The Darkside of Paradise
Chapter Summary: The Case of the Blood Soaked Dorm has finally been put to rest and the team waits to learn if Mai will pull through or not. Tempers are frayed… New leads present themselves as everyone recovers at Aria's Mansion… What does the future hold?
Author's Notes: I am very, very sorry for my long hiatus from this fic. I have had several life altering things happen to me in my long time away. I am finally feeling able to get back into my writing at least a little bit. Here is the long awaited Epilogue to The Case of the Blood Soaked Dorm!
Chapter 10: Epilogue
Outside the Hale Aloha Lehu Dorm:
Monk, and Ayako had changed back into streat clothes after she had finished cleansing the empty spirits while Yasu had started packing the cameras. They had watched in shock as Stephan had helped a pregnant lady out of the Dorm. Shortly afterward he had informed the Detectives that ambulances were needed along with a wagon from the morgue.
Yasu had felt his stomach flip and his heart raced. Please, he thought. Let Mai be alright! I can't stand the thought of my best friend dying, when we were here to rescue her! He managed to focus on the conversation. It appeared that they found two students deceased. It turns out they were Trey Reeds and Dominique Vienna, they were the ones that needed the morgue wagon. The ambulances were for Marcus Donovan and Mai. Marcus it seems was conscious and talking but malnourished and dehydrated, Mai on the other hand was unconscious, malnourished, dehydrated and was suffering from hypothermia.
By the time the ambulances arrived, both Mai and Marcus were laying in the sun wrapped in thermal blankets that Sebastian had pulled out of somewhere, as if by magic. The silvery colored blankets were the kind used by rescue workers. Everyone was worried that Mai looked blue especially around her mouth, and no amount of calling to her was having any effect at all.
Yasu was pacing nearby, he wanted to help but there was very little he could do in this situation. As he had already helped Father Brown, Lin-san and Monk to pack all the equipment, he was at loose ends. Why? Why isn't she waking up? He thought as he glanced at Naru. This is killing Naru, he's so tense even if he is wearing his professional mask. I swear he's breaking on the inside. Hell. Yasu looked around at his co-workers and the new friends they had made by coming to Hawaii. Everyone who knows Mai seems to be at their wits end.
Aria was on her cell phone talking to the hospital, making arrangements for Mai and Marcus. By the time she was finished on the phone Mai and Marcus had been loaded into the ambulances, but before they could drive away she directed the paramedics to take them to Queen's Hospital, not only was it the closest hospital but Aria already had the emergency room notified and private rooms arranged for both Mai and Marcus.
It did not take long for everyone to pile into the vans and follow the ambulances to Queen's Hospital. Since everything had been pre-arranged by Aria there was no fighting for them to have at least one person in with each of the survivors, and a private waiting area had been cleared for everyone else to use. No one wanted to leave until they were sure Mai would be alright.
Three or so hours later both Mai and Marcus were in their private rooms and Marcus' parents were on their way from the mainland to be with their son. Again Aria had made all the arrangements including their round trip airline tickets.
Aria stepped into the waiting room were everyone was gathered, she looked at Naru. "I want you to come with me Shibuya-san. I shall Astral Project to find Mai and lead her back to her body. I would like you and perhaps Lin-san to be there to make sure I am undisturbed and that no spirits try to possess either Mai or myself. I don't know how long it will take."
Both Naru and Lin nod as they stand to follow Aria to Mai's room. Everyone else converses quietly while eating the food that Sebastian has brought for them to eat. Though everyone is mentally and physically tired, no one suggests going back to the Kalani Mansion.
The Astral Plain:
Aria opened her eyes to see her section of the Astral Plane, which looked like her room in her mansion. At least my safe place goes with me wherever I am. She walked over to her bedroom door and pulled it open to reveal the black nothingness of the rest of the Astral Plane.
