Chapter 4: Lost Love and the Host That Never Sleeps
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Mayura screamed as a gruesome figure appeared in the hallway mirror standing behind her. She spun around quickly, her back up against the wall; with one hand over her mouth the other over her heart. To her surprise she found no one there.
'…Nani?' she thought breathing raggedly, chills running down her back as she peered into the darkness of the hallway, '…something is here…'
She felt along the wall trying to find her way, still confused as to how she had gotten to where she was in the first place. She couldn't recall leaving Loki or the party, the last thing she remembered was going for dessert.
"Why are you leaving? Are you not enjoying the party I have prepared?"
Mayura stopped in her tracks, the chills running down her spine again, as a voice called out to her from behind. She turned around slowly to come face to face with a young man around her age.
"So you are the host of this party?" she asked, breathing a sigh of relief, placing a hand over her heart, the color coming back to her face.
"Why yes I am, I am Hasegawa Hiro…and you are lovelier than I imagined. When I first saw you, I couldn't believe your striking resemblance" he replied walking toward her, holding a lit candle in his hand. The flame of the candle revealed the man's features. He had blonde short hair, and blue eyes, a kind smile on his face; his features were charming as he wore a black dress suit with a white dress shirt. He stopped only a few inches from her and looked down.
"…Ano…" she began, a quizzical expression on her face, as he took her hand in his free hand and smiled at her.
"Please allow me the pleasure of your company," he asked, bringing her hand to his lips.
Mayura looked back unsure of what to say, it would be rude to not accompany him, after all, he had been so nice to invite her…
"…Hai…" she whispered as he led her down the ever growing hallway.
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"Mayura?!" Loki called out, only to hear his own voice echoing throughout the corridor.
"Mayura-san?!" Yamino cried, listening for any indication of her whereabouts, "If Nii-san were here I'm sure he could find her."
"We don't have time to get Fenrir," Loki began, holding Laevateinn in his hand standing at the top of the stairs and peering into the darkness in both directions, "this house is only alive for tonight; once the witching hour is over it will disappear once more until the veil between the human world and the world of the dead is its thinnest."
"Then Mayura-san…which way Loki-sama?" asked Yamino, neither direction looking too hopeful.
Loki closed his eyes, holding Laevateinn in front of him and concentrating, 'Mayura…'
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Mayura stopped walking and turned around 'Loki-kun…' she thought, it was like she had almost forgotten about him and Yamino, had they left without her? Were they still in the house? And why had she grown so cold? She looked to the host who smiled, and beckoned her on.
"Only a little further now, Mayura."
"…Demo…" her eyes were becoming heavier and her vision distorted as she whispered "Loki-kun…"
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Loki's eyes shot open quickly as he pointed Laevateinn to the hallway leading to his left, "Mayura's there and she's not alone! Let's go Yamino-kun!"
"Hai, Loki-sama!" exclaimed Yamino hurrying after his father as he pulled out a mail in ordered flashlight to light their way.
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Meanwhile…
"Eh…you think Daddy will notice that we ate so much food?" asked Fenrir, laying on his back with a bulging belly in amongst several empty dishes.
"…Punyan…" replied Ecchan, equally full, laying in amongst dishes of its own.
"I wonder how Daddy's making out with the mystery girl," he began with a smirk, "She looked and acted normal for a change."
"Hai, Mayura-chan looked kawaii tonight. I think Loki-tama was happy," replied Ecchan, little movement coming from its direction.
"One thing's for sure, Daddy's got his hands full with that one."
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Mayura was trying her best to stay awake but her body was becoming so cold and the smile on the hosts face was becoming more distorted by the moment.
"Don't worry Mayura, it'll be over soon…" he stated with an eerie grin, "You merely have something I need, your soul…you will be my side for all eternity, just like it was supposed to be."
"…Nani? Eternity?" she asked tiredly, coughing into the side of her hand, she could see her breath around her.
"Hai, every year I look for you, but this year I have finally found you. There is something about you that even the Gods would desire; therefore, I must have you with me."
Mayura felt helpless as he lifted her chin in his hand and leaned forward. She blinked hearing foot steps approaching and slowly turned her head toward their arrival…
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"Mayura!" exclaimed Loki as he stopped short to find her in the arms of the ghostly host, he placed Laevateinn out in front of him.
"…Loki-kun?" she asked before blinking, seeming to come to her senses (due to Loki's voice or Yamino's flash light shining on her face?). She quickly looked up to find the host's face had changed to the gruesome figure she had seen in the mirror only inches from her face. She straightened up quickly and slapped his face…before having a classic anime moment as she noticed a trail of green slime going from her hand to his 'cheek' and shivering as she cringed, shaking her hand and the slime with it.
