Chapter Twenty Six
Late Night Talks and Translations
(Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt, just the signature of Todd Haberkorn.)
Yasu groaned slightly as he opened his eyes. He lifted himself off of the couch and looked at his surroundings. He blinked at the blurry bright light of Lin's laptop shown out in the dim room. He rubbed the bridge of his nose to confirm that his glasses were no longer on his face. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and looked around to make sure that there wasn't anything else that was going to pop up at him.
A blurry figure stood to his right. Other than that, nothing else that he could see was in the room. He tried to clear his vision again by blinking. He saw blond and he knew who it was.
"Hey John, do you know where my glasses are?"
At the sound of his voice, John turned his head, whether he was looking at Yasu or not, he couldn't tell. He bent over and picked something up before handing it to Yasu's out stretched hand.
"Here you go Yasuhara-san. Mai-san took them off before she left. She said something along the line of them getting broken." He sweat dropped. "I was really tired, so I think that was it."
Yasu slipped on his glasses and laughed as the world came into focus again. He blinked a few times and turned to the now in complete focus John. "I just wonder how she can think ahead with this stuff for us, but not for herself."
John laughed.
A squeak of the chair Lin was sitting on made both of them turn to the Chinese. Lin was looking at Yasu with emotionless eyes.
"Do you remember anything before the incident?"
Yasu frowned. "Not much. I remember coming back from the kitchen after talking to Tachibana-san, the male one. I was holding our chopsticks. I thought it was really cold, but then I saw that the window was open. I was yanked off my feet with a swift pull of my ankle. After that I don't remember anything."
Yasu had dozed out from the real world as he tried to remember anything else that he felt. Meanwhile, John was sitting next to Yasu on the other side of the couch and Lin typed up everything that Yasu was saying.
When Lin finished, he turned around only to be stopped by Yasu's voice.
"Ah yes, I also had a really strange dream." Lin turned to look at him and saw he was staring at the ceiling with tired eyes. Obviously, being attacked wore him out. It's not like it happened very often.
"I couldn't see anything except the blackness that surrounded me. I couldn't move like I do in my normal dreams. I mean they can get really weird sometimes." Lin cleared his throat and Yasu continued.
"Right! Anyways, there was a voice of a child telling me something. I think it was boy, but I could be wrong. He said 'Better protect her Shibuya-san'. Do you know if that means anything?"
Yasu looked up at Lin staring holes into his head. Yasu felt his eyes drop a little more from his lack of sleep. Normally Lin would scare him, but he was too tired right now.
"Are you absolutely sure that was what the spirit said?"
Yasu nodded. "Yea. Is there something about that that makes it so special?"
Lin turned back to his laptop. As he typed up this new information, he exclaimed. "Taniyama-san and I discovered a ghost say that in Noll's and my room. You had not heard the information, therefore, there is a distinct possibility that either you are showing signs of paranormal abilities, or your wave length was close to that of the owners. In the most likely hood it was the later. Most of the time, only Taniyama-san gets these visions or dream like situations. If Mai was the only one to receive it, we will have you tested."
Yasu gulped. "That won't hurt will it?"
Lin turned his head and stared at him. "If you are worried about it, then discuss with Taniyama-san about it." Yasu gulped again.
"When Noll comes back to base, I will inform him about it."
Yasu nodded and John spoke. "Lin-san, what if one of the clients was to have this dream tonight? More importantly, who are they talking about? Could it be Masako or Mai-san?"
Lin shrugged lightly. "We will have to discuss it. However, the ghost has already given Mai dreams, so the target is most likely her. If a client has this same dream, then it will just point more in the direction that Yasuhara-san is not spiritually active."
Lin turned back to Yasu. "Yasuhara-san." Yasu met Lin's eyes worriedly. "Try not to worry about it. You have shown no signs of ESP or PK. I have been very alert to these things ever since Taniyama-san was discovered. Noll once discussed it with me. He doesn't think that you have any abilities either. While it is possible to develop these skills over time, you don't have the need too. You also have to actively practice for years. Even then, that doesn't always work, no matter the person."
Yasu blinked. That must have been the most information that he ever heard Lin say at any time. Lin raised an eyebrow and waited for him to speak. Yasu relaxed his shoulders as he thought more about it.
"So I'm probably not?"
Lin shook his head. "Probably not."
The twenty year old sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I really don't need more of it on my plate." Lin rolled his eyes and turned back to the computer. John stood up and stretched.
"I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. So you all tomorrow mates." He turned to Lin. "I'll be back in a few hours to switch." John left the room and headed to the room that he shared with Monk and the boy on the couch. After a few minutes had passed, Yasu laid back on the pillow that he hadn't realized had been placed on the couch. He wearily turned to the Omnyoji.
