Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt in any way, shape, or form. I just like to play with the characters.
Warnings: The violence, injury descriptions, and suicidal thoughts have now started, and will continue - if any of this will upset you, please don't read further.
A/N: Thank you all for waiting patiently - this chapter had been written, but then decided to go a different way, so I hope you all enjoy!
Tuesday - An Unknown Cave
how are you doing this
"You shouldn't mess around with a monk," Houshou said with a smile. "We're trained to go out of body."
In better situations! his mind shrieked at him. Not when you're already injured and weak! If you don't go back right now, you might not be able to get back at all!
He ignored himself. Turned a deaf ear to Ayako's cries for help, that his body wasn't breathing on its own. Watched as Lin struggled to get up, blood streaming down the back of his head, dripping onto floor after it finished dying his hair. Saw John dodge a tentacle only to be hit with the rocks it broke loose behind him.
A whistling noise began, ending mere seconds later in a gurgle as a purple tendril wrapped around Lin's neck and squeezed.
Lin first his brain supplied as strategy, seeing a white spirit writhing in confusion next to its summoner. Breathing is good. Then Ayako, then John.
Houshou looked around, trying to spot where his tokkosho had landed; Lin managed to let out a choked cough.
"Lin? Lin was that you? Where are you?" Ayako's head was scanning the room, but the spirit squeezed harder, forcing Lin to pull and pry so that he couldn't make a sound.
"I'm coming Lin, hold on!" yelled Houshou. There. Out of the corner of his eye. On the astral plane his tokkosho gleamed, lit as if made from pure electricity. He snatched it, then lept toward the spirit.
no this should not be happening what are you doing
"Something that should have done a long time ago." Houshou slashed at the purple tendril, pain rebounding into him as it frayed, then snapped. There was a howl of pain and rage from the spirit, but it let got of its victim.
Ayako next!
The sharp whistle started, but then Lin began to cough, rubbing at the reddened area, bruise marks appearing on his neck.
"You're going to be fine Lin, take it easy," Houshou said, patting the man on the back. He left Lin on the floor and hurried over to Ayako. The tentacles here were thicker, coming from the body of the spirit and weaving together around her eyes.
"Hold still," he said to her, not sure if she could hear. This time as he sliced, the pain was greater and harder to ignore.
Try to remember that you don't have a body to take the physical hits anymore; everything is going straight to your core.
"Doesn't matter," Houshou said aloud, applying more pressure. After about half a minute of sawing, that one also snapped, the monk letting out a snarl of agony as he clutched his chest.
"I can... I can see again." Ayako rubbed her eyes, blinking as she looked around at the cavern for the first time. Then at the body neat her feet. "Oh gods, Houshou." She dropped to her knees, and suddenly there were brushes at each spot as she touched him, starting from the neck as she checked his pulse, advancing to the bandages at his wrists, and continuing onwards.
Strange. Up on the mountain, the head monk would lash us. We didn't feel that at all. Is this different, or am I out of practice? He paused for a second, wondering. No matter. John... I've gotta get John... Houshou shook his head, staggering on his feet. It been harsher when Ayako's connection to the spirit had snapped, so much more than Lin's, and there was an unsettling feeling that John's was going to be even worse since he'd been here the longest.
Something hit him, pinning him against floor by spreading over his chest and anchoring around the sides.
you will not help them any further you will be my banquet she is coming
I need to get the others freed; Mai's too weak on her own and Naru can't use his powers to boost her.
"I'll help them all, and you're going to be the one needing aid," promised Houshou, twisting and writhing against the the filaments.
watch you are too late
And it was just as the spirit said. Naru and Mai appeared at another entrance to the cave. It was too far away to hear them, but he saw the moment when Mai pointed at his body. Felt a fresh wave a strength come from the spirit.
I would have sworn that was rock wall... but then how did Lin get in earlier?
"Leave them out of this!" yelled Housohu, doubling his efforts.
no
A purple barrier sprang up in front of the two, cutting them away from the main chamber where everyone else was fighting.
"Naru! Don't touch it!" screamed Houshou, already knowing that the boy wouldn't be able to hear him. And yet... even as he watched the train wreck about to happen, Naru stopped before the barrier, holding an arm out to make sure Mai didn't touch it either.
Did he hear me?
"We need to get the shield down!" he shouted again. The tendrils didn't give an inch, constricting now for each attempt he made.
Stop moving, they're only tightening when you do. There's gotta be another way out of this.
"Lin, report!" snapped Naru.
"Down to one shiki. John's deaf. Ayako's blind, and Houshou's..." there was a pause, then Lin continued. "Houshou's not breathing. The link's between him and Mai."
"Bou-san!" screamed Mai, taking a step forward, closer to the crackling shield.
"Naru!" howled Houshou.
"Conflicting reports!" yelled out Ayako her voice more cheerful than he'd heard in days.
Has it been days? How long have we been here?
"Bou's breathing again and I can see!"
