Understanding

Chapter 1

Knowledge was the only thing she was good at. Being able to solve simple math equations that others would find difficulty upon, clicking the pieces of real-life puzzles together, and just merely being able to know the history of each and every monster they came across for her was just a breeze. It wouldn't take a genius to know why everyone in the group always turned to her when they encountered a problem. She'd be the one to solve it, of course. And what made her wits truly remarkable was that she was able to solve everything that came into her way.

But why couldn't she solve this?

Vivi felt like banging her head repeatedly on the table as she continued to stare at her notes, which was mainly consisted of rushed scribbles and multiple doodles. She took a bite out of her doughnut, eyes transfixed on the paper as she continued to gather everything she had written down. She remembered grabbing her notebook the moment they had left that mansion a week ago and had written everything she remembered encountering. It was too bad that her hands didn't work as fast as her mind did.

Arthur picked at his breakfast, bored out of his mind. He had been rather quiet ever since the mansion incident, and it wasn't a surprise as to why he wasn't talking right now. Vivi didn't depend on his take of it anymore, anyway. Mystery had to be left outside because of the restrictions of animals inside the building. It didn't matter, though, because his collar was connected to a chain that was held by the side of a rail.

She then glanced at a doodle she made of the ghost that had chased them back at the mansion. For some reason, he seemed to resemble someone she knew. Who he resembled was something she couldn't remember. But how can that be? She didn't know many people, besides of all the monsters and ghosts they had encountered in the past and of the acquaintances she had made by then. But the way his hair was styled and of the heart he had really drew in some recognizable traits...

"Vivi, are you done yet?" Arthur asked, dropping his fork on the plate in front of him. "We've been here for half an hour. You'd be, like, done by now, right?"

"And you still haven't finished your food," She commented as she motioned towards the plate full of eggs in front of him that remained untouched.

"Well, neither have you." Arthur crossed his arms, giving his friend a look. She merely shrugged.

"I'm working on it. Right now, I'm focusing on trying to figure out who that ghost was."

"Vivi, drop it," Arthur stated in a flat tone. "I doubt we'll be going back there anytime soon, and if you can't recognize him now, then you never will."

"Arthur, through all the investigations we ran, we ALWAYS knew who was the supposed 'ghost' or 'monster'," Vivi commented, using finger quotations. "What if this 'ghost' is just someone under a mask like the others!?"

"What would it matter to you?" Arthur asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Because!" Vivi exclaimed before slumping in her seat. "I...I always know the reason behind things."

Arthur arched one of his eyebrows, giving her a look. Vivi ignored this as she shook her head, taking another bite of her doughnut.