Just want to say sorry for the wait! HAHAHA!
~~~MAI~~~
"You don't see any spirits here?! What do you mean, Masako-chan?" Mai gaped, staring at the only psychic medium present. 'A psychic medium who don't see any spirits in a place filled with paranormal activity? How is that possible— is that even possible?!'
And apparently it is possible, as Masako lifts her sleeve. Probably a bit embarrassed at her failed performance. "It's not that I don't see any spirits at all —I do feel their presence." Masako says.
"But Akemi-sempai said she actually sees the spirits..." Mai pouts under her breath, side glancing the medium whose eyebrows twitched at the mention of the absent beauty.
The heiress was out to rest the moment John called that they were on the way. So Akemi must be out somewhere on a nearby hotel, sleeping in. 'Masako is the only one with the ability to see spirits with Akemi-sempai gone... so that means...'
"We're in trouble." Bou-san speaks out, standing on the corner of the room with his own troubled expression. Lifting his head only to ask a question directed to Naru. "Maybe we should call Akemi back here— What do you think, Naru-kun?"
Bou-san kept his gaze towards Naru, who ignored his question and kept his thoughts to himself. Bou-san felt a tear of sweat drip down his head at the sight of Naru's action.
"Ah, well maybe she's not at her best right now?" John speaks up in hopes to lighten up the mood, his question unknown unto who it pertains— but beside the young Catholic Christian Masako lets out a huff, ignoring Mai's pity glances.
"But you can feel if they exist here?" Their gazes moved towards Naru, whose voice was finally used after a while of silence from him.
"Yes," the medium nods, her gaze moving around the area as though the spirits would show itself to her if she were to look. "-I know that there are many spirits and I know where they are but I don't know what types of spirits are here. Usually I can see spirits more clearly but it's a similar feeling to when you're watching TV with bad reception, if you know what I mean..." Masako frowns at the show of an obstacle, not quite used to not seeing any spirits when she could actually feel their presence. It was uncomfortable to say the least.
Masako may be a psychic medium; quite adept with her skills but she knows her own strengths and weaknesses. Her type of psychic ability leans more towards Empathic Psychic, being able to see spirits with strong emotion— most she has encountered either held strong grudges or feelings that the dead have left behind in the living world. If the spirit were to float around without any emotion to ground itself or isn't flying around due to a grudge then it all comes off as a feeling for Masako. The psychic medium has never been good at communicating with spirits that float around,
'Wait so does Masako actually see spirits or not?' Mai pouted. 'I'm confused...'
"Well, since these spirits were summoned by Kokkuri-san, they may not hold any particular grudges. You're letting us down again, Masako." Bou-san sighs on where he stood. At his words, Masako turns a glacier glare directed at the monk.
The sudden change made Mai jump. 'She's scary...'
Naru remained quiet, thinking deeply on what to do.
~~~
AKEMI
Somewhere on a nearby hotel, Akemi rests on a soft bed in the middle of the room and woke up with a sudden cute baby sneeze. A vision plaguing her thoughts.
~~~MAI~~~
"Okay I understand..." The high school student drowsily mutters as she slowly woke up from her dream— once again meeting Dream Naru.
"What do you 'understand', Mai-chan~?" Mai jolts awake at the sudden voice, jumping out of her seat only to let out a deep breath when she was greeted with bright curious eyes. Eyes that belonged to a smiling Akemi; The heiress curiously blinking purple eyes to her junior, her upper body leaned forward close to Mai's face with her nude nail-polished fingers clasped behind her back.
With a wide teasing grin, Akemi said: "I'll let Naru know that you are slacking on the job~" in a sing-song tone, standing up straight to place her gear next to the vacant table making Mai blush at the heiress' teasing, the high schooler noticing Akemi's change in outfits.
Akemi mostly wore sophisticated elegance as her outfit but the heiress opted to being comfortable this time, noticing her large sized black hoodie over Akemi's hidden white dress with a skirt that flowed smoothly down towards the mid of her calf with black doll shoes. Her hair tied to an up-do,
Before Mai could ask about Akemi's sudden show up, the door to the room opens and Yasuhara joins in,
"Ah! Maruyama-san, it seems you're back." Yasuhara glances towards Mai before returning his beaming grin towards the newest comer. "Was she sleeping?" Yasuhara asks, pertaining to Mai.