Thank the gods. sighed Houshou, his body slumping against the coils in relief. That's a weight off of my shoulders. Now I can just focus on making sure they don't hurt themselves getting down to us.
"What can we do to get past this?" Naru called out.
"The shield is from the spirit - if we can attack at the same time, then it might go down long enough for you to slip in."
"Ayako!" yelled Naru. "Help us for a few minutes."
"I said he's breathing, not that he's stable," she yelled back.
"Two minutes," yelled Naru. He turned to Mai and began talking to her, voice low.
"Wait, is that in two minutes or for two minutes?!" asked Ayako, looking around.
"Help me get free and I can help John!"
"Lin! Tell your shiki to help Takigawa!"
Lin wasted no time having his spirit companion withdrawn from the fight. Houshou had to laugh at the confusion on the man's face though, when the lithe spirit didn't go to the body, but went to where he was tied up.
Naru's gotta be able to hear me, that's the second time he's reacted to my voice. The first one might have been a coincidence, but this... this couldn't have been.
The shiki began to gnaw, biting into the hindering tendrils.
"That's it - come on little buddy, set me free so we can do some damage."
stop trying to defeat me
"One minute!" yelled Naru.
"Naru!" This'll see if the can actually hear me. "Lin needs to help John attack!"
There was a smile of satisfaction on the monk's face as he heard his order relayed.
Should have guessed, that kid has scary levels of powers.
One of the tendrils loosened, enough for him to get an arm out and start hacking away at the other one with his dagger.
no no you can not do this
"Watch us you horrible bastard!"
Houshou broke through just as Naru yelled out for them to attack.
"In the Beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God..."
"Rin! Pyou! Tou! Shah! Kai...!"
"Rin! Pyou!"
Lin's whistling joined the voices.
"...sowaka!"
Houshou let out a yell as one of the tendrils electrified him, and his voice wasn't alone. Cracking open an eye showed him that Lin was holding his bleeding head again, Ayako was on both knees, with her head touching the floor, and John was lying on his side, white faced and holding his injured arm.
Shit... did it... did it just get stronger?
yes yeeeees
"Why is it... " Naru's voice trailed off as he made the connection, turing to the woman beside him. "Mai! Stop worrying!"
Houshou turned to see that the younger girl was watching all of them from her viewpoint, her shoulders shaking and tears streaming down her face.
"Mai-"
Lin let out a shout of surprise, and when Houshou looked back, he was dangling in the air, waving as the spirit moved him around.
John - I've got to free John. He'll be able to coordinate with the others if he can hear again.
He pushed himself to the left, darting around Ayako. The tendrils to John's ears had been a little translucent earlier, but now, Houshou could see the color coming back to them. He brought his tokkosho down and yelled in surprise at the feedback. Not even halfway through cutting the priest free and it hurt even worse than he had imagined. Every inch of Mai's worry was feeding the spirit, and in turn, the spirit was tightening its grip on John while making advances toward the others.
Something touched his leg. His looked behind him to see Ayako and John trying to fight against their way against wind to Lin's side, and a thin tendril writhing nearby.
"Naru! Stop Mai from worrying!" yelled Houshou. "It's making the spirit stronger!"
Naru got to his feet and staggered, forcing his way into the gusts to get to Mai's side.
"Mai! Stop thinking about him!"
"Look at him!" sobbed Mai. "He's so-his injuries are so terrible!"
Houshou screamed. Two of the tendrils had grabbed hold of him, one around his neck and the other around his waist.
"Mai!" Naru shouted, looking back and forth between the two. "Stop!"
"I can't!" she screamed back. "Look at him? Aren't you worried?!"
Houshou could other voices joining his in agony.
"Naru!" Another surge of electricity had him howling. "Make her forget!"
Naru hesitated for a second, then grabbed Mai by the bottom of her chin, pulled her to him, and kissed. His hand then went and cupped the back of her head so she couldn't escape while the other wrapped around her waist.
Everything.
Stopped.
Houshou lifted enough of one hand to cut the pieces holding him, freeing him from the painful embrace, which in turn allowed an attack on the ones attached to John. Pain ripped through him, but even as it took him to his knees, John's brilliant smile made it worth it.
"Rin! Pyo!"
A shrill whistle echoed throughout the room.
Thank you! At least someone's remembering to attack.
"HOW DARE YOU!" screamed Mai. A sharp slap was heard, and when he could, Houshou looked back to see Naru on his ass, knocked down by a furious Mai. "NOW? HERE?"
She broke down sobbing, looking at Naru as if he'd taken her heart, torn it in two, and then set half on fire while stomping the other half into paste.
