Disclaimer: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt
Chapter Thirty-two: Punishment?
Naru POV
I could see an outline of a woman inside of the mirror she looks like Mai, but a bit older. My heart thumps when Mai takes a hold of me grabbing my attention.
"Mai!" I called her out as she began to lose consciousness, that I wrap my arms around her small waist to support her. She covers her ears as though she's in pain or something. My heartthrob feeling my Pk spike up ready to defend her, but before I could do anything, I heard a faint singing coming from the mirror itself. I turned to see the woman outside of the mirror with an evil grin on her lips as she extends her arm towards my wife.
Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
She sang in a demonic voice bringing me chills, and then Mai collapse causing me to take a hold of her.
"Sleep soundly my daughter; Trust your mother because she's always right and I won't let anything harm you, not even your guardian/husband, after all, he only wants to harm you. I make sure he will never hurt you again" the woman spat at me with pure hatred launching towards me.
I wrap my arms around Mai to cover her with my body and let out my Pk, causing the woman to shriek horribly and bounce back getting sucked back in the mirror as I heard it collapse on the floor.
I rose Mai in my arms and took her to her bed.
I touch her forehead to make sure she hasn't had any fever after being in the rain. I sigh in relief and rose the blanket to cover her.
"Sleep, I'll watch over you," I whispered as I grabbed her cold hand and kissed it gently. With that, I watched her for a few more minutes to make sure she's fine.
"You sure a magnet to danger, what am I going to do with you?" I whispered to her watching her breath normally.
Then I stood up to walk up to the fallen mirror and bend down to grab it and then placed it back on top of the table.
I cross my arms forgetting that I had to change of clothes.
Is she the woman I saw back in the cave? How is she able to enter? Isn't this treehouse protected or something?
Getting into deep thought trying to figure this out, I didn't hear Mai gasp out for air.
I think this is what Ayame was warning me about, so I need to be more vigilant to protect Mai.
"Naru!" I heard Mai call out for me and when I turned my eyes narrow to see the woman hovering over Mai choking her to death. I tried to go towards her, but I felt frozen at the spot, so I had to remind Mai to do her nine cuts, then all hell broke loose.
I feel disgusted by what I just witness, seeing Mai being thrown across like a rag doll, being slammed against the wall, her hair being pulled, all I can see is a pain in her causing my heart to rip. The worse part I couldn't do anything to defend her. This woman is powerful, more powerful than Isac and Alack combine.
I was ready, ready to attack, but Mai begged me not, why? I don't understand it, but I was ready to rip her head off for harming my wife, but I trust Mai more, if she asked me to not do anything, then I will let her do what she knows is right, but if I see that is not working, I would have stepped in since I already have my Pk warmed up.
Yet that didn't stop me from feeling miserable, I want to help her, but I felt proud that Mai was quick in her feet to deflect her and put her guard down just a bit.
After all that, I'm going to make her pay for hurting Mai. I felt pure anger towards the ghost after what she did.
...
...
"What the hell?" I said after I touched the glass, I was no longer holding Mai on my back, but as I look around my surroundings it's empty, but a mirror in front of me. I look through the glass to see Mai turning my body around.
I watch as Mai tries to wake up my body while her hands shake and looks frantic. I look through the glass and tapped it to get her attention.
"Mai, I'm okay," I told her, but she couldn't hear me, but as I knocked again, she turns to look at me. Her eyes narrow at the sight
"Naru?" she calls out for me making me frown in disappointment that she couldn't' hear me.
"Don't touch the glass," I warned her, but I watch her stand up and limps up to the mirror, then presses her hand on the glass, and to my horror, she collapses landing on top of my chest.
"NO MAI!" and then everything around me fades.
o.O
Opening my eyes, I found myself standing in front of a large front yard, cover with a different types of plants and large bushes. I blinked a bit, feeling the scenery familiar.
Where am I? Why is everything bigger?
"Oliver you must be careful, she's a very important client for us." My mother bends dusting off the dust of my small suit, looking straight at my eyes.
Mom? Why is she here? Wait?
