Official Stasis Summary:
Post Manga. Mai's powers are beginning to get out of control. Two years away from Naru, and things have only gotten worse. Waking up to herself screaming is fine, but destroying an entire house and causing massive poltergeists? Not so much. So what do her friends do? They reluctantly ship her off to London where a less than enthusiastic Naru awaits to train the young girl. Cases ensue, but not without a little chaotic romance and nightmarish visions to add into the equation. Mai and Naru.
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Stasis: The state of equilibrium or inactivity caused by opposing equal forces.
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File II: Wonder & Malice
Prologue: Ordinary Day
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Location: B.S.P.R. HQ, Cambridge University, England (UK) . . .
Date: August, IV days before the investigation . . .
Time: 9:34 p.m. . . .
"Your worries are unfounded."
"That's easy for you to say, Naru," Mai bit back. "You've completely mastered using your PK. I, however, have not! The last thing I need is to shatter a building because a ghost popped up behind me inducing an instinctual PK outbreak! So, yeah, I'd say my worries are quite 'founded'."
Naru crossed his arms and closed his eyes, noting the signature verb Mai used when breaking down the essence of her PK troubles. 'Shatter' it seemed, was her go-to description for destroying property.
"Mai, you are fine," he reiterated, enunciating each word with vivid irritation. "The possibility of a PK outbreak after all the testing and training we've done is almost zero percent."
"But…" Mai was terrified, that much he could tell. The link between them echoed with the foundations of residual fear. "How can you be so sure?"
"My brain works differently than yours." Mai froze upon hearing the old insult, but a fire flared deep within. Good. That'd been his intention. He continued before Mai could retort, "You haven't experienced any adverse outbreaks since June. To have one after so much time is highly unlikely. You've also proven yourself capable of managing your abilities, and as such, I believe you're ready."
Shock twisted with anxiety. This time it was written all over her face, and she looked away. A silence filled the room, an uncommon and uncomfortable thing with Mai present.
"This shouldn't be such a difficult decision," he told her impatiently.
"But, Naru!" she shouted, and he glared. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "You don't understand… What you're asking of me is…" She swallowed. "And it's not that I'm not touched by this, really, Naru I am. Honestly, I can barely believe that you'd trust me so much to offer me this, but it's so much more than I'm ready for… My PK is... And everything..."
"Most people in this field of study would jump at the opportunity to work full time for BSPR as my partner, Mai."
"It's…" Her brows knit together, and a pulsating amount of hurt clanged between them. Naru nearly flinched at the abrupt explosion of pure emotion crackling across the link, and a headache brewed in the back of his head. "It's not that simple, baka!"
Mai ran out of his office, slamming the door behind her, and left it to rattle along the hinges in her absence.
Somehow this was how the last three days had ended up. Fighting. Shouting. Emotional tirades. Headaches. And endless bouts of frustration.
The position he'd offered was simple and to the point: he wanted her to work at BSPR as his partner. It was also permanent spot in the Fieldwork Laboratory with a variety of benefits. One of which led to her attending King's College of Cambridge for a degree in parapsychology on a full-ride-scholarship. Others would be the office-space, salary, and extra credit work during cases for her degree, without any ill effects on her other classes as she would be 'excused for off-campus school credit'. It was an offer most would never refuse.
Most.
When he'd first offered her the position, she'd thought he was joking and actually laughed at his attempt at holding out an olive branch. Having been completely serious, she soon stopped laughing and pestered him with on whether or not Gene had momentarily possessed him. This eventually let to a heated argument that stemmed from his 'inability to understand'. So far, no progress had been made, and once again Naru was locked in his own separate world. Somehow the idea wasn't as appealing as it usually was. His lips thinned when he glared at his black notebook, a new case-file written inside. The client would be arriving in a few days to discuss the details, but he'd left Naru with a basic outline to pick and prod over until then.
Having been busy working with Mai and her unique PK and dream issues, it'd been over two months since his last case. Over the course of July and into August now, Mai had maintained her assigned schedule without missing a day to rest or dawdle other than her birthday last month. Her determination was certainly the leading factor, but their connection was a helpful asset not to be forgotten. Usually it tempered the more raging conflicts about her lack of control and night terrors. More than once he'd woken up from Mai's screeching fear amid her dreams, but soon thereafter he'd send a wave of unperturbed calm across the bond. The tactic had yet to fail, and he'd had to utilize the extent of this power less and less in recent weeks.
And as he'd said before, Mai's progression in manipulating her PK was pleasing. In fact, he had a new experiment for her to try tomorrow, one he himself was particularly known for in the parapsychology community. Not that this was even close to the extent of their PK, but it was a solid method of determining the amount of control she could enforce at this point. Already she understood the basics. And if it was any matter, if she did manage to complete the test as he had, then her fears would more than likely be assuaged.
As for the rest of his plan—
"You are such an idiot, little brother."
Gene.
Swiveling around in his chair, Naru faced his twin, reflecting back from his mirror.
"You can't just expect Mai to stay here without any other reason than work," Gene told him, exasperated. "Although she's still probably reeling from the idea that you actually want her as your partner this time around, I'd hardly put your big reveal as something other than your usual practicality."
"Practicality is all I am trying to achieve."
"Noll," Gene sighed, and Naru thought it might've been in pity, "your advances on women are so weird. All you think about is work."
"I've stated this before, Gene, but I will say it again since you don't seem to understand. I do not have feelings for Mai Taniyama. Secondly, someone's livelihood is a basic part of one's own vocation," Naru countered snappishly. "To not have one—"
"Noll, stop spouting out facts and retorts and hear me out."
Naru narrowed his gaze, but otherwise resorted to listen to his deceased twin. "Fine."
"First of all, Mai is worried about not returning home to her family in Japan who've been patiently awaiting her return since a few weeks ago. You had to have guessed at least that much." Yes, he'd assumed as much. However—"Secondly, her fear for her PK is normal. Unlike you, most people would be scared of abilities who haunted them for nearly a year. Thirdly, you have to consider her schooling situation. I know you have her graduation letter hidden in your desk, Noll. You've been keeping Mai busy with other work the past several days, but it's all been related to subjects linked to parapsychology. You can't keep that up forever." He made no attempt to deny it, but a muscle in his throat twitched. "Fourthly, her PK training is fine to maintain a normal, average life if she wanted the opportunity. You're keeping her here without a proper reason, and asking her to stay and work for BSPR is such a shock to her she hardly knows how to answer.
"In essence, she doesn't know what she wants to do for her future, Noll, and the fear of her PK is reasonable. It's not easy for most people to decide the rest of their lives, let alone someone like Mai who's had a roadblock in her life for so long she hasn't had the time to process the here and now let alone what she intends to do with her future. You've kept her so busy she can't even think straight. Give her a break and give her some time to herself. She needs it."
"You've have talked about this, I assume?" Naru asked thereafter.
"She wasn't complaining about it if that's what you're asking," Gene informed him flatly. "It's just in the way she talks about everything. Noll, she needs a break. Afterwards, you'll get your answer."
"Fine," Naru relented. "I'll leave her be."
"Also, give her the graduation letter already. She's been anxious about it this entire week."