"This is where you want to kiss me? When Bou-san is dying? Maybe even dead? What is wrong with you?!"
very well
Houshou turned to see the spirit shrinking, folding in on itself.
you and yours have bested me in battle you are free to leave
"... no," said Houshou, flexing his hand. He ached everywhere, and the pain might have been mental at this point, but it was there, sucking away at his energy. Fingers wrapped around the tokkoshoo's hilt, and with a feral smile on his face, he got on weak legs to face the what was left of the spirit. "Hell no, you don't get to run and hide from this."
do not kill me i am letting you free
"Did you listen to your victims when they asked that? Pleaded for it? Begged for it? When one child, and one parent, saw all of their family members die in front of them?" Houshou raised his hand, already knowing what the answer would be. "On habahaba kuita sabataruma sabasaba kitsudo kan taristuta boritsu hara boritsu takimei takimei kara santan uenbi sowaka!"
The tokkosho sunk into the middle of the pulsating mess.
"Lin! Now!" yelled Naru.
Lin's whistle echoed in the chamber, his spirit flying in for a frenzied attack.
Ayako and John added their chants and prayers, whittling away at the form little by little, piece by piece, until there was one final splash, a last crackle, and pop... it was gone. No more wind, the only sounds echoing around the chamber were of pain, from either the heart, the body, or both.
"Aw... dammit it Ayako, Mai. Stop crying, you're both making me feel bad."
He laid down on the ground as he said that.
Ugh. Even without a body I feel bone tired. That thing better be really dead, and not, ten-year-dead or something stupid like that.
"Don't touch him!" snapped Ayako. Houshou's head flopped over to see Mai draw back from his body, a hurt expression on her face. "It's better to limit the germs he's exposed to, and I need to see his injuries clearly."
"How can I help?" asked John, stumbling closer with his tight arm against his chest. "I took some first aid classes."
"I'm going to call an ambulance," declared Lin, limping past Naru and holding his hand out for a phone. Once it was in the palm of his hand, he made a beeline to the entrance, keying in 1-1-9.
"Is there anything I can do?" asked Mai, hovering around John and Ayako.
Sorry guys... not sure... first aid's going to do any good here. He huffed at the thought.
"Takigawa Houshou, you will explain exactly what occurred here and how we can help you," stated Naru, walking over to him.
"Heh... He rolled his head over to see Naru's eyes.
Hmm... are they a bit wider than normal?
"What?!" Mai whirled around, almost stumbling on a loose rock. "Naru, you can see him!?"
"Not surprised," muttered Ayako, keeping her eyes to her work. "Not happy about it, but not surprised."
"I thought you were listening to me earlier. You can hear me then?"
"Crystal clear." There was a pause. "I can see you as well. "
"Great." Houshou ran a hand over his face. "Look, emotional and mental things first, not like we can do much physically right now anyhow; I know Mai's upset with you. Tell her the kiss was my fault. My idea for how to make her angry enough to forget worrying. You two will be good again that way."
The necessary information was duly reported, and Mai resumed looking as if she wanted to keep slapping her "secret" crush while kissing him.
"He also said to quit crying Mai," added Naru in a softer vice. "He hates making you cry, I heard that clearly."
"Then he shouldn't be such an idiot," she said softly, wiping away some of her tears with the heel of her hand. "And I'll stop crying."
"Ayako too."
The doctor snorted, concentrating on binding the injuries she'd missed the first time; Houshou could feel butterfly touches at areas that were beginning to throb the more he looked at his body. John had to have been helping her, or else Ayako had grown another two hands.
"I'm not crying."
"What happened?" demanded Naru.
"It was hurting them." Houshou shrugged. "I didn't realize I was already unconscious, and when I went to protect them, my spirit stood up instead of my body. Normally this is done on command, during meditation."
"You need to get back into your body then," said Naru. "How can we help?"
"Just... give me a few seconds," said Houshou, rolling his neck to crack it. With a large sigh, he heaved himself off of the ground and walked over to where his body was lying. "I'm pretty tired. I need to gather some strength to do this."
Naru nodded, and waited.
This is going to hurt like hell. Houshou screwed up his face, fixed his determination, then stepped into his body. And stayed there.
"Houshou?" Naru's voice sounded a little shaky, but that wasn't like their iron-willed boss, so he ignored it.
"I'm trying!" Houshou said, dancing in his chest.
And isn't that disturbingly disgusting. He tried not to concentration on the sensations; he could live the rest of his life without knowing how his feet felt moving through his ribs. After a few minutes he gave up, stepping back out to the side.
"Um... my body's not taking my spirit back. I seem to be locked out."
"What?!" snapped Naru. Nearby, Ayako flinched.
"What happened? What's wrong?" asked John. Houshou watched as their fearless leader acted a little more... human.
"His body is not accepting his spirit. Houshou, there's got to be something we can do to anchor you in your body."
The monk laughed at the idea of a spirit, any spirit, meekly settling back into their body because they were ordered by Naru. He gasped harder every time he caught the expression on Naru's face.
"Sorry for laughing," Houshou apologized, holding his sides and trying to take a deep breath. "But, um... haha, no. There's nothing you guys can do to pull my spirit back."