I look down at myself and shock came over me to see that I'm in my younger body when I was a child.
Why am I reliving my child's body? I don't remember this.
"Something the matter Noll?" My mother asks me worriedly. I look up at her and shook my head.
Wow, she looks so young. Okay Oliver, just play along to see where this gets you.
"Where's Gene?" I asked her, at the mention of Gene made my heart tremble with happiness to see him once again.
"He's with your father. He needed to take him somewhere else," she said while she takes a hold of my hand. I just felt disappointed by this.
Seriously? Not even here I can see him? This is unfair.
I turned, to face an old Victorian house a pale brown cover the outside, with an old balcony.
A woman sat on the bench rocking smoothly, wearing an old traditional Kimono.
"Mama, why is she wearing a kimono?" I asked pointing at her.
"Noll, it's rude to be pointing at her, but for your answer she's Japanese and it's tradition for her. She moved here about two years ago. Come..." My mother tightens her hold on my hand and we went towards the elder woman.
Upon reaching the stairs, we turned towards her on our right. She stops rocking and gently lifts her gaze at my mother.
"I'm happy that you can come." the elder spoke in pure English. My mother smiles bowing back.
"No, the pleasure is all mine, can we enter, or do you want to chat here?" she asks the elder. The elder turns her gaze towards me and smiles watching the wrinkles in her face squeeze together. I don't know why, but I ended up smiling back at her.
Who is this woman? Why can't I remember this?
"Here's a good place to talk, I know you have many things to attend to." The elder mentions without removing her eyes from me.
"Such a cute little boy this is Oliver I assume. How old is he right now? My memory isn't bright as it used to." the elder asked. My mother glances down at me and smiles.
"Yes, he'sOliver and he's only seven," she replies. The elder lip thins out looking at the door.
"He's a year older than her, good... Let's see if he's the one." she stands up noticing a hump behind her back. I kept my mouth shut, as she walks towards the door, and opens it.
Who is her?
"Mai, honey, come out," she spoke Japanese and shock came over me.
Mai? As my Mai? My wife? No… I never met her before high school. This can't be.
I turned toward the open brown door.
"Mama, who is she?" I asked, letting my memory talk.
My mother smoothed my small hand.
"She's an important friend of your father." She bends down to fix my hair.
So my parents knew Mai's parents?
"Such a handsome young boy you are, when you grow up you'll be a heart breaker just like your brother. Either way, you have an important role. You must always protect the girl no matter what. She's a very important girl and when you get older you'll understand more." my mother explains.
So my mother knew about this?
"Who?" I asked.
"Her." My mother points behind me.
Fully turning around my eyes landed on a small girl with light short brown hair, she looks at me with pure shyness.
Her eyes, reddish-brown, very pale, and is Japanese. My soul stirs at the sight of this young girl as my heart jumps.
That's Mai, my Mai. How can this be possible?
"She's my great-great-granddaughter, Mai Taniyama." this time the elder introduced. The girl's eyes landed on me and when our eyes locked and her innocent eyes roam mine, moving closer to me my begin felt pulled towards her. I kept staring at her getting nervous.
"He's the one. Look." I heard the elder gasp.
I had no idea what's happening, but I couldn't remove my eyes from Mai. My mother gasps.
I stretch my arm out as the girl did the same. She slips her hand on mine and a sensation passes through our bodies like electricity or something. The two grown-ups' eyes bulge out as they see a white light surround us then wraps around our hands as though it's tying a knot.
"He's her guardian, just like we thought four years ago. When we introduced Gene to her last year, nothing happened, so it was this twin." the elder concludes. The girl smiles at me, brightly.
"Hi, my name is Mai, what's yours?" Her voice sounded very timid. I felt my cheek warm-up, feeling very shy.
Why is she making me shy? Even as kids she has power over me? I'm a lost cost.
"Oliver Davis," I spoke to her in Japanese.
"Oliver? Ah... Nice name, Nana, can I play with Oliver?"
