Note before chap 9 (please read, in case you confused with the previous chapter)

In the first story, if you had read (or remembered) it, you'll found that Mai and Kazahaya had met long before the case started. It was after Mai's father died and Mai, she was around four. Her mother was asked to take care of Kazahaya whose mother died in the accident of the family's quarel. If you remembered, Kazahaya and his current sister were having half-sibling (one father, different mother). Kazahaya was the oldest but his mother was the second wife. That's why the fighting was explode between the two jealous mother.

So if you were confused how Mai could asked Kazahaya to hug her or to pick her up. She was only four and for Kazahaya who had been ten that time, it was easy.

Sorry if my other character made you confused, please tell me in PM or review in case you need more explanation. I will be glad to tell you. Thank you!!!

Happy reading!!


Chap 9

Rei's pov

I was controlling my emotion. It was easy since I had done it for hundred or maybe a thousand years, I couldn't count it anymore. But this woman made me want to curse her, I swore that if it wasn't because of Mai, maybe this woman wouldn't be here and sane. "You want me to hide her and act to be the source of problem?" I who was using Mai's body said.

Luella nodded. "It is simple, I just can't let Noll win this case!"

I didn't see any advantage to do that thing. It was troublesome to pretend to be an evil spirit. And she wanted to be a hero who defeated me? What a bad joke it was. "No, I don't want to. I have said that I am a spirit of nothing. I don't need anything at all." I said. "I just freed that spirit because she wants to harm Mai and I can't allow that."

"Aw, come on! Actually this case is simple. I can take care it by myself but I won't miss my opportunity." She took something from her pocket. It looked like an expensive white gold ring. "This is my precious thing. I can let you have it if you help me."

What did she think I am, a burglar or something which like shiny expensive things? Or did she think that I was a crow... I chuckled a bit. "Do you think you can pay me with such trash? I know your precious things are your family and the wedding ring which was on your finger. I also know that you have known about me before I appeared in front of you. Don't joke around with me, Luella Davis."

Luella folded her hand. "You want to kill me? Go ahead. I don't afraid of death." She challenged me.

I laughed sarcastically. "Do you think I am a dumb? I know what you want. I am spirit of nothing doesn't mean I know nothing, woman. I know everything, that's why I don't need anything. You want your children to come home to England so Martin Davis wouldn't busy himself to that new psychic kid Davis, am I right?" I shot her. "If they failed or something happened to you, they would think to go back so you did everything to fulfill your wish, greedy woman."

She jumped in surprise. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly opened. But she managed to spit back. "He is not a Davis! Martin only took him for psychic research!"

"You're so selfish, woman. Ah, I think I don't have many time to chat with you. Hopefully you can think over your selfishness and your mistake there." I said.

She looked at the girl who appeared in front of her, the same girl with black wings. She was singing the same song as before.

"Kagome, Kagome, the bird in the cage, when will you come out?
In the evening of the dawn, the crane and turtle slipped. Who stands right behind you?"

Luella didn't know that it was a song, the same song that she sang to Mai earlier. She didn't answer it and still hoped that I would fulfill her wish. "I know this girl's source. I don't really need to call for them but..."

"Who's the person behind you?" That girl asked again.

Luella sighed. "Behind me?" She looked at her back but only can see a window. "Nothing." She answered irritatedly.

"You're wrong... So you will be the demon." She said calmly and the wings flipped formed a gust of black feathers. When the gust calmed, Luella has gone.

Noir turned at me. "You are not stopping me?" She said with such a childish attitude.

"Do you want me to?" I asked.

Noir shook her head once. "I thought you hate me, Rei-sama... (Rei also can be described as spirit and Noir use the description 'Rei' as a spirit.) You are driving me away just now..." She looked down to the floor.

"I won't allow anything harm this girl, that's all. The other matter has nothing to do with me, Noir. And no, I don't hate you."

Noir let out a small smile. "I'm glad. You are not angry with me." Maybe that was the first smile she ever shown to another.