"Whatever."
Gene rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that, you'll thank me later. Oh, yeah, and you never told her about the door-choosing thing, either, did you?" Naru didn't even blink, but his brother laughed, "You never plan on telling her, do you?"
"No."
"Wow, that's mean. At least I know why."
Naru only sighed, his previous frustration replaced with solemn acceptance. "Indeed," he said quietly.
"Lastly, Noll," Gene said softly after a pause, "if you're really adamant in keeping Mai here, you're going to have to do something beyond work purposes and school. Think about this, what does she care about more than anything else in the world? Knowing you, you might get an idea that'll be to both of your advantages."
With that final piece of advice, Eugene Davis disappeared from Naru's reflection, and immediately new ideas manifested into a single plan of attack.
Oliver Davis set to work.
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Belle's Tea, Cambridge, England (UK)
10:57 p.m.
Mai refrained from hitting her head against the window, but didn't stop herself from repeatedly hitting her forehead against the table, incoherently muttering about Narcissists and stupid idiot scientists.
"Mai, you're going to give yourself a concussion," Yasu informed her, placing his chin on the table to try and get her to look at him. "Big Boss wouldn't be happy if I returned you broken, you know. Then I'd return to my dorm broken, as well, and I can't have that. Classes start up soon, Mai, and curriculum here is harder than in high school. Well, I mean, unless you're a child genius with a knack for ghost hunting. Then all rules are thrown out the window, but you know how that goes." He shrugged.
"Yasu, do me a favor. Shut up."
"Yeah, sorry, I can't do that. Then you'd go home with a concussion and I would-"
"Return home broken too, yeah, I know." Having stopped hitting herself, she kept her forehead glued to the table and refused to move. "I just wish I knew what to do, Yasu~!" This time she resorted to hitting the table with her fist to make up for the lack of facial hits.
"Well, I know one thing you can do, Mai."
She paused. "What?"
"Stop hitting yourself, and talk to me like a normal person."
Gone was the mischief and flippancy, and in was the caring friend. It made her sigh and sit up. Rolling her shoulders, she noted the increased stress pouring down on her eyes. Sleep called to her like a phone craved battery. Rubbing at her face, she yawned, and looked up at her best friend through heavy lids. Generally she was midway through her conversations with Monk or Ayako at this time of night, and almost to her dreams and nighttime escapades to the Astral Plane with Gene. And since Naru had her on a schedule, everything had become habitual. Exhaustion always hit hardest in the minutes before eleven. Fantastic. I'll probably fall asleep on the car ride home. Great…
"Mai, you look like you walked off a zombie movie set," Yasu told her shamelessly. "You sure you can only talk now? After ten-thirty at night?"
"My schedule is very demanding," Mai grumbled.
"Ah, you mean Big Boss is demanding."
"Same thing."
"Eh, there's some technicalities here and there."
"Ugh, Yasu tell me what to do!" she whined. "Should I accept the scholarship and stay here? Or go back to Japan where I belong?"
Yasu raised his glasses, a familiar gleam shining off the glass. "Mai, you belong wherever you want to be."
She snorted at such un-Yasu-like words, "Did you get that off some sappy Hallmark card?"
At this, the bespeckled researcher threw his head back and laughed, earning him a few odd glances from the rest of the tea-shop. "You're almost Naru-like when you're tired, Mai! Sheesh!" But he was hardly insulted, that much was for certain, as he couldn't stop the fit of giggles bubbling from his lips.
Hearing the pleasant sound, Mai smiled faintly and looked to the window. Outside, nighttime rain fell from a blackened sky, making the picture nearly indiscernible, but a few cards bustled down the road with their headlights, lighting up the midnight city in brief flashes. She sighed once again.
What was she supposed to do?
On July 3rd last month, she'd turned eighteen. She'd gotten various cards and sent gifts from everyone in Japan's former branch of SPR, but it was more than a little disheartening not to be able to see her makeshift family on her birthday. They'd been through so much together, and after all the chaos with her PK, seeing them again would've made her world. But Luella, Madoka, and Yasu had hardly been about to forget her birthday. With a tour of the town, a stint of shopping, and a crazy attempt at baking a four-decker cake without hired chefs, her birthday had been full of laughs and smiles. Even more, Naru had given her a gift. A silvery chain hung from her neck, decorated with a single chibi-ghost figurine whose twinkling smile was both creepy and absolutely adorable. She'd almost, repeat, almost kissed him in her joy, and had cried like a child after receiving the toy of a lifetime. Now she never took it off, much to the glee of Madoka and Luella.
Since her birthday, life had been busy. Keeping to her schedule seven days a week for over a month was exhausting. Of course, she'd go on and move forward, but some days she wondered what exactly she was doing anymore. The days melded into one another like colored paints. Nevermind the lasting fear of a PK outbreaks, but other than that, what was she doing? Schoolwork was slowing down into more specified fields, and she had to be graduating sometime soon. What was she going to do afterwards?
What was there to do?
Before her PK troubles, she'd continued where Naru had left off at Japan's SPR. Although they'd no longer had an actual office, they still had their investigations as a team. She'd led them through some pretty gruesome challenges and always got out with their heads held high. Mai had been their leader, their glue and centerpiece, and she'd loved every moment of it. The good and the bad, the happy and the horrific. It'd always been worth it in the end.
Being a ghost hunter…
Could she handle it? After all the hell she'd gone through with her PK, could she manage to complete an investigation without destroying everything around her? Naru seemed to think so, and he was right 99.9% of the time, but what if?
It was the question that could make or break her entire future.
Then there was the fact Naru wanted her to be his partner. His partner. In all the time she'd known him never had he bowed to another person, never had he yielded or relinquished power, never traded, never brought someone to his level and handed them his trust. Naru the Narcissist did not share his power and command. Never. And yet... That he would be willing to even ask was a dizzying concept that Mai could scarcely comprehend.
It wasn't that she wanted to leave him. No. Losing Naru again was not an option. Not after everything that happened, but if she couldn't be a ghost hunter, what would happen? She couldn't stay here without a reason… What was she supposed to do?
There was so much to consider, so much to question and wonder and figure out.
What was a girl with a passion for the supernatural to do?
Drawing her fingers into her hair, she raked through her auburn locks, noting the length. It fell to her shoulders now, and it wasn't that she minded it, but it was different from the norm.
In a split second instant Gene reflected off the window with his signature smile, but it was so quick she thought she'd imagined it. Maybe it was to help reassure her?
Blinking rapidly, she watched as nothing beyond darkness reached the glass, and wondered if he'd ever actually been there at all.
"You know, you've been totally spaced out the last five minutes, Mai."
Jolted into reality, Mai's heart shot out of her chest. Slowly she regained her sense of calm. From this, she realized none of her PK had broken out beyond her control. Smiling wryly, she breathed a sigh of relief, nearly sagging with the revelation.
"Huh, what's up?" Yasu asked, visibly curious at her odd reaction.
"Oh, it's nothing," Mai assured him, waving her hands out in front of her. "You scared me is all."
