That night everyone was at base for a short briefing after what Yasuhara had told Mai and Naru.
"It seems that we are dealing with a spirit of the man who used to own the house this spring was built off of. What it wants with Taniyama? I am just guessing it sees her as an easy target. Another thing is that the ghost may be after any women who have been in a relationship. For now, no women are allowed to go anywhere alone. Matsusaki, you will room with Takigawa. Since you two are a couple it should do well. Taniyama, you will room with Brown."
"Hold on Naru," Mai cut in, "Why can't Ayako and I room together?"
"Well, if you just thought for a second then you would see that this ghost has a liking for females. After attacking you two times in two days I would think that even your small brain would have been able to put those pieces together."
"So are you saying that I cannot protect Mai and myself?" Ayako cut in this time.
"No, I am saying that if both of you were being attacked at the same time then you would not be able to protect Taniyama and yourself. It would be best for you to be with Takigawa and Taniyama to be with Brown, two men who, if either one of you were to be attacked, could protect you."
Everyone grew silent at what Naru said and thought about it in their heads. In the end they all agreed with him and went to their new rooming situations.
"This is so weird," Mai said to John while climbing into bed.
"How is it weird?"
"Knowing that I'm sharing a room with a male who is not my son nor someone I have a very close relationship to. Don't get me wrong, you are a wonderful friend, but it just feels odd."
John laughed at Mai's face when she spoke. Mai held her face up and spoke in a motherly manner, much different from how she used to be.
"So do you know how they are doing?" John asked out of the blue.
Mai sighed and looked out the window, "No, I want to call them, but since I don't have a cell phone I would have to borrow someone else's or use the landline, either way I could be tracked."
"You could always use mine,"
Mai smiled slightly at the kind priest, " thank you John, but not now, maybe tomorrow. Ren and Kyan should already be in bed tonight. I wouldn't want to wake them."
John looked at his once young coworker. She had changed since he had seen her in the church, she had changed since he first met her. Mai may look mainly the same, but inside she had grown up beyond her years.
"Goodnight John," Mai said, interrupting John's thoughts, he smiled and said the same to her then turned off the light.
When Mai opened her eyes, darkness was around her.
"Another dream," She sighed to herself and stood up from where she sat on the ground.
After walking for quite awhile in the darkness Mai came upon the person she was looking for. Gene stood maybe twenty or less feet from where she stood, the normal smile on his face, but something else in his eyes.
"What's wrong Gene?" Mai asked, jumping to a conclusion that something was wrong.
"Noll, he's assuming too much,"
"You mean, Naru's wrong?" Mai moved closer to Gene, a quizzical look on her face.
"I didn't say he was wrong-"
"But you said he was assuming, which usually means that something is off,"
Gene looked down at the young woman. She had grown so much over the years and now she was finally catching onto what people say.
"I'm just here to tell you Mai, that you have to watch out, some things aren't as they seem," and with that Gene evaporated into the void. Mai was left alone in the dark, nothing to stop her thoughts from wondering.
Just seconds after Gene disappeared from Mai's dream he reappeared in a mirror. Naru stood in front of the mirror and had specifically called Gene from the darkness.
"You know, Noll, sometimes I wonder about what you think,"
Taken aback, Naru grew angery, "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you should have known that my soul would go to rest after you buried me in England four years ago."
Naru narrowed his eyes, still keeping eye contact with his smiling twin, "I thought you had gone to rest, but when we were coming over here I heard Mai say your name in her dream."
"And so you knew that I was meeting with her, you are a sly one, Noll," it was silent then and Naru was about to say something until Gene interrupted. "You said Mai,"
"What?"
"You just called her Mai, I've been somewhat keeping tabs on you since you met back up with her and not once have you called her Mai unless it was a slip up when fighting with her,"
Naru turned his face away from looking at his brother, "Why should I not call her by her name?" He said smally.
Gene laughed in the mirror, "You won't say her name around anyone else,"
"Its because I am being totally professional," Naru turned back to his annoying brother.
Gene didn't answer but saw something in Naru's eyes that made him understand, "You don't want to hurt her again," it was more of a statement than a question.
Naru looked away yet again from his brother who knew what he was thinking.
"Why don't you just tell her that you remember?" Gene asked, suddenly becoming serious.
"She seems somewhat happy with her knew life, whatever it may be. I already ruined her life, I don't want to ruin it again."
"Then what will you do about-" Gene stopped himself from saying anything. He had almost let it slip about Mai's kids.
"About what?" Naru quickly turned his head back to look at his brother, his hair flying into his eyes.
"N-nothing, haha," Gene rubbed the back of his head and started to disappear from the mirror.
"Before you go Gene, I want to know one thing," Naru said quickly, hoping to stop his brother from fleeing.
"What, idiot scientist?"
"Am I right about my assumption?"