Loki and Yamino sweatdropped at the scene before them; however, they soon recovered as an aura began to seep out of their host.
"Loki-kun!" Mayura called out running toward him when a wall appeared in front of her, "Nani!?" she yelled putting her hand out in front of her and on the wall.
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"Mayura!" replied Loki from the other side, placing his hand on the wall now in front of him.
"Loki-sama…" Yamino began watching his father's mood start to change, "…what do we do now?"
He held out Laevateinn in front of him and closed his eyes, "This wall is merely an illusion created by the yurei…" he stated, as he began to concentrate his power…
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"Loki-kun, can you hear me?" she called out from the other side; however, she made the mistake of letting her guard down as an arm wrapped around her waist pulling her back away from the wall, "Loki-kun!"
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"Mayura!" Loki's concentration had been broken; he could hear the struggle coming from the other side of the wall. "Yamino-kun, stand back!"
"Hai, Loki-sama. Mayura-san! Hold on!" Yamino stood behind his father awaiting his attack.
"Vellmonoche!"
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"Why do you struggle so?" he asked her, as his arm tightened around her waist, a smile appearing on his grotesque face, "Do you not know that we are meant to be?"
Mayura did her best to push him away, when a candle stick holder on the nearby dresser caught her eye; it was cheer leading practice all over again—minus the baton—as she let him have it, just long enough for him to stumble backward and loosen his grip on her. She pushed herself away and took off running down the hallway. A dress and heels were bad enough, but fushigi mysteries be damned! Crazed ghosts are cool but not when you're the one they want to spend eternity with.
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Loki and Yamino broke through the wall to find no one in sight; however, they could make out the sound of running and Loki could sense both of their presences further down the hall.
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"Come now, Mayura…you only prolong the inevitable…" explained the yurei walking slowly down the hall and listening for her whereabouts.
Mayura held her breath her back up against the door to the room she had found unlocked. She tensed up as she heard him stop outside of the door and the door across the hallway opened, she could hear him searching the room and sputtering before moving on. She let out a small sigh as she got a better look at the room she was standing in.
Mayura quietly walked over to the mantel of the fire place and reached out; having spotted what appeared to be a picture frame. She carefully blew the dust away and saw a black and white image of the once living host, not only that, but a woman with long hair and a beautiful face sitting next to him, both wearing traditional Japanese clothing.
'…Nani…' she thought as she flipped the picture over to reveal the date of 1801. Her eyes widened—though not so much at the date because she already knew he was dead—but at the notebook she had found and begun reading in the dimly lit room as the moonlight shown in through the window.
'April 19,1801, Hasegawa Mansion Burned To Ground: Heir to the family Hasegawa Hiro said to have gone insane by lighting fire to the family mansion. Miro Kimiko was able to make it out of the burning building; however, Mr. Hasegawa perished. When questioned Miro said that Hasegawa claimed that it was the only way they could be together, both the Hasegawa family and the Miro family would not consent to their children being married. Miro said in the end she couldn't go through with it and tried to get Hasegawa out of the mansion but it was too late.'
'Mou…he truly was desperate…but in the end his lover didn't go with him…' Mayura thought sadly to herself dismissing the immediate danger—as all space cases do—but then she came back down to Earth realizing that she still had one crazed yurei on her hands.
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"Mayura?" Loki said with a whisper, trying to sense her location, "Where are you?" he was starting to get more worried than before. The only thing he could make out was the occasional banging of a door as it opened, but not hearing Mayura's scream he figured he still had time.
"Loki-sama…" whispered Yamino, his mail in ordered batteries for his flash light having died long ago, "What does this yurei want with Mayura-san?"
"I'm not sure yet Yamino-kun…"
Loki stopped in front of a door and placed his hand on the door knob, before sighing at what he knew to be true. He slowly opened the door…
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Mayura heard the door knob turn and quickly hid behind the sofa, clutching the notebook to her chest, trying to remain quiet—no candle sticks or batons in sight mind you. She could hear the foot steps as they came into the room and the door shut quietly behind him, they stopped only feet away from her and then, as she closed her eyes hoping her prayers had been answered…she opened an eye to find…
"…Mayura…" whispered Loki as he stood before her small figure.
She slumped down in complete relief at seeing his face and dropped the note book in her hands as she embraced him.
"…Loki-kun…" she whispered as she held him, sitting on her knees and putting her chin on his shoulder, "…I'm so glad to see you…"
Yamino peeked around the sofa to find her intact and let out a sigh of his own, placing a hand on his chest, "Thank goodness, Mayura-san…I knew you were resourceful…" as Loki gave him an unbelieving look but let it slide.
"…Hai, Mayura, I'm glad that you're— he stopped as a shadow appeared at the door…
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Ok that's it for this chapter! Gotta get chapter 5 in the works…please review I love them!