"Scared?" he echoed. "Since when is the notorious Mai Taniyama scared? Last I checked, back in Japan you had nerves of steel." Partially true, but not really. Because of her growing abilities the fear factor of cases had diminished little by little, but Yasu was totally exaggerating.
"Oh, please, I'm hardly fearless," Mai rebuked. "Like right now for example. Honestly, Yasu I'm terrified."
"The future can be a scary thing," he admitted, nodding. "Most people going into college think that for awhile. Even I did. But it grows on you, and it becomes normal. Ordinary, almost. Well, I'd hardly call BSPR normal, but I think you catch my drift."
Mai laughed slightly at his attempt at reassuring her. "Yeah, I think I do. The problem, though is my PK. And Naru's offer…"
"Whatever you choose to do, just be sure that it's what you want, Mai. Don't be like me and switch majors midway through college. Student loans are kinda a pain."
Mai blinked. "I thought you got a full scholarship from Naru and his father."
"Oh, no, I did, but there's the schooling I took in Japan and the States." He scratched his head sheepishly. "Sadly, I didn't get such a nice offer there."
"Hmm…" Propping up elbows on the table, she held her the bridge of her chin in her hands, and considered it. "Don't you think it's kinda strange for such an obscure field of study to have so many full-ride scholarships? I mean, parapsychology isn't exactly very popular in the science community. It just doesn't seem right that Cambridge allows them so many scholarships, you know?"
"That's because Professor Davis can only give out one full-ride-scholarship per year."
Mai was taken aback, shocked. "Then… Then when would they offer one to me? My grades were hardly deserving enough. Other than the last two months, my grades were nothing more than average at best."
"Well, take this into account then," Yasu said. "You basically worked for SPR for two years already, are friends with one of their leading researchers, and have psychic abilities useful to the Fieldwork Laboratory. You certainly have the qualifications, all you need is the extra knowledge and you'd be well on your way to becoming worthy of a leadership position at BSPR, or maybe open up an actual SPR in Japan if you wanted. It's not often a laten psychics land at SPR's feet, especially one that's perhaps the greatest PK user to have ever lived. Add in your other abilities, your connection to Big Boss, his family, and SPR, and you have every possibility to earn yourself a scholarship. In truth, it's not as hard to imagine as you'd think. I'm sure that was what Professor Davis thought when he signed off on the scholarship Big Boss requested for you."
"I suppose that makes sense," Mai mumbled. "But that doesn't explain why Naru wants me as his partner…"
"He is in love with you, for one thing."
A hot blush burned her cheeks, and she slammed her hands on the table. "That is so not true, Yasu, and you know it!"
Her best friend chuckled deviously. "Deny it all you like, it doesn't change the fact that Dr. Oliver Davis is irrevocably in love with you. Although Big Boss is just as oblivious as you to his feelings. It's kinda sad really."
"I'm telling you he doesn't!" Mai hissed furiously, embarrassed. "I would know if he did, Yasu. I can feel everything he does with the bond between us."
"Have you ever considered the possibility that because he had a similar bond with his brother, he's unconsciously hiding his emotions from you? He probably doesn't even realize it."
Mai might've enjoyed that being true, but she was hardly about to think about it and get her hopes up. Again. She sighed, "Who knows? But you said his…" she gulped, cheeks flushing anew, "love for me is one thing. What else would there be?"
He smirked. "Finally thinking about taking his offer then?"
Pursing her lips, she said, "I simply need to consider all my options, is all."
"Right." Yasu sounded unconvinced, but he cleared his throat anyway, preparing for another explanation. "Another possibility is that he wants you to pick up where his brother left off."
Mai's gaped at him, unable to form a proper sentence other than, "E-e-excuse me?!"
Yasu laughed nervously before saying gently, "From what we know about Eugene Davis, he had almost the same psychic abilities as you, save for being a perfect medium. Big Boss might've been looking for someone to help him in similar way."
Speechless, she couldn't find a word to say. Could that be true?
"I-I could never replace Gene," Mai said, voice breathless.
"I doubt Big Boss would want you to, but I think he wants something similar. He wants a partner again, Mai, and Eugene was his partner for years. He asked you for a reason, and if he sees you as capable, well, that's probably the greatest trust he can ever put in anyone."
Truth rang, and Mai felt it down to the marrow of her bones. But the original questions still remained: was she ready to accept her future and fight for control of her instincts as Naru had so many years before?
She wasn't sure yet.
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B.S.P.R. HQ, Cambridge University, England (UK)
August, III days before the investigation
10:03 p.m.
"Stasis, Mai."
"Yeah, yeah," she breathed, straining through clenched teeth. "You and your… Stasis."
Mai was huffing and puffing, attempting to lift a 46 kg block of aluminum and preferably slam it into the wall like Naru was particularly famous for as Oliver Davis. So far, the block hadn't moved a centimeter. She wasn't sure if she had a grasp on it either, which was thoroughly infuriating as she'd been trying this exercise for over thirty minutes. She'd done lesser objects in past experiments, but anything over ten kg and she was done. Why Naru had the audacity to pick something so heavy when her training barely extended to a few weeks was aggravating. Nevertheless, she would try.
"If you'd already achieved stasis, this portion of training wouldn't be as taxing," Naru stated from behind her.
Groaning in frustration, Mai severed her PK flow and whipped around to face her tormentor. "Look, if stasis is so easy for you, why don't you give it a try for once, Mr. Perfection?" The words were drawled in biting sarcasm and blatant irritation.
Naru met her glare head on, a fraction of energy pulsating between them. Mai could've sworn static charged the air and sizzled at the end of her hair. Naru was nothing if not an instigative prick when it came to making her blood boil, but for some stupid, almost masochistic reason, she loved him all the more for it. Fire and ice and lightning. They were everything destructive and belligerent all at once, and she liked it for some reason.
One thing, dear readers… Don't blame her for being a fool while in love. At least not too much.
"Well?" she demanded. "Are you going to do anything?"
"I have nothing to prove," Naru finally pointed out, voice low and soft. Deadly. Lethal. "May I remind you this is your problem, your fear. This test is not for me, and frustration will give you no more than frustration. Find stasis, the point between, and only then will you become something more than just an assistant."
Assistant.
Mai froze.
The single word reverberated in her mind, an endless echo of miscellaneous memories. Both good and bad.
For almost two years she'd been his sidekick, his tea-slave, the extra teammate.
The thought was not pleasant.
Not anymore.
Not when she'd experienced leadership and trust and confidence. Confidence in herself, in her family, in her psychic abilities as the lead investigator of Japan's makeshift SPR. And after all the madness she went through to progress back into herself again from her PK... To be herself was a miracle, with no barrier and no depression, and no person in her way to thwart her path. To decide her fate and future.
Mai Taniyama was an not assistant. Not anymore. She hadn't been for a long time. Not even Naru could change that fact. Not anymore. Not ever.
She wanted to be herself. To be unhindered by fear and instability.
She wanted freedom.
She wanted… Life.
Stability.
Stasis.
Giving up on fear and relying on herself for answers, she became the point between.
The center.
Stasis.
Mai began to glow, a beacon in the whiteness of the Blank Room. Air whipped around her in a torrent of newfound energy, and an incessant ringing ignited from a dimension beyond. Distortion tumbled reality around her into a puzzle, but clarity came in the focus of her goal. From her one desire.
