It wasn't until Narumi found himself making his third cup of coffee when he he heard a faint whimper from the direction of the couch. Moving quickly but not quick enough to upset his cup he returned to the office to find me sitting, the blanket he'd left now wrapped half-hazardly around my shoulders. Clearing his throat he grinned when I looked up, giving him a weak smile of my own. Crossing the room he stepped towards me and the smile faded once he noticed the fine sheen of sweat covering my forehead.
"Jean, how are you feeling?" He asked and I sighed, rubbing at my forehead instead of answering. "You don't look so good." He pointed out and I snorted, raising an eyebrow at him while my shoulders quivered.
"Of...course not, Shouhei. Someone...or something attacked me." I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I have a killer headache." I added with a wince, closing my eyes in a effort to relieve it. I had only closed them for a few seconds when I felt something touch my forehead and I opened them to find Narumi nearly nose to nose with me, a cloth now pressed to my forehead.
"It's only a compress." Narumi sighed, feining annoyance though I could see a faint smile curling his lips. "Now just hold still would you? I can't help you if you fidget."
Staying perfectly still wasn't easy, especially from the fever running through my body, but I managed to control my body enough to allow Narumi to wipe my forehead. "There. Now mind filling me in?" Narumi asked and I blinked at him, having nearly dozed off in front of him. "Jean, you still there?" He teased and I coughed, slightly embarrassed at being caught sleeping.
"Of course I am, Shouhei." I grumbled looking over his shoulder towards the hallway leading to the door. "Where did Raidou go?" I asked and Narumi paused, his hand on my shoulder. Why I wasn't sure and I couldn't seem to string a single thought together with the fuzzy feeling in my head making it practically impossible.
"He and Gouto went looking for your assaliant." Narumi answered and I blinked, trying to move from the couch but just like before Narumi wouldn't let me. Even gripping my shoulder hard enough to hurt and so I settled back, though not without giving Narumi the deathstare of his life. Which produced a chuckle and another light brush of my forehead. "Even after six months you haven't changed." He told me and I raised both eyebrows in shock.
"Six months?!" I asked and he nodded, settling the cloth down when I stared at him. "But I've only been gone...a month or so."
"Well it has been a few months since I last saw you...I mean since we last saw you." Narumi hurriedly answered and I coughed, a failed attempt at laughing. "So what attacked you anyway?"
"Some kind of demon. At least he looked kind of like one anyway." I replied, scratching at my chin. "If you really want to know I wanted to come back, to Tuskudo Cho. So I used the Ritual of entry and here I am."
"Okay but that doesn't tell me why you're running a fever." Narumi said and I sighed, rubbing at my eyes.
"I entered Tsukudo-Cho a few minutes after walking the Dark Realm and that's right when I came across a tall man. He had long black hair past his shoulders and two piercing cold blue eyes. I started to walk by him and he smiled at me, whispering something I couldn't catch. I paused and he waved to me, beckoning me over. I was a little uneasy but I had my demons with me and I knew if he tried anything I could defend myself." I took a breath, coughing and Narumi leant over giving my back a rub.
"Sorry but what happened next?" Narumi urged and I gave him a tiny smile.
"I walked over to him and he just kept smiling at me, his eyes boring into mine. I started to reach for a tube until he slowly shook his head. "No, I'm not your enemy. I came to offer you an escape," he told me. I was more than a little confused and he chuckled. "I can remove any...unpleasant memories from that tiny mind of yours", he whispered and after he tapped my forehead I took a step back. Before I knew it he was glaring at me and his eyes were so cold. "I offer you a gift and you turn your back on me. So be it. You'll regret it," He snapped and my fingers had barely brushed Fenrir's tube before I felt so dizzy." I took a breath as Narumi looked on, his eyes staring into mine.
"What did he mean by 'removing unpleasant memories'?" Narumi said and I shook my head, clearing the fuzziness from it. "Jean?"
"Sorry but it's hard to concetrate right now. He...did something to my head. When I woke up I found myself lying in an alleyway, my summoning tubes untouched. But when I tried to remember what happened to make me pass out I kept getting flashes of someone being stabbed with a knife...blood everywhere and screaming. So much blood...I think he did something to my head. I got my feet under me and once I could walk, a little unsteady I think, I wandered here. But the strange thing is I keep getting flashes of memories I know don't belong to me." I muttered, leaning back against the couch. "I think he did something...bad to me."
"Are you saying you have someone else's thoughts in your head?" Narumi asked and when I nodded slightly, gritting my teeth against the sharp pain radiating through my skull he tilted his head to one side. "This is a little out there even for you, Jean."
"It might actually be true, Narumi." Raidou said and we both looked at the door to find the summoner standing in the open doorway, his fingers wrapped around a small backpack. "I went looking for your attacker and all I could find was your bag." He told me, walking over and I reached for it nearly overbalancing when a wave of dizziness threatened to make me pass out on the spot.