"Yup!" The two smiled at each other. "And please, Akemi is fine."
"Sure thing, Akemi-san." Yasuhara nods, and Mai couldn't help but wince at the sudden brightness around the room with the two present. However, Mai pouts realizing the two were subtly making fun of her as Yasuhara takes a seat across Mai. "Mouh!"
"Why are you back here so early, sempai? And what's on the bag?" Mai asks Akemi, pulling out the chair beside her to let the heiress take a seat. Which Akemi gladly obliges,
"Oh, Naru told me that we would be trying to exorcise the spirits today— so I brought my gear with me..."
"Gear? What gear would you need?" The two high school students present were curious of course, as this was a first for both.
"My instrument and itoka uniform— well my late Aunt's actually, she'd always wear it on every exorcism or cleansing..." Akemi weakly smiles, "She said it is tradition that a Maruyama Shaman should uphold."
"Can I see?" Mai was eager to see but Akemi shook her head.
"Forgive me, Mai but no one but the shaman herself is allowed to touch the clothing or even see it without the intent of wearing and performing on it— it's to keep it clean and pure." Hoping to not offend the poor girl, Akemi adds- "Even the shaman or should I say me, need to cleanse our hands and whole body before touching the clothes."
Mai frowned at the hard work needed, all she wanted was to take a peek. "But why do all that? What does it mean?"
"Well, Itoka are often known as blind women married to a god of their calling, but my family took the tradition into heart and kept the belief in the Maruyama name. The clothes on the bag represents a bride, who should be pure and clean in the presence of her groom. We wouldn't want to be dirty and smelly on our wedding day, would we?" Akemi nudges Mai with her elbow, a small smile present on the heiress' lips as she explained her family belief.
"I guess so..." Mai nods, understanding Akemi's point before realizing what was said and widens her gaze. "Akemi-sempai, what god are you married to?"
Akemi innocently blinks at Mai's question, tilting her head with a thoughtful hum. "Me? I am not married to a spirit yet because I didn't quite finish my itoka training... My aunt died before I could finish— so I guess I'm just a bride without a groom? Tehee~" Mai blanched at Akemi's answer,
'Is... Is that even allowed?'
"You sure are a weird one, Akemi-san!" Yasuhara beams, laughing along as he listened to the conversation of the two females.
CREAK—!
"Well aren't you guys chummy!" Bou-san pokes his head inside the room as he opened the door, John following behind him. The two already finished at their failed attempt of light exorcism,
"Please Monk-san, we were just getting to the good part!" Yasuhara laughs while Akemi joined the boy's attempt of joking.
"We were hitting it off quite good too," the heiress elegantly smiles. Sending any male into cardiac arrest, but Bou-san and John were immune due to their practices. Good for them too.
"Oh! Akemi-bou! You sure are back early," Bou-san grins when he finally noticed Akemi's presence. He waltzed inside the room determined and overjoyed, patting the girl on the crown of her head.
"Hello to you too, Bou-san." Akemi chuckles, quite liking Bou-san's call to her. Akemi made sure to glance where John should be, "Hello John."
"How was your rest?" John asks as he tucks his sweater vest. "Good?"
Akemi nods, "Quite." Before her expression fixes itself to being serious. Just in time to have the other members follow in, their attempts to exorcise the spirits went futile as well. "But there is something you all should know,"
Akemi turns her head to speak to Yasuhara, "It's today, isn't it? A fire in the locker room?"
Yasuhara blinks at her question, until realizing that it was the twelfth day. "Yes, it is."
Akemi softly smiles, worried on what would happen. "It may not happen in the locker room this time."
"Eh?" Mai perked up from Akemi's words, her mouth gaping while her eyes watched Akemi's serious figure. 'Like in the studio...?'
At her words, the people in the room silenced. Knowing this is something they should focus on.
