Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money (Ghost Hunt Fanfiction)

In Which: Mai Has Indigestion

Day Seven

10:30am

The Miyuki Theater

Mai paused, her foot on the bottom step of the theater stairs. She needed to collect her breath. Her thoughts.

Her shoes, soaked through, were a testament to the distracted rush she had been in since she left the outdoor theater. The inscription on the bench, the initials craved there. It had driven her through puddles, across the empty festival grounds. She had one destination. One person she had to see.

Mai adjusted her grip on the bouquet of roses held in her hand. It had been an after thought, but she was glad that flower vendor had caught her attention. It was only polite to bring a get-well gift when visiting someone injured.

Blinking the image of the carving, the N hashed through the M, out of her eyes, Mai moved on, but she had only climbed a few more steps when she paused again. The theater doors. They were still propped wide open, Nozomi's bravest passing in and out of them. The cleaning operation continued.

Getting a curious look or two from the men carrying buckets past her, Mai realized how odd she must seem hovering outside the theater entrance. She clenched her jaw, her fists, and took the plunge.

Ouch.

Standing inside the lobby, Mai stared down at her finger, a bead of blood growing there. She had been pricked. Mai traded the bouquet to her other hand and stood watching the procession of Mr. Sachi's hired men rush about.

Why aren't they affected...?

A familiar voice suddenly brought Mai out of her thoughts.

"Ah, yes that's it. Project just like so."

Mr. Sachi.

The playwright was standing at the auditorium doors, his back to her. At the sight of him, Mai's felt her newly settled stomach twist. Between his secret affairs, and slanderous comments about her boss, her opinion of him, never very high to begin with, had fallen drastically in the last twenty-four hours.

"All of Nozomi will be here to see you, let's be sure they can hear you, my dear."

Mai stared past Mr. Sachi, to the object of his attention. On stage, the young woman Mai had seen earlier, nodded and tried again.

Is she standing in for Nari?

With a frown and a strong desire to avoid the playwright, Mai left the lobby. A moment later she stood outside of base. Entering, she braced herself for the onslaught of memories that had plagued her earlier, but thankfully the scene seemed to have changed. Instead of Naru's weakened visage, she was met with John and Masako.

Just John and Masako. Mai's gaze flicked to Lin's seat, but it was empty. The two of them were speaking, the medium sat on one of the couches and the young priest sat on the edge of the table before her, their heads bent towards each other conversationally. Mai paused, her mouth open to announce herself. Not for the first time she found herself wondering about them. Something was building there. She was curious of it, but she had more than enough to investigate at the moment. Remembering the urgency of her situation, and realizing they were exactly who she had come to see, she seized her opportunity,

"I need your help."

"Mai, hi," John stood, greeting her with a warm smile.

Masako's head turned toward Mai standing in the door, her eyes fell to the bouquet in her hand.