"Whoa, take it easy." Narumi exclaimed as he pushed me back against the couch, looking towards Raidou for help. The summoner had already moved towards the kitchen before he could ask and he shook his head, slightly impressed. "You'd better fill Raidou in on your demon problem." He told me and I would have nodded if I didn't think it would make me really pass out again. Raidou returned with a glass filled with cold water and I took it gratetfully with shaking hands. I managed a few sips and that helped, making me feel a little clearer.
"The demon...man...whatever messed with my head and now I have someone else's thoughts in my head." I explained to Raidou and Gouto now, the latter lying on the armrest. "I can't figure out how he did it but...it really hurts." I gasped, pressed my hands to each side of my head.
"Jean, just relax." Narumi soothed, quickly grabbing the knife I suddenly pulled from the pocket of my jacket. "Jean, no!" He shouted when it started to move towards my forehead, sweat dripping down my forehead. "Don't you dare." He snapped, his hand gripping mine hard enough to make me release the blade. It hit the floor blade down and got stuck, leaving me shaking even worse.
"I just want them gone." I whimpered, my heart beating wildly at how close I'd been to harming myself.
"Narumi, we should go and see the Herald. She might be able to help Jean." Raidou suggested and I quickly nodded, hiding my tears with my closed fist.
So a short trip later and I was standing beside Narumi as Raidou and Gouto approached the steps of the temple. Actually I was leaning against Narumi's left shoulder, his arm wrapped around my shoulders to keep me steady as I fought not to throw up on my sneakers. Thankfully it only took a moment for the bell to summon the Herald who took one look at me and she beckoned me over. I barely made the walk there, only a few feet before my legs gave out and the last sound I heard was Narumi calling for help.
"Jean, can you hear me?" Narumi called out but Jean didn't respond, now lying limp in his arms. He looked up when Raidou approached followed by the Herald of Yatagarasu, who immediately knelt beside Jean. Gently she placed an open palm on each side of Jean's head and within the space of a few seconds her hands began to glow. A little shocked, Narumi kept quiet his attention moving between Jean's unconscious form and the Herald's hands.
Narumi opened his mouth but Raidou shook his head slowly and Narumi wisely chose to keep his trap shut. Once the Herald removed her hands they seced glowing and as Narumi stared Jean began to stir, her eyes slowly opening.
"Narumi? What's going...on?" I whispered, coughing and he gave me a tiny smile looking towards the Herald for a moment. "I was asking...a question." I grumbled and he returned his attention back to me, giving me a bigger grin. "Hmph." I mumbled, feeling my eyes begin to close.
"Before you start panicking Jean's still recovering." Gouto muttered and Narumi sighed to himself, lifting Jean into his arms with a slight frown.
"Jean said something about a mystery man attacking her before she found her way back to us. I've only ever heard of one demon able to take human form but his speech leads me to believe it isn't that demon." Raidou explained, hiding a smile when Jean snuggled against Narumi's shirt which left the detective looking a little red faced. After Raidou filled in the cloaked woman about what Jean had said she took almost a full minute to answer.
"This is troubling, Kuzunoha the fourteenth. There have been whispers around the capital from other summoners who have witnessed the same man appearing and disappearing into thin air. But that isn't the only problem." The Herald began, waiting for Narumi who approached the shrine keeping a firm grip on the sleeping Jean.
"Something worse than what he did to Jean?" Narumi snorted and Jean groaned, eyes scrunched shut. "Sorry, dollface." He quickly whispered. stroking her forehead and she soon settled back into a deep sleep.
"There have been reports of several suicides in the Capital. What sets them apart is that all of the victims have taken the life of someone beforehand." The Herald finished and Narumi raised an eyebrow, looking towards Raidou.
"Maybe murder-suicides?" Raidou suggested but the Herald shook her head. "Then you think this man...demon...whatever he is is responsible?"
"I believe so. Neither the murderer nor the victum knew each other." The Herald explained and Narumi looked directly at Jean's sleeping face, his thumb tracing her forehead.
"Jean did meet the same man. While we were talking to her she produced a knife and...tried to harm herself." Raidou said, not looking at Narumi who narrowed his eyes at the summoner. "She pulled a knife, Narumi. When has Jean ever threatened to harm herself?"
"Never and you know it. What kind of question is that?" Narumi mumbled after a pause and Raidou met his glare with a nod. "Now I'm heading back to the agency." He added, turning his back on Raidou and the Herald.
"Raidou's only speaking the truth." Gouto said with an eyeroll. "Maybe we should head back with them, just in case that man...whatever tries anything again."
"Thank you for your assistance, Herald." Raidou said with a quick bow and she nodded, moving up the steps. She had disappeared into the darkness of the shrine by the time Raidou and Gouto reached Narumi's side.
"Narumi, wait for us. Jean's not safe until we reach the agency." Raidou warned and Narumi just snorted though he slowed enough for Raidou to catch up. Together they headed back to the streetcar and after a very silent trip back, and more than a few stares, they arrived back in Tsukudo-Cho.