DISCLAIMER: Ghost Hunt (or Akuryou Series) and all its characters is copyrighted and owned by Ono Fuyumi-sensei, JCStaff, and FUNimation Entertainment. X/1999 and all its characters are copyrighted and owned by CLAMP, MadHouse, Viz Media, Manga Enterntainment and Geneon. This author is merely borrowing for a few pages to amuse herself and for entertainment.
Title: Only Sleeping, Chapter III
Genre: Supernatural/romance/adventure/AU (as this continues where the manga left off, excluding Noll's return from England. In this story, he never returned. Madoka handles the SPR Japan branch instead of Noll.)
Characters: All
Music: Deo Volente (Gods Eater Burst OST)
Heavily Inspired by: X/1999 and various CLAMP works
Author's Notes: Beware of Yasuhara Osamu being out-of-character and with the tendency to flounce out of the room after delivering one-liners fashioned to cut one idiot scientist. For some odd reason, Osamu-kun wanted to have himself written that way – the Osamu-kun in my mind, at least.
And why does a YasuharaxMaixLin pairing interest me so? Ugh, brain.
"Idiot scientist."
"Idiot medium." Naru returned automatically without heat, and then turned around in surprise to see a mirror-copy of him. His twin, Gene. He frowned when he realized where he was. "Why am I here?"
"I have no bloody idea; you're a scientist, not a dreamwalker. You're not supposed to be here, but here you are." Gene shoved his hands to his pockets, considering. "I was looking for Mai. This is the usual place where I find her – but instead, I found you."
"When was the last time you talked to her?"
Gene frowned. "I have no sense of time in this state, but to hazard a guess – around a week ago."
"For a spirit guide, that's long." Naru walked to where his twin was; studied the worry growing in Gene's eyes. He suspected the older twin could see the exact same expression on his face. "Did she say anything?"
"Just that she keeps feeling as though someone was watching her when she dreams." The spirit guide ran a restless hand over black locks. "She hasn't been sleeping well, but she couldn't help herself. Somehow, she kept being shoved back to the dreamscape."
"Shoved?"
Gene sighed. "In a manner of speaking. Mai said it was as though someone was forcing her to go to sleep. And that same someone didn't want her to wake up."
Naru hummed thoughtfully. "To be in a perpetual state of sleep."
"Yes. And it's not healthy, Noll." The medium took a deep breath. "I am here as her spirit guide; I serve as one of the anchors to her physical body when she sees. For her spirit to be away from her own dreamscape and from her own body, she'll slowly die."
"How long, Gene?"
The medium looked away.
Losing patience, Naru grabbed his twin's shoulders. "How long?"
"At most, seven days." Gene stepped away, more than understanding the desperation that flickered over the scientist's face. He felt it, as well. Mai was someone special to both of them – especially to his younger twin. "Any longer than seven days, Mai's physical body will die, and her spirit will be forever tied to that place."
"That place?"
Gene looked away. "The Sea of Tears. I cannot tell you more than that Mai does not belong there. Not her. Never her."
"Then find her!" Naru burst out, then scrubbed a weary hand over his face. Swallowing, he gentled his tone. "Find her, Gene. Out of the two of us - "
"...only you can find her, Noll." The medium interrupted, his voice as gentle as Noll's. "I cannot. As her guide, I am bound to stay here. Without her, I cannot move. It's only you who can find her, Noll."
x x x x x x
Naru looked up from case notes when Yasuhara Osamu entered the room. The scientist had seated himself next to Mai's bed, taking careful watch over the sleeping woman. "Yasuhara."
"Shibuya-san," Yasuhara nodded in greeting, then moving over to study Mai's still face. "How is she? Still no change?"
"None." Naru closed the case file, and gestured over the spare seat. "I assume Lin asked you about Saiki Daisuke?"