"..." I can't blame her at all. As an artwork, she has seen many people. She had treated in different ways. She have looked many of the other artworks had become by the hand of irresponsible human. I wonder if they can figure out why she did this...

"I'll excuse myself then, Rei-sama. I'm sorry for trying to hurt that kind girl. She also doesn't hate me. She said that she liked me. So I like her too. I won't hurt her!" Noir slowly disappeared.

I picked up the left feather on the floor and looked at it. "Mai-chan would get mad at me for sure..." I whispered and left Mai's body. Her body slumped back to the bed and she was sleeping.

My body became solid. I covered Mai with the blanket and sat on the bed to caress her cheek. "Have a nice dream, Mai-chan." I chuckled. "It seems I can't say something like that when your power active."

I let out a small smile, I never thought that... Uh, I have to help Mai now.

In the dream (Mai's pov)

The song was repeated over and over. I looked around but I can't found anyone. Those made me feel scared. Rei formed in front of me. "Do you want to see it or not?" He asked.

I nodded even I was afraid. I need to do anything I can to help Naru in this case and finish his family's problem as soon as possible. Rei clapped his hand once and suddenly some groups of children who made a circle appeared.

The child in the middle answered with a name. Some of them changed place with the person behind him but some others re-sing the song.

"What is that song, Rei?" I asked.

"It is a game. The lyric is like this...

Kagome, Kagome, the bird in the cage, when will you come out?
In the evening of the dawn, the crane and turtle slipped. Who stands right behind you?

(Kagome kagome. Kago no naka no tori wa. Itsu itsu deyaru
Yoake no ban ni. Tsuru to kame to subetta. Ushiro no shoumen – Daare)

"There are many different explanations for this song. But for this case, it is an explanation according to the artwork." Rei explained.

Mai thought for a while. "So it is according to Noir's definition about that kagome-kagome song?" Mai asked.

"You have known the meaning by answering the right answer, Mai."

"When I said 'it must be him'?"Rei nodded. "I only thought... If there's someone behind me, it must be... er..."

"Oliver Davis." Rei answered and chuckled.

"Ah! It's not fair since you know everything!"

"Kinda obvious. And... I think I don't know everything." Rei looked up. "There's something I don't know. There are a lot of things I don't expect. Maybe I should change my title." He joked.

Mai sweat dropped. "By the way, what happened to Noir? You didn't kill her, did you?" Mai said.

"No, I..." Rei didn't continue his word and stared at something. He looked like want to say something but against to do it. Instead, he looked back at Mai and put his hand on her hair and stroked it gently. "Mai, time to wake up. And... I'm sorry." He said with such sad eyes.

"Sorry for what? Rei! Where are you going? Rei!"

"I'm sorry..." His voice became distant and he vanished.

"Wait, Rei! Don't go!"

End of dream

Mai's pov

I woke up in sweat. It was midnight. I wiped my sweat and looked at the window. Why were you apologizing, Rei? I tried to remember what happened. I went back to my room with Luella and fall asleep. Then Rei appeared in my dream and apologized? I felt something missing. Suddenly I realized that Luella was not in her bed. I immediately searched her in the bathroom, the balcony or the base. I can't find her anywhere and started to panic.

I knocked Naru's room. "Naru! Naru!" I shouted.

Lin opened the door. "Mai?" He asked.

Naru appeared behind him. "What happen, Mai?" He asked.

I hugged him tightly and sobbed. "I can't find her! I can't find her! What should I do?" I shouted.

Naru stroked my hair. "Mai, calm down. Who is she?" Naru asked.

"Your mother! She is not on her bed! She isn't at everywhere! I have searched her but I can't find her!"

Naru flinched. He pushed me aside and ran to my room. Gene put his trembling hand on my shoulder.

"LIN!" Naru shouted. Lin followed him and checked on the room.

The other came out because of the ruckus. Kazahaya and Ryou went to us. I went to hug Kazahaya and sobbed. He reassured me with his gentle stroke.