Using her hands as a guide, she felt a weight the block's weight and fixated her PK on its core. This time, the block was comparative to lifting a paperclip. It was too easy. Floating high above the Blank Room, it was suspended midair. Waiting.
Lifting her hands above her head, she let increased the flow of her PK and sent it hurtling into the wall, shattering the new tile.
Once again the foundations of BSPR thundered for her, but this time, she'd done it in her own control.
In her own mind.
By herself.
With no one and nothing to help her but her own will.
The block remained after the rubble disappeared, a web of cracks running along its embrace. Somehow, Mai saw this as proof of her accomplishment.
Of her control.
Somewhere along the way, she'd stopped glowing, her PK severed and contained within the locks of her conscious, waiting for another occasion as if to say, "Until next time."
Naru appeared at her side, the image seeming… Right. There was no other way to describe it, as if her instincts saw him as her other half. As if he were the dark to her light, her gravity and pull to Earth.
Her sense of stasis.
She smiled at him, a laugh erupting from her lips.
"Way to be the next Oliver Davis, Jou-Chan! Seriously, that was awesome!"
Mai froze, her gaze locked with Naru, whose expressionless facade cracked the slightest bit. The fringes of a smile toyed at his lips and he nodded curtly, looking to a large opened window overlooking the area. Mai followed his gaze, torn at the sight above them. Hands covered her mouth to hide the shock and threatening tears about to spill.
"Monk," she whispered, the familiar nickname shaking against her tongue. He waved to her, bouncing up and down to get her attention. He had it. Definitely, he had it. Her brother and father-like figure who'd bestowed with her momentary solace during her PK outbreaks. He'd always be her hero no matter who else came crashing into her life. Always.
"That was indeed amazing, Mai. Well done. You've gone very far these past few months." There was her second best friend, adorned in cute dress other than a kimono, and allowing her smile to be seen by all. It wasn't often when the world witnessed a sight such as that.
"Masako…"
"Well, now, who would've thought our little Mai would become something so strong? It's really something. Way to show off, girl!" The woman who'd become as much of a sister as a mother in years they'd known each stood smirking proudly and contently at Monk's side.
"Ayako…"
"Mai, that was very impressive to watch. I'm glad to see you doing so well after so long!" The young Australian exorcist with his soft demeanor and kind heart was there as well, smiling as warmly as she'd ever known.
"John…"
Her lips wavered, quivering with such shocked happiness she didn't know how to move. How to speak. How to do anything even remotely intelligent other than stare and cry.
"Are you going to stand there all day, idiot?"
Huh? Naru had his arms crossed, watching her, and rose a brow in silent question.
Realizing the amazing situation, Mai snapped out of her stupor, and raced out of the Blank Room without another word.
He always knew how to snatch her attention. Perfectly Naru. Perfectly him. Thank you...
Racing through the corridor, tears shimmered off her cheeks as a brilliant upward curl overtook her lips. This—she realized—was euphoria.
In all her times of horror and fear and discord, she'd drawn into herself, but the pieces were picked up and replaced, and euphoria reigned.
Bursting through the door for the upstairs Observation Room, Mai found her family waiting for her with open arms. There was no hesitation as she became the center of one large embrace. Together, they held her up.
As families always did for those they loved.
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Davis Estate, Cambridge, England (UK)
11:32 p.m.
"Wait! You guys are engaged?!"
Fast forward an hour of laughing, crying, hugging, perverted comments from Yasu, random questions, some silly conversations, and they had returned to the Davis Manor. As it was, they were in the midst of a serious catch-up in the Dining Hall. And since Luella and Martin were out of the country for a couple days due to BSPR business, Madoka and Lin staying at their own apartment across town, Yasu living in the dorms, and Naru off to who knew where, it was just Mai and the old gang.
"Remember when I'd been about to blow a gasket because this idiot monk decided to book it out of my apartment for a week without saying a thing?" Ayako asked darkly, jabbing a thumb at the sheepish Monk.
"Yeah, I of course I remember!" Mai defended, standing up from her chair. "But a few days later you said you guys were 'okay', not that you were engaged! That's hardly 'okay'! That's-that's fantastic!"
Ayako shrugged. "Well, he finally came back a few days later. Trust me when I say that I did give him the beating of a lifetime though." The redhead glared at her fiancé.
"Luckily, I grabbed the ring out of my pocket before the worst of it happened," Monk explained, laughing nervously.
"But why didn't you guys tell me?" Mai asked, more confused than upset as she sat back down.
Monk and Ayako gave each other small grins before facing her.
"We knew you'd head back to Japan if you knew," Monk said. "We couldn't have that. Not after all the progress Naru told us about. You had more important things to do, Mai. We were hardly about to take you away from that."
"We know you too well, Mai," Ayako chimed in.
"Yeah," she agreed, laughing a bit. "Yeah, I guess you do. I totally would've dropped everything had I known. Naru definitely wouldn't have liked that. But wait…" She paused, blinking rapidly. "Why are you guys all here, again? I mean, I cannot convey how happy I am to see everyone, but I'm wondering, was it for the PK demonstration earlier? Or was there a specific reason for your all coming here?"
Stationed at the head of the table, Mai watched as everyone exchanged glances.
"Dr. Davis never explained the exact purposes of our being here," Masako put in quietly. Because of her guilt and personal hurt towards blackmailing Naru during his sojourn to Japan, Masako had come to place him at a respectable distance, disavowing her feelings and had moved on. It'd been years since their rivalry and as a result, they'd grown closer than ever before. And instead of Naru, someone else had captured her interest, but that was a story for another occasion. "He said he wanted us here immediately, and gave us no room for argument. I suppose you can say he has us here on order."
"Oliver did say it was important," John added in. Over the years, the lovable blonde of their group had grown up. Standing at the same height as Naru, his babyface was gone and he'd become a handsome angel sent down by God. However, due to family and personal problems he'd left the priesthood for good to pursue charity work and volunteering. That tragic story... Was also for another time. "We assumed that something happened with you, but Oliver quickly informed us you were perfectly fine. Afterwards he simply said he would speak to us once we arrived for more information on the matter."
"So you guys booked flights to England for no reason other than Naru's request?" Mai surmised, bemused.
"Well, he paid for the tickets, and we were all available, so we took it as a small vacation," Monk said. "But knowing Naru, I bet we have work to do. It wouldn't be like him to call us here for nothing."
Mai's eyebrows rose to the ceiling. "He paid for your tickets? You're kidding."
"It was rather surprising," John admitted, scratching his head.
"Naru definitely has something up his sleeve," Ayako muttered, chin in her palm. "I wouldn't put it against him."
"Yeah," Mai whispered. "I wouldn't put it against him, either."
"But if you think about it, forgetting his abrupt departure and the secret life, Naru has yet to steer us in the wrong direction." A collective sigh came from the Dining Hall as they reluctantly agreed to Monk's statement.
Ayako leaned back in her seat, suspicions high. "I'd bet it was because Naru wants you to be his partner, Mai, and I wouldn't doubt that he has a case for us to solve."