~~~AKEMI AND OTHERS~~~
"You're saying the spirits are eating each other?" Bou-san widen his eyes towards Akemi's direction, who was calmly sitting right where she was before. The fire in the broadcasting room happened just as how Akemi (and Mai) saw it. The high schooler only sharing her dream to Bou-san and Yasuhara, however after the fire incident the monk opted to tell how Mai actually dreamed of the fire, making Mai figure out the insured cameras by the end of it.
"Yes, it was quite disturbing... especially that one..." Akemi murmured though Naru heard of it.
"What one?" hearing his voice, Akemi turned to look to the side where Naru occupied the windows. Feeling his gaze touch her very soul.
"It's one of the spirits at the very center of the school building. All this time it has been— sleeping in some sorts to gain energy enough for it to finally... how should I say this— hatch?" Akemi paused in hesitation of her words, not quite sure how the wording should be but the next came quick. Words she spoke without a thought. "Once it has hatched, that means no one can stop it— it would be difficult for all us and if we leave it alone, it will continue to devour the remaining spirits and would grow stronger. In the end, all that'll remain will be the most powerful spirit ever."
"What do we do, Naru-chan?" Bou-san and the others were quiet, taking in all that Akemi has said to heart. The girl was rarely wrong with her visions or words— Naru's 1000 click tests proved of it in some way and she did the test 3 times with perfect scores.
And so all Bou-san could give was a sigh, glancing at the smart person they know, the only one with authority at this moment.
Mai and Yasuhara were currently absent on the meeting as Naru sent the two on an errand to get more information about the students using Kokkuri-san, but Mai didn't forget to leave without asking for Bou-san some chants in some way to protect herself— Mai unfortunately bumping into the rude teacher on her way around.
"We probably should wait a little on the exorcism," Naru sighs, not really liking on having to extend their stay at this school nor liking what Akemi has claimed. He however paused, hearing back on what was stated. "Akemi— what did you just say?"
The heiress blinked, "I have spoken a lot in these past minutes— what are you pertaining to?" Naru huffs his throat with a vacuous look in his face. Sending Akemi a look.
Akemi's innocent features lift up to a tight smile, repeating her last words. "It'll devour the remaining spirits, and all that will remain will be the most powerful spirit ever..."
The others were curious, watching the two especially how Naru's expression changed into realization. "That's it. Maybe this is..." the boy muttered to himself, glancing towards Lin, who was busy listening in on every camera sounds with headphones on.
"Is what?" the others asked, hating the suspense Naru was giving. 'For a man who likes to get his work done quickly, he sure is taking his time!' Ayako and the others thought to themselves.
"A spirit Kodoku." Naru says, gaining Lin's attention.
"A Kodoku...?"
Naru was going to speak, but the doors to the room once again opens for Yasuhara at that moment, a stack of notes in hands. "Am I interrupting something?" the student asks, noticing the grim faces in the room.
"No, what have you found?" Naru asks, walking to take a seat on the chair Mai sat earlier. The vacant seat next to Akemi, with the SPR desk in front of them and the others in their own positions and seats across the two. Lin was on the side of the room, facing his computers.
"I tried to trace the origin of Orikiri-sama at this school and I learned that Orikiri-sama appeared about two semesters ago." Taking out his notes, Yasuhara says: "There are two ways I think it could have gotten here. Either a freshman summoned it, or it was a student in the Art club and so it dawned on me that the late Sakauchi was in the Art club— now, of course there's no reason to think that it means anything, after all it's just one piece of the puzzle."
Naru and the others remained quiet, knowing there was more to this story.
Yasuhara continues, "It could mean something or nothing at all but it was less then two semesters ago that it began spreading among the freshmen or the Art students."
"It could be connected to the burial ground nearby," Akemi says and if what Naru has stated that the investigation could be a Kodoku, then it made more sense.
"Well, that would make sense." Bou-san breathes out, his arms moving to cross in front of his chest.
"Ah! I'm such an idiot! I didn't discover just one grave. The Ryokuryou ruins were once an entire Nara-Era cemetery!" Yasuhara beamed, ashamed to almost forgetting such an information. "Of course, the site of an ancient cemetery is bounded by Kekkai, so spirits are cursed to aimlessly wander in it. Normally, spirits can't escape because of Kekkai, but this is one way it could." Yasuhara could almost kneel down and thanked the books he has read just for this information alone, seeing such professionals nod at his words— Yasuhara was proud indeed.
