A/N
Ok, i think this story will have a Friday posting schedule but since the prologue isnt much to work with, I threw out the next update for you guys. Remember, even if you are familiar with the original story, some things have changed. Also, I'm trying to get trigger warnings on some of the chapters, but this one is pretty mild.
Case One: Hospital Hijinx -Part One
"Not till we are lost...do we begin to find ourselves." - Thoreau
Mai sighed as she climbed out of Yasu's car, wearily stretching her tight muscles. It had been a long trip made even longer by the doubts swirling in a knot in her stomach.
She really hoped she'd made the right decision.
Beside her, Yasu whistled. "Just a couple of weeks back on the job and we're already taking on the hard cases. Big Boss isn't playing around..."
The sunlight glinted off his glasses as he surveyed the dilapidated building in front of them.
Mai could only nod in agreement as she came to stand beside her best friend.
Unlike her first case years ago, this building really was an old hospital, shut down shortly after the war. Dusty windows stared out at them like eyes glazed with time and illness. The whole place gave off a feeling of malicious...watchfulness.
The building seemed to shimmer in the dry heat now, but Mai still felt a shiver crawl up her spine. Somehow, it seemed almost predatory.
She was not looking forward to the dreams this case was sure to give her.
"Are we sure this building is even safe to walk around in?" Masako queried in quiet disbelief as she rose gracefully from the seat in the back.
Mai still wasn't used to seeing her friend in street clothes, although it had been several months since Masako had forsworn her usual kimonos. Thinking about that just made the doubts in her stomach swirl faster, and she had to physically swallow down her apprehension. Yasu came to stand beside them, and Mai didn't miss the worried glance he shot at the petite girl on her other side.
Masako was oblivious, however. Professional to the core, Mai knew she was already reaching out with that inner ability that allowed her to commune with the dead. She didn't even notice the wisps of short hair blowing into her eyes.
"Hopefully everyone's up to date on their tetanus shots..." Ayako said wryly from the far side of the car, pulling Mai from her musings. Her expression made it quite clear what she thought of the weathered building. The red-head sniffed in disdain as she walked around the car to stand beside them. She looked as crisp and put together as ever, but Mai thought she looked tired. Shadows lingered under her eyes that even her expertly applied makeup couldn't entirely conceal.
The three girls had ended up in Yasu's car while John had rode with Bou-San.
Naru had, of course, ridden with Lin and the equipment. Naru had implied that she should ride with him and Lin in the van that morning when they'd all set off from the office. Instead she had grabbed her copy of the case file to read in the car before calling shotgun and diving into Yasu's car. Naru had looked at her with his usual fathomless gaze before silently climbing in the van.
She'd felt guilty, if only for a second, but she had known it was for the best. And really, she shouldn't even feel guilty about it. Things had to stay professional between them this time around. Not that he had ever felt unprofessional about her in the first place. No, that had entirely been on her part. But that was four years ago. This time, she was determined to be useful, mature and most of all, professional.
For everyone's sake, because kami-sami, they were already a mess. She couldn't fall apart again.
John and Bou-san were climbing out of the car stopped behind Yasu, and the late June heat made the still country air shimmer with lazy sunlight. Dust danced in somnolent swirls and every once in a while, a lone cricket would chirp.
It would have been almost peaceful had her skin not broken out in goosebumps a mile back down the road. There was no doubt about it, this place was definitely-
"Haunted". Masako declared in quiet surety where she stood beside Mai. Mai nodded in agreement, crossing her arms around herself for a second as another shudder wracked her frame.
It felt like there was someone watching them from inside the abandoned building. Considering they were ghost hunters, that in itself wasn't so surprising.
And yet...
There was something unsettling about the watchfulness. Almost like it was amused.
Like it wanted them to come in. In her mind, an image of a leopard formed, gleaming eyes watching as it's prey walked straight into its lair.
And that was enough to set off a few screaming warnings in her mind.
Even Bou-san and Lin were studying the place with wary gazes. Naru wasted no time on the building, instead, his gaze flitted between his team members, gauging their reactions. He'd had a few weeks to reacquaint himself with the team, but it was obvious to her anyway that even with Naru's fast learning curve he'd need every advantage his powers of deduction could give him.
Perhaps there really was a monster inside the old hospital. The only thing she really knew was that whether there was or not, it didn't matter.
They'd brought plenty of their own monsters with them.
John's face, once so open, was now a closed book as he methodically trudged to the back of the van. There was some slight stubble on his chin, and his clothes looked a little worse for the wear. Still,he looked fantastic compared to a few weeks ago….
Opening the doors, he began silently unloading this equipment. Even his body language was different now, wooden, like a poorly played puppet.
Kami-sami, but she missed the old John.