She opened herself to find Mai, then began 'floating' toward the place she felt her friend's Astral body 'resting'. The astral plane began to change from void black into a lush island setting. This was Kuka'ilimoku's domain. She found Mai easy enough. She was lounging on a beach chair soaking up the sun, wearing a bikini, and a wide brimmed sun hat. A smile spread across Aria's face as she greeted her young friend and heart sister. "Hello Mai. I'm glad you've been able to relax a bit. However it is time to return."
Mai opened her eyes and smiled at Aria. "I'm glad. I take it everything worked out and you came to get me because you moved my physical location."
Aria noded, "That's right and everyone is rather worried about you, considering you have been unconscious for at least a good five hours if not more. It's been roughly 5 hours since we got you back physically."
Mai gasped, "That long? I don't feel like it's been that long…"
"Depending on who controls the area of the astral plane you are in… Well lets just say you can either feel like you have been some place a long time and in reality you have only been gone moments or the opposite is true. You can feel like a short time has passed yet hours or days could have passed in the waking world." Aria sighed. "The astral plane can be straightforward or really confusing depending on where you travel in it. Where is Kuka'ilimoku? I'd like to pay my respects before we leave."
Mai looked around and shrugged. "He was here a few minutes ago, but said he had something to take care of. He also said I could stay as long as I needed but the threat was over. I took that to mean I could leave at any time."
Aria thought about this for a little bit. "No, I do not want to chance that being a test. If we leave without a proper goodbye he could take affront and not be willing to help us in the future."
As Aria finished speaking Kuka'ilimoku walked out of the dense tropical forest and onto the beach. By way of greeting he said, "You are very wise young hoʻōla maʻi. This was a test. I am glad you chose to wait for me. I wish to thank you for helping to remove Kekipi from what he had become. He was still one of my worshipers… he just followed the wrong path." Deep sadness was heard in his voice.
Mai bowed to the Hawaiian god. "It was not your fault. Humans tend to make a lot of mistakes because none of us are perfect, we often get many things wrong before we get them right."
"Wish words young naonaona, you will become a fine hoʻōla maʻi some day." Kuka'ilimoku bowed to the two women and gestured to them. "May you have safe travels. Young ones."
Mai followed Aria back to her safe place and soon felt the draw of her body…
Queens Hospital, waiting room:
Sebastian had cleared away the food and taken a seat with the members of SPR, he listened quietly as they spoke of Miss Mai. She is the kind of person who deserves to be taken care of and protected. A jewel that only shines brighter as time goes by. I pray that we have not lost her. That would devastate Aria and those sitting here with me. He thought as he looked around at the group. He was about to make a comment when Lin-san walked into the room..
"Mia has regained consciousness. We can go see her but only two people at a time please. Naru and Aria will be staying with her throughout." Lin-san then walked over to the table that had the coffee maker and mugs, pouring himself a cup before taking a seat with a sigh.
The first one to stand were Monk and Ayako. Both of them headed out of the waiting room without a backward glance. It was obvious they both needed to see the girl they almost considered their daughter.
Mai's hospital room:
Naru stood beside Mai's hospital bed, which had the head of the bed raised so that she was reclining rather than laying flat. His relief was very great, though he kept his neutral expression. It won't do any good to have her know just how worried I really was. Why do I feel like I can't lose her? Or am I deluding myself? Would have been mine if I had just accepted her confession? Perhaps, and we all know hindsight is 20/20. He takes a deep breath and asks. "Mai, will you be returning to Japan with us?"
Mai, who had been talking to Aria, looks over at him with a sad sort of smile, "I'm sorry Naru, but for now Hawaii is my home. I promised Aria I would help her with her research and the cases that she had."
Naru nods, feeling at a loss for what to do now when Aria joins the conversation.
"You know, Naru, I could really use more researchers of your calabar. My main research is trying to prove the existence of Extra Dimensional beings. My hypothesis is that the Hawiian gods of old might have been extras dimensional beings who could form physical bodies for themselves. I would be more than willing to share my information with BSPR and cite you as a collaborator in the published paper or papers on the subject, were you to agree to help me." Aria smiles when she sees his reaction.
