Theatre Wars

Chapter 6: In which there is a lot of looking and Naru is missing.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Ghost Hunt.

A somewhat shorter chapter than usual. Enjoy!

Where am I? I check myself. My hands are bound. The rope is cutting into my skin, so I must still be alive, or I wouldn't feel that kind of physical pain. But that doesn't account for how I got here. I push Mai out of the way, someone grabs me from the back, and I remember feeling the scar burn. I must have lost consciousness then. I try shifting my numb legs and feel pins and needles shooting up as the surface beneath me creaks. There is only a faint blue light but it is enough for me to observe my surroundings. I'm on a bed, my back to the headboard and my wrists tied to the bedpost above me. The thought of being found in this compromising situation by the others is galling and enough impetus for me to try and work those ropes loose even if I doubt they would be coming anytime soon. The bed creaks again but it's not me and I pause. Someone – female from the appearance of the silhouette has joined me, the only visible part of her face is the pearly light glinting off her teeth, which I note are unusually pointed and long.

"Shizuko."

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Her voice is hoarse, raspy, but there is no mistaking the mockery in her tone. A hand snakes down the front of my shirt, popping the buttons with long fingers. They feel like ice. Resisting every flight instinct which screamed at me to run away, I meet her eyes with a calm which we both know I don't feel.

"Why not? What does Haruo call you?"

She slides over, moving to kneel in front of me. I can sense my breath catch when she moves out of the shadow. This is a new development, one which I cannot help hating myself for not taking into account.

"You're not Shizuko."

Her face twists angrily, a wild light behind her eyes. It's the look of somebody who has let their anger gotten to them for way too long. "Far too long. I've lived her shadow for far too long."

"Then you can't expect me to know who you are." Her eyes light up as her lips curve into laughter.

"No, Haruo-san. Your research won't pick anything up on me. I'm nobody. And how can it, when I'm not actually dead?" I can feel my heart race. Much as I want to focus on her strange declaration, I need her to calm down first. Gene should be here. He has a way with people which for all my abilities, lack. But I must try, if I'm to delay my own demise. I lower my voice, speaking slower, softer, more lilting. Gentler, yes, that was the word. "Madam. Even if you aren't, Haruo must be. You're looking for him in the wrong places."

"Who says I was looking for him?" She chuckles. "He's right here, with me."

Lin is going to kill me. I scramble back up to my knees, my heart thudding. Naru. No. Not Naru. The door is shut but I know that is where they must have gone. Something taps me on the shoulder and I jump, biting back my scream.

"Anzai." My voice comes out all strange and wobbly. He is holding a candle in one hand and a package in the other. "You don't want to go there," he says, when the door opens and Ayako peeps out.

"Mai! What're you doing here?"

"I…"

"Mai?" Ayako's voice is filled with worry. "Are you alright?" Ignoring her, I pull myself away from Anzai and dart into the room just as Lin and Masako emerge. "D-Did either of you see Naru?"

Lin who is in the middle of dusting himself stops. "Isn't he in the base?"

"I…he…" I mumble, flailing for words. Lin's face takes on a mask-like quality as Masako lays a comforting hand on me.

"He asked me to check on the room. I, I was speaking t-too long and he came to find me."

"Damnit, Mai. Why is it always either one of you? If that blockhead wasn't running off by himself after you in tunnels, you're the one who needs rescuing." He pauses, catching his breath. "When?"

"Minutes ago. I didn't see it happen but I'm sure she took him into the powder room."

"But that's impossible. We were in there," Ayako says, bending down and lifting my arm to inspect it. "Look at you. You've hurt yourself again."

"But!"

Masako sinks down beside me too. "The aura in this room is quite strong and I thought I felt something," she says weakly. Ayako looks at us worriedly. "Just what is wrong with this place?" she is saying when John and Bou-san clatter in, stopping dead in their tracks when they see that we're minus one person.

"Oh hell…" Bou-san says, running a hand in frustration through his hair.

"Perhaps you would like to talk downstairs?" Anzai suggests quietly. The others jump, not having noticed immediately and Anzai holds up both palms. "Just a suggestion," he says warily when Lin turns his full-blown glare at him. "We'll take that offer," Ayako quickly says. "I don't know about you all but this place gives me the creeps."

But, we've all barely reached the stage level when Haru jumps up from the first row, wringing her hands worriedly. Our worry must have shown because she bites her lip anxiously, flustered. "Oh dear. I came at a bad time didn't I? Only, perhaps Shibuya-san would like to take a look at what we found outside…"

Lin answers her grimly. "I'm afraid he is not disposed to helping you out. He's been spirited away. In fact, I was about to come look for your uncle to request that for your safety sake, you should all leave the premises for the time being."