"Not today. Mrs. Davis has many things to do, just give us a few minutes and go and speak with Oliver in the meantime." with that, my mother and the elder left to go inside the house. Mai's eyes search mine as I cleared my throat.
"Oliver, Oliver... I like that name. I never heard it before. Maybe cause I live in Japan with Mama." she tells me.
"Why are you here?" I asked her. Mai's eyes roam around and shrug.
"I don't know. Mama said that I had to stay with Nana for a few days. Whatever that means." I turned around, to spot my mother and Elder speak in the hallway of the house.
"Want to play detective?" I asked a bit curious to hear the conversation. Mai tilts her head towards the side, confused.
"Just don't make a noise, okay, and let's see what your Nana and my mother are speaking of," I told her. She nods as I took her small hand.
Strange electricity ran down my spine once again. Ignoring it, I miss the gasp that escaped her lips.
We sneak into the house and hid behind an old grandfather clock and I sneaked around to hear what they are saying.
"Black Lagoon." The elder finishes causing my mother to frown at the mention as I knitted my brows together.
How do they know about The Black Lagoon?
"How do you know she's the one? Maybe is not. Haven't you thought of your granddaughters' feelings, sending her daughter to the Black Lagoon? Is one of the most…" My mother stops since she needed to take a breath trying to calm herself down so the elder lifts her hand to stop her.
"I know is her destiny, it's in her blood. She has found her guardian, just like in our bloodline. Oliver will take care of her no matter what. When the time is right, they will bond since they are soulmates. It's rare to find them now in days. His job is to protect her from danger, I have gone through it and it cost my husband's life since he was my guardian." I saw sadness pass her eyes at the mention of her husband's death.
I heard Mai gasp taking a hold of my arm. I turned to look at her and fear flashed in her eyes as she looks at me.
Is she's like me? But I didn't say anything and turned back to look at the two older women.
"Will they be able to return?" My mother's expression seems sad at the question she just asks. The elder nods, patting her shoulder.
"Blood is thicker than water and everything will work out in the end. Mai and Oliver are meant to be. To be honest I see a lot of potential in him but I do warn you he has to suffer as well. They won't remember ever meeting maybe in the future. They will separate for a short while, but destiny will always bring them together. Pure and innocent for the both and pure and innocent love, that will last for a lifetime as they are meant to be. Let nature take its course as love will bloom at this meeting." she explains.
So this was planned from the beginning? How in the world did they know we would fall in love? I felt used and confused by this. Then I heard a gasp capturing my attention.
Turning around, Mai had tears running down her small face.
"Mai?"
"Oliver.." she cries, wrapping her arms around me surprising me.
"Why are you crying?"
"We'll meet again right?" she asks, while I wrap my arms around her and gave her a soft hug.
"I promise," I told her. After we let go, she wipes her eyes and takes my hand.
"Okay, I'm not sure why? I feel like I know you for a very long time, I'll wait for you then.." she smiles brightly. I felt my heart pound hard at her tender smile.
"Okay and so will I, I promise," I promised her and she arched forward and bashfully kisses my cheek making my heart pound hard while my cheeks turn hot. She back down and blushes hard looking at our joined hands.
"Then you'll be my first best friend since I got here," she tells me. I blinked looking at her.
"Didn't you meet my older brother Eugene?" I asked remembering the conversation earlier. She gave me a confused look and shook her head.
"No, I would remember if I met your brother, how does he look like?" she asks me. I shook my head and wrap my arms around her holding her tight.
"Don't worry about it, just promise me that you'll become his friend when you meet him, he's a very good brother and I love him dearly," I told her as my memories of him being hit by the car rushed in my head and guilt plagues me. Mai nods at me.
"I promise to become his friend, if you're this friendly, then he is as well." with that everything faded around us.
...
...
I was now standing in front of another building that looks oddly familiar to me, but I felt a hand on mine capturing my attention before I could remember where am I. I turn my head towards my left and saw Mai looking at me with a sad expression holding me tighter.
"Mai!" I called out seeing her older self. She smiles as she encircles her arms around me giving me a tight hug.
