There was blood all around me. Why was I here again? I felt faint, woozy. But at least... This thing couldn't harm anyone else. The spirit was free now. As I battled to keep my eyes open, I could hear running footsteps coming closer. And there was a voice, too.
"Mai! Mai! Oh God." I heard the thud as someone dropped to their knees.
"Mai... Don't you dare die on me. I... I love you. Mai... Please" I didn't want to make that voice sad. For some reason, it broke my heart to here the hopelessness in that voice.
"I'm sorry... I... Love you."
- Earlier that day
"Okay, everyone - we don't know how to deal with this thing-" I winced at Naru's words, and Lin looked at me sadly, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "So we're going to hit it with everything we've got. Lin" The Chinese man looked at his boss. "Could you do me a favour and not let Mai out of your sight?"
"Of course, Oliver" I hadn't expected Lin to agree so easily, and by the looks of it, neither had Naru. He looked suspicious of his Chinese assistant, so I stepped in.
"Lin - you don't ever want to be away from Naru. Why now?"
"Because if he thinks you're safe then he wont do anything stupid." I could have been imagining it but I thought he put a little to much emphasis on "thinks".
"That makes sense, I suppose. Well, lets not keep that thing waiting." With Lin, I slowly walked away as Naru briefed the others as best as he could.
"Mai, that boy's ghost told you about how to lift this curse - didn't he?" I nodded. But the expression on his face... He didn't look like he was going to stop me. That scared me even more.
"There really isn't another way, is there?" Lin shook his head. I sighed. "Didn't think so."
"You'll break his heart, you know"
"I know. But I have to do this. This guy was a victim - just as much as Masahiro. He has to be stopped."
"But we could get somebody else-"
"I'm not going to sacrifice anyone else for this, Lin." He nodded, his eyes lonely and sad, as if he was greiving for me already.
"You remind me of a woman I used to know."
"What happened to her?" , not really wanting to hear the answer. I already knew what he was going to say.
"She died. A long time ago."
Trying to lighten the mood, or at least change the subject, I stepped confidently towards the hospital.
"Before we do anything else, we need to find this lousy son of a bitch. Lets go, Lin."
After staring at me in complete shock for a moment Lin followed me, muttering something about me becoming more like Oliver every day. I ignored his jibe.
"Speaking of Noll, he is going to kill you for letting me do this. But thank you anyway, Lin."
"I know this is important to you. And there are many people who will be saved because of you."
"Ever the utilitarian, aren't w-" I was suddenly knocked off my feet as the ground shook. Lin caught me before I could fall.
"Thanks." He didn't reply. He was staring ahead of us in horror. I followed his gaze and I was almost frozen with fear. Before us stood a grotesque creature - a writhing mass of maggots, vaguely in the shape of a human body. But that wasn't the worst part. It was the eyes. Those bloody and tormented glowing red eyes.
"Why do you come here, foolish orphan. You will not be spared." Its voice was horrible, like he was eternally choking on those bugs that called its body home. I looked back at Lin. I could see that he wanted to save me. The emotions were conflicting on his face. Focusing, I pushed him away with my power. He slammed against the wall, knocking him out cold.
"Sorry, Lin." I whispered. I looked back towards the demon. "I don't ask you to spare me. I ask you to be sated." It looked confused.
"Why would you offer this to me?"
"So you won't hurt anyone anymore. You can finally be at peace. Have the rest you should have had all those years ago." Was there pity in its voice?
"So I can gain peace through one more murder? Ha. The idea is laughable. But you give me hope, little orphan. I will devour your blood. Whether or not it frees me, it will be most enjoyable."
I braced myself. That was when the pain started. I could feel it slashing at my arms, my legs, my neck. As my blood pooled onto the floor, through my blurring vision, i could see that the spirit was slowly being cleansed. The maggots were dropping off one by one, and the boy underneath was revealed. He sighed happily, as if a huge weight had been lifted from him.
"I'm so glad..." He looked over at me sadly when he heard me speak.
"Forgive me, young one. I'm sorry."
"Nah, don't mention it. Nngg" I collapsed onto the ground, barely able to keep my eyes open.
Then there's even more pain, and the sad boy's voice. I can hear him crying over me. I want to apologise to the man I knocked out, but I don't have any more strength. There are people tying rags around my wounds as he holds me in is arms. Surely it can't be a bad way to die, if I am in his arms.
Do not go gently in to that good night.