Gene smiled and disappeared fully, leaving one word hanging in the air.
Mai woke up early in the morning. She guessed no one else would be up yet so snuck into the bathroom to take a shower. She let the water pour over her for thirty minutes then got out.
After changing into a skirt and long sleeved top, Mai slipped into her shoes and left the sleeping priest in the room. When she reached base the door was slightly open and she could hear the fast beat of someone typing on a computer. Pushing the door open to see who it was, Mai found the last person she wanted to see when alone.
"If you are going to come into the room quietly, Taniyama, then please do not sigh louder than normal," Naru said over the typing. He stopped and turned around to face Mai now walking over to the couch. "What are you doing up so early?"
"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep." She answered.
Naru closed his eyes and thought for a second while Mai was standing up to go get his tea before he said anything.
"Taniyama," Mai sighed, knowing what the next word would be, but when Naru opened his eyes and muttered it out Mai was shocked, "Sit,"
Mai sat down instantly, surprised that Naru didn't want his tea right away. Silence passed between the two and Mai started taping her foot on the floor.
"About three years ago-" Mai instantly stood up and started walking towards the door, this was the last thing she wanted to talk with Naru about. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get your tea," She said simply, placing her hand on the door knob, Naru stood up and opened his mouth.
"I'll come with you-"
"No," Mai instantly said, catching Naru off his guard, "I-I can get there alone," and with that Mai left the room.
Walking down the hall Mai caught herself remembering three years ago, the times she and Naru had spent together, how she had felt that her heart had been split when she caught him with Masako, and most of all, the night of the accident.
Flash Back
Mai had been in shock all week. She had kept it from Naru that she was now carrying his child, their child. He had gotten worried when she said that she felt sick one morning and given her the week off. Tonight Naru was going to get off work early. Mai had planned to call him over and tell him the news.
She walked over to her phone and picked it up, dialing the oh so familiar number and listening to the ring, Naru picked up after three ring tones.
"Mai? Is everything alright? Are you feeling better? You never call me at this time in the day," Naru was worried, and right. Mai always avoided the hours of one to three knowing that was when most clients came in. She swore that she could hear a woman and man talking with Lin in the back round.
"E-everything's alright Naru," Mai stuttered out, cursing under her breath afterwards knowing he would have caught it.
"Are you sure? You don't sound well," yep, he had caught it.
"I'm fine, but, umm, do you think you could stop by after work? I have something to tell you,"
There was silence on the other end of the phone and Mai held her breath, "I'll be over in an hour Mai,"
Mai half smiled to herself, a knot was growing in her stomach, nervousness was consuming her.
"Ok, bye," She heard him say goodbye on the other end then hung up, letting out a large breath.
Two hours later Mai was still waiting in her apartment, waiting for Naru to come. She was starting to get worried, knowing that something must be keeping him at work, she kept thinking that maybe something else had happened.
It was five minutes later that Mai's doorbell went off, she ran to the door, thinking it to be Naru, but was shocked when it was Lin. He was wet from the heavy ran outside and his face showed worry.
"Mai," He took in a large breath, "Noll, h-he's," Lin took another breath as though he was breathless and looked Mai in the eyes, "He's been in an accident,"
Mai felt her whole world fall. Naru couldn't be- he would never- Mai's brain couldn't take it all in. She could remember Lin pushing her into the van and taking her to the hospital. She could faintly remember taking an elevator up three floors and standing in front of a door marked 360. With a sharp breath Mai walked into the room.
White met her eyes. Everything was white. Well, except the black hair of Naru's sleeping figure. Mai grew sick just looking at him. He looked so helpless to her. Cords were hooked up to each arm, the heart monitor was beeping at a constant rate, and deep purple and green bruises laced Naru's face on down his fair skin. Small cuts could be seen on his cheeks, but Mai guessed the greatest injury was probably his chest where she could see a bandage with slight pink forming from him bleeding.
"Naru," Mai whispered.
"Excuse me," Mai and Lin turned to see a doctor standing at the door, "Are you two related to Shibuya?"
"Yes, I am his guardian," Lin said.
The doctor turned to Mai, "And you are?"
Mai found her voice frozen, still shocked at the condition Naru was in, "She's his fiancee," Lin spoke up for Mai, she looked at him with a grateful look, he smiled back.
"Well then, you two, come with me,"
Mai and Lin followed the doctor to his office at the end of the hall, they sat in the seats he pointed to, and he started speaking.
"First of all I will go over what happened. Shibuya was at a red light when a large truck barreled through and could not stop because of the rain. The truck hit him head on and pushed his car back into a building which was a hundred yards back. Shibuya is lucky to be in the condition he is in with only minor scratches to the head and some bruised. Although he has a large gash in his chest from some metal puncturing him, our greatest concern is that of his brain. Something happened which made his entire body shut down. Whatever happened, it messed with his mind. Unfortunately, he lost his memory of everyone he knew."