"Hey Lin-san?" Lin paused his typing and Yasu knew that he was listening. "Would it be alright if I continued to sleep in here?"
Lin started up his typing again. "I don't see why not. It's the safest place in the house for you at the moment. However, if you start to snore then I will throw the headphones at you. No one will know I did anything."
Yasu chuckled lightly as he let his eyes close. "Who knew that you had a sense of humor Lin-san?"
Lin rolled his eyes. "I am a person Yasuhara-san. Just because I do not make talking an active part of everyday life does not mean that I don't 'have a sense of humor' as you put it."
Yasu said nothing as Lin continued to type. The buzzing of the electronics and the rhythm of Lin's typing slowly faded from his consciousness as he went back to a dreamful sleep about Naru and Lin wearing pink tutus.
Mai woke up. Protect her… Shibuya-san? This again? She blinked and sat up in her bed and looked around. Even though the light was off, Mai could see through everything in the room. The moonlight coming through the window was bright and almost blinding. Mai covered her eyes with her forearm before looking around at the empty space. She pulled her feet out of the warm sheets and shivered. She couldn't tell what time it was, but she knew that it was late. There was no way that it could be even close to morning. The moon was still up too high.
She stood up and walked to her door. She exited the room and headed to the only place that someone else was up. Base.
She walked down the halls until she saw the light that streamed underneath the door. She gently opened the door and looked inside.
Lin sat at the computers with his fingers roaming the board. That wasn't surprising. She let her eyes wander and saw that Yasu was still sleeping on the couch. She scoffed slightly in irritation when she saw that his glasses were on his face. She glared and walked over to him. She took of his glasses again and placed them on the table next to the couch.
"They going to get broken," Mai murmured. "And then I'm going to be the one that said I told them so."
"Maybe so."
Mai turned around to Lin. He wasn't looking at her, but he must have heard her. She walked next to him and sat down in the seat that was normally reserved for Naru. She looked at him as he typed. She watched as he paused and pulled up a new document. He turned to Mai.
"I can only assume that you are up do to a dream."
Mai sighed and nodded. "Yea. There wasn't much but it was dark and a child was saying the same thing that was heard in you and Naru's bedroom. 'Protect her Shibuya-san'. I think it's the boy from my dream. In fact I'm positive."
Lin typed this all down and hummed. "Interesting."
"What do you mean?"
Lin saved and closed the document before turning back to her. "Yasuhara-san had a dream exactly like that. If anyone else has that dream, then it's likely that it was just a coincidence. If not, then it's a possibility…"
Lin trailed off and Mai finished it. "That he might be psychic." She whispered.
Lin nodded. "I doubt it though. He never he heard or believed in ghosts before the incident at his school. While that doesn't justify him not having them…" Lin thought about it for a minute before starting something new. "Either way, he won't have to worry about it. It's not like he doesn't have help."
Mai blinked. That was strange of Lin to say. He seemed to be more open about the rest of the irregulars now.
"So if you told Yasu all of these things that must mean that he was up right? Why didn't he go to his room?"
"Isn't it safer in here? We don't know if he was attacked by a spirit of a human yet. Although either is possible."
Mai slowly nodded. "I see what you mean."
The room went silent as the conversation ceased. Outside Mai heard an owl and the rustling of trees. She looked out and tired to make some sense of this case.
'Well it's obvious that the boy is here. I had multiple dreams about him and Yasu and I got these warnings. But is he the only one here? The blonde doctor may or may not be here. I haven't had anything from her pop up. Wait a minute.' Mai paused in her thoughts and raised her hand to her chin in a very Naru-like manor. 'When the ghost showed up in Naru's room, Lin didn't detect a spiritual presence. However, when Masako did a walk around, she could tell that there were two ghosts here. What's up with that?'
Mai turned to Lin. "Hey I just thought of something. How come when the spirit showed up in your room, you weren't able to detect it, but Masako could sense it."
Lin turned to Mai. "When I asked them later, they said they had sensed it, but I was sleeping. Apparently they tried to tell me."
Mai pouted. "And I thought I had thought of something good." She thought for a minute. "Were they able to sense when Yasu was attacked in the hallway?"
Lin shook his head. "And that's where our problem lies."
Mai sighed. "We can figure it out later." Lin nodded.
The room went silent for a moment before she spoke to Lin again. "Lin…. How long has it been since you had a good sleep."
Lin tensed and remembered the last time this had been asked. A flashback of Naru getting thrown out of base came to his mind. Gulp.