With a pang of guilt, she started forward to help him. She hadn't convinced him to join the team just to take over her responsibilities as pack mule, no matter what their new titles were.
"Mai." Naru said her name simply, the command implied. She stopped reluctantly, teeth catching her bottom lip as she looked over at Naru cautiously.
She'd felt him watching her a moment ago, but hadn't made eye contact in case he was still irritated with her.
She told herself it was only a little cowardly on her part.
"Let's do the walk through first. The blue prints showed several possible rooms we might use for base, but we won't know which are actually safe enough to use until we've checked them.". He turned away, confident enough in her acquiescence that he didn't bother to continue to watch her.
His high-handedness kindled a familiar flame of resentment in her, but she squashed it down ruthlessly. Attraction and resentment had always gone hand in hand inside her when it came to Naru, and she refused to give either a foothold this time.
But it would help if the jerk didn't always look so good.
Though she hated leaving John alone to unload the heavy equipment by himself, she reluctantly nodded.
"I'll help him." Yasu said cheerfully, patting her on the shoulder as he walked past her to join the ex-priest. Shooting him a grateful look, she turned away, walking quickly to where Naru was waiting with subtle but apparent impatience.
Lin and Naru led the way, with Mai and Masako just behind, and Bou-san and Ayako bringing up the rear. Mai could practically feel the angry sparks going off between the Monk and the Priestess, however, and once again doubts swirled in her stomach.
Could those two actually manage to work together?
The air was heavy and unpleasant, and Mai found herself stifling the urge to clear her throat as she looked around warily.
"Why build a hospital so far in the middle of nowhere?" Bou-san asked, looking around the dusty entry way. Late afternoon sunlight slanted through boarded up windows, dust swirling where their feet had kicked it astir. The whole place smelled of must and rot, the boards beneath their feet seemed to dip and sway with their steps. Their footsteps echoed hollowly, the sound strangely muffled.
"There was a military base here, at the time. The base was moved after the war, and the land sold at public auction." Mai answered softly, the aura of the place making her voice unconsciously husky. She could taste the rot now, a familiar coating on the back of her throat, an almost tangible reminder of their previous investigations years ago.
She saw Naru glance at her, perhaps in surprise that she had actually read the case file. She couldn't help the small, wry smile that graced her lips for a second. Of all the things that had changed over the last four years, for that to be what surprised him...
"But who would buy this place?" Ayako asked, nose wrinkled in distaste and Mai wondered if she was mentally comparing it to the bright and sterile hospital her own family owned and operated.
"A large corporation has plans for this whole area. But every time they try to start demolition, something happens to stop it." Naru supplied in his usual clipped voice.
Mai opened her mouth to ask a question of her own, but at the moment, something rushed at them.
It was intangible, spiritual in nature, rather than physical. She swore she could almost see it, a dark mass rushing them from the stairs. But more than that, she felt it.
It was quick, that much was for sure. And strong. Mai hadn't even had time to try and evaluate it's presence before the world turned dark as she stumbled back into the wall behind her.
Cold...
Eyes watching...
She tumbled effortlessly into the memory-
Mai's hands shook just the tiniest bit as she got down the tea cup from the shelf. Reaching below the counter for the seldom used box of Earl Grey Tea, she carefully set out a bag.
'Breathe, Mai, just breathe...'
She wasn't ready-
"SitRep!" She heard Naru demand, her mind slowly sorting the still unfamiliar phrase, one of many that he had brought back with him after his four year absence.
She tried to make herself speak, but found herself coughing instead. She had slid down the wall to sit on the dusty floor, and a thick warmth coursing sluggishly down her face told her she had a nosebleed.
What was that?
At least she hadn't fallen through the floor this time.
"That...sucked." She finally said bluntly, looking around warily. Her head felt heavy and she struggled to get a deep breath. Black glitter danced in the edges of her vision, but she didn't think she was going to pass out.
Masako was laying on the ground beside her, but she already appeared to be stirring. A white-faced Bou-San was hovering over an agitated but equally pale Ayako who had managed to catch herself on the door frame. She waved him away harshly, the split second pain on his face was an arrow straight into Mai's own heart. Bou-san swallowed before backing away, but only just a little.
Even Lin had dropped to one knee, and like her, appeared to have a small nosebleed. Well, at least she hadn't been unduly affected compared to the others. She desperately wanted to be useful this time around-
"Mai." The stern command grabbed her attention and she forced herself to look up at her employer. He was kneeling beside her in the dust, and one part of her still dazed brain couldn't help but think that black was a horrible choice for a ghost hunter after all...
"Mai!" Naru said a little firmer, pressing a handkerchief to her face. He leaned over her, blocking her view of the others. His tone demanded her attention. She forced her scattered thoughts into a rough semblance of order.