"Naru, I can't sense anything. There's no evil aura here..." Lin said.

"Dammit!" Naru punched the floor. "I shouldn't let her alone!" I can felt Naru's anger and disappointment to himself. He was blaming himself. It was my fault. I was the trouble magnet. Noir came to that room because of me. Why didn't she just take me and leave Luella-san alone!

Rei... He must have apologized because he didn't save Luella-san. I sobbed.

"Mai, it's alright. Don't cry, my little princess. You'll ruin your beautiful eyes." Kazahaya whispered softly.

"But... It was my fault... I said I could protect both of us... I... If something happened to Luella-san, I... I..." I stuttered.

"Ryou-kun." Lin suddenly called.

Ryou calmly entered the room. Lin spoke something to him in a low voice. Ryou nodded and he summoned his shiki. His shiki flied through the wall.

Madoka approached Lin. Masako looked from the doorway. Gene decided to stay at his place. Houshou, John, and Ayako stayed at their place.

"Nii-san..." I gripped Kazahaya's shirt tightly.

"Don't worry, Mai. You know, my assistant can do anything. You know he is so skillful. He can jump from the fifth floor and arrived save and sound down there. By the way, I'll tell you a secret." Kazahaya put his finger on his lip as if he told me to be quiet. "He has become that tall Chinese man's student after our case." He smiled. "But," Kazahaya pouted. "He doesn't want to show his new ability to me. I know he has."

I nodded and started to calm. Sara and Ruka came to us. "What happened?" She asked.

The other said nothing, they just stood on their place. Kazahaya smiled weakly at her and told her that Luella has gone missing.

"Lu-chan!?" Sara was about to fall but Ruka supported her.

"Sara-sama!" Ruka said in worry.

"Thank you, Ruka... I'm alright... I'm alright..." She whispered in shock.

"But..."

"I'm..." Sara didn't say anything more. Ruka excused himself and took Sara to her room.

At the end, Ryou's shiki also didn't find Luella anywhere. Naru also didn't touch any meal or even his tea since then. He was in the base all day with Gene. The mediums didn't feel any malicious aura after the last occurrence. They didn't notice when it was vanished.

Sara's pov

I was looking at the monitor on my room. It was from the hidden camera in the collection's room. I didn't tell this to them because Lu-chan told me not to...

A few day's before

Luella checked on the record in my room. "Do you find anything, Lu-chan?" I asked.

She shook her head but she kept quiet. I sat on my bed to wait. Suddenly Luella squealed, "Sara! This one!" She pointed at one of the monitor in that room.

I looked at the monitor. She played the recording. I just noticed that that thing vanished and reappeared after a while. I can't believe this...

"S-So I have to destroy this?" I asked.

"Maybe... There's a possibility if you've destroyed this thing you can get your people back but it is also possible that they won't..." Luella said.

"oh no, that is from him..."

Luella sensed my guilty. She thought for a while. "Hey, I got a brilliant idea!" She said.

I looked up at her. "I'll call my son. We'll tell him that we just arrived at Narita and we need his help." She said. "But don't let him know about this hidden camera."

"Eh? So how..."

Luella didn't pay attention at me. "If Noll lost, I can drag him back to England with a reason that he wasn't ready to start his SPR..." Luella whispered and smiled in the way that I didn't like. I was silenced. Lu... What happened with you, exactly?

End of the past

I was crying. If I didn't let her, she wouldn't... "Lu..." I sobbed.

Kazahaya's pov

This seemed bad. Should I lend him a hand? I looked at him who was deep in his thought. I sighed heavily. What time was it? Midnight? I mentioned Ryou to follow me.

Ryou excused himself and proceeded to my side. "Do you find something?" I asked in a whisper.

"Actually, yes. Your guess is right, Kazahaya." Ryou said. "Do you want to tell them?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet... Let's just wait and watch for a while."

I looked at Mai. She approached Naru. She said something but Naru didn't even look at her. "We definitely will have to wait and watch. No matter how long it is, Ryou." I whispered harshly.