"I remember now, I met you and Gene before and your mother knows about the Black Lagoon and you kept your promise. Why? I don't understand." She questions as I snake my arms around her and pushed her into my embrace, burying my face on her hair holding her tight, feeling relief to have her next to me.
"Don't know, she has a lot of explanation to do after we return. Do you remember ever visiting your Grand-grand-mother?" I asked her. I felt her shake her head as she kisses my cheek.
"No. I didn't even know I had one alive when I was a child, and I don't ever remember visiting England," she admits as we let go. I slip my hand on hers and held it tightly.
"You were so cute though," Mai admits looking up at me. I blushed at her random statement and cleared my throat.
"You weren't," I teased causing her to shrug me.
"Hey, I was adorable like a button." she laughs causing me to chuckle at her statement.
"Yeah, the one that falls of," I joked causing her to take out her tongue as I regain my composure.
"One of these days Mai, that tongue will have a day." I threaten to cause her to suck it back in and scrunch her face.
"Mean." She spat looking around our surroundings, but then pulls my black shirt, not sure how I got it since I was half-naked earlier.
"Yes?" I lowered my gazer to see her point down. I follow her finger and now everything changes to a hallway and classrooms.
"This is my high school, Naru we're standing in front of the audiovisual room. Wait, this is where we first met." Mai concludes as we stood in the hallways, staring at the classroom in front of us.
"It is.." I agree when I felt a strange pull and before I could blink, I gasped out and stopped in my tracks.
Now what?
"Okay?" I rubbed my chest when I heard a girl's voice counting. I shook off my strange experience and wiggle my ears to hear the voice a bit clearer.
"Wait.. This is familiar to me.." I rushed my steps heading for the classroom we stood earlier. Reaching for the door, I slide it open and I heard the girl's voice count to four and I stepped in.
"Five!" I spoke hearing the girls scream in horror as I reach to the side and flip the light switch to turn on the lights of the classroom. I stare at the four girls, huddling in fear.
Wait, this is how I met Mai ten years ago.
Looking around the room my eyes landed on the only girl I wanted to see.
Mai, it's her, is she like me right now?
Her eyes lock with mine and I felt my heart jump while a strange warm feeling fills me, is like my soul has become whole once again. Then something seems to dawn on me.
This is how I felt the first time I met her, I just remembered it, wait now it makes sense, it's the same feeling when I met her when I was a little kid.
Mai watches me with a thin expression, but I watch as her older self steps out of her younger body and runs towards me as I do the same, stepping out of my younger body and Mai jumping me, wrapping her arms around me before I could compose myself.
"What the hell?" I mumbled feeling Mai rubbing her hand on my back.
"Naru... You felt it?" she asks.
"Felt what?" I wanted to make sure.
"That strange feeling when we first met but I just knew you were lying your butt off, I wouldn't have thought that you were hurting so much because you lost Gene," she said as she lets go of me and I turned to see our younger self talking in the background.
"Well, I'm glad you know now," I told her causing her to take my hand and rubs it gently.
"I'm sorry, I… My point is, I felt as though my soul came back alive, I never felt that before, but now I do."
"I felt the same," I admit to her. She looks back at our younger selves.
"I can't' believe that was ten years ago. Wow, time flies." Mai murmurs.
"Who would have thought that ten years later you're still standing next to me but now as my wife," I told her feeling strange by this and Mai agrees.
"Yeah, who would have thought ten years later, you would be my husband,"
Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
"I'm getting sick and tired of that song, I don't ever want to hear it again after we finish with this case." Mai snaps as she freezes on the spot while I look around, to see an empty classroom.
"Yeah," I agreed.
The background changes around us, no longer we stood in the classroom.
There was a small apartment, a woman sitting on a chair holding onto a child on top of her lap, the woman wraps her arms tightly about her as Mai started to doze off.
"Mama." I heard next to me. I turned around to see Mai stretching out her right arm, tears running down her eyes. My eyes narrow.
That's her as a baby? Her mother? Oh no!