"What can we do then?" Naru cocked his head. "I know you're not a ghost since I'm talking to you."
"Well, not yet at any rate." A wry grin. "Normally my body welcomes my spirit back, but right now..."
"How long do we have?"
Mai gasped at the question, and Houshou could feel a harder pressure being applied to his body, unsure if it was from either Ayako or John.
"I don't know," shrugged Houshou.
"Naru?" All of her questions were fitted into that one, even though Ayako was still concentrating and focused on bandaging wounds. "And Mai, there is something you can do for me. Do you see the other exit? The big one?"
"Yes..." The woman looked up to the place. "What about it?"
"There's a backpack there with medical supplies."
"Got it!" Mai said, running off to the front of the cave.
Good, she doesn't have to overhear this.
"He's not sure of the time, and normally this doesn't happen," answered Naru with distaste. "Houshou, can I at least get an estimate, or a thought as to what the problem might be?"
"It probably has something with my spirit's energy level. And if my body keep breathing."
And honestly, the more I stand around here, the more exhausted I feel.
"Ayako, is he breathing?"
"Too quickly and too shallowly for my taste, but yes. He is."
No one remarked on the silent 'for now' that was on the end of the sentence.
"Then he thinks it might have something to do with his spirit's energy level." Naru sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"How?" asked John. "Like... his soul might automatically go back to his body if his energy level gets too low?"
"I'm not actually sure. Nobody up at the temple went soul walking when their body was such a bad condition. Except when they were dying." He stifled a yawn.
"Takigawa-san doesn't have any information to give us since he hasn't seen these conditions before," Naru lied. No one questioned him.
We should put him in a high-stakes poker game.
"Naru." Houshou said. Eyes flickered toward him, but that was the only reaction he got. "They should know that at least. It's a possibility."
"Ayako, I got your bag!" Mai set it down next to the priestess. "What do you need?"
"Bandages. He's already soaked through several. Could you...? She trailed off, holding up dripping red hands.
"Of course," Mai said in a soft voice. There was a rustling sound as she started digging through the bag.
"Lin. The ambulance?"
Everybody except Ayako looked up to see Lin standing in the second entrance way.
"They're on their way, and they said they'll be able to get a stretcher in."
"Thanks the gods," Ayako sighed. "Even with my medical supplies there's only so much I can do."
"Houshou, is the spirit dead?"
"It popped out... of existence, so I hope... it's gone."
Naru's eyes narrowed.
"How tired are you?"
"On a scale of one to ten? Heh. Eleven. Eleven and a half."
He yawned again, feeling the weariness settle deep down.
At least this doesn't hurt as much as my body is sure to.
"Stay awake," ordered Naru. "Is there another reason for why your body isn't taking you back?"
"Could be one of two things," Houshou yawned again, feeling a little lighter. "Maybe I'm so injured... my body's not open... to visitors. Or my soul is on a... different wavelength from my body's. Not sure..." His eyes fluttered. "Naru. Not sure... how long I... I can stay awake."
"Takigawa-san, that was an order, not a suggestion!"
"Bou-san, please stay awake!" added Mai, tears making her voice sound wobbly even as her hands covering her mouth. Lin nodded, and whistled an unfamiliar tune.
"Houshou, you should be able to hear me, even if I cannot hear you," Lin said, stroking a creature that had appeared next to him. Houshou forced his eyes open to focus on the creature which was a mishmash of different parts.
"What the hell is that?"
Naru snorted.
"She can be a little hard to take in, especially for a Japanese person," agreed Lin. "She's a one-of-a-kind shiki."
"What's going on?" asked Mai.
"Houshou is able to see Lin's shiki in his current state. Specifically, he's meeting the one that collects Lin's energy."
"It looks... like a Baku."
There was a snort from the creature.
"Really does... have an elephant's trunk.. and tiger paws." Houshou crept closer to look at all of the varying aspects of the animal.
Tusks. An ox tail. Even the eyes are the same as the stories.
"I honestly... didn't think they were real. A legend."
"She eats my nightmares and gains energy from them. She's real enough."
"If you had extra energy stored away, why did you tell me earlier that you were tapped out?" snapped Ayako. "We could already be on our way to the hospital by now. Houshou could-"
"Because she stores a different kind of energy," explained Lin. "What I used to control my shiki is not the same as what I need, for example, to pull an all-nighter because we're on a difficult case, or to make sure my mind is awake and perceptive to the dangers around us. Houshou, try taking some of my energy from her. It might help you come back."
The monk stared at the thing in front of him.
That's a dream eater all right. He studied it while it studied him, eyeing him with warm, wet-looking brown eyes. I wonder if spirits are just another type of dream?
"Try it," ordered Naru.
Off in the distance, there was a faint sound of sirens screaming.
Can't hurt I guess.
He took a step forward and placed hands against the creature's side. She huffed and snorted, but otherwise remained still. Her tail swished.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was real. It even has that faint zoo scent around it.