"Probably to push you into agreeing to his proposal," Monk suggested.
"But…," Masako's voice broke out, silencing the group, "what exactly do you want to do for college, Mai?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "You have to be close to graduating, and ghost hunting was your niche in the past. Of course, I understand your apprehension about your PK, we've all seen it at its worst, but with the work Dr. Davis done to help you, you seem perfectly normal again."
"Yeah," John agreed. "You're smiling again, too. It's been awhile since we've seen that."
Mai was at a loss for words. Again she was met with a crossroads, unable to decide her choice. Was she ready? Why was everyone here? A case? An occasion? A mere visit? Whatever Naru's motives and plan, she knew he held the answer right in the palm of his hands.
.
August, II days before the investigation
6:03 a.m.
Why Mai was awake at the crack of dawn was a question she repeatedly wondered for about twenty minutes before giving up on sleep and crawling out of bed. With painstaking caution, she slipped out of the middle of her four-poster bed, tactfully remaining as quiet as the grave. Taking secretive glances at the two slumbering spiritualists half hidden behind navy comforters, she slowly tiptoed across the carpet of her bedchamber and made her way towards her window seat, veiled behind wall length curtains to shield from the morning sunrise.
In her bedchamber, darkness shadowed the figures of every object and image known to her, but subdued light flickered from the bottom of the curtains, a mere slice of reality, which meant another rainy day for Cambridge. Rain certainly wasn't uncommon in England, and she'd actually come to expect it more often than not. Usually the sight of rain was a pleasant one. She enjoyed the brief shower on occasion, but endless days of relentless cloud was a bit disheartening. Especially during the summer when she was used to high temperatures and the scorching heat of Japan's hottest season.
Cloudy days reminded her of her vision. The vision. She didn't like thinking about that.
Peaking through the crack of her curtains, rain fell onto the soft gardens of the Davis Estate in small pecks of drizzle. Sparing one last glance at Ayako and Masako, who'd wanted to sleep in her room and enjoy a mini sleepover for the night, she dived into the dim light of dawn, closing herself out of the darkness.
She sat with her back to the wall, knees tucked into her chest, and observed the world above and below with a sigh. There wasn't even a single burst of sun gleaming through the grey. Everything was a mesh of silvery overcast as needles shattered down from the sky in streaks.
"Feeling glum, little plum?" Eugene's transparent profile appeared on the glass.
She rolled her head in his direction, managing a smile. "How many nicknames do you have for me, Gene? I'm gaining quite the number of aliases these days thanks to you."
"Most of the time I simply call you Angel. Mai Angel."
She shook her head. "I am no angel, Gene."
"To me you are." The pitter patter of rain filled the gap between them for a moment as Mai could not find it in herself to respond to that declaration. Then… "What's troubling you, Mai? Is it about Noll's proposition for you?"
Mai bit her lip. "I have no reason to be troubled. Not when everyone's here for me… I mean just a few hours ago I was happier than ever, but it's as if this rain is reminding me of all that's happened."
It was the grey. The in between. The questions and the lack of light. It was a metaphorical aspect that shouldn't bother her, but for some reason, it did.
Her vision of wintertime. Of being in London. Presumably with Naru.
Naru's proposition. Being his partner.
Attending college. At the University of Cambridge.
Working at BSPR. Staying in England. Not going home to Japan.
Her PK. Her fears and adversity. Trials and errors.
Naru. His lack of feelings for her. Her confessions. His closeness.
Everything came crashing down on her with such ardent realization, tears stung her vision and blurred out reality.
"This shouldn't be so hard," Mai whispered, folding in on herself. "It should be easy. It should be so easy. Naru's given the me the opportunity of a lifetime. Why would I not agree? My PK's a factor, but that's not it... Not it at all. "
A hand rested on her head. It was cold and wasn't really there at all, but the weight was almost familiar to her. Gene whispered, "It's okay to be scared, Mai. Everyone has this happen in their lives. College isn't an easy thing. I got pretty scared too before I took my first classes. It's normal. It's hard to decide what to do for the rest of your life. It's hard to know what to do. It's hard to be away from home. It's hard dealing with my brother on a daily basis. Add in your PK and your dreams, and you've been given a bomb to dismember. But you know what?"
She looked up. "What?"
"You're alive, angel," he whispered reverently, "and you're and surrounded by people who love and care about you. My idiot brother included. But your fate is your own. No one can make it for you. I lived and died by that motto and still believe in it. "
My fate is my own. "Thank you, Gene. You always know what to say."
"Yeah, well, when you have Noll as your brother you tend tend to become a bit more of a gentleman to clean up his messes."
A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "I guess that makes sense."
Gene smiled. "Oh, and speak of the devil."
Huh? Naru was walking the gardens, an ebony umbrella hovering above him as he headed towards the gazebo.
"What's he doing outside?" Gene mumbled. "He doesn't like being stuck in the rain."
"He doesn't?"
The ghostly twin shook his head knowingly. "One of his many annoyances, and one of the few things he doesn't like about living in England. Heat is worse though. Anything above 24 degrees celsius and Noll's mood turns foul."
"Seriously?" Mai was genuinely intrigued. "He's never complained about either of those before."
"As you know, Noll's temper lies beneath that indifferent surface. When provoked, he'll snap."
Mai imagined it, before sweatdropping. "That sounds… Pretty normal, actually."
Gene gave her a look. "Trust me, it's worse."
Mai decided to take his word for it. He knew Naru better than anyone. No one understood Oliver Davis and his odd little tendencies like Gene did.
As if sensing they were talking about him, Naru stalled in his tracks and swiveled around to match her gaze. Bewildered, she started before awkwardly waving, fingers wiggling stiffly in greeting. Keeping to his impassive nature, Naru stared at her, hard.
"I-I can't tell what he's thinking right now, Gene," Mai whispered frantically, weirded out. "His emotions are completely void, I-I can't discern a thing…"
"He probably sensed you were awake," Gene hypothesized, smiling wryly. "There are other, lesser aspects that the bond allows you knowledge on. Noll knows about them because our bond was similar. You'll understand things like that with time, too. As for why Noll is staring at you like that… I would guess that he wants to speak with you?"
As if to confirm his assumption, Naru beckoned for her. It was a icy movement, a command from her senior.
"I doubt he'll take 'no' for an answer," Gene added helplessly.
"But…" Mai trailed off, unsure. "I don't know how to even get out of this house. I mean, I can find my chambers sometimes, but…"
Gene laughed, the sound bright as a sunflower. "Oh, I wouldn't worry. You have the perfect guide."
"But Cass is asle—"
"Whoever said you had to wake her?"
Gene, who'd been speaking to her through the glass suddenly removed himself from the windows, creating a semi-corporeal form appear in front of her. In this way, he was a spirit seen by the eyes of the living.
"I-if you could do something like this before, why didn't you?" Mai asked incredulously, keeping her voice to a minimum.
He winked, a playful, brotherly action. "I'll explain on the way. Shall we?"
She hesitated, before agreeing. To Naru she held up a hand, hoping to assure him she'd be out in five. He nodded. With that, she tiptoed back into the darkness of her chambers. Ayako and Masako were still sound asleep. At least that hadn't changed. After a fourteen-hour plane-ride and a significant time difference, she doubted they'd wake up anytime soon.