I took Mai's hand and intertwine our fingers together while I rubbed her arm with my free hand for comfort. Mai lifts her head and her eyes widen.
I turned where she was staring, watching her mother cuddling her tight in her embrace.
She started to sing to her the same damn song.
She has the same voice as that woman in the mirror, are they the same person?
I began to puzzle the pieces.
"Mama," Mai lets go of my hand and starts to run towards the image, not sure why, but without hesitating I began to go after her.
"Mai, this is just a..." I began to warn her, but too late, as soon Mai reaches towards the memory, it disappears like a vapor, and before my eyes, Mai disappears as well now leaving me alone in an empty white room.
"Mai?" I called out only to hear my voice echo. I felt a hand on my shoulder causing me to turn around hoping it was Mai, but instead I'm greeted by the woman staring at me with a deep look.
She hurt Mai...
I began to feel anger boil in me as what I just witness came flashing in my mind.
"To prove that you're worthy of being the guardian of my daughter, you must be punished for trying to harm her."
A knot formed on my stomach at her words and it wasn't pleasant.
"What gives you the right? I know your not Mai's mother.' I challenged her.
The woman smiles at me as she points behind me. I turned to see myself staring at Mai, she's standing in front of me.
"Mai!" I called out beginning to run towards her.
"Naru!" she calls out, but as soon she steps towards me a glass wall appears in front of us causing me to stop abruptly, feeling my heart drop to my stomach.
"Not again, don't you'll have originality?" I hissed, going towards the wall, hitting it. The woman chuckles, looking straight at Mai.
"This is your punishment, I will always protect my daughter no matter what, even from the big bad wolf."
"Please, let us be." Mai cries, bagging on the wall.
"What punishment?" I simply asked, turning towards the woman. She that eerie grin plaster on her lips as she glances at our rings.
"Love, punishment is your love and loyalty. It's simple really, you must get her back. Nothing more and nothing less."
To easy.
"What's the catch?" I grumbled, feeling my heartache. The woman turns her gaze at Mai, her eyes narrowing.
"No catch, this is the Black Lagoon anything and everything goes. Isac and Alack will pay and surely they will not get what they want. I just need to know how much my daughter's guardian is willing to go to save a stranger." she tells me.
Stranger?
"Stranger?" Mai and I said at the same time.
Mai looks straight at her.
"Let's see how much you two are willing to go, without your memories." My eyes widen, turning towards Mai. Her eyes widen as well in pure horror as she started to bang on the wall even more.
"No, please, not that," she begs.
"I'm sorry my dear, your husband needs to be punished. Since I can't kill him, he shall suffer as well, as you claim you two love each other so deeply then this punishment won't be a problem for the two of you."
"Mama, please. Don't separate me from him, I'll suffer as well," she begs as she looks at me with despair and I felt shocked not wanting this.
"Don't do this to us, we have already gone through so much, how much do I have to prove that I love Mai? Just cut my hand off if you wish, but don't make us forget each other." I bargain desperately feeling my heart hammer in pure angst, but she just shook her head.
"Way too easy, I want you to suffer."
Before we could utter another word the woman snaps her fingers and the glass turns into liquid, splashing down on us. I huffed, as Mai stares at me with wide eyes.
"Naru, I love you even if I forget you." Mai runs up to me wrapping her arms around me pressing her lips on me and began to kiss me causing me to dip down and close my eyes to kiss her back with the same passion that flared up my heart.
Painfully we let go and I cup her cheek and rub it with my thumbs.
"Remember, I will always find you, no matter what, you're my world and that won't change even if I don't remember you," I whispered as I leaned forward and kiss her forehead.
She nods watching tears running down her cheeks making my heartache even more.
God, please...
"What exactly is your plan?" I ask, turning towards the woman as Mai held my hand tightly. She shrugs, turning around waving her hand.
"Mama is doing what is best for her daughter." she sings and before I could react, Mai disappears from my grasp.
"Mai!" I called out, but it was too late my wife is gone and the woman laughs hysterically.
"Let see if you endure this punishment, if you pass I promise to help." and with that, everything turns dark on me.
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