"I'm not... feeling any different," he said, turning to look at the others. With the exception of John and Ayako, who were still working on his body, the rest of them were staring in the same direction as Naru,
"Keep. Trying."
He yawned, his whole body shaking with the effort to resist it.
"She's furry. Not like Lin's other shiki."
Naru said as much to Lin, which caused the Chinese man to laugh.
"She used to be one of my regular shiki, but then Noll and Gene got a hold of her, shaping her to look like a dream eater since the two of them had been having nightmares."
"Not one of our prouder moments," muttered Naru, looking away from Houshou's curious glance. "At the core of it, we took a soul and molded it to fit our wills."
"Which, after she got over the confusion of being shaped like that, she actually liked," added Lin, giving the creature a smile. "So, all's well that ends well in this case."
"I think... I like her... too," said Houshou, giving the creature a hug and draping himself over her back. "Just don't know... if I'm getting energy."
"Lin," said Ayako, trying to keep her voice down. It didn't work. Houshou could still hear her. "When's that ambulance going to get here? His vital signs are dropping."
That can't be good.
"No regrets," said Houshou, his voice low. Naru stepped closer. "My life... for theirs. I made my choice."
Naru took another step toward him.
"We're going to talk about that later," the younger man promised. "Just hold on."
"Naru! I think I hear the paramedics!" shouted John. "Here! We're in here!"
"Houshou! Stay awake!"
"Trying," yawned Houshou. His eyes fluttered shut. "Just... five minutes."
"Not yet."
"Sor...ry." apologized Houshou, the lure of dreams and sleep too compelling. As he draped himself into a more comfortable position on the creature, the sounds in the room faded away, and he tumbled into a dreamless sleep.
Tuesday - Tanaka Hospital
"...shou. Takigawa Houshou, wake up."
Familiar voice... Naru? Houshou blinked, a white ceiling coming into focus.
"Good. You're finally up."
It was Naru next to him, and only Naru. The room they were in was a small one, with two tired couches separated by a low glass table. Faint yellow flowers marched down the wall in strips, and there was one window with blackout curtains drawn. A small amount of light came from an old hurricane lamp on the table. Houshou sat up on the couch,
"What is this place?"
"A room for grievers."
Well... shit.
"So..." He had to swallow. "That was it then?"
Naru shook his head immediately, stepping around the couch to sit across from Houshou.
"No, you're still in the trauma center, in surgery." He slid his phone out and checked it. "No messages, so you're still alive."
"Where are the others then?"
"Being treated for their injuries. Brown-san was the worst off, which probably comes as no surprise to you, but even Matsuzaki-san's lesser injuries needed immediate treatment.
"Mai?"
Neither she nor Naru were injured, so if he's here, where is she?
"She's with Yasuhara and Hara, catching them up on events.""
And we're all back to family names, huh?
"Somethin' on your mind?" Houshou cracked his neck, then stretched his feet out so that they went into the coffee table.
Ugh.
Naru hesitated, then nodded.
"First of all, how's your energy level?"
Houshou thought about the question.
"To be honest, not very high," he admitted. "I'm more awake than before, but... how do I explain it?"
Naru waited.
"When I first left, I had 100% energy contained in a container shaped like my body. Now, I feel rested, but my energy hasn't come back. The container's shrunk though, so it seems like I have more energy."
Feels as if I can make it through another few hours at least.
"What happens if you fall asleep again?"
Houshou shrugged.
"I don't know. I honestly wasn't expecting to wake up again." He looked around the room again, noticing a few places that were cracked, or dented. "What's going on? You're nervous."
"Besides you having too large of a chance not making it through your surgeries?" Naru stood up, pacing the room. "Yasuhara-san had a run in with one of the doctors here."
"Shonen?"
"Was taken by surprise by a group of Yankii, then rescued by Dr. Yoshizawa. Afterwards, he supposedly learned information about your predicament from the very same man."
"Supposedly?"
Naru nodded.
"Yasuhara was forcibly put under anesthetic to fix his wrist." The younger man held up a hand. "While I understand the need to attend to injuries, when a patient requests to wait a few minutes, I side with the patient."
"I do too, what the hell?"
"We're not staying here any longer than we have to," warned Naru. "As soon as it's allowed, we're transferring you, and anyone else who might need overnight care, to Matsuzaki's hospital."
"And you want to take advantage of my current state to spy on this doctor."
Naru stopped in mid-step.
"Only if you think you have the energy for it."
For taking care of my family? Always.
"so, what's the plan boss?"
"I've already asked the nurses at the reception desk where I can find him. Apparently Dr. Yoshizawa has a small house on hospital grounds."
Houshou got up.
"Let's pay him a visit then."
"I wanted to thank you, by the way." Naru's words stopped Houshou in his tracks. "It's easy to see that as bad as their injuries are now, it could have been a lot worse. You protected them at the expense of yourself."
