance herself from Naru.
"Che. It's good to be young la.." Mu Lin Yuan's voice came from the phone's speaker, interrupting the ambiguous mood inside the hospital room. Mai glared at the screen as Naru cleared his throat to calm down.
"Tell Lin to go to the principal and tell him all of this. We're going to continue this case. I'm going to the doctor discharge myself." Naru told Mai and stood up from his bed.
"Young man, have you thought of a solution?" Mu Lin Yuan asked him curiously. He's very interested in the solution this young man have.
"I have but I have to confirm this to our Onmyouji before taking action." Naru answered as Mu Lin Yuan clapped excitedly.
"Great! You have your own Onmyouji! I thought Mai would force me to fly there right this instance if you don't have someone to help you! I don't want to go out." Mu Lin Yuan said and laughed in an evil manner. Mai sighed at this sight and face palmed.
"You really have a solution, Naru? You can save Yasu?" Mai asked as Naru nodded. The young man knew that if he reject this case once more, Mai will go on her way to stop this curse. And although he's jealous of Yasu, he's not that cruel to let him die.
"I will handle everything. Just stay here and rest." Naru told her as he gather his clothes.
He heard Mai's sigh of relief as he went to the bathroom to change. There are many thoughts running on his mind. He never knew Mai was thought by a Daoist priest. She was trained but she never told them. He's a bit angry but he's glad that he knew now. Nd he even have a bonus given by Mu Lin Yuan. Naru smiled and look at himself in the mirror.
'Soon. Soon, Mai. I'll tell you everything. So could you allow me to know everything about you too?'