Gene met her in the hall. "Let's get walking."
"Right…"
Keeping a half-step behind the elder Davis twin, he began, "As you know, I was asleep for two years after I was buried. It wasn't until Noll received a call from Takigawa that I woke up again, knowing you were in trouble. In truth, I hadn't expected to be able to do this. Before, as a spirit, I was incapable of using a semi-corneal form such as you see now. However, only you can see me like this, Mai. Miss Hara may be able to sense my presence, but you're the only one who can see me."
"Huh? But why?"
Gene smiled. "Due to your connection with Noll and being spiritually sensitive as it is, I'm very in tune with your wavelength. Some spirits actually attach themselves to people when their wavelengths are near the same frequency, acting a floating specter. Usually to haunt them into an early grave. As for why I was unable to do this until now: it's because I've been steadily growing in strength after I woke up. I'm not entirely sure why, but it sure does help. I can actually talk to you when you're awake."
"Hmm." Mai tapped a finger to her chin. "How interesting. I'm sure Naru will be glad to know you'll be sticking around more permanently. He probably missed knowing you were still there beside him."
"Other than helping with cases, my brother is far from glad that I'm still lingering in the human realm."
If that's true… Then Naru must feel how I do about Gene being around… It's bittersweet, I guess. As much as I love talking with him and earning his friendship, it's hard to acknowledge that he really is gone… And even if it takes up to a hundred years, I don't want Gene to become like other spirits trapped here…
"Be that as it may," Mai said tentatively, placing a hand on heart as the truth rang. "I think Naru's somehow glad you're here with him. I mean, you're brothers, twins at that. I can't imagine how hard it must be for both of you, being so close yet so far away from each other, but I still think Naru is happy about you being around. No. Actually, I know he is."
They'd stopped at a twin set of doors leading to one side of the manor. Outside, the ceaseless rain continued to fall and Gene was looking at her in shock. Then he tisked in amusement. "Helping the dead cope with life..." he murmured wryly. "What an angel you are... If I alive was you'd be in a Takigawa-styled hug."
"You mean where I wouldn't be able to breathe you'd be squeezing me so hard?" Mai's mirth was written all over her face.
Gene grinned. "Pretty much. But you need to be on your way. You know how Noll is when he's left waiting for too long. I'll see you in your dreams, Mai. Until then."
"Until then." Bowing in goodbye, Gene's semi-corporeal form disappeared from sight, his presence gone. Left alone, Mai mentally prepared herself for being soaked to the bone. Naru was sure to call her stupid for not bringing an umbrella, but oh well, talking to Gene was more entertaining.
With that, she threw the door open and ran out into the open rain. Squealing a bit at the cold touch, she urged her feet to move faster. Sprinting towards the gazebo with her head down and arms pressed over her head, she didn't see Naru raise a brow at her childish antics.
It wasn't until she reached the threshold of the gazebo did she realize how drenched she'd gotten. But for some reason, she wanted to laugh. Between Naru's disapproving stare and her wet clothes, hilarity bubbled up her throat and came outward into existence in the form of uncontrollable laughter. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, maybe it was stress was getting to her, maybe it was Naru, maybe it was her, or maybe it was a culmination of everything. Whatever it was, she couldn't stop.
Giggling behind her hands, she saw more than heard Naru's sigh. Wordlessly, he handed her his jacket, the gesture taming her as her laughter diminished to a small fit of giggles before descending into a small grin.
"Find getting soaked amusing, Mai?" he asked finally, tone monotonous at best and flat at worse. She sat across from him at a small two-person table.
She shrugged a shoulder, the warmth of Naru's jacket igniting a small blush. "Better than being grumpy about it, I suppose."
He did not respond to that one, perhaps knowing the hidden meaning. Instead, in a very Naru-like fashion, he changed the subject. "Your emotions have been up and down this whole week, Mai."
"Why, has it been bothering you?" she asked, daring him to admit it.
"I'm not going to lie," Naru told her blatantly. "It's been very annoying."
Mai huffed, expecting his candor, "Well, I'm sorry, Mr. I'm-Too-Perfect-To-Have-Emotions. I can barely feel any of yours, you know. It's scary how little your emotions fluctuate. Half the time I have to concentrate to be able to tell."
He nodded absently, his mind seemingly lost in other things. "You spoke to Gene before this." Not a question. A statement.
She straightened, but felt his curiosity rather than his negativity and relaxed. "Yes. He can talk to me in a semi-corporeal state now. Apparently, I'm the only one that can see him though thanks to my connection with you, but Masako might be able to sense his presence. That was the majority of our conversation. Everything else you'd check off as 'irrelevant'."
"I see."
"Naru," she called, and those indigo orbs she loved locked with hers. Her heart softened. "What did you call me out here for?"
Instead of an answer, he slipped an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her, the seal unbroken. Blinking, Mai took it, realizing the implications the instant she saw the return address. "This..."
Soaking wet, hair dripping pellets onto the white paper, and clad in pink monkey pajamas, Mai let out a half gasp, half laugh, and a whole smile. "I've graduated."
No verbal congrats, but the feeling was there. In the pit of her stomach where Naru's soul linked with hers. But there was a faint whisper of dread. … Naru?
"Is this why you asked everyone to come here?" she wondered, breathless.
He nodded curtly.
"For me to celebrate graduation with my family?"
Another nod.
The envelope crumpled in her hands. "Thank you." Thank you for everything you've done.
It was the small things. The unnoticeable things. The wordless things. The almost untraceable things. Those were the things that mattered when it came to Naru. The grand gestures came out strange and awkward, but the little ones… Those were always the most savored and beloved because she remembered and saw them as something purely Naru.
He may be the biggest narcissist on the planet, and his compassion had to be earned through a long stretch of trial and error, but when Naru gave… He gave in the small things. The big things may be flashy and important, but the little aspects that made up this man were what she really loved about him.
"For everything," she said, repeating her words from months ago. "Thank you."
She stood up without warning, unthinkingly curling her fingers into his signature black jacket. "I-I'll give you my answer about staying in England within twenty-four hours, okay? I-I'm sorry for being indecisive, and I know you hate that, but I… I need time to think. Okay?"
Naru's heated gaze made her shiver in the cold summertime rain. "One, don't stutter, Mai. It doesn't suit you. And second, you have twenty-four hours. Once that's over, the deal ends."
Leave it to Naru to ruin the moment with a threat. Somehow she couldn't imagine him acting any other way, and she rolled her eyes, smiling all the while. "Just know I expect you to be at dinner tonight. Ayako will undoubtedly have something planned for the evening. She loves parties, so dress nice!"
She dove into the rain once again, taking Naru's jacket with her.
.
6:50 p.m.