Naru never says thank you for things like that. Why now?
"... thanks aren't needed," Houshou finally replied. "Everyone still got hurt." He stepped into the hallway through the door, finding the movement cool and refreshing, even as his energy reserves went down a smidge. Behind him, the door opened and closed, Naru's face more pensive then before.
"Where's Yoshizawa's house?"
"Out the back through the rose garden," murmured Naru, trying not to draw attention to himself.
He took the lead and Houhosu followed, the two of them silent as they dodged medical carts, patients, and staff making their way through the main corridors. Then they were going down the steps, Naru's tapping sending a bird off to seek shelter.
"I'm going to ask him why he didn't respect Yasuhara's wishes," said Naru.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Look around on both planes, see if there's anything influencing his thoughts and judgement."
"Do you think something's there?" Houshou glanced at the blue roses, most of them dying, their petals drooping.
"I don't have enough information, but it would be strange to think the spirit was able to influence people that way, since that didn't happen to any of you. However, if could be a different spirit, or another matter entirely."
"True." They were passing the pink roses now, and Houshou could see that several of them had orange spots marring them. "What's wrong with this garden, all the flowers seem like they're dead."
Naru looked around. The sky was grey. Low cover clouds were rolling in, and as Houshou had pointed out, the flowers weren't in a healthy state.
"There was probably a cold snap that came through recently. Focus on the target."
"Just thought it was weird for a hospital to have a dead and dying garden for their healing patients," muttered Houshou, picking up the pace. He followed Naru to an old house, it's pathway carving through leaf-covered grass and ending at a wooden door.
"Old house," the young man said, knocking on the door. "There's even an engawa here."
"My father's house at the temple had one too. Us kids would love it when storms rolled in, because then the shutters closed and the engawa became a secret passage.
"Who is it?" called a gruff voice.
"My name is Shibuya Kazuya, of SPR, and I want to speak with you about a recent patient you treated."
The door creaked open, and a man taller than Naru poked his head out, stringy grey hair falling into his eyes.
"SPR? Never heard of it." There was a gleam in the man's eyes. "Please, come inside. Who was it that you wished to talk about?"
Naru slipped through the door, which then closed with a thud.
"Rude," snorted Houshou. He spent a quick couple of minutes going around the house, looking to see if another door had been left open, but there was nothing, not even a window to catch the autumn breezes.
I need to keep an eye on Naru.
Houshou walked in through the wall, burning up a bit more of his energy to phase through the items. The entryway already had Naru's shoes sitting there, next to a pair of battered trainers. Voices, accompanied with ceramic clinking, came from the area off to his left, the monk decided to head in that direction first.
Naru was already seated at an oval table, a mug of hot green tea in his hands as he watched the doctor slide into the chair opposite him. For a house that was so big from the outside, the kitchen was small. Dirty dishes sat soaking in scummy sink water as a tea kettle whistled on the grime-covered stove top.
"This is a nice home," Naru said, starting the conversation. He sipped at his tea as he glanced about at the once-white walls. "It's surprising to see such a large, old home on hospital property."
"My family built it, and the hospital, ages ago." The old man gulped down a mouthful of his ice water. "I'm Dr. Yoshizawa. You mentioned something about a recent patient?" He gave a self-deprecating cough. "I'm sorry to say that I don't go into the hospital's operating theater very often nowadays, since I'm retired."
"Is that so? How do you spend your time then?"
That's probably a cue for me to look around the house.
"I've got my hobbies, but nothing that would interest you."
Naru arched an eyebrow, his face giving nothing away.
"I'm going, I'm going," said Houshou, putting up his hands and walking through the nearest doorway.
"I wouldn't mind hearing how your mind works," he head Naru say, but whatever given answer was unintelligible.
He began to explore the house, walking from room to room. From the kitchen there was a TV room, mold growing in the old bowls stacked on the coffee table and about five blankets draped on the faded green couch.
"Ew. That's disgusting." Houshou leaned over for a closer look. "And gaining sentience."
The next room was wall-to-wall books, no knick-knacks, and a desk with a small pile.
I wouldn't want to be in here during the next earthquake. With this many books, a guy could be buried alive!
"Studying? Or to be read?" He wondered aloud, craning his neck to read the titles. "Holding Back Death. Life After Death. Miraculous Survivals. I'm starting to see a pattern here."
But no proof. Houshou's eyes alighted on a locked door. Triple locked at that. What are you hiding doctor?
He went through the door, and almost stepped back out in shock.
"What the hell is this guy doing?" The room was about twice the size as the library, with tiled floors, walls, and even the ceiling. Soft beeps sounded, asynchronized because there were three people lying on cots in the room. Houshou approached one of them, an old, wrinkled woman with wispy white hair. She, and the others, were hooked up to a variety of machines and had thick plastic masks strapped around their mouths.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Are you sleeping?"