The theatre is strangely empty without the actors, who, after some grumbling and reluctance, have left, all except for Haru, Anzai and Hiro. It's almost sunset again – my third in this place. Shielding my eyes against the slanting rays of light, I see what has gotten the actors upset again. Lined up neatly on the roof beam is a row of nine plates. Bou-san whistles. "How did those get up there?"

"It's happened before. Everyone would be at rehearsal, and then when we come out from it, there would be these plates on the roof. The last time round, Ike-san and Kikuchi-san got a ladder out and climbed up to get them down."

"Couldn't it just be a joke? Someone…" Masako suggests.

"There's never time. Kouki-san said he'd come out for a smoke and he was very sure there was nothing on the roof. Then, minutes later, when we all came out as well, they were there." Haru's eyes reveal her fear. "Do you think… that maybe both Okiku and Shizuko are haunting us?"

Lin shakes his head. "I doubt it. It's more likely that someone must want you to think it is a legendary curse. If we discover who… it's possible they would know where Naru is," he answers gruffly before turning away. Haru looks towards me. "Did I offend him?"

"No," Masako answers for me. "Of all of us, he's probably the most worried."

In the mean time, we're all to try searching for our missing boss. Lin unrolls a large blueprint of the theatre and we all pore over it. "There are a lot of rooms," John remarks unnecessarily in the short silence that has ensued. Haru nods. "I don't think I've seen half of these places, what about you, Anzai?"

"Personally, some of these nooks are practically legendary in their difficulty to get to,' he says, nibbling thoughtfully on a stray strand of hair. A loud clatter makes us all jump. Haru, I can't help noticing with a small smile, grips Hiro's elbow instinctively. "What was that? No one else is supposed to be here," she says. Lin stalks to the door, one arm motioning for us to remain where we are. There is a clatter again, nearer this time, and we all hold our breath. Both Haru and Hiro's faces are pale and I can see the muscles in Bou-san's shoulders bunch, as we all poise to meet Shizuko again. Then, there is a loud crash, followed by a lot of swearing. Ayako has turned to look at Lin, her eyebrows raised sceptically when a hand - very much human. grips the doorframe, and Natsume's voice enters the room. "Why aren't the lights on? Can't see where I'm going," he grumbles as he shoves a mop that has somehow caught on his clothes aside. Anzai scowls even as Ayako and I start laughing. Masako sniffs sanctimoniously, but it's clear we're all relieved it isn't another attack.

"Is something the matter?" Anzai asks coldly even as Natsume saunters grandly in, hands tucked into his pants.

"I thought I heard somebody showing off," he answers as he squeezes between me and Ayako to the space around the map.

"Not as much as someone I know," Anzai retorts rudely. "Anyway, aren't you supposed to be back at ATC's?"

"With this curse hanging around my neck – literally? You must be joking if you think I'll let you or any Ichibara buffoon take over while my back is turned!"

"But, Natsume," Hiro intervenes gently, "it was Lin-san advised us to stay away as a safety precaution."

"All the more we should help!" his cousin replies impatiently before turning coolly to Lin. "Well? There's no need to look so forbidding. We're here of our own volition, and not a moment too soon." If anything, his words only caused the frown between Lin's brows to darken further. Continuing as though he hasn't seen it or heard Hiro-kun's infuriated protest - "I only came because this is exactly what you would do" – Natsume clears his throat imperiously and jabs at a spot on the paper.

"I hate to ask this, but Anzai, have you made it to the rafter closet before?"

"What? This little place? Only so many times since I was six that I can't be bothered to count," Anzai answers casually. Natsume sucks in an indignant breath.

"If I hadn't shown it to you…"

Lin, who has so far been scrutinizing the intricate maze of corridors traced out in white on the blue paper frowns. "But there are no passageways to it," he says without looking up and therefore missing the scowl both Anzai and Natsume have directed at him.

"Well, for old times' sake, I suppose we could show you how to get there," Anzai and Natsume both announce and then glare at each other.

As expected, we discover nothing. We've knocked on all the walls, but there is nothing. "It's almost like she'd pulled him through the walls, which given the situation, is not unlikely," John says. I watch as they examine the room, but I know deep down that Naru hasn't pulled into any part of the building. If he were, there would have been some trace of where he had gone. We've all taken shifts to check the rooms, but even so, it's tiring business, made all the more depressing by our concern. I don't want to think about what would happen if Naru never comes back. Bou-san comes over. "Why don't you take a nap?" he asks kindly.

"I don't feel like sleeping," I say. Not if the same kinds of things are going to happen again.

"I know it's difficult to suddenly go sleep but you've done it before. And aren't you tired?" He squints at me and I flinch. "I'm not," I lie before cracking a yawn.