"All good, boss." She said finally, coughing on another mouthful of dust. His eyes drilled into hers for a second, searching for a lie before leaning back on his heels.
Lin and Bou-San were helping a dazed Masako sit up now.
"You ok?" Mai half-whispered to her friend, her words garbled by the handkerchief.
"That was...unpleasant." Masako said disdainfully.
Mai snorted, then winced as coppery blood filled her mouth. Even Lin cracked the barest of smiles for a second.
"Would anyone care to fill me in..." Naru said. His impatience showed in his voice but his hands were surprisingly gentle as he urged her head forward and down. "Put your head back down, it will stop in a moment, don't move." He commanded softly. The warmth of his hand on the back of her neck contrasted starkly with the leaden chill in her limbs.
The others looked around for a moment, gathering their thoughts, trying to put the event into words.
"Well..." Bou-San started, before trailing off.
"It felt like..." Masako added, scrunching her nose delicately.
Ayako merely shook her head in consternation.
Mai pushed herself to her feet, pleased that the world remained on its proper axis. At least she hadn't hit her head. Her nosebleed was also stopping.
But somehow she still felt...violated.
Like someone had just run a finger down her spine from the inside, counting her vertebrae.
She looked at Naru, who still stood next to her with a hand out-reached, barely brushing the back of her neck, though his attention was focused fully on his bewildered team members.
She took a deep, steadying breath, trying to marshal not just her thoughts but her feelings. So much for trying to keep a reasonable distance.
"Something...a spirit maybe..." Mai started, hoping she made some kind of sense. "It was like it was examining us." She shuddered again, wishing she wasn't wearing just a pair of shorts and t-shirt. It had made sense in the summer heat, but now she felt exposed, vulnerable.
Naru's full attention had zeroed in on her at her words, and she could feel him testing each one, weighing and sorting them in his mind.
"You think a spirit was testing you? Your sensitivity? Your abilities?" Naru said after a moment, narrowing his eyes at her. She shrugged helplessly, unsure of a better way to phrase her feelings. She forced herself to straighten fully, and slowly his hand dropped away.
"What the hell happened?" A voice asked from the doorway and Mai winced. Though his accent had improved greatly over the years, the profanity from her once religious friend only added to her growing headache.
******Stinger*****
Noll rifled through the files in his lap impatiently again. The pictures clipped to each one were familiar, though some were undoubtedly out of date. The names were the same however.
Lin opened the driver's door, sliding into the car with quiet ease.
"The girl at the counter says Mai's shift starts in another twenty minutes, so we shouldn't have to wait much longer."
Noll didn't bother to answer as his fingers stilled, Mai's file now on the top. Her picture was one of the more recent ones Madoka had managed to acquire. He was never quite certain how she found all the information she had, but he trusted her not to break any laws. Well, not too many laws anyway.
The girl's hair was longer, much longer. Unbound, he imagined it would fall at least halfway down her back. In the photo she wore it plaited, however. A careless thing, as if she'd only cared a little about the picture. Instead of the open, sunny photo that had graced her secondary school file, her college id photo featured a half smile, as if the girl knew a secret, and she wasn't prepared to share.
Her eyes were the same, direct, cinnamon however. The same demanding gaze, as if she could will you to do what she wanted. Will you to do the right thing.
They were older though. Older than he expected. Mai had a sunny temperament. She had shrugged things off easily. Her eyes had been quick to laugh, quick to cry.
This girl….was different.
It unsettled him somehow. He'd known she would have changed some. Change was inevitable, and four years was no insignificant amount of time, no matter how he intended to play it when speaking to his former employees.
But a part of him must have been expecting Mai to fundamentally be the same.
Even her major, hospitality management, was keeping with her personality. She was gregarious and enjoyed people.
Still, he knew she was smarter than she gave off. She had seemed to enjoy her work doing research and investigations with SPR. He had half-expected her to go into one of the sciences.
He was missing something, and it made him uneasy. He'd known the puzzle that was Mai Taniyama very well once. The girl who'd been so empathetic that spirits had targeted her. The girl who was caring to everyone but silent about her own struggles. The girl who had been closest to him of any of the SPR team members, in her own way. And also the farthest.
The girl who had been in love with his twin brother.
But this girl, though perhaps made of the pieces of the other Mai, was something different. It made him feel uncertain for perhaps the first time since he'd begun this journey.
"I don't want to wait. Let's go to the church and try to locate John." He announced suddenly.
Lin looked at him in surprise, well, as much surprise as the stoic man ever relayed.
"I thought you had decided bringing Mai on first would make things go smoother with the others." He said after a moment.
Noll looked out the window resolutely. "We know where she is. It will be a small matter to come back when it's convenient. I'm concerned Madoka wasn't able to provide more information about John other than his current visa."
Lin looked at him for a long moment. "If that's what you want."
"I do."