Why were those words important? Even as I was fading into the darkness, those words sparked something inside of me - was it hope? But it was useless. Words couldn't save me. Not now. But that was okay, because I'd done my duty. I'd saved people.
Naru walked towards me and put his arms around me. I relaxed into his embrace.
"Mai… this is serious. I know we can't walk away from this one, because it's a hospital, but… honestly, if anything happens to you… I think I'd die." His eyes when he stared into mine… he looked so lost, so hopeless. I sighed.
"Idiot. What about if something happened to you - how do you think I'd feel? Baka. I'd die without you, Naru. Onegai…. Don't ever leave me again."
That memory. What was I doing - I couldn't leave Naru. I'd said it myself,
We're so hopeless without each other.
Now I understood what Gene had meant. I remembered something we'd learned in English class. A poem about death.
Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.
The light… there had to be a light here somewhere. I looked up. But there was nothing. Rage, huh? I can be pretty angry when I want to, and I am not having this light extinguished without a fight.
"Are you sure that's what you want, sweetie?" I turned, and with shock I saw that the speaker was my mother, and standing next to her with an arm around her was my father.
"You could come with us, you know. We could be together, and you wouldn't have to worry about being hurt anymore." My parents… wanted me to come with them? But that would mean…
"No. I'm not dead yet. I'll meet you some day, Oto-sama, Oka-san. But I have to go back. Naru needs me. And I need him."
I felt a familiar presence behind me. I turned and saw Gene, who had his hand outstretched. I looked at him, confused.
"You had to decide on your own. I… they wouldn't let me appear until you had chosen. Sorry." I shook my head, and took his hand. It felt strangely warm.
"No, it's okay. Let's go home."
"Good idea." As Gene and I flew through the darkness, there was a pinprick of light that was slowly getting bigger as we headed in its direction. Soon the light was so much that it blinded me.
I took a huge gulp of air as I sat bolt upright, before collapsing back again. Naru was watching me with a mixture of happiness and horror. I smirked, and put on my scariest face, sitting up again.
"Let me eat your brains, puny mortal!" I laughed when he looked genuinely freaked out. "Ha! Got you. Totally not a zombie."
"You…." He started angrily, but then his face melted into relief. "I was so… worried about you…" He fell asleep.
"Aww, he is such a sweet boyfriend." A familiar face appeared in a mirror on my bedside.
"Shut up, stupid ghost-boy." He giggled. "How long had he been sitting there?" I asked. The dead Davis twin's face was suddenly serious.
"Probably a week. He wouldn't sleep - it was all anyone could do to make him eat."
"Wait… I've been unconscious for a week?" I asked incredulously. Gene nodded.
"Yeah… well, not as much that as comatose, but y'know."
It suddenly stuck me just how close I'd come to dying. Heck - my parents were gonna be my welcoming committee to the afterlife. Yikes.
"That thing tore you up pretty bad, you know, kid. You shouldn't even be sitting up."
"But-" I protested, though Gene was having none of it.
"You are going to sleep. Doctor Davis's orders"
"You're not… the one that's… my boss" I said as I flopped back onto the bed, with Naru's head resting on my lap.
The next time I woke up, it was Lin sitting by my bedside, instead of Naru. He was watching me carefully as I propped myself up with the pillows. He had a bandage around his head. I winced, remembering that it was my fault.
"Um, Lin… sorry about your head. I didn't mean to-" He cut me off with a shake of his head.
"No, a fractured skull is nothing to what you went through. And besides, you saved me from the wrath of Naru the Vengeful." I laughed, but I still felt guilty.
"I didn't even know I could do that, though. I thought I only had latent psychic powers, rather than active ones?" Lin shook his head. He didn't know either.
"At least the hospital's safe now." Lin nodded. Back to his usual silent self, I suppose.
"Where's Naru, anyway?" I asked.
"I made him go to sleep. In his own bed, rather than snuggling up to you."
"How did you manage that?"
"I told him that he'd never hear the end of it from Ayako and Monk." I laughed, and Lin smiled. I winced though, and Lin suddenly looked alarmed.
"Mai, are you alright?"
"It's fine. Just… maybe I shouldn't laugh too much yet." He nodded, returning to his silence.
"I'm kind of sleepy again. Wake me up if someone comes to visit."
"No promises, you need your rest."
As I sank into my pillows, Lin got up and tucked me in. I suddenly started crying.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his usually unreadable voice laced with worry.
"It's just… nobody's tucked me in to bed since mother died." He smiled down at me apologetically. I yawned.