Ryou noticed what I was angry about and nodded. "Okay, I understand." He answered. His hawk was perching on his shoulder and looked at me like Ryou's. Somehow I thought that Ryou's image was like a hawk; very caution, fast and skillful.

Naru, Oliver Davis... I just hoped you didn't get all of my nerve.

Original's pov

The base's aura was really gloomy. With the disappearance of Luella Davis, Naru and Gene didn't leave the investigation even a minute. They didn't eat or sleep. They even checked the collections and observed it one by one. Ruka was irritated because of that. He had to watch over them in that room but also worried about Sara who barely eaten.

Mai had tried to get them to eat but she only earned a glance sometimes, a glare. She left the base sadly. Kazahaya was following her and comfort her all the time with his presence and his words. Ryoutarou helped Lin to track the missing people down. Madoka was searching the information from the outside source.

Ayako, Houshou, and John followed Masako to look around once more since their boss didn't tell them anything. Sara didn't come out from her room too.

After two days of restless action, the effect started to be seen. The stress was built up and the exhaustion ate them up.

When Mai tried to persuade Naru to eat something, he pushed her away. "I have told you I don't want to eat!" He shouted at her angrily. Mai shivered at his glare. "Why do you have to be so noisy, Mai? Go away!" Gene said nothing as if nothing has happened and simply look at the records which were played in the monitor.

Mai tried her best not to cry. "I... I'm... I'm..." Mai stuttered. She can't take it anymore and she can't afford her tear not to fall.

"Na..." Houshou was cut off because Kazahaya put his hand to stop him.

"But you haven't eaten..." Mai reasoned. She gasped when Naru lifted his hand. She put her hands in front of her defensively. And...

SLAP!

That voice rang in that room painfully.


Little talk at my home

SPR was closed due the case they have so I didn't have much choice but to stay at home. Ryoutarou came to visit me and we played game from the playstation.

"That was quite a cliffie chapter." Ryoutarou commented while controlling his player.

"I know, you don't have to mention it. I haven't decide what happened next after that 'slap'." I answered.

Omake

"Behind me?" She looked at her back but only can see a window. "Nothing." She answered.

"You're wrong... So you will be the demon." She said calmly and the wings flipped formed a gust of black feathers.

"I will be a demon!?" Luella pulled Noir to sit down in front of her. "Which part do you think that made a beautiful woman like me to be a demon!?" She glared at her.

Noir silenced for a while. "Everything..." She innocently said.

End of Omake

"Are you sure it's alright to mess up with them?" Ryoutarou asked while we were fighting the boss.

"It's alright. I am irritated because Luella-san never stops to complain this and that and these and those." I answered while concentrating on the game.

"Do you know that they are searching for you?"

"Of course, my cell-phone won't stop ringing from the day until dawn. I hope she got bored to phone me every one minute."


Thanks to the reviewer: -Skyz-Angels-(Maybe she is the top antagonist now! Haha, no wonder Kazahaya can run fast. He is Kazahaya after all!!), Moons-Chan (Read the note at the top and you'll understand. I had expected that many persons would forget that one. Well, I have to re-read it for certaining myself, anyway), Kay ( I haven't reach my goal yet, so I have to do my best for make you curious till the end!),

Raito, Rein, Shion

Kazahaya: (Still pouting)
Ao: Don't be such a kid, Kazahaya.
Kazahaya: (pout) Let me be.
Ryoutarou: (Hawk perching on the shoulder) Kazahaya, watch your manner.
Kazahaya: 'Ryou is scary...' Uh... Raito, treat your cat well so it would be like Ryou's hawk.
Gene: And Rein! Have you done what I suggest to you???
Kazahaya: Don't be such a sadist, Gene! He's my friend and their "beloved" friend. I wonder what " mean though...
Ao: Shion, is that Kaya cat cute?
Kazahaya: Don't ignore me!!
Ryoutarou: Sigh... So noisy...
Gene: Rein, Shion, I waited for the report!