Playtime (self-insert #2)

Chapter 4

"'Minnie brought him here'?" I shivered. "You know, that's exactly why I don't like dolls. They're too sinister."

"What's with this house?" Ayako burst out. "What is it? Perhaps this house is famous in this area for being haunted."

"Do you think Minnie has something to do with it?" Bou-san ventured. "She did tell you that Minnie brought the invisible friend, right?"

"Yes." Mai nodded in confirmation.

"What do you think, Naru-chan?"

He took his time, pondering the question as much as he could. Bou-san brightened as another thought struck him. "I know! Maybe Minnie is possessed by a spirit and pretending to be all a doll? Whaddya think?"

Naru glanced at me. I shook my head. "You might be right. Do you want to take care of this, Monk-san?"

His smile was blinding. "Sure."

I shrugged to myself as we returned to base to prep. I mean, Naru knew what he was doing, right? Maybe?

"I do."

I jerked away from him. "You're not telepathic."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're practically oozing doubt."

Bou-san got to work right away, chanting with the innate confidence of someone who didn't know he was going to fail. Minnie sat opposite him, challenging him with her plastic painted-on smile. We all watched and waited as Ayako sat with Ayami as she slept.

"I don't like this. Something's going to happen." I fretted, striding back and forth and around the room. Naru glanced at me for a moment before turning his attention back to the monitors. I gave Minnie a hard look. "The exorcism isn't going to work."

A scream rang out through the air.

Mai, Naru and Bou-san rushed out, leaving me with Lin and Minnie. The latter beamed brilliantly. I scrabbled under my teal hijab to turn on my earpiece. "—ankle is dislocated." I heard Bou-san in the background.

"Naru?"

"Go and meet me in Ayami-chan's room." He replied. Zzz.

He and Mai were already there, Naru standing over her like an avenging spirit. "Ayami-chan. What's going on?" He demanded in a tone that allowed no pity. "Did Minnie cause this?"

Ayami had been sitting quietly on the edge of the bed with her head down, but at the mention of Minnie she looked up indignantly. "Where's Minnie?!" She demanded. I settled back for a Naru-Ayami showdown.

"I'm going to keep her for a while."

"Give her back!"

"How long has Minnie been talking?"

"Give her back! She's my friend..." She immediately shrank away from his icy glare. Tangling with Mai was one thing, but apparently arguing over a toy was another. I hid my smile.

Naru found nothing about this situation funny. "Ayami-chan, Noriko-san is hurt. Minnie did this to her, didn't she?" He watched her unforgivingly as she whimpered. "We're all in danger, is that what you wanted?"

I blinked as his voice rose. "Hey. Lay off." I advised him. If anything, that just irritated him even more.

"Ayami-chan."

"Stop it! I can't believe you'd make a little girl cry!" Mai snapped, pulling the teary-eyed Ayami into a protective hug. Naru looked coldly furious.

"That's not the issue here!"

"It is too the issue!"

"Guys!" I cut in sharply.