"hey… Lin?" I asked, turning my head over to him.
"Hmm?"
"Maybe one day, could you tell me about that girl you used to know? I think I would have liked her." Lin looked surprised, but then he nodded, smiling sadly.
"Maybe one day. Now go to sleep. They'll let you out in another few days."
Before I was let out of hospital, everyone had visited me - but not always whilst I was awake. Gene told me that Masako had stayed with me all through one night, saying soothing things, and that she thought I was very brave to do that, even if it had made Naru so upset he could hardly control himself. Apparently, if he hadn't felt me breathing at the last moment, then he would have let his powers go haywire. Wow. I don't know what surprised me more - that Masako was being nice, or that Naru was close to going insane. Scratch that. Masako definitely surprised me more.
On the day of my release from that prison of a bed, John, Monk and Ayako had come to collect me. Just before we left, Mr Itagawa caught up with us.
"Mai! Please forgive me for allowing you to take this case even though you were hurt so badly."
"Aww, Dad. So you can be modest!" Masahiro's ghost was hovering over his adopted father's head.
"No, no, Mr Itagawa. Occupational hazard, and all." I laughed nervously. Ayako rolled her eyes.
"It's more like you're a magnet for occupational hazards." Monk grumbled. He was just like a second dad to me - so protective.
"Woo dad. You can't see me! Ha ha ha. So gonna knock over mum's ugly vase."
"Masahiro-kun!" I yelled. "I'm sure that vase is very precious to your mother. And stop making fun of your father. He doesn't deserve it."
"But he dooooeeeess. For all the extra revision he made me do. And what did it come to? Nothing."
"You're such a stupid ghost. Go and pass on already."
"Aww, but then I can't peek at you!"
"You perverted ghost! Ugh!"
"Are you talking to my dead son?" Mr Itagawa asked. I nodded sheepishly.
"Yeah… he's…"
"He's fifteen. What do you expect?" We all laughed at that.
"At any rate," Mr Itagawa's tone suddenly turned serious, "Thank you for your help in this. And if there's anything I can do for you, Miss Taniyama, don't hesitate to call. Even if you just want to talk about your mother for a while."
"Thank you, sir."
We made it back to the office, where everyone else was waiting - even Yasuhara and Madoka. They all looked relieved when they saw me. Even Masako.
"I'm glad that you are alright, Mai." I heard her say - without any hint of sarcasm or malice at all.
"Where's Naru?" I asked, noticing he wasn't among my welcoming committee. Lin nodded over to the office in the back. I went over and knocked.
"Who is it?" He asked in a bored voice.
"Who do you think, idiot scientist?"
"Mai?" He said after he'd opened the door and was staring at me in the face.
"No, I'm the friggin' zombie apocalypse. Of course it's me you idiot."
"You're the idiot. Putting yourself in danger like that - you could've-"
"-Died. Yes, I noticed that. With all those stitches, though, I really must've looked like a zombie. You were freaked out. Admit it." I grinned as he gave me an irritated look.
"Just shut up and go make me my tea. I haven't had any for days."
"Oh dear, having withdrawal symptoms, are we?" I teased.
"Shut up and go make it, Mai." He slammed the door behind him.
"Hai, boss." I couldn't help the ear to ear grin that spread across my face as I made my way to the kitchen.
A/N: Well, what is this I don't even- no chapters for over a year and then two in the space of a day? Ach well. End of case #1. And as I think of what to do for case #2, I'm thinking of doing what someone suggested a long time ago and making a side-story to Ties That Bind Us All. What do you guys think? R&R please, I'd really appreciate it.
Naru: You know, I'm actually impressed. When you get your fat, lazy, worthless butt in gear, you can actually get some writing finished.
Mai: Naru!
Me: He's right, though. I need to get my butt in gear and write more. I actually really enjoyed getting back into this and winging it. So much fun.
Naru: You see. Negative encouragement can work.
Me: Is that what you call it? Because it seems awful like putting someone down just because you're evil.
Naru: You're the one who was seriously considering killing off Mai in this chapter.
Me: So not true. I was only considering it a little. Not seriously. I just wanted you to feel heartache in payback for all the nasty things you ever said.
Mai, Me, and Naru: We hope you come back and enjoy the next installment!
Naru: Again, if it ever sees the light of day.
Me n Mai: Shut up Naru, you idiot scientist! Legitimate successor chop! (watch Kekkaishi and you'll understand lol)