A/N: I actually re-read the last chapter and I was actually pleased with it. And the new Coldplay fueled my burst of inspiration so GO BUY THE CD!! It's amazing.
Disclaimer: (in an odd French accent) I own ze idea and my characters. I do not own ze Ghost Hunt characters.
By the light of the moon
"Mai, wait up. He's going to fast for us so let's just wait for him to come back." Kaori bent over her knees, panting from exhaustion. Soon after entering the hallway, Naru had picked up his pace to one where Mai and Kaori had to walk fast and, occasionally, run to keep up.
"No way. I want to know what's going on." Mai said and glaced around a corner to find their 'target'. He was just entering a door. Mai ran up to the door and pushed her back against the wall and leaned in try and peek inside.
"What's wrong with you?!" Naru's voice made Mai freeze and settle for listening instead of peeking.
"Whatever do you do mean, my dear boy?" A snide voice quipped and Naru growled.
"You tried to kill me. That was not part of the agreement." Mai's eyes widened.
'What...?' She thought and swallowed hard.
"The agreement was to get me in the castle and I'll kill those close to the princess and eventually the princess. As I understand it, you are close to the princess." The snide voice became serious and threatening. Naru made a sarcastic laugh.
"I could kill her anytime I want to. You've got to get the Lord and Lady and the pesky maid out of the way. The princess is the easiest target." Naru smirked and Mai felt her heart breaking into millions of tiny pieces. Footsteps sent her scrambling down the hall.
"Mai, what-" Mai grabbed Kaori's arm and quickly pulled the girl down the hall and away from the men. Mai refused to cry until she was alone.
"Shush. They are coming." Mai muttered and Kaori gave her a puzzling look.
"Turn here. Mai, who are 'they'?" Kaori asked as they turned the corner and Mai cursed her carelessness.
"I'll explain later. Now which way?" Mai asked as they came to the end of the hall. It split into a left and right hallway. Kaori closed her eyes and thought.
"...I don't remember!" She muttered after a bit and Mai janked her to the right hallway and continued running.
--
"What is it Kazuya?" The man asked following the younger boy down the hall. Kazuya came to the split and looked down the hallway that led to the library.
"Hmmm, I thought I heard voices. Perhaps I was wrong." And he retracted his head from the left side of the split.
--
"M-Mai, are we outside? I think we took a wrong turn." Kaori clutched onto Mai's sleeve as the continued down the right hallway. The air had become cold and damp. The walls seemed to have turned into bushes.
"I have no idea anymore. About where we are... about Naru..." Mai said sadly. Kaori turned to look at her sharply.
"What does that mean?" She asked and Mai told her what she heard. Kaori had a surprised look upon her face that was quickly replaced with anger. "How could he? He's betraying his country and his princess."
"What? 'His' princess? Yeah, I don't think so." Mai said unhappily and sassily. The two girls heard a noise that sounded like the rustling of leaves.
"W-What was that?" Kaori and Mai asked at the same time and held onto each other. The rustling sounded closer the next time they heard it and the two girls shut their eyes in fear.
"Mai? Kaori? What are you girls doing here?" Mai's eyes fluttered open at the familar voice. Houshou stood in front of the girls wearing his monk clothes.
"I-We-Uh..." Mai stuttered and stammered her sentences in her confusion. Houshou chuckled and took a hand of both girls and pulled them back into the hall from which they came.
"It's alright. This way to the main enterance." Houshou said. Mai hesitantly followed with Kaori right beside her.
--
"I've lived here all my life and I've never even known of those hallways." Mai said, relaxing after the hard day in her room. Kaori nodded grimly.
"I still can't believe Naru." She muttered and Mai felt her chest throbbing in pain.
"Huh? What about Naru?" Houshou asked from a chair in the corner. He was allowed to stay on the condition of staying out of the way. Kaori and Mai glanced at each other and Mai frowned.
"I'll tell him..." Kaori said quietly and she retold what she'd heard from Mai. Houshou's face betrayed his emotions as it was full of suprise and some hurt.
"I thought he was our friend..." He muttered and cast his glance away.
"What do we do...?" Mai wondered aloud.
--
"Kazuya, I can't kill them all by myself. I need your help. You said you were friends with them." Kazuya turn at the voice and nodded curtly at his orders.
"Do it inconspicously. Leave no clues. Start easy, do the maid." Naru nodded agian and the speaker disappeared into the darkness between the rows of books.
--
"Mai! What should I do?" Kaori ran into the princess's room and collapsed on her bed. Mai looked at the girl with confusion. "Naru asked me out to dinner. I think it's a trap but I said yes automatically..." Kaori confessed.
"What?" Mai said disbelievingly. 'Why would Naru ask her out?' She thought seething with jealousy.
"I think I'll mysteriously catch a cold. Mai, will you tell him I can't go? Please?" Kaori pleaded and Mai, still a little jealous, nodded and left.
--
'What is up with that guy? Why would he ask Kaori out? I mean, isn't he a killer and doesn't he want to kill me? Oh no... I'm going to see him, just the two of us and in that giant library, no one can hear my screams...' Mai thought in panic. She paused just out side the library doors to gather her thoughts.
"Mai! I need you to do something for me!" Houshou called out from behind her. Mai jumped and quickly moved away from the doors.
"Oh, were you going in?" He asked when he cought up. Mai nodded hesitantly, deciding to tell Houshou what had happened.
"...So she asked me to go and tell him she can't go. But anyway, what did you want me to do?" Mai asked, trying to smile but it seemed fake and insincere, even to her.
"It was just that Ayako and I wanted to be moved back into the same room. But that's not important! I'll go with you to tell Naru." Houshou said nonchalantly. Mai truely smiled and was quite glad at the fact that she wasn't going in alone.
"Thank you." She replied and pulled the door open to the library.
--
"Hello, Mai." Naru said when she came into view. Mai smiled weakly, her heart throbbing in her chest.
"Hi, um... Kaori is sick and she can't go to dinner with you tonight. Uh.. that is all, I shall take my leave." Mai curtseyed and quickly turned to leave.
"Mai." With one word, Mai froze, her heart clenching painfully. "Will you go with me instead?" He asked and Mai nearly fainted on the spot.
"I-I-I... I'm sorry! I'm really busy tonight!" She said, her face flushing. Naru nodded and Mai stole a glance at him. He looked as handsome as ever. 'I would have never suspected he'd kill me unless I heard what I did...'
"Mai, we'll be leaving now." Houshou said and, with a final glare at Naru, escorted Mai out of the library.
"Wait, Mai, we're still going to the ball together, right?" Naru asked, touching Mai's arm lightly. She flushed again and nodded unconsiously.
"Good." And he smiled at her. His lips curled slightly in a real smile, not his usual smirk. The world seemed to slow for the two of them as their eyes locked. Mai's brown ones meeting the dark blue in a fierce stare. His smiled turned to a slight smirk and he turned away in slow motion. Mai just stood there, her face a bright red, and watched him walk away.
'I've got it bad.' She thought as Houshou brought her back to reality by pulling her into the brightness of the day.
A/N: Gasp! How could Naru be evil?! I'm estimating about two more chapters so please keep reading! Oh and if anyone cares, I'm having sweet & sour chicken for dinner. It's my favorite!