For Naru, dinner was what he considered 'tiresome'. For most, a general adjective of choice would probably be 'entertaining' or 'interesting', but not for nineteen-year-old Oliver Davis. His sole comforts were his seat next to his father—who'd stationed himself at the head, with Lin across from him. Mai was at his side, whose infecting emotions swirled in a mass of wonder, joy, and a slip of indecision in the background. Naru didn't particularly care to feel any of these as they clashed with his on a battlefield of comparison. Luckily for Mai, his emotions were dimmed from years of concealment and didn't surge any higher than aftereffects across the bond. And contrary to some people's beliefs, contracting someone else's moods did not affect their own. What bothered Naru was the constant rise and fall, rise and fall, rise and fall. The fact that Mai was naturally vibrant did not help either.
With his parents back in town, a rapid stream of meet-and-greets and various congratulatory speeches for Mai took place in the Dining Hall, along with a bout of gleeful hysteria that Naru took no part in, having stuck to the side and observe from the sidelines with Lin. Other than a few tidbits of 'hi' and informative bios, the two more quiet members of BSPR remained silent. However, he could foresee the former Japanese branch wanting to attack him with questions on their other reasons for being in England, and the fact he'd requested for their arrival without his parent's permission shocked both Luella and Martin. Since when did he invite friends over? Especially from across continents? The madness knew no end, and he'd sighed before explaining the simple circumstances of Mai's graduation with a level-head of logic that was not to be questioned further.
Dinner had been served nearly an hour before, but conversations continued on at his side with Yasu and Mai doing the most of the commentating about Japan's former branch of SPR and their various cases. After five minutes Naru had tuned them out to speak with his father about more pressing scientific matters.
But throughout the night, Madoka continued to smirk at him from her place next to Lin and Yasu. His former teacher was far more conniving than he cared to deal with. Add in Yasu and his mother, and Naru knew his fuse was going to be tested.
"I take it the attempt was successful," Martin surmised, drawing him to the present. "If she managed what you did several years ago, that's quite a feat of control. But have you tried any tests recently, Oliver? We haven't been able to record any substantial demonstrations for several years. Unless you'd prefer to keep away from the testing for other fields of interest? I know you're the Chief of the Fieldwork Lab, but you're also apart of the Theory Lab as well."
"In truth there are several theories about the link I have yet to test," Naru said. "PK demonstrations can be Mai's department if she wishes, but I'd prefer to keep to mystery rather than extensions of proven facts. That is, if Mai accepts the scholarship."
Martin was taken aback, and snuck a glance at the girl at Naru's side. "She hasn't accepted?" he asked softly, the confusion evident. "Does she have a better offer somewhere else? Cambridge provides the best Parapsychology courses in the world. Or is for more personal reasons?"
"Personal reasons," Naru clarified, then said, "I gave her a timelimit. She has twenty-four hours to take the scholarship or no deal."
His father almost shot up in his seat at this admission, but managed to preserve his dignity and their privacy by clearing his throat and keeping his jaw from dropping to the floor. Clearly his father was not thrilled to hear his terms of the deal.
"What were you thinking, Oliver?" Martin hissed under his breath. "Miss Taniyama is perhaps the strongest psychic to have ever lived and you're willing to let her go because of what, your impatience? The original agreement was until this upcoming semester!"
"Mai is not an object, father."
Martin gave him a very hard look. "You know me, Oliver E.C. Davis, and I am not an opportunist. I care about Miss Taniyama as much as your mother does. She's also the closest thing you've have to a friend since Eugene, so I hardly base my opinion of her as simply another project. I don't think of anyone that way, and you know that good and well. SPR doesn't operate that way. I don't operate that way."
Naru folded his hands atop the table, about to speak before...
"NARU!"
The name was shouted into his ear, a fact that ruined whatever semblance of serenity he possessed. Very deliberately, he turned to face the rest of the Dining Hall, glare aimed at Mai without the slightest bit of reprieve. "What?" he drawled in the deadened sound, voice lethal in the silence. "Do you need?"
Mai faltered, but quickly patched up the cracks. She smiled brightly without a hint of shame for interrupting his serious conversation with his father. His glare intensified.
"Your mother was wondering why I refer to you as 'Naru' instead of 'Noll'," Mai disclosed. "Care to tell the story yourself?" Now this was the type wicked behavior he'd come to expect from Yasu or Madoka, but not from Mai. Did she figure this as some degree of teasing, or was this a premeditated ploy meant to annoy him? Whichever way the coin fell, Naru was hardly amused.
"Yes, Noll," his mother added in, grinning slyly, "do tell us the history behind 'Naru', hmm?"
"As I am not the creator of said nickname I don't hold priority in your line of questioning," Naru snapped.
"Oh, come on, Naru-Chan!" Monk spoke up, and his mother burst out laughing at the added suffix. "Tell the story! Your nickname, your story."
"As I said—"
"I take it 'Naru' is something a little more than a term of friendly endearment if you're differing the answer to our guests, Noll," Martin organized.
"Oh, indeed," Madoka chimed in. "It suits him perfectly. Mai couldn't have done a better job with it. Well done, dear."
"Aww, thanks," Mai laughed, "but my inspiration didn't come from nowhere. It has a reason. Why don't you tell them, Naru?"
He wasn't going to get out this. The door for strategic dismissal was gone.
Lips thinning in displeasure, he deadpanned, "'Naru' is short for 'narcissist'."
One.
Two.
Three.
Everyone burst out laughing, and he resisted the urge to sigh. Keeping a flat exterior, he sealed off his expression, and refused to let the temperature drop from his growing irritation.
"Oh, what Gene would've done if he'd been there to hear that the first time around!" Luella exclaimed in her laughter.
Martin chuckled his agreement, "Oh, indeed!"
Over the years, the use of Gene's name in an everyday setting had become a more commonplace. Often it used in a sobered environment, but Naru understood the usage now. Gene never called him by Mai's prefered nickname, but had he been there when he'd first met Mai, Naru knew he'd have a similar reaction as his parents.
Somewhere across the distance of space and reality, Naru heard a chuckle flicker past his hearing. Probably the remnant link with Gene acting up. Sparing a glance at his former assistant, he saw her line of sight was latched somewhere above Luella. He had more than suspicions she was looking at his brother's spirit.
Amid this chaotic mess, Mai whispered, "You know it's rude to stare at the dead."
"It's rude to pull someone from their conversations," Naru countered. "The dead, however, are used to staring if their presence has been noted."
Mai just smiled at him, and a glimmer of something Naru couldn't truly comprehend shot across the bond. "Always so snappy, Naru-Chan, but honestly, I wouldn't want you any other way."
Somehow, someway, Naru found a twinge of satisfaction in that comment.
.
8:03 p.m.
Mai was slow-dancing with Monk in the Dining Hall.
Somewhere along the way, they'd gotten to this point. Between a wide variety of greetings, a fancy dinner, laughs, jokes, reminiscing, ghost stories, congratulations, and plenty of catch-up time with her beloved family, and Mai's night was slowing down to its last few embers. After provoking Naru about his namesake, Luella got the idea that a Graduation Party was nothing without a little music. Having danced ravenously for the nearly two hours with everyone she knew in the Davis Estate, including some of the staff, she'd tired.
So as the last rays of amber sunlight fluttered past the windows, Mai breathed to the sound of Monk's heartbeat. A piano melody twinkled from the Davis's sound-system, and she relaxed for the first time since yesterday.