"A student could— in theory, anyway, summon a spirit out. So that's the key to this mystery." John agrees, in some way the puzzle of the mystery was slowly being finished.
"That does make sense," Ayako hums.
"We didn't know that about this school, thank you Yasuhara-san~!" Akemi cheerily smiles towards Yasuhara's direction, truly glad he was with the team.
"Yes, we didn't know that information. Thank you." Naru's voice came off unenthusiastic but one could hear the genuine interest the case was starting to give him and despite how dismissive his looks were giving, Naru is genuinely greatful for having such company.
All was going well, and everything was slowly being revealed until they all heard Mai's scream for help and they were running out of the door.
Yet...
Unknownst to them, Akemi paused in her run, she was filled with worry for Mai's sudden screams but the two shadowy figures stood right in the middle of the hallway where the others passed through. The sight of them made the heiress halt and her sight started fading and coming.
'Oh no, not now...'
In the corner of her sight, Sakauchi's apparition could be seen and without a moments delay, Akemi made due to follow the ghost as he ran to see the perfect view of the chaos from the roof. "Sakauchi-kun, wait!"
She wanted answers and this case to be solved quite quickly if she can but Sakauchi kept his stride until the heiress finally reached the top. Roof top.
With baited breath, Akemi opened the rooftop door. Fortunate enough to not finding herself bumping over other students or tripping over the stairs while she went around the school without a guide, it was quite a work and it slowed Akemi down to a point.
She was a bit tired, having forgotten to eat as well but Akemi once more found herself strength and running in quick haste.
Scared at the sight of a ghastly huge spirit she met on the destination, its aura dark that it covered the afternoon light and engulfed her sight to be dim despite the wide open area— the smell of incense and smoky rotten meat disturbed her nostrils but she took it all in hopes to catch Sakauchi-san. The hairs all over her body and nerves of every senses warned her to leave.
Akemi felt cold shivers touch her spine but she managed to grab Sakauchi's hand, who was slowly being engulfed— muttering under her breath when it sent her spiraling to a vision just when she didn't need it to.
Akemi's hold of Sakauchi loosened from the sudden invasion of her abilities, leaving him being devoured while Akemi laid sitting on the roof with a daze look on her eyes.
Leaving her in a trance with whispers surrounding her ears.
"I'm not a dog."
"Akemi... Akemi..." the female shadowy figure walked up behind, wrapping her arms around Akemi.
"Akemi remember us..."
"I'm not a dog!"
"Akemi... see us..." The male shadowy figure knelt down beside the heiress. Both waiting for the girl to remember them.
Both waiting her to remember her parents.
~~~
Dun dun dun! :D Guess the two figures are finally revealed. Hehehe...
And so I'm back! I'm so sorry for the delay of chapters but I just really find this chapter a bit hard to do because I just really can't see where to place Akemi (added the fact that I'm not that excited about this case because of Mai's reaction towards Naru by the end of the case.). But not to worry, Forbidden Pastime is coming to a close soon!
if any, I am more excited about the Bloodstain Labyrinth. Oh boy do I have plans for Akemi! Muwahaha...
A/N: About Masako's psychic ability. I kinda changed it as to how I understood Masako's abilities where she is only able to SEE spirits when they have emotions to direct them such as grudges, pain or maybe an unfulfilled dream but if the spirits were like summoned out of a game like here on the forbidden pastime, then she wouldn't be able to SEE the spirits but she does FEEL them. (Because this actually happened in the Forbidden Pastime manga, where she really can't see the spirits but only Sakauchi who is the only one that has a grudge and he is the only one Masako sees, so I decided to have her abilities remain as so.) It could also explain why she can't see the spirits back on the School Nightmare because the spirits were summoned by someone and not an actually spirit with emotion.
While Masako is more on Empathy abilities. Akemi could see,hear, feel, smell EVERYTHING paranormal. She sees them as normal as someone looking around her surroundings. The paranormal world is kind of like where all of her senses are when in actuality her body is on the living world.