Lin cursed under his breath, knowing that Naru must have used some of his powers to stop the truck from crushing him into the wall. Mai closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that would most likely fall from her eyes.
"For now, Shibuya is in a stable condition, but at any moment he could go back into critical condition," At those words from the doctor a nurse rushed into the room.
"Oh, Excuse me," She said to Lin and Mai, then turned to the doctor, "Patient 360KS has started acting up again," The doctor looked at Mai and Lin then rushed out the door. The two left in the room decided to follow him, knowing that patient 360KS was Naru.
When they reached his room there were grunts and screams. Mai's eyes started watering more when she saw them wheeling Naru out on a stretcher. We was thrashing, pulling the covers off, and screaming words out in English. Although Mai had never really been able to speak the language, she was able to catch what he was saying.
"I have to get to her! Mai-Mai needs me!"
Present time
When Mai came to after remembering that night she didn't know where she was. There was a hallway behind, to the right, and to the left of her. A wall was against her back. She thought everything might be alright. But then she started to see her breath although the temperature stayed the same. A voice pierced the silence which surrounded her, lowly screaming into the darkness. Mai officially wished she had taken Naru up on his offer and walked with him rather than alone.
When she took one step forward she heard nothing but that scream, not her breath, not her heart beat, not her foot touching the ground. And then the wailing stopped. Mai froze where she stood.
A white light flashed across her vision. Just fast enough to be seen but no details could be made. And then she heard it, a child's laughter rang in her head. But it wasn't a normal laugh, this laugh held anger, loneliness, and angst.
One step at a time Mai backed up until she ran into something. Fear coursed her whole body into being still. The laughter was coming from right behind her.
"Hello strange lady," the voice was that of a young child, twisted and warped by emotions, and Mai recognized it.
Another white light passed Mai's vision, though this seemed so much more friendly. The light stayed and seemed to be looking at Mai, and then disappeared. Luckily the light was there long enough for Mai to recognized it. Lin's shiki had found her. With this new knowledge Mai quickly moved away from the thing behind her and started running down the long hallway.
"Hmm, where do you think you're going lady?" The boy said. Mai turned her head for just an instant to look at what was speaking to her and found something she would never expect. Suddenly, Mai stopped in her tracks.
There stood a young boy, the one from her dream. Blonde hair slicked back, blue eyes popping due to the dark green in the sailors outfit he wore. His skin was pale, paler in fact than Naru's.
"Please lady, help me," the boy pleaded, sticking out his lower lip. Mai felt sorry for this boy suddenly and started to make her way back to him.
When Mai had closed half the distance the boys pout turned into a smirk and his whole demeanor changed. his once pearly teeth became yellow and chipped, his blue eyes began to look like a stained ocean as blood began to surround his pupils and pour from his sockets. The once neatly arranged hair on the boy's head flew into his face and became ragged. Bruises and cuts showed on his arms and as he raised them his clothes tore to show exposed rotten flesh and bone.
Mai quickly turned in terror without a pause and ran. This boy had to be the ghost that was haunting the place, not his father.
"Too late lady, you're mine now," The once odd laugh was now one of pure maliciousness as the boy dove towards Mai and wrapped his arms around her, dragging her to the ground.
Mai fell with a yelp, twisting her ankle again in the process. As soon as her head smacked the ground stars began to rise in her eyes and the boy pulled a very real knife out of his pocket. Mai's eyes widened and she struggled even more against the ghost, but he was strong, oh so strong.
Mai was able to get her left arm out from under his body and smacked the boy. His head made a sickening crack and turned to the right. Mai froze for a second, thinking he may change back. But when he turned back to her his eyes screamed crazy.
"Oh! You're a feisty one! Ahha!" His voice screeched out just as he thrust the knife down, right into the middle of Mai's left palm, connecting it to the ground. She screamed out in pain, not knowing what else to do.
The boy was enjoying his little blood fest too much and did not notice two figures approaching at a fast speed. One of them whistled and three bright lights came out of no where to attack the boy. He screamed and disappeared right away.
Naru quickly made his way to the blacking out Mai. She was breathing heavily and sparkles were forming behind her eyes. Blackness was engulfing her in her mind.
"Mai-Mai! You can't pass out!" Naru yelled at her frantically just as the darkness fully overtook her.
Oh! Intense right? I've actually had that last little snippet written for quite some time and was just itching to use it. *cough* anyway's to get down to business.
I did what i said i would, didn't I? I updating within the day day. so *cough* I would like to thank my reviewers and readers for taking such a liking to this story, i really have no idea what's going to happen after this chapter because i'm just a go with the flow type writer, so if anything shocks you after this then it most likely shocked me too.
that's all, i should update within the week, have fun, tata for now.