"I'm going to bed in an hour." He said quickly. "Brown-san is coming between one and one thirty to take over."
Mai narrowed her eyes. "Are you absolutely positive?"
Lin almost gulped. Mai was like Madoka in so many ways. Maybe instead of Madoka coming to Japan, e should go back to England for a break…. It was a bad idea to put the two of them together. Who knows what could happen. Lin nodded.
"Alright then." Mai said. "I believe you." Lin unknowingly released the tension from his shoulders. Mai smiled to herself.
"Hey Lin?"
Lin turned his narrow eyes toward her to show that he was listening.
"Knowing that Yasu isn't psychic, would that mean that the spirit was just close to his wave length? I heard Naru talking about that one time on one of our other cases."
Lin nodded. "If the spirit is strong, or the victim is close to their wave length, it is possible that the victim may have a vision of whatever is necessary or shown at the time."
Mai nodded again. "So that means that this spirit is strong?"
Lin nodded. "That would seem to be the case."
Mai grumbled and leaned back in Naru's chair. She looked outside the small window and noted that the sun had yet to rise. How late was it exactly?
"Lin, what time is it?"
Lin paused for a moment before checking the bottom corner of his computer. "Twelve sixteen. Taniyama-san, you should go back to bed. We don't know how this investigation is going to be like tomorrow." Lin paused. "Today."
Mai shook her head. "There is no way that I can go back to sleep. I'll just keep thinking until it is time for me to get up. I might as well do something like stay in the base where I'm safer. I'm not sharing my room with anyone right now, so I might get attacked." She tilted her head as she thought to herself. "Wait…. If I'm the danger magnet, then why did Naru put me in my own room?"
Lin said nothing, but smirked to himself. Noll had placed Mai in her own room because the room that she had would have been the one she really liked. If she stayed in one of the other bedrooms with Masako, then she would not have had a view like she did. Knowing Noll though, he played dumb and said nothing about it. And sense he had already asked Monk to place some of his and Ayako's charms where Mai couldn't see them, she would be completely safe.
Meanwhile, Mai continued to muse over the fact. No matter what she tried, she couldn't figure it out. She sighed and looked at the neglected monitors. All of the temperatures were normal and nobody or nothing seemed to be moving in the halls. Mai sighed and placed her chin in her hand. Now she was bored. Her eyes scanned the room for something to do. She caught sight of her the English homework that she had moved when Yasu was set on the couch. Maybe she would be able to finish it by the time the rest of the team was up.
Mai grumbled and got up from Naru's chair. She walked over to the couch and pulled her homework that sat near it. She flipped through the pages to see that she only had four more. She smiled and went back to Naru's chair. She picked up the pencil that was to the left of one of the monitors and finished her homework off. Mai sighed closed the booklet.
It wasn't even a challenge for her anymore. She had been learning English since before Naru and Lin had left for England. Although she wasn't that good then, when they left, she had a sudden urge to learn.
From then on, she studied English at home and whenever she had free time at her work. When she took up her following year for school, she enrolled in the highest foreign language for English.
She aced all of her tests and never had to do anything in the classroom. Lots of the other students complained, but the teacher knew that Mai spoke the language well enough that she didn't need to learn anymore.
After her first week, her teacher had asked if Mai spoke the language since early childhood. When Mai said no, the teacher was surprised and laughed. The only time that she gave Mai homework was when she went on cases with SPR. She said it was just to keep Mai actively memorizing so that she could practice.
Lin glanced at Mai and saw that she finished. She placed the pencil and booklet down next to the monitors. Lin watched her do that for a moment before looking at her curious expression.
"That is your English homework right?"
Mai nodded. "Yea, but I just finished."
Lin turned back to the laptop. "You are aware of the fact that I speak English right."
Mai had to contain herself from laughing out loud. "Nope." She smiled. "I don't ever recall hearing you speak in English especially not in my English classroom."
Lin sighed. First Yasu and then Mai. "I could test you if you want."
Mai wrinkled her face a little bit. "How?"
"What if I say something in Japanese from your packet? After, repeat it back to me, only in English instead."
Mai thought for a minute. This would be excellent practice and probably the only time that she would get the chance. Plus, she could get extra tips from Lin. He did live in England for who knows how long.
"Alright!" Mai said, smiling at Lin. "Shoot."
Lin hummed as Mai handed him the packet. He pulled it closer to him once it was firmly in his hand. The fifty pages felt heavy in his hand and he looked at his coworker.
"Why do you have so much work?" Do they give you stuff like this all the time?"
Mai laughed. "Just me. I'm the only one that gets that much work because I finish it so fast. Plus, I only get it when I'm on cases now. I'm at the top of my class, and the stuff that they are doing currently is too easy for me. I've fallen asleep in that class sometimes because of it." She blushed.