He grins widely. "You sure?"

"Bou-san…" I huff sulkily as I get up from where I have been resting on the wooden flooring. He ruffles my hair. "We'll get him back, Mai."

I nod. We have to. I look over at Lin. He's probably taking Naru's disappearance the worst. And it's my fault again. More than anything else, I want to march right back into that room and demand that Shizuko hand over Naru, but I've promised Lin that I wouldn't go back there unsupervised. Sighing to myself, I let myself out of the room and into the garden outside. The grass is soft, springy, the mild sunshine at just the right temperature. I want him back. Even if all he does is ignore me. A breeze tugs suddenly at my hair and skirt and I look up, aware that I was not, as I had thought at first, alone. Don't look – that's the first rule of thumb. I continue staring ahead, but I'm feeling for where that presence is and it's by the bridge.

I turn. It's there! That black shape that I had first seen on my first day here. Rushing forward, I run right into a black clad figure who catches me by the shoulders.

"Mai."

Oh damn. I went and fell asleep after all.

"Hello Gene," I sigh.

"Hello Mai." He lets me go and I take a step back, rubbing my bare shoulders. I peer around at the stubby grass and the bridge. "Where are we? Or should I say when?" Gene smiles that small, familiar smile that is half shy and half wry. "I hear that you're missing something?" he says as we fall into step over to the bridge. "No?" I answer in confusion before it dawns on me what he means. "Oh. Naru." I shake my head. "I don't know what I can do."

"You can get him back."

"Gene… I'm scared. What if something happens to him?"

He lays a comforting hand on my arm. "This is Naru we're talking about. He isn't going to sit still waiting to be rescued either."

"Do you at least know where he is?"

"No. I wish I did," he says softly. "I sense his presence, but very dimly, like he is very far away, which given the circumstances, he probably is." We stop in front of the powder room again and Gene pulls open the door. "After you."

Oh heck. I look down at the yellow kimono I am clad in and heave a sigh. Not again. Something smashes against the wall, porcelain tinkling on the floor as a watery stain spreads across the carpet. It takes me awhile to realise that it is I who has thrown the cup. There is a cut on my finger. "You liar!" I scream vehemently, striding forward to where a dark-eyed man is standing, fists clenched. Here we go again… How many days has it been since they made up? It can't be that many… Haruo grabs both of my wrists, struggling as I fight back, spitting and shouting. "You liar! You liar! You said you loved me!"

"I do! But I love her too! Shizu – please…"

"But I make better tea! And I've taken care of you all this while!"

"I didn't set out to love her. You know I've to marry her for the sake of the troupe!" He looks down. "I'm sorry. But the more I know her, I know I cannot let her down."

"Jerk."

Haruo blinks. "What?"

"You no good moron. How dare you! When I gave you my all…" Tears are streaming down now, and I can feel them plop onto my fingers which curl slowly round the first item within reach. "I should have known though. The amount of time you've been spending with her. She's changed you. Her family's changed you." Looking up, I flinch, startled when I spot her in the doorway.

"Haruo? What is going on?" Shizuko says.

A gentle tap on my shoulder makes me turn round. Gene. He brushes away a lingering tear as I sniff heavily. "Now that you know, please go help that idiot scientist."

"Mai!" Someone is shaking my shoulders and I curl up, shrinking away from them.

"Go away," I mutter sleepily. "Naru."

"It's me, you idiot," the voice continues in a much less urgent and much more irritated tone. I blink, yawning miserably as I wipe away tears.

"Oh. Masako." She prods me again, less gently now that I am awake. "Ouch. Stop that. I'm getting up."

She sits back primly, resting on her knees. "You choose the strangest places to fall asleep in," she scolds, but only half-heartedly as I scramble up the side of the grassy bank by the bridge.

"What did I miss?"

"Naru. Ayako and I saw him..."

"What?" I swing round so quickly I nearly fall, but I pick myself up in time. "Where? How?"

"If you will stop cutting me off, I'll be able to explain," she snaps.

"Come on Masako! Where?"

She sighs, relenting. "Upstairs, in the attic. He turned a corner and then disappeared. It was like a dream. Or something like that." She bites her lip. "The thing is..."

"What is it?" I press, gripping the edge of my skirt.

"Oh, Mai. You've to get him back."

I nod.

She moves closer. "You're the only one who can walk in dreams."

I nod again.

"And... you're the woman he loves."

My jaw drops.

Masako glares at me. "Though I had hardly expected you to, you could take it a bit more graciously." I quickly jam my lips back together, a blush rising to my face.

"...I don't understand. How's that going to help anything?" He doesn't. I don't want to say it. He never gave me a straightforward answer, and we'd argued, and so recently too.

"I'll try." It's the best I can offer as an answer now.