The older male nodded as he sat. "Yes. Lin sent me here just in case you have more questions. In all honesty though, I don't think Saiki-kun did this. It doesn't fit his profile. Saiki-kun would probably commit seppuku first before harming women. Plus, he's fond of Mai."
"Regardless of his profile, Saiki Daisuke is the only lead we have right now," Naru replied firmly. "And as standard procedure we will follow all possible leads. We do not have much time."
Yasuhara pushed glasses up his nose, and straightened. "Very well. Ask away."
"Where did you first meet?"
"I assisted one of my professors on a high school symposium, for my college. That would be around 2 years ago. Saiki-kun was one of the few students who asked worthwhile questions." The older man shrugged. "Not to mention he knew my professor quite well; Professor was actually the one who introduced us."
Naru frowned. "Did you notice anything about him?"
"Other than being particularly bright? No, not really." Yasuhara glanced at Mai, lost in thought. "I first thought it was strange that he knew and was interested in spiritual topics, but then it was explained that his family owns a shrine near our office."
"He was the one who approached you about a case?"
The older man shook his head. "Actually, I visited his shrine and just heard about it. Since it seemed the type that Madoka-san would go for, I suggested that he think about going to SPR. After that, whenever his family would get odd requests or prayers, Saiki-kun would immediately recommend us."
Naru crossed his arms, considering. "And you say he's fond of Mai?"
"Yes. Not fond of romantically, but more of something like an older brother," Yasuhara explained, glancing at his the younger male at the corner of his eye. "He's quite over protective of her, actually."
"We're back!" The monk's cheerful voice, echoing throughout the house, interrupted their conversation. "Ayako, Madoka! I I brought food! John and Masako's here, as well!"
Suppressing a sigh, Naru gestured towards the door. "We'll continue this later. Tell Lin I'll take my meal here."
"Will do." Saluting smartly, Yasuhara stood and headed towards the door; then paused. "I did say that Saiki-kun wouldn't do this to Mai, but - "
"But?"
Yasuhara adjusted his glasses, glancing at Naru. "I've done research, as standard procedure for those transacting with SPR. Saiki-kun belonged to a family of psychics, however they are not well-known."
"So? Most shrine families are, well-known or not."
Yasuhara sighed. "But most shrine families are not black-tabbed in BSPR, Shibuya-san. I wouldn't have known had I not stumbled upon it on BSPR's database – and even then the counter security measures they have in place almost fried my laptop. It took me all I have not to have BSPR trace the trail back to me."
Black-tabbed; its either they are under supervision, or they are not to be associated with. Either way, proceed with extreme caution. Feeling the onslaught of a massive headache, Naru pinched the bridge of his nose. "And you did not tell me or report this bit of information why?"
An indescribable expression flitted over the older man's face. "Because, Shibuya-san, you weren't there."
Before Naru could properly answer, Yasuhara had already left the room.
x x x x x x
"Naru." Mai's voice swam through his being, and Noll opened his eyes to see the post-cognitive psychic standing a few steps before him. An uncertain smile flickered over her face. "I – I finally..."
"Mai - " Swearing under his breath, Noll rushed forward to catch the young woman before she fell to her knees. Cradling her gently in his arms, the scientist carefully turned Mai so that he can see her face. "What trouble have you landed yourself in this time?"
"Idiot scientist, it's not my fault trouble likes to find me," the young woman weakly shot back, an impish smile lighting up her somewhat-wan face. Bravely reaching up, Mai tugged on a wayward lock of black hair. "You need a haircut."
"I haven't had the time – bloody hell, you're a mess and you're telling me I need a haircut?" Appalled, the scientist glared at the woman. "I knew you have your priorities skewed, but I didn't know it was this bad."
"Hey!"
Slowly, Noll stood, carefully setting Mai on her feet; steadying her when she swayed. He took in her haggard features. "Tell me what happened."
"I – I don't know." Giving in to instinct, Mai hugged herself as she looked away from Noll. "Somehow, I've been slipping into sleep ever since last year. At first I thought I was just tired, and decided to take a few months of sabbatical – but then..."