Lin nodded. "That's not that surprising. You have excelled greatly since me and Noll left. We both see the improvement in your work ethic as well."
Mai blushed. "Thanks Lin."
Lin bowed his head lightly. "The pleasure is all mine." Mai laughed.
Lin cleared his throat as he began testing her. "The library has many books." He paused and before Mai could say anything, he spoke again. "I saw when you were speaking to you teacher. These assignments are too easy for you as well aren't they." Mai blushed and turned her head. Lin looked at her until she nodded to his response.
Lin sighed. He put down the packet and started typing on his laptop again. Mai worried that he wasn't going to test her until he cleared his throat again.
"The library by the park has many books and categories." Mai frowned for a minute. "The ribrary by the park has many books and categories."(1) Mai said fluently.
Lin furrowed his eyebrows. "Library."
"Library."
Lin looked in confusion at Mai. She was able to say the 'L' sound perfectly fine. "Taniyama-san, you mixed up library in the sentence. Say it again."
"The library by the park has many books and categories."
Lin nodded acceptingly "Be careful not to mix up the two. People will look at you weird in a different country."
Mai smiled. "Alright."
As they continued on with Mai's testing. They went from the pronunciation of words, to long sentences to paragraphs. Eventually, Lin got tired of this and started conversing with Mai in full out English. She kept up with him the whole time and Lin smiled near the end.
"I think the only thing that you have to work on now if your accent. Now, I can teach you an English accent. If you want an American, you will have to go to someone else. I have never been to America and I have not seen the way that they converse with one another."
Mai laughed. "How come you and Naru talk all formal using complex words and stuff? I mean, I understand Naru and such because he is a professor. But you aren't right?"
"I suppose it's become a habit because of being around Noll so much."
Mai laughed "What ever you say Lin"
As Lin slowly taught Mai the accent, she thought of ways to repay him for his kindness that he showed to her today. After all, he continued to practice with her up to the point that John walked in to take over.
John opened the door to the base at one twenty-six. He walked up to his two team members to find Mai practicing English with Lin. John quickly noticed the English accent as he stopped right behind them. He cleared his throat and the two SPR members jumped.
Mai and Lin turned around quickly only to find an embarrassed John scratching the back of his head. "Sorry Mates. I was hoping that you noticed me. I didn't mean to scare you."
Mai laughed. "Don't worry about it."
Lin stood up abruptly from his chair and left the room. John watched him with confused eyes. "What's wrong with Lin-san?"
Mai shrugged. "Who knows?"
John smiled down on Mai. "You know speak English too. Want some more help?"
Mai grinned back up at her second teacher of the day.
Lin walked down the halls to the room he shared with his charge. John's arrival had startled him. Lately, his shiki seemed to doze off and not warn him of things he requested of. They only did this when they knew that something as going to happen. Whether it is something that is supernatural or something unsettling in general.
Although it was possible for them to slack off, he had never had them do that on a case before. It was highly…. Disturbing.
Lin stopped in front of the door to his room ready to open it when he heard murmurs inside. He stopped his hand that had been about to open the door and placed it back down at his side. He listened for a moment. Although he couldn't here it all, he could tell that someone was speaking in English. He could practically see his boss sitting on his bed talking to someone.
Lin opened the door and looked inside. Naru sat on his bed, like he suspected, holding a phone to his ear. He was in simple black night clothes and his hair was tousled. Although light, slight dark lines circled his eyes.
Naru noticed Lin and gestured with his head to come in. The bed Naru sat on was his own. The dark blue sheets were messed up, which proved that he had been sleeping before the caller had interrupted. It was better for Naru to have been awake and stayed up late rather then waking up from sleep too soon.
"Yes mother." Naru sighed. "But is there a reason as to the call that you have given me tonight." Silence for a moment.
"I don't know when I will be back in Japan. If you don't mind, we are in the middle of a case. While it is only later afternoon there… it's past midnight here."
More silence filled the room. Lin could almost here the complaining that Luella was doing. He continued to stare at Naru as he waited for the call to end. Naru sighed and Lin knew that Luella didn't want to stop talking to him.
Lin held out his hand to the phone. Naru sighed again and handed his assistant the phone. Lin held it up to his ear and heard a ranting Luella come through the phone.
"… and we both know that you haven't been home for a while Noll, so don't try to say that it wasn't that long ago. Are you even listening to me? If you don't-"
"Ms. Davis." Lin said calmly. "Before we came to Japan, you told me to watch over Noll. You told me to be especially aware of his health. I'm telling you now, if Noll does not get some sleep, he will be in poor health."