"Hey, kiddo," Monk called softly, and Mai reluctantly withdrew her head to look up at him.
"Hm?"
"Naru's back. You should ask him to dance."
Startled at the mere idea, she thanked her lucky stars for the dim lighting. A hot blush bloomed on her cheeks. "Oh, please," she muttered. "Naru would never dance with me." With the music playing, Naru had kept to his father's side until Luella had dragged him out to dance. Even Lin had been forced out by Madoka more than once. With no one around to speak with, he'd left the Dining Hall. That'd been an hour ago.
"You never know until you try," Monk insisted. "Besides this is your special day, and he did call us out here for you, Mai."
Her brows knit. "I guess that's true… But..."
"He'll say 'yes'." A shock swept up her spine at Gene's abrupt appearance at her side. "Well, he'll say 'yes', but in a very Noll-like-fashion. You know how he is."
Mai's heart softened, and she nodded to both them, starting towards the edge of the hall where Naru leaned against the wall. The light of sundown didn't reach this corner and they were adorned in shreds of shadow. It fit Naru's image, but did little to sooth her nerves.
"Hey," she said by way of greeting.
"Hi." What a lackluster response…
"Umm…" She ducked her gaze, unable to face him with the blush on her cheeks. "I was wondering if you'd… Umm…"
"Playing the meek teenage girl doesn't suit you, Mai."
She huffed, her previous nerves replaced with familiar annoyance, "Has anyone ever told you that you're very rude?"
"Your question is redundant when you already know the answer," Naru replied flatly.
"It was rhetorical, idiot scientist!"
"I'm impressed you know what that means."
"For your information, Mr. Narcissist," Mai bristled, "I aced English while in high school!"
"Obviously."
That gave Mai pause. Was that his attempt at a compliment? Or was he being sarcastic?
Mai sighed, leaning beside Naru as the party went on without them. It was a strategic placement, she noted, with a quick getaway and a easy view of the whole Dining Hall. Of course Naru would be here.
"Anyways," she tried again, lacing her hands behind her back, "I was wondering if you'd give me the honor of being my last dance?" It probably sounded like a joke, but the question was genuine. Spoken by the heart.
Amber met indigo.
"Your answer first. To our deal."
"Heh?" The Japanese uttering came out before she could stop it, and she pointed at him accusingly. "Y-you gave me til tomorrow!"
Naru raised his chin, adding to his height. "A favor for a favor, Mai."
Her shoulders slumped at his stoic attitude. "Come on, Naru…"
"Your answer," Naru repeated. "No more, no less."
"Ugh, fine! Give me a minute, here!"
"Fine." Naru crossed his legs over one another. "I'm not going anywhere."
The single sentence stirred something in her. An old fear, an old grudge, and an old confession gone horribly wrong. Then a new life, a new purpose, and a new confession gone right. Right.
Right.
Right.
Right.
"To what end?" she whispered. Without realizing it, she'd started to shake as the intensity of her emotions wrapped her in a choking hold. She could barely breathe.
"To whatever end."
Her head snapped up. "What?" Frantic fear and desire coursed through her veins. She wanted to latch onto him and never let go, to cry without worry he'd pull away. In this insufferable darkness, he was her source of life. Her sense of stasis.
"I shouldn't have to say it again, Mai."
He's being sincere... But what do I want other than Naru himself? Do I want to stay here? I know he won't leave again. I know it. He wants me as his partner… Should I accept? What do I want? It's not like I'll never be able to control my PK… The demonstration yesterday shows my potential. What about my family? What about Japan? Is achieving my dream of being a ghost hunter worth losing them?
You won't lose them, her instincts told her. You can never lose family. No matter where you are, or what you're doing, they'll always be there. As if to prove her point, Monk and Ayako waved to her from their slowdance, locked together in an embrace. They were so in love…
Sinking deeper and deeper, Gene's mantra filled her mind, "... Your fate is your own. No one can make it for you. I lived and died by that motto and still believe in it. "
My fate is my own. No one can make it for me.
She swallowed thickly, absently running her trembling fingers through her hair.
To stay here, to become what I want to be no matter the struggles I'll face...
That's…
That's what I want.
Everyone… Please be happy for me.
With that, she let herself fall into Naru's chest, his heartbeat steady and calm and wonderful. "I accept your blasted deal, idiot scientist. Dance with me, will you? Preferably before I fall asleep and you have to carry me back to my rooms." He was so warm too...
Naru grabbed her hand, and the bond instantly augmented into a billion sparks of feeling. And what blazed through the deepest depths of their souls? Contentment.
Mai smiled. "Are you happy I'm staying, Naru?"
He responded by dragging her off to where everyone slowly waltzed around the Dining Hall, and her smile widened.
A sweet, haunting melody wafted through the air as Naru stopped them at the edge of the crowd. A hand at her waist gently pushed her forward, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. Falling into him was almost instinctual, easy, normal. Breathing in his scent, and their bond at the height of connection, Mai never wanted this moment to end.
"This is as romantic as I'm going to get," Naru informed her dryly.
Mai stifled her giggles by laughing into his chest. "That's okay."
"I wasn't apologizing."
She rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Oh, and Naru?"
"What?"
"It's nice to know I have a pretty awesome partner from now on."
"The best."
"..."
"..."
"... Narcissist."
.
"Just a day, just an ordinary day,
Just trying to get by,
Just a boy, just an ordinary boy,
But he was looking to the sky,
And as he asked if I would come along,
I started to realize, that everyday he finds, just what he's looking for,
Like a shooting star he shines,
He said, 'take my hand, live while you can'."
-Vanessa Carlton, Ordinary Day
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.
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Stasis
Author's Note:
Stasis is officially my longest story ever! This also the longest chapter I have ever written... Ever! I'm quite happy thats it's only begun though! God, this chapter was long! Hope you liked it! I promise that next time there will be the actual case! PROMISE! Mai's troubles and insecurities needed to be addressed though, I'm sure you understand. After all the hell she went I made her go through...
By the way, 'prologue' and 'epilogue' chapters will be the before and aftermath of cases if needed
Thank you to the reviewers who informed me on Mai and Naru's birthdays! Also, I've been asked by several reviewers when I'll be updating chapters. Honestly it depends on my week, but if you want to know my current progress I'm constantly updating my profile with percents of how much I've completed a chapter if you're curious. Stasis chapter updates (since it's my most beloved story) are right at the top, so you shouldn't have to look too hard.
Oh my gosh, everyone is back! Didn't expect that, did you? Also, I love John, so I'm sorry that he's technically no longer a priest but I have a pretty good idea of what happened for him to quit! Again, so sorry! I also apologize for the quick/skipped intro of everyone for the Davis family, but there'll be enough interactions between characters in the future that'll make up for it!
ATTENTION: I may be able to get one more chapter out for this story before school starts, but that's cutting it close and once school does start up for me again, I'll be very busy. Between Varsity Volleyball until mid November, several AP classes, and it being my senior year of high school, I'm booked. So updates will be much slower. I'd say two weeks at earliest, and two months at the latest! Sorry, everyone, it's upsetting for me too. I love pumping out these chapters like I have, but summer is coming to an end. :(
Please review!
-Cassandra