The woman didn't open her eyes. He hurried to the other two, a high school kid boy and an elementary school kid, but the same reaction played out; nothing. and the other around high school age. Beyond them, there were two more cots, covers turned down in anticipation of a body.
I've gotta get back to Naru!
Houshou turned around, running through the walls until he head voices, then beelines toward them. The two men were still in the kitchen, Naru almost finished with his tea and and the doctor now drinking iced coffee.
"...and while I thought I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die. Or, in some cases, how not to die."
...oh gods they are dead!
"That still doesn't explain your callous attitude towards my subordinate."
"Naru, get out of here he's got three people laid up in a back room, and he's after more.
Houshou knew Naru heard him; eyes had flickered, but his boss sat there, sipping at his tea.
"That attitude also doesn't explain the three people you have hidden away in your house. Are you teaching them how to die? Or are they the ones teaching you?"
The doctor jumped up from the table, red-faced, his chair slamming to the floor.
"How did-who told-there's no way you could have known that."
His attention fixated on Naru.
Nonono, we just need to leave.
"You know too much about me."
"On the contrary," said Naru. "I know too little. Explain yourself."
The man began to pace, accidentally walking through Houshou twice to do it.
"Fine. You want to know?" A glare, and then the pacing continued. "My life's work was saving people. My whole life! Fixing what was broken, banishing illness from the body, and all because I had the power to do so. But!" Yoshizawa held up a finger. "There was a problem. After some time, my skills went unnoticed. Younger doctors were called in to do surgeries, patients asked for newer doctors. I was shunted to the side, shunned. I'm never assigned patients anymore, and most of the staff continue to ignore me, going as far as to refuse talking to me!"
"What does any of that have to do with you ignoring my associate's wishes?" Naru finished his tea with a quick gulp, making a face as he put it back on the table. Yoshizawa shrugged.
"He needed to be fixed, I fixed him. That's all there was to it."
"You interfered with an investigation!" Naru stood up, pounding on the table. "He had information I needed, and you prevented him from passing it on!"
"Fighting ghosts and spirits and things that go bump in the night?" sneered Yoshizawa. "He told me about your company, your associates. A fake monk, a weak-willed priestess pretending to be a doctor-!"
"Hey!" protested Houshou. "She's not pretending nor weak-willed!"
"And as a man of science I know better than to listen."
"I will see your..." Naru swayed for a second, one hand coming up to his head. "Will see your license revoked."
With a heavy thump, he fell back into the chair, limbs askew, and breaths heavy.
"Naru!"
"What..." He looked up, and Houshou was close enough to see that his pupils were blown. "Did you do?"
"Spiked your drink. Bitter green tea is perfect for masking other, saltier flavors." The doctor leaned forward and grabbed Naru's arm, pulling it over his shoulder. "You wanted to see my room? Well, I want to show it to you."
You've gotta be fucking kidding me! We survive being eaten by a spirit only to be caught in a madman's web!?
Yoshizawa levered the younger man up, and began guiding him to the back. Houshou launched himself at the doctor, punching him through the face. Kicks slid through skin, pushing wasn't felt. He let out a groan of frustration as the two men kept walking away, and through, from him.
"Come on!"
I've gotta be able to do something!
"Mai," whispered Naru. "Tell Mai."
"I don't think so. You won't be telling anyone anything," said Yoshizawa, propping Naru on the library's couch. He hummed as he pulled a heavy key ring from his pocket. "Now, this is my life's work, since those morons at the hospital won't accept me. They tell me I'm too old, so I've started doing research on life and death here."
Houshou gathered all of his energy, and focused on hitting the silver key being fitted to the first lock. Nothing happened.
"Mai's wide awake, so unless you want to be at this guy's mercy until tomorrow, we need a solution now. Think Naru! How can I get you out of this?"
"Dunno." Naru's mouth moved, but no other words came out. His fingers twitched, and one of his legs jerked.
... shit. Okay Houshou, there's no help from that angle, you're on your own.
A second click sounded in the room, loud and oppressive.
"Of course you don't know what I'm researching." Yoshizawa stopped, turning back to lean into Naru's face. "Life. And death. Those three people you mentioned? They've all been declared dead. My research, my brilliance, is the only thing keeping them alive!"
They're really dead? Houshou looked at Naru, then back at the door.
"I've got an idea."
A really horrible idea, but there's at least a chance of it working.
Houshou braced himself, walking through the door again and going straight to the high school guy.
"Are you actually dead, or just sleeping?" asked the monk, focusing on connecting to the spirit within the body. "Hello? Anybody home?"
Creepy doc's right... no one's home at any rate, so the spirit's as good as dead.
A third click sounded, unnaturally loud even in the quiet room.
"I'm really sorry about this, and it doesn't look like you're around to hear me, but I need to borrow your body... so, um, thanks in advance if you let me."
The door opened all the way, creaking. There was a grunt, then unsteady footsteps.
This is going to work Houshou chanted to himself. It has to work, I have to help Naru.