"It grew worse." Noll stated flatly, remembering what his twin had told him. "And then?"
"I started to dream." Mai shivered in spite of herself. "Small things, large things – of the people around me, their dreams. Their future. The country's future. Of destruction, and creation."
Naru inhaled sharply. "The future?"
Mai nodded miserably. "Yes. And after that, I woke up in a dreamscape not of my own. I started to see other people's dreams and walk in other people's dreamscapes, regardless if they wanted to or not; if they were conscious of me or not. And every time I saw, I felt someone watching me."
"We have to get you out of here, Mai."
"I don't know how!" Mai burst out, brown eyes gone dark with despair. "I've tried so many times, but I can't seem to get out. Someone is keeping me here, Naru. Someone doesn't want me to leave, and I don't know who or why or how - "
Stifling an oath, Naru caught Mai's hands, bringing them down from their fierce grip on her hair. "Hysterics would get us nowhere, idiot."
Mai inhaled sharply; giving the insolent male before her a gimlet-eyed glare. "I know that, you jerk."
"Then get yourself together, and tell me everything you know." Naru ordered, firm tones overriding Mai's growing hysteria. "Do you know who did this to you?"
Mutely, the clairvoyant shook her head.
"No one? Are you sure?" The scientist persisted, dark blue eyes narrowing. "How about Daisuke Saiki?"
"Saiki-sempai wouldn't do this to me," Mai murmured, looking away. "No, not Saiki-sempai. But perhaps, someone he knows...?"
"Then who..? Mai? What's wrong?" Naru frowned, realizing that the young woman was turning, her attention caught by something in the horizon. "Mai?"
"It would seem that time's up." Mai grimaced, will o' wisps materializing around her with a simple flick of her hand. "I'm sorry, Naru. I honestly thought they wouldn't be here for a while."
Silently, Naru stepped around from Mai, watching with a deepening frown as the space a few meters before them distorted, resembling something like a small black-hole. "What is that?"
Mai shook her head slightly. "I don't know – it's a portal, something like what I do when I jump dreamscapes, but the aura is different. Malicious. They keep showing where I am, trying to catch me."
"We should go now, Mai." Watching the swirling black mass cautiously, the scientist took hold of the psychic's arm. "Where is your focus?"
Mai glanced at him in surprise, turning so that she dislodged the scientist's hold. "You seriously don't know?"
"I wouldn't ask if I knew, idiot."
"Of course, why should you? But you should, Naru. Just think about it." Mai smiled, so achingly gentle that Naru's breath caught. She turned her back to the forming portal, lifted a hand to touch his cheek briefly. "Listen closely, Noll. Home is where the heart is."
Wind started to pick up as the portal opened, black fingers forming from the dark mass. Desperation colouring his voice, Naru grabbed Mai's hand. "Idiot, now is not the time for games! What is your focus?"
Auburn hair whipping in the fierce wind, the psychic merely shook her head. With a single flick of her hand, the will o'wisps formed a portal behind Naru. "I'm sorry, Naru. It wouldn't work if you can't figure it out yourself."
"What?"
A shrieking noise ripped through the air, and the tendrils formed into dark lances aiming towards the woman's unprotected back. But Mai merely smiled again, brushing fond fingers on Naru's lips before falling away. "I know we'll see each other again."
"Mai, don't do this - "
With a sudden movement, the young woman pushed him into the portal.
Mai, turning around to face the malicious energy, was Naru's last vision before the light blinded his eyes and consumed him.
And with a gasping, shuddering breath, Noll opened his eyes.
Additional: I seem to lean towards calling Naru 'Noll' instead; please bear with it if it confuses you. Also, I am terribly aware that Noll acted a bit out of character during the vision sequences, but it can mostly be due to Mai's rashness, and the fact that time is running out. But don't worry, Noll will save the day! :D This chapter is not much, but I hope you enjoyed.