Luella had gone silent and only a few sounds of the phone shifting could be heard. Lin knew that it was only a matter of time until she would give in. She and her husband knew all too well that Lin was responsible. If he was saying that it was necessary, it was necessary.
A loud sigh was heard through the phone as Luella's voice came back. "Alright. But tell him to call me soon. It gets lonely here when Martin is still as work."
Lin nodded even though he knew that she could not see him. "Alright Ms. Davis. Please sleep well tonight." Lin hit the end button and handed the cell phone back to Naru.
With a groan of exhaustion, Naru grabbed it before falling back onto his bed with a thud. He placed it on his nightstand before going back under the now cold sheets.
Lin watched him for a moment before beginning to change into his night clothes. He changed quickly and walked over to his own bed. He slipped beneath the blue covers and looked over at his charge one more time.
"One thing before you go to bed Noll."
Naru turned over in his bed so that he could look tiredly at Lin. "What is it?
"Yasuhara-san and Taniyama-san both came into base today. Well just Taniyama-san as Yasuhara-san was already there. They both had synching dream with one another. Both of them saw a dark place with a voice there. It was the same thing the child told you in this room."
Naru groaned. "Just what we need."
Lin shrugged lightly before settling completely down on his pillow. "It's still odd." Said the professor. "Why would he tell me to protect someone? Why not you or Takigawa? Both of you are bigger in mass then me. Not to mention taller."
Lin shrugged. "I think we should find out who it is before going and trying to think about why."
"It's probably Mai. She attacks trouble wherever she goes." Lin tilted his head. "That may be true." Lin hummed.
"Thanks for the information." Naru said tiredly. "I'll take care of it at a later date."
Lin nodded. "Good night Noll."
"Night."
The sunshine streamed through Monk's window brightly. Monk turned over and tried to block it out. If he didn't have to get up right now, then he wasn't going to. Monk pulled the curtains up over his body to try to block out any noise. However, when the temperature began to rise under the cloth, he sat threw it off of him.
In the next bed over, all was silent. Normally John would be like this as well, even if he was a priest. Monk poked his head out of his pillows and the two empty beds. John and Yasu weren't in the room. Monk slowly got out of the bed groaning as pops rung throughout his back.
"If they all left without me, I'm going to wring their necks." He grumbled.
He looked around the room to make sure that they were really gone and it wasn't his imagination. Yep. The room was still and nothing other than him was inside. He stretched and headed for the bathroom door ten feet from his bed.
"Might as well get ready first."
He opened the door to the base to find there were already people inside.
"Good morning!"
Mai, Masako, and John all looked up at him. John and Mai smiled back.
"Morning Monk. Did you sleep well?"
Monk shrugged "Fine I guess." He looked around for two more people after he saw Yasu on the couch. "Where are Lin and Naru?"
As if on cue, both walked into base ready for the day. As normal, both wore black, besides the white shirt underneath Lin's normal attire.
John stood up relieved. "Well, I'm going to get breakfast for all of us. Do any of you want to come with me?"
Masako stood up and walked over to him. "I'll come with you. I think going out of the house a little bit will be good for me. The spirits have been angry."
Naru turned at her comment, but before he could say anything, they had already left the base. He sighed and turned to his chair, only to see that his younger assistant was sitting in it. He raised an eyebrow at the fact that she looked to be reading a book. He heard her whispering to herself and ignored the part of him that wanted to make a comment. Lin made one for him.
"Studying all the time is not the best thing Taniyama-san."
Mai looked up at him and Naru could see that she was more then slightly tired. She rubbed her eyes and he wondered how much sleep she actually got.
"But I want to finish this already." She noticed that Naru was waiting for her to move and left his seat. She walked over to the wall and sat against it. Hopefully, she would be able to get this accent down soon. It bothered her when she couldn't do something.
Lin sighed. "I tried." He grumbled to himself.
Meanwhile, Naru was watching his assistant study her English book against the wall.
"Well at least she is doing something productive." He copied Lin and grumbled back at him. Lin huffed and the two of the watched the monitors and cameras unknowing, that later that day, someone would be attacked.
(1) Sometimes when a Japanese or English learner is trying to learn the other language, they confuse and mix the 'L' sound with the 'R' sound. This is most common between Japanese to English learners. This is why Mai says 'ribrary' instead of 'library'.
(An: Sorry that this is a little late. Thanks for all the reviews! They really helped me through this chapter! Sorry if it seemed a little off. Let me know what you thought. This is probably one of the most….. Unactive chapters that I have written so far.
Let me know what you think.
-WhisperToTheWolves