"Quit trying to move boy."
Okay... not like we actually learned this on the mountain... so ready or not...
Houshou took a deep breathe, focused on the connection between him and the body again, and stepped into it, willing for everything to click together.
Nothing.
Shit! Come on, let me in; I need to stop him!
Houshou focused again on the body, trying to build the connection between them stronger.
If I couldn't get back into my own body, what makes me think that I'm going to get into a stranger's?
"I said quit struggling!" barked Yoshizawa. A slap echoed throughout the room.
Wait. I heard that. It sounded in my ears.
Houshou blinked. He could feel the blanket on his skin, the sheets in his fist. Air moving about in his lungs. The thrumming of his heart as it beat inside his chest.
Woah... it actually worked...
There was something wrong with his body though, a lethargy he could feel sucking at him, fuzziness in the brain that he couldn't pass off as waking up.
Doesn't matter.
Only moving his eyes, he looked about for something he could use as a weapon.
Is a bedpan my only choice? They're not that heavy...
Footsteps sounded closer, and seconds later, Yoshizawa went by, pulling a possibly resisting, possibly slumping Naru behind him.
Guess so.
Houshou slid his feet to the floor, one hand reaching out for the bedpan. His fingertips grabbed onto the side, then it tumbled from his half-numb body, clanging onto the floor. Yoshizawa whirled around, pushing Naru into the nearest open bed.
"You're brain dead," shouted the doctor. "I saw you die!"
Maybe I can spook him.
Houshou opened his mouth, issuing a throat-tearing croak.
"You don't scare me zombie. And if you're still alive, then I can't use you for my research." Yoshizawa stepped sideways, close enough to yank open a drawer.
"Leave... him," Houshou tried to swallow, but his mouth was a wet as cotton balls left out in the summer sun.
"Make me." Dr. Yoshizawa drew his hand out of the drawer, the overhead lights flashing off of metal.
Shit. He's got a knife.
Yoshizawa thrust forward, and with a centimeter to spare Houshou was able to pull his body back.
He's mental!
"...wun..." slurred Naru, watching the fight from where he was sprawled.
"What?" For a second they made eye contact, but then Houshou ripped his gaze away to concentrate on the bigger problem.
Take care of crazy first, then figure out what's wrong with Naru. he advised himself.
The knife swiped through the air again, whiffing. This time, as Houshou moved away, he tripped over something behind him, slamming into a cabinet. Head aching from the fall and the sounds, when he was able to open his eyes again, Dr. Yoshizawa was inching even closer.
"You. Ruined. Years. Of My Research!" Red eyes bulged and veins throbbed. "Years!"
Can give this guy a heart attack?
"wun!" insisted Naru, forcing the noise out.
...is he telling me to run?
"Not. Leaving you," Houshou forced out, rolling to the side.
This guy is beyond crazy, I can't just leave you alone with him. You'll be dead before I can convince the police to check this place.
He let out a cry of pain as the knife ripped along the top of his arm, blood sprinkling on his face, against his chest, and even onto a bit of the wall.
Dammit!
"ho'so!"
Houshou helped himself up by hooking an arm on a bed railing and pulling up. The old lady was lying there, looking peaceful in her rest.
"Monster," rasped Houshou, turning to glare at the so called "doctor."
"Nobody wanted them when they were alive," laughed Dr. Yoshizawa, his voice cracking at the high pitch. "But they were at least useful to me in death!"
I really hope none of you were alive when you met this man.
Houshou grabbed onto the railings and yanked,. Tubes and wires ripped away, and he shoved the bed at the crazy old man.
"NO!" When he looked up again, Houshou had to take a step back from the hatred radiating in the man's eyes. "Don't touch them! I can still learn!"
Them... there's one more!
As one, they both turned to the remaining bed, and the child that lay upon it.
Move it feet!
Houshou lurched, hands reaching out at the same time Dr. Yoshizawa lunged forward. Houshou gasped. There was a hard pain in the center of his chest.
Old geezer punches hard.
"Fuck. You," spat the old man, his face red, sweat running down the sides. "I win."
What...?
Houshou looked down.
There's a handle growing out of my chest.
A sudden fever swept over him, the tidal flame taking away all of his remaining strength. He collapsed forward, directly into Dr. Yoshizawa, and the two of them crashed to the floor. Something was moving underneath him, struggling, but he didn't pay any attention to it.
This... hurts... how does... this hurt... worse?
He twisted his head, trying to see Naru. His boss was watching him with wide, bright eyes and a white face.
"Don't... tell them... I was... here, Naru." The words were getting harder to say; there was a thick, coppery slime filling his mouth. Houshou coughed, spraying the blood bubbling up onto the tiled floor. "Don't want... them blam... ing... you."
Another cough turned into a disgusting sounding wheeze. The world in front of him went monochrome.
He closed his eyes.
It was fun.
Thanks.
As always, reviews are welcome ~ send a spirit!