Naru stared at her in shock and awe. To be cited as a collaborator in even one of Marie McGloughlins papers would be… AMAZING! He though incredulously. "I would very much like to take you up on that offer, however I need to contact my parents. I was supposed to be re-opening the Japanese branch of SPR. And I'd like to include my usual team, but they may not have it as easy to join us on a more regular basis."
"Well don't worry too much, contact your parents and I'll talk with the others and see what they want to do. I can even help arrange work visas for those who would like to stay on and work with us. But we will have time to work out the details while everyone recovers from the case at the Hale Aloha Lehu."
Just as Naru nods his agreement, the door to Mai's room opens. And Marcus Donovan walks in with his parents. He shyly smiles at Mai. "I hope you are feeling better Miss Mai. I can't thank you enough for helping me through that experience."
Mai just shakes her head, "There is no need for thanks Marcus. I'm just glad you're okay too," she says with a small smile.
"I go to the University of Hawaii, maybe we will see each other on campus?" he asked hopefully.
Mai's smile grew, as she glanced at Naru out of the corner of her eye; she said, "I'd like that Marcus." She could almost hear Naru gnashing his teeth.
Marcus took the time to introduce her to his parents before they left the room to go take care of getting released from the hospital so they could take care of him at home.
Not long after that the other members of SPR and Sebastian visited two at a time, but Naru kept the visit short. After all they did not need to tire out the young psychic. There were many smiles, assurances and much affection for the young psychic they all knew and loved. As the end of the visiting hours approached, Aria convinced everyone to come head on back to her mansion, where they could get a good night's sleep and a decent meal.
The Kalani Mansion:
A week later Mai was released from the hospital and delivered home, where the gang had prepared a 'Welcome Home' party, much to Naru's disgust. There was much laughter, music and dancing, also to Naru's disgust. A feast was served which everyone partook of, there were even presents for Mai. Belated Graduation gifts and missed birthday presents. Mai felt overwhelmed, but she could not have been happier. She was reunited with her found family and with the older sister of her heart. When she heard that the group would be staying in Hawaii for the foreseeable future she was ecstatic, and she was looking forward to the new cases they would explore together!
They sat talking in a parlor and during a lull in conversation they could distantly hear the phone ring in Aria's office...
Preview:
The sirens quiet as the police cars pull up to the Ancient Heiau at Ulupo, though their flashers bathe the area in an eerie mix of red and blue. Quiet voices are heard as the officers break up the area into a grid and assign teams of two to each part of the grid.
There had been reports of loud screams coming from the Heiau earlier in the night, and they wanted to deal with whatever had caused the screams. Soon flashlights added their beams of bright white light to the flashing red and blue of the night darkened Heiau.
The team covering the altar area were the ones to discover the body. A caucasian male, 16 to 18 years of age lay dead at the base of the altar. With their flashlights they could find no cause of death, but the boy's face was twisted into a mask of pure terror. They made the call that brought the searchers and the morgue's wagon to Heiau's altar. With a heavy heart the lead investigator, Devan Roe began looking for clues as to the boy's death.
While examining the body, he found a silver chain around the boy's neck and suspended from the chain was a piece of lava rock that looked like it had been chipped off a larger hunk. The boy's dress indicated he was from a well to do family either living on the islands or visiting. He finally found the boy's wallet and his student ID card and Michigan driver's license.
He was a student at the University of Hawaii Manoa campus, whose family was in far away Michigan. Detective Roe sighed and muttered, "I hate this part." With another sigh he shouted to his partner, "Reigner! Get Kalani on the horn and tell her we may need her help with this case."
Reigner glanced over at his partner who had the lava rock pendant dangling from his pen. "Yeah, okay. On it!" They each had a phone call to make...
Next: The Shadow Rises
Author's notes:
Hawaiian Translations
hoʻōla maʻi = Psychic Healer
Naonaona = apprentice